Walk on the Wild Side

Alexandra Konstantinovna Kosteniuk – Ekaterina Aleksandrovna Lagno
Women’s Grand Prix 2013–2014; 4th stage; Khanty-Mansiysk, April 17, 2014
French Defence C14

Alejandro Tadeo Ramírez Álvarez: “A truly wild game! It is almost impossible to make out all of the complicated variations in this dual attack game. Kosteniuk went after La[h]no’s throat, taking piece after piece with check! However the Ukrainian had her own ideas, making an unstoppable passed Pawn on a2 on move 20! The game ended in an exciting perpetual check as Kosteniuk could not checkmate in time... A wonderful struggle!”. 1. e4 e6 2. d4 d5 3. Nc3 Nf6 4. Bg5 Be7 5. e5 Nfd7 6. h4!? The so-called Alekhine-Chatard Attack. 6. ... c5 7. Bxe7 Kxe7 8. f4 Nc6. After 8. ... cxd4 9. Qxd4 Nc6 (for the alternative 9. ... Qb6 see Poliak – Abramian, Leningrad 1938) 10. Qd2 Qa5 11. Nf3 Rd8 12. Rh3 White is better, Levenfish – Menchik, Moscow 1935. 9. dxc5 Nxc5 10. Qg4 Kf8 11. 0-0-0 Qa5 12. Nf3. More energetic than 12. Kb1 d4 13. Nb5 Ne4 14. Nh3 h5 15. Qf3 Nd2+ 16. Rxd2 Qxd2 17. Bd3 Bd7 18. Ng5 Qe3 19. Qd1 Nd8 20. Re1 Qg3 21. Nxd4 Qxh4 22. Be4 Qxf4 23. Ndf3 Bc6 24. Qd6+ Kg8 ½ : ½ Eames – Summerscale, Scarborough 2001. 12. ... Rb8 13. h5 b5. Lagno plays for complications – which she certainly gets. 14. h6 g6 15. Qh4 b4. The position is exceedingly complicated, in which both ladies display wonderful fertility of resource and skill.

16. Nxd5! The fireworks begin! The trivial 16. Qf6 bxc3! 17. Qxh8+? would lose to 17. ... Ke7 18. Qf6+ Ke8 19. Qh8+ Kd7-+. 16. ... exd5. Black can’t refuse: on 16. ... Qxa2? 17. Ne7! wins. 17. Qf6 b3!! The correct rejoinder. After 17. ... Rg8? 18. Qd6+ Ke8 (or 18. ... Ne7 19. Ng5) 19. Rxd5 Black is busted. 18. Qxh8+ Ke7 19. Qf6+ Ke8 20. Rxd5 bxa2 21. Qxc6+ Ke7 22. Qf6+ Ke8 23. Qh8+ Ke7 24. Qf6+ Ke8 25. Qh8+ Ke7 ½ : ½.

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