Stuck in the Stone Age

Maksim Konstantinovich Chigaev – Aleksandra Yuryevna Goryachkina
74th Russian Chess Championship Superfinal; Ufa, October 16, 2021
Spanish Game C65

1. e4 e5 2. Nf3 Nc6 3. Bb5 Nf6 4. d3 Bc5 5. Nc3 d6 6. Bg5 h6 7. Bh4 Bb4!? This move — in fact, a novelty — though apparently a loss of time, seems nevertheless justified from a positional standpoint. One can furthermore note that the 19th century’s American star Harry Nelson Pillsbury played it on the previous move in at least two occasions with good results.

8. a3 Bxc3+ 9. bxc3 a6 10. Bxc6+ bxc6. With a perfectly symmetrical doubled Pawns formation. 11. Nd2 Qe7 12. Qe2 Qe6 13. Nc4 Nd7 14. Ne3 Nf8 15. Nf5 Qg6 16. g4 f6 17. h3 h5 18. Kd2 Bxf5 19. gxf5 Qh6+ 20. Kd1

20. ... g5! Sealing the pyramid. 21. Bg3 h4 22. Bh2 Nd7 23. f3

23. ... 0-0 24. Bg1 Rfb8 25. Be3 Rb2 26. Ke1 Rab8 27. Kf2 Qh5 28. Rhg1 Kf8 29. c4 c5 30. Bc1 Rb1 31. Rxb1 Rxb1 32. Re1 Ke7 33. Be3 Rxe1 34. Qxe1 Qe8 35. Qc1. Also after 35. Qa5 Qc8 there is no entry. 35. ... Kf7 36. Qb1 Qb8 37. Qc1 Qd8 38. Bd2 Qb8 39. Be3 Qd8 40. Bd2 Qb8 ½ : ½. As a curiosity it may be noted that no Pawns have been exchanged!

Somehow Goryachkina managed to turn the battlefield into a deadlock where each one was blocking the way of the other. Photo: Eteri Kublashvili/Russian Chess Federation.