Царица Александра Юрьевна Горячкина (Tsarina Aleksandra Yuryevna Goryachkina)

Ekaterina Aleksandrovna Lagno – Aleksandra Yuryevna Goryachkina
65th Russian Women’s Chess Championship; Chita, August 20, 2015
English Opening A11

1. c4 c6 2. Nf3 d5 3. g3 Bg4 4. Qb3 Bxf3 5. Qxf3 e6 6. Qb3 Qd7. For 6. ... Na6 7. Bg2 Nc5 8. Qc2 Nf6 9. 0-0 Be7 see Wirig – Rublevsky, 20th European Chess Club Cup, Izmir 2004. 7. d4 Bd6 8. Bg2 f5 9. Nd2 Nf6 10. c5 Be7 11. Nf3 0-0 12. Bf4 a5 13. 0-0 Na6 14. Qc2 Nh5 15. e3 Rfe8 16. b3 Nxf4 17. exf4 b6 18. cxb6 Qb7 19. Rfe1 Bf6 20. Ne5 Rac8 21. Qd2 Bxe5 22. Rxe5 Qxb6 23. Rae1 Nc7 24. Rc1 Na6 25. Rce1 Kf7. More circumspect would be 25. ... Nc7 to induce a repetition of moves, though White is not compelled to agree to it, but she may play 26. Bf1. 26. g4! Goryachkina must have underestimated the strength of this breakthrough. 26. ... Nc7. After 26. ... fxg4 27. f5! White’s attack would be too strong, so Goryachkina cedes a Pawn in the hope to get some play. 27. gxf5 exf5 28. Rxf5+ Kg8 29. Rfe5. White has one Pawn to the good and an excellent position. 29. ... Rf8 30. f5 Nb5 31. Rd1 Rf7 32. Qe3 Rcf8 33. Bh3 Nd6 34. Rc1 Ne4 35. Re6 Rf6 36. f3 Nd6 37. Qe5 Nf7 38. Qe3 Nd6 39. Qe5 Nf7 40. Qf4 Nd8 41. Rxf6 Rxf6 42. Qe3 Qb4 43. Bg4 Rf7 44. Re1 Rf8 45. Kf2 Qd6 46. Qe5 Qh6 47. Kg3 Qd2 48. Re2 Qc1 49. Kg2 Qc3 50. Qe3 Qb4 51. Rc2 Rf7 52. Rc5 Kf8 53. Qf4 Rf6 54. Qe3 Rf7 55. Rc2 Kg8 56. Qc3 Re7 57. Kf1 Qb5+ 58. Kg2 Qa6 59. Qd2 Qb5 60. Kf2 Qb8 61. Kg1 Qb6 62. Qf4 Qb4 63. Kg2 Rf7 64. Re2 Rf8 65. h4 a4 66. bxa4 Qxa4. Goryachkina seems on the verge of ruin and apparently it requires only one more little push to throw her over the precipice...

67. f6! gxf6 68. Bf5! Very well played, both this and the previous move of Lagno. Black has no good moves. 68. ... Qd1 69. Rd2? A very timid move, to put it euphemistically. Much more straightforward seems 69. Qe3! (threat: Qe3-e7), e.g. 69. ... Rf7 70. Kh2! Qf1 71. Qe8+ Rf8 72. Qe7 and wins. 69. ... Qe1 70. Kh2 Kh8 71. Rg2? And here Lagno throws away any hope of winning. After 71. Qh6 Qe7 72. Bxh7 White would have gained a most valuable Pawn. 71. ... Rg8 72. Rxg8+ Kxg8 73. Qg4+ Kf8 74. Bxh7 Qf2+ 75. Kh3 Nf7. A thrilling struggle to the end! After 75. ... Ne6! 76. Qxe6 Qxf3+ Black gives perpetual check. 76. a4 Qe1 77. Qg2 Qa1 78. Qd2 Qxa4 79. Bg6 Qa3 80. Qf4 Qd6 81. Kg3 Qe7 82. Bxf7 Kxf7 83. Kf2 c5 84. Qf5 Qd6 85. Qh7+ Kf8 86. dxc5 Qxc5+ 87. Kg2 Qd4 88. Qf5 Qxh4 89. Qxd5 Qe1 90. Qd6+ Kf7 91. Qd7+ Kg6 92. Qg4+ Kf7 93. Qc4+ Kf8 94. Kh3 Qe5 95. Qg4 ½ : ½. Thus Goryachkina (16-year-old) wins the Russian Women’s Chess Championship by a full point!

Aleksandra Yuryevna Goryachkina. Photo: chess24.com (@chess24com).