Heaven Can Wait

Aleksandra Yuryevna Goryachkina – Nana Dzagnidze
FIDE Women’s Grand Prix 2022–23; 4th stage; Nicosia, May 17, 2023
Catalan Opening E04

1. d4 d5 2. c4 e6 3. Nf3 Nf6 4. g3 dxc4 5. Bg2 c5 6. 0-0 Nc6 7. dxc5 Qxd1 8. Rxd1 Bxc5 9. Nbd2 c3 10. bxc3 0-0 11. Nb3 Be7 12. Nfd4 Nxd4 13. cxd4 Nd5 14. Na5 Bb4 15. Nc4 Bd7 16. Rb1 Bb5? Who knows whether consciously or instinctively, Dzagnidze takes another way from 谭中怡 (Tán Zhōngyí), who in a game against the same opponent just three years prior preferred 16. ... Ba4 17. Rf1 Bc3 18. Bxd5 exd5 19. Ne3 Bxd4 20. Nxd5 b5 21. Bb2 Bxb2 22. Rxb2 Rfd8 23. Nc3 Rac8 24. Nxb5 Bxb5 25. Rxb5 Rd2 26. Rfb1 Rxa2= with even chances, Goryachkina – 谭中怡 (Tán Zhōngyí), FIDE Women’s Candidates Tournament 2019, Kazan 2019. In all probability, Goryachkina had prepared something new for the occasion, but her opponent gave her a better idea of what to do.

17. Bxd5! White now initiates a forced sequence which leaves her with Bishop and Knight against Rook and Pawn. A very unstable unbalanced equilibrium which cannot make Black happy.
17. ... exd5 18. Ne3 a5 19. a3 Bxe2 20. axb4 Bxd1 21. Nxd1 a4 22. Ne3 a3 23. Ra1 a2 24. Kf1 Rfc8. With the not too hidden threat of ... Rc8xc1+.

25. Bd2 f6 26. Ke2 Kf7 27. Nxd5 Rd8. Black is no longer a Pawn ahead, and now White’s two minor pieces have no great obstacles to overcome. If 27. ... Ra3 White can consolidate with 28. Kd1 followed by Nd5-e3-c2 and Kd1-c1-b2.
28. Nc7 Rac8 29. Nb5 Rd5 30. Nc3 Rxd4 31. b5 Ra8 32. Rxa2 Rxa2 33. Nxa2 Ke6 34. Be3 Rd8 35. Nc3 Kf5 36. Na4 Rd5 37. b6 Rd6 38. Kf3 h5 39. h3 g5 40. Nb2 g4+ 41. Kg2 Ke4 42. Nc4 Re6 43. hxg4 hxg4 44. Na5 Re7

45. Bf4 Kd3 46. Bc7 1 : 0.

Goryachkina seems to have bounced back after yesterday’s clamorous defeat. Photo: Mark Livshitz/FIDE.