Not Impossible

Rameshbabu Vaishali – Aleksandra Yuryevna Goryachkina
2nd FIDE Women’s Grand Swiss Tournament; Douglas, October 30, 2023
Giuoco Piano C54

1. e4 e5 2. Nf3 Nc6 3. Bc4 Bc5 4. c3 Nf6 5. d3 d6 6. 0-0 h6 7. Re1 0-0 8. h3 Bb6 9. Nbd2 a5 10. Bb5 Bd7 11. a4 Ne7 12. Bxd7 Nxd7 13. Nc4 Bc5

14. d4 exd4 15. Nxd4 (15. cxd4 Bb4 16. Bd2 d5)
15. ... Bxd4 16. Qxd4 (16. cxd4 d5 17. exd5 Nxd5 18. Bd2 Qh4! 19. Bxa5 Ra6!⇄)
16. ... Nc5 17. Qd1 Qd7 18. Qc2 Ng6 19. Be3 Qc6 20. Nd2 Rfe8 21. Bd4 Nf4 22. Re3

22. ... d5 23. Bxc5 Qxc5 24. Rae1 Re6 25. Nb3 Qe7 26. Nd4 Rxe4 27. Rxe4 dxe4 28. Qxe4 Qxe4 29. Rxe4 Nd3

30. b3 Kf8 31. Re3 Nc5 32. Kf1 Re8 33. Ke2 Ne4 34. Kf3 Nc5 35. h4 h5 36. Kf4 Rxe3 37. Kxe3 Ke7 38. f3 Kf6 39. Kf4 c6 40. g3 g6 41. g4 Nd3+ ½ : ½.

Tomorrow is day off, but hostilities will resume on Wednesday with a pitched showdown as Goryachkina will play against Anna Olehivna Muzychuk. Photo: Anna Shtourman/FIDE.