Аида (Aida)

Ticia Gara – Aleksandra Yuryevna Goryachkina
11th Women’s European Team Chess Championship; Reykjavík, November 20, 2015
Caro-Kann Defence B11

1. e4 c6 2. Nc3 d5 3. Nf3 Bg4 4. h3 Bxf3 5. Qxf3 Nf6 6. d3 e6 7. Qg3 Na6 8. Be2 d4 9. Nb1 g6!? For 9. ... Nb4 10. Na3 c5 see Aronin – Flohr, 18th USSR Chess Championship, Moscow 1950. 10. 0-0 Bg7 11. Nd2 0-0 12. f4 Nd7 13. e5 f6 14. exf6 Nxf6 15. Ne4? A hasty move that decidedly surrenders the initiative to Black – which Goryachkina will implement in masterly style. White should have played 15. a3 contenting herself with a small plus. 15. ... Nb4 16. Bd1 Nxe4 17. dxe4 d3 18. cxd3 Nxd3 19. Bb3 Nc5 20. Bc2 Qd4+ 21. Be3 Qc4 22. Rac1 Nd3 23. Bxd3 Qxd3 24. e5 Rad8 25. Rc3 Qd5 26. Ra3 a6 27. Rb3 Rf7 28. Bb6 Rdd7 29. Qf3 Qc4 30. Qe3 Rd5 31. Rf3 Rd1+ 32. Kh2 Bh6 33. g3 Qc2+ 34. Rf2 Qb1 35. Qf3 Rfd7 36. Bc5 Bf8! 37. Bxf8 Kxf8 38. a3. It allows Aleksandra Yuryevna a spectacular conclusion, but White’s position was so much compromised that it’s very hard – at least for me – to suggest any good moves.

38. ... R7d2! Threatening both ... Qb1-c2 and 39. ... Rh1+ 40. Qxh1 Rxf2+. 39. g4 Rh1+ 40. Kg3 Qg1+ 41. Qg2 Qe1! 42. Rxb7 Rg1 43. Rb8+ Ke7 44. Rb7+ Kd8 45. Rb8+ Kc7 0 : 1.

Aleksandra Yuryevna Goryachkina
Photo: Hrafn Jökulsson/Icelandic Chess Federation