Walled In

Aleksandra Yuryevna Goryachkina – Olga Alexandrovna Girya
74th Russian Women’s Chess Championship; Barnaul, Monday, August 21, 2024
Spanish Game C65

1. e4 e5 2. Nf3 Nc6 3. Bb5 Nf6 4. d3 Bc5 5. Nbd2 d6 6. c3 0-0 7. 0-0 Bb6 8. a4 a6 9. Bxc6 bxc6 10. a5 Ba7 11. h3 Re8 12. Re1 c5 13. Nc4 Rb8 14. Bg5 h6 15. Bh4 Re6 16. Nfd2 Qe8 17. b3 Nh7 18. Ne3 Rg6 19. Kh1 Ng5 20. Bg3 Ne6 21. Nf5 Nd8 22. Nc4 Be6 23. Ra3 Qd7 24. Nce3 Nc6 25. Qc2 Rb5 26. Rea1 Kh8 27. Kh2 Qc8? (27. ... Ne7!)

28. Bh4! Bd7 29. g4 Kh7 30. Nd5 Re6 31. Qd2 Bb8

The press release of the Chess Federation of Russia is exhaustive enough for a basic understanding of what there is to know: “In the game A. Y. Goryachkina – O. A. Girya, an anti-Berlin variation of the Spanish was played. Right after the opening, Black voluntarily walled in her Bishop on a7, where it remained until the end of the game. Goryachkina achieved a large space advantage, captured strongholds in the centre with her Knights, and mounted a direct attack on her opponent’s King. In order not to get checkmated, Black had to make serious material concessions, with not enough resources to find a perpetual check”.
32. Bf6! Nb4 33. cxb4 cxb4 34. R3a2 Rxd5 35. Bxg7 Rg6 (35. ... Rb5 36. Bxh6+−)
36. Ne7 Qd8 37. Nxg6 Kxg7 38. exd5 fxg6

White is two Exchanges ahead, while Black’s two Bishops count for little or nothing because of the walled off dark-squared Bishop.
39. Rc1 Bxg4!? A last desperate venture.
40. hxg4 Qh4+ 41. Kg2 Qxg4+ 42. Kf1 Qh3+ 43. Ke1 Qh1+ 44. Ke2 Qh5+ 45. f3 Qh2+ 46. Kd1 Qh1+ 47. Kc2 Qxf3 48. Qxb4 Ba7 49. Qe4 1–0.

Goryachkina easily took advantage of her opponent’s bad judgment. Photo: Eteri Kublashvili/Chess Federation of Russia.