Blackbird

Aleksandra Yuryevna Goryachkina – Stavroula Tsolakidou
14th European Women’s Team Chess Championship; Terme Čatež, November 18, 2021
Slav Defence D10

1. d4 d5 2. c4 c6 3. cxd5 cxd5 4. Bf4 Nc6 5. e3 Nf6 6. Nc3 a6 7. Be2 Bf5 8. Nf3 e6 9. Qb3 Bd6. Tsolakidou might now regret her opening choice since Goryachkina plays it well with both colours: 9. ... Ra7 10. 0-0 Be7 11. h3 0-0 12. Rfc1 Nd7 13. Na4 h6 14. Bg3 Bg6 15. Ne1 Na5 16. Qd1 b5 17. Nc3 Nc4 18. b3 Nd6 19. Bd3 Nf5 20. Bh2 Ba3 21. Rc2 Ra8 22. Ne2 Nf6 23. Nf3 Ne7 24. Ne5 Bd6 25. Qd2 a5 26. Nc3 Bb4 27. a3 Bxd3 28. Qxd3 Bxc3 29. Rxc3 Ne4 30. Nc6 Nxc6 31. Rxc6 b4 32. axb4 axb4 33. Rf1 Ra2 34. Rc2 Ra3 35. Rc6 Qa8 36. Rcc1 Ra2 37. Rc2 Rc8 38. Rxc8+ Qxc8 39. f3 Nd2 40. Rd1 Qc3 41. Qe2 Rc2 42. Bd6 Nc4 43. Bxb4 Qb2 0 : 1 翟墨 (Zhái Mò) – Goryachkina, 11th China–Russia Summit Women, 秦皇岛 (Qínhuángdǎo) 2018. 10. Bxd6 (10. Qxb7? Na5 11. Qxa8 Qa8 12. Bxd6 Nc4∓) 10. ... Qxd6 11. Qxb7 0-0 12. Qb3. Clearly not 12. Bxa6?? on account of 12. ... Rab8 (or 12. ... Rfb8) winning the Queen. 12. ... Rfb8 13. Qa3 Qxa3 14. bxa3 Na7 15. a4 (15. Bxa6 Ne4) 15. ... Nc6. After 15. ... Ne4 16. Nxe4 Bxe4 17. Nd2 Bc2 18. Nb3 Bxb3 19. axb3 Rxb3 20. Bxa6 Nc6 21. Be2 Rb2 22. Bd1 Nb4 23. 0-0 Na2 Black’s position appears to fully compensate for the Pawn, Gledura – Ali Marandi, 18th European Individual Chess Championship, Minsk 2017. That would have been Black’s best hope of saving the day — unless of course Goryachkina had something ready to object. 16. 0-0 Rb2 17. Rfc1 h6. Tsolakidou’s novelty does not improve the assessment of the probable outcome of the game. Theory contemplated 17. ... Nb4 18. a3 Nd3 19. Bxd3 Bxd3 20. Ne5 Bf5 21. a5 g5 22. Na4 Rb5 23. Nb6 Rb8 24. a4 Rb2 25. Rc7 Bg6 26. Ra7 g4 27. Rxa6 Ne4 28. Nxg4 h5 29. Ne5 Nxf2 30. Nxg6 fxg6 31. Ra8 Rxa8 32. Nxa8 Ng4 33. a6 Nxe3 34. Nc7 1 : 0 Hera – Bobras, 35th German Schach Bundesliga, Dortmund 2014. 18. h3 g5 19. Bf1 Nb4 20. a3 Nd3 21. Bxd3 Bxd3 22. Ne5 Bc2 23. a5 Ne8

24. Ra2. Goryachkina proceeds to convert her material and strategic advantages with irreproachable technique. 24. ... Rxa2 25. Nxa2 Ba4 26. Nc3 Rc8 27. Nd3 Bb3 28. Nc5 Bc4 29. Rb1 e5 30. Rb6 Kg7 31. g4 Nf6 32. f3 Rc7 33. Kf2 h5 34. Nd1

34. ... Re7?! This allows White to liquidate into a Knight vs. Bishop ending with two Pawns up. On the other hand after 34. ... hxg4 35. hxg4 e4 36. Nb2 Bb5 37. a4 Bd7 38. Kg3 exf3 39. Nbd3! Bc8 40. Nf2 the temporary restoration of material equality is no reason for consolation since Black’s ending looks bad in any case. 35. dxe5 Rxe5 36. Rxf6 Kxf6 37. Nd7+ Ke6 38. Nxe5 Kxe5 39. gxh5 Kf6 40. Kg3 Kg7 41. Kg4 Kh6 42. Nc3 Bb3 43. h4 gxh4 44. Kxh4 f5 45. Ne2 Ba4 46. Nd4 Bd7 47. f4 Bc8 48. Nc6 Bd7 49. Nb4 Bc8 50. Nxd5 Bb7 51. Nf6 Ba8 52. Ng8+ Kg7 53. Ne7 Kf6

54. h6! 1 : 0.

Goryachkina continues to show confidence in the future of her ambitions. Photo: ECU Press.