Another day to forget for Aleksandra Yuryevna Goryachkina at the Altai Regional Drama Theatre named after Vasily Makarovich Shukshin, just to confirm that when something goes wrong, it doesn’t go wrong only on stage.
Natalia Andreevna Pogonina – Aleksandra Yuryevna Goryachkina
74th Russian Women’s Chess Championship; Barnaul, August 25, 2024
Queen’s Pawn Game D02
74th Russian Women’s Chess Championship; Barnaul, August 25, 2024
Queen’s Pawn Game D02
1. d4 Nf6 2. Nf3 d5 3. Bf4 Bf5 4. c4 e6 5. Nc3 dxc4 6. Qa4+ Nbd7 7. Qxc4 Bd6 8. Bxd6 cxd6 9. e3 0-0 10. Be2 Ne4 11. Nxe4 Bxe4 12. Qb4 Rc8 13. 0-0 Rc2 14. Bd1 Rc6 15. Nd2 Bd3 16. Re1 Qc7 17. d5 exd5 18. Qd4 Bc4 19. b3 Ba6 20. Bf3 Nf6 21. Bxd5 Nxd5 22. Qxd5 b6 23. Nf3 Rc5 24. Qd2 Bb7 25. Nd4 Qe7 26. e4 g6 27. f3 Rfc8 28. Rad1 Qf6 29. Qf2 a5 30. Rd2 b5 31. Nc2 Rc3 32. Ne3 h5 33. Qg3
33. ... Qe5!? An unnecessary Pawn sacrifice, which leaves Black with very little in return. 33. ... Rc1! offered the best prospects for equality.
34. Rxd6 Qc5 35. Kf2 Re8 36. Rd2 a4 37. bxa4 bxa4 38. Qd6 Qxd6 39. Rxd6 Kg7 40. Rb1 Bc8 41. Rb8 Kf8 42. Rb4 Ra3 43. Rd2 Be6 44. Nd5 Rd8 45. h4 Kg7 46. Ke2 Rd7 47. Rb6 Rd8 48. Rc6 Kf8 49. Rc3 Rxc3 50. Nxc3 Ra8 51. a3 Bc4+ 52. Ke3 Ke7 53. Rd4 Bb3 54. Rb4 Ra5 55. f4 Ra7 56. Kd4 Kf8 57. Rb8+ Kg7 58. Nd5 Ra6 59. Rb4 Ra7 60. g3 Rd7 61. Ke5 f5 62. Rd4?! 62. Ke6! was the best way to continue to play for a win as after the text White liquidates into a drawn Rook ending a Pawn down.
62. ... fxe4 63. Kxe4 Bxd5+ 64. Rxd5 Rb7 65. Rd3 Kf6 66. Rd6+ Kg7 67. Rd3 Kf6 68. Rc3 Rb2 69. Rc6+ Kg7 70. Rc7+ Kf6 71. Rc6+ Kg7 72. Ra6 Rb3 73. Rxa4 Rxg3 74. Ra7+ Kf6 75. Ra6+ Ke7 76. a4
34. Rxd6 Qc5 35. Kf2 Re8 36. Rd2 a4 37. bxa4 bxa4 38. Qd6 Qxd6 39. Rxd6 Kg7 40. Rb1 Bc8 41. Rb8 Kf8 42. Rb4 Ra3 43. Rd2 Be6 44. Nd5 Rd8 45. h4 Kg7 46. Ke2 Rd7 47. Rb6 Rd8 48. Rc6 Kf8 49. Rc3 Rxc3 50. Nxc3 Ra8 51. a3 Bc4+ 52. Ke3 Ke7 53. Rd4 Bb3 54. Rb4 Ra5 55. f4 Ra7 56. Kd4 Kf8 57. Rb8+ Kg7 58. Nd5 Ra6 59. Rb4 Ra7 60. g3 Rd7 61. Ke5 f5 62. Rd4?! 62. Ke6! was the best way to continue to play for a win as after the text White liquidates into a drawn Rook ending a Pawn down.
62. ... fxe4 63. Kxe4 Bxd5+ 64. Rxd5 Rb7 65. Rd3 Kf6 66. Rd6+ Kg7 67. Rd3 Kf6 68. Rc3 Rb2 69. Rc6+ Kg7 70. Rc7+ Kf6 71. Rc6+ Kg7 72. Ra6 Rb3 73. Rxa4 Rxg3 74. Ra7+ Kf6 75. Ra6+ Ke7 76. a4
76. ... Kd7? A strange blunder by an endgame virtuoso of Goryachkina’s stature. The right way was 76. ... Kf7! 77. a5 Ra3 with a book draw.
77. Ke5 Rg4 78. a5 Kc7 79. Re6? But Pogonina let slip her chance of an easy win by 79. Rb6! Rxh4 80. Rxg6, giving her opponent instead an unhoped opportunity for saving the day.
79. ... Kb7 80. Rf6 Ka7 81. a6 Ka8 82. Re6 Ka7 83. Rd6 Ka8 84. Ke4 Ka7 85. Rc6 Rg1 86. Kf3 Rf1+ 87. Kg3 Rg1+ 88. Kf2 Rg4 89. Kf3 Rg1 90. Rc5 Kxa6 91. Rg5 Rh1 92. Rxg6+ Kb7 93. f5 Kc7 94. Kf4
77. Ke5 Rg4 78. a5 Kc7 79. Re6? But Pogonina let slip her chance of an easy win by 79. Rb6! Rxh4 80. Rxg6, giving her opponent instead an unhoped opportunity for saving the day.
79. ... Kb7 80. Rf6 Ka7 81. a6 Ka8 82. Re6 Ka7 83. Rd6 Ka8 84. Ke4 Ka7 85. Rc6 Rg1 86. Kf3 Rf1+ 87. Kg3 Rg1+ 88. Kf2 Rg4 89. Kf3 Rg1 90. Rc5 Kxa6 91. Rg5 Rh1 92. Rxg6+ Kb7 93. f5 Kc7 94. Kf4
94. ... Rxh4+? As they say, she (he) who makes the last mistake loses. Salvation was still possible, but she should have found two “only” moves: 94. ... Kd7! 95. Kg5 Ke7! with a tablebase draw.
95. Kg5 Rh1 96. Rh6 Rg1+ 97. Kxh5 Kd7 98. Re6 Rg2 99. Kh6 Rg1 100. Rg6 Ra1 101. Kg7 Ra7 102. Re6 Ra5 103. Kg6 Ra1 104. Re2 Kd6 105. f6 Rf1 106. Kg7 Rg1+ 107. Kf8 Kd7 108. f7 Rf1 109. Rd2+ 1–0.
95. Kg5 Rh1 96. Rh6 Rg1+ 97. Kxh5 Kd7 98. Re6 Rg2 99. Kh6 Rg1 100. Rg6 Ra1 101. Kg7 Ra7 102. Re6 Ra5 103. Kg6 Ra1 104. Re2 Kd6 105. f6 Rf1 106. Kg7 Rg1+ 107. Kf8 Kd7 108. f7 Rf1 109. Rd2+ 1–0.
Goryachkina is now point behind in Championship struggle. Photo: Eteri Kublashvili/Chess Federation of Russia. |
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