Games & a trick from the World Rapid Championships

I was watching the coverage of the 2016 edition of the FIDE World Rapid Championships today and saw a game of some interest to the many of us in the club that play the French Defense. Anna Muzychuk playing White mated Alina Kashlinskaya in 23 moves in a French Defense Exchange Variation. Not only that, the queens came off the board on move seven! A lesson on how NOT to play the French Exchange as Black.

[Event "World Rapid Women 2016"] [Site "Doha QAT"] [Date "2016.12.27"] [Round "8.1"] [White "Muzychuk, Anna"] [Black "Kashlinskaya, Alina"] [Result "1-0"] [ECO "C01"] [WhiteElo "2558"] [BlackElo "2429"] [PlyCount "45"] [EventDate "2016.12.26"] 1. e4 e6 2. d4 d5 3. exd5 exd5 4. Nf3 Nf6 5. Bd3 Bd6 6. Qe2+ Qe7 7. Qxe7+ Bxe7 8. Bf4 c6 9. h3 Ne4 10. O-O O-O 11. Re1 Bf5 12. Nbd2 Nxd2 13. Rxe7 Nxf3+ 14. gxf3 Bxh3 15. Rxb7 Re8 16. Kh2 Be6 17. Re1 Rd8 18. Bc7 Rc8 19. f4 g6 20. f5 gxf5 21. Rg1+ Kf8 22. Bd6+ Ke8 23. Rg8# 1-0

Yuck! On a more amusing note, the game between Nepomniachtchi and Aronian featured a nice trick in the endgame. Here's the position:

The moves 68 Rb6-b5+ Ke5-d4 have just been played. Nepo has almost achieved his goal, which is to capture the a-pawn and bishop, securing a draw. But there's a trick! If now 69 Rxa5 Kc4 and White finds himself on the losing end of a mating attack!

Aronian is a real artist at the board, and this is just another example.

However, Nepo realized there was a rat and played 69 Rh5 instead, and eventually made the draw. I'll try to remember to post the whole game score later.