Day Tripper

Gunay Vugar qizi Mammadzada – Ekaterina Aleksandrovna Lagno
FIDE Women’s Grand Prix 2019–20; 4th stage; Catalan Bay, May 30, 2021
Spanish Game C78

1. e4 e5 2. Nf3 Nc6 3. Bb5 a6 4. Ba4 Nf6 5. 0-0 b5 6. Bb3 Bc5 7. c3 d6 8. d4 Bb6 9. a4 Rb8 10. a5 Ba7 11. Be3 Bg4 12. Nbd2 exd4 13. cxd4 0-0 14. h3 Bh5 15. Qc2 Nb4 16. Qc3 c5 17. dxc5 dxc5!? Black is now to leave the beaten track. A recent game went 17. ... Bxc5 18. Bxc5 dxc5 19. Qxc5 Nd3 20. Qe3 Nxb2 21. e5 Nd5 22. Qd4 Nc4 23. g4 Bg6 24. Nxc4 bxc4 25. Bxc4 Nb4 26. Qxd8 Rfxd8 27. Rfd1 Rxd1+ 28. Rxd1 Nc6 29. Rd6 Nxa5 30. Bd5 Kf8 31. Nh4 Rb5 32. f4 Bc2 33. Nf5 Bxf5 34. gxf5 Ke7 35. Bf3 Nb3 36. Bc6 Rb6 37. Ba4 Rb7 38. Rxa6 Nc5 39. f6+ gxf6 40. exf6+ Kd8 41. Rd6+ Kc8 42. Bc2 Kc7 43. Rd4 h6 44. Rd5 Nd7 45. Rh5 Rb4 46. f5 Nc5 47. Kf1 Rb2 48. Bd1 Ne4 49. Rh4 Ng3+ 50. Ke1 Nxf5 51. Rh5 Ne3 52. Bf3 Kd6 53. Rxh6 Ke5 54. Bh5 Ng2+ 55. Kf1 Ne3+ 56. Kg1 Rb7 57. Bf3 Rb1+ 58. Kf2 Nf5 59. Rh8 ½ : ½ Narayanan – Khademalsharieh, 1st 一带一路 (Belt and Road) China 湖南 (Húnán) International Chess Open, 长沙 (Chángshā) 2019. 18. Bg5 h6 19. Bh4

19 ... Bxf3? (⌓ 19. ... Nc6 Δ 20. e5 Nd5 — was then suggested by Mammadzada as a clear improvement) 20. Nxf3 Qd3 21. Bxf6 gxf6 22. Qxf6. The Black King is gravely exposed. 22. ... c4. Not 22. ... Qxb3? on account of 23. Ng5! hxg5 24. Qxg5+ Kh7 25. Qh4+ Kg7 26. Ra3!+− (Mammadzada’s analysis).

23. Ne5! Qxe4 (23. ... Qxb3? 24. Ng4+−) 24. Rfe1? The wrong Rook! 24. ... Qh7? (24. ... Nd5! 25. Qxh6 Qf4=) 25. Qe7 f6

26. Nxc4! Bxf2+ 27. Kxf2 bxc4 28. Bxc4+ Kh8 29. Qxh7+ Kxh7 30. b3 Kg6 31. Re6 h5 32. Rd1 Rfe8 33. Rxe8 Rxe8 34. Rd6 Re5 35. Rb6 Na2 36. Rxa6 h4 37. Kf3 Nc3 38. b4 Kg5 39. Re6 Rf5+ 40. Ke3 Rf4 41. Rc6 Nd1+ 42. Kd3 Nb2+ 43. Kc3 1 : 0.

Today, apparently, the burden on Lagno’s nerves proved more than she could bear. Photo © John Saunders.