Alternative Reality for an Imaginary Werewolf

A full moon rises behind people standing on The Edge, an outdoor observation deck in Manhattan, New York City, United States. Photo: Anadolu Agency/Getty Images.

After Dinner

Wesley So – Magnus Carlsen

Champions Chess Tour 2021; 1st stage; Skilling Open; Final tie-break game 1; time control: 5 minutes plus 3 seconds per move; chess24.com, November 30, 2020

r6r/1p6/4pk2/PBPpn1p1/1P2b3/4RPP1/7N/4R1K1 b - - 0 31

Position after 31. f2-f3

It took only the first tie-break blitz game for So to win the inaugural leg of the Champions Chess Tour, which might make think that Carlsen, in turn, was quite in a hurry to turn off the computer and celebrate his birthday “offline” — after all, one is young only once in a lifetime! 31. ... Rxh2! And yet that was to be... 32. Kxh2 Nxf3+ 33. Rxf3+ Bxf3 34. c6

34. ... d4? And now it’s time to dance the night away. 34. ... bxc6 35. Bxc6 Ra7! was still a tough challenge. 35. Rf1! Rh8+ (35. ... g4 36. Rxf3+ gxf3 37. cxb7+−) 36. Kg1 Rh1+ 37. Kf2 Rxf1+ 38. Bxf1 Bxc6 39. b5 Bd7 (39. ... Bd5 40. Bg2+−) 40. a6 bxa6 41. bxa6 d3 42. Bxd3 Ke5 43. a7 Bc6 44. Bf1 1 : 0.

Q&A

Wesley So – Magnus Carlsen

Champions Chess Tour 2021; 1st stage; Skilling Open; Final match game 7; time control: 15 minutes plus 10 seconds per move; chess24.com, November 30, 2020

r3brk1/pp1qn1pp/4Rbn1/3p4/1P6/P1NB1N1Q/1BP2PPP/R5K1 w - - 1 18

Position after 17. ... Nc6-e7

As they (should) say, before the tie-break blitz the gods still placed two rapid games. And, not surprisingly, both games ended as a draw, with a thrill of suspense only in the seventh one. In the position of the diagram, White is on the verge of winning, but... 18. Bb5? But here So misses 18. Rae1! — a move which Morphy would have played without hesitation — with a dominant position and an avalanche of threats; for instance: 18. ... Bf7 19. Rxf6! Qxh3 20. Rxg6! Qxf3 21. Rxg7+! Kxg7 22. Nxd5+ Kh6 23. Nxe7 winning by force.

18. ... Qc8? In turn, Carlsen does not notice 18. ... Nf4! 19. Bxd7 Nxh3+ 20. gxh3 Bxd7 winning decisive material. 19. Rxf6! Rxf6 20. Qxc8 Rxc8 21. Bd3 Nf4 22. Ne2 Nxe2+ 23. Bxe2 Re6 24. Bd3 Bg6 25. Nd4 Rb6 26. Re1 Kf7. If nothing else, 26. ... Bxd3 27. Rxe7 (27. cxd3 Nc6) 27. ... Kf8 would have shown more pugnacity. 27. Be2 Bxc2 28. Bg4 Rc4 29. Be2 Rc8 30. Bg4 Rc4 31. Be2 Rc8 ½ : ½.

Superstition

Magnus Carlsen – Wesley So

Champions Chess Tour 2021; 1st stage; Skilling Open; Final match game 6; time control: 15 minutes plus 10 seconds per move; chess24.com, November 30, 2020

8/1p4p1/p2k3p/3n4/1P2p3/P1n3P1/7P/2B2BK1 w - - 0 36

Position after 35. ... e5-e4

Apparently contemptuous of any “superstition”, in the sixth game Carlsen recklessly repeated the opening of yesterday’s first game, only to finally find himself on his knees with two Bishops against two Knights but no compensation at all for the Pawn minus. 36. Kf2 (36. Bb2 e3−+) 36. ... Ke5 37. Bh3 b6 38. Bb2 Kd4 39. Bf1 b5 40. Ke1 Ke3 41. Bc1+ Kd4 42. Bb2 e3 43. Ba1 g6 44. Bh3 Kd3 45. Bc8 Nb1 46. Bb2 (46. Bxa6 Nxa3−+) 46. ... Nd2 47. Bg4 Nc3 48. Bxc3 Kxc3 49. Ke2 Nc4 50. Bc8 Nxa3 51. Bxa6 Kd4 52. h4 Nb1 53. Kd1 Nc3+ 54. Kc2 g5 55. hxg5 hxg5 56. g4 Kc4 57. Bc8 Kxb4 58. Kd3 e2 59. Kd2 Ka3! 60. Bf5 b4 61. Bd3 b3 0 : 1.

An Ocean Between

Wesley So – Magnus Carlsen

Champions Chess Tour 2021; 1st stage; Skilling Open; Final match game 5; time control: 15 minutes plus 10 seconds per move; chess24.com, November 30, 2020

Caro-Kann Defence B12

What is Carlsen doing with So on his thirtieth birthday, playing chess from two separate continents with an ocean between them? 1. e4 c6 2. d4 d5 3. e5 Bf5 4. Nd2 e6 5. Nb3 Nd7 6. Nf3 h6 7. Be2 a5 8. a4 Bb4+!? A provocative novelty instead of 8. ... Ne7 which would evoke, by transposition, ties to well-known acquaintances: (a) 9. 0-0 g5 10. Bd2 Qc7 11. Rc1 Bg7 12. c4 0-0 13. h4 g4 14. Ne1 f6 15. exf6 Nxf6 16. g3 dxc4 17. Bxc4 Ned5 18. Qe2 Ne4 19. Ng2 Nxd2 20. Qxd2 Qf7 21. Rfe1 b6 22. Re2 Rad8 23. Rce1 Kh8 24. Ne3 Rd6 25. Nxf5 Qxf5 26. Bd3 Qf7 27. Bb1 Nb4 28. Qe3 Qf3 29. Qxf3 Rxf3 30. Nd2 Rf8 31. Rxe6 Rxd4 32. Ne4 Rfd8 33. Kg2 Kg8 34. Nf6+ Bxf6 35. Rxf6 R4d6 36. Ree6 Rxe6 37. Rxe6 h5 38. Bg6 Rd5 39. b3 Kg7 40. Be4 Rc5 41. Rg6+ Kf7 42. Rh6 Kg7 43. Rh7+ Kf6 44. f4 gxf3+ 45. Bxf3 Kg6 46. Rh8 Rc2+ 47. Kh3 Rc5 48. Be4+ Kg7 49. Rh7+ Kf6 50. Rh6+ Kg7 51. Rg6+ Kf7 52. Rg5 Rxg5 53. hxg5 b5 54. Kh4 bxa4 55. bxa4 c5 56. Kxh5 c4?? (56. ... Kg7) 57. Kh6 Kg8 58. Bh7+ 1 : 0 So – Artemiev, 4th Speed Chess Championship, chess.com, December 5, 2019, Semifinal match game 10 (time control: 5 minutes plus 1 second per move); (b) 9. Bd2 Bh7 10. 0-0 Ng6 11. Qe1 b6 12. c4 Be7 13. Rc1 dxc4 14. Bxc4 Rc8 15. Ba6 Rc7 16. Nxa5 Qa8 17. Rxc6 Rxc6 18. Bb7 Qa7 19. Bxc6 bxa5 20. d5 0-0 21. d6 Bd8 22. Qe2 Bb6 23. Qb5 Rd8 24. Bxd7 Rxd7 25. Qc6 Nf8 26. Qc8 Rd8 27. Qc6 Nd7 28. h3 Bd3 29. Rc1 Ba6 30. Qc2 Bxf2+ 31. Kh2 Bb6 32. Bc3 Rc8 33. Qd2 Be3 34. Bd4 Qxd4 35. Rxc8+ Bxc8 36. Qxd4 Bxd4 37. Nxd4 Nxe5 38. Nb3 Nc4 39. Kg3 Kf8 40. Kf4 Ke8 41. Ke4 Nxd6+ 0 : 1 侯逸凡 (Hóu Yìfán) – Fedoseev, 6th China–Russia Junior Match of Friendship, 济南 (Jǐnán) 2019, match game 12 (time control: 3 minutes plus 2 seconds per move). 9. c3 Bf8 10. 0-0 Ne7 11. h3 Bh7 12. Bd2 Qb6 13. Ne1 Nf5 14. Bd3 Be7 15. Qc2 Bg6 16. c4?! Maybe — who knows? — So is oblivious to the danger hanging over his Pawn centre, but fortunately for him, that still does not prejudice the possibility of making virtue out of necessity. 16. ... dxc4 17. Qxc4 Nxd4! 18. Qxd4 (18. Nxd4?? Nxe5−+) 18. ... Qxb3 19. Bxg6 fxg6 20. Qe4 0-0 21. Bxh6! Rf5! (21. ... gxh6?? 22. Qxg6+ Kh8 23. Qxh6+ Kh8 24. Qg6+ Kh8 25. f4+− Δ Rf1-f3) 22. Be3 Qd5 23. Qxd5?! So clings on to material equality, but he should have done better to give up a Pawn by 23. Qc2! as after 23. ... Nxe5 (id est 23. ... Qxe5) 24. Rd1 White may still reasonably hope for a compensation. 23. ... exd5 24. f4 g5 25. e6 Nc5 26. g4? No doubt 26. fxg5 Re5 27. Rf7 Bd6 goes easier for Black, but the text allows Carlsen to save the day by a brilliant sacrifice of the Exchange:

26. ... gxf4! 27. gxf5 fxe3 28. Rf4 Bf6 29. Nc2 e2 30. Rf2? This last great error is met by a strong refutation. 30. Rg4 Nb3 31. Ra3 Nd4 32. Ne1 Kf8∓/−+ was apparently the “less worst”.

30. ... d4!−+ 31. Rxe2 d3 32. Rd2 dxc2 33. Rxc2 Rd8 34. Re1 Nxa4 35. Ra1 Nxb2 36. Rxa5 Nd3 37. Kh2 Nb4 38. Rc1 Nd5 39. Ra7 Rb8 40. Kg3 Ne7 41. Kg4 b5 42. Rd1 b4 43. Rad7 b3 44. Rd8+ Rxd8 45. Rxd8+ Kh7 46. Rb8 b2 47. Kf4 Nd5+ 0 : 1.

Yeah, Edna, one must remain trusting even if everything around is falling apart, clinging to the irrational belief that you will eventually give mercy to those who genuflected before your feet

Artwork © Anam F. (@anamsdoodles)

At End of Day

Wesley So – Magnus Carlsen

Champions Chess Tour 2021; 1st stage; Skilling Open; Final match game 4; time control: 15 minutes plus 10 seconds per move; chess24.com, November 29, 2020

Sicilian Defence B33

1. e4 c5 2. Nf3 Nc6 3. d4 cxd4 4. Nxd4 Nf6 5. Nc3 e5 6. Ndb5 d6 7. Nd5 Nxd5 8. exd5 Nb8 9. Qf3 a6 10. Qa3 b6 11. Bg5 Be7!? Quite provocative. 12. Bxe7 Kxe7 13. 0-0-0. The obvious corollary to 11. Bg5. 13. ... Bb7 14. Nc3 Nd7 15. f4 Qc7 16. fxe5 Nxe5 17. Qb4

17. ... h5! 18. Be2 Kf8 19. Rhf1 Re8 20. Rf5 h4 21. Rf4 Qd8 22. Kb1 Rh6! 23. Rdd4 h3 24. g3 Bc8 25. a4 Kg8 26. Rde4 Qc7 27. Rh4 a5 28. Qd4 Rxh4 29. Rxh4 Bf5?! Carlsen has done a very original play so far, but now seems to lose his way. Comparatively best seems 30. ... Qc5 31. Qd1 Ng6 with roughly even chances. 30. Rh5 Qc8 31. Qxb6 Ng4?? A last-minute blunder that costs the Bishop and the game. 31. ... Bg4 32. Bxg4 Qxg4 33. Rh4 Qf3 34. Qb5 Rc8 may be still rather complex and tricky, despite Black’s material deficit.

32. Ba6 Re1+. On 32. ... Qd7 33. Bb5 Re1+ 34. Ka2 Qc8 35. Rxf5! Qxf5 36. Qd8+ Kh7 37. Bd3 White skewers the King and the Queen. 33. Ka2 Qe8. 33. ... Qd7 34. Rxf5! transposes into the line mentioned in the previous note. 34. Rxf5 Ne3 35. Bb5 Qe7 1 : 0. Black resigned without waiting for 36. Rh5. Thus, first day of the Skilling Open’s Final match ended with a perfectly even score. And tomorrow is another day!

Easy Out

Magnus Carlsen – Wesley So

Champions Chess Tour 2021; 1st stage; Skilling Open; Final match game 3; time control: 15 minutes plus 10 seconds per move; chess24.com, November 29, 2020

Queen’s Gambit Declined D38

1. d4 Nf6 2. c4 e6 3. Nf3 d5 4. Nc3 Bb4 5. Qa4+ Nc6 6. a3 Bxc3+ 7. bxc3 0-0 8. Bg5 h6 9. Bh4 Bd7 10. Qc2 Na5 11. g4! This appears to be a valuable improvement in comparison to 11. cxd5 exd5 12. e3 c5∞ Krstulović – Prraneeth, 37th Balaton International Chess Festival GM, Balatonlelle 2019.

11. ... g5. The most radical measure against the threat of g4-g5 — only further analysis, however, may tell whether or not this is sound. 12. Bg3 Ne4 13. h4! Nxg3 14. fxg3 gxh4 15. Rxh4 Kg7 16. g5! Rh8. 16. ... Nxc4 17. Rxh6 Rh8 18. Qc1! likewise gives White a powerful bind. 17. Ne5 Nxc4 18. gxh6+ Kf8 19. Nxc4 Qg5 20. Kf2 dxc4 21. Qc1! The exchange of Queens leaves White with an overwhelming game, as Carlsen himself will soon demonstrate. 21. ... Qf6+ 22. Qf4 Ke7 23. Qxf6+ Kxf6 24. Bg2 Rab8 25. Rh5 Kg6 26. Rah1 f5

27. g4! Repetita iuvant. 27. ... Rh7. If 27. ... fxg4 then 28. Be4+ Kf6 29. Kg3+− followed by h6-h7 and the subsequent penetration of the Rooks. 28. g5? But this is too much of a comfort zone. Simply Kf2-g3-f4 would have left Black with no resource. 28. ... Bc6! 29. Bf3 Bxf3 30. Kxf3 Rd8? (30. ... c5!⇄) 31. Kf4 Rd5? Consistently slow, but by now it was too late for Black to do anything. 32. R5h3! c5 33. Re3 Rd6 34. dxc5 Ra6 (34. ... Rc6 35. Rd1+−) 35. Rd1 1 : 0.

Way Up, Way Out

Wesley So – Magnus Carlsen

Champions Chess Tour 2021; 1st stage; Skilling Open; Final match game 2; time control: 15 minutes plus 10 seconds per move; chess24.com, November 29, 2020

4Q3/8/1k1q1b2/2p2B2/5P1p/1Pp5/5PK1/8 w - - 7 83

Position after 82. ... Ka5-b6

In the second game So apparently blundered away a win at move 36 in a middlegame with Queens and opposite-coloured Bishops, only to reach, after more 46 moves, the position in the diagram — that is not winnable. 83. Be4 Kc7 84. Qa8 Qxf4 85. Qc6+ Kd8 86. Qd5+ Ke8 87. Bg6+ Ke7 88. Qxc5+ Qd6 89. Qe3+. Check! Now there are plenty of sound replies, so if anything Carlsen has is the embarrassment of choice, but he astonishingly finds the only move that loses! 89. ... Kf8??

90. Qe8+ Kg7 91. Qf7+ Kh6 92. Qh7+ Kg5 93. Qh5+ 1 : 0. For there follows 93. ... Kf4 94. Qf5 mate.

At Start and Finish

Magnus Carlsen – Wesley So

Champions Chess Tour 2021; 1st stage; Skilling Open; Final match game 1; time control: 15 minutes plus 10 seconds per move; chess24.com, November 29, 2020

Semi-Tarrasch Defence D41

Clash of genres: Carlsen is the World’s Champion of classical chess, and So is the World Champion of Fischerandom chess (a.k.a. chess960). If nothing else, Carlsen may rely upon a “theoretical” advantage in the Final of the inaugural Skilling Open, as all games will start from the position #518, which is the starting position of classical chess! 1. d4 Nf6 2. c4 e6 3. Nf3 d5 4. Nc3 c5 5. cxd5 cxd4 6. Qxd4 exd5 7. e4 dxe4 8. Qxd8+ Kxd8 9. Ng5 Be6 10. Nxe6+ fxe6 11. Bc4. The most recent theory goes 11. Bg5 h6 12. 0-0-0 Ke7 13. Be3 Nc6 14. g3 Rc8 15. Kb1 Ng4 16. Re1 Kf7 17. Nxe4 Bb4 18. Re2 Nxe3 19. Rxe3 Nd4 20. a3 Be7 21. Bg2 Rhd8 22. Rd1 Nf5 23. Red3 Rxd3 24. Rxd3 Rd8 25. Kc2 Ke8 26. Rxd8+ Kxd8 27. Kd3 b6 28. Bh3 Nd6 29. Bxe6 Nxe4 30. Kxe4 a5 31. a4 Bc5 32. f3 Ke7 33. Bc4 Kf6 34. b3 g5 35. h3 Bf2 36. g4 Bg1 37. Be2 Bf2 38. Bc4 Bg1 39. Be2 Bf2 40. Bc4 ½ : ½ Radjabov – So, Champions Chess Tour, 1st stage, Skilling Open, chess24.com, November 25, 2020, quarterfinal match game 2 (time control: 15 minutes plus 10 seconds per move). 11. ... Ke7 12. 0-0 Nbd7 13. Be3!? This novelty is not all that much different with regard to 13. Re1 Rc8 14. Bb3 Nc5 which likewise produces a somewhat balanced game, E. l’Ami – Williams, 2nd PokerStars Isle of Man International Chess Tournament, Douglas 2015. 13. ... Rc8 14. Bb3 Nc5 15. Bxc5+ Rxc5 16. Rfe1 g6 17. Nxe4 Nxe4 18. Rxe4 e5 19. f4 Bg7 20. Rae1 Rf8 21. fxe5 Rf5 22. e6 Bxb2 23. Rd1 Rc7. Probably playable, but much easier was 23. ... Rc1! in order to exchange a pair of Rooks and get closer to the draw. 24. g4 Rf8 25. Kg2 b5 26. Re2 Bc3 27. Re3 Bb4 28. Red3 a5 29. Rd7+ Rxd7 30. Rxd7+ Kf6 31. Rb7 a4

32. g5+ Kxg5 33. Rxb5+ Rf5?? A tragic mistake, which loses immediately. Instead after 33. ... Kf6! 34. Bxa4 (the King and Pawn ending is drawn as well) 34. ... Bd6 35. Bb3 Rb8! Black, in spite of his Pawn minus, must draw quite easily. 34. Rxb4 axb3

35. e7! Just so — 35. axb3?? Re5 it’s only a draw. 35. ... bxa2. Or 35. ... Re5 36. Rb5!+− (which So might have overlooked). 36. e8=Q a1=Q. Black is a Pawn up, but cannot avoid mate: 37. Qe7+ Kh6 38. Rh4+ Rh5 39. Qf8+ Qg7 40. Qf4+ g5 41. Qd6+ Qg6 42. Qf8+ Qg7 43. Rxh5+ 1 : 0.

Drei Primaballerinen

Drei Primaballerinen is the title of a bronze ballerinas water fountain by Małgorzata Chodakowska that stands in the middle of public space in 苏州 (Sūzhōu), 江苏省 (Jiāngsū province), China. Photo courtesy of Kant faut y aller... (@sisyphe007).

Yeah, Edna, obviously dance is not a video game, it’s a stage art

Artwork © illestrator.alive (@illestrator.alive)

Time’s Up

Magnus Carlsen – Ian Alexandrovich Nepomniachtchi

Champions Chess Tour 2021; 1st stage; Skilling Open; Semifinal match game 6; time control: 15 minutes plus 10 seconds per move; chess24.com, November 28, 2020

5n2/8/4p1k1/1p2qpB1/p6P/2P5/1P3P2/3Q2K1 w - - 1 41

Position after 40. ... Kf7-g6

What goes around comes around after all. 41. Qd8 Qg7? 41. ... Kf7 was called for, because if 42. Qe7+ Kg8 43. Bf6 Black would reply 43. ... Qe1+ drawing by perpetual check. 42. Qe8+ Kh7. Or 42. ... Qf7 43. h5+! Kg7 44. Bh6+ Kg8 [44. ... Kf6 45. Qd8+ Ke5 (45. ... Qe7 46. Bg5+!+−) 46. Qd4#] 45. Qd8! with a deadly zugzwang. 43. Qxb5 Ng6 44. Qxa4 Ne5 45. Qf4 Qh8 46. b4 Kg6 47. Qe3 Kf7 48. b5 Qb8 49. Bf4 Qg8+ 50. Kf1 Ng4 51. Qa7+ Kg6 52. Qe7 Nf6

53. h5+! 1 : 0.

Time Off

Ian Alexandrovich Nepomniachtchi – Magnus Carlsen

Champions Chess Tour 2021; 1st stage; Skilling Open; Semifinal match game 5; time control: 15 minutes plus 10 seconds per move; chess24.com, November 28, 2020

8/q4pkp/p1Qr2p1/1pbB4/4PK2/6N1/P2R1P1P/8 w - - 1 31

Position after 30. ... Rd8-d6

31. Qe8? Sinking down into the abyss. Correct was 31. Qc8! Bxf2 32. Kg4 Qe3 with a sharp balance. 31. ... Bxf2? But, quite unusually for him, Carlsen misses the winning move: 31. ... Qc7!−+ threatening a deadly discovered check as well as the entrapment of the Queen. If 32. Kf3 then 32. ... Rd8 winning the Exchange at least. 32. Kg4!+− Rf6 33. e5 h5+ 34. Kh3 Rf4 35. e6! fxe6 36. Bxe6 Bd4

37. Nxh5+! gxh5 38. Rg2+ Kf6 39. Rg6+ Ke5 40. Bb3+ 1 : 0. For there follows 40. ... Kf5 41. Qe6 mate.

Sliding Doors

Vladimir Nailevich Malakhov – Aleksandra Yuryevna Goryachkina
27th Russian Team Chess Championship; Sochi, November 28, 2020
Slav Defence D11

1. c4 c6 2. Nf3 d5 3. g3 Bg4 4. Bg2 e6 5. d4 Nf6 6. 0-0 Nbd7 7. h3 Bh5 8. cxd5 exd5 9. Qb3 Qb6 10. Qe3+ Be7 11. Nh4 Bg6 12. Nc3 Qd8 13. Nxg6 hxg6 14. Qd3 0-0 15. Bf4 Nb6!?TN (15. ... Re8 16. Rad1 Qa5 17. a3 a6 18. Rfe1 Rad8 19. b4 Qb6 20. Na4 Qa7 21. Nc5 a5 22. Bd2 b6 23. Nxd7 Rxd7 24. bxa5 bxa5 25. Rc1 c5 26. dxc5 Bxc5 27. e3 Rb8 28. Rb1 a4 29. Bc3 Rxb1 30. Rxb1 d4 31. Bxd4 Bxd4 32. exd4 Qxd4 33. Qc2 Rd8 34. Bf1 Qe4 35. Qxe4 Nxe4 36. Rb4 f5 37. Rxa4 Rd1 38. Kg2 ½ : ½ Svidler – Pelletier, 6th Kortschnoi Zürich Chess Challenge, Zürich 2017) 16. b3 Re8 17. Na4

17. ... Ne4! A brilliant temporary Pawn sacrifice which gives Black an opportunity to claim a volatile initiative. 18. Nxb6 axb6 19. Bxe4 dxe4 20. Qxe4 Bf6. 20. ... Bd6 also came in consideration, as after 21. Qd3 Bxf4 22. gxf4 Ra5! 23. e4 Qf6 Black regains the Pawn with good play. 21. Be5 Bxe5 22. dxe5 Qg5 23. Qd4 b5 24. Qb6 Re7 25. Rad1 Qxe5. Black has finally regained her Pawn and now heads for the exchange of Queens, thus simplifying to a drawish endgame. 26. Rd2 Qc7 27. Qxc7 Rxc7 28. Rfd1 Kf8 29. Kg2 c5 30. Kf3 Ke7 31. Ke4 Ra6 32. f4 b4 33. e3 b5 34. g4 c4 35. Rd5 Rb6. Of course not 35. ... Rxa2?? because of 36. Re5+ and mate next move. Goryachkina just digs around a little more in her vain search for water in the desert. 36. Rc1 f6 37. Rc2 Rb8 38. h4 Kf7 39. Kf3 Ke6 40. Ke4 Kf7 41. Kf3 Ke6 42. Ke4 ½ : ½.

In the end Goryachkina drew eight of her nine games, and lost only one — that is, as they say, when good enough isn’t enough. This means that the time has come for her to return to the women’s rooms, and thus she’ll be the number one seed at the 70th Russian Women’s Chess Championship to be held at Moscow from December 4–17, 2020. Photo: Vladimir Leonidovich Barsky/Russian Chess Federation.

Lifeline

Maryam al-Balushi feeds and takes care of 480 cats and 12 dogs at her home in Muscat, Oman. Regardless of the judgment of others, she says she prefers the company of her pets to most people. “I was in a dark place and they were the lifeline that rescued me”, she said. Photo: Mohammed Mahjoub/AFP.

Of course, Edna, they knew you preferred a poodle

Artwork © ednamodapresi (@ednamodapresi)

Cantucci

And in the end, Olga’s and her mother’s cantucci come out of the oven as closely as possible its original shape. They are composed exclusively of flour, sugar, eggs and nuts including pine nuts, hazelnuts or almonds that are not roasted or skinned. The traditional recipe contemplates no form of yeast or fat. The biscuit dough is cooked twice with the second baking defining how hard the biscotti will be. Photo courtesy of Olga Calamai.

UniBeth

Magnus Carlsen – Ian Alexandrovich Nepomniachtchi

Champions Chess Tour 2021; 1st stage; Skilling Open; Semifinal match game 1; time control: 15 minutes plus 10 seconds per move; chess24.com, November 27, 2020

Grünfeld Defence D85

1. d4 Nf6 2. c4 g6 3. Nc3 d5 4. cxd5 Nxd5 5. Bd2 Bg7 6. e4 Nxc3 7. Bxc3 0-0 8. Qd2 Nc6 9. Nf3 Bg4 10. d5 Bxf3 11. Bxg7 Kxg7 12. gxf3 Ne5 13. 0-0-0 c6 14. Bh3!?TN (14. Qc3 f6 15. Bh3 cxd5 16. exd5 Nf7 17. f4 Qd6 18. Qd4 Rad8 19. Be6 Qb6 20. Qd2 Rd6 21. Rhe1 Nd8 22. f5 Nxe6 23. Rxe6 Qc7+ 24. Kb1 Rc8 25. Rde1 Rxe6 26. Rxe6 Rd8 27. Qe3 Rd7 28. d6 exd6 29. Qd4 Rf7 30. fxg6 hxg6 31. Rxd6 a6 32. a3 Qa5 33. f4 Qh5 34. Qd2 Qc5 35. Rd5 Qc4 36. Rd7 Qc6 37. Rd6 Qe4+ 38. Ka2 Re7 39. Qc1 a5 40. Qf1 a4 41. Rd1 Qc2 42. Rd4 Re2 43. Rb4 b5 44. Qh1 Re7 45. Qd5 Re1 46. Qd7+ Kh6 47. Qh3+ Kg7 48. Qd7+ ½ : ½ Anand – Carlsen, Sochi 2014, World Chess Championship match game 1) 14. ... Kg8 15. Qc3 Qb8?? A grave oversight, which loses the Knight. 15. ... Qc7! was correct, as if then 16. d6 exd6 17. f4 Black can retreat his Knight to d7.

16. d6! exd6 17. f4. Game over. 17. ... Re8 18. Rhe1 a5 19. Kb1 a4 20. fxe5 Rxe5 21. f4 Rc5 22. Qf6 a3 23. b3 Rh5 24. Rxd6 Qe8 (24. ... Rxh3 25. Red1+−)

25. Be6! A pretty interference. 25. ... fxe6 26. Red1 1 : 0.

Nibble

Aleksandra Yuryevna Goryachkina – Alexandr Sergeevich Triapishko
27th Russian Team Chess Championship; Sochi, November 27, 2020
Queen’s Gambit Declined D38

1. Nf3 Nf6 2. c4 e6 3. Nc3 d5 4. d4 Bb4 5. Bg5 h6 6. Bxf6 Qxf6 7. Qb3 c5 8. cxd5 exd5 9. e3 0-0 10. dxc5 Bxc3+ 11. Qxc3 Qxc3+ 12. bxc3 Nd7. Pray, do not invoke the name of Goddess in vain: 12. ... Be6 13. Bb5 Rc8 14. Nd4 Rxc5 15. Kd2 a6 16. Be2 Nd7 17. Rhb1 Rc7 18. a4 Kf8 19. a5 Rac8 20. Ra3 Nc5 21. Bd3 Bd7 22. Rb4 g6 23. Bc2 Ke7 24. Rb6 h5 25. h4 Be8 26. Rb4 Bd7 27. Rb6 Rd8 28. Ra1 Be8 29. Rab1 Rd6 30. Rxd6 Kxd6 31. Rb6+ Ke7 32. Rb4 Bd7 33. Ne2 Bb5 34. Nf4 Rd7 35. f3 Kd6 36. Ke1 Kc6 37. Kd2 Rd8 38. Rb1 b6 39. axb6 Kxb6 40. Ne2 Kc7 41. Nd4 Bc4 42. g4 Rh8 43. g5 Ra8 44. f4 Re8 45. Ra1 Rb8 46. Rb1 Rb6 47. Rxb6 Kxb6 48. f5 Ne4+ 49. Kc1 Bb5 50. fxg6 fxg6 51. Ne6 Be8 52. Nf4 Kc5 53. Kb2 a5 54. c4 Kxc4 55. Bb3+ Kc5 56. Bxd5 Nd6 57. e4 Kd4 58. Ba2 Nxe4 59. Bb1 Ke5 60. Nd3+ Kf5 61. Nc5 Bc6 62. Nb3 Kg4 63. Nxa5 Bd5 64. Nb3 Bxb3 65. Kxb3 Nd2+ 66. Kc3 Nxb1+ 0 : 1 P. Cramling – 侯逸凡 (Hóu Yìfán), 1st SportAccord World Mind Games, Women’s Blindfold Tournament, 北京 (Běijīng) 2011. 13. Rd1 Nxc5 14. Rxd5 b6 15. c4 Be6 16. Rd2!?TN (16. Rd4 Rfc8 17. g4 Rc7 18. g5 hxg5 19. Nxg5 Bf5 20. Bg2 Rac8 21. 0-0 Ne6 22. Nxe6 fxe6 23. Rc1 b5 24. Bf1 e5 25. Rd6 Rc5 26. e4 Bxe4 27. Re1 Bf3 28. cxb5 e4 29. h4 Rh5 30. Kh2 Rxh4+ 31. Bh3 Rh5 32. Rd5 Rxd5 33. Be6+ Kf8 34. Bxd5 Rc5 35. Bc6 Rc2 36. Kg3 Rxa2 37. Bxe4 Re2 38. Rxe2 Bxe2 39. Bc6 g5 ½ : ½ Onischuk – Lenderman, 56th U.S. Chess Championship, Saint Louis 2012) 16. ... Rac8. Black has thought long about it — and that is the only unbalance in an otherwise balanced game. 17. Nd4. This is the strategic corollary of White’s previous move: her Knight gains the d4-square. 17. ... Ne4 18. Rc2 Nd6

19. Bd3. Goryachkina decides it is time to return the extra Pawn and transpose into a drawn endgame. 19. Nxe6 fxe6 20. Bd3 was, at least theoretically, a more logical choice, even though after, say, 20. ... Rc5 followed by the doubling of Rooks on the c-file and the centralisation of the King, White’s extra Pawn would turn out to be quite meaningless. 19. ... Bxc4 20. Bxc4 Nxc4 21. Ke2 Na3 22. Rxc8 (22. Rc6 Nb5=) 22. ... Rxc8 23. Rd1 g6 24. Rd3 Nb1 25. Rb3 Nc3+ 26. Kd3 Nxa2 27. Kd2 (Δ Rb3-a3) 27. ... Rc7 28. Nb5 Rd7+ 29. Nd4 (Δ Rb3-b2) 29. ... Rc7 30. Nb5 Rd7+ 31. Nd4 Rc7 32. Nb5 ½ : ½.

Once again, Goryachkina confirmed herself in her stolidity and solidity without succeeding in fusing them into something more creative. Photo: Vladimir Leonidovich Barsky/Russian Chess Federation.

Vin Santo

Olga and her mom never stop churning out biscuits and loaves for the sake of a Christmas dinner in the name of “austerity”. Their cantucci — a delicious almond Italian cookie that can be dipped in Vin Santo or dunked in coffee — is made strictly to the traditional family recipe! Photo courtesy of Olga Calamai.

Yeah, Edna, one term is ended in October and another does not begin until September

Artwork © curlytop (@curlytops_art)

Notes and Fragments

Dmitry Vladimirovich Andreikin – Aleksandra Yuryevna Goryachkina
27th Russian Team Chess Championship; Sochi, November 26, 2020
Spanish Game C67

1. e4 e5 2. Nf3 Nc6 3. Bb5 Nf6 4. 0-0 Nxe4 5. Re1 Nd6 6. Nxe5 Be7 7. Bf1 Nxe5 8. Rxe5 0-0 9. d4 Bf6 10. Re1. The alternative is 10. Re2 Nc4 11. b3 Nb6 12. c3 c6 13. Nd2 d5 14. h3 Bf5 15. Nf3 Be4 16. Ne5 Bg5 17. f3 Bf5 18. Bxg5 Qxg5 19. Qc1 Qxc1 20. Rxc1 f6 21. Ng4 h5 22. Ne3 Bd3 23. Ree1 Bxf1 24. Kxf1 g6 25. g4 hxg4 26. hxg4 Kf7 27. Kf2 Rh8 28. Rh1 Rae8 29. Ng2 Nc8 30. Nf4 Nd6 31. Nd3 g5 32. a4 a5 33. Rxh8 Rxh8 34. Kg2 Re8 35. Kf2 Rh8 36. Kg2 Re8 37. Kf2 Rh8 38. Kg2 Re8 39. Kf2 Rh8 40. Kg2 Re8 ½ : ½ 居文君 (Jū Wénjūn) – Goryachkina, 上海 (Shànghǎi) 2020, Women’s World Chess Championship match game 2. 10. ... Re8 11. Nc3. Andreikin is not interested to test Goryachkina’s insights on 11. c3 Rxe1 12. Qxe1 Nf5 13. a4 d5 14. a5 Be7 15. Nd2 Bd6 16. Nf3 Ne7 17. b3 Bf5 18. c4 c6 19. Bb2 a6 20. Ne5 Qf8 21. Qc3 Rd8 22. Nd3 Ng6 23. g3 Be4 24. Bg2 Bxg2 25. Kxg2 Ne7 26. c5 Bc7 27. Qb4 Rb8 28. Re1 Qd8 29. Bc3 Ng6 30. Qa3 h5 31. f4 Qf6 32. Qb2 Nh4+ 33. Kh1 Nf5 34. Qe2 Qg6 35. b4 Qd8 36. Qf3 f6 37. Qe2 Kh7 38. Nf2 Rd7 39. Qd3 Re7 40. Rxe7 Nxe7 41. Qxg6+ Kxg6 42. Kg2 h4 43. Kf3 hxg3 44. hxg3 f5 45. Nd1 Kf6 46. Ne3 Ng6 47. Be1 Nf8 48. Nd1 Ne6 49. Bf2 g5 50. Be3 Kg6 51. Nc3 Bd8 52. Ne2 Kh5 53. Bf2 Bf6 54. Be3 gxf4 55. gxf4 Bh4 56. Ng3+ Bxg3 57. Kxg3 Ng7 58. Bc1 Ne8 59. Bd2 Nf6 60. Be1 Ne4+ 61. Kh3 Kg6 62. Kg2 Kh6 63. Kh2 Nf6 64. Kh3 Ne8 65. Kg3 Kh5 66. Kh3 Nc7 67. Bc3 Ne6 68. Kg3 Kg6 69. Kf3 Ng7 70. Be1 Kh6 71. Kg3 Nh5+ 72. Kh2 Nf6 73. Bd2 Ng4+ 74. Kh3 Kg6 75. Kg2 Nf6 76. Kh2 Nh5 77. Kh3 Kh6 78. Kh2 Ng7 79. Kg2 Ne8 80. Kh3 Kg6 81. Kg2 Nc7 82. Bc3 Ne6 83. Kg3 Ng7 84. Kg2 Nh5 85. Bd2 Kh6 86. Kh2 Nf6 87. Kg2 Ng4 88. Kf3 Kg6 89. Kg2 Nh6 90. Kh2 Kh5 91. Kh3 Nf7 92. Kg3 Nd8 93. Be1 Ne6 94. Bc3 Nf8 95. Kh3 Kg6 96. Bd2 Kh6 97. Kg2 Ne6 98. Be3 Kh5 99. Kg3 Nc7 100. Bc1 Ne8 101. Bd2 Nf6 102. Kh3 Kh6 103. Kh2 Ng4+ 104. Kg2 Kg6 105. Kh3 Nf6 ½ : ½ 居文君 (Jū Wénjūn) – Goryachkina, 上海 (Shànghǎi) 2020, Women’s World Chess Championship match game 6. 11. ... Rxe1 12. Qxe1 Bxd4 13. Bf4 Ne8 14. Nd5 d6 15. Bg5 f6 16. Bh4 Bxb2 17. Rb1 Be5 18. f4 c6 19. fxe5 cxd5 20. exf6 Nxf6 21. Bd3 Bd7

22. Qf2. White now has at least two critical continuations: (a) 22. Qc3 Ne4 23. Bxe4 Qxh4 24. Bxd5+ Kh8 25. Rxb7 Rc8 26. Qd2 Re8 27. g3 Qg4 28. Rxa7 Bf5 29. Bc6 Rc8 30. Re7 h6 31. Qxd6 Qg5 (Kosteniuk – Harika, Women’s Grand Prix 2019–2020, 3rd stage, Lausanne 2020) and now Kosteniuk should have contented herself with a Pawn after 32. h4! Qc1+ 33. Kh2 Qxc2+ 34. Bg2 (for Black cannot play 34. ... Qxa2?? on account of 35. Qe5+−); (b) 22. Qg3 Bc6 23. Bf5 Kh8 24. Qh3 Qe7?? (24. ... Qc7! Δ 25. Bxf6 gxf6∞) 25. Bxh7!+− M. O. Muzychuk – Lagno, 7th World Women’s Team Chess Championship, Astana 2019. 22. ... Ng4!?TN (22. ... Bc6 23. Qd4 Qc7 24. Bxf6 gxf6 25. Qxf6 Rf8 26. Qe6+ Kh8 27. h3 d4 28. Rf1 Rxf1+ 29. Bxf1 Qd8 30. Bc4 Qg5 31. Qc8+ Kg7 32. Qg8+ Kh6 33. Qf8+ Qg7 34. Qxd6+ Qg6 35. Qf8+ Qg7= Blomqvist – Holm, 14th Eliteserien 2019–2020, Oslo 2019) 23. Bxd8 Nxf2 24. Kxf2 Rxd8 25. Rxb7. White is temporarily a Pawn down, but the superior degree of activity of his pieces allows him to easily win it back, with an easy draw. 25. ... a6 26. Ke3 Bb5 27. Rb6 Kf7

28. a4 Bxa4 29. Rxa6 Be8 30. Kd4 Kf6 31. Bxh7 g6 32. Bg8 Bb5 33. Ra5 Rxg8 34. Rxb5 Rc8 35. Kd3 Ke6 36. Rb4 g5 37. c3 Ra8 38. Rb2 Ra1 39. Re2+ Kf6 40. Rf2+ Ke6 41. Re2+ Kf6 42. h3 Rg1 43. Ke3 Rc1 44. Kd2 Rf1 45. Re3 Rf2+ 46. Re2 Rf1 47. Kd3 Rg1 48. Rf2+ Ke5 49. Ke3 Rc1 50. Kd3 Rg1 51. Ke3 ½ : ½.

No doubt, today Goryachkina went back to the notes she had prepared for her recent Women’s World Chess Championship match with 居文君 (Jū Wénjūn). Photo: Vladimir Leonidovich Barsky/Russian Chess Federation.

A Shopping Cart Named Desire

Its master told me that it is called Brando, but I’d say that indeed it would prefer to be called Roger Rabbit! Caption and photo: Mado Flynn.

Pray, Edna, do not blame yourself for a fault that was not yours at all, and never will be, because you are infallible and unimprovable

Artwork © DeeeSkye

Newton’s Law

Anish Giri – Magnus Carlsen

Champions Chess Tour 2021; 1st stage; Skilling Open; Quarterfinal match game 4; time control: 15 minutes plus 10 seconds per move; chess24.com, November 25, 2020

Giuoco Piano C54

1. e4 e5 2. Nf3 Nc6 3. Bc4 Bc5 4. 0-0 Nf6 5. d3 d6 6. c3 h6 7. Nbd2 0-0 8. Re1 a5 9. Nf1 Be6 10. Bb5. Another continuation is 10. Bxe6 fxe6 11. Be3 Bxe3 12. Nxe3 d5 13. h3 a4 14. Qe2 a3 15. b4 d4 16. cxd4 exd4 17. Nc2 Nh5 18. b5 Nf4 19. Qd1 and now the Pawn sacrifice 19. ... Ne5 may have more cons than pros, as after 20. Nxe5 Qg5 21. Ng4 h5 22. Nxd4 hxg4 23. Qxg4 Qxg4 24. hxg4 Rad8 25. Nb3 Nxd3 26. Re2 b6 27. f3 Black’s compensation appears to be quite dubious, 侯逸凡 (Hóu Yìfán) – Naiditsch, 5th GRENKE Chess Classic, Baden-Baden 2018. 10. ... Ne7 11. d4 Ba7 12. dxe5 Ng4 13. Be3 Nxe3!?TN (13. ... Nxe5 14. Bxa7 Rxa7 15. Nd4 N7g6 16. Ne3 Bd7 17. Bf1 a4 18. g3 Ne7 19. f4 N5c6 20. Nb5 Ra5 21. c4 Nb8 22. Qd2 Ra8 23. Rad1 Re8 24. Bg2 Bc6 25. e5 Nc8 26. exd6 Nxd6 27. Nxd6 Qxd6 28. Qxd6 cxd6 29. Nf5 Rxe1+ 30. Rxe1 Ra6 31. Rd1 Rb6 32. Rd2 Na6 33. Nxd6 Nc5 34. Nc8 Rb4 35. Ne7+ Kf8 36. Bxc6 Kxe7 37. Bb5 a3 38. bxa3 Rb1+ 39. Kg2 Rc1 40. a4 b6 41. a5 bxa5 42. Rd5 Rc2+ 43. Kf3 Ne6 44. f5 Ng5+ 45. Ke3 Rxa2 46. c5 Ra3+ 47. Kd4 Ra1 48. c6 Rd1+ 49. Kc4 Rc1+ 50. Kb3 Ne4 51. Kb2 Rb1+ 52. Kc2 1 : 0 Jakovenko – Svidler, 44th SchachBundesliga, Baden-Baden 2017) 14. Nxe3 dxe5 15. Nxe5 Ng6 16. Nxg6 fxg6 17. Qxd8 Raxd8. Black has more than enough for the Pawn and the game may be well assessed as balanced.

18. Re2 Bxe3 19. fxe3? A horrible move, which has no other merit than that of keeping the extra Pawn at all costs — that is indeed too high a cost to pay. Most likely after 19. Rxe3 Rd2 20. Re2 Rfd8 21. Kf1 the game would have ended in a draw, but... that’s all another story. 19. ... Kf7! 20. Ba4 Ke7 21. h3 Bc4 22. Rc2 Rd3 23. Re1 Kd6 24. Bb3 Ba6 25. Rcc1 Ke5 26. Rcd1 Rfd8

27. Rxd3? After this, White ends up being inexorably zugzwanged. He had rather to seek salvation by returning the Pawn with 27. Rf1. 27. ... Bxd3−+ 28. Kf2 Rd6 29. Bd1 Bc4 30. b3 Rd2+ 31. Kg3 (31. Be2 Bd3−+) 31. ... Be6 32. Rf1 Rxa2 33. Bg4 Bxb3 34. Rf8 Kxe4 35. Rc8 Kxe3 36. Rxc7 Bd5 37. Bf3 Bxf3 38. gxf3 Rb2 39. Rxg7 Rb6 40. c4 Kd4 41. Rc7 a4 42. c5 Ra6 43. Rxb7 Kxc5 44. Rc7+ Kb6 45. Rc1 a3 46. h4 a2 47. Ra1 Ra4 48. f4 h5 49. Kf3 Kc5 50. Ke3 Kd5 51. Kf3 Ke6 0 : 1.

Give me a ball and a grass field to run around and I will move the world

The Longest Yard

Aleksandra Yuryevna Goryachkina – Sergei Andreevich Lobanov
27th Russian Team Chess Championship; Sochi, November 25, 2020
Queen’s Gambit Declined D37

1. d4 Nf6 2. c4 e6 3. Nf3 d5 4. Nc3 Be7 5. Bf4 0-0 6. e3 Nbd7 7. Be2 dxc4 8. Bxc4 a6 9. a4 c5 10. 0-0 cxd4 11. Qxd4 Nb6 12. Bb3 Qxd4 13. Nxd4 Bd7 14. a5 Nbd5 15. Nxd5 Nxd5 16. Bxd5 exd5

17. Be5!? A novelty which does not bring anything new to theory. Another way to come to the same conclusion is 17. Bc7 Bf6 18. Bb6 Rac8 19. Rfc1 Rxc1+ 20. Rxc1 Rc8 21. Rxc8+ Bxc8 22. Kf1 Bxd4 23. Bxd4 f6 24. Ke2 Kf7 25. Kd3 Bd7 26. Bc5 Bc8 ½ : ½ Hübner – Jussupow, 1st Invitational Remco Heite Chess Tournament, Wolvega 2006. 17. ... f6 18. Bc7 Rac8 19. Rac1 Rfe8 20. h3 Bc6. Making the way for a completely drawn Rook endgame. 21. Nxc6 Rxc7 22. Nxe7+ Rexe7 23. Rfd1 Rxc1 24. Rxc1 Re4 25. Rd1 Rb4 26. Rxd5 Rxb2 27. Rd7 Rb5 28. g4 h5 29. gxh5 Rxh5 30. Rxb7 Rxa5 31. Ra7 Ra1+ 32. Kg2 a5 33. e4 a4 34. f4 a3 35. e5 fxe5 36. fxe5 Re1 37. Ra8+ Kf7 38. Ra7+ Kg6 39. Rxa3 Rxe5 40. Rb3 Rf5 41. Ra3 ½ : ½.

It feels like Goryachkina takes one step forward and two back (or sometimes two steps forward and one back) towards her goal (that is to say, the 2600 Elo barrier); and thus, in spite of her great talent, it might take her too much time to get close to her promised land. Photo: Vladimir Leonidovich Barsky/Russian Chess Federation.

Flowers and Seasons

And, like memories of another life, the intensely sweet smell of wild winter flowers. Photo courtesy of Olga Calamai.

Bread and Roses

In what world shall we live after the end of the world? Olga, the historic prima ballerina of the Associazione Culturale “Il Delta della Luna”, and her mom have no answer but to start over from the basics and finally homemade bread was their nemesis. Photo courtesy of Olga Calamai.

Yeah, Edna, the survey will last about two years, and any information will be duly evaluated to determine the amount of an incentive bonus for the purchase of a camera, so as to allow you to broadcast yourself online after they will have taken everything from you

Artwork © KULOR’D (@kulorbandit)

Terpsichore in Sneakers

The Regional Council of Tuscany finally noticed that so far the government’s financial assistance packages were given only to big groups and lobbies to the detriment of too many “loose dogs”, which Vincenzo Ceccarelli, the Democratic leader in the Council, grossly summarises into a temporary list: “[...] from the wholesale trade of food products to private dance schools, from flower sellers to school and company canteens, from street trade fairs to organisers of live performances and theatre producers”, he said. “These are just a few examples, certainly the list could be larger; that’s why we asked the Regional Council to carry out a timely survey on the Tuscan territory to eventually evaluate autonomous intervention in support of such categories”. If nothing else, now Terpsichore may at least hope not to be a meek lamb sacrificed upon the altar of a posthumous conscience.

Take-away

Yeah, Edna, rumors are circulating that he has barricaded himself inside McDonald’s and ate six breakfasts burrito one after the other, and then refused to pay the bill and hired a lawyer to warn McD’s not to insist upon payment of the note because prices were not clearly marked — anyway if you pass by there in the afternoon, he will be happy to offer you a coffee

Artwork © Hannah De la Peña (@hartiostudio)

Separate spheres

Aleksandra Yuryevna Goryachkina – Nikita Kirillovich Vitiugov
27th Russian Team Chess Championship; Sochi, November 23, 2020
King’s Indian Defence E94

1. d4 Nf6 2. c4 g6 3. Nc3 Bg7 4. e4 d6 5. Nf3 0-0 6. Be2 e5 7. Be3 exd4 8. Nxd4 Re8 9. f3 c6 10. 0-0. This comes as a bit of a surprise, because Goryachkina used to play here 10. Bf2 d5 11. exd5 cxd5 12. 0-0 Nc6 13. c5 and then: (a) 13. ... Nh5 14. Qd2 Be5 15. g3 Ng7 16. Ncb5 Bh3 17. Rfe1 Rc8 18. Rac1 a6 19. f4 axb5 20. fxe5 Rxe5 21. Bxb5 Qf6 22. Rxe5 Qxe5 23. Re1 Qh5 24. Bxc6 bxc6 25. Qf4 Qg4 26. Qxg4 Bxg4 27. b4 Kf8 28. a4 Bd7 29. Be3 Ne6 30. Nxe6+ Bxe6 31. b5 Ra8 32. b6 Rxa4 33. Rb1 Bc8 34. b7 Bxb7 35. Rxb7 d4 36. Bf4 Ke8 37. Rc7 Ra1+ 38. Kf2 Ra2+ 39. Kf3 Rxh2 40. Rxc6 h5 41. Bg5 Rc2 42. Bf6 Kd7 43. Rd6+ Kc7 44. Bxd4 1 : 0 Goryachkina – Martínez Romero, 27th World Youth Chess Championship, Al Ain 2013; (b) 13. ... Bf8 14. Kh1 Re5 15. a3 Bh6 16. b4 Nh5 17. b5 Na5 18. g3 Nf6 19. Re1 Bh3 20. Bd3 Rxe1+ 21. Qxe1 Rc8 22. Na4 Nd7 23. g4 Bg7 24. Rd1 Ne5 25. Bh4 Qd7 26. Be2 Nac4 27. Qg3 Ne3 28. Rg1 N5c4 29. c6 bxc6 30. Nxc6 Re8 31. Qxh3 Qd6 32. Bxc4 dxc4 33. Bf2 Qxa3 34. f4 Qxa4 35. Bxe3 Qxb5 36. Ne5 f6 37. Nxc4 Qxc4 38. Bxa7 Qxf4 39. Qg2 Qc4 40. Rd1 Qa4 41. Qd5+ Kh8 42. Qd4 Qc2 43. Qd5 Qe2 44. Rg1 h6 45. Qg2 Qc4 46. Bf2 Kh7 47. Qf3 Re4 48. Qg2 Qe6 49. Qf3 Bf8 50. Qg2 g5 51. Qf3 Kg7 52. Qg2 Kg6 53. Qf3 Be7 54. Qd3 Kg7 55. Qf3 Bb4 56. h3 Rf4 57. Qb7+ Kg6 58. Bg3 Qe4+ 59. Qxe4+ Rxe4 60. Rf1 Re2 61. Rc1 h5 62. Rc4 Ba5 63. Ra4 Bc3 64. Rc4 Bb2 65. Ra4 h4 66. Bb8 Kf7 67. Ra6 Bd4 68. Bc7 Be3 69. Bb8 Ke7 70. Bc7 Bd4 71. Bb8 Rc2 72. Bd6+ Kd7 73. Bh2 Kc8 74. Ra8+ Kd7 75. Ra6 Kc8 76. Ra8+ Kb7 77. Rb8+ Ka6 78. Rb3 Ka5 79. Rb8 Rxh2+ 0 : 1 Goryachkina – Hillarp Persson, 15th Open Internacional d’escacs de Sants, Hostafrancs i la Bordeta, Barcelona 2013; (c) 13. ... Bh6 14. Re1 a6 15. Bf1 Rxe1 16. Qxe1 Bg7 17. Rd1 Nxd4 18. Bxd4 Be6 19. Qd2 Rc8 20. b4 a5 21. a3 axb4 22. axb4 Qc7 23. Nb5 Qd8 24. Nc3 h5 25. Kh1 Kh7 26. Bxf6 Qxf6 27. Nxd5 Qe5 28. Nb6 Rf8 29. Bc4 Re8 30. h3 Qg3 31. Qe1 Qf4 32. Bb5 Be5 33. Qxe5 Qxe5 34. Bxe8 Qe2 35. Rb1 Bxh3 36. gxh3 Qxf3+ 37. Kg1 Qe3+ 38. Kg2 Qe4+ 39. Kf2 Qxb1 0 : 1 Goryachkina – Bodnaruk, Women’s Russian Cup Final 2014, Khanty-Mansiysk 2014. 10. ... d5 11. cxd5 cxd5 12. Qb3 Nc6 13. Rad1 Na5?! Of course, if a King’s Indian virtuoso like Svetozar Gligorić preferred here 13. ... Qe7 he must have had his good reasons: 14. Nxd5 Nxd5 15. Qxd5 Nxd4 16. Bxd4 Be6 17. Qb5 a6 18. Qa4 Bxd4+ 19. Rxd4 Rac8 20. Rfd1 Rc5 21. Qa3 Rc2 22. Qxe7 Rxe7 23. R4d2 ½ : ½ R. E. Byrne – Gligorić, 1st Milan Vidmar Memorial, Ljubljana 1969. 14. Qa3. Apart from the result, very good is also 14. Qc2 dxe4 15. Ne6 Bxe6 16. Rxd8 Raxd8 17. fxe4 Nc6 18. Bg5 Nd4 19. Qa4 Nxe2+ 20. Nxe2 b5 21. Qa5 Bc4 22. Bxf6 Bxf6 23. Rxf6 Bxe2 24. Kf2 Bc4 25. b3 Be6 26. Qxb5 Rd2+ 27. Kg3 Rc8 28. Rf2 Rc3+ 29. Rf3 Rcc2 30. Qb8+ Kg7 31. Kf4 Rxg2 32. Qxa7 Rxa2 33. Qc7 Rxh2 34. Qe5+ Kg8 35. Qb8+ Kg7 36. Qe5+ Kg8 37. Qb8+ Kg7 38. Qe5+ ½ : ½ Gustafsson – Korley, 10th Annual Manhattan Open, New York 2011. 14. ... Bd7!?TN (14. ... Bf8 15. b4± Saiyn – Slovak, 4th Summer Prague Open, Prague 2017) 15. Ndb5! dxe4. Gone with the stream. However, 15. ... Bf8 16. Bc5 a6 17. Nd6 was not appealing either. 16. Nxe4 Nxe4 17. fxe4 Rxe4

18. Rxf7! And suddenly Vitiugov finds himself standing on the verge of catastrophe. 18. ... Bf8 19. Qd3. Goryachkina plays it safely in harmony with her style. 19. Rfxd7 Qxd7 20. Qxa5+− was another strong (and probably stronger) possibility. 19. ... Bc6 (19. ... Rxe3 20. Qxe3 Kxf7 21. Bg4+−)

20. Qxd8? That’s far too much prudence — and probably it must have been a source of regret for Goryachkina. 20. Qc3! Qh4 21. Rdf1 retains very strong winning chances for White in view of her many threats. 20. ... Rxd8 21. Rxd8 Kxf7 22. Kf2 Nc4 23. Bxc4+ Rxc4 24. Nd6+ Bxd6 25. Rxd6 Rc2+ 26. Rd2 Rxd2+ 27. Bxd2 a6 28. a3 Bd5 29. Bc3 Bc6 30. Bd2 Bd5 31. Bc3 Bc6 32. Bd2 Bd5 33. Bc3 ½ : ½.

In hindsight, today’s draw seems like a missed opportunity for Goryachkina. Photo: Vladimir Leonidovich Barsky/Russian Chess Federation.