The Long Afternoon

Bibisara Erkhanovna Assaubayeva – Aleksandra Yuryevna Goryachkina
FIDE Women’s Grand Prix 2024–25; 3rd stage; Monte Carlo, February 20, 2025
5k2/1bq1b3/1pp5/4Pp1p/2Pp1PpP/3P2K1/8/Q2BN3 w - - 3 75

Position after 74. ... Bc5-e7

With regard to the diagram, Black has a Pawn ahead and a manifest advantage. So it’s understandable that White rushes to take back her Pawn, so as to balance material. And yet...
75. Qxd4? And yet this is White’s losing mistake as it dramatically eases the entrance of Black’s light-squared Bishop into the scene. White’s best chance lay in 75. Qa7! Ke8 (75. ... c5? 76. Ba4!) 76. c5! sacrificing a second Pawn for light-square horizons and initiative.
75. ... c5! 76. Qc3?! Not good, but 76. Qe3 Qd8 is only another Zugzwang nightmare.
76. ... Qd8!? Or 76. ... Qc6! 77. e6 Kg8 winning by Zugzwang.
77. Ng2 Kg8 78. Bc2 Bxg2 79. Kxg2

79. ... Qa8+! 79. ... Bxh4? 80. Qa1! would give White concrete drawing chances.
80. Kg1 Qf3 81. Qd2 Qg3+ 82. Kf1 Qxh4 83. Qg2 g3 84. Bd1. If 84. Qf3 then 84. ... Qh3+ 85. Qg2 Qg4! and Black should win.
85. ... Qxf4+ 85. Qf3 Qxf3+! Naturally! The ending is easily won for Black in spite of Bishops of opposite colours.
86. Bxf3 h4 87. Kg2 Kg7 88. Bd5 Kg6 89. Kf3 Kg5 90. Bc6 Bd8 91. Bd7 Bc7 92. e6 Bd6 93. Bc6 Kf6 94. Bd5 h3 0–1.