Fountain of Youth

Pia Cramling – Natalia Andreevna Pogonina
Women’s World Chess Championship; Krasnaya Polyana, March 29, 2015
Queen’s Gambit Declined D56

1. Nf3 d5 2. d4 Nf6 3. c4 e6 4. Nc3 Be7 5. Bg5 h6 6. Bh4 0-0 7. e3 Ne4 8. Bxe7 Qxe7 9. Rc1 c6 10. Qc2 Nd7 11. Be2. For 11. a3 Nxc3 12. Qxc3 dxc4 13. Bxc4 b6 14. 0-0 Bb7 15. Rfd1 Rfd8 16. Be2 Rac8 17. b4 c5 18. dxc5 bxc5 19. b5 see Gunina – Pogonina, 64th Russian Women’s Championship Superfinal, Kazan 2014. 11. ... Nxc3 12. Qxc3 dxc4 13. Qxc4 e5 14. 0-0 e4. A questionable novelty. It is wise for Black to strive for equality with 14. ... exd4 15. Nxd4 Nf6 as in the game Carlsen – Aronian, 2nd Sinquefield Cup, Saint Louis 2014. 15. Nd2 Nf6 16. Qc5 Qxc5 17. Rxc5 Be6

18. Ra5! “Pia Cramling I can only compare with Lasker and Kortschnoi, the greatest fighters in chess history”, Israel Gelfer said. 18. ... Rfd8 19. Bc4 Bxc4 20. Nxc4 a6? This move creates a “hole” at b6 with, soon or later, unpleasant consequences. After 20. ... Nd5 there is nothing special for White. 21. Nb6 Rab8 22. Rc1. White has still a possible minority attack on the Queenside and, on the whole, a more comfortable game. 22. ... Kf8 23. b4 Rd6 24. Re5 Re8 25. Rec5 Red8 26. a4 Re6 27. h3 Ke8 28. g4! In Ulf Andersson style! 28. ... Nd5 29. Nxd5 Rxd5 30. Rxd5 cxd5 31. Rc5! “Cramling's game vs. Pogonina is bringing back the pleasant reminescences of Deviatkin – Vaibhav, Mumbai 2012”, Grandmaster Andrey Deviatkin tweeted. 31. ... Rd6 32. a5 Kd7 33. b5! axb5 34. Rxb5 Kc6 35. Rc5+ Kd7 36. Kg2 g5 37. Kg3 Kd8 38. f3 exf3 39. Kxf3 Kd7 40. Kg3 Kd8 41. Kf2 Kd7 42. Ke2 Kd8 43. Kd2 Kd7 44. Kd3 Kd8 45. Ke2 Kd7 46. Kf1 Kd8 47. Kg2 Kd7 48. Kg3 Kd8 49. h4! Kd7. Black’s last chance was 49. ... gxh4+, “but then I could have a possibility to enter with my King to f4. And she would have to play ... f7-f6. But she has a danger to be in Zugzwang. I will go Kf4-f5. So, I think it was nice position for me“, then Pia Cramling pointed out. 50. h5! Kd8 51. Kf3 Kd7 52. Ke2 Kd8 53. Kd3 Kd7 54. Rb5 Kc7 55. e4! dxe4+ 56. Kxe4 Rf6 57. Rf5 Re6+ 58. Kd5 Rd6+ 59. Kc4 f6 60. Rb5 Re6 61. Kd5 Re3 62. Rb6 Rf3 63. Ke6 Rf4 64. d5 Re4+ 65. Kxf6 Rxg4 66. d6+ Kc8 67. Kg6 Rg1 68. Kxh6 g4 69. Kg7 g3 70. h6 Rh1 71. Rb2 Rh4 72. h7 Rg4+ 73. Kf6 Rh4 74. Kg6 Kd7 75. Rxb7+ Kxd6 76. Rb1 Ke5 77. a6 g2 78. Rg1 Rg4+ 79. Kh5 1 : 0. To everyone’s surprise, Pia played another superb game!

Pia Cramling vs. Natalia Andreevna Pogonina
Photo: Eteri Kublashvili