Downtime

Gabriel Eduardi Sargissian – Aleksandra Yuryevna Goryachkina
29th Russian Team Chess Championship; Sochi, May 5, 2022
q7/1p3kp1/2p1p1p1/2P1Q3/1P1P1PPP/6K1/8/8 w - - 1 45

Position after 44. ... Qd8-a8

The diagram shows that Goryachkina (Black) has paid a high price for the sake of a dubious theoretical consistency as she has now to defend a Queen ending a Pawn down — a task which would probably prove prohibitive after, say, 45. h5! (45. ... gxh5 46. f5!). Instead, the text gives Black a chance: 45. Qc7+ Kg8 46. Qa5 Qc8 47. Qa2. 47. Qa7 Qd8 48. Qxb7 Qxd4 49. Qxc6 Qc3+ 50. Qf3 Qxb4 should be a draw. 47. ... Qd7 48. Qc4 Kf8 49. Kf3

49. ... Qd8? A grave error, which in fact loses the game. 49. ... Ke7! would still have made a tough defence. 50. Qxe6 Qxh4 51. Kg2 Qd8 52. d5 g5 53. fxg5 Qxd5+ 54. Qxd5 cxd5 55. Kf3 Ke7 56. Ke3 Kd7 57. b5 1 : 0.

Like random bytes on the long and arduous way through the firewalls. Photo: Vladimir Leonidovich Barsky/Russian Chess Federation.

In Another Time

Aleksandra Yuryevna Goryachkina – David Arturovich Paravyan
29th Russian Team Chess Championship; Sochi, May 4, 2022
Grünfeld Defence D85

1. d4 Nf6 2. c4 g6 3. Nc3 d5 4. cxd5 Nxd5 5. e4 Nxc3 6. bxc3 Bg7 7. Nf3 c5 8. Bb5+. 8. Be2 Bg4 transposes to the game. 8. ... Bd7. The alternative is 8. ... Nc6 9. d5 Qa5 10. Rb1 a6 11. Bxc6+ bxc6 12. 0-0 0-0 13. dxc6 Bg4 14. Bf4 Rac8 15. c7 e5 16. Be3 Rxc7= 17. Qb3 Be6 18. c4 Rc6 19. Ng5 Bc8 20. Rfd1 h6 21. Nf3 Be6 22. h3 Kh7 23. Qc2 Rd8 24. Rxd8 Qxd8 25. Nd2 Bf6 26. Nb3 Bg5 27. Rd1 Qe7 28. Qc3 Bxe3 29. Qxe3 Rc8 30. Qc3 Qc7 31. Rc1 Rd8 ½ : ½ R. R. Prasanna – A. O. Muzychuk, 16th Tradewise Gibraltar Chess Festival, Catalan Bay 2018. 9. Be2 Bg4 10. Rb1 0-0 11. 0-0 cxd4 12. cxd4 Bxf3 13. Bxf3 Bxd4 14. Rxb7 Nc6 15. Qa4 Qc8 16. Rb3 Qe6 17. e5

17. ... Rac8! 18. Bxc6 Qxc6 19. Qxd4 Qxc1! A spectacular defence based on the back rank weakness, but nihil sub sole novum. 20. e6 f6!? The game starts here (finally!), with a new move, which, however, can hardly add something new to a hyper-stretched theory: 20. ... Qc5 21. exf7+ Rxf7= 22. Qd2 (or 22. Qd1 Rc6 23. Re3 Qc4 24. Qd8+ Rf8 25. Qd2 Rd6 26. Qb2 Rb6 27. Qd2 Rd6 28. Qb2 Rb6 29. Rb3 Rxb3 30. axb3 Rb8 31. Qa3 Rxb3 32. Qxa7 Kf7 33. Qa1 Rc3 ½ : ½ Andreikin – Nepomniachtchi, 7th World Rapid Chess Championship, Saint Petersburg 2018) 22. ... Qc2 23. Qe3 Qxa2 24. Ra3 Qc4 25. Rxa7 Qc5 26. Ra8 Qc6 27. Rxc8+ Qxc8 28. h4 Qf5 29. g3 Qf3 30. Qd4 Qf6 31. Qd2 Qd6 32. Qe2 h5 33. Rd1 Qc5 34. Rd3 Rf6 35. Rd8+ Kg7 36. Qa2 Rf7 37. Qb2+ Rf6 38. Rd7 Kf7 39. Qb3+ Kg7 40. Qb2 Kf7 41. Rd3 Qc4 42. Rd4 Qc6 43. Qd2 Rd6 44. Qf4+ Kg8 45. Rxd6 Qxd6 46. Qc4+ ½ : ½ Andreikin – Nepomniachtchi, 71st Russian Chess Championship Superfinal, Satka 2018. 21. Rb7 Rfe8 22. Rxa7 Qc6 23. Qe3 Ra8 24. h3 Rxa7 25. Qxa7 Qxe6 26. a4 Rd8 27. a5 Rd6 28. Qb8+ Kg7 29. Qb4 Kf7 30. Re1 Rd4 31. Qc3 Rd3 32. Qc1 Qd6 33. Qc8 Rd1. One may wonder whether the exchange of Rooks gives strength to the a-Pawn. Also worth considering was 33. ... Qb4 34. Qe6+ Kf8 35. a6 Ra3 with a precariously balanced endgame. 34. Rxd1 Qxd1+ 35. Kh2 Qd6+ 36. g3 Qd4 37. Qc2 Ke8? Up to the 40th move they both were quite short of time, which in a way gives a reason for the mutual omissions. Black ought now to play 37. ... Qa7 38. Qa2+ Ke8 39. a6 Kd7 transposing to the game.

38. a6? White here misses the win which was 38. Qc6+! Qd7 (38. ... Kd8 39. Kg2 Qa7 40. a6+−) 39. Qa8+ Qd8 (39. ... Kf7 40. a6+−) 40. Qxd8+ Kxd8 41. Kg2 Kc7 42. Kf3+− with an elementary Pawn ending. 38. .. Kd7 39. Qa2 Qa7 40. Kg1 Kc6 41. Qf7. 41. Qa5 Qc7! 42. Qb4 Qa7 43. Qh4 Qxa6 44. Qxh7 transposes to the game after White’s 42nd move. 41. ... Qxa6 42. Qxh7

42. ... Qd3? This should lose. After the correct 42. ... Kd7 43. Qxg6 Qa1+ 44. Kg2 Qa8+ 45. Kh2 Qa2 it would be hard for White to make progress. 43. Qxe7+− Qd1+ 44. Kg2 (44. Kh2+−) 44. ... Qd5+ 45. Kf1 Qd1+ 46. Qe1 Qd3+ 47. Qe2 Qb1+ 48. Kg2 Kd6 49. h4 Kd7 50. Qe3? (50. g4+−) 50. ... Qc2 51. g4 Qc4? Black ought to take advantage of White’s loss of a tempo at 50th move by 51. ... Qc6+ 52. Kg3 (or 52. Qf3 Qc4 53. Qxf6 Qxg4+ 54. Kh2 Qe4) 52. ... Qd5 with strong drawing chances. 52. Kg3? (52. Kf3+−) 52. ... Qd5. All White’s advantages now disappeared at once, and Black has no particular difficulty in securing a draw. 53. f3 Qd6+ 54. Kg2 Qd5 55. Qf4 Qa2+ 56. Kg3 Qa7 57. Qxf6 Qg1+ 58. Kf4 Qc1+ 59. Ke4 Qe1+ 60. Kd3 Qd1+ 61. Kc4 Qa4+ 62. Kd3 Qd1+ 63. Ke4 ½ : ½.

The other half was behind a plexiglass wall. Photo: Vladimir Leonidovich Barsky/Russian Chess Federation.

The Only Woman in the Room

Aleksandra Yuryevna Goryachkina – Alexander Vladimirovich Riazantsev
29th Russian Team Chess Championship; Sochi, May 1, 2022
Slav Defence D10

1. c4 c6 2. d4 d5 3. cxd5 cxd5 4. Bf4 Nc6 5. e3 Bf5 6. Nc3 e6 7. Bd3 Bxd3 8. Qxd3 Bd6 9. Nge2 (9. Bxd6 Qxd6 10. Nf3 Nf6 11. 0-0 0-0 12. Rac1 Rfc8 13. Ne2 Ne7 14. h3 h6 15. Rxc8+ Rxc8 16. Rc1 ½-½ Vasiukov – Beliavsky, 48th USSR Chess Championship, Vilnius 1980) 9. ... Nf6 10. 0–0 0–0 11. Rfc1 Rc8

12. Na4 (12. Bxd6 Qxd6 13. Nb5 Qe7 14. Nbc3 Qd6 15. Nb5 Qe7 16. Nbc3 Qd6 17. Nb5 Qe7 ½ : ½ Jianu – Nikolaidis, 48th Greek Team Chess Championship, Athens 2021) 12. ... Ne4 13. Bxd6 Nxd6 14. Nf4 Qe7 15. Qe2 Rc7 16. Nc5 b6 17. Na6 Rcc8 18. Nd3 Qb7 19. Nab4 Nxb4 20. Nxb4 Rxc1+ 21. Rxc1 Rc8 22. Rxc8+ Qxc8 23. Qc2 Qxc2 24. Nxc2 Kf8 25. Kf1 Nc4 26. b3 Nd6 27. Ke2 Ke7 28. Nb4 ½ : ½.

Once again, three-time Russian Women’s Chess Champion and world’s woman No. 2 Goryachkina crossed the gender barrier, in the footsteps of Judit Polgár and 侯逸凡 (Hóu Yìfán). Photo: Vladimir Leonidovich Barsky/Russian Chess Federation.

Betweenity

Vasily Mikhailovich Usmanov – Aleksandra Yuryevna Goryachkina
28th Russian Team Chess Championship; Sochi, May 3, 2021
French Defence C11

1. e4 e6 2. d4 d5 3. Nc3 Nf6 4. Bg5 dxe4 5. Nxe4 Be7 6. Bxf6 Bxf6 7. Nf3 b6 8. Bd3 Bb7 9. Qe2 Nd7 10. 0-0-0 Qe7 11. h4 a6!? Goryachkina adds her own lines to the theory’s files: 11. ... 0-0-0 12. Ba6 Nb8 13. Bxb7+ Kxb7 14. g4 Nc6 15. c3 Qd7 16. g5 Be7 17. c4 Bd6 18. Kb1 Rhe8 19. h5 Qe7 20. h6 f5 21. Nc3 g6 22. Rhe1 Qf8 23. c5 Bf4 24. Qc4 Na5 25. Qa4 Kb8 26. b4 Nb7 27. c6 a5 28. a3 axb4 29. axb4 Bd6 30. Qa6 1 : 0 Aronian – Manukian, International Open Chess Tournament “Pasanauri-97”, Pasanauri 1997. 12. Kb1 b5

13. Ne5?! A stereotyped move, which allows Black to solve her opening issues very well. 13. g4! seems much stronger, ensuring White at least the initiative. 13. ... Bxe5. 13. ... Nxe5 14. dxe5 Bxe5 15. Bxb5+ leads nowhere. 14. dxe5 0-0-0 15. f4 Nb6 16. h5 h6

17. Qf2? White asks too much to his position, as the big threat of Ne4-c5 is merely apparent. A sounder continuation was 17. a3 Kb8 with an approximate balance and chances for both colours. 17. ... Bxe4 18. Bxe4 Qb4 (Δ ... Nb6-a4) 19. Rxd8+ Rxd8 20. Qe1 Rd2! (Δ ... Nb6-c4)

21. a3? If 21. b3 Black can likewise reply 21. ... Qd4 with ... Nb6-d7-c5 to follow. The best, and probably only, opportunity to defend was given by 21. Bd3! Nd5 22. a3 Qxf4 23. Rf1 Qe3 with a somewhat better game for Black. 21. ... Qd4! And, again, the threat is ... Nb6-c4. 22. b3?! A little better (but ultimately insufficient) is 22. c3 to which would follow 22. ... Qf2 23. Qxf2 Rxf2 threatening both ... Rf2xf4 and ... Nb6-c4.

22. ... Nd7! White has no decent defence against the threat of ... Nd7-c5 followed by ... Nc5xb3. 23. Kc1 Nc5 24. Rh3 Nxe4 25. c3 Qd5 0 : 1.

Once again, three-time Russian Women’s Chess Champion Goryachkina crossed the gender border chasing rating points. Photo: Vladimir Leonidovich Barsky/Russian Chess Federation.

Sliding Doors

Vladimir Nailevich Malakhov – Aleksandra Yuryevna Goryachkina
27th Russian Team Chess Championship; Sochi, November 28, 2020
Slav Defence D11

1. c4 c6 2. Nf3 d5 3. g3 Bg4 4. Bg2 e6 5. d4 Nf6 6. 0-0 Nbd7 7. h3 Bh5 8. cxd5 exd5 9. Qb3 Qb6 10. Qe3+ Be7 11. Nh4 Bg6 12. Nc3 Qd8 13. Nxg6 hxg6 14. Qd3 0-0 15. Bf4 Nb6!?TN (15. ... Re8 16. Rad1 Qa5 17. a3 a6 18. Rfe1 Rad8 19. b4 Qb6 20. Na4 Qa7 21. Nc5 a5 22. Bd2 b6 23. Nxd7 Rxd7 24. bxa5 bxa5 25. Rc1 c5 26. dxc5 Bxc5 27. e3 Rb8 28. Rb1 a4 29. Bc3 Rxb1 30. Rxb1 d4 31. Bxd4 Bxd4 32. exd4 Qxd4 33. Qc2 Rd8 34. Bf1 Qe4 35. Qxe4 Nxe4 36. Rb4 f5 37. Rxa4 Rd1 38. Kg2 ½ : ½ Svidler – Pelletier, 6th Kortschnoi Zürich Chess Challenge, Zürich 2017) 16. b3 Re8 17. Na4

17. ... Ne4! A brilliant temporary Pawn sacrifice which gives Black an opportunity to claim a volatile initiative. 18. Nxb6 axb6 19. Bxe4 dxe4 20. Qxe4 Bf6. 20. ... Bd6 also came in consideration, as after 21. Qd3 Bxf4 22. gxf4 Ra5! 23. e4 Qf6 Black regains the Pawn with good play. 21. Be5 Bxe5 22. dxe5 Qg5 23. Qd4 b5 24. Qb6 Re7 25. Rad1 Qxe5. Black has finally regained her Pawn and now heads for the exchange of Queens, thus simplifying to a drawish endgame. 26. Rd2 Qc7 27. Qxc7 Rxc7 28. Rfd1 Kf8 29. Kg2 c5 30. Kf3 Ke7 31. Ke4 Ra6 32. f4 b4 33. e3 b5 34. g4 c4 35. Rd5 Rb6. Of course not 35. ... Rxa2?? because of 36. Re5+ and mate next move. Goryachkina just digs around a little more in her vain search for water in the desert. 36. Rc1 f6 37. Rc2 Rb8 38. h4 Kf7 39. Kf3 Ke6 40. Ke4 Kf7 41. Kf3 Ke6 42. Ke4 ½ : ½.

In the end Goryachkina drew eight of her nine games, and lost only one — that is, as they say, when good enough isn’t enough. This means that the time has come for her to return to the women’s rooms, and thus she’ll be the number one seed at the 70th Russian Women’s Chess Championship to be held at Moscow from December 4–17, 2020. Photo: Vladimir Leonidovich Barsky/Russian Chess Federation.

Nibble

Aleksandra Yuryevna Goryachkina – Alexandr Sergeevich Triapishko
27th Russian Team Chess Championship; Sochi, November 27, 2020
Queen’s Gambit Declined D38

1. Nf3 Nf6 2. c4 e6 3. Nc3 d5 4. d4 Bb4 5. Bg5 h6 6. Bxf6 Qxf6 7. Qb3 c5 8. cxd5 exd5 9. e3 0-0 10. dxc5 Bxc3+ 11. Qxc3 Qxc3+ 12. bxc3 Nd7. Pray, do not invoke the name of Goddess in vain: 12. ... Be6 13. Bb5 Rc8 14. Nd4 Rxc5 15. Kd2 a6 16. Be2 Nd7 17. Rhb1 Rc7 18. a4 Kf8 19. a5 Rac8 20. Ra3 Nc5 21. Bd3 Bd7 22. Rb4 g6 23. Bc2 Ke7 24. Rb6 h5 25. h4 Be8 26. Rb4 Bd7 27. Rb6 Rd8 28. Ra1 Be8 29. Rab1 Rd6 30. Rxd6 Kxd6 31. Rb6+ Ke7 32. Rb4 Bd7 33. Ne2 Bb5 34. Nf4 Rd7 35. f3 Kd6 36. Ke1 Kc6 37. Kd2 Rd8 38. Rb1 b6 39. axb6 Kxb6 40. Ne2 Kc7 41. Nd4 Bc4 42. g4 Rh8 43. g5 Ra8 44. f4 Re8 45. Ra1 Rb8 46. Rb1 Rb6 47. Rxb6 Kxb6 48. f5 Ne4+ 49. Kc1 Bb5 50. fxg6 fxg6 51. Ne6 Be8 52. Nf4 Kc5 53. Kb2 a5 54. c4 Kxc4 55. Bb3+ Kc5 56. Bxd5 Nd6 57. e4 Kd4 58. Ba2 Nxe4 59. Bb1 Ke5 60. Nd3+ Kf5 61. Nc5 Bc6 62. Nb3 Kg4 63. Nxa5 Bd5 64. Nb3 Bxb3 65. Kxb3 Nd2+ 66. Kc3 Nxb1+ 0 : 1 P. Cramling – 侯逸凡 (Hóu Yìfán), 1st SportAccord World Mind Games, Women’s Blindfold Tournament, 北京 (Běijīng) 2011. 13. Rd1 Nxc5 14. Rxd5 b6 15. c4 Be6 16. Rd2!?TN (16. Rd4 Rfc8 17. g4 Rc7 18. g5 hxg5 19. Nxg5 Bf5 20. Bg2 Rac8 21. 0-0 Ne6 22. Nxe6 fxe6 23. Rc1 b5 24. Bf1 e5 25. Rd6 Rc5 26. e4 Bxe4 27. Re1 Bf3 28. cxb5 e4 29. h4 Rh5 30. Kh2 Rxh4+ 31. Bh3 Rh5 32. Rd5 Rxd5 33. Be6+ Kf8 34. Bxd5 Rc5 35. Bc6 Rc2 36. Kg3 Rxa2 37. Bxe4 Re2 38. Rxe2 Bxe2 39. Bc6 g5 ½ : ½ Onischuk – Lenderman, 56th U.S. Chess Championship, Saint Louis 2012) 16. ... Rac8. Black has thought long about it — and that is the only unbalance in an otherwise balanced game. 17. Nd4. This is the strategic corollary of White’s previous move: her Knight gains the d4-square. 17. ... Ne4 18. Rc2 Nd6

19. Bd3. Goryachkina decides it is time to return the extra Pawn and transpose into a drawn endgame. 19. Nxe6 fxe6 20. Bd3 was, at least theoretically, a more logical choice, even though after, say, 20. ... Rc5 followed by the doubling of Rooks on the c-file and the centralisation of the King, White’s extra Pawn would turn out to be quite meaningless. 19. ... Bxc4 20. Bxc4 Nxc4 21. Ke2 Na3 22. Rxc8 (22. Rc6 Nb5=) 22. ... Rxc8 23. Rd1 g6 24. Rd3 Nb1 25. Rb3 Nc3+ 26. Kd3 Nxa2 27. Kd2 (Δ Rb3-a3) 27. ... Rc7 28. Nb5 Rd7+ 29. Nd4 (Δ Rb3-b2) 29. ... Rc7 30. Nb5 Rd7+ 31. Nd4 Rc7 32. Nb5 ½ : ½.

Once again, Goryachkina confirmed herself in her stolidity and solidity without succeeding in fusing them into something more creative. Photo: Vladimir Leonidovich Barsky/Russian Chess Federation.

Notes and Fragments

Dmitry Vladimirovich Andreikin – Aleksandra Yuryevna Goryachkina
27th Russian Team Chess Championship; Sochi, November 26, 2020
Spanish Game C67

1. e4 e5 2. Nf3 Nc6 3. Bb5 Nf6 4. 0-0 Nxe4 5. Re1 Nd6 6. Nxe5 Be7 7. Bf1 Nxe5 8. Rxe5 0-0 9. d4 Bf6 10. Re1. The alternative is 10. Re2 Nc4 11. b3 Nb6 12. c3 c6 13. Nd2 d5 14. h3 Bf5 15. Nf3 Be4 16. Ne5 Bg5 17. f3 Bf5 18. Bxg5 Qxg5 19. Qc1 Qxc1 20. Rxc1 f6 21. Ng4 h5 22. Ne3 Bd3 23. Ree1 Bxf1 24. Kxf1 g6 25. g4 hxg4 26. hxg4 Kf7 27. Kf2 Rh8 28. Rh1 Rae8 29. Ng2 Nc8 30. Nf4 Nd6 31. Nd3 g5 32. a4 a5 33. Rxh8 Rxh8 34. Kg2 Re8 35. Kf2 Rh8 36. Kg2 Re8 37. Kf2 Rh8 38. Kg2 Re8 39. Kf2 Rh8 40. Kg2 Re8 ½ : ½ 居文君 (Jū Wénjūn) – Goryachkina, 上海 (Shànghǎi) 2020, Women’s World Chess Championship match game 2. 10. ... Re8 11. Nc3. Andreikin is not interested to test Goryachkina’s insights on 11. c3 Rxe1 12. Qxe1 Nf5 13. a4 d5 14. a5 Be7 15. Nd2 Bd6 16. Nf3 Ne7 17. b3 Bf5 18. c4 c6 19. Bb2 a6 20. Ne5 Qf8 21. Qc3 Rd8 22. Nd3 Ng6 23. g3 Be4 24. Bg2 Bxg2 25. Kxg2 Ne7 26. c5 Bc7 27. Qb4 Rb8 28. Re1 Qd8 29. Bc3 Ng6 30. Qa3 h5 31. f4 Qf6 32. Qb2 Nh4+ 33. Kh1 Nf5 34. Qe2 Qg6 35. b4 Qd8 36. Qf3 f6 37. Qe2 Kh7 38. Nf2 Rd7 39. Qd3 Re7 40. Rxe7 Nxe7 41. Qxg6+ Kxg6 42. Kg2 h4 43. Kf3 hxg3 44. hxg3 f5 45. Nd1 Kf6 46. Ne3 Ng6 47. Be1 Nf8 48. Nd1 Ne6 49. Bf2 g5 50. Be3 Kg6 51. Nc3 Bd8 52. Ne2 Kh5 53. Bf2 Bf6 54. Be3 gxf4 55. gxf4 Bh4 56. Ng3+ Bxg3 57. Kxg3 Ng7 58. Bc1 Ne8 59. Bd2 Nf6 60. Be1 Ne4+ 61. Kh3 Kg6 62. Kg2 Kh6 63. Kh2 Nf6 64. Kh3 Ne8 65. Kg3 Kh5 66. Kh3 Nc7 67. Bc3 Ne6 68. Kg3 Kg6 69. Kf3 Ng7 70. Be1 Kh6 71. Kg3 Nh5+ 72. Kh2 Nf6 73. Bd2 Ng4+ 74. Kh3 Kg6 75. Kg2 Nf6 76. Kh2 Nh5 77. Kh3 Kh6 78. Kh2 Ng7 79. Kg2 Ne8 80. Kh3 Kg6 81. Kg2 Nc7 82. Bc3 Ne6 83. Kg3 Ng7 84. Kg2 Nh5 85. Bd2 Kh6 86. Kh2 Nf6 87. Kg2 Ng4 88. Kf3 Kg6 89. Kg2 Nh6 90. Kh2 Kh5 91. Kh3 Nf7 92. Kg3 Nd8 93. Be1 Ne6 94. Bc3 Nf8 95. Kh3 Kg6 96. Bd2 Kh6 97. Kg2 Ne6 98. Be3 Kh5 99. Kg3 Nc7 100. Bc1 Ne8 101. Bd2 Nf6 102. Kh3 Kh6 103. Kh2 Ng4+ 104. Kg2 Kg6 105. Kh3 Nf6 ½ : ½ 居文君 (Jū Wénjūn) – Goryachkina, 上海 (Shànghǎi) 2020, Women’s World Chess Championship match game 6. 11. ... Rxe1 12. Qxe1 Bxd4 13. Bf4 Ne8 14. Nd5 d6 15. Bg5 f6 16. Bh4 Bxb2 17. Rb1 Be5 18. f4 c6 19. fxe5 cxd5 20. exf6 Nxf6 21. Bd3 Bd7

22. Qf2. White now has at least two critical continuations: (a) 22. Qc3 Ne4 23. Bxe4 Qxh4 24. Bxd5+ Kh8 25. Rxb7 Rc8 26. Qd2 Re8 27. g3 Qg4 28. Rxa7 Bf5 29. Bc6 Rc8 30. Re7 h6 31. Qxd6 Qg5 (Kosteniuk – Harika, Women’s Grand Prix 2019–2020, 3rd stage, Lausanne 2020) and now Kosteniuk should have contented herself with a Pawn after 32. h4! Qc1+ 33. Kh2 Qxc2+ 34. Bg2 (for Black cannot play 34. ... Qxa2?? on account of 35. Qe5+−); (b) 22. Qg3 Bc6 23. Bf5 Kh8 24. Qh3 Qe7?? (24. ... Qc7! Δ 25. Bxf6 gxf6∞) 25. Bxh7!+− M. O. Muzychuk – Lagno, 7th World Women’s Team Chess Championship, Astana 2019. 22. ... Ng4!?TN (22. ... Bc6 23. Qd4 Qc7 24. Bxf6 gxf6 25. Qxf6 Rf8 26. Qe6+ Kh8 27. h3 d4 28. Rf1 Rxf1+ 29. Bxf1 Qd8 30. Bc4 Qg5 31. Qc8+ Kg7 32. Qg8+ Kh6 33. Qf8+ Qg7 34. Qxd6+ Qg6 35. Qf8+ Qg7= Blomqvist – Holm, 14th Eliteserien 2019–2020, Oslo 2019) 23. Bxd8 Nxf2 24. Kxf2 Rxd8 25. Rxb7. White is temporarily a Pawn down, but the superior degree of activity of his pieces allows him to easily win it back, with an easy draw. 25. ... a6 26. Ke3 Bb5 27. Rb6 Kf7

28. a4 Bxa4 29. Rxa6 Be8 30. Kd4 Kf6 31. Bxh7 g6 32. Bg8 Bb5 33. Ra5 Rxg8 34. Rxb5 Rc8 35. Kd3 Ke6 36. Rb4 g5 37. c3 Ra8 38. Rb2 Ra1 39. Re2+ Kf6 40. Rf2+ Ke6 41. Re2+ Kf6 42. h3 Rg1 43. Ke3 Rc1 44. Kd2 Rf1 45. Re3 Rf2+ 46. Re2 Rf1 47. Kd3 Rg1 48. Rf2+ Ke5 49. Ke3 Rc1 50. Kd3 Rg1 51. Ke3 ½ : ½.

No doubt, today Goryachkina went back to the notes she had prepared for her recent Women’s World Chess Championship match with 居文君 (Jū Wénjūn). Photo: Vladimir Leonidovich Barsky/Russian Chess Federation.

The Longest Yard

Aleksandra Yuryevna Goryachkina – Sergei Andreevich Lobanov
27th Russian Team Chess Championship; Sochi, November 25, 2020
Queen’s Gambit Declined D37

1. d4 Nf6 2. c4 e6 3. Nf3 d5 4. Nc3 Be7 5. Bf4 0-0 6. e3 Nbd7 7. Be2 dxc4 8. Bxc4 a6 9. a4 c5 10. 0-0 cxd4 11. Qxd4 Nb6 12. Bb3 Qxd4 13. Nxd4 Bd7 14. a5 Nbd5 15. Nxd5 Nxd5 16. Bxd5 exd5

17. Be5!? A novelty which does not bring anything new to theory. Another way to come to the same conclusion is 17. Bc7 Bf6 18. Bb6 Rac8 19. Rfc1 Rxc1+ 20. Rxc1 Rc8 21. Rxc8+ Bxc8 22. Kf1 Bxd4 23. Bxd4 f6 24. Ke2 Kf7 25. Kd3 Bd7 26. Bc5 Bc8 ½ : ½ Hübner – Jussupow, 1st Invitational Remco Heite Chess Tournament, Wolvega 2006. 17. ... f6 18. Bc7 Rac8 19. Rac1 Rfe8 20. h3 Bc6. Making the way for a completely drawn Rook endgame. 21. Nxc6 Rxc7 22. Nxe7+ Rexe7 23. Rfd1 Rxc1 24. Rxc1 Re4 25. Rd1 Rb4 26. Rxd5 Rxb2 27. Rd7 Rb5 28. g4 h5 29. gxh5 Rxh5 30. Rxb7 Rxa5 31. Ra7 Ra1+ 32. Kg2 a5 33. e4 a4 34. f4 a3 35. e5 fxe5 36. fxe5 Re1 37. Ra8+ Kf7 38. Ra7+ Kg6 39. Rxa3 Rxe5 40. Rb3 Rf5 41. Ra3 ½ : ½.

It feels like Goryachkina takes one step forward and two back (or sometimes two steps forward and one back) towards her goal (that is to say, the 2600 Elo barrier); and thus, in spite of her great talent, it might take her too much time to get close to her promised land. Photo: Vladimir Leonidovich Barsky/Russian Chess Federation.

Separate spheres

Aleksandra Yuryevna Goryachkina – Nikita Kirillovich Vitiugov
27th Russian Team Chess Championship; Sochi, November 23, 2020
King’s Indian Defence E94

1. d4 Nf6 2. c4 g6 3. Nc3 Bg7 4. e4 d6 5. Nf3 0-0 6. Be2 e5 7. Be3 exd4 8. Nxd4 Re8 9. f3 c6 10. 0-0. This comes as a bit of a surprise, because Goryachkina used to play here 10. Bf2 d5 11. exd5 cxd5 12. 0-0 Nc6 13. c5 and then: (a) 13. ... Nh5 14. Qd2 Be5 15. g3 Ng7 16. Ncb5 Bh3 17. Rfe1 Rc8 18. Rac1 a6 19. f4 axb5 20. fxe5 Rxe5 21. Bxb5 Qf6 22. Rxe5 Qxe5 23. Re1 Qh5 24. Bxc6 bxc6 25. Qf4 Qg4 26. Qxg4 Bxg4 27. b4 Kf8 28. a4 Bd7 29. Be3 Ne6 30. Nxe6+ Bxe6 31. b5 Ra8 32. b6 Rxa4 33. Rb1 Bc8 34. b7 Bxb7 35. Rxb7 d4 36. Bf4 Ke8 37. Rc7 Ra1+ 38. Kf2 Ra2+ 39. Kf3 Rxh2 40. Rxc6 h5 41. Bg5 Rc2 42. Bf6 Kd7 43. Rd6+ Kc7 44. Bxd4 1 : 0 Goryachkina – Martínez Romero, 27th World Youth Chess Championship, Al Ain 2013; (b) 13. ... Bf8 14. Kh1 Re5 15. a3 Bh6 16. b4 Nh5 17. b5 Na5 18. g3 Nf6 19. Re1 Bh3 20. Bd3 Rxe1+ 21. Qxe1 Rc8 22. Na4 Nd7 23. g4 Bg7 24. Rd1 Ne5 25. Bh4 Qd7 26. Be2 Nac4 27. Qg3 Ne3 28. Rg1 N5c4 29. c6 bxc6 30. Nxc6 Re8 31. Qxh3 Qd6 32. Bxc4 dxc4 33. Bf2 Qxa3 34. f4 Qxa4 35. Bxe3 Qxb5 36. Ne5 f6 37. Nxc4 Qxc4 38. Bxa7 Qxf4 39. Qg2 Qc4 40. Rd1 Qa4 41. Qd5+ Kh8 42. Qd4 Qc2 43. Qd5 Qe2 44. Rg1 h6 45. Qg2 Qc4 46. Bf2 Kh7 47. Qf3 Re4 48. Qg2 Qe6 49. Qf3 Bf8 50. Qg2 g5 51. Qf3 Kg7 52. Qg2 Kg6 53. Qf3 Be7 54. Qd3 Kg7 55. Qf3 Bb4 56. h3 Rf4 57. Qb7+ Kg6 58. Bg3 Qe4+ 59. Qxe4+ Rxe4 60. Rf1 Re2 61. Rc1 h5 62. Rc4 Ba5 63. Ra4 Bc3 64. Rc4 Bb2 65. Ra4 h4 66. Bb8 Kf7 67. Ra6 Bd4 68. Bc7 Be3 69. Bb8 Ke7 70. Bc7 Bd4 71. Bb8 Rc2 72. Bd6+ Kd7 73. Bh2 Kc8 74. Ra8+ Kd7 75. Ra6 Kc8 76. Ra8+ Kb7 77. Rb8+ Ka6 78. Rb3 Ka5 79. Rb8 Rxh2+ 0 : 1 Goryachkina – Hillarp Persson, 15th Open Internacional d’escacs de Sants, Hostafrancs i la Bordeta, Barcelona 2013; (c) 13. ... Bh6 14. Re1 a6 15. Bf1 Rxe1 16. Qxe1 Bg7 17. Rd1 Nxd4 18. Bxd4 Be6 19. Qd2 Rc8 20. b4 a5 21. a3 axb4 22. axb4 Qc7 23. Nb5 Qd8 24. Nc3 h5 25. Kh1 Kh7 26. Bxf6 Qxf6 27. Nxd5 Qe5 28. Nb6 Rf8 29. Bc4 Re8 30. h3 Qg3 31. Qe1 Qf4 32. Bb5 Be5 33. Qxe5 Qxe5 34. Bxe8 Qe2 35. Rb1 Bxh3 36. gxh3 Qxf3+ 37. Kg1 Qe3+ 38. Kg2 Qe4+ 39. Kf2 Qxb1 0 : 1 Goryachkina – Bodnaruk, Women’s Russian Cup Final 2014, Khanty-Mansiysk 2014. 10. ... d5 11. cxd5 cxd5 12. Qb3 Nc6 13. Rad1 Na5?! Of course, if a King’s Indian virtuoso like Svetozar Gligorić preferred here 13. ... Qe7 he must have had his good reasons: 14. Nxd5 Nxd5 15. Qxd5 Nxd4 16. Bxd4 Be6 17. Qb5 a6 18. Qa4 Bxd4+ 19. Rxd4 Rac8 20. Rfd1 Rc5 21. Qa3 Rc2 22. Qxe7 Rxe7 23. R4d2 ½ : ½ R. E. Byrne – Gligorić, 1st Milan Vidmar Memorial, Ljubljana 1969. 14. Qa3. Apart from the result, very good is also 14. Qc2 dxe4 15. Ne6 Bxe6 16. Rxd8 Raxd8 17. fxe4 Nc6 18. Bg5 Nd4 19. Qa4 Nxe2+ 20. Nxe2 b5 21. Qa5 Bc4 22. Bxf6 Bxf6 23. Rxf6 Bxe2 24. Kf2 Bc4 25. b3 Be6 26. Qxb5 Rd2+ 27. Kg3 Rc8 28. Rf2 Rc3+ 29. Rf3 Rcc2 30. Qb8+ Kg7 31. Kf4 Rxg2 32. Qxa7 Rxa2 33. Qc7 Rxh2 34. Qe5+ Kg8 35. Qb8+ Kg7 36. Qe5+ Kg8 37. Qb8+ Kg7 38. Qe5+ ½ : ½ Gustafsson – Korley, 10th Annual Manhattan Open, New York 2011. 14. ... Bd7!?TN (14. ... Bf8 15. b4± Saiyn – Slovak, 4th Summer Prague Open, Prague 2017) 15. Ndb5! dxe4. Gone with the stream. However, 15. ... Bf8 16. Bc5 a6 17. Nd6 was not appealing either. 16. Nxe4 Nxe4 17. fxe4 Rxe4

18. Rxf7! And suddenly Vitiugov finds himself standing on the verge of catastrophe. 18. ... Bf8 19. Qd3. Goryachkina plays it safely in harmony with her style. 19. Rfxd7 Qxd7 20. Qxa5+− was another strong (and probably stronger) possibility. 19. ... Bc6 (19. ... Rxe3 20. Qxe3 Kxf7 21. Bg4+−)

20. Qxd8? That’s far too much prudence — and probably it must have been a source of regret for Goryachkina. 20. Qc3! Qh4 21. Rdf1 retains very strong winning chances for White in view of her many threats. 20. ... Rxd8 21. Rxd8 Kxf7 22. Kf2 Nc4 23. Bxc4+ Rxc4 24. Nd6+ Bxd6 25. Rxd6 Rc2+ 26. Rd2 Rxd2+ 27. Bxd2 a6 28. a3 Bd5 29. Bc3 Bc6 30. Bd2 Bd5 31. Bc3 Bc6 32. Bd2 Bd5 33. Bc3 ½ : ½.

In hindsight, today’s draw seems like a missed opportunity for Goryachkina. Photo: Vladimir Leonidovich Barsky/Russian Chess Federation.

The Wall

Ilia Sergeevich Iljiushenok – Aleksandra Yuryevna Goryachkina
27th Russian Team Chess Championship; Sochi, November 22, 2020
Spanish Game C65

1. e4 e5 2. Nf3 Nc6 3. Bb5 Nf6 4. d3 Bc5 5. Bxc6 dxc6 6. Nbd2 Nd7 7. Nc4 f6 8. c3 Nf8!?TN (8. ... Nb6 9. Na5 Bd6 10. b4 c5 11. a3 0-0 12. Be3 Nd7 13. 0-0 b6 14. Nc4 Be7 15. d4 exd4 16. cxd4 cxb4 17. axb4 Kh8 18. Bd2 Nb8 19. d5 f5 20. exf5 Qxd5 21. Ne3 Qd3 ½ : ½ Anand – Giri, 82nd Tata Steel Chess Tournament, Wijk aan Zee 2020) 9. d4 exd4 10. cxd4 Be6 11. b3 Be7 12. 0-0 Ng6 13. Ne3 Qd7 14. Qc2 0-0 15. Rd1 Rad8 16. Bb2 Nf4 17. Nh4 Rfe8 18. Nhf5 Bf8 19. f3 Qf7 20. Bc3 Rd7 21. Re1 Red8 22. Rad1 Bxf5 23. Nxf5 Ne6 24. Qb2

24. ... a5 25. Bxa5 g6 26. Ne3 Rxd4 27. Rxd4 Nxd4 28. Bc3 c5 29. b4 b6

30. a4. If 30. Nd5 Black replies 30. ... c6 with equality, as the Pawn is taboo (31. Nxb6?? Qa7−+). If anything is to be suggested it may be 30. bxc5 Bxc5 31. Kh1 f5 32. Rd1 Ne6 33. Rxd8+ Nxd8 34. Qd2 with somewhat better prospects for White. 30. ... f5 31. exf5 gxf5 32. a5 Nb5 33. axb6 cxb6 34. bxc5 Nxc3 35. Qxc3 Bxc5 36. Kf1 Re8 37. Nc2 Rxe1+ 38. Nxe1 Qa2 39. Nd3 Qb1+ 40. Ke2 Qg1 41. Nxc5 Qxg2+ 42. Ke3 bxc5 43. Qe5. Of course the Black Queen check from g1 makes the c-Pawn untouchable. 43. ... Qg6 44. Kf2 Qb6 45. Qxf5 c4+ 46. Ke2 Qb2+ 47. Kd1 Qb3+ 48. Kc1 c3 49. Qg5+ Kf7 50. Qf5+ Ke8 51. Qe4+ Kf8 52. Qf5+ ½ : ½.

If one thing is certain, it is that no one will clear the way for Goryachkina as she keeps struggling — so far vainly — to breakthrough the 2600 Elo wall. Photo: Vladimir Leonidovich Barsky/Russian Chess Federation.

Gendered Resistance

Aleksandra Yuryevna Goryachkina – Daniil Dmitrievich Dubov
27th Russian Team Chess Championship; Sochi, November 21, 2020
Catalan Opening E05

1. Nf3 Nf6 2. c4 e6 3. g3 d5 4. d4 Be7 5. Bg2 0-0 6. Nc3 dxc4 7. Ne5 Nc6. Another way is 7. ... c5 8. dxc5 Qxd1+ 9. Nxd1 Bxc5 10. 0-0 Nc6 11. Bxc6 bxc6 12. Be3 Bb6 13. Bxb6 axb6 14. Nxc6 Bb7 15. Nb4 Nd5 16. Nxd5 Bxd5 17. Nc3 Bc6 18. Rfd1 Rfd8 19. f3 Kf8 20. Kf2 Ke7 with a nearly equal ending, Goryachkina – 居文君 (Jū Wénjūn), 上海 (Shànghǎi) 2020, Women’s World Chess Championship match game 1. 8. Bxc6 bxc6 9. Nxc6 Qe8 10. Nxe7+ Qxe7 11. Qa4 Nd5 12. Qxc4 a5 13. Bd2 Ba6 14. Qc5 Qd7 15. f3!? Goryachkina adds her novel nuance to the theory so far recorded: 15. Rc1 a4 (15. ... Rfb8 16. b3 Nxc3 17. Rxc3 Rb5 18. Qxc7 Qxd4 19. Be3 Qe4 20. 0-0 Rbb8 21. Rfc1 h6 22. f3 Qg6 23. Kf2 a4 24. Qf4 axb3 25. axb3 Qh5 26. h4 Qd5 27. b4 Qb5 28. R1c2 Rc8 29. Rc5 Rxc5 30. bxc5 Bb7 31. Qe5 Bd5 32. c6 Rc8 33. c7 Qd7 34. Qc3 f6 35. Bb6 Qb5 36. Rb2 Qa4 37. e4 Bc6 38. Rd2 Kh7 39. Rd8 Bb7 40. Kg2 Ba6 41. g4 Qb5 42. Bf2 h5 43. gxh5 Qxh5 44. Qa3 Qb5 45. Qe7 Qf1+ 46. Kg3 Qc1 47. Rd7 Qh6 48. Qxe6 Qg6+ 49. Kh2 Bb5 50. Rd8 Rxc7 51. Qg8+ 1 : 0 Oparin – Buhmann, 20th European Individual Chess Championship, Skopje 2019) 16. f3 Rfb8 17. Nd1 f5 18. Kf2 Rb6 19. Rc2 Rab8 20. Ne3 Rxb2 21. Rhc1 Rxc2 22. Rxc2 Qb5 23. Qxb5 Bxb5 24. a3 Nxe3 25. Kxe3 c6 26. Bb4 Rd8 27. Bc5 Kf7 28. Kf4 Kf6 29. h4 Rd7 30. e3 g6 31. g4 fxg4 32. Kxg4 e5 33. h5 exd4 34. Bxd4+ Ke6 35. hxg6 hxg6 36. Bc5 Bd3 37. Rc3 Bb5 38. Kg5 Rd3 39. Rc1 Kf7 40. Kf4 Ke6 41. e4 Kf6 42. Rc2 Rd1 43. Rh2 Bc4 44. Rh8 Rd3 45. Rf8+ Bf7 46. Kg4 g5 47. f4 gxf4 48. Kxf4 Ke6 49. Rc8 Kd7 50. Ra8 Bb3 51. Ra7+ Kc8 52. e5 Rd7 53. Ra8+ Kb7 54. Rh8 Rd1 55. Re8 Rf1+ 56. Kg5 Rc1 57. Bd6 Rg1+ 58. Kf4 Re1 59. Rb8+ Ka6 60. Kf5 Rb1 61. Kf6 Rf1+ 62. Ke7 Rf7+ 63. Kd8 Rb7 64. Rc8 Bd5 65. Bc7 Be6 66. Ra8+ Ra7 67. Rb8 Rb7 68. Ra8+ ½ : ½ Malakhov – Bacrot, 5th Tournament of Peace, Zagreb 2018. 15. ... Rfb8 16. Rb1 Rb6! 17. Kf2. 17. Qxa5 Rc6 is quite critical, with Black having powerful compensation for his temporary two Pawn deficit. 17. ... Rc6 18. Qa3 (18. Qxa5 Qe8!) 18. ... Nb6 19. Be3 (19. Qxa5?? Qxd4+ 20. Be3 Qxe3+!−+) 19. ... Nc4 20. Qb3 Rb6 21. Qc2 Rab8

22. b3!?? An overambitious but far from forced Exchange sacrifice. 22. Ne4 (Δ Ne4-c5) was well worth considering. 22. ... Na3 23. Qd2 Nxb1 24. Rxb1 Rd8 25. Ne4 Rb5 26. Rc1 e5 27. dxe5 (27. Nc5 Qh3) 27. ... Rd5 28. Qc2 Qh3

29. Rh1? Goryachkina cracks under the pressure of time and compensation needs. Best was 29. Kg1! Rxe5 30. Bf4 Re7 31. g4! Rde8 32. Nf2 Qh4 33. e4 with some chances to hold. 29. ... Rxe5. Both White’s King and Rook are dramatically badly placed, and Dubov has easy play in finishing matters with his opponent: 30. Qxc7 Rde8−+ 31. Bf4 (31. Bd4 R5e6−+ Δ 32. g4 Rxe4! 33. fxe4 Qxg4−+) 31. ... R5e7 32. Qxa5 Bxe2! 33. Ng5 Qd7 34. Re1 Qd4+ 35. Kg2 h6 0 : 1.

Today Dubov proved too much of a challenge for Goryachkina. Photo: Vladimir Leonidovich Barsky/Russian Chess Federation.

Paratext

Anton Aleksandrovich Demchenko – Aleksandra Yuryevna Goryachkina
27th Russian Team Chess Championship; Sochi, November 20, 2020
Queen’s Pawn Game D02

1. d4 d5 2. Nf3 Nf6 3. Bf4 c5 4. e3 Nc6 5. Nbd2 cxd4 6. exd4 Bf5 7. Bb5 e6 8. Ne5 Qb6 9. c4 dxc4 10. a4 (10. Bxc6+ bxc6 11. Ndxc4 Qa6 12. Qe2 Bb4+ 13. Bd2 Bxd2+ 14. Nxd2 Qb5 15. Nb3 0-0 16. Rc1 Rfc8 17. Rxc6 Qa4 18. Rxc8+ Rxc8 19. 0-0 Qxa2= Aronian – Inarkiev, 8th World Blitz Chess Championship, Moscow 2019) 10. ... Qxd4!? A new though natural move. A recent game continued instead 10. ... Bb4 11. 0-0 Bxd2?! (but better seems 11. ... 0-0 12. Ndxc4 Qxd4 with roughly even chances) 12. Qxd2 0-0 13. Bxc6 bxc6 14. Nxc4 Qa6 15. Rfc1 leaving Black with many weaknesses, Ushenina – Kosteniuk, 1st Online Women’s Speed Chess Championship Final, chess.com, July 20, 2020, match game 18 (time control: 3 minutes plus 1 second per move).

11. Nxc6 Qxf4 12. g3 Qc7 13. Nd4+ Nd7 14. Nxf5 exf5 15. Qe2+ Be7 16. 0-0 a6 17. Bxc4. 17. Bxd7+ Qxd7 18. Nxc4 Qe6 19. Rfe1! 0-0! 20. Qxe6 fxe6 21. Rxe6 Bf6 does not seem to offer more than a finely balanced game. 17. ... Ne5 18. Rac1 Nxc4 19. Nxc4 0-0 20. a5 Bg5 21. f4 Qe7. The Rook endgame a Pawn up resulting from 21. ... Be7 22. Nb6 Bc5+ 23. Kh1 Qc6+ 24. Qg2 Qxg2+ 25. Kxg2 Bxb6 26. axb6 Rfc8 27. Rfd1 Kf8 28. Rxc8+ Rxc8 does not promise much more, as after 29. Rd7 Rc2+ 30. Kg1! Rxb2 31. Rxb7 a draw seems most likely. 22. Qxe7 Bxe7

23. Nb6 Rad8 24. Rc7 Bf6 25. b4 Rd2 26. Rxb7 (26. Nd7 Bd4+ 27. Kh1 Rd8! 28. Rxb7 Bc3=) 26. ... Rfd8 27. Nc4 Re2 28. Ne5. Quite justly White sacrifices a Pawn to give way to a very drawish four-Rook endgame. 28. ... Bxe5 29. fxe5 g6 30. Rf2. Otherwise Black doubles Rooks on the second rank. 30. ... Rxe5 31. g4! Rdd5 32. Ra7 Re6 33. gxf5 gxf5 34. Rb7 Kg7 35. Rc2 Kg6 36. Kf2 Rd4 37. Ra2 Rdd6 38. b5 axb5 39. Rxb5 Kf6 40. Rb4 Ra6 41. Rb5 Rad6 42. Rb4 Ra6 43. Rb5 ½ : ½.

A Theory of Semiotics

Aleksandra Yuryevna Goryachkina – Vladislav Mikhailovich Artemiev
27th Russian Team Chess Championship; Sochi, November 19, 2020
Grünfeld Defence D85

1. d4 Nf6 2. c4 g6 3. Nc3 d5 4. cxd5 Nxd5 5. e4 Nxc3 6. bxc3 Bg7 7. Nf3 c5 8. Bb5+. Another continuation is 8. h3 0-0 9. Be3 e6 10. Be2 b6 11. h4 Bb7 12. e5 cxd4 13. cxd4 Nc6 14. h5 Qd5 15. hxg6 hxg6 16. Rc1 Rad8 17. Bc4 Qa5+ 18. Kf1 Nxe5 19. Nxe5 Bxe5 20. Bd2 Rxd4 21. Bxa5 Rxd1+ 22. Rxd1 bxa5 23. Rh3 Rc8 24. Bb3 Bc6 25. Re3 Bb5+ 26. Kg1 Rc5 27. a4 Bc6 28. Re2 Kf8 29. Rc2 Rxc2 30. Bxc2 Ke7 31. Bb3 Bc7 32. Rc1 Kd7 33. Rxc6 Kxc6 34. Bc4 Kc5 ½ : ½ Goryachkina – A. O. Muzychuk, Women’s Grand Prix 2019–2020, 2nd stage, Monte Carlo 2019. 8. ... Nc6 9. 0-0 0-0 10. Ba3 cxd4 11. Bxc6 bxc6 12. cxd4 Bg4 13. Bc5 Re8 14. Rb1 e5. The most usual is 14. ... Qd7, after which there could follow 15. Rb4 a5 16. Ra4 Qb7 17. h3 Bxf3 18. Qxf3 e5 19. Rc4 exd4 20. Bxd4 Bxd4 21. Rxd4 Qb2 22. Ra4 Red8 23. Qb3 ½ : ½ Smejkal – L. Portisch, Interzonal Tournament, Rio de Janeiro 1979. 15. dxe5 Qa5 16. Qc2 Bxf3 17. gxf3 Qd8!? A novelty which shouldn’t make too much difference with respect to 17. ... Bxe5 18. Rfd1 Qc7 19. h3 Bf4 20. Bd4 Be5 21. Be3 Bf4 22. Bd4 Be5 23. Be3 Bf4 24. Bd4 ½ : ½ Bogner – Karthik, 1st Josef Kupper Memorial, Zürich 2019. 18. Rfd1 Qg5+ 19. Kf1 Bxe5 20. Rb7 Rab8 21. Rdd7 Rxb7 22. Rxb7 Bxh2. 22. ... Qf6 23. Qb3 Bxh2 just transposes into the game.

23. Qb3. Goryachkina, perhaps, could aim for more with 23. Bd4, but then Black would give back his extra Pawn by 23. ... c5! in fact rejecting any of White’s claims. 23. ... Qf6 24. Bxa7 h5 25. Bd4 Be5. Clearly not 25. ... Qxd4?? on account of 26. Qxf7+ followed by mate next move. 26. Bxe5 Rxe5 27. Rb8+ Kg7 28. Qa3 (Δ 29. Qf8+ Kh7 30. Rb7+−) 28. ... c5 29. Qb2 h4 30. Ra8. The endgame is pretty equal, and Goryachkina has no difficulty in holding her own. 30. ... Kh6 31. Qb8 Rh5 32. Qf8+ Qg7 33. Qxg7+ Kxg7 34. Kg2 c4 35. Rc8 Ra5 36. Rxc4 Rxa2 37. e5 h3+ 38. Kxh3 Rxf2 39. Kg3 Re2 40. f4 Re1 ½ : ½.

Just like Beth, Goryachkina starts her Queen’s hunt all over again from a man’s world. Photo: Vladimir Leonidovich Barsky/Russian Chess Federation.

Ten Plus One

Vladislav Mikhailovich Artemiev – Denis Vasilyevich Pershin
26th Russian Team Chess Championship; Sochi, May 10, 2019
English Opening A28

The last round of the 26th Russian Team Chess Championship marked the fourth win in a row for Vladislav Mikhailovich Artemiev, which pushes him towards the probably non-open door of the world’s top ten. 1. c4 e5 2. Nc3 Nf6 3. Nf3 Nc6 4. e4 Bb4 5. d3 Bxc3+ 6. bxc3 d6 7. g3 h6 8. Bg2 Be6 9. 0-0 Qd7 10. Nh4!? A novelty, or rather a new move order with respect to 10. Rb1 b6 11. Nh4 Bh3 12. Nf5 Bxg2 13. Kxg2 g6 14. Ne3 Nh5 15. Qg4 Ne7 16. h3 ½ : ½ Semcesen – Westerberg, 5th International Open, Västerås 2014. 10. ... 0-0-0!? This must not have been an easy decision, but it’s not clear which castling is better (10. ... 0-0 11. f4↑). 11. Qa4 Bh3 12. Nf5 Bxg2 13. Kxg2 Nh5 14. Rb1 Rde8? After this, Black will no longer be able to neutralise White’s Queenside attack. Pershin ought to have played 14. ... g6 at once, in order to answer 15. Ne3 and/or 15. Nh4 by 15. ... Nf4+! with good drawing prospects. So White would have better played: 15. Qb5! b6 16. Qxc6 Qxc6 17. Ne7+ Kd7 18. Nxc6 Kxc6 19. f4⩲ with a slight edge. 15. f3! g6 16. Ne3 f5 17. Nd5! With the powerful threat of Bc1-e3. 17. ... f4!? Black sacrifices the Exchange with the (unfounded) conviction that he will manage to launch a counter-attack on the Kingside. On the other hand, after 17. ... b6 18. Qa6+ Kb8 (18. ... Kd8 19. Qb7+−) 19. Be3 Qc8 20. Qa4 Qb7 21. Bxb6! axb6 22. Rxb6! cxb6 23. Rb1 Black would also fall down shortly. 18. g4 Ng7 19. Nf6 Qe7 20. Nxe8 Nxe8 21. d4 h5

22. g5! Pershin might have overlooked or underestimated this very strong move, which in fact keeps the h-file closed. 22. ... Qxg5+ 23. Kh1 a6 24. Ba3! Simply threatening c4-c5. By now White’s attack goes by itself. 24. ... Qh4 25. c5! dxc5 26. Bxc5. Threatening both Qa4-b3 and Rb1xb7. 26. ... Qh3. Black parried Rb1xb7, but not the other threat. 27. Qb3 b6. If 27. ... Nd8 then 28. Be7 winning easily. 28. Bxb6! cxb6 29. Qxb6 Kd7 30. dxe5 1 : 0.

Vladislav Mikhailovich Artemiev (right) vs. Denis Vasilyevich Pershin (left). Photo © Vladimir Leonidovich Barsky/Russian Chess Federation.

Answering machine

Vladislav Mikhailovich Artemiev – Ernesto Kazbekovich Inarkiev
26th Russian Team Chess Championship; Sochi, May 8, 2019
English Opening A30

In the meantime, far away in the spring of Sochi, the new “Vlad” is doing his best to accredit himself — both at home and abroad — as the Russian answer to Magnus Carlsen. 1. c4 c5 2. g3 Nf6 3. Bg2 d5 4. cxd5 Nxd5 5. Nf3 Nc6 6. d4 cxd4 7. Nxd4 Ndb4 8. Nxc6 Qxd1+ 9. Kxd1 Nxc6 10. Nc3 Bd7 11. Be3 g6 12. Ke1 Bg7 13. Rc1. Another continuation is 13. Kc2 Rc8 14. Rhd1 Na5 15. Bd4 Bf5+ 16. e4 Bxd4 17. Rxd4 Be6 18. b3 f6 19. f4 Kf7 20. Kb2 Rhd8 21. Rcd1 Rxd4 22. Rxd4 Nc6 23. Rd2 h6 and Black eventually managed to draw, Carlsen – Topalov, 1st Norway Chess, Sandnes 2013. 13. ... f5!? A new move by Inarkiev in place of 13. ... 0-0 14. f4 e5 15. Kf2 exf4 16. gxf4 Be6 17. Rhd1 Rfd8 18. Rxd8+ Rxd8 19. Bxc6 bxc6 20. b3 Bf6 21. Ne4 Bh4+ 22. Ng3 Bd5 23. Rc5 a6 24. Ra5 Ra8 25. f5 gxf5 26. Ra4 Be4 27. Kg1 Bxg3 28. hxg3 Kg7 ½ : ½ Jakovenko – Nepomniachtchi, Grand Prix 2017, 1st stage, Sharjah 2017. 14. f4 Kf7 15. Kf2 Rac8 16. Rhd1 Be6 17. Nd5 Rhd8 18. b4 Bd4!? Inarkiev is in a hurry to simplify, which, however, gives his opponent the opportunity to subtly gain a small structural advantage: 19. Bxd4 Bxd5 20. Bb6! axb6 21. Rxd5⩲ Nxb4 22. Rxc8 Rxc8 23. Rb5 Nc6 24. Rxb6 Nd8 25. Ke3 e6 26. Kd3 Ke7 27. a4

27. ... Rc1? This is a very strange mistake. It seems that after 27. ... Ra8 28. Rb4 Kd6 White, in spite of all his good will, could hardly have hoped for a win. 28. Bxb7 Ra1 29. Rb4 Nxb7 30. Rxb7+ Kf6 31. Rb4 Ra2 32. Kc4 Rxe2?! 32. ... e5 33. Kb3 Ra1 was perhaps a tougher defence, but then after 34. Kb2! Re1 35. a5 Rxe2+ 36. Kb3 White should win anyway. 33. a5+− e5 34. a6 exf4 35. gxf4 g5 36. Ra4 Re4+ 37. Kb5 Re8 38. a7 gxf4 39. a8=Q Rxa8 40. Rxa8 Ke5 41. Kc4 Ke4 42. Re8+ Kf3 43. Kd3 Kg2 44. Rf8 1 : 0.

Vladislav Mikhailovich Artemiev. Photo © Vladimir Leonidovich Barsky/Russian Chess Federation.

Holy Day, Holiday

Vladislav Mikhailovich Artemiev – Ivan Ivanovich Bocharov
26th Russian Team Chess Championship; Sochi, May 1, 2019
Queen’s Indian Defence E15

1. d4 Nf6 2. c4 e6 3. Nf3 b6 4. g3 Ba6 5. Nbd2 d5 6. Bg2 Bd6 7. 0-0 0-0 8. b3 Nbd7 9. e4 dxe4!? New, but not so new; after 9. ... Nxe4 10. Nxe4 dxe4 11. Ng5 Nf6 12. Nxe4 Nxe4 13. Bxe4 Rb8 14. Qf3 Qc8 15. Bb2 Bb7 16. Rfe1 Bxe4 17. Rxe4 Re8 18. Rae1 Qd7 19. Kg2 Bf8 20. h4 b5 Black somehow managed to hold on to a draw, Gyimesi – Gordon, 2nd European Individual Chess Championship, Liverpool 2006. 10. Ng5 Be7 11. Ndxe4 Rb8 12. a4 Bb7 13. Be3 h6 14. Nxf6+ Bxf6 15. Bxb7 Bxg5 16. Bc6 Bxe3 17. fxe3 Qe7 18. b4 Rbd8 19. Qb3 e5 20. b5 Nf6 21. Qc3 Ng4 22. Rae1 Qg5 23. Kg2 h5 24. Rf3 h4 25. h3 Nh6!? Engines like more 25. ... Nf6 than 25. ... Nh6, although after 26. g4 (if 26. dxe5 then 26. ... Nd7 winning back the Pawn with good prospects of equality) 26. ... Qg6 27. Ref1! exd4 28. exd4 Nh5 29. Re1 Ng3 (in the end, the Black Knight goes to g3 anyway) 30. Bd5 White stands at least a little better. 26. dxe5 Nf5 27. g4 Ng3 28. Bd5 Rde8

29. a5 Qxe5? With this offer to exchange Queens, Bocharov deprives himself of any chance of counterplay, soon ending up in a painfully lost game. 29. ... Rxe5 (30. e4⩲) offered Black much better surviving chances. 30. Qxe5 Rxe5 31. e4 g6. After this, White’s Rook can even penetrate with gain of tempo, but it’s very likely that Black’s game were hopeless anyway. If, for instance, 31. ... Kh8 then 32. Rxf7 Rxf7 33. Bxf7 Rxe4 34. Rd1! with a relatively easy win. 31. ... g5!? is probably critical, but then after 32. a6! White would likewise put his opponent in a squeeze. 32. Rf6! With the obvious threat of Rf6xg6+. 32. ... Kg7 33. Rc6 Re7 34. e5 Kh6 35. Rf6 Kg5. Or 35. ... bxa5 36. Ra6 with an overwhelming advantage. 36. a6! White puts Black in a kind of zugzwang. 36. ... Rd7 37. Re3 Re7 38. Rff3 Kh6 39. Kf2 Kg5 40. Ke1 Kh6 41. Kd2 Rd8 42. Kc2 Rdd7? This last mistake leads to a pretty finish, but Black could not save the game either by 42. ... Rf8 43. Rf6 Kg7 44. Ref3 Ne2 (44. ... Rxe5?? 45. Rxf7+ is even worse) 45. Kd3 Ng1 46. Re3 (threatening Rf6-f1) 46. ... Rxe5 47. Rxf7+ Rxf7 48. Rxe5 Rd7 49. Re3 with an easily won ending (the Black Knight being virtually trapped). 43. Bxf7! 1 : 0. For if 43. ... Rxf7 then 44. e6! finis.

Vladislav Mikhailovich Artemiev. Photo © Evgeny Vashenyak. Courtesy of the Russian Chess Federation.

Giant in a Vintage Dress

Anatoly Yevgenyevich Karpov – Peter Veniaminovich Svidler
24th Russian Team Chess Championship; Sochi, May 5, 2017
Grünfeld Defence D85

1. d4 Nf6 2. c4 g6 3. Nc3 d5 4. cxd5 Nxd5 5. e4 Nxc3 6. bxc3 Bg7 7. Qa4+ Nd7 8. Nf3 0-0 9. Be2 c5 10. 0-0 a6 11. Qa3 Qc7 12. e5 Nb6!? A novelty. For 12. ... b6 13. Bg5 Re8 14. h4 Bb7 15. h5 b5 16. Rac1 Rac8 see Riazantsev – Nepomniachtchi, World Rapid Chess Championship, Berlin 2015. 13. Qa5! Bf5 14. dxc5! Nd5 15. Qxc7 Nxc7 16. Nd4 Be4. 16. ... Bxe5 17. Nxf5 gxf5 18. Bf3 would result in a very unpleasant position for Black. 17. f3 Bd5 18. f4 f6 19. exf6 Bxf6 20. Be3 Nb5 21. Rac1! In his crystal-clear, inimitable style Karpov will succeed in maintaining both the extra Pawn and his positional advantage. 21. ... Rfd8. Not 21. ... Nxd4? 22. cxd4 Bxa2 because of 23. Bf3 eventually followed by Rf1-f2-b2. 22. a4 Na3 23. Bf2 Nc4

24. c6! Neat and elegant as usual. However, Karpov, as often happened to him in his second forty years, is very short of time. 24. ... bxc6 25. Nxc6 Rdc8 26. Nb4 Be4 27. Bg4 Rc7 28. Rfe1 Bb7 29. Nd3 Bc8 30. Bf3. Very natural and certainly not wrong, but 30. Be2 followed by Nd3-c5 (Stockfish) seems apparently stronger. 30. ... Bb7 31. Bxb7. White’s best chance for exploiting his plusses appears to be again 31. Be2 Bd5 32. Nc5 (Stockfish). 31. ... Rxb7 32. Nc5 Rb2. Now Svidler gains sufficient counterplay for the Pawn, and Karpov will have to content himself with a draw. 33. Bd4 Rd8 34. Rcd1 a5 35. Bxf6 Rxd1 36. Rxd1 exf6 37. Rd8+ Kf7 38. g4 Ne3 39. h3 Rg2+ 40. Kh1 Rg3 41. Rd7+ Kg8 42. Kh2 Nf1+ 43. Kh1 Ne3 44. Kh2 Nf1+ 45. Kh1 ½ : ½.

Anatoly Yevgenyevich Karpov (right) vs. Peter Veniaminovich Svidler (left). Photo: Salim Fazulyanov.

Who Owns the Sky?

Chess-News.ru‏ (@Chess__News)

Sochi, Russia: A team called “Crimea is ours” plays the 24th Russian Team Chess Championship. See http://chess-news.ru/node/23108. “Crimea is ours”, but it’s not clear who “owns” it, since the Republic of Crimea is represented by two Ukrainians, one Russian and one Uzbek... The real news, however, is most likely the presence of two women in the “unisex” (idem to say men’s) contest, with Aleksandra Yuryevna Goryachkina playing on first board for Yamal (Yamalo-Nenets Autonomous Okrug) and Natalia Oleksandrivna Zhukova sitting on second board for “Kogel mogel” (Moscow).

Black Flash

Yuri Rafailovich Yakovich – Vladimir Nailevich Malakhov
23rd Russian Team Chess Championship; Sochi, May 10, 2016
Modern Defence B06

1. d4 g6 2. e4 Bg7 3. Nc3 d6 4. Be3 a6 5. h4 Nf6 6. f3 b5 7. Qd2 Nbd7 8. g4 h6 9. 0-0-0 Nb6 10. Bd3 Nfd7. For 10. ... c6 11. Nh3 h5 12. Ng5 Nc4 see Soumya – Spraggett, 13th Tradewise Gibraltar Chess Festival, Catalan Bay 2015. 11. Qf2 Bb7 12. Nge2 b4 13. Nb1 c5 14. c4. White has achieved less than nothing out of the opening, but the text is not probably a good idea. Sounder appears to be 14. dxc5, although after 14. ... dxc5! 15. Nd2 Qc7 Black’s position is easier to play. 14. ... Qc7 15. d5? A grave positional mistake. White should have played 15. Nd2. 15. ... Ne5. Thratening 16. ... Nxd3+ 17. Rxd3 Nxc4. 16. b3 a5 17. g5. 17. h5 g5 18. Ng3 e6 is no better. 17. ... hxg5.

18. hxg5?? Indeed, also after 18. Bxg5 a4 White seems doomed to lose, but this is a tragicomical blunder, after which Yakovich immediately resigns without waiting for Black’s coup de grâce 18. ... Nxd3+ 19. Rxd3 Rxh1+. 0 : 1.

Marvel One-Shots

Evgeniy Yuryevich Najer – Artyom Valeryevich Timofeev
23rd Russian Team Chess Championship; Sochi, May 8, 2016
French Defence C10

1. e4 e6 2. d4 d5 3. Nc3 dxe4 4. Nxe4 Nd7 5. Nf3 Ngf6 6. Bd3 c5 7. 0-0 Nxe4 8. Bxe4 Nf6 9. Bg5 Be7 10. Bxf6 gxf6 11. Qe2 f5 12. Bd3 cxd4 13. Rad1 0-0 14. c3 Bf6 15. Nxd4 Qb6 16. Bc4 Kh8 17. Rd3 Qc7 18. Rh3 Rg8 19. Rd1 Bd7? The decisive mistake, which allows Najer – who is in great shape – to make a pretty combination. Deserving consideration was 19. ... a6 (preventing Nd4-b5) in order to answer 20. Qh5 by 20. ... Rg7 and Black should be able to handle the worst and the best of his own situation; for instance: 21. Rg3 b5 (both 21. ... Qxc4?? 22. Qh6! and 21. ... Rxg3 22. hxg3 Qxc4?? 23. Qxf7 would lose instantly) 22. Qh6 Be5 23. Nc6! Bxg3 24. Rd8+ Qxd8 25. Nxd8 Bxf2+! 26. Kxf2 bxc4 27. Qh4 Rb8 28. Nxf7+! Kg8 29. Qd8+ Kg7 30. Qg5+ with perpetual check.

20. Nxf5! White starts his devastating attack with a Knight sacrifice. 20. ... exf5. There is no serious alternative to the acceptance of the gift as White was threatening 21. Rxh7+ Kxh7 22. Qh5 mate. 21. Rxh7+! Kxh7 22. Qh5+ Kg7 23. Qxf7+ Kh6 24. Qxf6+ Rg6 25. Qh4+ Kg7 26. Qe7+ Kh6 27. Rxd7. The end, as well as the beginning, is pretty forced: 27. ... Qxc4 28. Qh7+ Kg5 29. Rd4! 1 : 0.

Evgeniy Yuryevich Najer
Photo: Chess-News.ru