Long-distance operator

Olga Alexandrovna Girya – Alexandra Konstantinovna Kosteniuk
Women’s Grand Prix 2013–2014; 4th stage; Khanty-Mansiysk, April 16, 2014
Queen’s Gambit Declined D58

1. d4 Nf6 2. c4 e6 3. Nf3 d5 4. Nc3 Be7 5. Bg5 h6 6. Bh4 0-0 7. e3 b6 8. Be2 dxc4 9. Bxc4 Bb7 10. 0-0 Nbd7 11. Qe2 a6 12. a4. Instead of 12. Rfd1 b5 as played a few days earlier in Ushenina – Kosteniuk, Women’s Grand Prix 2013–2014; 4th stage; Khanty-Mansiysk 2014. 12. ... c5 13. Rfd1 Qe8 14. Rac1 Bd6. Alina l’Ami: “[...] 14. ... Bd6, was also quite original and the game took an unusual course for this opening when the center was blocked. During the press conference, Alexandra Kosteniuk expressed her opinion: ‘When I went for this setup, I thought I should be doing fine; but if I cannot find the right way, Black’s position will fall apart’ like a sandcastle”. 15. d5 e5 16. Bg3 Nh5 17. Ne4 Bb8 18. Bh4 f5

19. d6+! Kh8 20. Be7! fxe4 21. Nh4. Alina l’Ami: “Giving a full piece in return for a dangerous attack”. 21. ... Nhf6 22. Be6 Bc6 23. Bf5 Rf7 24. Ng6+ Kg8 25. Qc4! Alina l’Ami: “[...] and the question is... how can Black untangle from such a cramped position? Alexandra didn’t find her way out and the mutual time trouble didn’t help either”. 25. ... Ra7 26. b3 Nd5. 26. ... b5 27. Qe6 Nh7 might have been more solid. 27. Bxd7 Rxd7 28. Rxd5 Bxd5 29. Qxd5 Bc7. This leads to a quick crash, but also after 29. ... Kh7 30. Qxe4 Kg8 31. Qa8 Kh7 32. a5! Black is in trouble. 30. Nxe5 Rxe7. Alina l’Ami: “Which of the hanging piece would you take? If you chose:” 31. Nxf7 Rxf7 32. dxc7, Alina l’Ami: “where the c-Pawn decides the day, then you would be in Olga’s victorious footsteps, who confidently went on to win what we would call: the game of the day!”. 32. ... Qc8 33. Qd8+ Rf8 34. Rd1. A very strong move, if an equally obvious one. 34. ... Kh7 35. h3. Quicker is the immediate 36. Qxf8! Qxf8 37. Rd8. 35. ... c4 36. bxc4 Qf5 37. Qxf8 Qxf8 38. Rd8 Qf6 39. c8=Q 1 : 0.

Alexandra Konstantinovna Kosteniuk. Photo: Nikolay Bochkarev, Alina l’Ami.