India and China

Rameshbabu Vaishali – Ekaterina Aleksandrovna Lagno
Women’s Candidates Tournament 2026; Pegeia, April 15, 2026
r7/5pbk/2q3p1/3Rp3/4Q1P1/1P6/rBP4P/1K1R4 w - - 5 36

Position after 35. ... Ra6-a2

The position in the diagram is the outcome of a Dragon gone quite wrong for Black. No attack ever came to compensate for her early Pawn sacrifice, and now it is White who launches the assault.
36. g5! Qb6 37. Qh4+ Kg8 38. Qe4 R8a4!?? White has a Pawn ahead and a dominating position — enough of a nightmare to make Black go for broke with a last desperate effort of attack. If, instead, 38. ... Kh7 then White would have to find 39. Rd7 Qa5 40. Kc1!! neutralising all threats (or else, alternatively, 40. c4!?, which seems much more within the reach of a human mind).
39. Rd8+ Kh7 40. c4! The only move, but also a winning one!
40. ... Rxc4. Black could well resign here.
41. Qxc4 Rxb2+ 42. Kxb2 e4+ 43. Kb1 Qf2 44. R8d2 Qf5 45. Qd5 Qf3 46. Rc2 Qf4 47. Re1 e3 48. Qg2! 1–0.

“Taking up yoga and meditation and seeking help from a sports psychologist is what Grandmaster R. B. Ramesh believes has helped Vaishali Rameshbabu to turn the tables at the Candidates and thus earn the right to challenge for the World Championship”, says The Indian Express of April 16. Photo: Niki Riga/FIDE.

At Sea

朱锦尔 (Zhū Jǐn’ěr) – Ekaterina Aleksandrovna Lagno
Women’s Candidates Tournament 2026; Pegeia, April 8, 2026
English Opening A13

1. Nf3 d5 2. e3 Nf6 3. b3 c5 4. Bb2 e6 5. Be2 Nc6 6. 0-0 Bd6 7. d4 b6 8. c4 Bb7 9. cxd5 exd5 10. Nc3 0-0 11. Rc1 Re8 12. exd4 12. Nb5 Bf8 13. dxc5 bxc5 14. Bxf6 gxf6 15. Bd3 Ne5 16. Re1 Qd7 17. Nc3 Qg4 18. Nxe5 Qxd1 19. Rexd1 fxe5 20. e4 dxe4 21. Bxe4 Bxe4 22. Nxe4 Red8 23. Kf1

23. ... Rxd1+? The decisive mistake, which loses a Pawn and the game. After 23. ... Rd4! 24. Re1 Rc8 Black appears to hold her own in the endgame.
24. Rxd1 a5 25. Rd5 a4 26. Rxe5 axb3 27. axb3 Rb8 28. Rg5+ Kh8 29. Rg3 h6 30. Ke2 Rb4 31. Nd2 Bd6 32. Rd3 Be5 33. Nc4 Bg7 34. Nd6 Kg8 35. Rg3 Kh7 36. Nxf7 Rb6 37. f4 Re6+ 38. Re3 Rf6 39. Nd8 Rxf4 40. Re7 Rb4 41. Ne6 Kg6. Desperation, but 41. ... Rg4 42. Rxg7+! Rxg7 43. Nxg7 Kxg7 44. Kd3 is an elementary win for White.
42. Nxg7 Rxb3 43. Ne8 c4 44. Rg7+ Kf5 45. Nd6+ Kf6 46. Rc7 1–0.

朱锦尔 (Zhū Jǐn’ěr) took advantage with an irreproachable technique of the only major mistake Lagno made in the endgame. Photo: Michał Walusza/FIDE.

The Lightness of Being

Anna Olehivna Muzychuk – Ekaterina Aleksandrovna Lagno
Women’s Candidates Tournament 2026; Pegeia, April 1, 2026
Spanish Game C85

1. e4 e5 2. Nf3 Nc6 3. Bb5 a6 4. Ba4 Nf6 5. 0-0 Be7 6. Bxc6 dxc6 7. d3 Qd6 8. a4 Be6 9. Na3 h6 10. Nd2 0-0-0 11. Ndc4 Bxc4 12. Nxc4 Qe6 13. Qe2 Nd7 14. Bd2 b6 15. b4 Kb7 16. Rfb1 Ra8 17. Qe1 h5 18. b5 cxb5 19. axb5 a5

20. Bxa5!? A very bold sacrifice, if more suggestive than fully decisive.
20. ... bxa5 21. Nxa5+ Kc8!? 21. ... Rxa5! 22. Qxa5 Rb8! is a convincing alternative for a successful defence, but not so easy to do it.
22. Nc6 Rxa1 23. Rxa1 Nb6 24. Qe3! Bd6 25. c4 Qh6! 26. Qh3+ Qe6 27. Qe3 Qh6 28. d4

28. ... exd4?? A crucial mistake which allows White to deliver a mating attack. Black ought to exchange Queens: 28. ... Qxe3 29. fxe3 exd4 30. exd4 Re8 31. c5 Rxe4 32. cxd6 cxd6 33. Ra7 Nd7 with a roughly level ending.
29. Qxd4 Kb7 30. c5 Ra8 31. cxd6 Qxd6 32. Rxa8 1–0. For if 32. ... Kxa8 then 33. Qa1+ Kb7 34. Qa6#.

She’s doing pretty good for someone who shouldn’t have been there. Photo: Yoav Nis (Eugene Nisenabum).

Relatively Speaking

Aleksandra Yuryevna Goryachkina – Ekaterina Aleksandrovna Lagno

3rd Tata Steel India Women’s Rapid Tournament; time control: 25 minutes plus 10 seconds per move; Kolkata, November 14, 2024

Catalan Opening E06

1. d4 d5 2. c4 e6 3. Nf3 Nf6 4. g3 Be7 5. Bg2 0-0 6. Nc3 Nbd7 7. b3 dxc4 8. bxc4 c5 9. e3 cxd4 10. exd4

10. ... Nb6?! 10. ... e5! seems Black’s best, so as to reply to 11. dxe5 with 11. ... Qa5! 12. exf6 Bxf6 regaining the piece with equality.
11. Qb3 Qc7? 11. ... e5 was still in order, which might have been followed up by 12. dxe5 Be6 with some complications yet.
12. Ne5 Nfd7 13. Nb5 Qd8 14. 0-0 a6 15. Nxd7 Bxd7 16. Nc3 Bf6?! (16. ... e5 17. dxe5 Rc8 18. Bxb7 Rxc4 19. Nd5±)
17. Be3 Rb8 18. Rab1 Na8 19. Bf4 Rc8 20. Rfd1 b5 21. c5 Bc6

22. d5! Bxc3 23. dxc6 Qf6 24. Rd7 b4. 24. ... Be5 25. Be3 was not too appealing either. But definitely better than what follows after the text.
25. Bd6 Rfe8 26. Rd1 Qf5 27. Qa4 a5 28. c7 e5 29. Bd5 Kh8 30. Rxf7 Qh5 31. Rd7 Bd4 32. Rf1 e4 33. Bf7 Qf3 34. Qc6 Qe2 35. Bxe8 e3!? With a last-ditch stroke of desperation, Lagno played her last card!

36. Bh5! exf2+ 37. Kg2 1–0.

Goryachkina at her best: crystal-clear strategy and elegant simplicity. Photo: Lennart Ootes.

Witch to the Crown

谭中怡 (Tán Zhōngyí) – Ekaterina Aleksandrovna Lagno
FIDE Women’s Grand Prix 2024–25; 2nd stage; Shimkent, November 1, 2024
2rr2k1/2q1np1p/1p2pbp1/pBPp4/PP1N1P2/2P1Q1PP/5P2/3RR1K1 w - - 0 23

Position after 22. ... b7-b6

The position in the diagram is the outcome of a London System in which something has gone terribly wrong for Black. It is easy for a tactician such as 谭中怡 (Tán Zhōngyí) to profit by it:
23. Nxe6! fxe6 24. Qxe6+ Kg7 25. cxb6 Qxc3 26. bxa5 Qxa5

White has not only three Pawns for the Knight, but an irresistible attack as well.
27. g4! h6. This proves insufficient, but 27. ... Ng8 28. g5 Bc3 29. Re3 does not leave room for hope either.
28. h4! Bxh4 29. g5! A perfidious interference. If now 29. ... hxg5 then 30. Qxe7+ Kh6 (or 30. ... Kg8 31. Re6+−) 31. Re5! with a mating attack.
29. ... Nf5 30. Qf6+ Kh7 31. Qf7+ Kh8 32. Qf6+ Kh7

White closes the issue with another brilliant sacrifice:
33. Re7+! Nxe7 34. Qxe7+ Kh8 35. Qf6+ Kh7 36. f5! Rg8. Not 37. ... gxf5+ because of 38. g6+ followed by mate in two.
37. fxg6+ Rxg6 38. Bd3 Rg8 39. Qf7+ Kh8 40. Bxg6 Bxf2+ 41. Kg2! 1–0.

If a caption were required, it should say “The challenger to the crown is not a paper tiger”. Photo: Konstantin Chalabov/FIDE.

Ten/Two

The Chess Federation of Russia has finally announced the names of the twelve participants in the Superfinal of the 76th Russian “unisex” Chess Championship, scheduled in Saint Petersburg from September 30 to October 13, 2023. They are (in alphabetical order): Vladislav Mikhailovich Artemiev, Andrey Evgenyevich Esipenko, Aleksandra Yuryevna Goryachkina, Ekaterina Aleksandrovna Lagno, Maxim Sergeevich Matlakov, Volodar Arturovich Murzin, Evgeniy Yuryevich Najer, Pavel Andreevich Ponkratov, Ivan Mikhailovich Rozum, Klementy Sergeevich Sychev, Artyom Valeryevich Timofeev, and Evgeny Yuryevich Tomashevsky. It will be the first time in Russian and Soviet history that two women will play in what has almost always been, so far, a traditionally male-only contest (Goryachkina having been the only exception).

Women in the Museum

Not only Aleksandra Yuryevna Goryachkina, but Ekaterina Aleksandrovna Lagno also will play the Superfinal of the 76th Russian “unisex” Chess Championship, scheduled in Saint Petersburg from September 30 to October 13, 2023, featuring, for the first time in Russian and Soviet chess history, the simultaneous participation of two women in what has almost always been, so far, a traditionally male-only contest (Goryachkina having been the only exception). No details have yet been given about the other participants.

The Abacus

After all, the end justifies the means. The fourth and last stage of FIDE Women’s Grand Prix 2022–23, held in the island of Cyprus, was won by a dark horse, Dinara Mergenovna Dordzhieva-Wagner, the lowest-rated participant. But all eyes were on the combined ranking of the four stages which was to designate the two lucky candidates. And here Russia was successful in achieving its main near-term objectives, as Ekaterina Aleksandrovna Lagno and Aleksandra Yuryevna Goryachkina won the first two places of the Grand Prix, thus earning admission into FIDE Women’s Candidates Tournament 2024, which is scheduled for April of next year in Toronto, Canada.

Thrills and Chills

朱锦尔 (Zhū Jǐn’ěr) – Ekaterina Aleksandrovna Lagno
FIDE Women’s Grand Prix 2022–23; 3rd stage; New Delhi, March 30, 2023
Sicilian Defence B84

1. e4 c5 2. Nf3 e6 3. d4 cxd4 4. Nxd4 Nc6 5. Nc3 Qc7 6. Be3 a6 7. Be2 Nf6 8. a3 Be7 9. f4 d6 10. 0-0 0-0 11. Kh1 Bd7 12. Qe1 Nxd4 13. Bxd4 Bc6 14. Qg3 b5 15. e5 dxe5 16. Bxe5 Qb7 17. f5 exf5 18. Rxf5 Ne8 19. Bd3 (19. Bd4 g6 20. Rf2 Rd8 21. Be3 Ng7 22. Re1 f5 ½ : ½ Polugaevsky – Matulović, 17th Chess Olympiad, Havana 1966)
19. ... g6. All theory so far.
20. Rff1!? The Rook usually goes to f2, so as not to exclude to double on the f-file.
20. ... Rd8 21. Rae1 Bd6 (21. ... f6!?)
22. Be4 Bxe5 23. Qxe5 Bxe4 24. Nxe4 Qc6 25. Ng5 Rd2 26. Rf3 Rd5 27. Qf4 Nd6? Lagno is a little too anxious to defend f7, which was in no real danger (Black could play 27. ... Qc4, 27. ... Qd7, and even 27. ... f6), while overlooking other troubles.

28. Nxh7! Kxh7 29. Rh3+ Rh5 30. Rxh5+ gxh5 31. Re5

31. ... Ne8? Black’s only chance lay in 31. ... Ne4! 32. Rxe4 Qd5 33. h3± leaving White a Pawn ahead in a heavy pieces ending.
32. Rxh5+ Kg8 33. Qf5 Qg6 34. Rg5 Ng7 35. Rxg6 fxg6 36. Qd5+ Kh7 37. h3 Nh5 38. Kh2 Rf6 39. Qd4 Re6 40. Qd7+ Ng7 41. b3 1 : 0.

朱锦尔 (Zhū Jǐn’ěr) played powerfully, with sharp style and thrilling moves. Photo: Ismael Nieto/FIDE.

Sideways

谭中怡 (Tán Zhōngyí) – Ekaterina Aleksandrovna Lagno

FIDE Women’s Candidates Tournament 2022–23 Pool B; Quarterfinal tie-break game 1; time control: 15 minutes plus 10 seconds per move; Khiva, December 4, 2022

Queen’s Gambit Accepted D24

1. d4 d5 2. c4 e6 3. Nf3 Nf6 4. Nc3 dxc4 5. Qa4+ Nc6 6. a3 Bd7 7. Qxc4 Bd6 (7. ... Na5 8. Qa2 Bc6 9. e3⩲ Dreev – Kulaots, 8th Gausdal Classics, Gausdal 2007)
8. Bg5 h6 9. Bh4 0-0 10. e4 e5 11. d5 Na5 12. Qd3 Nb3 13. Rd1 a5 14. Be2 Qe7 15. 0-0 a4 16. h3 Ra5 17. Nd2 Nd4 18. Nc4 Rc5 19. f4 Nxe2+ 20. Qxe2 exf4

21. Bxf6 gxf6? The beginning and the end of all Lagno’s hopes. After the correct 21. ... Qxf6! 22. e5 Qf5! 23. exd6 Re8 Black regains her material with approximate equality.
22. Nxd6 Qxd6 23. Qh5 Qe5?! A little better is 23. ... Kh7 to which there would follow 24. Rd2 aiming at doubling her Rooks on the f-file.
24. Qh4 (24. Qxh6 Qg5)
24. ... Qg5 25. Qxf4 Kg7 26. Qf2 Rc4 27. Rd3 Qe5 28. Kh1

28. ... f5?! Faced with threats of breakthrough and invasion with d5-d6 eventually followed by Rd3-d5, Black decides to fish in murky waters by sacrificing material.
29. exf5 Qf6 30. d6 Bc6 31. dxc7 Kh7 32. Rfd1 Rg8? This loses a precious tempo. Necessary was 32. ... Rc8 33. Rg3 Rxc7 34. Kh2 Rc8 35. Nd5 Bxd5 36. Rxd5 Rg8 37. Rxg8 Kxg8 38. Qe2 Qh4 39. Qf3± leaving White with a Pawn ahead, but not yet a mathematical certainty of a win.
33. Rg3 Rc8 34. Qe2 Rh4?! Tantamount to capitulation, but also after 34. ... Rxc7 35. Kh2! Black’s position could not much longer be held.
35. Nd5 Bxd5 36. Rxd5 Rxc7

37. Qe8 h5 38. Rd8 Rc1+ 39. Kh2 1 : 0.

In the day of truth 谭中怡 (Tán Zhōngyí) displayed iron will, cool nerve, and an excellent time management. Photo: Timur Sattarov/FIDE.

A Long Time Ago in a Galaxy Far, Far Away

Alexandra Konstantinovna Kosteniuk – Ekaterina Aleksandrovna Lagno
FIDE Women’s Grand Prix 2022–23; 1st stage; Astana, September 29, 2022
Four Knights Game C47

1. e4 e5 2. Nf3 Nc6 3. Nc3 Nf6 4. d4 exd4 5. Nxd4 Bb4 6. Nxc6 bxc6 7. Bd3 d5 8. exd5 cxd5 9. 0-0 0-0 10. Bg5 Be6. This was a recommendation by Siegbert Tarrasch.
11. Qf3 Be7 12. Rfe1 (12. Qg3 Nh5 13. Bxe7 Qxe7 14. Qe5 Nf6 16. Rae1 c6= Euwe – E. Grünfeld, Vienna 1921)
12. ... h6

13. Bxh6!? A petite combinaison which forces the draw.
13. ... gxh6

14. Rxe6! fxe6 15. Qg3+ Kh8 (15. ... Kf7?? 16. Qg6#)
16. Qg6

And now, in view of 16. ... Qe8 17. Qxh6+ Kg8 18. Qg5+ Kh8 19. Qh6+ a draw was agreed in Alekhine – Em. Lasker, exhibition game, Moscow 1914.
16. ... Qe8 17. Qxh6+ Kg8 18. Qg5+ Kh8 19. Qh6+ Kg8 20. Qg5+ Kh8 21. Qh6+ ½ : ½.

Thanks to today’s book draw, Lagno (centre) won the 1st stage of FIDE Women’s Grand Prix 2022–23 — with Aleksandra Yuryevna Goryachkina (right) coming second and 朱锦尔 (Zhū Jǐn’ěr) (left) third. Prizes, medals and trophies were awarded by FIDE President Arkady Vladimirovich Dvorkovich and top tennis player Andrey Andreyevich Rublev. Photo: Anna Shtourman/FIDE.

Hieroglyphs in an Afternoon

Rameshbabu Vaishali – Ekaterina Aleksandrovna Lagno

4th Online Women’s Speed Chess Championship Main Event; Semifinal match game 4; time control: 5 minutes plus 1 second per move; chess.com, August 17, 2022

Grünfeld Defence D85

1. d4 Nf6 2. c4 g6 3. Nc3 d5 4. cxd5 Nxd5 5. e4 Nxc3 6. bxc3 Bg7 7. Qa4+ Nd7 8. Nf3 0-0 9. Qa3 c5 10. Be2 b6 11. h4

11. ... cxd4!? Vaishali’s brother won in impressive positional style against Grandelius at this year’s Tata Steel Tournament after 11. ... e5 12. d5 Nf6 13. Bg5 Qe8 14. Bxf6 Bxf6 15. h5 Bg4 16. Nd2 Bd7 17. c4 Qe7 18. Qc3 Bg7 19. Qe3 f5 20. hxg6 hxg6 21. a4 Bf6 22. a5 Bg5 23. Qh3 Qg7 24. Qc3 Qf6 25. Bd3 Qe7 26. Nf3 Bf6 27. Qc2 Rac8 28. axb6 axb6 29. 0-0 f4 30. Ra7 Qd6 31. Be2 Bd8 32. Nh2 Bc7 33. Rfa1 Kg7 34. Bg4 Bxg4 35. Nxg4 Rf7 36. f3 Rh8 37. Qb2 Rh5 38. Rb7 Qd8 39. Raa7 Kg8 40. Kf2 Rh1 41. Ra1 Rh4 42. Rxc7 Rxc7 43. Qxe5 Rf7 44. Qe6 Rxg4 45. Qxg4 Kg7 46. Qe6 Qh4+ 47. Ke2 Qg5 48. Kf1 Qh4 49. Kg1 Qf6 50. Qxf6+ Kxf6 51. Kf2 Ke5 52. Ke2 Kd4 53. Rd1+ Ke5 54. Ra1 Kd4 55. Rd1+ Ke5 56. Kd3 Ra7 57. Kc3 g5 58. Kb3 g4 59. d6 gxf3 60. gxf3 Ke6 61. d7 Rxd7 62. Rxd7 Kxd7 63. Ka4 Kc6 64. e5 1 : 0 Praggnanandhaa – Grandelius, 84th Tata Steel Chess Tournament, Wijk aan Zee 2022. No doubt Lagno must have studied it carefully. 12. cxd4 e5. Or maybe not so carefully. 12. ... Nc5! 13. e5 Ne6 14. Be3 Bb7 seems perfectly satisfactory for Black. 13. d5. Too simplistic. She should have followed in his brother’s footsteps: 13. Bg5! Qe8 14. d5 with clear advantage for White. The text allows Black to counterattack. 13. ... Nc5 14. Nd2 f5 15. h5 fxe4 16. hxg6 hxg6 17. Qg3 Bf5. White’s Kingside attack is not so dangerous as she supposed. Here 17. ... Nd3+! 18. Bxd3 exd3 19. Qxg6 Bf5 was also very strong and probably much stronger, but Lagno prefers to play it safe.

18. Bb2? White had to play 18. Ba3! Nd3+! 19. Bxd3 exd3 20. Bxf8 Kxf8 with a complex game, in which Black’s two Bishops provide good value for the Exchange. 18. ... Qf6? And here much better was 18. ... Nd3+! 19. Bxd3 exd3 followed by the capture of the d5-Pawn. 19. Nc4 Rae8 20. 0-0 b5 21. Ba3 Rc8 (21. ... Bh6 22. Nxe5 Qxe5 23. Qxe5 Rxe5 24. Bxc5 Rc8 25. Bxa7 Rxd5=) 22. Ne3. Now there follows a series of wild moves (probably not the best ones), which end up in chaos again. 22. ... Rfd8 (⌓ 22. ... Bd7! 23. Rac1 Nd3!∞) 23. Bxb5 Nd3 24. d6 Nf4 25. Rfd1 Be6 26. Rab1 Bxa2 27. Rb2 Be6 28. d7 Rb8. With the obvious threat of ... Rb8xb5. 29. Kh1? (29. Rdd2 Bf8∞) 29. ... Kf7 30. Ng4? This should lose, but 30. Rdd2 is not so sound anymore by reason of 30. ... Rh8+ 31. Kg1 Rh5 followed by the doubling of the Rooks on the h-file. 30. ... Qg5 31. Nh2 Qh5 32. Rf1 Rh8 (32. ... Rxb5! 33. Rxb5 Ne2−+) 33. Bd6! Rbd8? (33. ... Rbg8−+) 34. Bc7 Bf6

35. f3? And here White throws away her only saving chance: 35. Bxd8 Bxd8 36. Rc2! (intending Rc2-c8) 36. ... Bh4 37. Rc7 Rd8 38. Qa3 Be7 39. Qg3 Bh4 with a likely draw by repetition. 35. ... e3 0 : 1.

Calling Time

Vantika Agrawal – Ekaterina Aleksandrovna Lagno

4th Online Women’s Speed Chess Championship Main Event; Round of 16 match game 8; time control: 5 minutes plus 1 second per move; chess.com, June 24, 2022

Grünfeld Defence D87

1. d4 Nf6 2. c4 g6 3. Nc3 d5 4. cxd5 Nxd5 5. e4 Nxc3 6. bxc3 Bg7 7. Bc4 c5 8. Ne2 Nc6 9. Be3 0-0 10. 0-0 b6 11. Qd2 Bb7 12. Rfd1 Rc8 13. Rac1 e6 14. Bg5 Qd7 15. h4 cxd4 16. cxd4 Na5 17. Bd3 Nc6. Another continuation is 17. ... Rxc1 18. Rxc1 Rc8 (maybe 17. ... Nc6 19. Bb5 a6 20. Bxc6 Bxc6 21. e5 Rc8 22. Bf6 Bf8 23. h5 Bb7 24. hxg6 Rxc1+ 25. Qxc1 fxg6 26. Qe3 ½ : ½ Melkumyan – Ragger, 6th Tournament of Peace, Zagreb 2019) 19. Rxc8+ Bxc8 20. h5 Nc6 21. h6 Bf8 22. Bb5 a6 23. Ba4 b5 24. Bb3 Bb7 25. d5 with the upper hand for White, Caruana – So, Clutch Chess Champions Showdown International, lichess.org, June 12, 2020, match game 8 (time control: 10 minutes plus 5 seconds per move). 18. Bb5 a6 19. Ba4 b5 20. Bb3 Ne7 21. d5 Rxc1 22. Qxc1 exd5 23. exd5 Nf5 24. h5 Re8 25. Qd2 Nd6 26. Ng3 Nc4 27. Bxc4 bxc4 28. h6

28. ... Bh8 (28. ... c3! 29. Qc2 Re5 30. Qxc3 Bh8 31. Qc1 Rxd5=) 29. Qf4? (⌓ 29. Ne2⩲) 29. ... c3! 29. ... f6!? 30. Bxf6 Rf8 is also very interesting, but much more complicated. 30. Bf6 c2 31. Rc1 Qxd5 32. f3

32. ... Qc5+? A half-slip that could cost Black the victory. Instead 32. ... g5! appears to win at once. 33. Kh2 Bxf6 34. Qxf6 Qf8 35. Qf4 Rc8

36. Nh5? In her turn, White misses her saving jump: 36. Nf5!= (heading for e3 or d4) 36. ... gxf5 37. Qg5+ draws by perpetual check. 36. ... f5 37. Ng3 Bd5 38. a4? As they say, one mistake leads to another. There was no alternative but to go, at least temporarily, into an endgame two Pawns down with 38. Ne2 Bxa2 39. Nd4 Bb1 — it was, indeed, anything but an appealing perspective, but at least it still gave White hope. 38. ... Rc4 39. Qd2 Rh4+ 40. Kg1 Qc5+ 41. Qf2 Qxf2+ 42. Kxf2 Bb3 43. a5 Ra4 44. Ne2 Rxa5 45. Nd4 Ba4 46. Ke3 Rc5 47. Kd3 g5 48. Ne2 Kf7 49. Nc3 Bb3 50. Kd2 Kg6 51. Ra1 a5 52. Ne2 a4 53. Kc1 Rd5 54. Nc3 Rd1+ 55. Kb2 Kxh6 0 : 1.

The Night Before

The newly crowned European Women’s Team Chess Champions, namely in alphabetical order: Aleksandra Yuryevna Goryachkina, Valentina Evgenyevna Gunina, Alexandra Konstantinovna Kosteniuk, Ekaterina Aleksandrovna Lagno, and Polina Sergeevna Shuvalova appeared as special guests on the most popular late night talk show Evening Urgant on November 25, 2021. Photo: Вечерний Ургант (@Urgant_Show).

Lonely But Not Alone

Ekaterina Aleksandrovna Lagno – 谭中怡 (Tán Zhōngyí)
1st Women’s Chess World Cup; match game 2; Krasnaya Polyana, July 26, 2021
1k4r1/p2r4/1pR2p2/3p4/3P1N1p/5Pn1/PP3K2/4R3 w - - 0 32

Position after 31. ... h5-h4

It took only one mistake for Lagno to fall from her dreams of glory — whatever cruel it may be: 32. Ree6? A bad move which loses a crucial tempo. Naturally, White ought to take on f6 with good drawing chances. Now, 谭中怡 (Tán Zhōngyí) immediately takes advantage of the clumsy placement of White’s Rooks: 32. ... h3! 33. Nxh3 Rh7 34. Nf4 Nf5−+ 35. Ne2 Rh2+ 36. Kf1 (36. Ke1 Nxd4!−+) 36. ... Rgg2 37. Re8+ Kb7 38. Rce6 (38. Rxf6 Rxe2 39. Rxe2 Ng3+−+) 38. ... Nh4 39. R6e7+ Ka6 40. Ke1 Nf5 41. Kd1 Nxe7 42. Rxe7 Kb5 43. Re3

43. ... Rxe2! Mercilessly technical. 44. Rxe2 Rxe2 45. Kxe2 Kc4 46. Ke3 b5 47. Ke2 (47. a3 a6−+) 47. ... Kxd4 48. Kd2 f5 49. Ke2 Ke5 50. Ke3 d4+ 0 : 1.

谭中怡 (Tán Zhōngyí), the only Chinese in the Women’s World Cup, has no intention at all of leaving empty-handed. Photo © Eric Rosen.

Fifteen Minutes

For the second day in a row, a fifteen-minute blackout fell on the script for the grand finale of FIDE Women’s Grand Prix 2019–20. And that, apparently, was a long enough time to make everyone live happily and peacefully: Kazakhstani Grandmaster Zhansaya Daniyarovna Abdumalik brought home first prize awards for her two goals, while Ukrainian-Russian Grandmaster Ekaterina Aleksandrovna Lagno managed to secure the very last ticket for the next Women’s Candidate Tournament. Last but not least, Ukrainian Grandmaster Mariya Olehivna Muzychuk and Azerbaijani International Master Gunay Vugar qizi Mammadzada took second and third prizes respectively. Photos © David Llada.

Day Tripper

Gunay Vugar qizi Mammadzada – Ekaterina Aleksandrovna Lagno
FIDE Women’s Grand Prix 2019–20; 4th stage; Catalan Bay, May 30, 2021
Spanish Game C78

1. e4 e5 2. Nf3 Nc6 3. Bb5 a6 4. Ba4 Nf6 5. 0-0 b5 6. Bb3 Bc5 7. c3 d6 8. d4 Bb6 9. a4 Rb8 10. a5 Ba7 11. Be3 Bg4 12. Nbd2 exd4 13. cxd4 0-0 14. h3 Bh5 15. Qc2 Nb4 16. Qc3 c5 17. dxc5 dxc5!? Black is now to leave the beaten track. A recent game went 17. ... Bxc5 18. Bxc5 dxc5 19. Qxc5 Nd3 20. Qe3 Nxb2 21. e5 Nd5 22. Qd4 Nc4 23. g4 Bg6 24. Nxc4 bxc4 25. Bxc4 Nb4 26. Qxd8 Rfxd8 27. Rfd1 Rxd1+ 28. Rxd1 Nc6 29. Rd6 Nxa5 30. Bd5 Kf8 31. Nh4 Rb5 32. f4 Bc2 33. Nf5 Bxf5 34. gxf5 Ke7 35. Bf3 Nb3 36. Bc6 Rb6 37. Ba4 Rb7 38. Rxa6 Nc5 39. f6+ gxf6 40. exf6+ Kd8 41. Rd6+ Kc8 42. Bc2 Kc7 43. Rd4 h6 44. Rd5 Nd7 45. Rh5 Rb4 46. f5 Nc5 47. Kf1 Rb2 48. Bd1 Ne4 49. Rh4 Ng3+ 50. Ke1 Nxf5 51. Rh5 Ne3 52. Bf3 Kd6 53. Rxh6 Ke5 54. Bh5 Ng2+ 55. Kf1 Ne3+ 56. Kg1 Rb7 57. Bf3 Rb1+ 58. Kf2 Nf5 59. Rh8 ½ : ½ Narayanan – Khademalsharieh, 1st 一带一路 (Belt and Road) China 湖南 (Húnán) International Chess Open, 长沙 (Chángshā) 2019. 18. Bg5 h6 19. Bh4

19 ... Bxf3? (⌓ 19. ... Nc6 Δ 20. e5 Nd5 — was then suggested by Mammadzada as a clear improvement) 20. Nxf3 Qd3 21. Bxf6 gxf6 22. Qxf6. The Black King is gravely exposed. 22. ... c4. Not 22. ... Qxb3? on account of 23. Ng5! hxg5 24. Qxg5+ Kh7 25. Qh4+ Kg7 26. Ra3!+− (Mammadzada’s analysis).

23. Ne5! Qxe4 (23. ... Qxb3? 24. Ng4+−) 24. Rfe1? The wrong Rook! 24. ... Qh7? (24. ... Nd5! 25. Qxh6 Qf4=) 25. Qe7 f6

26. Nxc4! Bxf2+ 27. Kxf2 bxc4 28. Bxc4+ Kh8 29. Qxh7+ Kxh7 30. b3 Kg6 31. Re6 h5 32. Rd1 Rfe8 33. Rxe8 Rxe8 34. Rd6 Re5 35. Rb6 Na2 36. Rxa6 h4 37. Kf3 Nc3 38. b4 Kg5 39. Re6 Rf5+ 40. Ke3 Rf4 41. Rc6 Nd1+ 42. Kd3 Nb2+ 43. Kc3 1 : 0.

Today, apparently, the burden on Lagno’s nerves proved more than she could bear. Photo © John Saunders.

Once a Pawn a Board

Ekaterina Aleksandrovna Lagno – 居文君 (Jū Wénjūn)
2nd Cairns Cup; Saint Louis, February 11, 2020
Sicilian Defence B22

1. e4 c5 2. Nf3 Nc6 3. c3 d5 4. exd5 Qxd5 5. d4 Bg4 6. Be2 cxd4 7. cxd4 e6 8. Nc3 Bb4 9. 0-0 Qa5 10. Be3. Here is a game which combines genius and novelty: 10. a3!! Nf6 11. d5! exd5 12. axb4 Qxa1 13. Nd2! Bxe2 14. Qxe2+ Ne7 15. Re1! 0-0 16. Nb3 Qa6 17. Qxa6 bxa6 18. Rxe7 Rab8 19. b5 axb5 20. Rxa7 b4 21. Ne2 Rfc8 22. f3 Ra8 23. Rxa8 Rxa8 24. Kf2 Nd7 25. Nf4 Nb6 26. Ke3 Rc8 27. Kd3 g5 28. Nh5 1 : 0 Alekhine – Podgorný, Prague 1943. The punctuation — probably a little dated — is by Alekhine himself. 10. ... Bxc3 11. bxc3 Qxc3? Maybe it’s psychology: 居文君 (Jū Wénjūn) takes a deliberate gamble which could well cost her the game! 11. ... Nge7 12. Qb3 0-0 was a normal way to proceed.

12. d5! exd5 13. Qxd5. Maybe, not wrong, but it is certainly not in Alekhine’s style! Very convincing seems to be 13. Bd4! Nxd4 14. Nxd4 Bxe2 (14. ... Bd7 15. Bb5!+−) 15. Qxe2+ Kf8 (not 15. ... Kd8?? because of 16. Rfe1! with a mating attack) 16. Qe5 and it is a nightmare for Black. 13. ... Nge7 14. Qb5 0-0 15. Qxb7 Rfb8 16. Qa6 Rb2 17. Rac1 Qf6 18. Rfe1 h6 19. a3 Rab8 20. h3 Bc8 21. Qc4 Be6 22. Qc5. Doubtless Lagno let her chances pass. The nemesis is inevitable: 22. ... Bxh3! 23. gxh3. The engines doubt Black’s compensation after 23. Bd2! Qg6 24. Nh4 Qf6 25. Bc3 Qxh4 26. Bxb2 Rxb2 27. Rc4 Qf6 28. gxh3 — but who can tell? 23. ... Rxe2! 24. Rxe2 Qxf3 25. Rec2 Qxh3 26. Qd6? Rd8. Now, certainly Black has powerful compensation. 居文君 (Jū Wénjūn)’s final crescendo is impressive and elegant: 27. Qg3 Qe6 28. Rc5 Nd4 29. Bxd4 Rxd4 30. Re5 Qd7 31. Qf3 Ng6 32. Re3 Rg4+ 33. Kf1 Qb5+ 34. Ke1 Rg1+ 35. Kd2 Qb2+ 36. Rc2 Qd4+ 37. Rd3 Qa1 38. Re3 Rf1 39. Re8+ Kh7 40. Re4 f6 41. Qf5 Rg1 42. Re3

42. ... Rd1+ 43. Ke2 Rd5! 0 : 1.

Maybe they were thinking that they have met very often in the last few years. Photo: Lennart Ootes/Saint Louis Chess Club.

Chiron and Achilles

Ekaterina Aleksandrovna Lagno – Mariya Olehivna Muzychuk
2nd Cairns Cup; Saint Louis, February 9, 2020
Russian Defence C42

1. e4 e5 2. Nf3 Nf6. It’s the third time in a row that the Russian Defence has appeared on Muzychuk’s board! 3. Nxe5 d6 4. Nf3 Nxe4 5. d4 d5 6. Bd3 Bd6 7. 0-0 0-0 8. c4 c6 9. Re1 Bf5 10. Qb3 Nd7!? Apparently a novelty — but don’t call it a novelty! The most usual is 10. ... Na6 (indirectly defending the b-Pawn as 11. Qxb7 is met by 11. ... Nb4) 11. cxd5 cxd5 with tons of theory. 11. cxd5 Ndc5. That’s the (consistent) corollary of Muzychuk’s previous nuance. Now White must sacrifice Queen and Pawn for two Knights and a Bishop — no doubt a satisfying compensation. 12. dxc5 Nxc5 13. Bxf5 Nxb3 14. axb3 cxd5 15. Nc3 Qb6 16. Be3 Qxb3. All this already occurred in a game from one of the engines testing matches organised by the Swedish Chess Computer Association (SSDF), which continued: 17. Rec1 Rfe8 18. Bc2 Qxb2 19. Ra2 Qb4 20. Ra4 Qb2 21. Ra2 Qb4 22. Ra4 Qb2 23. Ra2 ½ : ½ Deep Hiarcs – Chiron, Sundsvall 2016, match game 2. So White’s next may actually be the first new move of the game! 17. Nd4!? Qc4 18. Ra4 Qc7 19. g3 Qd8. After 19. ... Bc5 20. Bf4 Qd8 21. Rd1 the isolated d5-Pawn is probably doomed anyway. 20. Rd1 Re8 (20. ... Bc5? 21. Ne6!) 21. Nf3. White has no hurry to cash in the Pawn, as after 21. Nxd5 Re5! 22. Nc3 Qe8 Black’s defence would be notably easier. 21. ... Qf6 22. Rxd5 Be5. Muzychuk has to clutch at straws to defend her case. 23. Nxe5 Qxf5 24. Rf4 Qc2 25. Nxf7. From a material standpoint, after 25. Rd2 Qc1+ 26. Kg2 Rxe5 27. Rd8+ Rxd8 28. Bxc1 White, with Bishop and Knight against Rook and Pawn, should stand slightly better — but Lagno apparently hopes not to spend too much time sitting here. 25. ... Qxb2. Maybe Black ought first to play 25. ... Rxe3! 26. fxe3 Qxb2∞ in order to mobilise as soon as possible her Queenside united passed Pawns; an indicative variation is: 27. Rc5 Qc1+ 28. Kg2 a5 29. Ne4 Qb2+ 30. Rf2 Qb3 31. Rc7 a4 32. Nh6+ gxh6 33. Nf6+ Kf8 34. Nxh7+ Kg8 35. Nf6+ drawing by perpetual check.

26. Nh6+. Lagno is content with a draw by perpetual check. Naturally, she was still in time to enjoy the slight material edge of two pieces against Rook and Pawn with 26. Bd4 (Δ Rd5-g5) 26. ... Qc1+ 27. Kg2 Qxf4 28. gxf4 Kxf7 29. Nb5 — it felt safe and risk-free, yes. But that was not what she wanted. 26. ... gxh6 27. Rg4+ Kf7 28. Rf4+ Kg8 29. Rg4+ Kf7 30. Rf4+ Kg8 ½ : ½.

Despite the drawn result, the game between Lagno and Muzychuk presented a penetrating theoretical challenge to the justification of White’s positional Queen sacrifice. Photo: Lennart Ootes/Saint Louis Chess Club.

The Vacant Chair

Ekaterina Aleksandrovna Lagno – 居文君 (Jū Wénjūn)
Women’s Grand Prix 2019–2020; 1st stage; Skolkovo, September 20, 2019
Russian Defence C42

Today 居文君 (Jū Wénjūn) played her Russian Defence as if she was happy to cut the Gordian Knot well in advance, leaving both her lead and her starring role suddenly vacant. 1. e4 e5 2. Nf3 Nf6 3. Nxe5 d6 4. Nf3 Nxe4 5. d4 d5 6. Bd3 Bf5 7. 0-0 Be7 8. Re1 0-0 9. c4 Nc6 10. cxd5 Qxd5 11. Nc3 Nxc3 12. bxc3 Bxd3 13. Qxd3 Rfe8 14. Bf4 Bd6 15. Ng5. On Round Five (five days ago) International Master Elisabeth Pähtz contented herself with 15. c4 Qh5 16. Bg3 b6 17. Re4 Bxg3 18. hxg3 Rxe4 19. Qxe4 Qg6 20. Qf4 Qd6 21. Qe4 Qg6 22. Qf4 Qd6 23. Qe4 Qg6 ½ : ½ Pähtz – 居文君 (Jū Wénjūn), Women’s Grand Prix 2019–2020. 1st stage, Skolkovo 2019. 15. ... g6 16. Ne4 Re6 17. Nxd6!? Lagno’s homemade cooked spécialité de la maison instead of 17. Qf3 Kg7 18. Nxd6 Qxf3 19. gxf3 cxd6 20. Rxe6 fxe6 21. Bxd6 Rd8 22. Bg3 Rc8 23. c4 Rd8 24. Rb1 Rd7 with a dynamic balance, Paravyan – 居文君 (Jū Wénjūn), 1st Prague International Chess Festival (Challengers Tournament), Prague 2019. 17. ... cxd6 18. Rxe6 fxe6 19. Rb1 b6 20. h4 Rf8 (20. ... e5!? 21. Bh6 Re8) 21. Bh6 Qf5 22. Qf1 Rc8 23. Re1 e5. That looks so natural, but there were some good arguments in favour of 23. ... Qd5(!), so as to reply to 24. Qa6 by 24. ... Rc7 with quite a rocky defence. 24. Qa6! Qd7! (24. ... Rc7? 25. Re3!+−) 25. Qd3 Re8 26. Qf3 (26. h5!?⩲↑) 26. ... Nd8 27. dxe5 Qf7? 27. ... Qe6 was probably better, but then after 28. Be3 dxe5 29. Rd1 Nf7 30. a4⩲ White enjoys a safe and lasting edge. 28. Qg4 dxe5 (28. ... Qxa2? 29. Qd7 Qf7 30. Qxd6+−) 29. Rd1 Ne6? Even under worse circumstances than before, 29. ... Qe6 was still Black’s best bet, though after 30. Qxe6+ Nxe6 31. Rd7 White would stand much better. 30. Qa4! Nc5 31. Qc6 Rb8 32. Rd5! Qe7

33. h5! By now White’s attack plays itself. 33. ... gxh5. Loses instantly, but if 33. ... g5 there would follow 34. Rd6! with the perfidious threat of Rd6-g6+. 34. f4! Qb7 35. Qf6 Qf7 36. Rd8+ 1 : 0. For mate in two follows.

Today 居文君 (Jū Wénjūn) politely surrendered her seat to Humpy Koneru. Photo © David Llada.