Over and Back

Aleksandra Yuryevna Goryachkina – Vladislav Mikhailovich Artemiev
76th Russian Chess Championship Superfinal; Saint Petersburg, October 12, 2023
Modern Benoni A62

1. d4 Nf6 2. c4 e6 3. g3 c5 4. d5 exd5 5. cxd5 d6 6. Nc3 g6 7. Nf3 Bg7 8. Bg2 0-0 9. 0-0 Re8 10. Re1 a6 11. a4 Nbd7 12. h3 Rb8 13. Bf4 Qc7 14. Rc1 (14. e4 Nh5 15. Bd2⩲)
14. ... b5 15. axb5 axb5 16. b4 Nh5 (⌓ 16. ... Qb6)
17. Bd2 Qa7 18. e3 Nhf6 (18. ... cxb4? 19. Ne2 Δ Ne2-d4-c6)
19. Qb3 cxb4 20. Qxb4 Nc5 21. Nd4 Bd7 (21. ... Nd3 22. Nc6 Qb7 23. Qxd6 Ra8 24. Rb1 Nxe1 25. Rxe1⩲)
22. Ra1 Qb6 23. Reb1 Nfe4 24. Nxe4 Nxe4 25. Bc1 Rbc8 26. Ra3 h5

27. Bf1 (27. Ne6! Nc3 28. Nxg7 Nxb1 29. Nxe8 Rxc1+ 30. Kh2)
27. ... Nxg3!? 28. fxg3 Rxc1 29. Rxc1 Rxe3 30. Ra4? (30. Ra8+ Kh7 31. Rd1 Be5)
30. ... Rxg3+ 31. Kh1 (31. Kf2 Rg5)

31. ... Kh7? (31. ... Be5−+)
32. Ne2 Qf2 (32. ... Rf3!?)
33. Nxg3 bxa4 34. Qe1 Qf3+? (34. ... Qf4 35. Rc7 a3 36. Rxd7 a2 37. Ra7 a1=Q 38. Rxa1 Bxa1 39. Qxa1 Qxg3=)
35. Bg2 Qf4 36. Rc7 Bb5 37. Ne4 a3

38. Rxf7? (38. Ra7 a2 39. Rxa2 Be5 40. Qg1+−)
38. ... Qxf7 39. Ng5+ Kg8 40. Nxf7 a2 41. Nxd6 Bd7 42. Be4 a1=Q 43. Qxa1 Bxa1 44. Bxg6 ½ : ½.

Goryachkina eventually tied for 6th place in the 76th Russian Chess Championship with a score of 5½ points out of 11. Photo: Eteri Kublashvili/Chess Federation of Russia.