Late But Not Last

Divya Deshmukh – Aleksandra Yuryevna Goryachkina
Women’s Candidates Tournament 2026; Pegeia, April 9, 2026
8/8/1Pk4p/6p1/p1N2p2/P6P/2b2KP1/8 w - - 0 56

Position after 55. ... f5-f4

From an absolute point of view, in the situation of the diagram, the Bishop is stronger than the Knight, but material is too reduced to allow Black any hope of a win.
56. g3? A first faux pas. Right was 56. h4!, in order to liquidate Black’s Kingside Pawns and then eventually sacrifice the Knight at a4.
56. ... fxg3+ 57. Kxg3 Bb3? Goryachkina too hesitates. She ought to have played 57. ... h5! at once, winning as in the game.
58. Nb2? Deshmukh misses her chance of salvation. 58. Ne5+! Kxb6 59. h4! would have ensured a draw.
58. ... h5! White is not given a second chance.
59. Kf3 (59. h4 g4−+)
59. ... Kxb6 60. Ke4 Bc2+ 61. Kd4 Kc7 62. Kd5 g4! 0–1. For after 63. hxg4 h4−+ the Pawn queens.
0–1.

Finally, Goryachkina also tasted the thrill of victory. Photo: Michał Walusza/FIDE.

One By Two

Rameshbabu Vaishali – Divya Deshmukh
Women’s Candidates Tournament 2026; Pegeia, April 8, 2026
Catalan Opening E01

1. Nf3 d5 2. b3 Nf6 3. Bb2 e6 4. c4 Bd6 5. g3 0-0 6. Bg2 c6 7. 0-0 Nbd7 8. d4 a5 9. Nc3 Ne4 10. Nxe4. A tough nut. 10. a4 f5 11. e3 b6 12. cxd5 Nxc3 13. Bxc3 cxd5 is comfortably equal for Black, Daneshvar – Bjerre, 4th FIDE Grand Swiss Tournament, Samarkand 2025
10. ... dxe4 11. Ne5 f5 12. f4!? (12. f3)
12. ... Nf6 (12. ... exf3 13. Nxf3 Nf6)
13. e3 Qe8. Deserving consideration was 13. ... Bd7 intending ... Bd7-e8-h5.
14. h3 b5 15. Rf2 Ba6 16. Rc1 bxc4 17. bxc4

17. ... Nd7? Admittedly a miscalculation. 17. ... c5 18. Bf1 gives White a pleasant game, but nothing transcendental.
18. Nxc6! Rc8. Black intended 18. ... Nb6 19. d5 Nxc4, but at the last moment noticed that White could play 20. Rxc4! Bxc4 21. Qd4 threatening both mate and the Bishop.
19. d5 Nc5 20. Qd4 Rf6?! Better was 20. ... Rf7 21. Rd2 exd5 22. cxd5 Nd3 23. Bf1⩲ with White’s advantage still within reasonable proportions.
21. Rd2 Rg6? Once again, 21. ... exd5 22. cxd5 Nd3 23. Bf1 was Black’s last chance to hang on to her seat.
22. Kh2 Nd3

23. Rxd3! exd3 24. c5 Rxc6. If the Bishop retreats to either b8 or f8, then 25. d6 is deadly.
25. dxc6 Bc7 26. Qd7 Qb8

27. Be5! Bxe5 28. Rb1! The pointe. The Rook is taboo because of mate on e8.
28. ... Qf8 29. fxe5 h5 30. Qd6 Qf7 31. Rb7! 1–0.

“Vaishali’s victory over compatriot Divya Deshmukh means that she remains in joint lead of the tournament — sharing the top spot with China’s 朱锦尔 (Zhū Jǐn’ěr) on 5½ points — with just five rounds left in Cyprus”, Amit Kamath wrote in The Indian Express of April 9. Photo: Michał Walusza/FIDE.

Resilience and Vulnerability

Anna Olehivna Muzychuk – Divya Deshmukh
Women’s Candidates Tournament 2026; Pegeia, April 7, 2026
Sicilian Defence B36

1. e4 c5 2. Nf3 g6 3. c4 Nc6 4. d4 cxd4 5. Nxd4 Nf6 6. Nc3 d6 7. Be2 Nxd4 8. Qxd4 Bg7 9. Be3 0-0 10. Qd3 Ng4 11. Bxg4 Bxg4 12. 0-0 Be6 13. Bd4 Bxd4 14. Qxd4 Qc7 15. b3 Qc5 16. Qd3 Rfc8 (16. ... a6 17. a4 a5 18. Kh1 f6 19. Rae1 Bd7 20. Re3 Bc6 21. Qd2 Rf7 22. Rfe1 Rd8 23. Rd3 Rdf8 24. Nd5 Ra8 25. f4 Bxd5 26. exd5 b6 27. Rde3 Ra7 28. f5 g5 29. Qe2 Qd4 30. Rd1 Qc5 31. Re4 Qc8 32. Rf1 Rg7 33. h4 gxh4 34. Rxh4 Rb7 35. Rff4 Kh8 36. Qh5 Qg8 37. Rfg4 Qf7 38. Qh6 Rxg4 39. Rxg4 Rb8 40. Rh4 Rg8 41. Qe3 Qg7 42. Qh3 Qf7 43. Qe3 Qg7 44. g4 Qg5 45. Qxg5 Rxg5 46. Kg2 Rg8 47. Kf3 Kg7 ½–½ Ivkov – Janošević, International Tournament, Smederevska Palanka 1971)
17. Rfe1 a6 18. a4 Rc7 19. Re3 Rac8 20. Rae1 Qe5 21. h3 b6 22. Nd5 Bxd5 23. exd5 Qf6 24. Rf3 Qg7 25. h4 f6 26. Qd4 Rb8 27. Rfe3 Rbb7 28. Re6 Qh6 29. g3 Qf8 30. h5 g5 31. Kg2 Qa8 32. Ra1 Qc8 33. Rae1 Qa8 34. f4 gxf4 35. Qxf4 b5 36. h6 Qf8 37. cxb5 axb5 38. a5 Rc5 39. Qg4+ Kh8 40. b4 Rc4

White’s Maróczy Bind against Black’s Accelerated Dragon couldn’t have gone any better for Muzychuk, or much worse for Deshmukh. Strangely enough, however, the drama did not unfold directly and predictably at the fateful 40th move, but rather, more enigmatically, on move 41...
41. R6e4? Much stronger was 41. Qe2! Qxh6 42. a6! Rbc7 43. Rxe7 Rxe7 42. Qxe7 Qd2+ 45. Re2 Qxd5+ 46. Kh2 Qh5+ 47. Kg1 Rc1+ 48. Re1 Rxe1+ 49. Qxe1 Qg4 50. Qe3 with an apparently winning endgame.
41. ... Rxe4 42. Rxe4 Rc7 43. Qe2? Now White lost her way let her advantage slip away. 43. Qh5 Qg8 44. Kh3 Qc8+ 45. Re6 still maintained a strong grip on the position.
43. ... Qxh6 44. Qxb5. 44. Rxe7 Rxe7 45. Qxe7 Qd2+ is also a likely draw.
44. ... Rc2+ 45. Re2 Qg6 46. Rxc2 Qxc2+ 47. Kf3 Qd1+ 48. Kf2 Qd2+ 49. Kf3 Qd1+ 50. Kf2 Qd2+ 51. Qe2 Qxb4 52. a6 Qb6+ 53. Kg2 Qa7 54. Qb5 Kg7 55. Qa4. If 55. Qb7 then 55. ... Qe3! 56. a7 Qe2+ with perpetual check.
55. ... h5 56. Qa2 Kf7 57. Qe2 Kf8 58. Kh3 Qg1

59. a7? White could secure the draw with 59. Qxh5 Qf1+ 60. Kh2 Qxa6 61. Qh8+ Kf7 62. Qh7+ Ke8 63. Qg8+ Kd7 64. Qe6+ and perpetual check.
59. ... Qxa7 60. Qxh5 Qe3 61. Qh8+ Kf7 62. Qh5+? Here 62. Qh7+ Ke8 63. Qh8+ Kd7 64. Qa8 still gave some chances of a draw.
62. ... Kg7 63. Qe8 Qe4 64. Kh2 Qe2+ 65. Kg1 Qe1+ 66. Kg2 Qd2+ 67. Kh3 Qe2 68. g4 Qf3+ 69. Kh2 Qe4 70. Kg3 Qe5+ 71. Kh3 f5 72. gxf5 Qxf5+ 73. Kg3 Qg5+ 74. Kf2 Kf6 75. Qh8+ Kf5 76. Qc8+ Kf6 77. Qh8+ Kg6 78. Qg8+ Kh6 79. Qh8+ Kg6 80. Qg8+ Kh5 81. Qf7+ Kh4 82. Qh7+ Kg4 83. Kf1 Qf5+ 0–1.

“Divya’s turnaround was a miracle for the youngster from Nagpur considering she had been under pressure from the start of the game with Muzychuk coming up with some excellent opening prep.”, Amit Kamath wrote in The Indian Express of April 8. Photo: Michał Walusza/FIDE.

UTC+08:00

Divya Deshmukh – 朱锦尔 (Zhū Jǐn’ěr)
Women’s Candidates Tournament 2026; Pegeia, April 1, 2026
English Opening A21

1. c4 e5 2. Nc3 Bb4 3. Nd5 a5 4. Nf3 d6 5. a3 Bc5 6. e3 Nf6 7. d4 Nxd5 8. cxd5 exd4 9. exd4 Bb6 10. Bg5 f6 11. Be3 0-0 12. h4? It doesn’t seem like a good idea, or at least makes little sense given White’s policy of Kingside development. The usual 12. Bd3 f5 13. Qc2 was the proper continuation.
12. ... f5 13. g3 Qe8 14. Bd3 Nd7 15. 0-0 h6 16. Ne1 Nf6 17. Ng2 Nxd5 18. Bc4 Be6 19. Re1 Qf7 20. Bd2 c6 21. Qb3 Kh7

22. a4? White is down material without any appreciable return for it. Alas for her! she cannot play 22. Bxd5? Bxd5 23. Qxb6?? because of 21. ... Ra6 trapping the Queen. White’s best was probably 22. Rxe6, although after 22. ... a4! (not 22. ... Qxe6? on account of 23. Qxb6 Nxb6 24. Bxe6 d5 25. h5 with a strong bind) 23. Rxh6+ gxh6 24. Qd3 Rae8 she has little or nothing — or anyway not enough — for the Exchange.
22. ... Bxd4 23. Re2 Be5 24. Rae1

24. ... Nf4! 25. gxf4 Bxc4 26. Qg3 Bf6 27. Re3 d5 28. Qh3 d4 29. Rg3 Qh5 30. b4 axb4 31. Bxb4 Rfe8 32. Rc1 Bd5 33. Ne1 Rxa4 34. Bd6 Kh8 35. Be5 Bxe5 36. fxe5 d3 0–1. For after 37. Nxd3 Rxh4 it’s all over.

Today 朱锦尔 (Zhū Jǐn’ěr) gave a telling demonstration of her strong potentialities. Photo: Yoav Nis (Eugene Nisenabum)/FIDE.

≒

Aleksandra Yuryevna Goryachkina and Divya Deshmukh, the only two women participating in the open FIDE Grand Swiss Tournament, both finished with 5/11 placing 77th and 79th, respectively, ahead of many higher rated participants.

Breaking Into New Bollywood

Divya Deshmukh – Velimir Ivić
4th FIDE Grand Swiss Tournament; Samarkand, September 11, 2025
Sicilian Defence B40

1. e4 c5 2. Nf3 e6 3. b3 Nc6 4. Bb2 Qc7 5. c4 Nf6 6. Nc3 a6 7. g3 Rb8 8. Bg2 b5 9. cxb5 axb5 10. 0-0 b4 11. Na4 e5? If Black intended to shore up the centre, he will fail.
12. Rc1 d6

13. d4! Nd7. After 13. ... cxd4 (idem to say 13. ... exd4 14. Nxd4! cxd4 15. e5) 14. Nxd4! exd4 15. e5 White regains her piece with interest.
14. dxc5?! 14. dxe5 dxe5 15. Bh3 would transpose to the game.
14. ... dxc5?! (⌓ 14. ... Nxc5 15. Qc2⩲)
15. Bh3 Nb6 16. Nxc5 Bxh3 17. Na6 Qb7 18. Nxb8 Nxb8 19. Re1 Be7. If 19. ... f6 then 20. Nxe5! fxe5 21. Qh5+ with overwhelming advantage.
20. Bxe5 Nc6 21. Bxg7. White has too much material for the two pieces.
21. ... Rg8 22. Ne5 Bd7 23. Nxc6 Bxc6 24. Qc2 Bb5 25. Bd4 Rg6 26. Red1 Bc6 27. Bc5 Bxe4 28. Qe2 Re6 29. Qb5+ Nd7 30. Qxb7 Bxb7 31. Bxe7 Kxe7 32. Re1 Bd5 33. Kf1 Be4 34. Re3 Nb6 35. Rd1 Bc6 36. Rd4 Nd5 37. Rxe6+ Kxe6 38. Ke1 Bb5 39. Kd2 h5 40. Rh4 f6 41. Rxh5 Nc3 42. a3 Nb1+ 43. Kc1 Nxa3 44. Rh4 Bc6 45. Rxb4 Nb5 46. h4 Nd6 47. Kd2 Bd5 48. Rb6 Kd7 49. Ke3 1–0.

Deshmukh scored her second win at the open FIDE Grand Swiss Tournament over Serbian Grandmaster Ivić. Photo: Aditya Sur Roy.

Sino-Indian Rivalry

朱锦尔 (Zhū Jǐn’ěr) – Divya Deshmukh
FIDE Women’s Grand Prix 2024–25; 4th stage; Nicosia, March 22, 2025
French Defence C11

1. e4 e6 2. d4 d5 3. Nc3 Nf6 4. e5 Nfd7 5. f4 c5 6. Nf3 Nc6 7. Be3 Be7 8. Qd2 a6 9. a3 0-0 10. dxc5 Nxc5 11. Bd3 f5 12. exf6 Nxd3+ 13. Qxd3 Bxf6 14. 0-0-0 b5 15. Ne2 Bd7 16. Bc5 $1 Rf7 17. h4 Qc7 18. Ng5 Bxg5 19. hxg5 g6 20. Be3 b4 21. a4 b3 22. Qxb3 Na5 23. Qb6 Bxa4 24. Nc3 Nc4 25. Qxc7 Rxc7 26. Bd4 Bc6 27. Rde1 Re8 28. b3 Na3 29. Be5 Rb7 30. Nd1 d4 31. Nf2 Bxg2

Black has gained a Pawn, but at the cost of conceding her opponent a dangerous initiative.
32. Ng4! Bxh1 33. Nf6+ Kf7? The losing move; she ought to play 33. ... Kf8! 34. Rxh1 Ree7 35. Bd6 Nb5! with better chances of defence.
34. Rxh1 h5 35. gxh6! Rc8 36. h7 Rxc2+ 37. Kd1 1–0. There could still follow 37. ... Rxb3 38. h8=N+! Ke7 (38. ... Kf8 39. Bd6+ Kg7 40. Rh7+ Kxf6 41. Rf7#) 39. Rh7+ Kf8 40. Nf7+ Kc8 41. Nd6+ Kb8 42. Nb5+ and mate will come in a few more moves.

Today 朱锦尔 (Zhū Jǐn’ěr) got the better of Divya Deshmukh. Photo: Mark Livshitz/FIDE.

Beyond the Ivory Tower

Aleksandra Yuryevna Goryachkina – Divya Deshmukh

3rd Tata Steel India Women’s Rapid Tournament; time control: 25 minutes plus 10 seconds per move; Kolkata, November 15, 2024

Queen’s Gambit Declined D37

1. d4 Nf6 2. c4 e6 3. Nf3 d5 4. Nc3 Nbd7 5. Bf4 dxc4 6. e3 b5 7. Nxb5 Bb4+ 8. Nc3 Nd5 9. a3 Nxc3 10. Qd2 Bxa3 11. Qxc3 Bd6 12. Bxc4 (12. Bg3 Qe7 13. Bxd6 cxd6 14. Bxc4 0-0 15. 0-0 Bb7 16. Be2 Rfc8 17. Qa3 Nb6 18. Rfd1 Nc4 19. Qa2 Bxf3 20. Bxf3 d5 21. Be2 g6 22. Bxc4 Rxc4 23. b3 Rc7 24. Rdc1 Rac8 25. Rxc7 Rxc7 26. Qa5 h5 27. h3 Kg7 28. Qa3 Qxa3 ½–½ Deac – Martirosyan, 5th Stepan H. Avagyan Memorial, Jermuk 2024)
12. ... 0-0 13. Bg5 Qe8 14. 0-0 Bb7 15. Ne5. White gives up her Bishop pair, which may well be questionable. 15. Be2 was probably her best move.
15. ... Nb6 16. Nf3 f6 17. Bh4 Nxc4 18. Qxc4 Bd5 19. Qe2 Qg6 20. Bg3

20. ... f5! Deshmukh boldly takes the initiative.
21. Ne5 Bxe5 22. dxe5 f4 23. exf4 Rxf4 24. Rfc1 h5 25. f3 Rf7 26. Ra4 c6 27. Qe3 Rb7 28. b4 Rf7 29. Qd4 Raf8 30. Ra3 Rf5 31. Rxa7 Not less boldly, Goryachkina lets her opponent play her cards.

31. ... Bxf3! 32. gxf3 Rf4. 32. ... Rxf3 33. Kh1! Qf5! was also interesting and sharply balanced.
33. Qd7. If 33. Qf2 then 33. ... h4 winning back her piece with at least equality.
33. ... Rxf3 34. Qxc6 h4! It is not yet time for 34. ... Rxg3+ 35. hxg3 Qxg3+ 36. Kh1 Qh3+ with a draw by perpetual check.
35. Ra8! Rxg3+? Deshmukh is beguiled by a cruel Fata Morgana. 35. ... hxg3? 36. Qxf3! was likewise a blunder, but simply 35. ... Rxa8 36. Qxf3 (or 36. Qxa8+ Rf8=) 36. ... Rf8= would hold it in equilibrium.

36. Kh1! Black must have overlooked this non-automatic move.
36. ... Rg5 (36. ... Rf3? 37. Qxf3!+−)
37. Rxf8+ Kh7. Tantamount to resignation, but after 37. ... Kxf8 38. Qa8+ there is only the choice between either being checkmated (38. ... Ke7 39. Rc7#) or losing the Queen (38. ... Qe8 39. Rc8).
38. Rf4 Rh5 39. Qe4 1–0.

Goryachkina showed all her strength and style, vindicating her claim to the throne. Photo: Amruta Mokal.

Future in the past

Divya Deshmukh – 谭中怡 (Tán Zhōngyí)
2nd FIDE Women’s Grand Swiss Tournament; Douglas, October 26, 2023
r7/1p3kbp/4b1p1/3p1p2/NB2p3/1P2P1P1/P4P1P/3R2K1 w - - 0 28

Position after 27. ... c6xd5

The position in the diagram is the result of a Leningrad Dutch, and may be assessed as being comfortably equal for Black, but hardly anything more — especially if White had now played 28. Rc1. Instead, it takes only one bad move to wipe out a hard-won and barely defensible comfort zone:
28. Rd2? g5! 29. Bc3 Rc8 30. Bxg7 Kxg7 31. b4 Rc1+ 32. Kg2 Bf7 33. Nc5

33. ... Bh5!? Black intends to weave a mating net by 34. ... Bf3+ 35. Kh3 Rg1, but first 33. ... d4! (also menacing ... b7-b6) would have been much stronger.
34. Ne6+ Kf6 35. Nd4 Bd1! 36. Ne2? White misses her only resource, that is, 36. a4!, with the idea 36. ... Bxa4 37. Ne2 followed by Ne2-c3.
36. ... Rb1 37. a3 Ra1 38. h3 Ke5 39. Nd4

39. ... h5! 40. b5 g4 41. hxg4 hxg4 42. Kh2 Bf3! 43. Nxf3+ gxf3 44. Rc2 Rxa3 45. Rc7 Ra2 46. Rxb7 Rxf2+ 47. Kg1 Rb2 48. Rb8 d4 49. Re8+ Kf6 50. exd4 Rxb5 51. Kf2 Kf7 52. Ra8 Rb2+ 53. Kf1 e3 54. Ra1 Ke6 55. Re1 Rf2+ 56. Kg1 Rg2+ 57. Kh1 e2 58. g4 Rxg4 59. Kh2 Kd6 0 : 1.

谭中怡 (Tán Zhōngyí) is more than ever determined to show that she be not past her prime. Photo: Anna Shtourman/FIDE.

The Fortress of Solitude

Aleksandra Yuryevna Goryachkina – Divya Deshmukh
2nd Women’s Chess World Cup; round of 32 match game 1; Baku, August 5, 2023
English Opening A13

1. c4 e6 2. g3 d5 3. Bg2 Nf6 4. Nf3 d4 5. 0-0 Nc6 6. d3 Bc5 7. Nbd2 a5 8. Nb3 Be7 9. e3 e5. The alternative is 9. ... dxe3 10. Bxe3 Ng4 11. Bc5 0-0 12. d4 a4 13. Bxe7 Qxe7 14. Nc5 a3 15. bxa3 Rd8 16. Nb3 Nf6 17. Re1 Qxa3 18. Qe2 h6 19. h4 Bd7 20. Ne5 Be8 21. Qe3 Qb4 22. Reb1 Nxe5 23. dxe5 Ng4 24. Qe1 Qxe1+ 25. Rxe1 h5 26. Bxb7 Ra4 with a Pawn up for White, but, as Carlsen then argued, “the position is probably still fine for me. I’m going to make a draw quite easily”, Nepomniachtchi – Carlsen, World Chess Championship 2021, Dubai 2021, match game 9.
10. exd4 exd4 11. Bg5!? A novelty with respect to 11. Re1⩲ Gabuzyan – Bellahcene, 9th Chess World Cup, Krasnaya Polyana 2021, match game 1.
11. ... 0-0 12. Re1 h6 13. Bd2 Re8 14. a4 Ra6 15. Ne5 Nb4 16. c5 Nd7? A disastrous error, which not only loses a Pawn, but also gives White a preponderance on the Queenside. 16. ... Re6 is the engine’s suggestion, after which White might continue 17. Bxb4 axb4 18. Qd2⩲ with a small advantage.

17. Nxa5! Bxc5 18. Nxb7 Bxb7 19. Nxd7! Goryachkina’s elegant linear technique is reminiscent of her mentor Karpov.
19. ... Rxe1+ 20. Bxe1 Qxd7 21. Bxb7 Re6 22. Be4 Na6

23. b4! Clearly not 23. Bf5?? because of 23. ... Rxe1+! 24. Qxe1 Qxf5 and the tables have turned.
23. ... Bf8. Now Black cannot take the Pawn with either Bishop or Knight without losing the Exchange (due to Be1xb4 followed by Be4-f5).
24. b5 Nc5

25. Bc6 Rxc6. Desperation, but otherwise White’s passers are unstoppable.
26. bxc6 Qxc6 27. a5 Qa6 28. Bb4 1 : 0.

With four former Women’s World Champions and the reigning Women’s World Champion still in the field, it is highly probable that Goryachkina will not have an easy life here. Photo: Maria Alekseevna Emelianova/chess.com.

In a Matter of Seconds

Divya Deshmukh – Olga Olehivna Babiy

4th Online Women’s Speed Chess Championship; Qualifier 2 Swiss; time control: 3 minutes plus 1 second per move; chess.com, May 26, 2022

r2r2k1/1n3ppn/p2p4/P2Pp1P1/1pN5/5P1B/1PP2K2/2RR4 w - - 1 32

Position after 31. ... Nf6-h7

32. g6! fxg6. 32. ... Ng5 33. gxf7+ Kxf7 34. Bg4 also leaves White with the better game. 33. Be6+ Kf8. Clearly not 33. ... Kh8?? because of 34. Rh1! with the threat of 35. Rxh7+ Kxh7 36. Rh1#. 34. Rg1 Nf6 35. Rxg6. Stronger seems 35. Nb6 (defending d5), as after 35. ... Rab8 36. Rxg6 Nc5 White can play 37. Bf5 retaining a strong attack.

35. ... Ne8? This loses outright. Black could still hold on to a four Rooks ending a Pawn down by 35. ... Nc5! 36. Nb6 Nxe6 37. dxe6 (37. Nxa8 Nf4!=) 37. ... Rab8 38. Rcg1 Ke7 39. Rxg7+ Kxe6 40. Ra7 Nd5 41. Nxd5 Kxd5 42. Rxa6 Rbc8 with a drawish outlook. 36. Rh1! Threatening Nc4-e3-f5 followed by Rh1-h8#. 36. ... Nc5 37. Nb6 Ra7 (37. ... Rab8 38. Rh8+ Ke7 39. b3+−) 38. Rh8+ Ke7 39. Nc8+ Rxc8 40. Bxc8 Rc7 41. Bf5 Na4? No doubt, this is a way as another to surrender a lost cause. 42. Re6+ Kf7 43. Bg6# 1 : 0.

Lost in Transition

Divya Deshmukh – Annamária Marjanovics

4th Online Women’s Speed Chess Championship; Qualifier 1 Knockout; Semifinal match game 3; time control: 3 minutes plus 1 second per move; chess.com, May 25, 2022

King’s Indian Attack A08

1. e4 e6 2. d3 d5 3. Nd2 Nf6 4. Ngf3 Be7 5. g3 0-0 6. Bg2 c5 7. 0-0 Nc6 8. Re1 Qc7 9. Qe2 b5 10. e5 Nd7 11. Nf1 a5 12. h4 Ba6 (12. ... Nd4 13. Nxd4 cxd4 14. Bf4 Ra6 15. Nh2 Rc6 16. Rac1 Ba6? 17. Bxd5! exd5? 18. e6! Qd8 19. exd7 Re6 20. Qg4 f5 21. Qh5 Qxd7 22. Nf3 g6 23. Qh6 Bf6 24. Rxe6 Qxe6 25. Be5! Bxe5 26. Re1 f4 27. Rxe5 Qd7 28. h5 fxg3 29. hxg6 gxf2+ 30. Kxf2 hxg6 31. Qxg6+ Qg7 32. Rg5 Rf7 1 : 0 R. J. Fischer – U. Geller, 4th International Tournament, Netanya 1968) 13. h5 (13. N1h2 b4 14. h5 Rfc8 15. h6 g6 16. Bf4 Qd8 17. Ng4 a4 18. Qd2 c4 19. dxc4 Bxc4 20. Bg5 a3 21. b3 Ba6 22. Rac1 Na7 23. Bxe7 Qxe7 24. Ng5 Nb5? 25. Bxd5! Rd8 26. Bxa8 Nxe5 27. Qxd8+ Qxd8 28. Rxe5 Nc3 29. Bf3 f5 30. Nxe6 Qd2 1 : 0 D. I. Bronstein – O’Kelly de Galway, 25th “Hoogovens” International Tournament, Beverwijk 1963) 13. ... h6 14. Bf4 Rfc8. Another continuation is 14. ... Rfe8 15. Ne3 Qd8 16. Ng4 Bf8 17. c3 a4 18. Rac1 Ra7 19. Ngh2 b4 20. c4 dxc4 21. dxc4 Nd4 22. Nxd4 cxd4 23. Nf3 Nc5?! (23. ... d3! 24. Qxd3 Nc5 appears to promise Black better compensation) 24. Nxd4 Rd7 25. Be3 b3 26. a3 Qc7 27. f4 Red8 28. Red1 Bb7 29. Nb5 Qc8 30. Rxd7 Qxd7 31. Bxb7 Qxb7 32. Bd4 Qe4? (⌓ 32. ... Qc6) 33. Qxe4 Nxe4 34. c5 Nxg3 35. Kf2 Nf5 36. c6 Ne7 37. c7 Rd5 38. Rc5 Nc8 39. Rxd5 exd5 40. Na7 Bxa3 41. Nxc8 1 : 0 Carmaciu – Georgescu, 59th Romanian Team Chess Championship, Călimănești 2014. 15. Ne3 Qd8 16. Ng4 (16. Bh3 Nb6 17. Ng4 Bf8 18. c3 Nd7 19. Rac1 a4 20. Qd2 Kh7 21. Bf1 Na5 22. d4 Nc4 23. Bd3+ Kh8 24. Qe2 Be7 25. Nh4 a3 26. b4 cxb4 27. cxb4 Bg5 28. Bxg5 Qxg5 29. f4 Qe7 30. f5 Qg5 31. fxe6 fxe6 32. Ng6+ Kg8 33. Nf4 Nf8 34.Bb1 Ra7 35. Kg2 Rf7 36. Nf2 Rcc7 37. N2d3 Bc8 38. Rf1 Rce7 39. Rf3 Rc7 40. Rcf1 Ra7 41. Nc5 Qg4 42. Qd3 Rae7 43. R1f2 Bd7 44. Nb7 Re8 45. Qe2 Bc6 46. Nc5 Ree7 47. Bg6 Be8 48. Bxf7+ Bxf7 49. Nxd5 exd5 50. Rxf7 Rxf7 51. Qxg4 Ne3+ 52. Kh3 Rxf2 53. Qc8 Rxa2 54. e6 Ra1 55. g4 Rh1+ 56. Kg3 Re1 57. Nd7 a2 58. Nxf8 g5 59. Ng6 Kg7 60. Qd7+ Kf6 61. Qf7# 1 : 0 Davies – L. B. Hansen, Silvan Cup, Græsted 1990) 16. ... Bf8 17. Qd2 Kh7?! Probably there is still nothing irreversible about this move, but the King does not stand well here. A recent game continued 17. ... b4 18. Bf1 Nb6 19. c3 Rab8 20. Qc2 bxc3 21. bxc3 Nd7 22. Rab1 Rxb1 23. Rxb1 Rb8 24. Rxb8 Qxb8 25. Qb3 Qc7 26. Qb1 a4 27. Qc1 Qb8 28. c4 dxc4 29. dxc4 Nd4 30. Nxd4 cxd4 31. Qd1 Nc5 32. Qxd4 Qb1 33. Bxh6 gxh6 34. Nf6+ Kh8 35. Qd8 Kg7 36. Ne8+ Kg8 ½ : ½ Campos Gambuti – Serarols Mabras, 1st Torneo Magistral Norma Maestro Internacional, Alicante 2021. 18. c3 b4 19. c4 Nb6 20. Qc2. Threatening 21. Bxh6! gxh6?? 22. Nf6+ Kh8 23. d4 and Black must give up her Queen to avoid mate. 20. ... Kh8! A rethought Kingdom. 21. Rad1 Qe8? This is a grave tactical error which should lose. Possibly best was 21. ... Be7! 22. Qc1 Qf8∞ with unclear complications.

22. Qc1? 22. Bxh6! suggests itself, for after 22. ... gxh6 23. Nf6 White threatens both Nf6xe8 and d3-d4. 22. ... Kh7? But Black misses her luck, and even exposing herself to a potential Knight fork on f6. 22. ... Nd4! at once was called for. 23. Bxh6! Nd4. If 23. ... f5 then 24. Bxg7! Bxg7 25. Nf6+ Bxf6 26. exf6 Qxh5 27. Rxe6 with irresistible attack. 24. b3 Nxf3+ 25. Bxf3 Bb7. Or 25. ... Nd7 26. Bg5 similarly to the game. 26. Qf4 Nd7 27. Bg5 Rab8

28. h6! g6 29. cxd5 Bxd5. After 29. ... exd5 30. e6! fxe6 31. Nf6+ Nxf6 32. Qxf6 White wins either the e-Pawn or the d-Pawn (32. ... Rc6 33. Bxd5) with overwhelming effect. 30. Bxd5 exd5 31. Re3. 31. e6! fxe6 32. Re3 was also very strong. 31. ... Qe6 32. Rf3 Kg8

33. h7+! Kh8 (33. ... Kg7 34. Qxf7+! Qxf7 35. Rxf7+ Kh8 36. e6+−) 34. Qxf7 Qxf7 35. Rxf7 Nb6 36. Bf6+ 1 : 0. For mate follows after 36. ... Bg7 37. Bxg7+ Kxh7 38. Nf6#.

Lose to Win

Divya Deshmukh – Polina Sergeevna Shuvalova

1st Online Chess Olympiad Final India – Russia; Match 2; time control: 15 minutes plus 5 seconds per move. chess.com, August 30, 2020

King’s Indian Attack A07

Here is one of the two games India forfeited on time due to Internet connection shut down in yesterday’s Olympic Final, and that motivated the injured party to present an appeal to FIDE President Arkady Vladimirovich Dvorkovich, who, after a carefuly scrutiny, decided to split the gold medal among both finalists. 1. Nf3 Nf6 2. g3 d5 3. Bg2 e6 4. 0-0 b5 5. d3 Be7 6. Nbd2 Bb7 7. c3 0-0 8. Qc2 c5 9. Re1 Nc6 10. e4 Qc7 11. Nf1 Rfd8 12. e5 Nd7 13. Bf4 a5 14. h4 a4 15. a3 h6 16. Ne3 Nb6? Rather than going West, Shuvalova ought to bring her Knight closer to the Kingside with 16. ... Nf8, as 17. Ng4 h5 18. Nf6+! gxf6 19. exf6 Bd6 20. Qd2 Nh7 (not 20. ... Bxf4?? because of 21. gxf4 followed by f4-f5) 21. Bh6 Ne5! 22. Nxe5 Bxe5 23. Bg7 Bxg3! 24. fxg3 d4∞ would result in a complex but rather balanced game. 17. Ng4 Bf8. The sense of this move may be questionable, for that does not prevent at all White from playing Bf4xh6. 18. Qd2. Of course, 18. Bxh6! was the most obvious move, but Deshmukh’s one is very strong as well. 18. ... Kh7 19. d4 Nd7 (19. ... Nc4? 20. Qc2+ Kh8 21. Bxh6!+−)

“The Nagpur girl was in the middle of this picturesque maneuver when she got logged out of the server! She was all set to launch a massive attack on the Kingside, piling up on the b1-h7 diagonal with Bg2-f1-e2-d1-c2-b1 and Qd2-c2!”, Satanick Mukhuty writes in his report for ChessBase India. 20. Bf1!! c4 21. Be2 Ne7. If 21. ... Na5 then 22. Bd1! Nb3 22. Bc2+ Kh8 23. Qe3 Nxa1 24. Rxa1 and, though the Exchange down, White has an overwhelming attack. 22. Bd1 Nf5 23. Bc2 Ra6 24. Kg2 Qc8 25. Rh1. Deshmukh, who was almost out of time, failed to spot 25. Nxh6! gxh6 26. g4 winning immediately. 25. ... Kg8 0 : 1. White dominates the board, but her time expired. “The first reaction was of disappointment and we did not know that server had crashed. I had a really good position”, Deshmukh finally told Asian News International (ANI).