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.
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.
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
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...
19. d3 Na5 20. Ba2 Nc6 21. Nd2
Probably the white queen is more dangerous on g4.
23... Rac8 and it's not easy for White to prove compensation.
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
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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
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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.
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.
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).
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
and delroy secured the full point for White.
1-0