Tuesday, August 15, 2023

Back Then Tomorrow

谭中怡 (Tán Zhōngyí) – Aleksandra Yuryevna Goryachkina
2nd Women’s Chess World Cup; Semifinal match game 1; Baku, August 15, 2023
Queen’s Gambit Declined D35

1. d4 d5 2. c4 e6 3. Nc3 Nf6 4. cxd5 exd5 5. Bg5 Be7 6. e3 0-0 7. Bd3 Re8 8. Nge2 c6 9. h3 Nbd7 10. Qc2 a5 11. 0-0 Nf8 12. f3. A questionable novelty, especially because, in connection with 9. h3, it weakens the Kingside dark squares as well as the diagonal e1-h4.
12. ... b5 13. Rae1?! It is highly questionable whether this is the best placement for the Queen’s Rook. Further developments would seem to indicate that it’s not.
13. ... Ba6 14. Ng3 b4 15. Na4 Ne6 16. Bxf6 Bxf6 17. Bxa6. And now, a comment from the Telegram account of the Chess Federation of Russia: “Upon closer examination, it turned out that, after exchanging on f6, White could not take the h7-Pawn (with check!), since the pin on g3 would cost him at least an Exchange”.
17. ... Rxa6 18. Nf5?! A jump into the dark. There was probably nothing better here than 18. Rc1 g6 19. Rfd1 Ra7 20. Nf1 (20. Qxc6? Bg5 21. Nf1 Rc7 22. Qa6 Rxc1 23. Rxc1 Nxd4∓) 20. ... Rc7 21. Nc5 Nxc5 22. Qxc5 Rc8 with comfortable equality for Black.


18. ... h5! 19. Rc1 g6 20. Ng3 Qb8?! Much stronger seems 20. ... Ng7!∓ exposing the weakness at e3, for White cannot lightheartedly defend it by putting a Rook on e1 because of ... Bf6-h4.
21. Ne2 Qb5 22. Rcd1 Raa8 23. b3 Rac8 24. Qd3 Kg7 25. Rd2 Qxd3 26. Rxd3 c5. As Tarrasch said, “He who fears an isolated Queen’s Pawn should give up chess”.
27. dxc5 Nxc5 28. Nxc5 Rxc5 29. Nf4?! An inaccuracy, allowing Black to gain ground. Better was 29. Rfd1 Rc2 30. R3d2 Rxd2 31. Rxd2 Rxe3 32. Kf2 d4 33. Nxd4 Bxd4 34. Rxd4 Rc3= with a drawish equality.


29. ... d4! Black’s isolated Pawn suddenly unleashes its hidden strength.
30. e4? But only this is White’s losing mistake. After 30. exd4 Rc2 31. Rf2 Re1+ Black wins back the Pawn with advantage, but no forced win is demonstrable.
30. ... Rc2 31. Rf2 Rec8 32. Rfd2 Rxd2 33. Rxd2 Bg5 34. g3 h4 35. Rxd4 Rc1+ 36. Kh2 Rc2+ 37. Ng2 Rxa2 38. e5 Bd2 39. Rd7


39. ... a4 40. e6 Kf8. 40. ... axb3 41. e7 Be1 42. e8=Q Bxg3+ 43. Kg1 Ra1+ 44. Ne1 Rxe1+ 45. Qxe1 Bxe1 46. Rd1 Bc3 was another way to win.
41. bxa4 b3 42. Rb7 b2 43. f4 fxe6 44. Nxh4 Bb4! 45. Nxg6+ Kg8 0 : 1.

“Today I tried to do what I could do”, Goryachkina said in the post-game interview. “It has been quite a level game, but at some point it felt like my opponent lost control over it — and everything just ended in ruin for her”. Photo: Stev Bonhage/FIDE.

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