North
Urals
Cup
2007

Zhu -
Stefanova

Zhu Chen and Antoaneta Stefanova are former women's world champions, and they met at the final round of the tournament. With this win over Stefanova, Zhu Chen clinched first place, edging out Zhao Xue on tiebreak points.

The position is highly unbalanced with Stefanova's two knights and a rook for Zhu's queen and an extra pawn. However, the position is already critical for black since white is on a mating attack. The knights are unable to support the bishop on g7 nor create any diversionary tactic. Stefanova played 36...Rg8 to stop the mate on g7, but Zhu responded with the very fine move 37. Qg6 and black resigned. 1-0.

Let's take a closer look: if 37...Bf6, then 38. Qh6#. Now, if 37...Nd5 ( what else?), then 38. Qh6#. There's nothing more black can do.

But, we have to look at another move instead of 36...Rg8. Consider 36...Bf6, then 37. Qf6+ Kh7 38. Qf7+ Kh8 39. Qg6 c5 40. Qh6+ Kg8 41. Qe6+ Kf8 42. h4 and white has a good game going but black is not completely out of the game, unlike 37...Rg8.