From Behind the Curtain

Baira Sergeevna Kovanova – Aleksandra Yuryevna Goryachkina
74th Russian Women’s Chess Championship; Barnaul, Monday, August 20, 2024
French Defence C10

1. e4 e6 2. d4 d5 3. exd5 exd5 4. Nf3 Nc6 5. h3 Bd6 6. Nc3 Nge7 7. Nb5 0-0 8. Be2 Ng6 9. Nxd6 Qxd6 10. 0-0 Bf5 11. c3 Rfe8 12. Re1 h6 13. Be3 a6 14. Bf1 Re7 15. Nd2 Rae8 16. Qf3 Nh4 17. Qh5 g5 18. Nf3 Ng6 19. h4 f6 20. Bd2 Kg7 21. Rxe7+ Ncxe7 22. g3 Qd7 23. Nh2 Nc8 24. Re1 Rxe1 25. Bxe1 Qe6 26. hxg5 hxg5 27. Qe2 Qxe2 28. Bxe2 Bb1 29. a3 Nd6 30. Ng4 c6 31. f3 Nc4 32. Bxc4 dxc4 33. Kf2 Ne7 34. Bd2 Nd5 35. Bc1 Kf7 36. Ne3 Nb6

The press release of the Chess Federation of Russia then summed up the main themes of the game: “In the Exchange French, Aleksandra Yuryevna Goryachkina, who played Black with Baira Sergeevna Kovanova, confidently solved all opening problems. After numerous exchanges, it seemed that a draw was inevitable, especially since opposite coloured Bishops remained on the board. However, on 37th move, White made a positional error, weakening the light squares, after which Goryachkina seized the initiative. Kovanova’s attempt to gain counterplay by activating her King was unsuccessful: Black broke through the centre and achieved a decisive material advantage”.
37. f4? Besides all said above, this move also has the dramatic feature of turning the White dark-squared Bishop into an irreparably bad Bishop. Much better was therefore 37. g4, preparing f3-f4 by Kf2-g3 and, if needed, Ne3-g2.
37. ... gxf4 38. gxf4 Ke6 39. Kf3 Bd3 40. Kg4 f5+ 41. Kf3 Nd7 42. Nd1 b5 43. Nf2 Bf1 44. Bd2 Nf6 45. Bc1 Kd6 46. Nd1 Kc7 47. Be3 Bh3 48. Nf2 Bg4+ 49. Kg3 Kd6 50. Kh4 Kd5 51. Bc1 Be2

52. Kg5? Maybe White wasn’t happy with the way things were going, but only this — enabling Black to advantageously force the exchange of Knights — is the losing move! 52. Kg3! Ne4+ 53. Kg2 was still a hard way for Black to turn her advantages into something concretely fulfillable.
52. ... Ne4+ 53. Nxe4 Kxe4 54. Kf6 Bg4 55. Ke6 Kd3 56. d5 cxd5 57. Kxd5 Kc2 58. Be3 Kxb2 59. Bd4 Kxa3 60. Bb6 Ka4 61. Kd4 a5 62. Ke3 b4 63. Kd2 Ka3 64. Kc1 Ka2 65. cxb4 axb4 66. Bc5 Kb3 67. Bd6 c3 0–1.

Goryachkina is chasing her fourth Championship title after a three-year interlude in the other half of the sky. Photo: Eteri Kublashvili/Chess Federation of Russia.