Bundesliga (women) in Loeberitz

OSG Baden-Baden is the heavy favourite in woman's section of Bundesliga as well. They came to Loeberitz with an impressive lineup: 3 former world champions and a runner-up (who happened to be blitz/rapid world champion).
We put up a good fight and while the overall result was never in question, we could have scored better on some boards. Laura especially defended very well against Alexandra Kosteniuk and lost after a titanic struggle only:

Alexandra Kosteniuk (2523) - Laura Rogule (2238) [B22]

SG 1871 Löberitz - OSG Baden-Baden/Löberitz, Germany (1.1) 2023


1. e4 c5 2. c3 Nf6 3. e5 Nd5 4. Nf3 Nc6 5. Bc4 Nb6 6. Bb3 c4 7. Bc2 Qc7 8. O-O

White usually protects the pawn, but this is a known gambit and the first line of the engine.

8. Qe2 is the main line 8... g5 9. e6 dxe6 10. Nxg5 Qe5 11. d4 cxd3 12. Bxd3 Qxe2+ 13. Bxe2 h6 14. Ne4 e5 15. Na3 Bf5 16. Ng3 Bg6 17. Nc4 Nd5 18. O-O O-O-O 19. Re1 h5 20. h4 e6 21. Bf3 f6 22. a4 Kc7 23. a5 Bd3 24. Ra4 Bc5 25. Be4 Bxe4 26. Nxe4 Be7 27. Bd2 Rhg8 28. b4 a6 29. Rb1 f5 30. Ng5 Bxg5 31. hxg5 f4 32. b5 axb5 33. Rxb5 Rxg5 34. a6 b6 35. Kf1 Rdg8 36. g3 h4 37. a7 Ra8 38. gxf4 Rgg8 39. Nxe5 h3 40. Nf3 Nxa7 41. Rb1 Nc6 42. Rxa8 Rxa8 43. Ng5 Ra2 44. Rd1 Na5 45. Nxh3 Nc4 46. Ke1 Kc6 47. Ng5 Nb2 48. Rb1 Nd3+ 49. Kd1 Nxf2+ 50. Ke1 Nd3+ 51. Kd1 N5xf4 52. Bxf4 Nxf4 53. Rb4 Nd5 54. Rc4+ Kd6 55. Kc1 Re2 56. Ne4+ Ke5 57. Nd2 Kf5 58. Rc8 Kf4 59. Rf8+ Kg4 60. Kc2 e5 61. c4 Nf4 62. Kd1 Rg2 63. Rb8 Nd3 64. Rg8+ Kh3 65. Rh8+ Kg3 66. Rg8+ Kf2 67. Ne4+ Kg1 68. Rb8 Nb2+ 69. Ke1 Nxc4 70. Rc8 b5 71. Rc5 Rg4 72. Nf2 Rg3 73. Nd1 Rb3 74. Ke2 Kg2 75. Rc8 Kg3 76. Rf8 Ra3 77. Nf2 Re3+ 78. Kd1 b4 79. Nh1+ Kg2 80. Nf2 b3 81. Ng4 b2 82. Rb8 Re4 83. Nf6 Rf4 84. Nh5 Rf1+ 85. Ke2 b1=Q 86. Rg8+ Kh2 0-1 (86) Adams,M (2680)-Svidler,P (2660) Groningen 1997

8... Nxe5 9. Nxe5 Qxe5 10. Re1 Qc7 11. a4 e6 12. b3

not found in my (not up-to-date) database. A problem compared to the more common 12.d3 might be to find a good role for the bishop on c1 without weakening c3 too much.

12. d3 cxd3 13. Qxd3 Be7 14. Na3 a6 15. a5 Nd5 16. Qd4 O-O 17. Nc4 f5 18. Nb6 Nxb6 19. axb6 Qc5 20. Be3 Qxd4 21. Bxd4 Kf7 22. Re2 d5 23. Ba4 Bf6 24. Bc5 Rd8 25. Rae1 e5 26. Rxe5 Bxe5 27. Rxe5 Be6 28. f4 Rac8 29. Bd4 Rc4 30. Bd1 Rd6 31. Kf2 Rxd4 32. cxd4 Rxb6 33. b3 Kf6 34. Ke3 Bd7 35. Kd2 Rd6 36. Bf3 Be6 37. Re1 Rb6 38. Kc3 h6 39. h4 g6 40. Ra1 Ke7 41. Ra5 Kd6 42. Rc5 Rc6 43. Rxc6+ Kxc6 44. Kb4 b6 45. g3 a5+ 46. Ka3 Bc8 47. Be2 h5 1/2-1/2 (47) Demchenko,A (2619)-Zakhartsov,V (2391) Izhevsk 2014

12... cxb3 13. Bxb3 Nc4 14. Qf3 d6 15. Qh5 a6 16. h4 Bd7 17. Re4 d5 18. Re1 Be7

Then position is not easy to assess in practical terms and against such a strong opponent. Objectively Black is (more than) fine, but has a lot of decisions to make. Where to put the king to begin with. "If you ever find yourself confronted by a lion, avoid eye contact and stand utterly still. He will dart towards you, growling and roaring, but if you hold your nerve he is unlikely to pounce. Holding your ground against a dangerous adversary like this would be highly impressive, but it doesn't always work, and if disgruntled elephant charges in your general direction, your life depends on running away as fast as you can." Jonathan Rowson, New in Chess 1/2007 reviewing "Practical Chess Defence" by Jacob Aagaard

18... O-O-O the engine gives Black a significant edge here, but castling queenside is not totally clear to the human eye.

19. d3 Na5 20. Ba2 Nc6 21. Nd2 O-O 22. Nf3 f6 23. Bd2 Be8?!

Probably the white queen is more dangerous on g4.

23... Rac8 and it's not easy for White to prove compensation.

24. Qg4 Bf7

24... f5

25. Bh6

The former world champion is fully back in the game.

25... g6 26. Bxf8 Rxf8?! 27. Qh3

27. Rxe6 Bxe6 28. Qxe6+ engine claims a huge advantage for White here, although no immediate tactical point is obvious. Probably the white squares and White's d pawn will decide in the long run. This is why the engine wants to take on f8 with the king at move 26.

27... e5 28. h5 g5 29. d4 e4 30. Nd2 b5?! 31. axb5 axb5 32. Nf1 Kh8 33. Ne3 Rd8 34. f3

34. Qf5 looks like a logical follow-up. Black will find it hard to defend weak pawns on d5 and b5.

34... b4 35. fxe4 bxc3 36. Bxd5 Nxd4!?

Giving up a piece to create some counterplay based on the passed pawn looks like the best practical chance, although material should matter in the end.

37. Bxf7 Bc5 38. Bd5 Nc2 39. Kh1 Nxa1 40. Rxa1 Qf4 41. Ng4?

Allowing a comeback ...

41. Nc2 was the safe way to stop the c pawn and Black's hopes

41... c2 42. Qc3










42... Be7

All kind of geometrical motifs around. Black can force the draw immediately with

42... Bb4! 43. Qxb4 Rc8 Suddenly it even looks like a winning advantage for Black, as you have to give up the rook for the c pawn and saving the knight runs into mate, but ... 44. Qc5! Take care - White is still up for tricks!(44. Nh6?? Qh4+) 44... c1=Q+ 45. Rxc1 Rxc5 46. Rxc5 Qxg4 47. h6! Again the mating pattern forces perpetual - of course Black cannot take the pawn. 47... Qh4+ 48. Kg1 Qe1+

43. Nh6 Rxd5 44. exd5 Kg7 45. Kg1

With the help of the cute shot

45. Qe3! Qh4+ 46. Qh3 Qf4 47. Nf5+ Kf7










48. Qg4! c1=Q+ 49. Rxc1 Qxc1+ 50. Kh2 White maintains the strong knight, the passed pawn and maybe some symbolic edge, but it shouldn't be enough either.

45... Kxh6 46. Rf1 Qd6 47. Qxc2 Qxd5 48. Qe2 Bc5+ 49. Kh1 Qd4 50. g4 Qd5+??

After heroic defence Laura finally stumbles, as White can now force queen exchange, which gives her king the freedom to conquer the white squares.

50... Bd6 keeps the balance.

51. Qf3 Qxf3+ 52. Rxf3 Bd4 53. Rf5 Be5 54. Kg2 Kg7

54... Bd4 55. Kf3 Be5 56. Ke4 Bb2 57. Kd5 Be5 58. Ke6 Bb2 59. Kf7 Be5 60. Kg8

55. Kf3 Kf7 56. Ke4 Bd6 57. Rb5 Ke6 58. Rb6 Ke7 59. Rb7+ Ke6 60. Rxh7 Bf8 61. h6 1-0


In mutual time trouble we also missed some drawing chances on board 3 where both Annas faced each other:

Anna Muzychuk (2510) - Anna Endress (2111) [B23]

SG 1871 Löberitz - OSG Baden-Baden/Löberitz, Germany (1.3) 2023


1. e4 c5 2. Nc3 d6 3. f4 Nc6 4. Nf3 Nf6 5. g3 Nd4 6. Bg2 Bg4 7. h3 Nxf3+ 8. Bxf3 Bxf3 9. Qxf3 e6 10. d3 Be7 11. O-O O-O 12. g4 Rb8 13. g5 Nd7 14. h4 b5 15. Be3 b4 16. Ne2 Re8 17. f5 Ne5 18. Qh3 exf5 19. exf5 Bf8 20. Nf4 d5 21. f6 d4 22. Bd2 Rb6 23. Rae1 c4!? 24. Re4 c3 25. Bc1 Ng6 26. fxg7 Bxg7 27. Nd5 Rbe6

After initial problems our Anna fought back and got a nice position.

28. Qf5 Rxe4 29. dxe4 Nxh4 30. Qxf7+ Kh8 31. Qh5 Ng6 32. Nf6 Bxf6 33. gxf6 Qd6?

looking at the diagonal h2-b8 is the right idea, but

33... Qc7! keeps f7 under control, which makes all the difference.

34. f7! Rxe4

Too late for

34... Rf8 35. Bh6 which would be totally fine of course with a queen on c7.

35. Bg5?

But now - facing the threat of ...Qg3/...Rh4+ - Baden's Anna goes astray. While the idea Bf6 looks deadly, some preparation was needed.

35. Qf3! Rh4 36. Qa8+ Nf8 37. Qg2 Ng6 And only now 38. Bg5 when 38... cxb2 is impossible due to 39. Qa8+

35... Re6?

Our Anna returns the favour immediately.

35... cxb2! 36. Qf3 (36. Bf6+? Qxf6 37. Rxf6 b1=Q+ 38. Rf1 Re1) 36... Re6 and now it's White who has to save his skin.

36. bxc3 dxc3 37. Qf3 Kg7 38. f8=Q+ Qxf8 39. Qb7+ Re7 40. Bxe7

40. Qd5 Rf7 41. Bh6+ is a much cleaner finish.

40... Qxe7 41. Qxe7+ Nxe7 42. Rd1 Kf6 43. Kf2 Nf5 44. Rd5 a6 45. Ke2 h5 46. Kd3 h4 47. Ke4 Ng3+?

The endgame is still not clear, but much harder to play for Black. After

47... Ng7! White might get both Black's pawns at the rim, but in this case the black knight is in time with counterplay against c2. 48. Rd6+ Kg5 49. Rxa6 h3 50. Kf3 Nf5 51. Ra5 h2 52. Kg2 Kf4 53. Kxh2 Nd4

48. Kf3 Ke6 49. Rd4 Nf5 50. Rxb4 Kd5 51. Ra4 Nd4+ 52. Ke3 Nf5+ 53. Kd3 h3 54. Rf4 Ke5 55. Rf3 h2 56. Rh3 1-0


Our European youth champion Agnesa continues to play splendidly and drew very comfortably against former world champion Antoaneta Stefanova:

Agnesa Stepania Ter-Avetisjana (2141) - Antoaneta Stefanova (2424) [D40]

SG 1871 Löberitz - OSG Baden-Baden/Löberitz, Germany (1.4) 2023


25. Rxg7+ Bxg7 26. Ne7+ Kf7 27. Nxc8 Ke6 28. Be3 Nxb2 29. Nxb6 f5 30. Bd2

White can play on a bit, but the active king and reduced material secure the draw for Black.

1/2-1/2

On sunday the burden to be favourite suddenly was on our team against Karlsruher SF 1853. And the match started with great difficulties as Karlsruhe got a 2,5:0,5 lead ...
At this point our team fought back and finally won the match by the narrowest margin. Laura again had a very interesting game:

Laura Rogule (2238) - Jessica Schmidt (2202)

Karlsruher SF 1853 - SG 1871 Löberitz/Germany (2.1) 2023


22... Qe7!

resolving the pin tactically is the most resourceful defence.

23. Rxb6!

Taking anyway, as White has tactical ideas as well.

23... Qxa3 24. Rxf6 Qxe3+ 25. Kf1 g6

The probkem with 25... gxf6 lies in 26. Ng4 obviously. The knight your king's friend (e2) and foe (g4).

26. Qc2 a5 27. Ra6

27. Qc3! trades Black's most active piece and keeps a pleasant position.

27... f6?

this loses. Black could defend the a pawn tactically by means of

27... Qb3! 28. Qe4 Qb5 with chances for equality

28. Nxc4 Qe7 29. Rxa5

and delroy secured the full point for White.

1-0

Game(s) in PGN