Lives in Between

The Superfinals of the 77th Russian Chess Championship and 74th Russian Women’s Chess Championship kicked off on Friday, August 16, 2024, with the opening ceremony and drawing of lots being held in the Siberia Concert Hall at Barnaul, Altai Krai, Russia. Photos: Vladimir Leonidovich Barsky/Chess Federation of Russia.

Ever-Moving Repose

Aleksandra Yuryevna Goryachkina, the first woman ever to take part in the all-gender Russian Chess Championship, concluded her adventure with 4½ points out of 11 (+1 =7 –3), placing 10th-11th. She had probably hoped for more, but as she said afterwards, she really felt exhausted from too much playing on the weeks before the Superfinal. “Aleksandra Yuryevna Goryachkina missed a lot of chances”, two-time Russian Chess Champion Evgeny Yuryevich Tomashevsky told RIA Novosti. “She did fairly well at her début, demonstrating her abilities and skills. In her interview after the final round, she said that lately she played very much and came to Ufa with little preparation. Of course, this may well be a crucial point, because such a competition requires a great amount of energy. And maybe that’s the key that explains her blackouts [...], so I would accept her explanation, that on the long run she did not have enough physical strength”.

If a tree falls in a forest

Aleksandra Yuryevna Goryachkina – Dmitry Vladimirovich Andreikin
74th Russian Chess Championship Superfinal; Ufa, October 20, 2021
Modern Defence A40

1. d4 g6 2. e4 Bg7 3. c4 e6. It’s all theory, yet the text leaves Black with a dubious Pawn configuration. 4. Nc3 Ne7 5. Nf3 d5 6. e5. Two years have passed, and time brought its changes: 6. exd5 exd5 7. Be2 0-0 8. 0-0 Nbc6 9. h3 h6 10. Bf4 Be6 11. Qd2 g5 12. Bh2 dxc4 13. Rad1 Nb4 14. a3 Nd3 15. Bxd3 cxd3 16. Qxd3 Nd5 with complex play and chances for both colours, Goryachkina – Stefanova, 3rd Women’s World Blitz Chess Championship, Doha 2016. 6. ... 0-0 7. Bg5 dxc4!? A new move instead of the old one: 7. ... c5 8. cxd5 exd5 9. Nxd5 (9. Bxe7 Qxe7 10. Nxd5 Qd8 11. dxc5 Nc6 is nothing special for White, Dragnev – Vavulin, 8th World Rapid Chess Championship, Moscow 2019) 9. ... Qxd5 10. Bxe7 Re8 (10. ... cxd4!?) 11. Bxc5 Nc6 12. Be2 (12. Qb3!?) 12. ... Bxe5 13. Ne5 Ne5 14. 0-0 b6 15. dxe5 Qxc5 16. Bf3 Rb8 17. Qa4 b5 18. Qa5 Rxe5 19. Qd8+ Kg7 20. Rac1 Qb6 21. Qd2 Bb7 22. Bxb7 Rxb7 23. Rfe1 Rbe7 24. Rxe5 Rxe5 25. b4 Re4 26. h3 ½ : ½ Dziuba – Grétarsson, 46th Icelandic Team Chess Championship, Reykjavík 2019. 8. Bxc4 h6 9. Be3 Nf5 10. Qd2

10. ... b6. 10. ... c5 11. dxc5 Nc6 (or also 11. ... Nd7) was probably more to the point. 11. Bd3 Bb7. Andreikin enters the dark wood. He ought to have taken the Bishop with the Knight. 12. Bxf5 exf5 13. Bxh6 Bxh6 14. Qxh6 Bxf3 15. gxf3 Qxd4 16. f4 Nc6

17. Rg1! The only winning move! 17. ... Rfd8 18. Rg3! With the brutal threat of Rg3-h3. 18. ... Nb4

19. Rxg6+. Goryachkina concludes her gender odyssey with a spectacular perpetual check — and on the other hand she can barely be blamed for overlooking the “computational” solution: 19. Kf1! Nd3 20. Rf3!+− (threat: Ra1-d1) winning in all lines. 19. ... fxg6 20. Qxg6+ Kh8 21. Qh6+ Kg8 22. Qg6+ Kh8 23. Qh6+ Kg8 24. Qg6+ ½ : ½.

“If a tree falls in a forest and no one is around to hear it, does it make a sound?”. Photo: Eteri Kublashvili/Russian Chess Federation.

Tomorrow’s Another Day

Maxim Sergeevich Matlakov – Aleksandra Yuryevna Goryachkina
74th Russian Chess Championship Superfinal; Ufa, October 19, 2021
Spanish Game C65

1. e4 e5 2. Nf3 Nc6 3. Bb5 Nf6 4. d3 Bc5 5. c3 d5 6. exd5 Qxd5 7. Bc4 Qd6 8. Nbd2 (8. b4 Bb6 9. Nbd2 0-0 10. 0-0 Bg4 11. a4 a5 12. b5 e4 13. Nxe4 Nxe4 14. dxe4 Bxf3 15. Qxd6 cxd6 16. gxf3 Ne5 17. Bd5 Rac8 18. f4 Nd3 19. Bxb7 Rxc3 20. Bd2 Rc2 21. Be3 Bxe3 22. fxe3 Rb8 23. Bc6 Kf8 24. Rfd1 Rc3 25. Bd5 Ke7 26. Rd2 Nb4 27. Kf2 Rbc8 28. Rb1 Ra3 29. b6 Rxa4 30. b7 Rb8 31. Rd4 Nxd5 32. Rxd5 Rxe4 33. Rxa5 Kd7 34. Rf5 f6 35. Rfb5 Kc7 36. Rc1+ Kd7 37. h4 g6 38. Rb6 f5 39. h5 Re7 40. hxg6 hxg6 41. Rc8 Re8 42. Rxe8 Kxe8 43. Kg3 Ke7 44. Rb1 Ke6 45. Kf3 Kd7 46. Kg3 ½ : ½ A. O. Muzychuk – Goryachkina, 1st Women’s Chess World Cup, Krasnaya Polyana 2021, match game 1) 8. ... Bf5 9. b4 Bb6 10. Ng5 0-0 11. Nde4 Nxe4 12. dxe4 Qxd1+ 13. Kxd1 Bg4+ 14. Kc2!? A novelty which implies a Pawn sacrifice to open a line on the Kingside. A recent game continued — far less belligerently — 14. f3 Bd7 15. a4 h6 16. a5 hxg5 17. Bxg5 Bxa5 18. bxa5 b6 19. Bd5 Rac8 20. axb6 cxb6 21. h4 Rfe8 22. Bxc6 Rxc6 23. Rxa7 Be6 24. Ra3 b5 25. Ke2 Rec8 26. Bd2 Rd8 27. Rha1 Kh7 28. Ra8 Bc4+ 29. Ke1 Rd3 30. R1a6 Rxa6 31. Rxa6 b4 32. Rc6 bxc3 33. Rxc4 Rxd2 34. g4 Rh2 35. Rxc3 Rxh4 ½ : ½ Grandelius – Vidit, 2nd Prague International Chess Festival Masters Tournament, Prague 2020. 14. ... h6. 14. ... Bxf2?? 15. Rf1 is obviously a nonsense. 15. Nf3

15. ... Bxf3. Theoretically speaking, one can just wonder whether it is better to open the g-file (such as in the game) or the f-file (15. ... Bxf2). Further analysis and praxis are called for. 16. gxf3 Bxf2 17. Rf1 Bh4 18. a4 a5 19. b5 Nd8

20. f4! After nearly half an hour of profound meditation. 20. ... Re8 21. f5 b6 22. Rg1 Kf8 23. Be3 Nb7 24. Bd5 Rab8 25. Rg4 Bf6 26. Rd1 Red8 27. Rg2. Only three minutes left for White to reach time control, but a much easier game to play and a comfortable edge. 27. ... Ke7 28. Bc1 Bg5 29. Ba3+ Kf6 30. Rg4

30. ... Nd6? “I somehow managed to entangle my opponent in the opening. The result is a pretty strange position: Black has a sound extra Pawn for the endgame, but I have the Bishop pair. Although there are no direct threats, White can gradually strengthen his position, while Black has no counterplay”, Matlakov said afterwards. “Probably initially I could have played better, but because of the embarrassment of riches I strayed from the path and misplaced my pieces. I think Aleksandra Yuryevna mistakenly put her Knight on d6, as she should have rather moved it to c5 after 31. c4, in which case there was nothing clear for me to work on”. And so it follows that Goryachkina should have first played 30. ... Be3! with a view of eventually reserving the c5-square for the Knight. 31. c4 Be3 32. Bb2 Bc5 33. Bc3 Ne8 34. Be1 Ke7 35. Bc3 Bd6 36. Rdg1. Thus finally, the open g-file tells. 36. ... Bc5 37. R1g2 Bd6 38. Kb3 Rbc8 39. Bb7. Of course, there were other ways to win (for instance: 39. Rxg7! Nxg7 40. Rxg7 Rf8 41. Bd2+−), but White has clear ideas as to how to bring home the point. 39. ... Rb8 40. Bd5 Rdc8 41. Be1. Threatening 42. Rxg7! Nxg7 43. f6+! with a decoy. 41. ... Kf8 42. Bc6 Be7 43. Bxe8 Rxe8 44. Rxg7 Bf6. 44. ... Bg5 45. Rh7 (Δ h2-h4) is no better for Black (45. ... Kg8 46. Rxh6+−). 45. Rg8+ Ke7 46. Rxe8+ Rxe8 47. c5! Bg5 48. cxb6 cxb6 49. Bf2 Rb8 50. Bg1 Rd8 51. Bxb6 Rd3+ 52. Kc4 Rd1 53. Bxa5 Rd4+ 54. Kb3 Rxe4 55. Rc2 Re3+ 56. Rc3 1 : 0.

Whatever men and supermen may say, win or lose is part of everybody’s life. Photo: Eteri Kublashvili/Russian Chess Federation.

Floating the White River

Vladimir Vasilyevich Fedoseev – Aleksandra Yuryevna Goryachkina
74th Russian Chess Championship Superfinal; Ufa, October 18, 2021
English Opening A11

1. Nf3 d5 2. c4 c6 3. e3 Nf6 4. Qc2 g6 5. b3 Bg7 6. Bb2 0-0 7. d3 b6 8. Nbd2 Bb7 9. g3 Nbd7 10. Bg2 Re8 11. d4 c5 12. 0-0 cxd4 13. exd4 Rc8 14. Rac1 Rc7 15. Rfe1 Qa8 16. Ba3 dxc4 17. bxc4. Hanging Pawns can be a strength or a weakness, depending on the position. 17. ... e6 18. Qd1 Rcc8 19. Bb2 Nb8 20. Re3 Rcd8 21. Qe2 Nc6 22. Bh3 h6 23. Nb3 g5 24. Ne1?! A bit too passive. 24. Ne5! was a strategic imperative, forcing the trade of the Knights and thus changing the morphology of the position from that of a hanging Pawns formation to that of a dynamic isolani with c4-c5 coming soon. 24. ... h5! 25. f3 a5 26. Rd1?! White’s centre is creaking. But if 26. a4 Nb4 was not so unpleasant, it was certainly not pleasant either. 26. ... a4 27. Na1

27. ... Nh7. Goryachkina seems undecided whether to play hot or cool. Perhaps she should have attacked White’s hanging Pawns with 27. ... Na5! followed by ... Bc8-a6. 28. Nac2 Ne7 29. Ba3 Ng6 30. Red3 f5 31. f4 g4 32. Bg2 Nf6 33. Bxb7 Qxb7 34. Rb1 h4! Fast and furious. 35. Ng2 hxg3 36. hxg3 Ne4

Black has a dominant position, both strategically and dynamically. Fedoseev must try something. 37. Bc5 Rb8 38. Re3. If 38. Rxb6 then 38. ... Qc7 39. Rb5 e5! decisively breaking through White’s defences. 38. ... Qc6. Probably simpler is 38. ... Nxc5 39. dxc5 Bf8 40. Rxb6 Qh7 with with great advantage to Black.

39. Rxe4! The best practical chance. White gives up the Exchange and manages to exchange Queens, weakening Black’s Pawns and taking a little relief. 39. ... Qxe4 40. Qxe4 fxe4 41. Bd6 Rbc8 (⌓ 41. ... Rbd8! 42. Rxb6 Ne7) 42. Nge3 Rc6 43. c5 bxc5 44. dxc5 Bf8 (44. ... Ne7) 45. Bxf8 (⌓ 45. Nc4) 45. ... Nxf8 (⌓ 45. ... Kxf8!) 46. Nxg4 Nh7 47. Rb7 (⌓ 47. Nd4 Rxc5 48. Rb7=) 47. ... Rxc5. Goryachkina has had enough and is content with a draw. With 47. ... Rd8! she might still insist on her goal. 48. Nh6+ Kh8 49. Nf7+ Kg8 50. Nh6+ ½ : ½.

Just like a High Noon showdown with no winner and no loser. Photo: Eteri Kublashvili/Russian Chess Federation.

Сцилла и Харибда (Between Scylla and Charybdis)

Aleksandra Yuryevna Goryachkina – Alexandr Alexandrovich Predke
74th Russian Chess Championship Superfinal; Ufa, October 17, 2021
English Opening A18

1. c4 e6 2. Nc3 Nf6 3. e4 d5 4. cxd5 exd5 5. e5 Ne4 6. Nf3 Bf5 7. d3 Nxc3 8. bxc3 c5 9. d4 Qa5 10. Bd2 Nc6 (10. ... Be7 11. Qb3 Qb6 12. Qxd5 Nc6 13. Qb3 Be4 14. Bc4 0-0 15. 0-0 cxd4 16. Qxb6 axb6 17. e6 Bxf3 18. exf7+ Kh8 19. gxf3 Ne5 20. Bd5 Rad8 21. f4 Rxd5 22. fxe5 Rxe5 23. cxd4 Rd5 24. Rac1 Rxd4 25. Be3 Rg4+ 26. Kh1 Rxf7 27. Rc7 Kg8 28. Rd1 Bc5 29. Rd8+ Rf8 30. Rxf8+ Kxf8 31. Bxc5+ bxc5 32. Rxc5 Ra4 33. Rc8+ Kf7 34. Rc7+ Kf6 35. Rxb7 Rxa2 ½ : ½ Sjugirov – Predke, Vasily Vasilyevich Smyslov Memorial, Moscow 2021) 11. c4 Qd8 12. Qb3 Be4 13. Qxb7 Rc8 14. Ng5. Goryachkina varies from 14. Bg5 with which she won a crucial game in her match for the crown (but not because of the opening): 14. ... Be7 15. Bxe7 Nxe7 16. Qb5+ Qd7 17. cxd5 Bxd5 18. Qxd7+ Kxd7 19. Bb5+ Ke6 20. Ng5+ Kf5 21. h4 cxd4 22. Bd7+ Kxe5 23. Bxc8 Rxc8 24. 0-0 Kd6 25. Rfe1 Rc2 26. a3 h6 27. Ne4+ Bxe4 28. Rxe4 Nc6 29. h5 g6 30. Rf4 gxh5 31. Rxf7 d3 32. Rd1 d2 33. Rf3 Ne5 34. Rf4 Nc6?? (34. ... Nc4! 35. Kf1 Ke5 36. Rh4 Nb2 37. Rxh5+ Kd4 38. Ke2 Nxd1 39. Kxd1 Ra2 40. Rxh6 Rxa3=) 35. Kf1+− Goryachkina – 居文君 (Jū Wénjūn), 上海 (Shànghǎi) 2020, Women’s World Chess Championship match game 5. 14. ... Be7 15. Nxe4 dxe4 16. d5 Nxe5 17. Qb5+ Kf8!? A novelty. The only game known to theory continued 17. ... Qd7 18. Rb1 Qxb5 19. Rxb5 Kd7 20. Bc3 Bf6 with roughly even chances, Tomashevsky – 陈琪 (Chén Qí), 15th “映美杯” (“Yìng Měi Cup”) Chinese Chess League, 沈阳 (Shěnyáng) 2019. 18. Rb1 Bd6 19. Qa6 Rb8 20. Rb3 h5 21. Be2 Kg8 22. h3 Kh7 23. Rxb8. Of course, White cannot take on h5 because of the Knight check at d3. 23. ... Bxb8 24. Qa3 Qe7 25. 0-0 h4 26. f4 exf3 27. Bxf3 Re8 28. Bf4 Bd6 29. Kh1 Kg8 30. Qc3 Nd7 31. Bxd6 Qxd6

32. Bd1. The repositioning of the Bishop on the b1-h7 diagonal has its reasons, but gives Black an unexpected opportunity to infiltrate the Rook. Easier was 32. Qa5 at once with more or less equality. 32. ... Re4 33. Bc2 Rd4 34. Qa5 Nf6. Clearly not 34. ... Rxc4?? because of 35. Qd8+ Qf8 36. Qxd7 Rxc2 37. Re1 winning immediately. 35. Qxa7 g6

36. Ba4? Both are hard pressed by the time limit, which is particularly burdening for Goryachkina, who is still within the safety zone — but whose position is less easy to play. Finally, and not surprisingly, she is the first to crack. White’s last chance was 36. Qb7! Rxc4 37. Qc6 Qe5 38. Qxf6 Qxf6 39. Rxf6 Rxc2 with a likely draw. 36. ... Re4 (36. ... Rf4−+) 37. Qa8+ Kg7 38. Qc6 Qe5 39. Bd1 Rxc4 (39. ... Re1 40. Qxf6+ Qxf6 41. Rxe1 Qc3−+) 40. Bf3 Rf4! The fateful 40th move — Black is completely winning.

41. Qb5 (41. Qxc5? Ne4!−+) 41. ... c4 42. Qb1 c3 43. Rc1 Qe3 44. Qc2 Rxf3 45. gxf3 Qxf3+ 46. Qg2 Qe3 47. Rc2 Ne4 48. d6 Nxd6 49. Re2 Qd3 50. Kh2 Nf5 51. Qf2 Qd6+ 52. Kg1 Qd1+ 53. Kg2 c2! 0 : 1. For if 54. Rxc2 then 54. ... Ng3 with mate threat.

The vision of Goryachkina split between sacred and profane almost enters into Nesterov’s paintings. Photo: Eteri Kublashvili/Russian Chess Federation.

Stuck in the Stone Age

Maksim Konstantinovich Chigaev – Aleksandra Yuryevna Goryachkina
74th Russian Chess Championship Superfinal; Ufa, October 16, 2021
Spanish Game C65

1. e4 e5 2. Nf3 Nc6 3. Bb5 Nf6 4. d3 Bc5 5. Nc3 d6 6. Bg5 h6 7. Bh4 Bb4!? This move — in fact, a novelty — though apparently a loss of time, seems nevertheless justified from a positional standpoint. One can furthermore note that the 19th century’s American star Harry Nelson Pillsbury played it on the previous move in at least two occasions with good results.

8. a3 Bxc3+ 9. bxc3 a6 10. Bxc6+ bxc6. With a perfectly symmetrical doubled Pawns formation. 11. Nd2 Qe7 12. Qe2 Qe6 13. Nc4 Nd7 14. Ne3 Nf8 15. Nf5 Qg6 16. g4 f6 17. h3 h5 18. Kd2 Bxf5 19. gxf5 Qh6+ 20. Kd1

20. ... g5! Sealing the pyramid. 21. Bg3 h4 22. Bh2 Nd7 23. f3

23. ... 0-0 24. Bg1 Rfb8 25. Be3 Rb2 26. Ke1 Rab8 27. Kf2 Qh5 28. Rhg1 Kf8 29. c4 c5 30. Bc1 Rb1 31. Rxb1 Rxb1 32. Re1 Ke7 33. Be3 Rxe1 34. Qxe1 Qe8 35. Qc1. Also after 35. Qa5 Qc8 there is no entry. 35. ... Kf7 36. Qb1 Qb8 37. Qc1 Qd8 38. Bd2 Qb8 39. Be3 Qd8 40. Bd2 Qb8 ½ : ½. As a curiosity it may be noted that no Pawns have been exchanged!

Somehow Goryachkina managed to turn the battlefield into a deadlock where each one was blocking the way of the other. Photo: Eteri Kublashvili/Russian Chess Federation.

Adouber

Aleksandra Yuryevna Goryachkina – Aleksandr Andreevich Rakhmanov
74th Russian Chess Championship Superfinal; Ufa, October 14, 2021
Queen’s Gambit Declined D35

1. d4 Nf6 2. c4 e6 3. Nc3 d5 4. cxd5 exd5 5. Bg5 c6 6. e3 Bf5 7. Qf3 Bg6 8. Bxf6 Qxf6 9. Qxf6 gxf6 10. Nf3 Nd7 11. Nh4 Be7 12. Ne2 f5 13. Nf3. Goryachkina insists on the Exchange Variation of the Queen’s Gambit Declined which yet gave her but little satisfaction: 13. g3 Bxh4 14. gxh4 Nf6 15. Nf4 Nh5 16. Kd2 Nxf4 17. exf4 Ke7 18. Be2 h5 19. Rae1 Kd6 20. Bd3 Rae8 21. Re3 Rxe3 22. fxe3 a5 23. a3 b6 24. b4 axb4 25. axb4 Ra8 26. b5 c5 27. dxc5+ bxc5 28. Rb1 Kc7 29. b6+ Kb7 30. Rb5 Rc8 31. Be2 f6 32. Ra5 Rc6 33. Ra7+ Kxb6 34. Rd7 Re6 35. Rxd5 Kc6 36. Bf3 Rd6 37. Rd3+ Kc7 38. Bd5 Be8 39. Kc3 Bb5 40. Rd2 Ra6 41. Bb3 Bd7 42. Rg2 Be6= Goryachkina – 居文君 (Jū Wénjūn), Vladivostok 2020, Women’s World Chess Championship match game 10. From a theoretical standpoint White has a slight advantage, but with no particular exploitable targets as Black’s doubled Pawns on f7 and f5 are not a significant weakness.

13. ... a5 14. Nf4 Nf6 15. Ne5 Bb4+ 16. Kd1 Ne4 17. Ned3 Bd6 18. Ke1 Ke7 19. g3 a4 20. a3 Ra5 21. Be2 h6 22. Rc1 Bh7 23. Rc2 Rg8 24. f3 Ng5 25. Kf2 Ne6 26. Rhc1 Bg6 27. Rd2 Bh7 28. Bd1 Bg6 29. Ne2 Rga8 30. Ndf4 Kf6 31. Nc3 Nc7 32. Be2 Ne6 33. Bd3 Bxf4 34. gxf4 Nc7 35. Na2 Ne8 36. Nb4 Nd6 37. Rdc2 Ke7

38. Rg1 Ke6 39. h4 Rg8 40. Be2 Raa8 41. Nd3 f6 42. Nc5+ Ke7 43. Rcc1 Bf7 44. Rxg8 Bxg8 45. Bd1 b5 46. Be2 Bf7 47. Nd3 Rc8 48. Nb4 Be8 49. Bd1 Nc4 50. Rc2 Bd7 51. Be2 Nd6 52. Rc1 Be8 53. Bd3 Bd7 54. Be2 ½ : ½.

What you get is what you see is what you take. Photo: Eteri Kublashvili/Russian Chess Federation.

The Hours After

Andrey Evgenyevich Esipenko – Aleksandra Yuryevna Goryachkina
74th Russian Chess Championship Superfinal; Ufa, October 13, 2021
Giuoco Piano C54

1. e4 e5 2. Nf3 Nc6 3. Bc4 Bc5 4. c3 Nf6 5. d3 d6 6. Bg5 h6 7. Bh4 a6 (7. ... g5 8. Bg3 0-0 9. Bb3 a6 10. Nbd2 Ba7 11. Qe2 Nh5 12. h3 Ne7 13. Nh2 Nf4 14. Bxf4 gxf4 15. g3 Ng6 16. h4 Qf6 17. Qf3 Kh8 18. h5 Ne7 19. gxf4 Qxf4 20. Qxf4 exf4 21. Nhf3 b5 22. Rh4 Be6 23. Rxf4 Bxb3 24. axb3 f5 25. Kf1 Bb6 26. Re1 fxe4 27. Rxf8+ Rxf8 28. dxe4 d5 29. Kg2 Rg8+ 30. Kf1 Rf8 31. c4 dxe4 32. Rxe4 Ng8 33. cxb5 axb5 34. Re5 Nf6 35. Rxb5 ½ : ½ Kuipers – Esipenko, 81st Tata Steel Challengers Tournament, Wijk aan Zee 2019) 8. Nbd2 Ba7 9. 0-0 Qe7 10. b4 g5 11. Bg3 Nh7 12. a4 h5 13. h4 g4 14. Ne1 Nf8. Targeting the h4-Pawn. 15. Nc2 Ng6 16. Ne3

16. ... Bxe3?! A new move which, however, can barely justify the time Goryachkina devoted to it. Of course it was not yet time for Black to take the Pawn with 16. ... Nxh4 because of 17. Nd5 Qd8 18. Nxc7+! with White on top. Indeed, the critical line to which theory refers is 16. ... Be6 17. b5 Nd8 18. d4 Nxh4 19. dxe5 dxe5 20. Bxe5 0-0 21. Bxe6? fxe6! 22. Bd4 c5 23. bxc6 Nxc6 24. Bxa7 Rxa7 25. Ndc4 Rd8 26. Qb3? (⌓ 26. Qe2 Qg5 27. Rfd1) 26. ... Raa8? (the mighty engines found an anything but obvious win for Black: 26. ... b5! 27.axb5 Nf3+! 28. gxf3 gxf3 29. Ng4! Re8! with irresistible attack) 27. Rfd1 Kh8 28. Rab1 Rxd1+ 29. Qxd1 Rd8 30. Qb3 Ng6 31. Rb2 Rd7 32. Nb6 Rd8 33. Nbc4 Rd7 34. Nb6 Rd8 35. Nbc4 Rd7 ½ : ½ Domínguez Pérez – Svidler, 9th Sinquefield Cup, Saint Louis 2021. 17. fxe3 Be6 18. d4 Bxc4 19. Nxc4 b6

20. b5. White probably pushed matters a little too hastily. There is more than one good move here — for instance: 20. Ra2 (intending to double Rooks on the f-file) 20. ... Nxh4 21. dxe5 Nxe5 22. Qd5 with great advantage to White. 20. ... axb5 21. axb5 Rxa1 22. Qxa1 Nd8 23. dxe5. Apparently Esipenko can find no way to breakthrough his opponent’s “Maginot Line”, even if now the only advantage he has is with time. 23. ... Nxe5 24. Nxe5 dxe5 25. Qa8? An adventure into a dead end. Better was 25. c4 f6 26. Rf5 Rh6= with more or less equality. 25. ... f6 26. Qc8

26. ... 0-0! Almost the only move — and indeed a good one! 27. Qf5 Qe8! With a few minutes left, Goryachkina cannot afford anything but right moves. Here for example 27. ... Qf7?? would prove irreparably wrong on account of 28. Bxe5! fxe5 29. Qg5+ Qg7 30. Rxf8+ Kxf8 31. Qxd8+ Kf7 32. Qxc7+ Kg8 33. Qxg7+ Kxg7 34. c4 with an elementary win. 28. Qc8 Qe7. Perhaps, with more time on the clock, Goryachkina would dare to play 28. ... Qf7! after which 29. Qf5? Nb7! followed by ... Nb7-d6 is very inadvisable, while either 29. Qa8 (29. ... Qd7) or 29. c4 (29. ... Ne6) would leave Black with the upper hand. 29. Qf5 Qe8 30. Qc8 Qe7 31. Qf5 ½ : ½.

As they say, winning is not always everything. Photo: Eteri Kublashvili/Russian Chess Federation.

A Sketch

Aleksandra Yuryevna Goryachkina – Nikita Kirillovich Vitiugov
74th Russian Chess Championship Superfinal; Ufa, October 12, 2021
Catalan Opening E04

1. d4 Nf6 2. c4 e6 3. g3 d5 4. Nf3 dxc4 5. Bg2 Nbd7 6. 0-0 c6 7. a4 b6 8. Bg5 Be7 9. Nbd2 Ba6 10. Rc1 b5. Probably safer is 10. ... 0-0 11. Nxc4 Rc8 12. Nfe5 Nd5 13. Bxe7 Qxe7 followed by ... c6-c5 with good chances for equality. 11. Ne5! Nxe5 12. dxe5 Nd5 13. Bxe7 Qxe7. If 13. ... Nxe7 then 14. Ne4 Qxd1 15. Rfxd1 with a pleasant edge for White. 14. axb5 Bxb5. It seems hardly credible that Vitiugov may have overlooked that after 14. ... cxb5 15. Nxc4 bxc4 16. Qa4+ White would end up winning a Pawn. 15. Nxc4 Bxc4 16. Rxc4 Qb7

17. Qc1! With an eye on both wings. 17. ... Rc8. Not 17. ... Ne7? on account of 18. Rxc6!+− winning easily. 18. Bxd5?! 18. Rg4!↑ at once seems much stronger since the White Bishop is a better attacker than the Black Knight is as a defender. 18. ... exd5 19. Rg4 0-0. In order to reply to 20. Qh6 with 20. ... g6 21. Rh4 f5 as without the Bishop’s help White can barely fuel her initiative.

20. Rxg7+! The most spectacular way to a perpetual check. 20. ... Kxg7 21. Qg5+ Kh8 22. Qf6+ Kg8 23. Qg5+ Kh8 24. Qf6+ Kg8 25. Qg5+ Kh8 ½ : ½.

Maybe Goryachkina could have pushed harder, but she contented herself with a draw. Photo: Eteri Kublashvili/Russian Chess Federation.

A miss is as good as a mile

Kirill Alexeyevich Alekseenko – Aleksandra Yuryevna Goryachkina
74th Russian Chess Championship Superfinal; Ufa, October 11, 2021
Queen’s Gambit Declined D36

1. d4 Nf6 2. c4 e6 3. Nc3 d5 4. cxd5 exd5 5. Bg5 c6 6. e3 h6 7. Bh4 Be7 8. Qc2 0-0 9. Bd3 Re8 10. Nge2 a5 11. 0-0 Na6 12. a3 Nc7 13. Na4!? Alekseenko has prepared something new for Goryachkina, who only a little time ago had faced 13. f3 Ne6 14. Rad1 b5 15. Bf5 Nf8 16. Bd3 Ne6 17. Kh1 Ba6 with a satisfactory play, Zakhartsov – Goryachkina, 28th Russian Team Championship Premiere League, Sochi 2021. 13. ... Ne6 14. f3 b5 15. Nac3 Bb7 16. Rad1 b4 17. Na4 Nd7 18. Bf2

18. ... c5 19. Bb5 Ba6! In order to reply to 20. Bxd7 Qxd7 21. Nb6 with 21. ... Qb5 with at least equality. 20. Bxa6 Rxa6 21. dxc5 Ndxc5 22. axb4 axb4. 22. ... Nxa4 23. Qxa4 Bxb4 24. e4 Qa8 25. Rxd5 (after 25. exd5 Nc7 White’s d-Pawn will fall sooner or later) 25. ... Rc8 also gives good chances for compensation. 23. Nxc5 Bxc5 24. Nf4

24. ... b3!? Trying to avoid what will happen next. 25. Qc1 Nxf4?! More consistent was 25. ... Bd6! 26. Nxd5 Qb8 with some play for the Pawn. 26. Qxc5 Ne6 27. Qxd5 Qxd5 28. Rxd5

28. ... Ra2? Black’s last chance was to temporarily sacrifice a second Pawn with 28. ... Rc8 29. Rd3 Rc2 30. Rxb3 Ra2 31. Rb1 Nc5 in a bid to besiege the b2-Pawn and eventually capture it, thus escaping, with a little bit of luck, in a drawish 4 vs. 3 Pawns on the same side Rook endgame. 29. Rb1! Rc8 30. Be1! Rc4. If 30. ... Rc2 then 31. Bc3 equally follows. 31. Bc3 Nc5 32. Rd8+ Kh7 33. Rb8 f6 34. Kf1 Kg6 35. Rc8 Rxc3. Desperation. 36. bxc3 Nd3 37. Rd8 Nc5 38. Rc8 Nd3 39. Rb8 Rf2+ 40. Kg1 b2 41. Rd8 Rd2 42. c4 1 : 0.

Goryachkina did not manage to hold a materially unbalanced endgame against Alekseenko. Photo: Eteri Kublashvili/Russian Chess Federation.

On Canvas

Aleksandra Yuryevna Goryachkina – Alexander Anatolyevich Motylev
74th Russian Chess Championship Superfinal; Ufa, October 10, 2021
Semi-Slav Defence D45

1. c4 c6 2. Nf3 d5 3. d4 Nf6 4. Nc3 e6 5. e3 Nbd7 6. Qc2 Bd6 7. b3 0-0 8. Be2 b6 9. 0-0 Bb7 10. Bb2 Qe7 11. Rfe1 Rfe8 12. e4 Nxe4 13. Nxe4 dxe4 14. Qxe4 Bb4 (14. ... Nf6 15. Qc2 Rad8 16. Bd3 Ba3 17. Bc3 h6 18. Rad1 Bb4 19. Bxb4 Qxb4 20. c5 bxc5 21. Qxc5 a5 22. Ne5 Rd5 23. Qxb4 axb4 24. Bc4 Ra5 25. Nd3 Rxa2 26. Nxb4 Ra5 27. Ra1 Rea8 28. Rxa5 Rxa5 29. Nd3 Nd7 30. h3 ½ : ½ Rapport – Ragger, Szombathely 2011, match game 5) 15. Red1 Ba3 16. Bxa3 Qxa3 17. Ne5. A novelty by Goryachkina which secures White a lasting edge along the lines of the theoretical model: 17. Qf4 Nf6 18. Ne5 Qe7 19. Bf3 Qc7 20. Qe3 Rad8 21. b4 b5 22. Qc3 Rc8 23. Rdc1 Qb8 24. a4 bxc4 25. Qxc4 Nd5 26. Qc5 Red8 27. g3 Rd6 28. Nc4 Rdd8 29. Rab1 g6 30. h4 h5 31. Ne5 Ba8 32. Be4 Kg7 33. Rb3 Rc7 34. Kh2 Nf6 35. Bf3 Nd7 36. Qc3 Nxe5 37. dxe5 Rdd7 38. Qe3 Qd8 39. Rc4 a5 40. bxa5 c5 41. Qf4 Bd5 42. Bxd5 exd5 43. Rc1 d4 44. Rb6 d3 45. e6 fxe6 46. Rxe6 Qf8?? (⌓ 46. ... Rf7) 47. Rxg6+! Kxg6 48. Qxf8 c4 49. Re1 Rf7 50. Qg8+ Rg7 51. Qe6+ Kh7 52. Re5 1 : 0 Šarić – Pavasovič, 13th Open, Zadar 2006. 17. ... Nxe5 18. dxe5

18. ... Rad8 19. Bf3 Ba8 20. Qh4 Qf8. Black understandably doesn’t intend to surrender the d-file. 21. h3 h6 22. Be4

22. ... f5. Perhaps it is not so bad as it seems (subjectively, if not objectively). Also after 22. ... Re7 23. Rxd8 (otherwise ... Re7-d7 follows) 23. ... Qxd8 24. Bf3 Qc7 25. Qf4 Rd7 26. Rc1! Bb7 (hoping to free the Bishop by ... c6-c5) 27. c5⩲ White retains a slight pull. 23. exf6 Qxf6 24. Qg3 c5 25. Bg6. White is searching for a way to turn Black’s isolated Pawn at e6 and his weak white squares around the King into a tangible gain. 25. ... Rf8 26. Rab1 Bc6 27. Rxd8 Qxd8? And indeed this is the only and most serious mistake committed by Motylev — which suddenly makes Goryachkina’s dreams come true. Simply 27. ... Rxd8! 28. Re1 Rd4! eventually followed by ... Rd4-f4 should hold (almost) everything together. 28. Re1 Rf6 29. Re3 Qe7 30. a4 Kf8 31. Qe5. Powerful centralisation, white square domination, a weak Black isolani are nothing more than a prediction of how the game will end.

31. ... Rf6 32. Rg3 Rf8 33. Bc2 Rf6. (⌓ 33. ... Qf6 34. Qe3±) 34. Rd3. White has added also the d-file to her assets — now she is ready to break through the Queenside and finally create the passed c-Pawn. 34. ... Rf8 35. Rd6 Bd7 36. a5 bxa5 37. Qxc5 Bc8 (37. ... Rc8 38. Qd4+−) 38. Rc6 Qd8. It is manifest that exchanging Queens would have cost Black a Pawn and the game.

39. Rc7 a6 40. Kh2 Bd7 41. Qa7! And now 41. ... Rf7 42. Bg6 Re7 43. Rb7 is an agony without hope, as Goryachkina herself quite sadistically demonstrated after the game: 43. ... Qf8 (hoping for a perpetual check after 44. Rxd7?? Qf4+) 44. Qb8 e5 45. Qxf8+ Kxf8 46. Rb8+ Be8 47. h4⊙ — Black resigned. 1 : 0.

Goryachkina scored the only victory of the day and took the headlines — not only in Cyrillic. Photo: Eteri Kublashvili/Russian Chess Federation.

As Far As Far Enough

Pavel Andreevich Ponkratov – Aleksandra Yuryevna Goryachkina
74th Russian Chess Championship Superfinal; Ufa, October 9, 2021
Scotch Gambit C44

1. e4 e5 2. Nf3 Nc6 3. d4 exd4 4. Bc4 Bc5 5. 0-0. 5. c3 is probably safer (whereupon might follow 5. ... Nf6 6. cxd4 Bb4+). 5. ... d6! 6. c3 Bg4! “This excellent Bishop sortie proves the weakness of White’s castling at move 5 as it does not take care of the usual tricky 7. Qb3”, Serafino Dubois wrote in “Le principali aperture del giuoco di scacchi sviluppate secondo i due diversi sistemi italiano e francese”, Tipografia de’ Fratelli Monaldi, Rome, 1868, p. 27. 7. Qb3

7. ... Qd7. Theoretically speaking, the most critical is 7. ... Bxf3 8. Bxf7+ Kf8 9. Bxg8? (9. gxf3 is correct, to which Black can reply 9. ... Nf6 or 9. ... Bb6) 9. ... Rxg8 10. gxf3 g5!−+ 11. Qe6 (or 11. Qd1 Qd7 12. b4 Bb6 13. Bb2 d3 14. Qxd3 Ne5 15. Qe2 Qh3 16. Nd2 g4 0 : 1 Kolisch – Anderssen, Paris 1860, match game 6) 11. ... Ne5 12. Qf5+ Kg7 13. Kh1 Kh8 14. Rg1 g4! 15. f4 Nf3! 16. Rxg4 Qh4!! 17. Rg2 Qxh2+! 18. Rxh2 Rg1# 0 : 1 Reiner – Steinitz, Vienna 1860. 8. Nxd4. 8. Qxb7?? Rb8−+ gives Black an irresistible attack. Other playable continuations, except the text move, are 8. cxd4 Bxf3 9. dxc5 Nd4 10. Qxb7?? (⌓ 10. Qe3! Qg4 11. Qg5∞) 10. ... Qg4−+ A. – Perigal, London 1843 and 8. Bxf7+ Qxf7 9. Qxb7 Kd7 10. Qxa8 Bxf3 11. gxf3 Qxf3 12. Nd2 Qh3 13. e5 dxe5 14. b4? (14. Ne4 Qg4+ 15. Ng3 h5∞) 14. ... Nf6! 15. Qxh8 Ng4−+ Strautmanis – Palau, 2nd Chess Olympiad, The Hague 1928. 8. ... Na5 9. Qb5. If 9. Bxf7+ then 9. ... Ke7 10. Be6 Bxe6 11. Qxe6+ Qxe6 12. Nxe6 Kxe6 13. b4 Bxf2+ 14. Rxf2 Nc4 with comfortable equality, Blatný – Krasenkow, International Tournament, Brno 1994. 9. ... Nxc4 10. Qxc4 Ne7 11. h3!? After 11. Bg5 Nc6 followed by ... Nc6-e5 Black stands well, Procházka – Široký, 10th “MASPORK NIKI OPEN”, Náchod 2012. 11. ... Be6 12. Qd3 0-0 13. Be3 Bxd4 14. cxd4 f5 15. d5 Bf7 16. Nc3?! Positionally wrong as it leaves White with an isolated Pawn at d5 without any dynamic compensation therefor. Correct was 16. f3! followed by Nb1-d2 maintaining the balance. 16. ... fxe4 17. Qxe4 Rae8 18. Qd4 a6 19. Rfe1 Qf5 20. Rad1 h6 21. Kh2 Ng6 22. Qb4 Qc8 23. Bd4? There were many reasonable moves for maintaining the status quo, but White — quite inexplicably — allows the exchange of Rooks, after which the d5-Pawn is doomed. 23. ... Rxe1 24. Rxe1 Re8. More straightforward is 24. ... Qf5! winning the Pawn at once, since White cannot play 25. Qxb7?? on account of 25. ... Qf4+ gaining the Bishop. 25. Rxe8+ Bxe8 26. Ne2 Ne7 27. Qb3 Bf7 28. Nf4 Qf5 29. Qg3 g5. So after all Black wins a Pawn anyway. 30. Be3. Retreating the Knight at once was a lesser evil. 30. ... Qe5 31. Ne2

31. ... Qxg3+. Black is content with one safe Pawn ahead in a Queenless endgame, but her judgment will prove a bit too cautious as from now on she will have to deal with many technical difficulties. After 31. ... Qxb2! Black is not only a Pawn ahead, but she also dominates the board. 32. Nxg3 Nxd5 33. Bd2 Kh7 34. Ne2 Kg6 35. g4 Nf6 36. a3 c5 37. f4 Ne4. More promising seems 37. ... b6! followed by the advance of the d-Pawn. 38. Be3 b6 39. Nc3! White is on the verge of abyss, but there is still one hope left, viz. an endgame with Bishops of opposite colours. 39. ... Nf6 40. f5+ Kg7 41. b4 Be8 42. Kg3 Bc6 43. h4 Nh7 44. hxg5 hxg5 45. bxc5 bxc5 46. Nd1 Kh6 47. Nf2 Kg7 48. Nh3 Kf6 49. Kf2 Be4. Intending to sacrifice the Bishop for two Pawns, remaining with three extra Pawns — very near but not near enough to win. 50. Ke2 Bg2 51. Ng1 Ke5 52. Kf2 Bc6 53. Bc1

53. ... Be4. In fact resigning herself to a draw. Perhaps Black could still try to win by 53. ... Kd5!? (heading to the Queenside) 54. Nf3 Nf6 55. Nxg5 Nxg4+ 56. Kg3 Ne5∓ keeping her extra Pawn (and her advantage) a while longer. 54. Nh3 Bxf5 55. Bb2+ Ke6 56. gxf5+ Kxf5 57. a4 Nf8 58. Ng1 d5 59. Ne2 d4 60. Bxd4. The dual is 60. Nxd4+ cxd4 61. Bxd4 with a book draw as well. 60. ... cxd4 61. Nxd4+ Kf4 62. Nc6 Ne6 63. Nb4 g4!? A last ditch trick. 64. a5. Of course White cannot afford the luxury of 64. Nxa6?? on account of 64. ... g3+ 65. Ke2 (65. Kg2 Kg4−+) 65. ... Kg4−+ winning by force. 64. ... g3+ 65. Kg2 Kg4 66. Nd5 (66. Nxa6?? Nf4+ 67. Kf1 Kf3−+) 56. ... Kh4 67. Ne3 Nd4 68. Nf1 Nc6 69. Nxg3 Nxa5 70. Ne4 Nc6 ½ : ½.

Goryachkina has to do her best to win her place in the men’s world, because as Leonard Barden wrote in his column on The Guardian last Friday, “the chances of a third female prodigy emerging to follow Judit Polgár and 侯逸凡 (Hóu Yìfán) seem remote”. Photo: Eteri Kublashvili/Russian Chess Federation.

Number 11

The grand opening of the 74th “all-gender” Russian Chess Championship Superfinal and 71st Russian Women’s Chess Championship Superfinal took place at the Bashkir State Art Museum named in honour of Mikhail Vasilyevich Nesterov in Ufa, Bashkortostan, Russia on Friday, October 8, 2021. Basically it was just like all the other times except that this time the ceremony itself and the drawing of lots have been put to the test by one notion of gender equality that had never occurred in the long and glorious history of Russian (and Soviet) chess: Aleksandra Yuryevna Goryachkina drew number 11 in the drawing of lots, she being the first woman ever to earn the right to compete in the “unisex” Russian Championship. Photo: Eteri Kublashvili/Press service of the Ministry of Youth and Sports of the Republic of Bashkortostan.

Black and White in Colour

Alexander Sergeyevich Zabotin – Aleksandra Yuryevna Goryachkina
73rd Russian Chess Championship Higher League; Sochi, October 16, 2020
Semi-Slav Defence D45

1. d4 d5 2. c4 e6 3. Nc3 Nf6 4. Nf3 c6 5. e3 Nbd7 6. Qc2 Bd6 7. b3 0-0 8. Be2 b6 9. 0-0 Bb7 10. Bb2 Re8 11. Rad1 Rc8 12. e4 Nxe4 13. Nxe4 dxe4 14. Qxe4 Nf6 15. Qh4 h6 16. Ne5 Qc7 17. Bf3 c5 18. Bxb7 Qxb7 19. Ng4 Nxg4 20. Qxg4 cxd4 21. Bxd4 Bf8 22. a4 Red8 23. Be5 Qe7 24. Rxd8?! This is the seed of White’s next radically wrong move. 24. ... Rxd8

25. Rd1?? A ruinous blunder which loses on the spot due to tactics. White had to content himself with holding his position — for instance, by 25. Qe2. 25. ... Qg5! 0 : 1. White cannot avoid material loss.

So far, Goryachkina’s succeeded at keeping up her challenge at the top of the Higher League. Photo: Vladimir Leonidovich Barsky/Russian Chess Federation.

Alice Through the Cellophane

Aleksandra Yuryevna Goryachkina – Vadim Vikotorovich Zvjaginsev
73rd Russian Chess Championship Higher League; Sochi, October 11, 2020
Catalan Opening E00

1. d4 Nf6 2. c4 e6 3. g3 Bb4+ 4. Nd2 c5 5. a3 Bxd2+ 6. Qxd2 cxd4 7. Nf3 b6 8. b4 Bb7 9. Qxd4 d5 10. cxd5 Qxd5 11. Bb2. 11. Qxd5 Bxd5 12. Bg2 Nbd7 13. 0-0 Rc8 14. Bb2 Ke7 15. Rac1 Rhd8 seems quite balanced as well, Percivaldi – Dudin, First Saturday GM March 2020, Budapest 2020. 11. ... Qxd4 12. Bxd4 Bd5 13. Bg2 Nc6 14. 0-0 Nxd4 15. Nxd4 0-0-0. Dogmatically speaking, a King move such as 15. ... Ke7 would have been much more to the point, and if 16. Rac1 (or 16. Rfc1) Black can reply 16. ... Rhc8 with a near equality endgame. Maybe castling is not objectively wrong, but it leaves White with a small but enduring initiative. 16. Rac1+ Kb8 17. Bxd5 Rxd5 18. Nc6+ Kb7 19. Rc2 Re8 20. Rfc1 e5 21. a4 a6 22. Rc4 e4 23. e3 Rd7 24. b5 a5 25. h3 h5 26. Kf1 Nh7 27. Nd4 Ng5 28. h4 Ne6 29. Nxe6 Rxe6 30. Ke2 f5 31. Rd1 Rxd1 32. Kxd1 Rd6+ 33. Ke2 Rg6 34. Rc3 Kb8 35. Rc4 Kb7 36. Rd4 Kc7 37. Rd5 Rf6 38. f3

38. ... Rg6? Zvjaginsev defended well so far, but the text precipitates him into an indefensible ending. After 38. ... exf3+ 39. Kxf3 g6 a draw appears inevitable. 39. Rxf5 Rxg3 40. fxe4 Rg2+? Just making bad worse. Comparatively better was 40. ... Rg4, although after 41. Rf4 Rg2+ 42. Kf3 Rg1 43. Rf7+ Kd6 44. Rb7 White has a Pawn more and a much better endgame. 41. Kf3 Ra2 42. Rxh5 Rxa4 43. Rg5 Ra1 (43. ... Kd6 44. Kf4+−) 44. e5 Kd7 45. Rxg7+ (45. Ke4 Ke6 46. Rg6+ Kf7 47. Rxb6+−) 45. ... Ke6 46. Kf4 Rh1 47. Rg6+ Kd5 48. Rd6+ Kc5 49. Kg5 a4 50. Rd3 Rg1+ 51. Kf5 Rf1+ 52. Ke4 Rh1 53. e6 Rxh4+ 54. Kf5 Rh7 55. Kg6 Rh4 56. Rd4 Rh3 57. Re4 Rg3+ 58. Kf5 Rf3+ 59. Kg4 (59. Kg5 Rg3+ 60. Kf4+−) 59. ... Rf8

60. e7? A mistake which throws away a victory. Simply 60. Rxa4! Kd6 (60. ... Kxb5 61. Re4+−) 61. Ra6!+− leads to an easily won ending for White. 60. ... Re8 61. Kf5 a3 62. Ke6 Kxb5 63. Rf4 a2 64. Rf1 Ka4 65. Kd7 Rb8 66. e8=Q Rxe8 67. Kxe8 b5 68. Rf7 Kb3 69. Ra7 Kb2 70. e4 b4 71. e5 b3 72. e6 a1=Q 73. Rxa1 ½ : ½.

At a certain point, Goryachkina’s advantage was even larger than was visible through the plexiglass. Photo: Eteri Kublashvili/Russian Chess Federation.