Words Without Sound

Aleksandra Yuryevna Goryachkina – Georgios Mitsis
23rd European Individual Chess Championship; Vrnjačka Banja, March 13, 2023
Queen’s Gambit Declined D37

1. d4 Nf6 2. c4 e6 3. Nf3 h6 4. g3 d5 5. Bg2 Bd6 6. 0-0 0-0 7. Nc3 Nc6 8. b3 dxc4 9. bxc4 e5 10. Rb1 Re8 11. dxe5 (11. c5 exd4 12. Nxd4 Nxd4 13. cxd6 Qxd6 14. Bf4 Qd8 15. Bxc7 Nxe2+ 16. Qxe2 Qxc7 17. Nd5 Rxe2 18. Nxc7 Rb8 19. Na6 Ra8 20. Nc7 Rb8 21. Na6 Ra8 22. Nc7 Rb8 23. Na6 ½ : ½ Naumann – Svane, 70th Austrian Team Chess Championship — Staatsliga, Jenbach 2022)
11. ... Nxe5 12. Nxe5 Bxe5 13. Qxd8 Rxd8 14. Nd5 Nxd5 15. cxd5 Bd6

16. e4? This gives Black no difficulties at all. The only chance lay in 16. Bf4! g5 17. Bxd6 cxd6 18. Rfc1 Rb8 19. e4 b5 20. f4⩲ with an edge for White.
16. ... f5! 17. exf5 Bxf5 18. Rxb7 Rdb8 19. Rxb8+ Rxb8 20. Bf3 a5 21. Re1 Rb1 22. Kg2 Ra1 23. h4 Rxa2 24. Bf4 Bxf4 25. gxf4 Kf8 26. Be4 Bxe4+ 27. Rxe4 Rc2 28. Re6 a4 29. Ra6 Rc4 30. Kf3 Rd4 31. Ke3 Rxd5 32. Rxa4 Rc5 33. Kd4 Rc2 34. f3 Ke7 35. Ra6 c6 36. Ra7+ Kf6 37. Rc7 h5 38. Kd3 Rc1 39. Kd4 g6 40. Rc8 Rd1+ 41. Ke4 Rd6 42. Rf8+ Ke7 43. Rg8 Re6+ 44. Kd4 Kd6 45. Rd8+ Ke7 46. Rg8 c5+ 47. Kd5 Rf6 48. Ke5 Kf7 49. Rc8 Re6+ 50. Kd5 Re3 51. Rxc5 Kf6 52. Kd4 Rxf3 53. Ke4 Rh3 54. Rc6+ Kg7 55. f5 Rxh4+ 56. Ke5 gxf5 ½ : ½. Goryachkina can only feel happy to have finally come out of a nighthmare, which costed her dearly — in terms of rating as well as of ranking. In recent interviews, she had complained of being ostracised by the Chess Federation of Russia, but apparently no one took it too seriously. Now, after such a disappointing performance, in which she showed herself more empty and emotionless than ever, there is a hope that her appeal will not remain unanswered.

Family Matters

Umut Ata Akbaş – Aleksandra Yuryevna Goryachkina
23rd European Individual Chess Championship; Vrnjačka Banja, March 12, 2023
Slav Defence D17

1. d4 d5 2. c4 c6 3. Nf3 Nf6 4. Nc3 dxc4 5. a4 Bf5 6. Ne5 e6 7. f3 Bb4 8. Nxc4 0-0 9. Kf2. Sic et simpliciter: White unpins and prepares e2-e4.

9. ... Nd5. Goryachkina is not in the mood for anything adventurous such as 9. ... e5!? 10. Nxe5 Bc2! 11. Qd2 c5 12. d5! Bb3 13. e4 Re8 14. Qf4 c4!? 15. Nxc4 Nbd7! with an explosive situation where everything can happen, 丁立人 (Dīng Lìrén) – Caruana, Candidates Tournament 2020, Yekaterinburg 2020. In a happier recent past, she preferred, instead, 9. ... c5 10. e4 Bg6 11. Na2 Nc6 12. Nxb4 Nxb4 13. Qb3 Nxe4+ 14. fxe4 Bxe4 15. Bd2 Nc2 16. Rc1 Nxd4 17. Qd1 (17. Qg3 might be more promising) 17. ... b6 18. h4 Qd5 19. h5 Rad8 20. Rh3 Qf5+ 21. Kg1 Bc2 22. Rxc2 Qxc2 23. Qe1 h6 24. Bxh6 gxh6 25. Bd3 Nf3+ 26. Rxf3 Rxd3 27. Qg3+ Kh7 28. Rxd3 Qxc4 29. Rd7 Qc1+ 30. Kh2 Qg5 (30. ... Qxb2?? 31. Qg6+!+−) 31. Qf3 (31. Qxg5 hxg5 32. Rxa7 should draw) 31. ... Qe5+ 32. Kh1 Kg7 33. b3 a6 34. Qg4+ Kh8 35. Qf3 Kg8 36. Rb7 Qe1+ 37. Kh2 Qh4+ 38. Kg1 Qd4+ 39. Kh1 b5 40. axb5 axb5 41. Rxb5 Rd8 42. Qg3+ Kf8 43. Kh2 Qd5 44. Qc3 Qxh5+ 45. Kg1 Rd1+ 46. Kf2 Qf5+ 47. Ke3 Qg5+ 48. Ke2 Qxg2+ 49. Kxd1 Qf1+ 50. Kc2 Qxb5 51. Qh8+ Ke7 52. Qxh6 Qe2+ 53. Kc3 Qe1+ 54. Kb2 Qe5+ 55. Ka2 Qd5 56. Qh4+ Ke8 57. Qh8+ Kd7 58. Qg7 Qd2+ 59. Ka3 Qc1+ 60. Ka2 Qf4 61. Qf8 c4 62. bxc4 Qxc4+ 63. Kb2 e5 64. Qb8 Qd4+ 65. Ka2 Qd5+ 66. Ka1 e4 67. Qa7+ Ke6 68. Qb6+ Ke5 69. Qc7+ Kf5 70. Qc8+ Qe6 0 : 1 Vega Gutiérrez – Goryachkina, 13th European Women’s Team Chess Championship, Batumi 2019.
10. Na2 b5

11. Nxb4 Nxb4. A well-motivated reply, since after 11. ... bxc4 12. Na2! c5 13. e4 cxd4 14. Bxc4 Nb6 15. Be2 Bg6 16. a5 Nc8 17. Nb4 Ne7 18. h4 h5?! (18. ... f5) 19. Nd3 Nbc6 20. Bf4 Nxa5?! (20. ... f5) 21. Qa4 Nac6 22. b4 e5?! (22. ... f5) 23. b5! exf4 24. bxc6 Qd6 25. Rhc1 Rfc8 26. Qb4 Qd8 27. Ra6! White obtained a crushing advantage in Antón Guijarro – Hovhannisyan, 1st FIDE Grand Swiss Tournament, Santon 2019.
12. Na3 e5 13. e4 Be6

14. Be3. 14. Qd2!? is also answered by 14. ... Qe7! 15. dxe5 Rd8 16. Qg5 Qf8! with dynamic equality.
14. ... Qe7! 15. dxe5 Rd8 16. Qc1 Nd7 17. Nc2 Nxe5 18. Nxb4 Qxb4 19. Qc3 Qxc3 20. bxc3 bxa4 21. Bd4 f6 22. Rxa4 a5 23. f4 Nd7 24. c4 Rdb8 25. Be2 c5 26. Bc3 Nb6 27. Rxa5 Rxa5 28. Bxa5 Nxc4 29. Bxc4 ½ : ½. It was another colourless and uninspired day for Goryachkina, who at least can take comfort at the thought that her younger (and much lower-rated) sister, Oksana Yuryevna Goryachkina, so far scored the same points as her.

Cut Off

Aleksandra Yuryevna Goryachkina – Ram Soffer
23rd European Individual Chess Championship; Vrnjačka Banja, March 11, 2023
5nk1/2Q2pp1/1p1N3p/3qP2P/6P1/p5B1/5K2/8 w - - 1 46

Position after 45. ... Ng6-f8

The diagram shows the position after Black’s 45th move, that may be summed up as a Sämisch-like Variation of the Nimzo-Indian gone terribly wrong for White. Yet Goryachkina can consider herself lucky that her opponent played 45. ... Ng6-f8 instead of 45. ... a3-a2, which would have won at once. As things went, White can still hope to hold on to a last chance:
46. e6! Qxe6. The only (ambitious) move, since both 46. ... fxe6 47. Qf7+ Kh7 48. Qxf8 a2 49. Nf7 Qd2+ and 46. ... Nxe6 47. Qf7+ Kh7 48. Qe8+ Kh7 49. Qg6+ would end in perpetual check.
47. Qc4?? Losing a crucial tempo and the game. The right move was 47. Qc3! Qxg4 (47. ... a2 48. Nf5 f6 49. Bd6! should draw: 49. ... b5 50. Bxf8 Kxf8 51. Qa3+ Kg8 52. Qa8+ Kh7 53. Qa7 Qg8 54. Nxg7! Qxg7 55. Qxa2 Qxg4 56. Qf7+ Qg7 57. Qe8) 48. Qxa3 Qxh5 leaving Black with four Pawns for the piece minus, but no certainty of success in sight.
47. ... f6! 48. Qa4 a2 49. Nb5 Qd5 50. Nd4

50. ... b5! 51. Nxb5. Alas for White, also after the comparatively better 51. Qb3 Qf7! Black should win, but not as easily as now.
51. ... Qd2+ 52. Kf3 Qb2 53. Be5 fxe5 54. Qc4+ Kh7 55. Qe4+ Kh8 56. Qa8 Qb3+ 57. Ke4 Qb1+ 0 : 1.

A disaster that — if not promptly redeemed — could cost Goryachkina her second spot in the world ranking behind 侯逸凡 (Hóu Yìfán). Photo: European Chess Union.

Nash equilibrium

Tor Fredrik Kaasen – Aleksandra Yuryevna Goryachkina
23rd European Individual Chess Championship; Vrnjačka Banja, March 10, 2023
Slav Defence D12

1. d4 d5 2. c4 c6 3. Nf3 Nf6 4. e3 Bf5 5. Nc3 e6 6. Nh4 Bg6 7. Bd2 Nbd7 8. Qb3 Qb6 9. Nxg6 hxg6 10. Be2 Be7 11. h3. If 11. Rc1 then 11. ... g5! 12. Qxb6 axb6 13. a3 g4 14. g3 Kf8 15. Kf1 dxc4 16. Bxc4 b5 17. Bd3 e5 with good play for Black, Pogonina – Goryachkina, 68th Russian Women’s Chess Championship Superfinal, Satka 2018.

11. ... a6!? This has all appearances of being a counterintuitive innovation, but obviously Goryachkina must have had her reasons for it.
12. Qxb6 Nxb6 13. b3 0-0. Fearlessly castling into the semi-open h-file. Black could also adopt a dynamic waiting policy with ... Nb6-c8-d6.

14. g4 c5 (14. ... g5 15. h4!↑)
15. dxc5 Bxc5 16. cxd5. 16. g5 at once was to be considered, but 16. ... Nfd7 17. cxd5 exd5 would leave Black with quite a comfortable isolated Pawn position.
16. ... Nbxd5 17. Nxd5 Nxd5 18. Bf3 Rac8 19. Ke2

19. ... Ba3! 20. Bxd5 exd5 21. Kd3 f6 (21. ... Rc6 22. Bc1 Be7 23. Bb2 Rfc8=)
22. h4 Kf7 23. h5 gxh5. But not 23. ... g5? because of 24. f4! with troubles for Black.
24. Rxh5 Ke6 25. f4 Rc6 26. Rh7 Kf7 27. Rh5 Ke6 28. Rh7 Kf7 29. Rh5 ½ : ½.

Two Swords

Aleksandra Yuryevna Goryachkina – Boris Abramovich Gelfand
23rd European Individual Chess Championship; Vrnjačka Banja, March 9, 2023
Semi-Slav Defence D43

1. d4 Nf6 2. c4 e6 3. Nf3 d5 4. Nc3 c6 5. Bg5 h6 6. Bxf6 Qxf6 7. e3 Nd7 8. Be2 g6 9. 0-0 Qe7 10. e4 dxc4 11. e5 Bg7 12. Nd2 (12. Bxc4 0-0 13. Qe2 b5 14. Bd3 Rb8 15. Rac1 c5 16. Nxb5 Bb7 17. Nd2 cxd4 18. f4 Nc5 19. Nd6 Nxd3 20. Qxd3 Bd5 21. N2c4 f5 22. Qxd4 g5 23. b3 Kh7 24. Rc3 Rbd8 25. Rd1 Rd7 26. Qf2 Rfd8 27. Rcd3 Bc6 28. Rd4 Rf8 29. R1d3 Rc7 30. h3 h5 31. Qe2 gxf4 32. Qxh5+ Bh6 33. Rxf4 Rg8 34. Rf2 Qf8 35. Kf1 Rg5 36. Qh4 Qg7 37. g3 Qg6 38. Ke2 Rg7 39. g4 fxg4 40. Rf6 Qh5 41. Qxh5 Rxh5 42. hxg4 Rxg4 43. Rf2 Rf4 44. Rxf4 Bxf4 45. Rd4 Bxe5 46. Nxe5 Rxe5+ 47. Kd3 Kg6 48. Nc4 Bb5 49. Kc3 Bxc4 50. bxc4 Kf6 51. Rd6 Ra5 52. Rd2 Rh5 53. Rb2 e5 54. c5 Rh4 55. Rd2 Ra4 56. c6 Ra6 57. Rd6+ Ke7 58. Rh6 Rxa2 59. Rh7+ Kd8 60. Rd7+ ½ : ½ Iturrizaga Bonelli – Jumabayev, 11th Aeroflot Open, Moscow 2012)
12. ... 0-0 (12. ... Nb6 13. a4 a5 14. Nxc4 Nxc4 15. Bxc4 0-0= Muradli – Sethuraman, 2nd El Llobregat Open Chess, Castelldefels 2021)
13. Nxc4 Rd8 14. f4 Nb6 15. Qd3 Nxc4 16. Qxc4 f5 17. Rad1 Bd7 18. g4 Kh7 19. Bf3 Be8 20. Qe2 Rd7 21. a3 Qh4 22. Qf2 Qxf2+ 23. Kxf2 Rad8 24. gxf5 exf5 25. d5 cxd5 26. Nxd5 Bf7

27. Nc7? Goryachkina, quite short of time, throws herself into the fray, apparently oblivious to the strength of Black’s two Bishops. Better was 27. Ne3 Bf8 28. Rxd7 Rxd7 29. Rc1 h5 with a more or less balanced game, even if the two Bishops makes Black’s position easier to handle.
27. ... Bc4 28. Rfe1 Bf8

29. b4?? White was so terrorised by the check on c5 that, in avoiding it, she overlooked a crucial tactical detail, falling irreversibly into catastrophe. Her best chance lay in 29. Rxd7+ Rxd7 30. Ne8 Bc5+ 31. Kg3 Rd2 32. Rc1 Bf2+ 33. Kh3 b5 34. b3 Be3! 35. bxc4 Bxf4 36. Rh1 Bxe5 37. c5 Rc2 38. c6 g5!⩱ — Black is the only who can win, but it should not be impossible for White to draw, either.
29. ... Be7! Simply threatening to capture the Knight.
30. Rxd7. The point is that if now 30. Ne8 there would follow 30. ... Bh4+ 31. Kg1 Rxd1 32. Rxd1 Rxe8 winning the Knight.
30. ... Rxd7 31. Ne8 Bh4+ 32. Kg1 Bxe1 33. Nf6+ Kg7 34. Nxd7 Bd2! In spite of material equality, the ending is hopeless for White.

35. Bxb7 Bxf4 36. Kg2 Bb5 37. Nb8 Bc1! White is not even given the illusion of a resistance in a Bishops of opposite colour ending.
38. Nc6 Bxa3 39. Nxa7 Bc4 40. Nc6 Bd5+ 41. Kg3 g5! 42. e6. If 42. h4 then 42. ... f4+ 43. Kh3 (43. Kg4 h5+! 44. Kxh5 f3 45. hxg5 f2 46. Ba6 Bxc6−+) 43. ... Be6+ 44. Kg2 Bb2 winning easily.
42. ... Bxb4! 43. e7? A way as another to give up with honour.
43. ... Be1+ 0 : 1. Mate follows after 44. Kh3 g4#.

Today Gelfand taught his opponent a valuable lesson about what a Bishop pair can do. Photo: European Chess Union.

In a Bind

Tornike Sanikidze – Aleksandra Yuryevna Goryachkina
23rd European Individual Chess Championship; Vrnjačka Banja, March 8, 2023
Queen’s Gambit Declined D52

1. d4 Nf6 2. c4 e6 3. Nf3 d5 4. Nc3 c6 5. Bg5 Nbd7 6. e3 Qa5 7. Nd2 dxc4 8. Bxf6 Nxf6 9. Nxc4 Qc7 10. Rc1 Bd6!? 11. f4!? 11. Nxd6+ Qxd6 12. Bc4 0-0 13. 0-0 e5 14. d5 Qb4 is nothing special for White, Kölle – Rogić, 7th Württemberg Chess Championship, Berlin 2022.
11. ... Be7! 12. Be2 0-0 13. 0-0 Rd8 14. Bf3. Latest theory gives 14. Qc2 Bd7 15. Ne4 Nxe4 16. Qxe4 c5 17. f5 Qc6 18. Qxc6 Bxc6 19. fxe6 fxe6 20. Bg4 Bd5 21. e4 Bxc4 22. Rxc4 cxd4 23. Bxe6+ Kh8 24. Rc7 Bf6 25. Rxb7 d3 26. Rd1 Bg5 27. Kf2 Rd6 28. Bd5 Rf8+ 29. Kg3 Bf4+ 30. Kh3 Rh6+ 31. Kg4 Rxh2 32. Bf7 Be5 33. Kf5 Bxb2 34. Rxd3 (34. Rxb2 Rxf7+ 35. Ke6 Kg8 36. Rb8+ Rf8 37. Rxf8+ Kxf8 38. Rxd3 Ke8=) 34. ... Rxg2 35. e5 g6+ 36. Ke6 Re2 37. Rd5 a6 38. a4 Kg7 39. Rc5?? (White ought to have played 39. Be8+ Kh6 40. Bf7 Rf2 41. Rdd7 Re2 42. Rd5 offering to repeat moves) 39. ... Bxe5 40. Be8+ Kh6 41. Kd7 Rxe8 0 : 1 Gukesh – Karthikeyan, 1st MPL Indian Chess Tour, 1st leg, chess24.com, April 3, 2022 (time control: 15 minutes plus 10 seconds per move).
14. ... Bd7 15. Ne5 Rac8 16. Qe2 c5 17. d5 exd5 18. Nxd5 Nxd5 19. Bxd5 Be8

20. Rcd1. 20. e4 Bf6= seems a little safer.
20. ... b5 21. b3 Bd6 22. Nf3? This allows Black to unleash her full dynamic potential. White’s best seems to be 22. Qf3 with chances for unclarity.

22. ... c4! 23. Be4 Bc5 24. Ne5? The White Knight keeps wandering restlessly and without peace, but also after 24. Kh1 c3 Black would have got very much the better game.
24. ... f6 25. Ng4 Bf7 26. Bb1 Qe7 27. Bf5 Rb8 28. bxc4 bxc4. Black stands much better because of her passed Pawn, the Bishop pair and two well-placed Rooks.
29. Qc2. White could save the Pawn by 29. Rde1, but not the game after 29. ... c3 30. Qc2 Kh8! (30. ... h5 is also good enough).
29. ... h5 30. Nf2 Qxe3 31. Kh1 Qxf4 32. Ne4 Rxd1 33. Qxd1 Qe5 34. Qd7 c3 35. h3 c2

36. Nxc5 Qxc5. There was an elegant win by 36. ... Qf4!, but Goryachkina’s move isn’t bad either.
37. Rc1 Qe3 38. Rxc2 Qe1+ 39. Kh2 Qe5+ 40. g3 g6 41. Rc7 Qe2+ 42. Kg1 Qe1+ 43. Kh2 Qf2+ 44. Kh1 Qxa2 45. Bc2 Re8 46. Kg1 a5 47. Kf2 a4 48. Rc3. If 48. Qxa4 then 48. ... Qe6! winning the Queen due to the mate threat.
48. ... Qa1 49. Rc8 Qe1+ 50. Kg2 Qe2+ 51. Kg1 Rxc8 52. Qxc8+ Kg7 0 : 1.

Relying on her solid positional foundations, Goryachkina obtained a convincing victory. Photo: European Chess Union.

Hiding in the Open

Aleksandra Yuryevna Goryachkina – Eytan Rozen
23rd European Individual Chess Championship; Vrnjačka Banja, March 7, 2023
Semi-Slav Defence D46

1. d4 d5 2. c4 c6 3. Nf3 Nf6 4. Nc3 e6 5. e3 Nbd7 6. Qc2 Bd6 7. Bd3 0-0 8. 0-0 dxc4 9. Bxc4 e5 10. h3 Qe7 11. a3 a5 12. Bb3. One might argue, at least from a dogmatic perspective, that the Bishop stood best at a2.
12. ... b5. Flashes through the mirror: 12. ... Bc7 13. Bd2 h6 14. Nh4 Rd8 15. Nf5 Qf8 16. Rad1 exd4 17. exd4 Nb6 18. Rfe1 Bxf5 19. Qxf5 Qd6 20. Ne4 Qh2+ 21. Kf1 Nfd5 22. Qf3 Re8 23. Ng3 Re6 24. Rxe6 fxe6 25. Qg4 Kh8 26. Nh5 Rg8 27. Qg6 Ne7 28. Qxe6 Nbd5 29. Qg4 g6 30. Ng3 Nf5 31. Bxd5 Nxg3+ 32. fxg3 cxd5 33. Bxh6 Bxg3 34. Qf3 Kh7 35. Qf7+ Kxh6 36. Qxg8 Qh1+ 37. Ke2 Qxg2+ 38. Kd3 Qf3+ 39. Kc2 Qe4+ 40. Rd3 Qe2+ 41. Rd2 Qe4+ 42. Rd3 Qe2+ ½ : ½ Krykun – Goryachkina, 19th European Individual Chess Championship, Batumi 2018.
13. Rd1 Rb8 14. e4 c5 15. Nh4!? Goryachkina comes up with an interesting innovation. That being said, also 15. dxc5 Nxc5 16. Nd5 Nxd5 17. Bxd5 gave White an edge in Kuljašević – S. Kuipers, 21st Hoogeveen Open, Hoogeveen 2017.
15. ... g6 16. dxc5 Nxc5 17. Bg5

17. ... Nxb3. A move hard to resist, but 17. ... Bb7 18. Nd5 Bxd5 19. Bxd5 Ne6 would probably have been Black’s safest course.
18. Qxb3 Be6 19. Nd5 Bxd5 20. Rxd5 Qe6 21. Bxf6 Qxf6 22. Nf3 Rfc8 23. Rxb5 Rxb5 24. Qxb5 Rc2 25. Qb3 Re2? And here is Black’s point, which is as consistent as it is inapposite.

26. Re1? However, cautious as usual, Goryachkina contents herself with the symbolic advantage of a meaningless extra Pawn. Much stronger was 26. Rc1! (threatening to invade on c6) 26. ... Bf8 (26. ... Rxe4?? 27. Rc6+−) 27. Qb5 (or, following the engines, 27. Qb7! threatening to trap the Rook with Kg1-f1) 27. ... Rxe4 28. Qxa5 with a much better endgame than she actually obtained.
26. ... Rxe1+ 27. Nxe1 Bc5 28. Nf3 Bd4!

29. Nxd4. By this exchange White gives up her dreams of glory, but it seems a fact that sooner or later such a move was likely to come.
29. ... exd4. In spite of White’s extra Pawn, the Queen ending is certainly not lost for Black. Such was the disappointment that it took another thirty and more moves for Goryachkina to acknowledge the inevitable draw:
30. Qd5 Qb6. Or 30. ... d3 31. e5 Qg5 32. Qxd3 Qc1+ 33. Kh2 Qxa3 with more or less the same ending as in the text.
31. b3 Qc7 32. Qxd4 Qc1+ 33. Kh2 Qxa3 34. Qc4 Qb2 35. Kg3 Kg7 36. Kf3 Qd2 37. g3 h5 38. h4 Qd1+ 39. Ke3 Qe1+ 40. Qe2 Qc3+ 41. Qd3 Qe1+ 42. Kf3 Qb4 43. Qc2 Qe1 44. Kf4 Qb4 45. Ke3 Qb6+ 46. Ke2 Qd4 47. Qd3 Qb4 48. Qc2 Qd4 49. f4 Qg1 50. Qc3+ Kg8 51. e5 Qg2+ 52. Kd1 Qf1+ 53. Kc2 Qg2+ 54. Kb1 Qf2 55. Ka1 Qg2 56. Qe3 Kg7 57. Kb1 Kh7 58. Kc1 Kg7 59. Qc3 Kg8 60. Qd3 Qg1+ 61. Kc2 Qf2+ 62. Kc1 Qe1+ 63. Kb2 Qf2+ 64. Kc1 ½ : ½.

Counting with an Abacus

Marius Fromm – Aleksandra Yuryevna Goryachkina
23rd European Individual Chess Championship; Vrnjačka Banja, March 6, 2023
Spanish Game C67

1. e4 e5 2. Nf3 Nc6 3. Bb5 Nf6. Now this is not the most ambitious thing that one could think of doing. But apparently Goryachkina’s mentors compelled her to be content with less in order to avoid confrontations with higher-rated opponents. Time will say whether or not they are right.
4. 0-0 Nxe4 5. Re1 Nd6 6. Nxe5 Be7 7. Bf1 Nxe5 8. Rxe5 0-0 9. d4 Bf6 10. Re1 Re8

11. Bf4. Theory prioritises 11. c3, even if the difference may not always be so obvious to discern: 11. ... Rxe1 12. Qxe1 Ne8 13. a4 (Caruana suggests here 13. d5!? — it’s interesting!) 13. ... d5 14. a5 Nd6 15. Bf4 Bf5 16. Nd2 Bg5 17. Qe3 h6 18. a6 b6 19. Re1 Bxf4 20. Qxf4 Qg5 21. Qxg5 hxg5 22. c4 dxc4 23. Nxc4 Nxc4 24. Bxc4 Kf8 25. Re5 g6 26. f3 Rd8 27. d5 Re8 28. Rxe8+ Kxe8 29. Kf2 Ke7 30. Ke3 Kd6 31. Kd4 Bd7 32. g3 f5 33. Bd3 Be8 34. f4 g4 35. b4 Bd7 36. Bc4 Be8 37. Bf1 Ba4 38. Bc4 Be8 39. Bd3 Bd7 40. Bc4 Be8 ½ : ½ 侯逸凡 (Hóu Yìfán) – Goryachkina, 2nd Online Chess Olympiad Playoff, China – Russia, chess.com, September 14, 2021, Semifinal match game 1 (time control: 15 minutes plus 5 seconds per move).
11. ... Rxe1 12. Qxe1 Ne8 (12. ... Bxd4 13. c3 Bf6 14. Bxd6 cxd6 15. Na3 d5 16. Nb5⩲)

13. c3 d5 14. Nd2 Bf5 15. Qe3 h6 16. Qg3. Likewise, Black’s defence proved its soundness after 16. Re1 c6 17. Qg3 Bg6 18. Nf3 Qb6 19. b4 a5 20. a3 axb4 21. axb4 Qd8 22. Ne5 Bxe5 23. dxe5 Kh7 24. Bd3 Nc7 25. Bc1 Bxd3 26. Qxd3+ Kg8 27. f4 Qh4 28. Rf1 Ra2 29. h3 Ne6 30. c4 dxc4 31. Qxc4 Ra8 32. Kh2 Nc7 33. Qd4 Qd8 34. Rd1 Qd5 35. Rd2 Qxd4 36. Rxd4 Nd5 37. b5 Ra2 38. bxc6 bxc6 39. Rc4 Ne7 40. Kg1 h5 41. g4 hxg4 42. hxg4 Kf8 43. f5 Ke8 44. Bg5 Re2 45. f6 Rxe5 46. Bf4 gxf6 47. Bxe5 fxe5 48. Rc5 f6 49. g5 Kf7 50. Kf2 Ke6 51. gxf6 Kxf6 ½ : ½ So – Aronian, 40th Chess Olympiad, Istanbul 2012.
16. ... Bh4 17. Qf3 Bg6 18. Re1 c6 19. g3 Bg5 20. h4 Bxf4 21. Qxf4 Qf6 22. Qxf6 Nxf6 23. Re7

23. ... Rb8 24. Bh3 Kf8 25. Re3 Re8 26. Rxe8+ ½ : ½.

Caught in the Middle

Aleksandra Yuryevna Goryachkina – Alexey Vasilyevich Sarana
23rd European Individual Chess Championship; Vrnjačka Banja, March 5, 2023
English Opening A38

1. c4 Nf6 2. Nc3 c5 3. Nf3 Nc6 4. g3 g6 5. Bg2 Bg7 6. d4 cxd4 7. Nxd4

7. ... h5 8. Nf3 d6 9. 0-0 Bd7 10. Bg5 Rc8 11. Rc1. Mutatis mutandis, the position has transposed into a KID (E60).
11. ... Qa5. This improves on a game H. H. Stefánsson – J. V. Gunnarsson, 46th Icelandic Team Chess Championship, Reykjavík 2021, which White won after 11. ... a6 13. Rfd1 Be6 14. b3 b5? (⌓ 14. ... Qa5) 15. cxb5 axb5 16. Bxf6 Bxf6 17. Nxb5 Qb6 18. Nc3 Nb4 19. Nd4 Bxd4 20. Qxd4 Qa5 21. Qd2 Qa3 22. Nb5 Qa5 23. Nd4 Bd7 24. a3 Rxc1 25. Qxc1 Na6 26. Qb2 Rc8 27. Rc1 Rxc1+ 28. Qxc1 Qb6 29. Qc4 Nc7 30. Nc6 e6 31. Qb4 Qxb4 32. Nxb4 Nb5 33. Nc2 Kf8 34. a4 Nc3 35. Kf1 d5 36. Ke1 Ke7 37. Kd2 Na2 38. e4 Kd6 39. exd5 exd5 40. a5 Kc5 41. b4+ Nxb4 42. Nxb4 Kxb4 43. Bxd5 1 : 0.
12. Qd2 Bf5 13. b3 Ne4 14. Nxe4 Bxe4 15. Qe3 Bxf3 16. Bxf3 0-0

17. Qd2 Qxd2 18. Bxd2 Nd4 19. Kg2 Nxf3 20. Kxf3 f5 21. Rfd1 Rc6 22. Be3 Rfc8

23. c5. Goryachkina is careful to steer the game towards a draw. 23. Bxa7 is unnecessarily risky for White, although after 23. ... b6 24. b4 (the only move, but a sufficient one) 24. ... Rxc4 25. Rxc4 Rxc4 26. Bxb6 Rxb4 Black’s chances to play for more than a draw would be quite unrealistic.
23. ... a6. If 23. ... dxc5 then 24. Rd7 and White recovers the Pawn with equality.
24. cxd6 exd6 25. Rxc6 Rxc6 26. Bf4 ½ : ½.

Chance and Luck

Huseyin Can Agdelen – Aleksandra Yuryevna Goryachkina
23rd European Individual Chess Championship; Vrnjačka Banja, March 4, 2023
Sicilian Defence B45

1. e4 c5 2. Nf3 e6 3. d4 cxd4 4. Nxd4 Nf6 5. Nc3 Nc6 6. Nxc6 bxc6 7. e5 Nd5 8. Ne4 Bb7. A move first introduced by Lékó against Kasparov at the 16th Torneo Internacional de Ajedrez “Ciudad de Linares” in 1999. As Grandmaster Edmar Mednis wrote in his column for Chess Life, No. 12, December 1999, p. 840, “The idea is wonderfully thematic: Black gets ready to mobilize his do-nothing Bishop along a key central diagonal”.
9. Be2 c5 10. 0-0 Qc7 11. Nd6+. “Here we have the first demonstration of the value of 8. ... Bb7!. Black was threatening to capture on e5, while 11. e4 is met by 11. ... Ne3! 12. Bxe3 Bxe4, with equality”. (Mednis, ibidem).
11. ... Bxd6 12. exd6 Qc6. It is obvious that the capture of the d6-Pawn would cost a piece.
13. f3. “The mate threat on g2 must be attended to (13. c4? Nc3!), while after 13. Bf3 c4!, White’s light-squared Bishop has little to do”. (Mednis, ibidem).
13. ... e5!? Strangely enough, Black allows White to drive the Knight away with c2-c4, which may seem antithetical to the theory of the line, but she aims at simplifying the position, even at the cost of a Pawn. Most usual is 13. ... c4 14. Qd4 0-0 15. Bxc4 Rfc8 16. b3 Qxd6 17. Rd1 Qb6 18. Qxb6 axb6 19. a4 Bc6 20. Bd2 Nf6 21. Bf1 d5 22. Be3 Nd7 23. c4 Nc5 24. Rab1 Nxb3 25. cxd5 Bxd5 26. Rxd5 exd5 27. Rxb3 Rxa4 28. Bxb6⩲ Shirov – Westerberg, 31st European Chess Club Cup, Skopje 2015.
14. c4 Nf4 15. Bxf4 exf4 16. Qd2 0-0 17. Qxf4

17. ... Rfe8. This just seems to be a case of “wrong Rook”. Play usually goes 17. ... Rae8 18. Bd3 Re6 19. Rad1 g6 20. Be4 (20. Bc2 Qa6 21. Bb3 Rfe8 22. h3 ½ : ½ Iljiushenok – Chigaev, 21st Karpov Tournament, Poykovsky 2022) 20. ... Qa6 21. Bxb7 Qxb7 22. Rd2 Rfe8 23. h4 Re5 24. Rfd1 a5 ½ : ½ Ganguly – Fedoseev, 55th Meisterturnier MTO, Biel/Bienne 2022.
18. Bd3 Re6

19. Be4. But White doesn’t seize his chance, viz.: 19. Bf5 Qxd6 20. Qxd6 Rxd6 21. Rad1 retaining his extra Pawn under more satisfactory conditions than in the game — it is just the case to note that, had Black’s Queen’s Rook been on f8 rather than on a8, she could now simply play 21. ... Ra6! 22. Rxd7 Bc8= (no back rank mate!).
19. ... Qb6 20. Bxb7 Qxb7 21. b3 Qb6 22. Rad1 a5 23. Rfe1 a4 24. Rxe6 fxe6 25. Qe3 Qb4 26. h3 Qa3 27. Rd2 Rb8 28. Kh2 axb3 29. axb3 Rxb3 30. Qg5 Rb8 31. Rd1 h6 32. Qe7 Qa4 33. Re1 Kh7 34. Re4 Rb1 35. Rg4 Qa1 36. Qf7. Or 36. Qxd7 Rh1+ 37. Kg3 Qe5+ 38. Kh4 Qf6+ with perpetual check.
36. ... Rh1+ 37. Kg3 Qf6

38. Qxd7?? A dramatic mistake, which loses right off. Of course, the exchange of Queens would be very bad as well, but after 38. Qe8! Black seems to have nothing better than 38. ... Qe5+ 39. Kh4 Qf6+ with a draw.
38. ... h5!−+ 39. Re4 Qg5+ 40. Kf2 Rh2 0 : 1.

In one of her rare appearances outside Russia, Goryachkina has no other choice than to do everything possible to make her presence count for something. Photo: European Chess Union.

Backpacker Europe

Aleksandra Yuryevna Goryachkina – Claudiu-Cristian Dobre
23rd European Individual Chess Championship; Vrnjačka Banja, March 3, 2023
Queen’s Gambit Declined D52

1. d4 d5 2. c4 c6 3. Nf3 Nf6 4. Nc3 e6 5. Bg5 Nbd7 6. e3 Qa5. The Cambridge Springs Variation.
7. Nd2. Goryachkina pushes away a bad memory still fresh in her mind: 7. cxd5 Nxd5 8. Rc1 h6 9. Bh4 Nxc3 10. bxc3 Ba3 11. Rc2 b6 12. Nd2 Ba6 13. c4 0-0 14. Bd3 c5 15. 0-0 cxd4 16. exd4 Rfe8 17. Qe2 Rac8? (17. ... Bf8!) 18. c5!± 谭中怡 (Tán Zhōngyí) – Goryachkina, FIDE Women’s Candidates Tournament 2022–23 Pool B, Khiva 2022, Semifinal match game 4.
7. ... Bb4 8. Qc2 c5 9. Nb3 Bxc3+ 10. bxc3 Qa4

11. cxd5 exd5. This implies quite an objectionable Pawn sacrifice which will not give the desired result. More convincing seems to be 11. ... c4! 12. Qb2 Ne4 13. Bf4 exd5 14. f3 Nef6 15. Nd2 0-0 16. g4 Re8 17. Be2 Nf8 18. Kf2⩲ with an edge for White.
12. Bxf6 Nxf6 13. dxc5 Be6 14. Bd3 0-0 15. 0-0 Rfc8 16. Rfc1 Rc7 17. Rab1 Rb8 18. h3 h6 19. Qe2 Nd7 20. c4 dxc4 21. Bxc4 Bxc4 22. Rxc4 Qa6 23. Qc2. Dobre failed to prove any appreciable compensation for the Pawn and, as if that weren’t enough, he is already very short of time. All things considered, it’s all too easy for Goryachkina to improve her own position.
23. ... Rbc8 24. Rd1

24. ... b6? Inevitably, Black falls into trouble. 24. ... Qf6 25. Rd6 Qe7 would have offered much more resistance.
25. Rd6 Qa3?! If 25. ... Nf6 then 26. Rxf6! gxf6 27. c6 followed by Nb3-d4 with plenty and plenty of compensation.
26. Rg4

26. ... Nxc5? This loses catastrophically, but 26. ... Kh8 is no better at all because of 27. Qf5 Nf8 28. Rxh6+! Kg8 (or 28. ... gxh6 29. Qf6+ and mate next move) 29. Rxg7+! Kxg7 30. Qf6+ followed by mate. A little better seems 26. ... Ne5, though after 27. Rg3! hard times awaits Black anyway.

27. Rxh6 Nxb3 28. Qh7+ Kf8 29. Qxg7+ Ke8 30. Rh8+. The mighty engines say that after 30. Qe5+! White forces mate in five moves. Nothing to argue about.
30. ... Kd7 31. Qxf7+ Qe7. Playing for a self-mating net. The prosaic 31. ... Kc6 32. Rxc8 Rxc8 33. axb3+− leaves Black three Pawns down.
32. Qf5+. She’s too excited to notice 32. Qd5+! Qd6 33. Rg7#, but it is a venial oversight as there is no way ahead for Black.
32. ... Qe6 33. Rh7+ Kd6 34. Rg6 Nc5 35. Rxe6+ Nxe6 36. Rh6 1 : 0.

Up and Down Stairs

Haik M. Martirosyan – Aleksandra Yuryevna Goryachkina
20th European Individual Chess Championship; Skopje, March 27, 2019
Réti Opening A07

A particularly difficult opponent awaited Goryachkina today. World Youth Chess Champion Under-16 in 2016, Armenian Chess Champion in 2018, last month Martirosyan just shared first place with Kaido Külaots in the 17th Aeroflot Open, finishing second on tie-break. 1. Nf3 d5 2. g3 c6 3. Bg2 Bg4 4. d3 Nf6 5. Nbd2 Nbd7 6. h3 Bh5 7. 0-0 e5 8. e4 dxe4 9. dxe4 Be7 10. Qe1 0-0 11. Nc4 Qc7 12. Nh4 Rfe8 13. a4 Bf8 14. Bd2 Nc5 15. Bc3. Of course, there is another way, quite similar: 15. Ba5 b6 16. Bc3 Nfd7 17. f4 f6 18. fxe5 fxe5 19. Ne3 Ne6 20. Nef5 Rad8 21. Kh1 Nf6 22. Nh6+ gxh6 23. Rxf6 Nd4 24. Rf2 Bg6 25. Qe3 Qg7 26. Raf1 Be7 27. Nxg6 Qxg6 28. Be1 Rf8 29. b4 Rxf2 30. Rxf2 Rf8 31. c3 Rxf2 32. Bxf2 Ne6 33. h4 Nc7 34. Qd3 Qd6 35. Qc4+ Qe6 36. Qxe6+ Nxe6 37. Be3 Bf8 38. Bh3 Kf7 39. Bf1 Nc7 40. Bc4+ Kf6 41. Kg2 Ne8 42. Bg8 Kg7 43. Be6 Nf6 44. Kf3 Kg6 45. Bf5+ Kg7 46. Ke2 h5 47. Kd3 Kf7 48. a5 1 : 0 Nakamura – Pelletier, 6th Kortschnoi Zürich Chess Challenge (45+10), Zürich 2017. 15. ... Nfd7 16. f4!? Black gained the upper hand in Javakhadze – Sevian, 10th Philadelphia Open, Philadelphia 2016, after 16. Bf3? Bxf3 17. Nxf3 b5!⩱ — understandably, White changes direction and move. 16. ... exf4 17. gxf4 f6 18. b4. 18. e5 Nb6 doesn’t seem to lead anywhere. 18. ... Bf7 19. Nd2 Na6. 19. ... Ne6 20. e5 c5⩱ seems to offer more prospects for an advantage. Black’s move is not wrong in itself, but, as it will become clear very soon, it aims at the wrong target. 20. Rb1 Qb6+ 21. Kh1

21. ... Bxb4?? A grave miscalculation, which in fact costs Goryachkina the game immediately. Black ought to play 21. ... c5! 22. a5! Qd8 23. b5 Nb4 24. Qg3! Nxc2 25. e5 with White’s initiative compensating for the Pawn, but probably not more. 22. Bxb4 Nxb4 23. Qg3! Black cannot defend both wings. 23. ... Nf8 24. Nf5 Ng6 25. Nd6 Re7 26. e5 Ba2 27. Rb2 fxe5 28. fxe5 Bd5 29. c3 Bxg2+ 30. Qxg2 Qe3 31. cxb4 Qxe5 32. N2c4 Qe6 33. Rff2 Qe1+ 34. Kh2 Rd8 35. b5 Qe6 36. Rbe2 Qd7 37. bxc6 bxc6 38. Rxe7 Qxe7 39. Qxc6 Qe6 40. Qc7 Rf8 41. Qxa7 Rxf2+ 42. Qxf2 1 : 0.

Something Special

Aleksandra Yuryevna Goryachkina – Rauf Mamedov
20th European Individual Chess Championship; Skopje, March 26, 2019
King’s Indian Defence E81

1. d4 Nf6 2. c4 g6 3. Nc3 Bg7 4. e4 d6 5. f3 0-0 6. Be3 c5 7. Nge2 Nc6 8. d5 Na5. The alternative is 8. ... Ne5, against which Goryachkina scored a crushing victory not so long ago: 9. Ng3 h5 10. Be2 h4 11. Nf1 e6 12. Bg5 h3 13. Ne3 hxg2 14. Rg1 Qa5 15. Qd2 exd5 16. Bxf6 Bxf6 17. Nexd5 Bh4+ 18. Kd1 Qd8 19. f4 Ng4 20. Rxg2 Nf2+ 21. Kc2 Bh3 22. Rgg1 Re8 23. Bf3 Qc8 24. Rg3 Bxg3 25. hxg3 Ng4 26. Rh1 Nh6 27. Nf6+ Kf8 28. Qxd6+ Re7 29. Ncd5 Ng8 30. Nxg8 1 : 0 Goryachkina – Blohberger, 16th Tradewise Gibraltar Chess Festival, Catalan Bay 2018. 9. b3 a6 10. Rc1 Bd7 11. Ng3 Rb8 12. Bd3! This is probably an improvement on 12. a3 b5 13. cxb5 axb5 14. b4 cxb4 15. axb4 Nc4 which seems to be fine for Black, Keymer – Nikolov, 26th ZMDI Open, Dresden 2017. 12. ... b5 13. 0-0 bxc4 14. bxc4 Qc7 15. Bd2 e6. Worth considering was 15. ... Rb2 16. Rc2 (or 16. Rb1 Rb4!?∞) 16. ... Rfb8 with a reasonable game. 16. Qe1 Rfe8. 16. ... Rb2 was still possible, after which White can continue with both 17. Rb1 and 17. Rf2 with an edge in either case. 17. Nce2 Nb7 18. Bc3 h5 19. Qd2. Here 19. dxe6 Bxe6 (19. ... fxe6? 20. e5!+−) 20. f4 was a tempting, perhaps stronger, option. 19. ... e5 20. Rb1 h4 21. Nh1 Nh5 22. Rb3 Kh7 23. Rfb1 Bh6 24. Qb2 Bc8 25. Rb6. White succeeded in getting a big advantage by simple means, and now she has somehow to turn it into a win — a thing still far from easy. 25. ... Be3+ 26. Kf1 Qe7 27. Bd2 Qg5. 27. ... Bxd2 28. Qxd2 Ra8 looks a more stubborn defence, but after 29. Nf2 (among others) White continues to be in the driver’s seat. 28. Bxe3 Qxe3 29. Nf2 h3

30. Qc1. Now the engines suggest 30. g4! (followed, in case of 30. ... Nf6, by 31. Ng1) — which could indeed be White’s best winning attempt. However, it’s hard to think that Goryachkina’s move may be wrong. 30. ... hxg2+ 31. Kxg2 Qxc1 32. Rxc1 Ra8 33. Bc2 Na5? With the approaching of the time control, Mamedov becomes anxious and helps his opponent decisively in fulfilling her wishes. The move in the text, indeed, loses a vital Pawn, leaving White with a powerful passed central Pawn and (nearly) a technical win. Therefore a better advice would be 33. ... Kg7 34. Nd3± — White stands obviously better, but no forced win is demonstrable. 34. Rxd6 Nxc4 35. Rc6 Ne3+ 36. Kg1 Bd7 37. Rxc5 Nxc2 38. R5xc2 Kg7 39. Nd3 Bb5 40. Nc5 Rec8 41. Ng3! 1 : 0.

Far From Over

Aleksandra Yuryevna Goryachkina – Alexander Alexandrovich Moiseenko
20th European Individual Chess Championship; Skopje, March 24, 2019
Nimzo-Indian Defence E36

1. d4 Nf6 2. c4 e6 3. Nc3 Bb4 4. Qc2 d5 5. a3 Bxc3+ 6. Qxc3 c5!? 7. dxc5 d4. Moiseenko chose the sharp variation introduced by his country fellow Grandmaster Oleg Mikhailovich Romanishin in which Black sacrifices one or two Pawns for a powerful initiative. 8. Qg3 Nc6 9. Nf3. 12th World Chess Champion Anatoly Yevgenyevich Karpov paid dearly for taking the second Pawn: 9. Qxg7 Rg8 10. Qh6 e5 11. b4 Rg6 12. Qd2 Ne4 13. Qb2 Qf6 14. e3 a5 15. b5 Ne7 16. Bd3? Nxc5 17. Bxg6 Qxg6 18. Kf1 Be6−+ Karpov – Édouard, 5th Karpov Trophy, Cap d’Agde 2016. 9. ... e5 10. b4 e4. A very interesting though controversial other line is 10. ... 0-0 11. Nxe5 Ne4 12. Nxc6 bxc6 13. Qd3 Bf5 14. Bb2 Qg5∞ Dreev – Sakaev, 60th Russian Chess Championship, Moscow 2007. 11. Nd2. White could also continue 11. b5 exf3 (11. ... Na5 12. Nd2 appears to be more unpleasant for Black) 12. bxc6 with a very slight edge. 11. ... Be6! A powerful novelty instead of 11. ... 0-0 12. e3⩲ Ivanišević – Naiditsch, 20th Vidmar Memorial, Bled 2016. 12. e3!? Goryachkina boldly challenges her opponent to show his cards. But, objectively speaking, the best continuation seems to be 12. Qxg7 Rg8 13. Qh6 Qe7! (intending Queenside castling), with Black’s development advantage well compensating for the two sacrificed Pawns. 12. ... Nh5! 13. Qd6 Qh4! 14. g3 Qf6 15. Nxe4 Qf3 16. Ng5 Qxh1 17. Nxe6 fxe6 18. Qxe6+ Kf8. What an unbalance! White has two Bishops and three Pawns against Rook and two Knights, and, more importantly still, an arrow in reserve.

19. b5! Re8!? Black decides to return a Knight in order to coordinate his position without running risks. 20. Qd6+?? It is hard to understand such unbelievably bad judgment! It was natural and consequent 20. Qf5+! Nf6 21. bxc6 Qxc6 (maybe 21. ... bxc6!?∞) 22. g4!? h6!?∞ with a game unclear enough to make its outcome more unclear. 20. ... Ne7 21. exd4 Kf7 22. Be3 Nf6 23. 0-0-0. White’s position quickly deteriorates now, but there were no good moves; if 23. Qf4 there might follow 23. ... g5! with devastating force. 23. ... Nf5 24. Qf4 Nxe3 25. fxe3 Qxh2 26. Bd3. Allowing Her Majesty to enter the Queenside stage, but 26. Rd2 Qg1 27. Rf2 Rhf8 would have lead to the same outcome. 26. ... Qa2 27. g4 h6 28. Rf1 Rhf8 29. g5 hxg5 30. Qxg5 Kg8 31. Rg1 Re7 32. Qg3 Rff7 33. c6 bxc6 34. bxc6 Qxa3+ 35. Kd2 Qb4+ 36. Ke2 Nh5 0 : 1.

Arrivals & Departures

Aleksandra Yuryevna Goryachkina – Romain Édouard
20th European Individual Chess Championship; Skopje, March 21, 2019
Queen’s Pawn Game A40

1. d4 e6 2. c4 Bb4+ 3. Bd2 a5 4. e4 d5 5. a3 Bxd2+ 6. Nxd2 dxe4 7. Nxe4 Nf6 8. Nc3 0-0 9. Be2 Na6 10. Nf3 c5 11. 0-0 Qb6

12. Na4 Qc7 13. Nxc5 Nxc5 14. dxc5 Qxc5 15. Qd4 Qxd4 16. Nxd4 a4 17. f4 Bd7 18. Bf3 Rac8 19. Rac1 Rc7 ½ : ½. Bravo to Aleksandra Yuryevna Goryachkina for the authority with which she yielded a draw in Round 4 of the 20th European Individual Chess Championship to French Grandmaster Romain Édouard, who recently authored the book “My Magic Years with Topalov” (Thinkers Publishing, Landegem, 2019).

Two-time Russian Women’s Chess Champion Aleksandra Yuryevna Goryachkina on her way back from the 7th World Women’s Team Chess Championship in Kazakhstan, where she finished undefeated with 8 out of 9. Photo © RIA Novosti/Valery Melnikov.

Just One Time

Boris Abramovich Gelfand – Alessio Valsecchi
20th European Individual Chess Championship; Skopje, March 19, 2019
English Opening A18

1. c4 Nf6 2. Nc3 e6 3. e4 d5 4. e5 d4 5. exf6 dxc3 6. bxc3 Qxf6 7. d4 c5 8. Nf3 h6 9. Bd3 cxd4 10. cxd4 Bb4+ 11. Kf1!? Nd7!? Vintage theory reads thus: 11. ... Nc6 12. Bb2 Bc5 13. Bc2 0-0 14. Qd3 Rd8 15. Rd1 with the initiative, Seirawan – Kortschnoi, 42th Hoogovens International Chess Tournament, Wijk aan Zee 1980. 12. Rb1 Be7 13. c5 e5 14. Bb2 Qe6? This is the first serious error by Valsecchi. 14. ... 0-0! seemed perfectly playable. 15. Nxe5 Nxe5

16. d5! This powerful zwischenzug, obviously unforeseen by Valsecchi — who was probably expecting 16. dxe5? 0-0! — decisively crushes Black’s position. 16. ... Qf6 17. Qe2 Bf5 18. Bb5+ Kf8 19. Bxe5 Qg6 20. Re1. Maybe it’s only a matter of taste, but 20. Rb3! Bxc5 21. Rg3 Bg4! 22. Qb2! f6 23. Bd3 seems even stronger. 20. ... a6. If 20. ... Bxc5 then 21. h4! maintaining the bind on Black. 21. Bg3! axb5. 21. ... Re8 is no better, on account of 22. d6! axb5 23. Kg1! followed by d6xe7+ and Bg3-d6 with overwhelming advantage. 22. Qxe7+ Kg8 23. h4 Rxa2. 23. ... Kh7 should likewise have been met by Kf1-g1-h2. 24. h5? This move incredibly loses a crucial tempo, which could have costed Gelfand a well deserved win. White ought to play 24. Kg1! at once, to be followed by Kg1-h2. 24. ... Qg5! 25. d6!? If 25. Qe8+ then 25. ... Kh7 26. Qxf7 Rha8 (intending to exchange two pairs of Rooks) 27. Kg1 Ra1 28. Kh2 Rf8!! 29. Qe7 Qxh5+ 30. Qh4 Qxh4+ 31. Bxh4 Rxe1 32. Rxe1 Rc8 33. Be7 b4 with equality. 25. ... Qd2? Valsecchi misses his salvation: after 25. ... Qxe7! 26. dxe7 Kh7! there’s nothing left for White except to content himself with a draw. 26. Kg1! But now it’s all right again! 26. ... Kh7 27. Kh2 Rc8. Black self-mates in short order, but other moves weren’t better. 28. Qxf7 Rxc5 29. Re8 Qd5 30. Qf8 1 : 0.

It’s Not Luck

Aleksandra Yuryevna Goryachkina – Mikhail Robertovich Kobalia
20th European Individual Chess Championship; Skopje, March 19, 2019
Semi-Slav Defence D45

1. d4 d5 2. c4 c6 3. Nf3 Nf6 4. Nc3 e6 5. e3 a6 6. b3 Bb4 7. Bd2 Nbd7 8. Bd3 0-0 9. 0-0 Qe7 10. Bc2! After the routine 10. Qc2 it might follow: 10. ... e5 11. dxe5 Nxe5 12. Nxe5 Qxe5 13. Nxd5 Nxd5 14. cxd5 Bxd2 15. Qxd2 Qxd5 16. Qc2 Qh5 17. f4 f5 18. Rae1 Be6 19. e4 fxe4 20. Bxe4 Bd5 21. f5 Bxe4 22. Rxe4 Rae8 23. Qc4+ Qf7 24. Rxe8 Rxe8 25. Qg4 Qf6 26. Qc4+ Qf7 27. Qg4 Qf6 28. Qc4+ Qf7 ½ : ½ Goryachkina – Korchmar, 54th World Junior Chess Championship, Khanty-Mansiysk 2015. 10. ... b6!? If 10. ... e5 then 11. Nxd5! cxd5 12. Bxb4 Qxb4 13. dxe5 Ng4 14. Qd4 Nh6 15. cxd5 Qxd4 16. exd4 with a small advantage for White in the endgame. In the première game of 10. Bc2, play instead continued with 10. ... Rd8 11. a3!? Bxa3!? 12. Rxa3! Qxa3 13. c5! (Black’s Queen is almost trapped!) 13. ... b6!? 14. b4!? (Aronian – Carlsen, 5th Altibox Norway Chess, Stavanger 2017), and now Black’s best would have probably been 14. ... Qb2 15. cxb6 Nxb6 16. Ne5 Ne4 17. Nxe4 dxe4 18. Bxe4⩲ (Alex Vladislavovich Yermolinsky’s analysis). 11. Re1 dxc4 12. bxc4 Bb7 13. e4 e5 14. Ne2 Bxd2 15. Qxd2 Rfe8 16. Ng3 g6

17. Qg5! With the obvious threat of Ng3-f5. White clearly got the upper hand. 17. ... Kh8 18. Nxe5 Nxe5 19. dxe5 Qxe5 20. Qxe5 Rxe5 21. f4 Rc5 22. e5 Nd5 23. Bb3? White is seeking complications, but simply 23. cxd5 Rxc2 24. Rec1! Rxc1+ 25. Rxc1 c5 (or 25. ... cxd5 26. Rc7 winning back the Pawn with powerful advantage) 26. d6 seems to give her a much better ending. 23. ... Nxf4 24. Ne4 Rxe5 25. Nd6 Rxe1+ 26. Rxe1 Rb8 27. c5?? This inversion of moves — due to miscalculation — has serious, immediate consequences. White first ought to play 27. Re7 and after 27. ... Ba8 then 28. c5! walling up Black’s Bishop, even though at cost of two Pawns. There might still follow: 28. ... bxc5 29. Nxf7+ Kg7 30. Nd6+ Kh6 31. g3 (if 31. h4 then 31. ... c4! 32. Nxc4 Nd5 33. Ra7 g5! with a drawish outcome) 31. ... Nd5 32. Ra7 Nb6! 33. Rxa6 c4! 34. Nxc4 Nxc4 35. Bxc4 c5 with a draw soon coming. 27. ... Nd3 28. Re7 Nxc5. And the tables are turned! Strangely, Goryachkina must have overlooked this move when she played 27. c5. 29. g4!? Maybe a little better is 29. Bxf7, though even then it would follow 29. ... Kg7! 30. Bc4+ Kf6 31. Rxh7 a5 with a clearly better endgame for Black. 29. ... Nxb3 30. axb3 Ba8 31. g5 Kg8 32. Rxf7 Rd8 33. Rf6 Rf8 34. Re6 c5 35. Ne8 Kf7 36. Nc7 Rc8 37. Rf6+ Ke7 38. Nxa8 Rxa8 39. Rxb6 c4 40. b4. 40.bxc4 a5 loses as well. 40. ... Rc8 41. Rxa6 c3 42. Ra1 Kd6 43. Kf2 Kd5 44. b5 c2 0 : 1.

Pictured above is two-time Russian Women’s Chess Champion Aleksandra Yuryevna Goryachkina, who, at the recent World Women’s Team Chess Championship, was the undisputed superstar of the Russian women’s team, winning 6 games in a row and finishing unbeaten with 8 out of 9. Photo: eicc2019.mk.

Draniki

Daniele Vocaturo – Alan Tate
18th European Individual Chess Championship; Minsk, May 30, 2017
Two Knights Defence C55

1. e4 e5 2. Nf3 Nc6 3. d4 exd4 4. Bc4 Nf6 5. e5 d5 6. Bb5 Ne4 7. Nxd4 Bd7 8. Bxc6 bxc6 9. 0-0 Bc5 10. f3 Ng5 11. f4 Ne4 12. Be3 Bb6. No doubt Vocaturo knows very well what is playing. If 12. ... 0-0 there might follow 13. Nd2 f6 14. Nxe4 dxe4 15. Qe2 Qe7 16. Qc4+ Kh8 17. Nf5 Bxe3+ 18. Nxe3 Rab8 19. b3 Rb4 20. Qc3 h6 21. Rad1 a5 22. exf6 Rxf6 23. Qe5 Re6 24. Qxa5 Rb5 25. Qxc7 Qc5 26. Rfe1 Be8 27. Qc8 Qe7 28. Qd8 Qc5 29. f5 Re5 30. f6 gxf6 31. Qxf6+ Kh7 32. Rd6 1 : 0 Vocaturo – Martínez López, 17th Sants Open 2015, Barcelona 2015. 13. Nd2 Nxd2 14. Qxd2 c5 15. Nf3 d4 16. Bf2 0-0. Probably sounder is 16. ... Bc6, e.g. 17. Bh4 Qd7 18. Rad1 0-0 19. f5 Qxf5 20. Nxd4 Qh5 21. Nxc6 Qxh4 22. Qd5 c4+ 23. Kh1 Rae8 24. a4 Qg4 25. a5 Be3 26. Rf3 Bg5 27. Rd4 Qe6 28. Qxc4 f6 29. h4 fxe5 30. Re4 Qxc4 31. Rxc4 Bd2 32. Re4 Re6 33. Nd4 Rxf3 34. Nxe6 Rf1+ 35. Kh2 Bxa5 36. Rxe5 Bb4 37. Nc5 Rf2 38. c3 Bxc5 39. Rxc5 Rxb2 ½ : ½ G. C. B. Jones – E. l’Ami, 5th Remco Heite GM Tournament, Wolvega 2014. 17. a4!? Just a little diversion. For 17. Qd3 Qc8 18. b4 cxb4 19. Nxd4 c5 20. Nf3 c4 21. Qd6 Rb8 22. Rad1 Bf5 see Smerdon – Wallis, 23rd Australian Open, Sydney 2015. 17. ... a5 18. Qd3 Qc8 19. Nh4. Prevents ... Bd7-f5. 19. ... f6? This will turn out to be a wrong and very detrimental idea, as it dramatically weakens Black’s Kingside. Probably best is 19. ... f5 (Stockfish) eventually followed by ... Bd7-e6-d5. 20. Rae1 Be6? After which White’s attack is easy and unbearable. Perhaps Black might do a little better by 20. ... Qa6, but, even in such a case, 21. Qf3 followed by f4-f5 would be very unpleasant for him to bear.

21. f5! Bd5 22. c4! Qa6 23. b3 Bc6 24. exf6 Rxf6 25. Bg3 Raf8 26. Be5 R6f7 27. f6! gxf6. No better is 27. ... g6 28. Nxg6 hxg6 29. Qxg6+ Kh8 30. Rf4 with mate to follow in three moves. 28. Rxf6! With the deadly threat of Rf6-g6+. 1 : 0. For if 28. ... Rxf6 then 29. Qg3+ Kf7 (neither 29. ... Kh8 30. Nf5 nor 29. ... Rg6 30. Nxg6 would change the outcome) 30. Bxf6 Kxf6 31. Qe5+ Kf7 32. Rf1+ and mate in three moves.

Bivirga

Anton Demchenko – David Wei Liang Howell
17th European Individual Chess Championship; Gjakova, May 23, 2016
Giuoco Piano C54

1. e4 e5 2. Nf3 Nc6 3. Bc4 Bc5 4. c3 Nf6 5. d3 a6 6. 0-0 Ba7 7. Bg5 h6 8. Bh4 d6 9. Nbd2 g5 10. Bg3 0-0. Vainly trying to improve on 10. ... Na5 11. Bd5 0-0 12. b4 c6 13. Bxf7+ Rxf7 14. bxa5 Qxa5 15. d4 Qxc3 16. dxe5 dxe5 17. Re1 Qb4 18. Nxe5 Rf8 19. a3 Qd4 20. Qb3+ Kh7 21. Rad1 Qb6 22. Qc2 Qc5 23. Nec4 Ne8 24. Nb3 Qe7 25. Nd6 Bg4 26. Rd2 Ng7 27. Nc5 Ne6 28. Ncxb7 Nd4 29. Rxd4 Bxd4 30. e5+ Kh8 31. Qc4 Bc8 32. Nxc8 Qxb7 33. Nd6 Qa7 34. e6 Bf6 35. Nf7+ Rxf7 36. exf7 Qxf7 37. Qxc6 Qf8 38. a4 a5 39. h3 Bg7 40. Rc1 Rd8 41. Qb6 Rd5 42. Qb7 Qf5 43. Rc8+ Kh7 44. Rc7 Rd1+ 45. Kh2 Qf6 46. Re7 1 : 0 Demchenko – Venkatesh, 8th International Chess Open, Chennai 2016. 11. a4 g4 12. Bh4! A tremendous surprise – in both practical and psychological ways. 12. ... Kg7. If 12. ... gxf3 then 13. Qxf3 Kg7 14. Rfd1 with the threat of Nd2-f1-g3-h5+.

13. Kh1! Intending – if Black doesn’t take the Knight – Nf3-g1 followed by f2-f4. 13. ... gxf3 14. Qxf3 Nb8 15. g4! White has only a Pawn for the Knight, but his initiative looks really dangerous. 15. ... Nbd7 16. Rg1 Rh8 17. Nf1 Qe8? The decisive mistake in a difficult position. Best was 17. ... Kf8 18. Ng3 Rg8 in order to answer 19. Nh5 by 19. ... Rg5! with the aim of reducing as most as possible the strenght of White’s attack. 18. g5! Big Bang disruption. 18. ... Ng8 19. gxh6+ Kf8. Or 19. ... Kxh6 20. Bg5+ Kh7 21. Be7+ Kh7 22. Qf5+ Kh6 23. Qh3 mate. 20. Qg3 Ngf6 21. Qg7+ Ke7 22. Rg6! Rg8 23. Bxf6+ Nxf6 24. Qxf6+ Kd7 25. Bxf7 1 : 0.

Anton Demchenko
Photo: Delhi Chess Association

The Importance of Being Earnest

Ekaterina Sekenova (@katya_sekenova)

Ernesto already knows we are always with him, but if someone doesn’t believe it... Congrats to our Champion Ernesto Kazbekovich Inarkiev!!!