Tales from the High Castle

Aleksandra Yuryevna Goryachkina – 侯逸凡 (Hóu Yìfán)

2nd Online Chess Olympiad Playoff; China – Russia; Semifinal match game 2; time control: 15 minutes plus 5 seconds per move; chess.com, September 14, 2021

Queen’s Gambit Declined D31

1. d4 d5 2. c4 e6 3. Nc3 a6 4. cxd5 exd5 5. Nf3 Nf6 6. Bg5 Be6 7. e3 Nbd7 8. h3 Bd6 9. Bd3 c6 10. Bf4 Qc7 11. Qd2 0-0 12. 0-0 Rfe8 13. Rac1 Bxf4!TN (13. ... Rac8 14. Rfe1⩲ Fressinet – Nevednichy, 5th Purtichju Open, Porticcio 2018) 14. exf4 Ne4 15. Nxe4 dxe4 16. Bxe4 Bxa2 17. Rfe1. 17. Ne5 Rfd8 may well lead to similar outcomes as in the game. 17. ... Nf6 18. Bf5 Rxe1+ 19. Rxe1 Bd5 20. Ne5 Rd8 21. b4 Qd6

22. Ng4? If White just wanted to play this way, then she had first to retreat the Bishop, for instance to c2, holding on to a slightly uncomfortable position — but probably nothing irremediable. 22. ... Nh5. 22. ... Bxg2! was an even stronger argument, but 侯逸凡 (Hóu Yìfán) contents herself with a big strategic asset due to the fact that all endgames are lost for White because of the weakness of the isolated Pawns on b4 and d4. 23. g3 Nf6 24. Nxf6+ Qxf6 25. Re5 Qd6 26. Qc3 f6 27. Re1 Bf7 28. Rd1 Qd5 29. Bg4 Qb3 30. Qd2. White, for the reasons said above, cannot afford to exchange Queens, but...

30. ... h5! 31. Bf5 h4! The Black Bishop in alliance with the Queen is ready to create mate threats along the a8-h1 diagonal. 32. Bc2. If 31. gxh4 then 31. ... g6! regaining the Pawn with a nearly winning game. 32. ... Qf3! And the threat of ... Bf7-d5 does not leave any choice to White but to allow the exchange of Queens: 33. Qd3 Qxd3 34. Bxd3 Kf8 35. Be4 Re8 36. Bd3 Bb3 37. Rc1 hxg3 38. fxg3 Re3 39. Bf5 Bd5. Clearly not 39. ... Rxg3+?? on account of 40. Kf2 trapping the Rook. 40. g4. No better is 40. Kf2 Rb3 41. Rb1 Rf3+ winning a Pawn and the game. 40. ... Rxh3 41. Re1 Rh1+ 42. Kf2 Rxe1 43. Kxe1 b6 44. Kd2 Ke7 45. Bd3 a5 46. bxa5 bxa5 47. g5 Kd6 48. Kc3 Bf7 49. gxf6 gxf6 50. Bc2 Bd5 51. Bd3 Ke6 52. Bc2 Bf3 53. Bd3 Kd5 54. Bc2 Be2 55. Bb1 Bd1 56. Bd3 a4 57. Bh7

57. ... Bb3? The only mistake of 侯逸凡 (Hóu Yìfán) in the whole game — but one which could cost her the win. The right move was 57. ... a3! winning in the same way as in the game. 58. Bg6 Ke6 59. Be4? Goryachkina misses her only chance of survival. After 59. Kb4! Kd5 60. Kc3 it is anything but obvious how Black can make any progress. 59. ... Bd5 60. Bd3 a3! White is not given a second chance. 61. Bc2 Kd6 62. Bd3 Kc7 63. Bc2 Kb6 64. Bd3 Ka5 65. Bc2 a2 66. Kb2 Kb4 67. Bd3 Bc4 68. Be4 Bd5 69. Bd3 a1=Q+ 70. Kxa1 Kc3 71. Bg6 Kxd4 72. Kb2 Ke3 73. f5 Kf4 74. Kc3 Be4 75. Kd4 Bxf5 76. Be8 Be4 77. Bd7 f5 78. Bc8 Bd5 79. Bd7 Be4 80. Be6 Kf3 81. Bf7 Bd5 82. Bg6 f4 83. Bh5+ Kg2 0 : 1.