Half a Day Off

Aleksandra Yuryevna Goryachkina – Ekaterina Aleksandrovna Lagno
Women’s Candidates Tournament; Kazan, June 2, 2019
Grünfeld Defence D85

1. d4 Nf6 2. c4 g6 3. Nc3 d5 4. cxd5 Nxd5 5. e4 Nxc3 6. bxc3 Bg7 7. Nf3 c5 8. Bb5+ Nc6 9. 0-0 0-0 10. Ba3 cxd4 11. Bxc6 bxc6 12. cxd4 Bg4 13. Bc5 Re8 14. Rb1 Qd7 15. Rb4 e5!? 15. ... a5 16. Ra4 Qb7 17. Qb3 Qb5 also seems safe for Black, Kortschnoi – Sax, 1st GMA World Cup, 3rd stage, Reykjavík 1988. 16. dxe5 Qe6 17. Qb3 Bxf3 18. Qxe6 Rxe6 19. gxf3 Rxe5 20. Rc4 Rg5+ 21. Kh1 Bf8 22. Rfc1 Rxc5 23. Rxc5 Bxc5 24. Rxc5. The Rook ending looks pretty drawish, but Goryachkina pursues the win (out of nothing) with a will worth the World Chess Champion! 24. ... Rc8 (24. ... Rb8 25. Rxc6 Rb2=) 25. Kg2 Kf8 26. f4 Ke7 27. Kf3 Kd6 28. Ra5 Rc7 29. Ke3 Rb7 30. h4 Kc7 31. Ra6 Kd6 32. Kd4 Rb4+ 33. Kd3 Rb7 34. Kc4 Rb2 35. f3 Rf2 36. Rxa7 Rxf3 (36. ... f6 37. Rxh7 Rxf3=) 37. Rxf7 Ke6 38. Rxh7 Rxf4 39. Kd4 c5+ 40. Ke3 Rg4 41. a4 Ke5 42. Kd3 Rg1 43. a5 Ra1 44. Ra7 Ra4 45. a6 c4+ 46. Kc3 Kxe4 47. Ra8 Kf5 48. a7 Kg4 49. h5 gxh5 50. Rg8+ Kf3 51. a8=Q+ Rxa8 52. Rxa8 h4 53. Rh8 Kg3 54. Kd2

54. ... h3?? By now playing with a draw in her pocket, Lagno falls into a fatal inversion of moves. 54. ... c3+! (deflection) would have gained the vital tempo necessary to distract the White King and draw the game. 55. Ke3+− h2. Now it’s too late for 55. ... c3 on account of 56. Rg8+ Kh2 57. Kf4! (57. Kf2?? c2 58. Rc8 c1=Q! ends in a stalemate) 57. ... c2 58. Rc8 Kg1 59. Rxc2 h2 60. Kg3! h1=N+ 61. Kf3 and finis. 56. Rg8+ Kh3 57. Kf2 h1=N+ 58. Kf3 Kh2 59. Rh8+ Kg1 60. Rc8 Nf2 61. Rxc4 Nd3 62. Ke3 Ne5 63. Re4 Nc6 64. Re6 Nb4 65. Ke2 Nd5 66. Rg6+ Kh2 67. Kf3 Nc3 68. Rh6+ Kg1 69. Rc6 Nb5 70. Rc4 Nd6 71. Rc5 Kh2 72. Kf4 Kg2 73. Rc2+ Kh3 74. Rc6 Nb5 75. Ke5 Kg2 76. Rc2+ Kf1 77. Rc5 Na3 78. Rc3 Nb5 79. Rb3 Nc7 80. Rb7 1 : 0. The Knight is finally doomed.

Goryachkina made a win out of nothing today against her fellow countrywoman Lagno. Photo: Eteri Kublashvili.