The Sound of Music

Aleksandra Yuryevna Goryachkina – Valentina Evgenyevna Gunina
Women’s Candidates Tournament; Kazan, June 1, 2019
Queen’s Indian Defence E15

1. d4 Nf6 2. c4 e6 3. Nf3 b6 4. g3 Ba6 5. Qc2 c5 6. d5 exd5 7. cxd5 Bb7 8. Bg2 Nxd5 9. 0-0 Be7 10. Rd1 Nc6 11. a3 Nc7 12. Nc3 0-0 13. Bf4 d6!? New but not too different from 13. ... Ne6 14. e3 Nxf4 15. gxf4 d6 with approximate equality, Lenič – Navara, 20th European Team Chess Championship, Reykjavík 2015. 14. e3 h6 15. h4 Ne6. Now a skirmish begins, in which they both give proof of their tactical capabilities: 16. Bxd6 Bxd6 17. Ne4 Ncd4 18. exd4 Bxe4 19. Qxe4 Qf6 20. dxc5 Nxc5 21. Qd4 Nb3 22. Qxf6 gxf6 23. Rab1 Rad8 24. Nh2 Bc5 25. Ng4 Kg7 26. Bd5 Nd4 27. Ne3 b5 28. Kg2 Rfe8 29. Rd3 Re5 30. Ba2 Nc6 31. Rxd8 Nxd8 32. Rd1 Ne6 33. Bxe6 fxe6 34. Rd7+ (34. Ng4 Re2=) 34. ... Kg6 35. Kf3 h5. It was certainly better (and simpler) to liquidate into a Rook ending by 35. ... Bxe3 36. fxe3 a5 with a draw in sight. The text instead gives White a lasting initiative in the endgame, just to say the least. 36. Ng2! Kh6 37. Nf4 a5 38. Nd3 Rf5+ 39. Ke2 Bf8 40. Ke3 Bc5+ 41. Ke2 a4 42. f3 Bf8 43. Ke3 Kg6 44. Ke4 Kh6 45. Ke3 Kg6 46. Ke2 Kh6 47. g4 hxg4 48. fxg4 Rd5 49. Rf7 Bg7 50. Nf4 Re5+ 51. Kf3 Re1 52. Rb7 Rf1+ 53. Ke3 Bf8 54. Rxb5 Bd6 55. Rh5+ Kg7 56. Nxe6+ Kg6 57. Nd4 Be5 58. Nf3 Bxb2 59. Ra5 Bxa3 60. Rxa4 Bc5+ 61. Ke4 Rf2 62. h5+ Kg7 63. Nh4 Kh6 64. Ra5 Re2+ 65. Kf3 Rf2+ 66. Kg3 Rc2 67. Nf5+ Kg5 68. h6 Rc3+ 69. Kg2 Kxg4? After a strenuous defence, and although being so near to her goal, Gunina loses her way and the game. Correct was 69. ... Kg6! 70. Ra8 Be3! with a rock-solid blockade and excellent drawing chances. 70. h7 Rc2+ 71. Kf1 Rh2. Or 71. ... Rf2+ 72. Kg1! Rxf5+ 73. Rxc5! winning by force.

72. Nh4!! A study-like move by which White wins very elegantly. 72. ... Kg3 (72. ... Rxh4 73. Ra4++−) 73. h8=Q Rf2+ 74. Ke1 Bb4+ 75. Kd1 Bxa5 76. Ng6 Bd2 77. Qh4+ Kf3 78. Qxf6+ Kg2 79. Qc6+ Kg1 80. Nh4 Bf4 81. Qg6+ Kh2 82. Qg4 Bg3 83. Nf5 Rf1+ 84. Ke2 Rf2+ 85. Kd3 Rg2 86. Qh5+ Kg1 87. Ne3 Ra2 88. Qg6 Kh2 89. Qh7+ Kg1 90. Qg8 Ra3+ 91. Ke2 Kh2 92. Kf3 1 : 0.

Goryachkina beat Gunina in another high-noon Russian derby today. Photo: Eteri Kublashvili.