Forma mentis

“The one disadvantage of the catenaccio is that with its ultradefensive mentality, the game can degenerate into an incredibly boring game, particularly if both teams employ the same system”. Jaime Orejan, Football/Soccer. History and Tactics, McFarland & Company, Inc., Jefferson, North Carolina, United States, 2011, p. 106.

Aleksandra Yuryevna Goryachkina – 朱锦尔 (Zhū Jǐn’ěr)
Women’s Candidates Tournament 2026; Pegeia, April 5, 2026
Spanish Game C80

1. e4 e5 2. Nf3 Nc6 3. Bb5 a6 4. Ba4 Nf6 5. 0-0 Nxe4 6. d4 Be7 7. Re1 b5 8. Rxe4 d5 9. Nxe5 Nxe5 10. Rxe5 bxa4 11. b3 0-0 12. Ba3 Bxa3 13. Nxa3 Re8 14. Rxe8+ Qxe8 15. Nb1 Qc6 16. Qd2 axb3 17. cxb3 Bd7 18. Nc3 Re8 19. h3 h6 20. Re1 Rxe1+ 21. Qxe1 Qd6 22. Qe3 (22. Qd2 a5 23. Ne2 Qa3 24. Nf4 c6 25. Nd3 Bf5 26. Ne5 c5 27. dxc5 Qxc5 28. Nf3 Be4 29. Nd4 Bb1 30. Qb2 Qb4 31. Nf3 Be4 32. a3 Qe7 33. Nd4 Qg5 34. f3 Qe3+ 35. Kh2 Bg6 36. b4 Qe5+ 37. g3 axb4 38. axb4 Bd3 39. Qf2 Qe8 40. Qd2 Bc4 41. Kg2 h5 42. h4 Qb8 43. Kf2 Qb6 44. Kg2 Qb8 45. Kf2 Qb6 46. Kg2 ½–½ McShane – L. Costa, 51st Schachbundesliga, Deizisau 2025)
22. ... a5 23. h4 Kh8 24. Ne2 Qa3 25. Qd2 c5 26. dxc5 Qxc5 27. Nd4 Kg8 28. Kh2 Qd6+ 29. g3 Qc5 30. Kg2 Kh8 31. f3 Kg8 32. g4 Qc7 33. Qe3 Qd6 34. g5 hxg5 35. hxg5 g6 36. Ne2 Bb5 37. Nc3 Bc6 38. Qb6 Qd7 39. Ne2 Qe7 40. Kf2 Be8

41. Qe3 Kf8 42. Nf4 Bc6 43. Nd3 d4 44. Qf4 Bb5 45. Ne5 Kg8 46. Qf6 Qc7 47. Ng4 d3 48. Qd4 Kf8 49. a4 Bd7 50. Qh8+ Ke7 51. Qf6+ Kf8 52. Qh8+ Ke7 53. Qe5+ Kd8 54. Qxc7+ Kxc7 55. Ne5 Be6 56. Nc4 Kc6 57. Nxa5+ Kc5 58. Nc4 Kb4 59. Nd2 Bxb3 60. a5 Bd5 61. a6 Kc3 62. Ke3 Ba8 63. a7 Kc2 64. Ne4 Bc6 65. f4 Ba8 66. Nd2 Bc6 67. Nc4 Ba8 68. Nd2 Bc6 69. Nf1 Ba8 70. Nd2 ½–½.

So far, Goryachkina drew seven games out of seven — something for her (and her mentors) to think about. Photo: Yoav Nis (Eugene Nisenbaum)/FIDE.