A Song of Ice and Fire

Natalia Andreevna Pogonina – 沈阳 (Shěn Yáng)
China – Russia Match; 宁波市 (Níngbō), July 20, 2015
Grünfeld Defence D94

1. d4 d5 2. c4 c6 3. e3 Nf6 4. Nc3 g6. Karl Schlechter’s heritage. 5. Nf3 Bg7 6. Be2 0-0 7. 0-0 dxc4 8. Bxc4 Bg4 9. Be2 Nbd7 10. e4 Ne8 11. Bg5 Nb6 12. e5. For 12. Qd2 Nc7 13. Rad1 Ne6 14. Be3 Bxf3 15. Bxf3 Nc4 see 赵雪 (Zhào Xuě) – 沈阳 (Shěn Yáng), Chinese Team Chess Championship, 江门 (Jiāngmén) 2014. 12. ... Nc7 13. h3 Be6 14. Qc1 Bd5 15. Nxd5 Nbxd5 16. Rd1 Ne6 17. Bh6 Qb6 18. Bxg7 Kxg7 19. Bc4 Rad8 20. Qd2 Rd7 21. a4 Rc8 22. a5 Qd8 23. b4 b6 24. Qb2 Rb8 25. Qa3 Ndc7 26. axb6 axb6

27. Qb3. 27. Qb2 Nd5 is passive, but might give better chances to survive. 27. ... b5 28. Be2. Pogonina decides to sacrifice a Pawn, but she will get no reliable compensation. She would perhaps have considered 28. Bxe6 Nxe6 29. Qc3 which is slightly passive but quite playable. 28. ... Nxd4 29. Nxd4 Rxd4 30. Bf3. After 30. Qc3 Ne6 31. Qxc6 h5 the game is materially balanced, but Black still keeps somewhat better chances. 30. ... Ne6 31. Qc3. If 31. Bxc6 then 31. ... Qc7 and the White e-Pawn will fall. 31. ... Qb6 32. Rac1. Obviously not 32. Bxc6?? because of 32. ... Rc8 and wins. Her last chance was 32. Qxc6 Qxc6 33. Bxc6 Rxb4 34. Rd7 Rd4 35. Rxe7 b4 36. Be8 Nd8 37. Rd7 Rxd7 38. Bxd7 Nb7! with a (much) more comfortable ending for Black. 32. ... Rbd8 33. Rxd4 Qxd4 34. Qe1 Qf4 35. Rxc6. If, instead, 35. Bxc6 then 35. ... Nd4! with devastating effect. 35. ... Rd4! The pointe is the deadly infiltration of the Rook to the fourth rank. 36. Bg4 Re4 37. Qa1. Indirectly defending the e-Pawn, but now comes the decisive blow: 37. ... Nd4! Mamma mia! 38. g3 Qxe5 39. Rc1 h5 40. Bd1. The last mistake, but even after 40. f4 Qf6 the game does not last much longer. 40. ... Re1+ 41. Kh2 Qe4 42. Bf3 Rxc1 0 : 1.

沈阳 (Shěn Yáng)
Photo: photo.sina.com.cn