Let It Be

Aleksandra Yuryevna Goryachkina – Nino Batsiashvili
2nd Women’s Chess World Cup; round of 16 match game 2; Baku, August 10, 2023
Queen’s Gambit Declined D37

1. d4 d5 2. c4 e6 3. Nf3 d5 4. Nc3 Nbd7 5. Bf4 Bb4 6. cxd5 exd5 7. e3 Ne4 8. Qc2 g5 9. Be5 Rg8 (9. ... f6 10. Bg3 h5 11. h4!)
10. h3!? A novelty by Goryachkina. If, instead, 10. Bd3 then 10. ... Bxc3+ 11. bxc3 g4 12. Bxe4 dxe4 13. Qxe4 Qe7 14. Qxh7 Rf8 15. Nd2 Nxe5 16. dxe5 Bd7 17. Qe4 0-0-0 18. Nb3 (Osmak – Buksa, 23rd European Women’s Chess Championship, Petrovac 2023) and now 18. ... f5! 19. Qf4 Bb5! would have given Black more than enough compensation for the two Pawns.

10. ... Nb6?! Here Batsiashvili’s trouble begins. 10. ... Nxe5 11. Nxe5 Qe7 seems quite playable for Black.
11. Nd2! Nxd2? Two mistakes are enough for one day. Probably Batsiashvili was not too happy with 11. ... f6 12. Bh2 Bf5 13. Bd3 — and probably rightly so — but it was her best option.
12. Qxh7! A strong zwischenzug which demolishes Black’s defences.
12. ... Rg6 13. Kxd2 Bf5 14. g4! Be4

15. f3! Bxf3 16. Bb5+! c6

17. Raf1! cxb5. The Rook is obviously taboo because of the mate at f7.
18. Rxf3 Nc4+ 19. Ke2 Nxe5 20. Qh8+ Bf8 21. Qxe5+ Re6 22. Qxd5 b4 23. Qxb7 Be7 24. Nd5. Mission accomplished. The rest is a massacre.
24. ... Rc8 25. Rhf1 f6 26. Nxf6+ Bxf6 27. Rxf6 Rxf6 28. Rxf6 Rc2+ 29. Kd1 Qxf6 30. Qe4+ Kd8 31. Kxc2 Qd6 32. Qa8+ Ke7 33. Qxa7+ Kf6 34. Qc5 Qh2+ 35. Kb3 1 : 0.

When asked about her chances of winning first prize in the Women’s World Chess Cup, Goryachkina responded, perhaps out of superstition, “Two years ago I considered myself a greater favourite than now, so I’m just playing and whatever will be, will be”. Photo: Eteri Kublashvili/Chess Federation of Russia.

Salt and Sugar

Nino Batsiashvili – Aleksandra Yuryevna Goryachkina
FIDE Women’s Grand Prix 2022–23; 3rd stage; New Delhi, April 1, 2023
Queen’s Pawn Game D00

1. d4 d5 2. Nc3 c6 3. Bf4. Batsiashvili is not interested in transposing the opening into the Caro-Kann Defence by 3. e4.
3. ... Bf5 4. f3 e6 5. e4 Bg6 6. Nh3!? After the more stereotyped 6. a3 Nf6 7. e5 Nfd7 8. Bd3 c5 9. Nge2 Nc6 Black is already better, Niemann – Goryachkina, Titled Tuesday August 4, 2020 2 P.M., chess.com, August 4, 2020 (time control: 3 minutes plus 1 second per move).
6. ... Bb4 7. Nf2 Nf6 8. e5 Nfd7 9. h4 h6 10. h5 Bh7

11. Rh3!? White lifts the Rook to her third rank with belligerent intentions against the adverse King. If, instead, 11. Bd3 then maybe 11. ... Bxd3 12. Nxd3 Bxc3+ 13. bxc3 c5 with fine play for Black.
11. ... c5 12. a3 Ba5 13. b4? A totally unjustified Pawn sacrifice, making a weird echoing out-of-tune of a recommendation by Alekhine in a Winawer French sideline (1. e4 e6 2. d4 d5 3. Nc3 Bb4 4. e5 c5 5. a3 Ba5 6. b4!?). Much sounder was 13. dxc5 with a reasonable degree of tenability.
13. ... cxb4 14. Nb5?? Tragically consistent with the Alekhinian French pattern, Batsiashvili forgets all about Black’s light-squared Bishop! On the other hand, at this point, even the better continuation 14. axb4 Bxb4 15. Bd2 Nc6 leaves White a Pawn down without any compensation.

Black finally cashes in her second Pawn with the help of a little tactics:
14. ... Bxc2! 15. Qxc2. In desperation Black sacrifices her Queen for two Bishops, hoping for an impossible miracle on the Kingside. Of course Goryachkina concedes nothing.
15. ... b3+ 16. Qd2 Bxd2+ 17. Bxd2 0-0 18. Rg3 Kh8 19. Ng4 Nc6 20. Bd3 a6 21. Nd6 Qh4 22. Kf2

22. ... f5! 23. exf6 Nxf6 24. Nxf6 Qxd4+ 25. Be3 Qb2+ 26. Be2 Rxf6 27. Rd1 Qxa3 28. Nxb7 d4 29. Bxd4 Nxd4 30. Rxd4 Qe7 31. Na5 b2 32. Bd3 Qc5 33. Nb3 Qb6 0 : 1.

One should never mix things. Photo © Ismael Nieto/FIDE.

Another Brick in the Great Wall

Nino Batsiashvili – 雷挺婕 (Léi Tǐngjié)
1st Women’s Grand Swiss Chess Tournament; Riga, November 3, 2021
Queen’s Gambit Accepted D27

1. d4 d5 2. c4 dxc4 3. Nf3 Nf6 4. e3 e6 5. Bxc4 c5 6. 0-0 a6 7. e4 b5 8. Be2 Nxe4 9. a4 b4 10. Qc2? 雷挺婕 (Léi Tǐngjié) later called this a “big mistake”, saying that very likely her opponent “forgot some lines”. A recent game continued: 10. Nbd2 Bb7 11. Nxe4 Bxe4 12. Be3 cxd4 13. Nxd4 Nc6 14. Rc1 Nxd4 15. Bxd4 Bd6 with approximate equality, Shankland – Domínguez Pérez, 6th Grand Chess Tour, 5th stage, Saint Louis Rapid & Blitz, Saint Louis 2021 (time control: 25 minutes plus 10 seconds per move).

10. ... Bb7 11. Rd1 Nd7 12. Bf4 cxd4 13. Rxd4 Rc8 14. Bc4. 14. Qd3 Nef6 15. Nbd2 Bc5 is obviously good for Black, but (maybe) also a little better for White. 14. ... Nef6 15. Nbd2 Bc5 16. Rd3 Qb6 17. Rf1. 17. Bg3 0-0 does not make much difference. 17. ... 0-0 18. a5 Qc6! With the devastating threat of ... e6-e5. White cannot do much about it. 19. Re1 Rfe8 20. Nh4 e5 21. Bg5 e4 22. Rg3 Ne5 23. Nf5

The time has come for 雷挺婕 (Léi Tǐngjié) to unleash her grand assault, “from a position” — Grandmaster Ian Rogers wrote in his report for the KasparovChess website — “where most believed the Georgian was the attacker”. 23. ... Nh5! 24. Qb3. 24. Rh3 is also met by 24. ... e3 threatening mate on g2. 24. ... e3! Opening the long diagonal. 25. Nxe3 Bxe3 26. Bd5. A desperate and vain attempt to put a stop to Black’s battery.

26. ... Bxf2+! 27. Kxf2 Qc5+ 28. Qe3 (28. Be3 Qxd5−+) 28. ... Nd3+! 29. Kf1 Nxg3+ 30. Qxg3 Rxe1+ 0 : 1.

雷挺婕 (Léi Tǐngjié), by virtue of her triumph in the inaugural Women’s Grand Swiss, made her bid for the crown which was worn in recent and in less recent years by 谢军 (Xiè Jūn), 诸宸 (Zhū Chén), 许昱华 (Xǔ Yùhuá), 侯逸凡 (Hóu Yìfán), 谭中怡 (Tán Zhōngyí), and 居文君 (Jū Wénjūn). Photo: Anna Shtourman.

Sturmtruppen

Nino Batsiashvili – 侯逸凡 (Hóu Yìfán)
27th Frauen-Bundesliga; Schwäbisch Hall, March 25, 2018
Queen’s Pawn Game A40

1. d4 e6 2. c4 b6 3. e4 Bb7 4. Bd3 Bb4+ 5. Bd2 Bxd2+ 6. Nxd2 d6 7. Ne2 Nd7 8. 0-0 Ne7 9. f4 e5 10. fxe5 dxe5 11. d5 a5 12. Nf3. Out of theory (in fact, a Chinese reference): 12. Ng3 0-0 13. Bc2 Nc5 14. b3 Qd6 15. a3 Nd7 16. Kh1 Ba6 17. Rf3 c6 18. Nf5 Nxf5 19. exf5 cxd5 20. Ne4 Qc7 21. cxd5 Rfc8 22. Rc1 Qd8? (22. ... Nc5! was called for) 23. f6!+− g6 24. Qd2 Nc5 25. Ng5 e4 26. Nxe4 Bb7 27. Nc3 Nd7 28. Qd4 Qe8 29. Re3 Qd8 30. Re7 Qc7 31. Bf5 1 : 0 居文君 (Jū Wénjūn) – 万云国 (Wàn Yúnguó), World Champion Chess Championship Zonal 3.5, 中山 (Zhōngshān) 2014. 12. ... Ng6 13. b3 Qe7 14. Qd2 Nc5 15. Bc2 Bc8 16. Ng3 0-0 17. Nf5 Qf6 18. Rae1 Bd7 19. a3 Nb7 20. h3. 20. h4!? looked very natural as well, for if 20. ... Nd6 there might follow 21. h5 Nf4 22. Nxe5 Nh3+ 23. gxh3 Qxe5 24. Rf3 with some initiative for White. 20. ... Rfe8 21. Nh2. Threatening to win the Queen by Nf5-h6+. 21. ... Nf4 22. Kh1 h5 23. Nf3 Nd6 24. Nxe5. Finally, White wins a Pawn, but Black’s very active Rook fully compensates for it. 24. ... Bxf5 25. exf5 Rxe5 26. Rxe5 Qxe5 27. Qxf4 Re8 28. Qxe5 Rxe5 29. Bd3 Re3 30. Rd1 Re5 31. Rf1 Re3 32. Rd1 Kf8 33. b4 axb4 34. axb4 Ke7 35. Kg1 Re5 36. g4 hxg4 37. hxg4 Ne8!? The engines give here as best (or safest) 37. ... f6 38. Kf2 Nf7. From a human standpoint, however, it’s understandable the need for a less defensive attitude. 38. Kf2 b5! Probably the only move. 39. c5 Nf6. Black cannot regain the Pawn with 39. ... Rxd5? because of 40. Re1+ Kf8 41. Bxb5 Nf6 42. Kf3 with an almost winning ending.

40. Bxb5? Batsiashvili is lucky enough that her 40th move is not a losing mistake, but only a mistake which loses a Bishop for two Pawns. Instead, she should have played 40. Kf3! Nxd5 41. Bxb5 with quite a drawish endgame, which, however, looks somewhat more pleasant for White. 40. ... Ne4+ 41. Kf3 Nc3 42. Kf4. White delays for one move her saving clause of 42. d6+ cxd6 43. Rxd6 Nxb5 44. Rb6 Nc3 45. Rb7+ Kf6 46. c6 Nd5 47. b5 Re3+ 48. Kf2 Rc3 (or also 48. ... Rb3) with an easy draw. 42. ... f6 43. d6+ cxd6 44. cxd6+? And this is the losing move. White was still in time for 44. Rxd6 Nxb5 45. Rb6 with a very likely draw. 44. ... Kd8 45. Ra1 Rxb5 46. Ra7 Rxb4+ 47. Kf3 Ne4 48. Rxg7 Ng5+ 49. Kg3 Rb3+ 50. Kf4. His Majesty commits harakiri, but without regret, as on other moves Black simply devours all White’s Pawn. 50. ... Rf3# 0 : 1.

Thoughts before afternoon tea. Photo © Thomas Marschner.

A diagram after White’s 45. Ra1. Photo © Viktor Taschner.

Sunday is not a workday

On next Sunday all the limelight will be on Schwäbisch Hall, Germany, where the high noon clash between SK Schwäbisch Hall and OSG Baden-Baden will determine the German Women’s Club Chess Champion of the FrauenBundesliga 2017/2018. OSG Baden-Baden, on paper, is favourite, thanks to its army of Chess Queens: Alexandra Konstantinovna Kosteniuk, Anna Olehivna Muzychuk, Mariya Olehivna Muzychuk, and, last but not least, four-time Women’s World Chess Champion 侯逸凡 (Hóu Yìfán), who is expected – by the managerial team of OSG Baden-Baden – to make her grand début on the FrauenBundesliga stage, given that a week later she will play the 5th GRENKE Chess Classic in Baden-Baden and Karlsruhe. On the other hand, SK Schwäbisch Hall just needs an equaliser to win the title, and may trust in the good shape of its stars Nino Batsiashvili, Lela Javakhishvili, and Deimantė Cornette. The games will be broadcasted live on http://www.thomas-marschner.de/.

From left: 侯逸凡 (Hóu Yìfán) next to Wolfgang Grenke. Photo © chess-international.de.

Curtain Falls

Nino Batsiashvili – Elena-Luminița Radu-Cosma
22nd European Women’s Chess Club Cup; Göynük, October 14, 2017
2q2rk1/R1rn1pp1/1p2p3/1Q4p1/2pP4/1P3N1P/5PPK/R7 w - - 0 36

Position after 35. ... Nb8xd7

The last round of the European Chess Club Cup(s) did not produce any substantial changes, and in the end, both in men’s and women’s competitions, the favoured teams ended up winning. Nino Batsiashvili finally knew the bitter taste of defeat, really doing her best to motivate her team to win even without her daily help. In the position of the diagram it is almost impossible to think that White may lose after 36. Ra8, but, as everyone knows, there is always more than one way to throw away anything! 36. bxc4?? Rxa7 37. Rxa7 Qb8+. Apparently Batsiashvili overlooked this trivial check! The follow-up is instructive: 38. Ne5 Nxe5 39. Ra3 Nf3++ 0 : 1. Mate follows next move.

Keep Climbing

Daria Stanislavovna Pustovoitova – Nino Batsiashvili
22nd European Women’s Chess Club Cup; Göynük, October 13, 2017
English Opening A13

In the meantime, women too were playing on the Titanic, and no one has been able so far to eclipse the star of Nino Batsiashvili. 1. Nf3 d5 2. e3 Nf6 3. c4 e6 4. b3 c5 5. Bb2 Nc6 6. cxd5 exd5 7. Be2 Bd6 8. 0-0 0-0 9. d4 cxd4 10. Nxd4 Qe7 11. Nxc6? This must be wrong. More commendable is 11. Nc3 Rd8 12. Ncb5 Bb8 13. Rc1 and White stands somewhat better, U. Andersson – F. Ólafsson, 1st “La Méditerranée” International Tournament, Geneva 1977. 11. ... bxc6 12. Nd2 Re8 13. Qc2 Bd7 14. Rfd1 a5 15. a4 Rab8 16. Bc3 Bc7 17. Bd4 Ng4 18. g3? Having to choose between three possibilities (h2-h3, Nd2-f3, and g2-g3), White – quite inexplicably – opts for the worst one. 18. ... Nxh2! 19. Kg2. 19. Kxh2 Qh4+ 20. Kg2 Qh3+ 21. Kg1 Bxg3 seems horrible for White, but after 22. Nf1! Bd6 23. f4 h6!? (Stockfish) Black should content herself only with her inititative. 19. ... Qe6 20. Rh1? The line abovementioned was now mandatory. 20. ... Qh3+ 21. Kg1 Bxg3! The difference is that now the Black Knight is on the board! 22. Nf1 Bf5!

23. Qd1? After this (mistake) Black’s attack easily triumphs. More stubborn was 23. Qxf5(!) Qxf5 24. Nxg3, although after either 24. ... Qg6 25. Kxh2 Rxb3 (Stockfish) or 24. ... Nf3+ 25. Kg2 Nxd4 26. Nxf5 Nxf5 Black should win anyway. 23. ... Be4 24. f3 Re6! (Δ ... Re6-g6) 25. Nxh2 Rh6 26. fxe4 Bxh2+ 27. Kf2 Qg3+ 28. Kf1 dxe4 29. Qc2 Re8 30. Bg4!? c5! 31. Bxg7!? Desperation. 32. ... Kxg7 32. Qf2 Rf6 33. Bf5 Qxf2+ 34. Kxf2 Rxf5+ 35. Ke2 Be5 36. Rag1+ Kh8 0 : 1.

Churchkhela

Nino Batsiashvili – Olga Alexandrovna Girya
22nd European Women’s Chess Club Cup; Göynük, October 10, 2017
Queen’s Pawn Game D02

The star of Nino Batsiashvili, who very recently earned her final Grandmaster norm in the 4th Isle of Man International Chess Tournament, keeps shining even in Turkey. Today she defeated the higher ranked Olga Alexandrovna Girya, despite some inconsistency and one big blind spot (she missed a trivial mate) along the path. 1. d4 Nf6 2. Bf4 d5 3. e3 c5 4. c3 Nc6 5. Nd2 e6 6. Ngf3 Bd6 7. Ne5 Qc7 8. Ndf3 Nd7 9. Nxd7 Bxd7 10. Bg3 Bxg3!? “Book” gives 10. ... b6 11. Bd3 h6 12. 0-0 0-0 with another (dull) story, Barlocco – Vaisser, 10th International Open, Mendrisio 1989. 11. hxg3 Qd6 12. Bb5 0-0-0 13. Qa4 a6 14. Bxc6 Bxc6 15. Qc2 h6 16. dxc5 Qxc5 17. b4 Qd6 18. a4 Kb8 19. Qb3 Bd7 20. b5 Rc8 21. bxa6 Qxa6 22. Rh4 Rc4 23. Ne5 Rxh4 24. Nxd7+ Kc7 25. Nc5 Rh1+ 26. Kd2 Rxa1 27. Nxa6+ bxa6 28. Qb4 Rb8 29. Qc5+ Kb7 30. e4 dxe4 31. Qe7+ Kc6 32. Qxf7 Rd8+ 33. Kc2 Rd6 34. Kb3 Kc5?? Self-mate! This happened for a reason, of course: Girya, in fact, had little more than 30 seconds left, otherwise she would have certainly realized that after 34. ... Rb1+ 35. Kc4 Rb7 Black should not have had too many problems holding her own. 35. Qc7+ Rc6. If 35. ... Kd5 then 36. c4+ Ke5 37. Qxg7+ Kf5 38. Qf8+ winning the Rook.

White to move and mate in four moves: 36. Qe5+ Kb6 37. Qd4+? But Batsiashvili has totally overlooked it: 37. Qb8+ Kc5 38. Qb4+ Kd5 39. Qd4 mate. 37. ... Kb7 38. Qxg7+ Rc7? This is another mistake under terrific time pressure: Black cuts her own Rook off from activity, making her opponent’s win much easier. 39. Qxh6 Rb1+ 40. Kc2 Rb6 41. a5 Rbc6 42. Qe3 Kc8 43. g4 Kd7 44. g5 Ke7 45. Qd4 Rc4 46. Qe5 R4c5 47. Qf6+ Kd6 48. g6 Rf5 49. Qd4+ Ke7 50. g4 Rfc5 51. Qg7+ Kd6 52. Qf6 Rxa5 53. g7 1 : 0.

Randomly Ever After

John Saunders (@johnchess)

End-on-end

And thus ended also the 4th Isle of Man International Chess Tournament, which will be remembered as a triumphant solo of 16th World Chess Champion Magnus Carlsen, finally alone with his fiancée Synne Christin Larsen, and finally in the mood to enjoy playing. And luckily for us, no one could do anything to eclipse his happy heart! It was said that he and his girlfriend might visit the Manx Museum and I do not despair that, among paintings and sculptures, they may succeed in finding what I haven’t yet found – Edna Mode’s double! Among other good news is the final Grandmaster norm of Nino Batsiashvili from Georgia, who fulfilled her aim despite a series of pairings that could seem prohibitive. And, finally, 侯逸凡 (Hóu Yìfán). Four-time Women’s World Chess Champion won the first women’s prize after a little controversy occurred between her and the organisers, with respect to the randomness of Swiss pairings. In the end, fate stepped in and brought her back to the “women’s door”. “All’s well that ends well, still the fine’s the crown, / Whate’er the course, the end is the renown”.

The Manx Museum Exploratorium gallery in Douglas, Isle of Man features items and themes associated with entertainment and amusement during the peak tourism period of the early 20th century. Photo: gov.im.

The Queen of the Isle

Nino Batsiashvili – 侯逸凡 (Hóu Yìfán)
4th Isle of Man International Chess Tournament; Douglas, September 25, 2017
Nimzo-Indian Defence E43

1. d4 Nf6 2. c4 e6 3. Nc3 Bb4 4. Nf3 b6 5. e3 Ne4 6. Qc2 Bb7 7. Bd3 f5 8. 0-0 Bxc3 9. bxc3 0-0 10. c5 bxc5 11. Rb1 Qc8 12. Ba3 d6 13. Rfc1 Nd7 14. Nd2!?TN (14. Qb3)
15. ... Nxd2 15. Qxd2 Be4 (15. ... Bc6!?)
16. dxc5 Ne5 (16. ... Bxd3 17. Qxd3 Ne5! 18. Qd4 Qa6 19. cxd6 Nc4 20. dxc7! Nxa3 21. Rb4 Rac8 22. Qc5∞)
17. Bxe4 fxe4 18. cxd6 Qa6 (18. ... c5!? 19. c4 Nd3∞)
19. Rb3 c5? 19. ... Nc4 20. Qe2 cxd6 21. Bxd6 Qxd6 22. Qxc4 Rxf2! 23. Qxe4 Raf8 24. Rbb1 Qd5 25. Qxd5 exd5=;
19. ... Nd3 20. dxc7 Nxc1 21. Bxf8 Nxb3 22. Qd8 Nd2 23. Bd6+ Kf7 24. h4!? Qf1+! (24. ... Qc8 25. Qe7+ Kg8 26. Be5 Qf8 27. Qxe6+ Kh8 28. h5+−) 25. Kh2 Qxf2 26. Qe7+ Kg6 27. Qxe6+ Qf6 28. h5+ Kxh5 29. Qd5+ g5 30. Qxd2⯹.
20. c4! Rab8

21. Bxc5! Offering a very interesting Exchange sacrifice for two Pawns and positional compensation. 21. ... Rxb3 22. axb3 Nd3 23. b4! Nxc1 24. Qxc1 Qa2 25. Qf1 Rd8. 25. ... a5! 26. b5 (26. h3 axb4 27. Bxb4 Rb8 28. d7 Rd8 29. Qd1 Qa7 30. Bd6 Rxd7 31. Qh⯹) 26. ... a4 27. h3 Qc2 28. b6 (28. Ba3 Qa2=) 28. ... h6 29. Bd4 a3 30. c5 e5 (30. ... a2 31. d7 e5 32. Bxe5 Qxc5 33. Qa1 Kh7! 34. Qb2 Rd8 35. b7 Qa7 36. Bxg7 Rxd7 37. b8=Q a1=Q+ 38. Qxa1 Qxb8=) 31. Bxe5 Qxc5 32. Qa1 Qxb6 33. Qxa3 Qb1+ 34. Kh2 Qb7=.
26. h3 Rd7? 26. ... a6! 27. Kh2 (27. Qc1 Qb3 28. Kh2 Kf7⯹) 27. ... h6 [27. ... Qc2 28. Bd4 Qd3! (28. ... Rxd6? 29. c5 Rc6 30. b5+−) 29. Qa1 Qxc4 (29... Rxd6? 30. c5+−) 30. Bxg7 Qxb4 31. Be5 Rxd6 32. Bxd6 Qxd6+ 33. Kg1⩲] 28. Kg3 Qc2=.
27. b5 Qa4 28. Qc1 Qb3 29. Ba3 Rf7 30. c5 Qa2 31. Qb2 Qd5 32. c6 Rf8 33. d7 Qd1+ 34. Kh2 1 : 0.

In the end, even a Queen had to surrender to an avalanche of Pawns. Photo: John Saunders.

Valcalepio

Nino Batsiashvili – Marina Brunello
18th European Individual Women’s Chess Championship; Riga, April 12, 2017
1q2r3/5kp1/Rb3nn1/1p2pNQ1/1Pp1P3/3r3P/3B1PB1/R6K b - - 5 36

Position after 36. Bc3-d2

I know I don’t speak very often about my countrypeople, but I am happy to make an exception for Marina Brunello, who scored two out of two. In the position of the diagram she wisely decided to offer a draw through the language of signs: 36. ... Nh7 37. Qh5 Nf6 38. Qg5 Nh7 39. Qh5 Nf6 40. Qe2? But Batsiashvili refuses to take it! Objectively speaking, the Georgian International Master fell into a deadly sin of pride. 40. ... Nf4! Brunello immediately takes advantage of her opponent’s slip, and as usual shows her volitional technique in converting the raw into the cooked. 41. Bxf4 exf4 42. e5!? Nino very nervously seeks a tactical justification for her bravado and also sets up a small trap. 42. ... Qxe5. But Brunello does not take the bait, as after 42. ... Rxe5? 43. Rxb6! White would have suddenly turned the tables. 43. Qxe5 Rxe5 44. Rxb6 Rxf5. White is behind in material and position. 45. Rb7+ Kg8 46. Bc6 Rxh3+ 47. Kg2 Rhh5 48. Kf3 Rh3+ 49. Kg2 Rb3 50. Rb8+ Kh7 51. Rxb5 Rxb5 52. Bxb5 Rxb4 53. Ba6 Nd5? It could be the only error in Marina’s game. Best was 53. ... Ne4! in order to answer 54. Kf3 by 54. ... Nc5 55. Ra5 Nb3 keeping winning chances. 54. Kf3 g5 55. Ke4? Apparently here White missed her way to a draw: 55. Ra5! Nc7 56. Kg4 Kg6 57. Rxg5+ Kf7 58. Rf5+ Ke7 59. Bxc4! Rxc4 60. Rxf4. Batsiashvili, however, was tremendously short of time (with one minute left). 55. ... Nc7 56. Bc8 Kg6 57. Ra7? And in the end, Nino makes her last mistake. White ought to play 57. Kd4 which would have made matters much, much (and much) harder for Black. 57. ... c3+ 58. Kd3 Nb5 59. Ra6+ Kh5 60. Kc2 Rb2+ 61. Kc1 Rxf2 62. Bd7 Nd4 63. Ba4 Rf1+ 64. Bd1+ f3 65. Ra4 c2 66. Rxd4 Rxd1+ 67. Rxd1 cxd1=Q+ 68. Kxd1 Kg4 0 : 1.

The Last Empress

Nino Batsiashvili – 居文君 (Jū Wénjūn)
Women’s Grand Prix: fifth stage; Khanty-Mansyisk, November 30, 2016
Queen’s Gambit Declined D38

1. d4 Nf6 2. c4 e6 3. Nf3 d5 4. cxd5 exd5 5. Nc3 Bb4 6. Bg5 h6 7. Bh4 0-0 8. e3 Bf5 9. Bd3 Bxd3 10. Qxd3 c6 11. 0-0 Nbd7 12. a3 Bd6 13. b4 Qe7 14. Rfe1 Qe6 15. Nd2 Qg4 16. Bg3 Bxg3 17. hxg3 Rfe8 18. Nf1 h5 19. Rac1 a5 20. b5 c5 21. Na4 c4 22. Qc2 Qe6 23. f3 Qd6 24. Ra1 Nh7 25. Nc3 Nb6 26. a4 Qd7 27. Rad1 f5 28. e4 fxe4 29. fxe4 dxe4 30. Nxe4 Qf5 31. Nfd2 Rac8 32. Nf3 Nd5

33. Ne5? A really bad move, after which White’s position quickly disintegrates. Stockfish’s line 33. Re2! Nb4 34. Qb1 Nf6!? seems good enough to maintain a precarious balance. 33. ... Ng5! 34. Rc1 Nxe4 35. Rxe4. 35. Qxe4 Qxe4 36. Rxe4 c3 was completely hopeless, too. 35. ... Nc3! 36. Rf4? Batsiashvili should have played 36. Rh4, although after 36. ... Qxc2 37. Rxc2 Nxa4 38. Rxh5 c3∓/-+ it would have been anyway hard to hope for a salvation of her own. 36. ... Qxc2 37. Rxc2 Nd5 38. Rf3 c3 39. Kf2 Re7 40. b6. Black goes from bad to worse while desperately trying to prevent ... Re7-c7 followed by ... Nd5-b4 as well ... Rc8-c4xa4. 40. ... Re6. The rest is easy. 41. Nd7 Rd6 42. Nc5 Rxb6 43. Ke2 Re8+ 44. Kd3 Nb4+ 45. Kxc3 Nxc2 46. Kxc2 Rb4 47. Kc3 b6 48. Nd3 Rc8+ 0 : 1.

Nino Batsiashvili (R.) vs. 居文君 (Jū Wénjūn)
Photo: wgp2016.fide.com

居文君 (Jū Wénjūn) won the Women’s Grand Prix Series 2015-2016 (the saddest one and perhaps the last one of women’s chess history), thus gaining the right to play a match against the next knockout Women’s World Chess Champion. Photo: Evgeniy Atarov.

Flowers for Algernon

• В Батуми наградили героинь этапа Гран-При (ФОТО, ВИДЕО) | Heroines of Women’s Grand Prix in Batumi Awarded (Photos, Video), Chess-News.ru, May 2, 2015

Once again Valentina Evgenyevna Gunina takes some pleasant memories of Batumi away with her. This time she won the third stage of Women’s Grand Prix. [Read more].

From left: Avtandil Beridze, Valentina Evgenyevna Gunina, Alexandra Konstantinovna Kosteniuk, and Nino Batsiashvili, and Zurab Azmaiparashvili. Photo: Chess-News.ru.

All stars and audience attend the solemn award ceremony. Photo: Eteri Kublashvili/ruchess.ru.

Valentina Evgenyevna Gunina is handed flowers of spring. Photo: Eteri Kublashvili/ruchess.ru.

From left: Almira Skripchenko, Alexandra Konstantinovna Kosteniuk, and her husband Pavel Vladimirovich Tregubov. Photo: Eteri Kublashvili/ruchess.ru.

From left: Almira Skripchenko, Anna Muzychuk, and Mariya Muzychuk. Photo: Eteri Kublashvili/ruchess.ru.

Fast & Furious

Nino Batsiashvili – Natalia Andreevna Pogonina
Women’s Grand Prix Series 2015-2016; Tehran, February 14, 2016
Queen’s Gambit Declined D35

1. d4 Nf6 2. Nf3 d5 3. c4 e6 4. Nc3 Nbd7 5. cxd5 exd5 6. Bf4 c6 7. Qc2 Be7 8. h3 Nf8 9. e3 Ng6 10. Bd3. A responsible move. For 10. Bh2 0-0 11. Bd3 Re8 12. Ne5 Bd6 13. f4 c5 see Gelfand – Short, Brussels 1991, match game 8. 10. ... Nxf4 11. exf4 0-0 12. g4!?

12. ... Ne4! Pogonina decides to sacrifice a Pawn trying to seize the initiative. 13. Nxe4 dxe4 14. Bxe4 f5 15. Bd3 Bb4+ 16. Kf1 Kh8 17. Rg1 Bd6 18. Ne5? Batsiashvili should have consistently played 18. gxf5(!) with unclear prospects. 18. ... Qh4. Now Black can launch the assault. 19. gxf5 Bxe5 20. dxe5 Qxh3+ 21. Ke2 Bxf5 22. Rg3 Qh5+ 23. Ke3 Rad8 24. Bxf5 Rxf5 25. Qe4 Qf7 26. Rag1? Much better was 26. Rh1 which allows White in certain variations to threaten Rg3xg6. 26. ... g6 27. b3 c5 28. Qc4 Qe7. Now Nino rapidly disintegrates, but of course her position was hopeless anyway due to Black’s domination of the d-file. 29. Rc1 b6 30. Qa6 Qd7 31. Rc4 Qd3 mate.

Nino Batsiashvili vs. Natalia Andreevna Pogonina
Photo: Alina l’Ami

鹊华秋色

赵雪 (Zhào Xuě) – Nino Batsiashvili
Women’s Grand Prix Series 2015-2016; Tehran, February 13, 2016
Queen’s Gambit Accepted D24

1. d4 Nf6 2. c4 e6 3. Nf3 d5 4. Nc3 dxc4 5. e4 Bb4 6. Bxc4 Nxe4 7. 0-0 Nxc3 8. bxc3 Bd6 9. Ng5 h6 10. Qh5 0-0 11. Ne4 Nd7 12. Bxh6 gxh6 13. Qxh6 Re8 14. Qh5. Not 14. Rae1? Bf8 and White’s attack vanishes, Mamedyarov – Morozevich, World Blitz Championship, Moscow 2009. 14. ... Nf8? A fatal mistake of judgement. Correct was 14. ... Kg7 15. Qg4+ Kf8 16. Qh5 Kg7 aiming for a draw by repetition. 15. f4! Ng6 16. f5 Qh4. Not 16. ... exf5?? 17. Qxg6+ and wins. 17. Qxh4 Nxh4 18. Nf6+ Kf8 19. Nxe8 Kxe8 20. Rae1 Be7 21. fxe6 fxe6 22. d5!? Of course 22. Bxe6 was also good, but 赵雪 (Zhào Xuě) aims for the domination of the Black Knight. 22. ... exd5 23. Bd3 Bd7 24. Rf4 Kd8 25. g3 Bh3 26. gxh4 Kd7 27. Rf7. Black could well resign here. 27. ... Re8 28. h5 Be6 29. Rg7 Rf8 30. h6 Kd6 31. h7 Bf6 32. Rg6 Be5 33. Bf5 Rxf5 34. Rxe6+! 1 : 0. For if 34. ... Kxe6 there follows 35. h8=Q.

赵雪 (Zhào Xuě) vs. Nino Batsiashvili
Photo: Alina l’Ami

Matchmaker

Chess-News.ru (@Chess_News)

Nino Batsiashvili: “My mood was: c’mon, hold on just a little bit more, don’t blow up...”.

Nino Batsiashvili. Photo: Chess-News.ru.

• Нино Бациашвили: “Сыграла вничью с Карлсеном – 15 человек попросились в друзья на фейсбуке”, (Nino Batsiashvili: “After drawing with Carlsen fifteen persons asked me for friendship on Facebook”), Chess-News.ru, December 20, 2015

Loch Garry

Magnus Carlsen – Nino Batsiashvili
2nd Qatar Masters Open; Doha, December 20, 2013
Réti Opening A07

1. Nf3 d5 2. g3 Nf6 3. Bg2 c5 4. c4 d4 5. b4 cxb4 6. a3 b3 7. Qxb3 Nc6 8. 0-0 e5 9. e3 Be7 10. exd4. 10. e3 Nd7 11. exd4 exd4 transposes into Arduman – Ivanchuk, Saraybahce Blitz Exhibition, Kocaeli 2002, match game 1. 10. ... exd4. 10. ... e4 followed by ... Nc6xd4 is also good. 11. Bb2 0-0 12. Re1 Re8 13. a4 Na5 14. Qd3 Be6 15. Na3 Bxa3! Nino is not afraid to give up the Bishop pair as she will be able to significantly simplify the position. 16. Bxa3 Bxc4 17. Qxd4 Qxd4 18. Nxd4 Bd5 19. Rxe8+ Rxe8 20. Rc1 b6 21. Bf1 Bb7 22. Nf5 Rd8 23. d4 Nd5 24. Bg2 g6 25. Nd6 Ba8 26. h4 h5 27. Re1 Bc6 28. Re5

28. ... Nf6!! Although Batsiashvili is in serious time trouble, she dares to sacrifice a Pawn for launching a vehement counter-attack against the Untouchable King. 29. Rxa5 Bxg2 30. Rxa7 Bd5 31. Ra6 Nd7 32. Nb5. Magnus too got short of time. 32. Kf1 was called for. 32. ... Re8! Keep attacking! 33. Bb4 Re2 34. Ra7 Nf6 35. Kf1 Rb2 36. Bc3 Rc2 37. Rc7 Ng4 38. Ke1 Rxf2 39. Rc8+ Kh7 40. Rd8 Bf3. Time control is reached. Carlsen survived the attack, but the position is balanced. 41. Re8 f6 42. Re7+ Kg8 43. Re8+ Kh7 44. Re7+ Kg8 45. Bd2 Rg2 46. Bf4 g5! 47. hxg5 fxg5 48. Bxg5 Rxg3 49. Nc3 Bc6 50. Kd2 Rg2+ 51. Re2 Nf2 52. d5. 52. Bd8 Ne4+ leads also to a draw. 52. ... Bxd5 53. Nxd5 Ne4+ 54. Ke3 Rxe2+ 55. Kxe2 Nxg5 56. Nxb6 Ne6 57. a5 Nc7 ½ : ½.

Magnus Carlsen vs. Nino Batsiashvili. Photo: David Llada