The Glittering Eye

韦奕 (Wéi Yì) – Murali Karthikeyan

2nd China–India Chess Match “国窖 (Guó Jiào) 1573 Cup”; 聊城 (Liáochéng), March 7, 2017

Sicilian Defence B49

1. e4 c5 2. Nf3 e6 3. Nc3 a6 4. Be2 Nc6 5. d4 cxd4 6. Nxd4 Qc7 7. 0-0 Nf6 8. Be3 Bb4 9. Nxc6!? bxc6 10. Qd4 c5 11. Qc4 0-0 12. Na4 d6. Grandmaster Rafael Duailibe Leitão criticizes this move in his commentary to the game. For 12. ... a5 13. Qd3 d5 (13. ... c4!?) see Lobanov – Neiksans, European Blitz Chess Championship, Tallinn 2016. 13. a3!? 韦奕 (Wéi Yì)’s personal interpolation. Theory gives (gave) 13. e5 d5? 14. Qf4 Nd7 15. c3 Ba5 16. b4 Bb6 17. Nxb6 Qxb6 18. Bd3 Qc7 19. Qh4 h6? (19. ... g6 20. Qe7) 20. Bxh6! gxh6 21. Qxh6 f5 22. Qg6+ Kh8 23. Qh6+ Kg8 24. Qg6+ Kh8 25. f4 Nxe5 26. fxe5 Qh7 27. Qxh7+ Kxh7 28. bxc5 Rf7 29. Rf4 Rc7 30. g4 Rxc5 31. gxf5 exf5 32. Kf2 Kg6 33. Rg1+ Kf7 34. Ke3 Rxc3 35. Rh4 Ra3 36. Rh7+ Kf8 37. e6 d4+ 38. Kxd4 Ra4+ 39. Ke5 Rg4 40. Rxg4 1 : 0 Sadzikowski – Neiksans, 14th Miguel Najdorf Memorial, Warsaw 2016. 13. ... Bd7 14. e5! On 14. axb4 Bb5 Black regains his piece without paying fines. 14. ... Bb5. After 14. ... dxe5? 15. axb4 Bb5 16. Qxc5 Qxc5 17. Bxc5 Bxe2 18. Rfe1 White wins material (Leitão’s analysis). 15. Qh4 dxe5. Clearly not 15. ... Bxe2?? because of 16. exf6+− (Leitão). 16. axb4 Bxe2 17. Rfe1 Bb5 18. Nxc5± Nd7 19. c4 Bc6 20. Nxa6. Or at once 20. Qg3 (Leitão). 20. ... Qb7 21. Qg3 f5 22. Nc5 Qxb4 23. Nxe6 Rf7 24. Rxa8+. Even stronger seems the immediate 24. Bh6! (Leitão). 24. ... Bxa8 25. Ra1 Bc6. Leitão recommends 25. ... Be4! after which it might follow 26. Bh6 Qxb2 27. Rf1 f4 28. Qg5 Qb6 29. Nxg7 Qg6 30. Ne8 Nc5 (Stockfish’s analysis) and, despite his Pawn minus, Black may still hope for a draw. 26. Bh6! Qxb2 27. Rf1 e4. Also 27. ... g6 is met by 28. Nd8 (Leitão’s analysis).

28. Nd8!+− Rf8 29. Nxc6 Qf6 30. Qc7 Nc5 31. Ne7+ 1 : 0.

韦奕 (Wéi Yì) (standing) chatting with 周健超 (Zhōu Jiànchāo)
Photo: cca.imsa.cn

Blessed Art Thou Among Women

China defeated India 10–6 in the 2nd Chess Match “国窖 (Guó Jiào) 1573 Cup” in 聊城 (Liáochéng), China, with the Golden Boy of Chinese chess 韦奕 (Wéi Yì) (pictured second from right) scoring 3 out of 4! Photo: qipai.org.cn.

中國－印度關係 (China–India relations)

Abhijeet Gupta – 韦奕 (Wéi Yì)

2nd China–India Chess Match “国窖 (Guó Jiào) 1573 Cup”; 聊城 (Liáochéng), March 8, 2017

Nimzo-Indian Defence E46

1. d4 Nf6 2. c4 e6 3. Nc3 Bb4 4. e3 0-0 5. Ne2 Re8 6. a3 Bf8 7. Ng3 d5 8. Be2 b6 9. cxd5 exd5 10. b4 Bb7 11. 0-0 Nbd7 12. Qb3 c6 13. Bf3 a6 14. Rd1 b5 15. e4 Nb6 16. e5 Nfd7 17. Bg4 a5 18. Rb1 Nc4 19. Nce2 axb4 20. axb4 Bc8 21. h3 Ndb6 22. Qf3 f6 23. Bh5 g6 24. exf6 Ra7 25. Bg5 Rf7 26. Bxg6 hxg6 27. Nf4 Rxf6 28. Qd3 Qd6 29. Bxf6 Qxf6 30. Nxg6 Bd6 31. Re1 Bd7 32. f4 Nb2 33. Rxe8+ Bxe8 34. Rxb2 Bxg6 35. f5 Bf7 36. Rb3 Qg5 37. Qf3 Qc1+ 38. Nf1 Nc4 39. Qg4+ Kf8 40. Qh4 Ke8 41. Rf3 Nd2 42. Re3+ Ne4 43. Qh8+ Kd7 44. Qh7 Ke8. After a tumultuous fight, marked with continuous ups and downs, Gupta, rather than forcing a draw by repetition or perpetual check with 45. Qh8+, played something very strange: 45. f6?? The only thing one can guess is that he were much short of time. The punishment is instantaneous: 45. ... Qb2! With the threat of ... Qb2-f2+. 46. Qf5 Kd8 47. Rd3

47. ... Bg6! Very pretty tactics. 48. Qf3. Not 48. Qxg6?? Qf2+ 49. Kh1 Qxf1 mate. 48. ... Ng5 49. Qe3 Bxd3 50. Qxg5. It quickly leads to the end, but also after 50. Qxd3 Ne4 White’s position must fall apart. 50. ... Qxd4+ 51. Kh1 Qf2! 0 : 1.

韦奕 (Wéi Yì)
Photo: cca.imsa.cn

Going in Style

Ian Aleksandrovich Nepomniachtchi – 卢尚磊 (Lú Shànglěi)
10th Russia – China Friendship Match; Moscow, June 13, 2016
Sicilian Defence B90

1. e4 c5 2. Nf3 d6 3. d4 cxd4 4. Nxd4 Nf6 5. Nc3 a6 6. h3 e6 7. g4 Nfd7 8. Be3 b5 9. a3 Bb7 10. g5 Nc6 11. h4 Be7 12. Qd2 0-0 13. 0-0-0 Rc8 14. Nxc6. For 14. Kb1 Nde5 15. Nxc6 Nxc6 16. h5 see 侯逸凡 (Hóu Yìfán) – Esen, 2nd Qatar Masters Open, Doha 2015. 14. ... Rxc6 15. Kb1. For 15. h5 Qa5 16. Kb1 Rxc3 17. Qxc3 Qxc3 18. bxc3 Bxe4 see Bromberger – Cheparinov, 31st International Chess Open, Reykjavík 2016. 15. ... Ne5 16. Rh3 Nc4 17. Qe1 Qa5. 卢尚磊 (Lú Shànglěi)’s novelty. For 17. ... Nxe3 18. Rxe3 Qc8 19. f4 Bd8 20. f5 Ba5 21. b4 Bb6 22. Red3 exf5 23. exf5 Re8 24. Qd2 Rc4 25. g6! see Nepomniachtchi – Grischuk, 23rd Russian Team Chess Championship, Sochi 2016. 18. Bxc4 Rxc4

19. Nd5! “19. Nd5! spoils Black’s game. If Black is going to look for an improvement before this point, one way is to try to avoid this move”, Ulhumbrus wisely said. 19. ... Qd8 20. Bb6! Qd7 21. Nxe7+ Qxe7 22. Re3± Qd7 23. Ba5 Qc6 24. f3 Rc8. If 24. ... Rxc2 then 25. Bb4 Rd8 26. Bxd6± (Leitão’s analysis) 25. Bc3 Qc5 26. Rdd3. Grandmaster Rafael Duailibe Leitão rightly prefers 26. Bb4! Rxb4 27. axb4 Qxc2+ 28. Ka1+-. 26. ... d5 27. exd5 Bxd5 28. h5 a5 29. b3 Rf4 30. Qd2. Leitão recommends 30. Be5! Qxc2+ 31. Ka1 Rxf3 32. Rxf3 Bxf3 33. Rxf3 Rd8 34. Rf1 Qxb3 35. Bb2 with advantage to White. 30. ... Rh4. If, instead, 30. ... Qxa3 (Leitão) there might follow 31. Qh2 Rf5 32. Re5 still retaining the upper hand. 31. h6 b4 32. Bb2 Rh1+ 33. Bc1 bxa3? No doubt the losing move! 33. ... Qd6 (to be followed by ... a5-a4 as soon as possible) was clearly called for. 34. Rc3! Qf8 35. Rxc8 Qxc8 36. Rc3 Qf8 37. Rc7! The End. 37. ... a4 38. Qc3 axb3 39. cxb3 Bb7 40. Rxb7 a2+ 41. Ka1! But not 41. Kb2? a1=Q+! 42. Kxa1 Rxc1+ 43. Qxc1 Qa8+ and the saga continues. 1 : 0.

Ian Aleksandrovich Nepomniachtchi vs. 卢尚磊 (Lú Shànglěi)
Photo: ruchess.ru

The Rite of Spring

Russia has very narrowly won the 10th edition ot the Friendship Match against China (25½ – 24½), held in Moscow, Russia, from 11 to 15 June 2016. In the end it was thanks to women that Russia won. The men, in fact, only drew their match (12½–12½), while the Russian girls defeated the Chinese (13–12), in spite of the strong performance of 沈阳 (Shěn Yáng).

The Chinese Women’s Team (from left): Coach 余少腾 (Yú Shǎoténg), 丁亦昕 (Dīng Yìxīn), 郭琦 (Guō Qí), 谭中怡 (Tán Zhōngyí), 雷挺婕 (Léi Tǐngjié), and 沈阳 (Shěn Yáng). Photo: Vladimir Barsky.

The Russian Women’s Team (from left): Mark Glukhovsky, Kateryna Aleksandrovna Lagno, Anastasia Mikhailovna Bodnaruk, Aleksandra Yuryevna Goryachkina, Valentina Evgenyevna Gunina, Natalia Andreevna Pogonina, and coach Sergey Vladimirovich Rublevsky. Photo: Vladimir Barsky.

Summer in the Winter

Valentina Evgenyevna Gunina – 沈阳 (Shěn Yáng)
10th Russia – China Friendship Match; Moscow, June 15, 2016
Grünfeld Defence D94

1. d4 d5 2. c4 c6 3. Nf3 Nf6 4. e3 g6 5. Nc3 Bg7 6. Bd3 0-0 7. h3 c5 8. 0-0 dxc4 9. Bxc4 Nbd7 10. Qe2 cxd4 11. exd4 Nb6 12. Bb3 Nbd5 13. Bg5. For 13. Nxd5 Nxd5 14. Bg5 Be6 15. Rac1 Re8 16. Rc5 h6 17. Bd2 b6 18. Rc6 Nc7 19. Bxe6 Nxe6 20. Be3 Qd5 21. Qc4 Red8 see Girya – Zakhartsov, European Blitz Chess Championship, Minsk 2015. 13. ... h6 14. Bxf6 Nxc3 15. bxc3 Bxf6 16. Rfe1 Kg7 17. Ne5 Qc7 18. Qf3 Bd7 19. Qg3. Threatening Bb3xf7. 19. ... Bf5 20. Rac1 Rad8 21. h4 h5 22. Qf4. With the threat of Ne5xg6. 22. ... Qd6 23. Re3 Bxe5 24. Rxe5 Qf6 25. Rce1 Be6? Black is eager to simplify the position for easing the effect of White’s powerful centralization, but the text implies the loss of a Pawn for no compensation. 25. ... e6 was better and sounder. 26. Qg3! Bxb3 27. axb3 e6 28. Rxh5 Rh8 29. Rxh8 Rxh8 30. Re4 Qf5 31. Qe3 b5 32. b4 a6 33. g3 Rc8 34. Rf4 Qd5 35. Kh2 Ra8 36. Rg4 f5 37. Rg5 Rh8. To stop h4-h5. 38. Qf4 Kf6 39. Kg1 Kf7 40. Kh2 Kf6 41. Rg4. Intending Qf4-g5+. 41. ... Rg8 42. Qg5+ Kf7 43. Rf4 Qc6

44. d5! Gunina finally breaks in the centre. 44. ... Qxd5. 44. ... exd5 45. h5 looks no better. 45. Rd4 Qc6 46. Qd2 Re8 47. Rd6 Qf3 48. Rxa6? Too hasty. After 48. Qd4! White would have tightened her grip on her opponent’s position without making any concessions. 48. ... Rd8! 49. Ra7+. White refuses the gift, for if 49. Qxd8 then 49. ... Qxf2+ 50. Kh3 Qf1+ and Black gives perpetual check. 49. ... Ke8 50. Qa2 Kf8 51. Rc7? Best was 51. Rh7! leaving Black no choice but to enter a Rook endgame a Pawn down. 51. ... f4! 52. g4?? A huge blunder, most likely due to serious time trouble. 52. Rh7 was still good enough to save the day. 52. ... Qxg4 Suddenly the White King is caught into a mating net. 53. Qa7. Or 53. Rh7 f3-+ (Sergey Yurevich Shipov’s analysis). 53. ... Qxh4+ 54. Kg2 f3+! Easy, but pretty. 55. Kxf3 Rd3+ 0 : 1.

沈阳 (Shěn Yáng)
Photo: Eteri Kublashvili

Orange Flower Water

Venkat Saravanan (‏@reachvsara)

The new look of Grandmaster Humpy Koneru, one of the stars who participated in the fourth edition of the Maharashtra Chess League (MCL) at the PYC Hindu Gymkhana in Pune, India, from 11 to 15 June 2016.

Life Is Not Always Work

沈阳 (Shěn Yáng) – Eateryna Aleksandrovna Lagno
10th Russia – China Friendship Match; Moscow, June 14, 2016
Grünfeld Defence D85

1. d4 Nf6 2. c4 g6 3. Nc3 d5 4. cxd5 Nxd5 5. e4 Nxc3 6. bxc3 Bg7 7. Qa4+ Qd7 8. Bb5 c6 9. Bd3 0-0 10. Ne2 c5 11. Qxd7 Nxd7 12. Be3 Rd8 13. Rd1 b6 14. f3 cxd4. A slight variation in theme from 14. ... Bb7 15. Kf2 Rac8 16. h4 e5 17. d5 c4 18. Bc2 Bf8 19. h5 Bc5 20. g3 Nf6 21. g4 g5 22. Ng3 Ne8 23. Ba4 Bxe3+ 24. Kxe3 Nd6 25. Bc6 Kf8 26. Bxb7 Nxb7 27. Rb1 Rc5 28. Rb4 Ke7 29. Nf5+ Kd7 30. a4 ½ : ½ Antón Guijarro – Gabuzyan, 17th Lake Sevan Chess Tournament, Martuni 2015. 15. cxd4 Bb7 16. Kf2 Rac8 17. h4 h6 18. Rc1 e6 19. Bb5 Nb8. Black originally solved all the demands that needed to be solved in order to reduce White’s plus to a symbolic minimum. 20. Rxc8 Rxc8 21. Rc1 Rxc1 22. Nxc1 Nc6 23. Nb3 Nb4 24. a4 Nc2 25. Bd3 Nb4 26. Bc4 Nc2

27. a5. 沈阳 (Shěn Yáng) is trying to make out something from a very balanced position. Kateryna Aleksandrovna has no difficulty in achieving a draw. 27. ... bxa5 28. Nxa5 Bc8 29. Nc6 Bd7 30. Nxa7 Nxd4 31. f4 h5 32. g3 Nc2 33. Bc5 Nd4 34. Ke3 Nc6 35. Bb5 Nb8 36. Be2 Nc6 37. Nb5 e5 38. f5 gxf5 39. exf5 Bxf5 40. Bxh5 Bh6+ ½ : ½.

沈阳 (Shěn Yáng). Photo: Eteri Kublashvili

Ekateryna Aleksandrovna Lahno. Photo: Eteri Kublashvili

One Day on Mars

Anastasia Mikhailovna Bodnaruk – 沈阳 (Shěn Yáng)
10th Russia – China Friendship Match; Moscow, June 13, 2016
Spanish Game C78

1. e4 e5 2. Nf3 Nc6 3. Bb5 a6 4. Ba4 Nf6 5. 0-0 Bc5 6. c3 b5 7. Bb3 d6 8. a4 Bb7 9. d4 Bb6 10. Re1 0-0 11. Bg5 h6 12. Bh4 exd4 13. cxd4 Re8 14. d5. The most common way is 14. axb5 axb5 15. Rxa8 Bxa8 16. d5 Na5 17. Bc2 c6 18. dxc6 Bxc6 19. Nc3 g5 20. Bg3 b4 21. Nd5 b3 22. Bxb3 Rxe4 ½ : ½ Minić – Planinc, 27th Yugoslav Chess Championship, Umag 1972. 14. ... Na5 15. Bc2 c6 16. Nc3 g5 17. Bg3 cxd5 18. Nxd5 Nxd5 19. exd5 Rxe1+ 20. Nxe1 Qf6 21. axb5 axb5 22. Qe2 b4 23. Qe4 b3 24. Bd3 Bd4. Black finally decides to cash in the b2-Pawn. On the other hand, White is quite glad to sacrifice it as her initiative fully compensates for it. 25. Nf3 Bxb2 26. Re1 Kf8? As usual 沈阳 (Shěn Yáng) doesn’t hesitate to play on the edge of the foxhole. Correct was 26. ... Qg6 27. Qe2 Qf6 effectively offering a draw by repetition.

27. h4! A terrific blow, threatening 28. hxg5 hxg5 29. Nxg5! Qxg5 30. Bxd6+ and mate in a very few moves. 沈阳 (Shěn Yáng)’s answer appears forced. 27. ... g4. In fact, on 27. ... Ba3 28. Nh2! is too strong. 28. Qxg4 Bc3 29. Re3. Not bad, but I like very much the interferential Rook sacrifice 29. Re6!! (29. ... fxe6 30. Bxd6+) with a triumphal crescendo. 29. ... Re8. And once again, a bad move will bring 沈阳 (Shěn Yáng) good luck! True indeed, also, is the fact that Stockfish’s best offer 29. ... Bc8 30. Qa4 Bb7 31. Bh7! (Δ Qa4-g4) 31. ... Kg7 32. Bb1! Kf8 33. Qg4 Bc8 34. Qe4 would have lose as well since there are too many threats for Black to face. 30. Rxe8+ Kxe8 31. Qg8+? Anastasia Mikhailovna misses her golden point! It was not too hard to find 31. h5! that would have threatened everything (among others things, Bg3-h4 and/or Qg4-g8+). 31. ... Kd7 32. Qb8 Bxd5 33. Bf5+. White wisely contents herself with perpetual check. 33. ... Qxf5 34. Qxd6+ Ke8 35. Qb8+ Kd7 36. Qc7+ Ke8 37. Qb8+ Kd7 38. Qc7+ Ke8 39. Qb8+ ½ : ½.

Anastasia Mikhailovna Bodnaruk vs. 沈阳 (Shěn Yáng)
Photo: Eteri Kublashvili

Flying roller coaster

Natalia Andreevna Pogonina – 沈阳 (Shěn Yáng)
10th Russia – China Friendship Match; Moscow, June 12, 2016
Slav Defence D10

1. d4 d5 2. c4 c6 3. e3 Bf5 4. cxd5 cxd5 5. Qb3 Qc7 6. Nc3 e6 7. e4 Bxe4 8. Bf4 Qb6 (8. ... Qxf4 9. Qxb7) 9. Nb5 Na6 10. f3 Bb4+? The Bishop seems badly placed here, causing further trouble. For 10. ... Bg6 11. Rc1 Kd8 12. h4 f6 13. Kf2 Rc8 14. Rxc8+ Kxc8 15. Be2 e5 see D. Gurevich – B. M. Kogan, 30th U.S. Chess Championship, Berkeley 1984. 11. Kd1!? Bg6 12. Rc1 Nf6? Another bad point. Both 12. ... Kd8 13. a3 Be7 and 12. ... Rd8 13. a3 Be7 offered better chances of holding on. 13. a3! e5!?? 沈阳 (Shěn Yáng) takes extreme measures returning the Pawn, as after 13. ... Ba5? 14. Nd6+ Kf8 15. Qxb6 Bxb6 16. Nxb7 Bxd4 17. Bxa6 White wins, while 13. ... Be7 14. Bc7 Nxc7 15. Nxc7+ Kd7 16. Qxb6 axb6 17. Bb5+ Kd6 18. Nxa8 Rxa8 19. Ne2 would leave Black with insufficient compensation for the Exchange. Her decision is very unsound, but will bring her good luck! 14. dxe5? The wrong way. Instead, after 14. Bxe5 Be7 15. Nc7+ Nxc7 16. Qxb6 axb6 17. Rxc7 White would have achieved a dominant position. 14. ... Qf2! Maybe Pogonina was hoping for 14. ... Nh5? 15. Be3 Bc5 16. Rxc5! Nxc5 17. Qxd5 0-0 18. Qxc5 winning easily. 15. Nd6+ Kf8 16. axb4 Qxf1+ 17. Kd2 Ne4+! 18. Nxe4 (18. fxe4? Qxf4+) 18. ... Qxg2+ 19. Nf2! Qxf2+ 20. Ne2 Qb6 21. b5 Qa5+ 22. Kd1 Nc7 23. Bd2 Qb6 24. Be3 d4!? It seems pretty forced, as 24. ... Qa5? 25. b6 would be simply too unpleasant. 25. Nxd4 Rd8 26. Ke2 Nd5

27. Qa3+? A mistake which could cause unhappy consequences. White should have played 27. Nf5! Qe6 28. Bc5+ Kg8 29. Ne7+ Nxe7 30. Qxe6 fxe6 31. Bxe7, although after 31. ... Rd5! (31. ... Re8? 32. Rc7 gives no hope at all) 32. Rc8+ Kf7 33. Rxh8 Rxe5+ 34. Kf2 Kxe7 Black should get enough compensation to hope for a draw. 27. ... Kg8 28. Qc5 h6 29. Rhd1 Kh7 30. Kf2 Rhe8 31. Qxb6 axb6 32. f4 Be4. 32. ... Bh5! 33. Nf3 (33. Rd2 g5!) 33. ... f6 seems to promise something more than the text. 33. Bd2 f6 34. Re1. Or 34. e6 f5 with a more pleasant position for Black. 34. ... Nxf4!? 沈阳 (Shěn Yáng) offers a funny solution, but it appears that 34. ... fxe5! 35. Rxe4 Nf6 followed by ... Rd8xd4! would have left White to struggle for a draw. 35. Rxe4 Nd3+ 36. Ke3 Nxc1 37. Bxc1 Rxe5 38. Rxe5 fxe5. A hard-fought battle ended up in an unbalanced equality. 39. Nf3 Rd5 40. Bd2 Rxb5 41. Bc3 Rc5 42. Nxe5 b5 43. Kd4 b6 44. h4 g5 45. hxg5 hxg5 46. Bd2 Rc2 47. Bxg5 Rxb2 48. Bd8 Rd2+ 49. Nd3 Rxd3+ 50. Kxd3 ½ : ½.

Natalia Andreevna Pogonina vs. 沈阳 (Shěn Yáng)
Photo: ruchess.ru

That’s What Friends Are For

沈阳 (Shěn Yáng) – Aleksandra Yuryevna Goryachkina
10th Russia – China Friendship Match; Moscow, June 11, 2016
Queen’s Gambit Declined D12

1. d4 d5 2. Nf3 Nf6 3. c4 c6 4. e3 Bf5 5. Nc3 e6 6. Nh4 Be4 7. f3 Bg6 8. Qb3 Qc7 9. Bd2 Be7 10. Nxg6 hxg6 11. g3 a6 12. Rc1 dxc4 13. Bxc4 Nbd7. For 13. ... c5 14. dxc5 Nc6 see Siva Mahadevan – Goryachkina, 2nd Qatar Masters Open, Doha 2015. 14. Kf2 Rd8 15. Kg2 c5 16. Be2 0-0 17. Rhd1 b5 18. a4 b4 19. Nb1 a5 20. Be1 Qa7 21. Bf2 cxd4 22. exd4 Nd5 23. Nd2 Rc8 24. Bb5 Bg5 25. f4 Bf6 26. Qd3 Rfd8 27. Nb3 N7b6 28. Qf3 Qa8 29. Kg1 Rxc1 30. Rxc1 Rc8 31. Qd1 g5 32. Rxc8+ Nxc8 33. Qc1. After long maneuvering, White has finally gained control of the c-file, which ultimately will lead her to win a symbolic Pawn. 33. ... gxf4 34. Bc6 Qb8 35. Bxd5 exd5 36. Qc5 Nb6 37. Qxa5

37. ... f3! Goryachkina hammers a nail into the enemy’s Castle, getting more than sufficient counterplay to compensate for her little deficit. 38. Qxb4 Qc8! 39. Nd2. Not 39. Qxb6?? Qh3 with unavoidable mate. 39. ... Qc1+ 40. Nf1 Nc4 41. Qc3 Qa1 42. a5 g6 43. a6. If 43. Qxf3 then 43. ... Nd2! 44. Qe2 Nxf1 45. Qxf1 Qxb2 46. Qd1 Qa2 with a draw in sight. 43. ... Qxa6 44. Qxf3 Nxb2 45. Qxd5 Qd3 46. Ne3 Qxd4 47. Qa8+ Qd8 48. Qxd8+ Bxd8 49. Nd5 Nc4 ½ : ½.

From left: Aleksandra Yuryevna Goryachkina, Anastasia Mikhailovna Bodnaruk, Valentina Evgenyevna Gunina, and Natalia Andreevna Pogonina. Photo: ruchess.ru

From left: 沈阳 (Shěn Yáng) chatting with Kateryna Aleksandrovna Lagno and Olga Alexandrovna Girya. Photo: ruchess.ru