Of Much of Little

Alina Anatolyevna Kashlinskaya – Aleksandra Yuryevna Goryachkina
FIDE Women’s Grand Prix 2022–23; 1st stage; Astana, September 20, 2022
Slav Defence D16

1. d4 d5 2. c4 c6 3. Nf3 Nf6 4. Nc3 dxc4 5. a4 e6 6. e3 c5 7. Bxc4 cxd4 8. exd4 Nc6 9. 0-0 Be7 10. Qe2. Also interesting is 10. d5 exd5 11. Nxd5 Nxd5 12. Bxd5 0-0 13. Be3 Bf5 14. Qb3 Nb4 15. Rfd1 Qa5 16. Ne5 Nxd5 17. Rxd5 Qa6 18. Nd7 Be6 19. Nxf8 Kxf8!? 20. Qb5 Bxd5 21. Qxd5 Rd8 22. Qe4 with an easier game for White, 居文君 (Jū Wénjūn) – Goryachkina, 上海 (Shànghǎi), Women’s World Chess Championship match game 4.
10. ... 0-0 11. Rd1. Just a year ago, Goryachkina was taken by surprise by 11. Be3 b6 12. Rad1 Nb4 13. Ne5 Bb7 14. f4 Ne4 15. f5 exf5 16. Qh5 Nd5? (⌓ 16. ... Bd5) 17. Nxe4 g6 (17. ... fxe4 18. Rxf7+−) 18. Qh6 fxe4 19. Nxf7! with a crushing attack, Cheparinov – Goryachkina, 2nd FIDE Grand Swiss Tournament, Riga 2021.
11. ... Nb4 12. Bg5 a5. This may be a new move. After 12. ... h6 13. Bxf6 Bxf6 14. Ne4 Be7 15. Ne5 U.S. Women’s Chess Champion 叶诗雯 (Carissa Yip) writes: “With chances for both sides; White’s pieces are more active and she can look towards attacking the Kingside, but Black has the two Bishops and potential play against the IQP”. Basically, her assessment maintains its validity even after the text.

13. Ne5 Nfd5 14. Bxe7 Qxe7 15. Ne4 b6 16. Ra3 Bb7

17. Rg3 f6 18. Nd3 Nxd3 19. Qxd3 Rac8 20. Bb3 Nb4 21. Qe2 Bd5 22. Re1 Bxb3 23. Rxb3 Rfd8 24. Rc3 Qd7 25. h3 Nd5 26. Rxc8 Rxc8 27. Ng3 Rc6 28. Nh5 Kf7 29. Ng3 Qc8 30. Qh5+ Kg8 31. Qg4 Rc1 32. Rxc1 Qxc1+ 33. Kh2 Qc6 34. Qe4 g6 35. b3 Kf7 36. Ne2 Ke7 37. g3 Qc7

38. Qh4?? Albeit with some uneasiness, White somehow managed to hold on so far, but this is a gross oversight. 38. h4 was best and if 38. ... f5 then 39. Qe5 Qc2 40. Nf4 Qxf2+ with a likely draw.
38. ... Qc2 39. Qg4 (39. Qxh7+ Kd6 40. Ng1 Qxf2+ 41. Kh1 Qxg3−+)

39. ... Nc3! 39. ... Qxb3 was also not bad, but the text makes things even clearer.
40. Qf3!? Desperation, as after 40. Nxc3 Qxf2+ 41. Kh1 Qe1+ 42. Kg2 Qxc3 another Pawn falls, leaving White with a hopeless endgame. Indeed, the Knight sacrifice offers no real chance of salvation, but if nothing else, it compels Goryachkina to show the best of her Karpovian self.
40. ... Nxe2 41. Qb7+ Kf8 42. Qxb6 Qd1 43. Kg2 Qxd4 44. Qxe6 Qe5 45. Qc8+ Kf7 46. Qd7+ Kg8 47. Qd8+ Kg7 48. Qd7+ Kh6 49. Qd2+ g5 50. Qd8 Nd4 51. Qf8+ Kg6 52. Qg8+ Kf5 53. Qxh7+ Ke6 54. Qg8+ Kd7 55. Qa8 Qc5 56. Qg8 Qc6+ 57. Kg1 Qe6 58. Qh7+ Kc6 59. Qd3 Nxb3 60. h4 gxh4 61. gxh4 Qg4+ 62. Kf1 Nc5 63. Qb5+ Kd5 64. Qxa5 Qxh4 65. Qd8+ Kc4 66. Qc7 Qh1+ 67. Ke2 Qe4+ 68. Kf1 Qd4 69. a5 Qd1+ 70. Kg2 Qg4+ 71. Kf1 Qe6 72. Kg2 Kb5 73. Qd8 Nb7 74. Qb8 Qd5+ 75. Kg3 Kxa5 76. Kf4 Qg5+ 77. Kf3 Nc5 78. Qb1 Qh5+ 79. Kg3 Qe5+ 80. f4 Qe6 81. Qb8 f5 82. Kh4 Qh6+ 83. Kg3 Ne4+ 84. Kg2 Qg6+ 85. Kf1 Qa6+ 86. Ke1 Qb5 87. Qa7+ Kb4 88. Qd4+ Qc4 89. Qb6+ Ka4 90. Qd8 Qc1+ 91. Ke2 Qc2+ 92. Ke1 Qf2+ 93. Kd1 Nc3+ 94. Kc1 Qxf4+ 95. Kc2 Nb5 96. Qf8 Qe4+ 97. Kb2 Qb4+ 0 : 1

Goryachkina quietly but mercilessly took advantage of the only opportunity her opponent offered. Photo: Anna Shtourman/FIDE.