Through the Fingers

Nurgyul Salimova – Aleksandra Yuryevna Goryachkina
2nd Women’s Chess World Cup; Final match game 2; Baku, August 20, 2023
Queen’s Gambit Declined D35

1. d4 d5 2. c4 e6 3. Nc3 Nf6 4. cxd5 exd5 5. Bg5 Be7 6. e3 h6 7. Bh4 0-0 8. Bd3 Re8 9. Nge2 c6 10. 0-0 a5 11. f3 b5 12. Qc2 Ba6 13. Rae1 Nbd7 14. Bf2 a4 15. Kh1 Qa5 16. Nf4 b4 17. Nce2 c5 18. Bxa6 Qxa6 19. Qf5 Nf8 20. dxc5 Bxc5 21. Ng3 g6 22. Qd3 Ne6 23. Qxa6 Rxa6 24. Nd3 Rc8 25. Rc1 Rac6 26. Ne2 Ne8 27. Rfd1 Nd6 28. Ne5 R6c7 29. Ng4 Ne8 (29. ... Kg7 30. Bg3 Rc6! 31. Rxd5 f6)

Goryachkina involved herself in perhaps unnecessary complications, which will cost her first a Pawn, and then another, without getting anything back in return.
30. Bg3! Rc6 31. Nxh6+ Kf8 32. Ng4 Ba7 33. Be1 b3 34. axb3 axb3 35. Bb4+ Kg8 36. Bc3 f5 37. Ne5 R6c7 38. Rxd5 Bxe3 39. Rcd1 g5 40. g3 N8g7 41. Rb5 Nc5 42. Nc4 f4 43. gxf4 gxf4 44. Nxe3 fxe3 45. Rd5 Nge6 46. Re5 Kf7 47. Rxe3 Rd7 Rd7 48. Rb4 Nd3 49. Rh4. Being short of time Salimova abstained herself from cashing in the third Pawn. She must have thought that what she had was enough.
49. ... Rg8 50. Ng3 Ndf4 51. Re1 Rgd8

52. Rh7+? Salimova will have a hard time believing that this simplifying move fails to make White convert her two extra Pawns, but yet it’s so true. The winning move was 52. Ne4! with the overwhelming threat of Re1-g1 (and if Black prevents it with 52. ... Rd1 there is 53. Ng5+!).
52. ... Kg6 53. Rxd7 Rxd7 54. Ne4 Kf5 55. h4

55. ... Rd3 56. Ng3+ Kg6 57. h5+ Kh7 58. Rf1 Kh6 59. Kh2 Ng5 60. Nf5+ Kxh5 61. Nd4 Nd5 62. Rf2 Nxc3 63. bxc3 Rxc3. Black has finally won back her two Pawns.
64. Kg2 Rd3 65. Ne2 Kh6 66. Nc1 Rc3 67. Nxb3 Rxb3 68. Rf1 Kg6 69. f4 Ne4 70. f5+ Kg5 71. f6 Rb2+ 72. Kg1 Nxf6 73. Rf2 Rb3 74. Kf1 Ne4 75. Rf8 Rb2 76. Ke1 Nf6 77. Kd1 Kf5 78. Kc1 Rh2 79. Rf7 Ke5 80. Rf8 Nd5 81. Re8+ Kd4 82. Rd8 Rg2 83. Kd1 Ra2 84. Rd7 Ke4 85. Kc1 Ne3 86. Rd8 Nf5 87. Rd2 Ra3 88. Kb2 Rh3 89. Rd8 Nd4 90. Rc8 Rb3+ 91. Ka2 Kd3 92. Rd8 Rb6 93. Rc8 Ne2 94. Ka3 Nc3 95. Rd8+ Ke4. Both 95. ... Kc2 96. Rd2+! Kc1 97. Rc2+! and 95. ... Kc4 96. Rd4+! Kc5 97. Rc4+! would lead to a draw by force.
96. Rd4+ Ke5 97. Rh4 Ne4 98. Rh5+ Kd4 99. Rh4 Rb8 100. Rg4 Kd3 101. Rh4 Rb1 102. Rg4 Kc3 103. Ka4 Rb4+ 104. Ka5 Kb3 105. Rg8 Rb7 106. Rg4 Nd6 107. Ka6 Rd7 108. Rh4 Nc4 109. Kb5 Ne3 110. Rh3 Rd3 111. Kc5 Kc3 112. Rg3 Rd5+ 113. Kc6 Re5 114. Rh3 Kd3 115. Kd6 Rg5 116. Kc6 Ke4 117. Rh4+ Rg4 118. Rxg4+ Nxg4 ½ : ½.

To Nalimova’s disappointment, Goryachkina is saved by awakening just in time from her nightmare. Photo: Maria Alekseevna Emelianova/chess.com.