The Ineffable Lability of Being

Aleksandra Yuryevna Goryachkina – Elisabeth Pähtz
FIDE Women’s Grand Prix 2024–25; 2nd stage; Shimkent, November 5, 2024
French Defence C07

1. e4 e6 2. d4 d5 3. Nd2 c5 4. exd5 Qxd5 5. Ngf3 cxd4 6. Bc4 Qd7 7. 0-0 Nc6 8. Nb3 a6 9. Nbxd4 Nxd4 10. Qxd4 Qxd4 11. Nxd4 Nf6 12. Be2 Bd6 13. Rd1 Ke7 14. c4 Bd7 15. b4 Bxb4 16. Rb1 a5 17. a3 Bc5 18. Rxb7 Bxd4 19. Rxd4 Rhb8 20. Rxb8 Rxb8 21. f3 Rb1 22. Rd1 Ba4 23. Re1 Bc6 24. Bd2 Rxe1+ 25. Bxe1 a4 26. Kf2 e5 27. Ke3 Kd6 28. Kd3 Nd7 29. Kc3 Nc5 30. Kb4 Be8 31. Ka5 Kc6 32. Bd1 f6 33. Bxa4+ Nxa4 34. Kxa4 Bd7 35. Kb4 g6 36. Bh4 f5 37. Bf6 e4 38. fxe4 fxe4 39. Bg5 Bc8 40. Be3 Ba6 41. Kc3 Kd6 42. Kd4 Bb7 43. a4 Bc6 44. a5 Bb7 45. g4 h5 46. g5 Bc8 47. Bf4+ Kc6 48. Ke5

White has a Pawn more, but the presence of Bishops of opposite colours should enable Black to save herself without any divine aid.
48 ... e3? But not this way. Black had to play 49. ... Kb7! 50. Kd6 (50. Kxe4 Ka6=) 50. ... Ka6 51. Bd2 e3! with a draw in view.
49. Bxe3 Kc7. Now is too late for 49. ... Kb7 because of 50. c5 Ka6 51. Kf6 Bf5 52. c6 Kxa5 53. c7 Kb5 54. c8=Q Bxc8 55. Kxg6 winning easily.
50. Kf6 Bf5 51. a6 Be4 52. h4 Kc6 53. Ba7 Kc7 54. c5 Kc8 55. Bb6 Kb8

56. c6! 1–0.

Even a draw by Bishops of opposite colours is never to be taken for granted. Photo: Konstantin Chalabov/FIDE.