A Long Time Ago in a Galaxy Far, Far Away

Alexandra Konstantinovna Kosteniuk – Ekaterina Aleksandrovna Lagno
FIDE Women’s Grand Prix 2022–23; 1st stage; Astana, September 29, 2022
Four Knights Game C47

1. e4 e5 2. Nf3 Nc6 3. Nc3 Nf6 4. d4 exd4 5. Nxd4 Bb4 6. Nxc6 bxc6 7. Bd3 d5 8. exd5 cxd5 9. 0-0 0-0 10. Bg5 Be6. This was a recommendation by Siegbert Tarrasch.
11. Qf3 Be7 12. Rfe1 (12. Qg3 Nh5 13. Bxe7 Qxe7 14. Qe5 Nf6 16. Rae1 c6= Euwe – E. Grünfeld, Vienna 1921)
12. ... h6

13. Bxh6!? A petite combinaison which forces the draw.
13. ... gxh6

14. Rxe6! fxe6 15. Qg3+ Kh8 (15. ... Kf7?? 16. Qg6#)
16. Qg6

And now, in view of 16. ... Qe8 17. Qxh6+ Kg8 18. Qg5+ Kh8 19. Qh6+ a draw was agreed in Alekhine – Em. Lasker, exhibition game, Moscow 1914.
16. ... Qe8 17. Qxh6+ Kg8 18. Qg5+ Kh8 19. Qh6+ Kg8 20. Qg5+ Kh8 21. Qh6+ ½ : ½.

Thanks to today’s book draw, Lagno (centre) won the 1st stage of FIDE Women’s Grand Prix 2022–23 — with Aleksandra Yuryevna Goryachkina (right) coming second and 朱锦尔 (Zhū Jǐn’ěr) (left) third. Prizes, medals and trophies were awarded by FIDE President Arkady Vladimirovich Dvorkovich and top tennis player Andrey Andreyevich Rublev. Photo: Anna Shtourman/FIDE.