That’s What Friends Are For

沈阳 (Shěn Yáng) – Aleksandra Yuryevna Goryachkina
10th Russia – China Friendship Match; Moscow, June 11, 2016
Queen’s Gambit Declined D12

1. d4 d5 2. Nf3 Nf6 3. c4 c6 4. e3 Bf5 5. Nc3 e6 6. Nh4 Be4 7. f3 Bg6 8. Qb3 Qc7 9. Bd2 Be7 10. Nxg6 hxg6 11. g3 a6 12. Rc1 dxc4 13. Bxc4 Nbd7. For 13. ... c5 14. dxc5 Nc6 see Siva Mahadevan – Goryachkina, 2nd Qatar Masters Open, Doha 2015. 14. Kf2 Rd8 15. Kg2 c5 16. Be2 0-0 17. Rhd1 b5 18. a4 b4 19. Nb1 a5 20. Be1 Qa7 21. Bf2 cxd4 22. exd4 Nd5 23. Nd2 Rc8 24. Bb5 Bg5 25. f4 Bf6 26. Qd3 Rfd8 27. Nb3 N7b6 28. Qf3 Qa8 29. Kg1 Rxc1 30. Rxc1 Rc8 31. Qd1 g5 32. Rxc8+ Nxc8 33. Qc1. After long maneuvering, White has finally gained control of the c-file, which ultimately will lead her to win a symbolic Pawn. 33. ... gxf4 34. Bc6 Qb8 35. Bxd5 exd5 36. Qc5 Nb6 37. Qxa5

37. ... f3! Goryachkina hammers a nail into the enemy’s Castle, getting more than sufficient counterplay to compensate for her little deficit. 38. Qxb4 Qc8! 39. Nd2. Not 39. Qxb6?? Qh3 with unavoidable mate. 39. ... Qc1+ 40. Nf1 Nc4 41. Qc3 Qa1 42. a5 g6 43. a6. If 43. Qxf3 then 43. ... Nd2! 44. Qe2 Nxf1 45. Qxf1 Qxb2 46. Qd1 Qa2 with a draw in sight. 43. ... Qxa6 44. Qxf3 Nxb2 45. Qxd5 Qd3 46. Ne3 Qxd4 47. Qa8+ Qd8 48. Qxd8+ Bxd8 49. Nd5 Nc4 ½ : ½.

From left: Aleksandra Yuryevna Goryachkina, Anastasia Mikhailovna Bodnaruk, Valentina Evgenyevna Gunina, and Natalia Andreevna Pogonina. Photo: ruchess.ru

From left: 沈阳 (Shěn Yáng) chatting with Kateryna Aleksandrovna Lagno and Olga Alexandrovna Girya. Photo: ruchess.ru