Something in Between

Aleksandra Yuryevna Goryachkina – Alexandra Konstantinovna Kosteniuk
Women’s Grand Prix 2019–2020; 3rd stage; Lausanne, March 3, 2020
Queen’s Indian Defence E17

1. d4 Nf6 2. c4 e6 3. Nf3 b6 4. g3 Bb7 5. Bg2 Be7 6. 0-0 0-0 7. Nc3 Ne4 8. Bd2 d5 9. cxd5 exd5 10. Bf4 c5 11. Rc1 Nd7 12. dxc5. Among others, there is an illustrious previous reference: 12. Nd2 Nxc3 13. bxc3 Nf6 14. dxc5 Bxc5 15. Nb3 Ba3 16. Rc2 Rc8 ½ : ½ T. V. Petrosian – Karpov, 2nd Alekhine Memorial, Moscow 1971. 12. ... Ndxc5 13. Be5 f6!? This is apparently a novelty. A recent game continued: 13. ... Qd7 14. Bd4 Rac8 15. Rc2 Qf5 16. Be3 Bf6 17. Nb5 Qd7 18. Nbd4 Na6 19. Rxc8 Rxc8 20. Bf4 Nb4 21. Be5 Be7 22. a3 Nc6 with a draw being agreed at move 66, Moroni – Nayhebaver, 37th Mitropa Cup 2018, Le Castella 2018. 14. Bd4 Qd7 15. Rc2 Rac8 16. Qb1 Ne6 17. Rd1 Nxd4 18. Nxd4 f5 19. e3 Bf6 20. Nce2 Rc5 21. Nb3 Rxc2 22. Qxc2 Rc8 23. Qb1 Rc4? An unfortunate sortie which will put the Rook in trouble. After 23. ... g6 24. h4⩲ White stands only a little better.

24. Nd2! Rb4?! Coherence is not always a virtue, but after 24. ... Nxd2 25. Rxd2± eventually followed by Ne2-f4 Black’s d-Pawn is doomed. 25. Nxe4! fxe4 26. b3 Qe7. 26. ... Qg4 27. Bf1 makes no good difference. 27. a3 Rb5 28. b4! The b5-Rook is “stalemated”, so Black must cede material to give it an escape route: 28. ... d4 29. Nxd4 Re5 30. Qc2 Qd7 31. Rc1 Re7 32. Nc6 Bxc6 33. Qxc6 Qd3. The immediate exchange of Queens would have led to a similar ending as in the game, because sooner or later Black’s e-Pawn must fall. 34. Bf1 Qd7 35. Qxd7 Rxd7 36. Rc4 Re7 37. b5 Bb2 38. a4 Ba3 39. Bg2 Bc5 40. Bxe4. White is now two Pawns up with an easy win in sight. 40. ... Rd7 41. a5! g6 42. a6 Kf7 43. Bb7 Rd1+ 44. Kg2 Rb1 45. Bc6 Rb2 46. Re4 g5 47. h4 gxh4 48. gxh4 Rb4 49. Rxb4! Bxb4 50. h5! Bc5 51. Kf3 Kf6 52. Ke4 Ke6. Or 52. ... Kg5 53. Bd7! Kxh5? 54. Kd5+− and finis. 53. f4 h6 54. Kf3 1 : 0.

A very relaxed Goryachkina shares her post-game thoughts with Grandmaster Yannick Pelletier. Photo © David Llada.