Brilliant finish in round 1
France’s grand finale to its 2018 team championship is taking place in Brest between May 26 and June 5. Known as ‘Top12 ‘, this is one of the strongest team championships in the world, bringing together 12 super-strong teams of 8 boards each. It is mandatory that atleast one of the boards have a female participant.
I was particularly impressed with the finish to the game between Natacha Benmesbah (2264) and Mathilde Choisy (2158) in today’s first round:
Benmesbah,N – Choisy,M Brest 26.5.2018 Rd.1
1.e4 c5 2.Nf3 d6 3.Bb5+ Nd7 4.d4 cxd4 5.Qxd4 a6 6.Bxd7+ Bxd7
7.Nc3 e5 8.Qd3 h6 9.O-O Nf6 10.Nd2 b5 11.a4 b4 12.Nd5 Nxd5 13.exd5
Be7 14.f4 exf4 15.Nc4 O-O 16.Bxf4 Qc7 17.b3 Rfd8{[#]
<div class="custom_attn_box" style="text-align: justify;"><span style="color: #000000;"><strong>Black’s last move removes an important defender from the kingside wing and allows an opportunity for the white pieces to strike deeply into the Black position. Natacha did not let slip this opportunity.</strong></span></div>
} 18.Bxh6!{[#]
<div class="custom_attn_box" style="text-align: justify;"><span style="color: #000000; font-size: 12pt; font-family: arial, helvetica, sans-serif;"><strong>Wow! This suprising move is the preamble for an even more surprising sacrifce. It is worth noting that White’s combination required very precise calculation right to the very end. It was necessary to envision the coming attack and consider all of Black’s defensive resources.</strong></span></div>
}
Bf8$5{[#]
<div class="custom_attn_box" style="text-align: justify;"><span style="color: #000000;"><strong>There are only bad options, but this move atleast delays an immediate blow out should Black capture the Bishop on h6</strong></span></div>
} ( 18...gxh6$6 19.Rxf7$3{[#]<strong style="color: red;">A really nice move!</strong>} Kxf7 20.Qh7+ Ke8 21.Qg6+ Kf8 22.Rf1+{<strong style="color: red;">mating</strong>} )
19.Rxf7$3{[#]<strong style="color: red;">Anyway!</strong>} Kxf7{[#]
<div class="custom_attn_box" style="text-align: justify;"><span style="color: #000000; font-family: arial, helvetica, sans-serif;"><strong>As noted, there are only bad options. Finally Black has nothing better than to capture this Rook, and hope that White has been overly optimistic in her calculations.</strong></span></div>
} ( {<strong style="color: red;">No better is</strong>}19...Bf5 20.Rxc7 Bxd3 21.Bg5{<strong style="color: red;">when Black loses material without a fight</strong>} ) 20.Qh7!{[#]
<div class="custom_attn_box" style="text-align: justify;"><span style="color: #000000; font-family: arial, helvetica, sans-serif;"><strong>Another very precise move! The whole finish to this game reminds this writer of some of Paul Morphy’s greatest attacks. The idea behind the move of the Queen is to prevent the Black King from returning to g8, all in anticipation of the coming Rf1 check. Black is defenceless!</strong></span></div>
}
Bf5$5{[#]} ( {<strong style="color: red;">No better is</strong>} 20...Qc5+ 21.Be3! Qxd5 22.Rf1+ Ke7 23.Qg6 Be6 24.Nb6! ) 21.Rf1!{[#]<strong style="color: red;">Clearly the strongest continuation of the attack</strong>} Re8 22.Rxf5+ Ke7 23.Bg5+{[#]<strong style="color: red;">Every one of White’s pieces participates in the final hunt of the Black monarch!</strong>} Kd7 24.Rf7+ Be7 25.Qxg7
( 25.Qf5+$5 ) Kd8{[#]
<div class="custom_attn_box" style="text-align: justify;"><span style="color: #000000; font-size: 12pt; font-family: arial, helvetica, sans-serif;"><strong>Here Black actually resigned, realizing that mate could only be avoided at great cost. I present the likely continuation, had the game continued!</strong></span></div>
} 26.Rxe7 Rxe7 27.Qf8+{[#]<strong style="color: red;">Black will lose his Queen atleast</strong>} 1-0
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The 29 year old Natacha won the WIM title in 2011 and has been consistently one of the top scoring females in France. Natacha has collected an impressive list of titles and national championships.
