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Elena Tairova vs Mihaela Sandu
"The Purple Rose of Tairo" (game of the day Mar-27-2010)
European Championship (Women) (2008), Plovdiv BUL, rd 6, Apr-26
Sicilian Defense: Scheveningen Variation. Keres Attack (B81)  ·  1-0

ANALYSIS [x]

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Kibitzer's Corner
Mar-27-10  Dravus: Helen of Troy conquers lands on the Black Sea in a pretty King-side attack.
Mar-27-10  hellopolgar: bravo.

RIP Elena.

Mar-27-10  lost in space: Nice!
Mar-27-10  The HeavenSmile: Still takes another 6 moves to mate! 39...Bxd6 40. Qh8+ Kf7 41.Qf6+ Ke8 42.Rh8+ Bf8 43.Rxf8+ Qxf8+ 44.Bxg6+ Qf7 45.Qxf7#
Mar-27-10  aktajha: 39. .. Bxd6 40. Qh8+ kf7 41. Rh7#
Mar-27-10  rangek: RIP Elena!
Mar-27-10  whiteshark: Very circumspectly played by White.
Mar-27-10  goodevans: 21 ... Rxe3 struck me at first as being a little overambitious but a closer examination told me that black was already struggling at this point and the exchange sac looks like a reasonable shot at counterplay.

I think it would have been interesting to see how things would have turned out if black had first exchanged off white's dangerous knight with <21 ... Bxd6 22 exd6 Rxe3>. Black would then have a passed pawn to contend with but eliminating that threat, if possible, would be a possible path to equality.

Mar-27-10
Premium Chessgames Member
  eternaloptimist: nice attack by tairova after sandu's blunder 12...♕c7?? (12...♕a6 would have been better followed by 13.♗xa6 ♘f3+ 14.♔e2 ♘xd2 15.♗b5 ♘xb3 16.axb3). it also would have been wise for sandu to play 10...a6 to prevent ♘b5, which caused sandu's ♕ to have a passive post for a long time. in addition it would have prevented the loss of sandu's d♙. it's a shame that tairova died at such a young age, but we still have her games to remember her by as kosteniuk stated in her eulogy for her.
Mar-27-10  thegoodanarchist: Bobby Fischer once said he had these attacks down pat: "...pry open the h-file, sac, sac, mate!"

But Tairova pries open the h-file, and it's "sac and mate!"

Mar-27-10  kevin86: Domination:white runs the h-file with an iron hand.
Mar-27-10  patzer2: A Neice of my Brother's wife passed away of Brain cancer at a young age, some years ago and it was a sad event that affected all of our family.

Sorry to hear of the loss of Tairova. I'm sure she was ajoy to her family and all who knew her.

Her games here, including this magnificient effort, leave a wonderful legacy of her intellect, creativity and fighting spirit.

Mar-27-10  patzer2: Tairova's 21. Kb2!! is an absolutely brilliant piece of attacking and defending.

The demolition 36. Rxh7! leaves Black absolutely helpless despite the fact that the White is a piece down and with a King who is completely devoid of pawn cover.

Her advanced Knight and central Pawns provide perfectly adequate protection for the White monarch, while also sealing off escape routes of Black's hopelessly trapped King.

Mar-27-10
Premium Chessgames Member
  doubledrooks: <The HeavenSmile> wrote: <Still takes another 6 moves to mate! 39...Bxd6 40. Qh8+ Kf7 41.Qf6+ Ke8 42.Rh8+ Bf8 43.Rxf8+ Qxf8+ 44.Bxg6+ Qf7 45.Qxf7#>

Actually, 41. Rh7 is mate.

Mar-27-10  Dravus: In a Greek fire, Helen of Troy launches kingside pawns to conquer Euxine lands. Her Trojan horse held strong the pass at Thermopylae.

(Re-formulated.)

Mar-27-10  Jettrider: Black offers up space, pawns, and outposts for an unusable hole around White's king. Final combo just seals the damage already done while Black shuffled around on the queenside.
Mar-27-10  grasser: What a great loss. I have never met a teenage girl that could do anything more than send text messages. We love you Elena!
Jan-25-11  BLarsen1967: <eternaloptimist> <it also would have been wise for sandu to play 10...a6 to prevent Nb5, which caused sandu's queen to have a passive post for a long time.> Not sure about 10...a6. For instance: 11.a3 O-O 12.O-O-O Nxd4 13.Bxd4 Re8 looks real fine for White. Perhaps Sandu's 10..Nde5 was good enough
Mar-26-13  amosianboy: I think that 25 c4! Is the most brilliant move of this game...sealing the knight at d6 and the dark squares later with 33c5 and freeing space for the king. R.I.P Elena.
Oct-17-20  Chesgambit: Rxh7!!

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