Mountain Holiday

Anna Olehivna Muzychuk – 谭中怡 (Tán Zhōngyí)

1st Women’s Chess World Cup; tie-break game 1; time control: 25 minutes plus 10 seconds per move; Krasnaya Polyana, August 3, 2021

Russian Defence C42

1. e4 e5 2. Nf3 Nf6 3. Nxe5 d6 4. Nf3 Nxe4 5. Nc3 Nxc3 6. dxc3 Nd7 7. Be3 Nf6 8. Qd2 g6!? Black’s fianchetto, actually an innovation at this point, appears strategically sound. The “old normal” is 8. ... Be7 which can eventually transpose into a Großmeister-Remis: 9. 0-0-0 0-0 10. Bd3 c5 11. Bg5 Be6 12. Qf4 h6 13. Bxh6 gxh6 14. Qxh6 Re8 15. Qg5+ Kf8 16. Qh6+ Kg8 17. Qg5+ Kf8 18. Qh6+ Kg8 ½ : ½ 居文君 (Jū Wénjūn) – 徐译 (Xú Yì), 52nd Chinese Chess Championship, 兴化 (Xīnghuà) 2021. 9. 0-0-0 Bg7 10. Bg5 0-0 11. Qf4 d5 12. h4!? c6

13. h5?! Muzychuk hurries to open the h-file, betraying her nervousness. On the other hand, such highly speculative arguments might well work in a tie-break game. It is interesting to note that in the interview which 谭中怡 (Tán Zhōngyí) gave afterwards, she said that “in an unfamiliar situation, [Muzychuk] rushed her attack and I felt she made a bigger mistake. From the perspective of the clock I was well prepared for this game”. 13. ... Nxh5 14. Qh4. Here Muzychuk spent much of her time looking for Godot (apparently without success): 14. Rxh5!? f6 15. Rxh7!? fxg5! 16. Qh2 g4 17. Nd2 Qg5 18. f3 g3! 19. Qh1 c5 with the upper hand for Black. 14. ... f6 15. Be3 f5 16. Bg5 Qa5 17. Kb1 Re8 18. Bd3 c5 19. Rhe1 Be6 20. Ne5 d4 21. c4 Bf7 22. Bd2 Qd8.

Rather than contenting herself with merely staying in the game (⌓ 23. Bg5), Muzychuk, with less than a minute left on the clock, throws herself in the mud: 23. Qh2? Qc7 24. f4 b5?! It will be soon clear why 24. ... Nf6! first would have been better. 25. Nxf7 Qxf7 26. b3 b4 27. g3? Due of her lack of time, White misses her last chance: 27. g4! fxg4 28. f5 Rxe1 29. Rxe1 g3 30. Qh3 Re8 31. Rxe8+ Qxe8 32. fxg6 hxg6 33. Qg4 Be5 34. Bxg6 Nf6 35. Qg5 Qe7 with a volatile balance. 27. ... Nf6 28. Qg2 a5 29. a4 bxa3 30. Rxe8+ Rxe8

31. Bxa5? Contingently speaking, this only worsens things, but also after 31. Qc6 Ne4 White stands quite badly. 31. ... a2+! 32. Ka1 Qa7 33. Bd2 Ng4 34. Qd5+ Kh8 35. Qc6 Ra8 36. Bc1 Ne3 37. Rd2 Qa5. Threatening 38. ... Qc3+ 39. Bb2 Qxb2+! followed by mate. 38. Bb2 h6 39. Re2?! A little better is 39. g4!? though after 39. ... Qa6 Black remains a Pawn ahead with a clear superiority — not to say of the time situation. 39. ... Kh7 40. g4 Nxg4 41. Re7 Ra7 42. Rxa7 Qxa7 43. Qa4 Qc7 44. Kxa2 Qxf4 45. Qc6 Qe5 46. b4 cxb4 47. c5 Ne3 48. Kb3 h5 49. Kxb4 h4 0 : 1. Muzychuk finally lost on time, but her position was irreparably hopeless.

谭中怡 (Tán Zhōngyí), the only Chinese in the Women’s World Cup, won the tie-breaker for 3rd place, thus succeeding at being the last to leave the stage! Photo © Anastasia Korolkova.

She Did It Again

Alexandra Konstantinovna Kosteniuk – Aleksandra Yuryevna Goryachkina
1st Women’s Chess World Cup; match game 2; Krasnaya Polyana, August 2, 2021
French Defence C07

1. e4 e6. Goryachkina sticks with what she knows best. 2. d4 d5 3. Nd2 c5 4. exd5 Qxd5 5. dxc5 Qxc5 6. Ngf3 Nf6 7. Bd3 Nbd7 8. Qe2 Qc7 9. 0-0. Another continuation is 9. Nb3 Be7 10. 0-0 0-0 11. a4 b6 12. Re1 Bb7 13. a5 bxa5 14. Nfd4 Nc5 15. Nxa5 Nxd3 16. Qxd3 Bb4 17. Bd2 Be4 18. Qe2 Bd6 19. Nb5 Bxh2+ 20. Kh1 Qb8 21. Bg5 Be5 22. Ra4 a6 23. Na3 Bxb2 24. Bxf6 Bxg2+ 25. Kxg2 Bxf6 26. Qe4 Qc7 27. Nc6 Rfc8 28. Rc4 Qd6 29. Re3 Qd5 30. Qxd5 exd5 31. Ne7+ Bxe7 32. Rxc8+ Rxc8 33. Rxe7 g6 34. Re3 Kg7 35. Rd3 Rc5 36. c3 a5 37. Kf3 h5 38. Ke3 h4 39. Kf4 f6 40. Kg4 g5 41. f4 Kg6 42. fxg5 fxg5 43. Re3 a4 44. Rd3 Kf6 45. Rf3+ Kg6 46. Rd3 Kh6 47. Re3 Rc6 48. Rd3 Rf6 49. Rd4 Rf1 50. Nc2 Rg1+ 51. Kh3 Rg3+ 52. Kh2 Rxc3 53. Rd2 a3 54. Nd4 Kg6 55. Ra2 g4 56. Nb5 Rc5 57. Nxa3 Ra5 58. Ra1 d4 59. Rg1 g3+ 60. Kh3 Rxa3 61. Kxh4 Kf5 62. Kh3 Ke4 63. Re1+ Re3 0 : 1 侯逸凡 (Hóu Yìfán) – Kramnik, 10th ROMGAZ Kings Tournament in memoriam of Elisabeta Polihroniade, Mediaș 2016, match game 2 (time control: 15 minutes plus 10 seconds per move). 9. ... b6. Varying from 9. ... Nc5 which served her well two years ago: 10. b3 Nxd3 11. Qxd3 Be7 12. Bb2 0-0 13. c4 b6 14. Rad1 Rd8 15. Qe2 Bb7 16. Ne5 h6 17. Rfe1 Rd6 18. Ndf3 Rxd1 19. Rxd1 Rd8 20. Nd4 a6 21. f3 Bd6 22. Nc2 Nd7 23. Ne1 b5 24. cxb5 axb5 25. Nxd7 Rxd7 26. Kh1 b4 27. Nc2 Qd8 28. Qb5? (⌓ 28. h3) 28. ... Qh4 29. h3 Bxf3! 30. Kg1 (30. gxf3 Qxh3+ 31. Kg1 Bh2+−+) 30. ... Bh2+ 31. Kxh2 Qf4+ 32. g3 Rd2+ 0 : 1 Kashlinskaya – Goryachkina, 69th Russian Women’s Chess Championship, Izhevsk 2019. 10. Ne4 Bb7 11. Nxf6+ gxf6 12. Be4! Now it is Kosteniuk who escapes from her own past glories: 12. a4 Bd6 13. Rd1 Nc5 14. Bb5+ Ke7 15. g3 a6 16. Bc4 b5 17. axb5 axb5 18. Rxa8 Bxa8 19. Bd5 Bxd5 20. Rxd5 Qc6 21. Rd1 Qe4 22. Be3 Qc4 23. Qxc4 bxc4 24. Nd2 c3 25. bxc3 Rc8 26. Ra1 Rc6 27. Ra7+ Bc7 28. c4 Nd7 29. Kf1 Bb6 30. Bxb6 Rxb6 31. c5 Rc6 32. Nb3 e5 33. f4 Ke8 34. Ra5 Rc7 35. Ke2 Ke7 36. f5 Nb8 37. c3 Nc6 38. Ra6 Nb8 39. Rb6 Nd7 40. Rb5 h5 41. Kd3 Rc8 42. Ke4 Nb8 43. Rb7+ Kf8 44. Rb6 Nc6 45. Nd2 Ne7 46. Rxf6 Rxc5 47. c4 Kg7 48. Rb6 Ng8 49. Kd3 Rc7 50. Ne4 Rd7+ 51. Rd6 Ra7 52. c5 Nh6 53. f6+ Kg6 54. Rd8 Kf5 55. c6 Rc7 56. Rd6 Ng4 57. h3 Nh2 58. Nd2 Nf3 59. Nxf3 e4+ 60. Ke3 exf3 61. Rd5+ Ke6 62. Rc5 Kd6 63. Rc3 Ke5 64. Kxf3 1 : 0 Kosteniuk – Vojinović, 14th European Individual Women’s Chess Championship, Belgrade 2013. 12. ... Rc8. A novelty with little potential to affect averages. In any event, after 12. ... Bxe4 13. Qxe4 Rc8 14. c3 White stands better, G. Shahade – Young, CCSCSL Invitational, Saint Louis 2011.

13. Bf4 Qxf4 14. Bxb7 Rc7 15. Ba6 Bc5 16. Rad1 Ke7 17. c3 Ne5 18. Nxe5 Qxe5 19. Qd3 Bd6 20. f4 Qc5+ 21. Kh1 Rd7

22. Qe2. Goryachkina has failed to develop any satisfactory prospect of initiative, as instead Kosteniuk could bite back (22. f5!) — but she contents herself with what is probably a wise approach. 22. ... h5 23. Bc4 Rc8 24. Bb3 Qf5 25. Rd4 Rdd8 26. Rfd1 Bc7 27. Bc2 Qg4 28. Qa6. Kosteniuk apparently feels confident enough to afford herself not to liquidate into a drawish endgame. 28. ... Rxd4 29. Rxd4 Rd8 30. Qa3+. The only way to gain the Pawn, since 30. Qxa7?? is refuted by 30. ... Rxd4!−+ (31. Qxc7+ Rd7). And moreover 30. Rxd8?! is quite nonsensical due to 30. ... Qxf4! which guarantees Black at least a draw. 30. ... Bd6 31. Qxa7+ Rd7 32. Qa6. The second Pawn is not edible: 32. Qxb6?? Qe2−+ with a devastating invasion. 32. ... h4 33. Qd3 f5 34. b4 h3 35. gxh3 Qg8 36. Bb3 Qa8+ 37. Kg1 Rd8. A last threat, a last hope: ... Rd8-g8+ followed by ... Qa8-h1 with a mating attack.

38. Kf2! Bxf4. On one hand, this makes no sense as the resulting ending with Bishops of opposite colours is objectively drawn, but, on the other hand, either 38. ... Rg8 39. Qf3 or 38. ... Qh1 39. Qg3 would give Black no reason to play for a win. 39. Rxd8 Qxd8 40. Qxd8+ Kxd8 41. Ke2 Ke7 42. a4 Bc7. Goryachkina’s refusal to draw (42. ... Bxh2) is far from optimism and should be rather interpreted as a form of acknowledgment of her failure to win. 43. h4 Kf6 44. Kd3 Kg6 45. Kc4 f4 46. Kb5 f3 47. a5 bxa5 48. bxa5 e5 49. a6 Bb8 50. Kb6 e4 51. Bd1 f5 52. Kb7 f2 53. Be2 f4 54. Kxb8 f3 55. Bc4 e3 56. a7 f1=Q! Of course this move itself cannot save the game, and yet it is so pretty to be worth a draw offer! 57. Bxf1 e2 58. Bxe2 fxe2 59. a8=Q ½ : ½.

Thirteen years after her youthful triumphs, Kosteniuk came back on top of the world. “Yes, I did it again”, she finally said jubilantly. Photo © Eric Rosen.

Blazing Saddles

Aleksandra Yuryevna Goryachkina – Alexandra Konstantinovna Kosteniuk
1st Women’s Chess World Cup; match game 1; Krasnaya Polyana, August 1, 2021
Catalan Opening E04

1. d4 Nf6 2. c4 e6 3. g3 d5 4. Bg2 dxc4 5. Nf3 a6 6. 0-0 Nc6 7. Be3 Nd5 8. Qc1 Nxe3 (8. ... Bd7 9. Bg5 f6 10. e4 Ndb4 11. d5 fxg5 12. dxc6 Nxc6 13. Qxc4 g4 14. Nfd2 Bd6 15. h3 h5 16. Nc3 Ne5 17. Qe2 h4 18. f4 Bc5+ 19. Kh1 gxh3 20. Bf3 hxg3 21. fxe5 g2+ 22. Kh2 Qg5 23. Rf2 Qxe5+ 24. Kg1 Qg3 25. Bh5+ g6 26. Bxg6+ Kd8 0 : 1 Reinaldo Castiñeira – Morozevich, 4th A.D. San Juan International Tournament, Pamplona 2010) 9. Qxe3!?TN Be7 10. Rc1 0-0 11. Rxc4 Bd7 12. a3 a5 13. Nbd2 a4 14. Ne5 Na5 15. Rc2 Bb5 16. Re1 Ra6?! 17. h4! Rd6. It all feels a bit too artificial. 18. Qc3 c6 19. e3 f6 20. Nef3 e5!? Black offers a Pawn in the hope to gain scope for her two Bishops and a stairway to heaven for her passed c-Pawn.

21. b4! Just a little patience, as White cannot play 21. dxe5?? at once on accout of 21. ... Rd3 trapping the Queen. 21. ... axb3 22. Nxb3 Nxb3 23. Qxb3+ Kh8 24. a4 Ba6 25. dxe5. Finally cashing in. 25. ... Rd3 26. Rc3 Rxc3 27. Qxc3 fxe5 28. Qxe5 c5 29. h5 c4 30. h6 Bf6 31. hxg7+ Bxg7 32. Qh5 Qf6?! Offering the exchange of Queens with 32. ... Qe8 would have better served Black’s aims for compensation.

33. Ng5! Qxf2+ 34. Kh2 Qc2 (34. ... h6 35. Rf1+−) 35. e4 h6

36. Nf7+? After having done so much, Goryachkina stumbles at last on herself. 36. Rd1!+− would have been a worthy corollary of her attack, as Black has no good way to prevent Rd1-d6 followed by Rd6xh6+ with mate to come — if 36. ... c3 then 37. Qg6! hxg5 38. Rd7 with a mating finish. 36. ... Kg8 37. Qd5? And yet the engines still give a winning line for White: 37. Re2!! Qd1 (37. ... Qxa4 38. Rf2+−) 38. Bh3 Rxf7 39. Be6 Qf1 40. Rd2 Bd4!? 41. Qxf7+ (41. Rxd4?? Qf2+=) 41. ... Qxf7 42. Bxf7 Kxf7 43. Rxd4+− — but it was very hard to see for a human. 37. ... c3 38. Nxh6+ Kh7 39. Nf7 Qf2 40. Ng5+? Goryachkina unwisely keeps playing with fire. By now there was nothing better than 40. Qh5+ Kg8 41. Nh6+! Bxh6 42. Qxh6 with a likely perpetual. 40. ... Kg6! The time control move is also the best. Now the tables are dramatically turned. 41. Rh1 Qd4? Kosteniuk couldn’t believe her eyes and contented herself with little. 42. ... c2! would have put White on the ropes. 42. Nh3 Qxd5 43. exd5 Bh6 44. Re1 Bd3 45. Nf4+ Bxf4 46. gxf4 Rxf4 47. d6 Rxa4 48. Bxb7 Rd4 49. Kg3 Bf5 50. Bf3 c2 51. Rc1 Kf6 52. Kf2 Ke5

53. Ke3?? It is an inexplicable mistake for one who has the well-deserved reputation of being a superb technician. What is more disconcerting is that there was a dual saving solution: 53. d7! Rxd7 54. Bg4!= and 53. Ke1! Rxd6 54. Bd1!= in both cases forcing a book draw. 53. ... Rd3+ 54. Ke2 Rxd6 55. Ke1 Kd4 56. Bd1 Ke3! The only winning move. 57. Rxc2. If 57. Bxc2 then 59. ... Rg6! followed by mate in two. 57. ... Bxc2 58. Bxc2 Rd2 (58. ... Ra6−+) 59. Bf5 Rf2 60. Be6 Rf6 61. Bd5 Rd6 62. Bb3 Rb6 63. Bc2 Ra6 0 : 1. For after 64. Kf1 Ra1+ 65. Kg2 Ra2 it is all over.

After all, tomorrow is another day — Kosteniuk needs only a draw, while for Goryachkina is a “win or lose” game. Photo © Anastasia Korolkova.

Two As One

Aleksandra Yuryevna Goryachkina – Anna Olehivna Muzychuk
1st Women’s Chess World Cup; match game 2; Krasnaya Polyana, July 30, 2021
Grünfeld Defence D86

1. d4 Nf6 2. c4 g6 3. Nc3 d5 4. cxd5 Nxd5 5. e4 Nxc3 6. bxc3 Bg7 7. Bc4 c5 8. Ne2 cxd4 9. cxd4 Nc6 10. Be3 Qa5+ 11. Bd2 Qa3 12. Rb1 0-0 13. 0-0 Bg4 14. f3 Be6 15. Bc1 Qa5 16. Bxe6 fxe6 17. a4TN (17. Rxb7 Qxa2 18. Rb2 Qa1 19. e5 Rac8 20. Rc2 Rfd8 21. Be3 Qxd1 22. Rxd1 Nb4 23. Rxc8 Rxc8 24. Rc1 Ra8 25. Bd2 Nd5 26. Ra1 Kf7 27. Ng3 h6 28. Ne4 g5 29. Kf2 Nb6 30. Bb4 Nd5 31. Bd2 Nb6 32. Ke2 Nd5 33. g3 Bf8 34. Kd3 Bg7 35. Nc5 Rc8 36. Ke4 Rc7 37. f4 gxf4 38. gxf4 Nb6 39. f5 exf5+ 40. Kxf5 Bxe5 41. Kxe5 Nc4+ 42. Kd5 Nxd2 43. Rd1 e5 44. dxe5 1 : 0 Lilienthal – Ravinsky, 31st Moscow City Chess Championship, Moscow 1953)

17. ... Nxd4!? Arguably Muzychuk is playing all out for a mess. 18. Nxd4 Rfd8? Putting the wrong Rook on d8, as the following will show. 19. Be3 Qc3 20. Rb3 Qc4

21. Rxb7? White apparently misses the stronger 21. e5! Bxe5 (otherwise f3-f4 would follow) 22. Rd3 leaving Black with insufficient compensation — a line which would have been ineffective if the King’s Rook had been on f8 and the Queen’s Rook on d8 (as Black might continue with ... Be5-f4). 21. ... Bxd4 22. Bxd4 Rxd4. 22. ... Kf7!, followed by the capture of the Bishop, seems to give Black more or less equality. 23. Qc1 Qe2. Desperately seeking to unbalance a hieratic opponent. 24. Re1! In Karpovian style, Goryachkina contents herself with a technical advantage. 24. ... Rc4 25. Rxe2 Rxc1+ 26. Kf2 Kf7 27. Rd2 a5 28. Rdd7 Re8 29. Ra7 Rc2+ 30. Kg3

30. ... Rc5? 30. ... g5! 31. Rxa5 Kf6 was Black’s best bet for a draw, if any. 31. Rdc7! Rxc7 32. Rxc7 Ra8 33. Rc5. In spite of material equality, Goryachkina provides a telling demonstration that not “all Rook endings are drawn”. 34. ... h6 34. Kf4 g5+ 35. Kg4 Kf6 36. h4 e5. A little tougher is 36. ... gxh4 37. Kxh4 Kg6, but after 38. Kf4 White should be able to make progress anyway by alternating threats on both Black’s a- and -h Pawns (say, for instance, Rc5-h5 and g2-g4 so as to bind the Black King to defend the h6-Pawn, then followed by the march of the White King to b5). 37. Rc6+ e6 38. h5 Rb8 39. Rc5. Avoiding a little trap: 39. Ra6 Rb7 40. Rxa5?? Ra7! 41. Rxa7 stalemate (Ian Rogers’ analysis). 39. ... Ra8 40. Kg3 Ra7 41. Rb5 Ra8 42. Rb7 g4 43. Kxg4 1 : 0.

And thus an all-Russian final will conclude the inaugural Women’s World Chess Cup. Photo © Anastasia Korolkova.

Van Gogh’s Chair

Alexandra Konstantinovna Kosteniuk – 谭中怡 (Tán Zhōngyí)
1st Women’s Chess World Cup; match game 2; Krasnaya Polyana, July 30, 2021
Russian Defence C42

1. e4 e5 2. Nf3 Nf6 3. Nxe5 d6 4. Nf3 Nxe4 5. c4 Nc6 6. d3 Nf6 7. d4 Be7 8. d5. 8. Nc3 d5 transposes into Paulsen – Englisch, Anderssen Jubilee, Leipzig 1877 (in fact, the same position was reached after 1. c4 e5 2. e3 Nf6 3. Nc3 Nc6 4. Nf3 Be7 5. d4 exd4 6. exd4 d5). 8. ... Ne5 9. Be2 Nxf3+ 10. Bxf3 h5!? 11. h3 Bf5 12. Nc3 Qd7 13. Be3 a6 14. a4 c5 15. dxc6 bxc6 16. a5 Rb8 17. 0-0 0-0 18. Na4 d5 19. Nb6 Qd6 20. Rc1 Qb4 21. Bd4

21. ... dxc4?? A blunder hard to explain, if not as a symptom of nervous tiredness. Black ought to play 21. ... Qxa5 and if 22. c5!? (threatening to trap the Queen with Rc1-a1) then 22. ... Qb4 23. Rc3 a5 23. Rb3 Bc2! saving everything. 22. Re1? Nevertheless, Kosteniuk too overlooks a most obvious refutation: 22. Rxc4 Qd6 (22. ... Qxa5 23. Ra4 and 22. ... Qb5 23. Bxc6 both lose the Queen) 23. Rxc6+− with an overwhelming advantage. 22. ... Be6

23. Rxe6! Never looking back Kosteniuk is starting it all over again. 23. ... fxe6 24. Qe2 Rf7 25. Nxc4

25. ... Nd5? 谭中怡 (Tán Zhōngyí)’s second and last mistake will not be forgiven. Instead after the correct 25. ... Bc5! it is still anyone’s game. 26. Bxh5+− Rbf8. Black cannot play 26. ... Rff8 as after 27. Qxe6+ Kh8 28. Qh6+ mate follows next move. 27. Qxe6 Nf4 28. Bxf7+ Rxf7 29. Qg4 Bc5 30. Be3 Bxe3 31. fxe3 Qc5 32. b4 Qa7 33. Rf1 Nd3 34. Rd1 Ne5 35. Rd8+ Rf8 36. Rxf8+ Kxf8 37. Qf4+ Nf7 38. Ne5 1 : 0.

“It wasn’t an easy match but, as in the previous ones, I was lucky to finish it in the classical part, so I don’t need to go to the tie-breaks. Of course, that saves energy”, Kosteniuk finally said. Photo © Anastasia Korolkova.

Half Upon a Time

Anna Olehivna Muzychuk – Aleksandra Yuryevna Goryachkina
1st Women’s Chess World Cup; match game 1; Krasnaya Polyana, July 29, 2021
1r6/1P1k3p/1R1p2p1/5p2/4rP1P/4P3/5K2/2R5 w - - 0 39

Position after 38. ... f6-f5

Muzychuk got much the better out of the opening and even won a Pawn, but then, pressed by time, ended up giving it back and liquidating to a four-Rook ending in which her only trump — the passed b-Pawn — seems not enough to contradict the old saying that “all Rook endings are drawn”. Thus, in the position of diagram, she played 39. h5! And now there would be little left to hope for, had Black replied with 39. ... gxh5! — but the time for exchanging favours has not yet ended: 39. ... Re7? 40. hxg6? And here Muzychuk misses a huge opportunity to cash in on her previous bet — in fact, 40. Rc8! Rxc8 (40. ... Re8 41. Rxe8 Kxe8 42. Kg3 Ke7 43. Kh4+−) 41. Rxd6+! Kc7 42. bxc8=Q+ Kxc8 43. hxg6 hxg6 44. Rxg6+− would be decisive, as White either wins a Pawn or cuts off Black’s King — or both. 40. ... hxg6 41. Rc8 Re8 (41. ... Rxc8 42. Rxd6++−) 42. Rxe8 Kxe8 43. Kg3 Ke7

44. Rb1. The unfortunate interpolation of 40. hxg6 hxg6 now just makes 44. Kh4 completely ineffective due to 44. ... Rh8+ 45. Kg3 (not 45. Kg5?? because of 45. ... Kf7! followed by mate) 45. ... Rb8 repeating moves. 44. ... Ke6 45. Kf3 Kd7 46. Kg3 ½ : ½.

No doubt it was a missed opportunity for Muzychuk. Photo © Anastasia Korolkova.

Lonely But Not Alone

Ekaterina Aleksandrovna Lagno – 谭中怡 (Tán Zhōngyí)
1st Women’s Chess World Cup; match game 2; Krasnaya Polyana, July 26, 2021
1k4r1/p2r4/1pR2p2/3p4/3P1N1p/5Pn1/PP3K2/4R3 w - - 0 32

Position after 31. ... h5-h4

It took only one mistake for Lagno to fall from her dreams of glory — whatever cruel it may be: 32. Ree6? A bad move which loses a crucial tempo. Naturally, White ought to take on f6 with good drawing chances. Now, 谭中怡 (Tán Zhōngyí) immediately takes advantage of the clumsy placement of White’s Rooks: 32. ... h3! 33. Nxh3 Rh7 34. Nf4 Nf5−+ 35. Ne2 Rh2+ 36. Kf1 (36. Ke1 Nxd4!−+) 36. ... Rgg2 37. Re8+ Kb7 38. Rce6 (38. Rxf6 Rxe2 39. Rxe2 Ng3+−+) 38. ... Nh4 39. R6e7+ Ka6 40. Ke1 Nf5 41. Kd1 Nxe7 42. Rxe7 Kb5 43. Re3

43. ... Rxe2! Mercilessly technical. 44. Rxe2 Rxe2 45. Kxe2 Kc4 46. Ke3 b5 47. Ke2 (47. a3 a6−+) 47. ... Kxd4 48. Kd2 f5 49. Ke2 Ke5 50. Ke3 d4+ 0 : 1.

谭中怡 (Tán Zhōngyí), the only Chinese in the Women’s World Cup, has no intention at all of leaving empty-handed. Photo © Eric Rosen.

A Quick Bite

Dinara Ramazanovna Saduakassova – Aleksandra Yuryevna Goryachkina
1st Women’s Chess World Cup; match game 2; Krasnaya Polyana, July 26, 2021
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. ... Bb4 (10. ... Qxd4 11. Nxc6 Qxf4 12. g3 Qc7 13. Nd4+ Nd7 14. Nxf5 exf5 15. Qe2+ Be7 16. 0-0 a6 17. Bxc4 Ne5 18. Rac1 Nxc4 19. Nxc4 0-0 20. a5 Bg5 21. f4 Qe7 22. Qxe7 Bxe7 23. Nb6 Rad8 24. Rc7 Bf6 25. b4 Rd2 26. Rxb7 Rfd8 27. Nc4 Re2 28. Ne5 Bxe5 29. fxe5 g6 30. Rf2 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 Demchenko – Goryachkina, 27th Russian Team Chess Championship, Sochi 2020) 11. 0-0 0-0. 11. ... Bxd2?! 12. Qxd2 0-0 13. Bxc6 bxc6 14. Nxc4 Qa6 15. Rfc1 leaves 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). 12. Bxc6 (12. Ndxc4 Qxd4=) 12. ... bxc6 13. Ndxc4 Qa6 14. Ne3 Nd5 15. Bg3 f6 16. Nxf5 exf5 17. Nd3 Rfe8 18. Rc1 Re4 19. Nxb4 Nxb4

20. f3?! It is quite amazing how little is needed to spoil a balanced position. Simpler seems 20. Re1 Qd3 21. Bd6 Rxd4 22. Bxb4 Qxd1 23. Rexd1 Rxb4 24. Rxc6 Rxa4 with a drawish ending, Black’s extra Pawn being basically worthless. 20. ... Re2 21. Qb3+ Nd5 22. Rc2?? A tactical blunder, which loses right off. The same basic idea of exchanging Rooks would have worked better by means of 22. Rfe1 Rae8 23. Rxe2 Rxe2 24. Rc2 with near equality.

22. ... Rxc2 0 : 1. For after 23. Qxc2 Qxf1+! 24. Kxf1 Ne3+ Black will emerge a whole Rook up.

Finally, with not too much of a struggle, Goryachkina went through to the semifinals. Photo © Anastasia Korolkova.

Evening Hours

Alexandra Konstantinovna Kosteniuk – Valentina Evgenyevna Gunina
1st Women’s Chess World Cup; match game 1; Krasnaya Polyana, July 25, 2021
8/q5kp/6p1/1p1Qp3/5r2/P1bB1Rp1/P1P1K1P1/8 b - - 3 42

Position after 42. Qe6xd5

Kosteniuk’s 42nd move was a terrible error which should lose, but... 42. ... Kh6? But Gunina misses the solution: 42. ... Qg1! (Δ ... Qg1-e1#) 43. Qd7+ Kh6 44. Qh3+ Kg5 45. Qxg3+ Rg4 and it’s all over. 43. Rxf4 exf4 44. Kf3 Kg7 (44. ... Qe3+ 45. Kg4 Be5∞) 45. Kxf4 Qf2+ 46. Kg4 h5+ 47. Kh3 Qg1 48. Kxg3 Qe1+ 49. Kf3 Qd1+ 50. Ke3 Kh6? It would be funny if it weren’t tragic, but Gunina made the same mistake twice (her 42nd and 50th moves)! Among other moves, 50. ... Qd2+ 51. Kf3 Qd1+ should lead to a draw by perpetual check. 51. Qe4 Qg1+ 52. Kf3 Qd1+ 53. Qe2 Qa1 54. Qe3+ g5 55. Qe6+ Bf6 56. Qf5 Kg7 57. Qd7+ Kf8 58. Qxb5

58. ... Qd1+? And yet after 58. ... Qxa2! 59. a4 Qe6 it’s still a tough fight. 59. Ke4 Qg4+ 60. Kd5 Be7 61. Be4 Qf4 62. Qd7 Qf7+ 63. Qe6 Bxa3 64. Qxf7+ Kxf7. If Gunina was relying on the drawing power of the opposite-coloured Bishops, she was promptly disappointed.

65. c4 Ke7 66. Bf5 g4 67. c5 Kd8 68. Kc6 Ke7 69. Kb6 Kf6 70. Bd7 Ke7 71. Bf5 Kd8 72. g3 Bb2 73. Kb7 Be5 74. a4 Bc7 75. c6 Bxg3 76. a5 1 : 0.

Clock time did not make a difference, but Kosteniuk’s concentration and determination did. Photo © Anastasia Korolkova.

And Then There Were None

Aleksandra Yuryevna Goryachkina – Dinara Ramazanovna Saduakassova
1st Women’s Chess World Cup; match game 1; Krasnaya Polyana, July 25, 2021
Nimzo-Indian Defence E37

1. d4 Nf6 2. c4 e6 3. Nc3 Bb4 4. Qc2 d5 5. a3 Bxc3+ 6. Qxc3 Ne4 7. Qc2 c5 8. dxc5 Nc6 9. Nf3 Qa5+ 10. Bd2 Qxc5 11. e3 Nxd2 12. Nxd2. Most unconvincing is 12. Qxd2 dxc4 13. Qc3 on account of 13. ... Qa5 14. Bxc4 Qxc3+ 15. bxc3 Ke7! 16. Ke2 b6 17. Bb5 Bb7 18. Bxc6 Bxc6 19. c4 Rac8 20. Nd2 b5 21. cxb5 Bxb5+ 22. Kf3 Rhd8 23. Nb3 Rc3 24. Na5 Ba4 25. Rhc1 Bc2 26. Kg3 Rd5 27. Ra2 Rg5+ 28. Kf4 Rgc5 29. Rb2 g5+ 30. Kg3 Be4 31. Rxc3 Rxc3 32. a4 Bd5 33. h4 gxh4+ 34. Kh3 f5 35. Rb4 Rc5 36. Nb7 Rc4 37. Rxc4 Bxc4 38. Kxh4 Kd7 (the White Knight is dominated) 39. a5 Kc7 40. Nc5 Kc6 0 : 1 赵雪 (Zhào Xuě) – 侯逸凡 (Hóu Yìfán), 1st Women Masters Chess Tournament, 无锡 (Wúxī) 2011. 12. ... dxc4 13. Bxc4 Qe7. The alternative 13. ... 0-0 14. b4 Qe7 15. Bd3 h6 16. Qc3 Qf6 constitutes an interesting theoretical reference: 17. Qxf6 gxf6 18. 0-0-0 f5 19. Be2 e5 20. Nc4 Be6 21. Nd6 Rab8 22. Rd2 Rfd8 23. Kb2 Kf8 24. Rhd1 Ke7 25. Nc4 Rxd2+ 26. Rxd2 Rc8 27. Rc2 f6 28. Na5 Nxa5 29. Rxc8 Bxc8 30. bxa5 Kd6 31. Kc3 Kc5 32. f4 exf4 33. exf4 Be6 34. g3 Bd5 35. Bd3 Be6 36. Be2 Bd5 37. Bd3 Be6 ½ : ½ Krush – 侯逸凡 (Hóu Yìfán), 42nd Women’s Chess Olympiad, Baku 2016. 14. 0-0 0-0 15. b4 Bd7 16. b5. A natural move, hoping for something more than 16. Qb2 Rfd8 17. Be2 Be8 18. Rfd1 Rac8 19. Rac1 Nb8 20. h3 Ba4 21. Rxc8 Rxc8 22. Rc1 Rxc1+ 23. Qxc1 Qd8 24. Ne4 Bc6 25. Nc5 b6 26. Na6 Bb7 27. Nxb8 Qxb8 28. Qd1 Qc7 29. Qa4 Qc6 0. Qxc6 Bxc6 31. h4 Kf8 32. f3 Ke7 33. e4 e5 34. Kf2 h6 35. Bc4 g5 36. hxg5 hxg5 37. Ke3 Bd7 38. g4 f6 39. Kd2 Kd6 40. Kc3 Be8 ½ : ½ Dreev – Predke, 72nd Russian Chess Championship, Izhevsk 2019. 16. ... Ne5 17. Be2 f6 18. Qe4 Be8 19. f4 Bg6

20. Qb4. After the exchange of Queens White can hope at most for a very slight edge in the ending, which, however, proves not enough to break Saduakassova’s defence: 20. ... Qxb4 21. axb4 Bd3 22. Kf2 Bxe2 23. Kxe2 Nf7 24. Ne4 b6 25. Rfd1 f5 26. Nf2 (26. Nd6 Nxd6 27. Rxd6 Rfe8 28. Rd7 e5 29. g3 exf4 30. gxf4 Re4=) 26. ... e5 27. Rd7 Rfe8 28. g3 exf4 29. gxf4 Rec8 30. Ra2 h6 31. Nd3

31. ... Rd8 32. Rxd8+ Rxd8 33. Rxa7 Nd6 34. Rc7 Nxb5 35. Rc6 g5 36. Ne5 gxf4 37. Rg6+ Kh7 38. exf4 Rd4 39. Rxb6 Rxb4 40. Kd2 Rd4+ 41. Ke3 Re4+ 42. Kd3 Rd4+ 43. Ke3 ½ : ½.

Usually, a draw does not make the news headlines, but in fact today Saduakassova ended Goryachkina’s 9-game winning streak with White. Photo © Eric Rosen.

Through the Storm

Antoaneta Stefanova – Aleksandra Yuryevna Goryachkina

1st Women’s Chess World Cup; tie-break game 2; time control: 25 minutes plus 10 seconds per move; Krasnaya Polyana, July 24, 2021

Grünfeld Defence D78

1. Nf3 d5 2. g3 g6 3. Bg2 Bg7 4. 0-0 Nf6 5. d4 0-0 6. c4 c6 7. Qb3 a5 8. Rd1 a4 9. Qb4 dxc4 10. Qxc4 Qd5TN (10. ... b5!? 11. Qc3 Qb6= Pantsulaia – Yılmaz, 18th European Team Chess Championship, Porto Carras 2011) 11. Qb4 Qd6

12. Qe1! Bf5 13. Nc3 Ne4 14. Nh4 Nxc3 15. bxc3 Be6 16. e4 Bc4 17. f4 f5 18. e5 Qd7 19. Ba3 Na6 20. Nf3 Nc7 21. Nd2 Bd5 22. Bf1 b5 23. c4 bxc4 24. Nxc4 Rfb8 25. Bc5 Bxc4 26. Bxc4+ Nd5 27. Rab1 Bf8 28. Rxb8 Rxb8 29. Rb1 Qd8? Suddenly it feels like Goryachkina cannot stand her cramped position any longer. Yet after 29. ... Ra8! Stefanova couldn’t make too great use of the b-file, for if 30. Qb4 Black may reply with 30. ... e6 31. Bxd5 Qxd5 32. Bxf8 Rxf8 36. Qxa4 c5! leaving White with a worthless extra Pawn. 30. Rxb8 Qxb8

31. Qb4! Qxb4 32. Bxb4 e6? Of course, after 32. ... Kf7 33. Bc5± it is anything but easy for Black to escape the bind, but, however hard it might be, it was better than the text (which loses by force). 33. Bxf8 Kxf8 34. Kf2 Ke7 35. Ke2 Kd7 36. Kd3. Threatening to liquidate into a won Pawn ending with Bc4xd5 followed by Kd3-c3-b4. 36. ... Ne7 37. Kc3 h6 38. Kb4. Naturally, 38. h4 was also very good. 38. ... g5 39. fxg5 hxg5 40. Kxa4 c5 41. dxc5 Ng6 42. Kb5 Nxe5 43. Be2 f4 44. gxf4 gxf4 45. h4 f3 46. Bf1 Kc7 47. h5 Ng4 48. a4. 48. Bh3 f2 49. a4 e5 50. a5 e4 51. a6 e3 52. Bf1+− was an equally good but (maybe) simpler solution. 48. ... e5

49. a5. Or 49. Kb4! e4 50. Kc3 e3 51. a5+− with an easily won ending, since after 51. ... e2 52. Bxe2 fxe2 53. Kd2 Black cannot stop White’s Pawns. 49. ... e4 50. Bh3? Stefanova misses her big chance to score the equaliser: 50. Kb4! e3 51. Kc3+− would transpose into the line given above. 50. ... e3 51. a6? If Stefanova had not badly needed a win, at least she could have saved herself with 51. h6! Nxh6 52. a6 e2 53. a7 Kb7 54. c6+ Kxa7 55. c7 Nf7! — but cui prodest? 51. ... e2 52. a7 Kb7 53. c6+ Kxa7 54. c7 Kb7 55. Bxg4 Kxc7 56. Bxf3 e1=Q 0 : 1.

Goryachkina finally won a tense match against Stefanova to advance to the quarterfinals, where she will face Kazakhstani International Master Dinara Ramazanovna Saduakassova. Photo © Anastasia Korolkova.

White on Black

Aleksandra Yuryevna Goryachkina – Antoaneta Stefanova
1st Women’s Chess World Cup; match game 2; Krasnaya Polyana, July 23, 2021
Semi-Slav Defence D45

1. d4 d5 2. c4 c6 3. Nf3 Nf6 4. Nc3 a6 5. e3 e6 6. b3 Bb4 7. Bd2 Nbd7 8. Bd3 0-0 9. 0-0 Bd6. It’s not the first time that Stefanova has reached such a position, in which her opponents continued with 10. Qc2 (Koneru – Stefanova, FIDE Women’s Grand Prix 2015–16, 2nd stage, Tehran 2016 and Kashlinskaya – Stefanova, 2nd Women’s World Rapid Chess Championship, Khanty-Mansiysk 2014), 10. e4 (Dzagnidze – Stefanova, FIDE Women’s Grand Prix 2013–14, 5th stage, Lopota 2014), and 10. Rc1 (Iturrizaga Bonelli – Stefanova, 3rd Indonesia Open Chess Championship, Jakarta 2013). 10. Re1 Re8 11. Qc2 h6 12. h3 b6!? 12. ... e5 is most usual here, after which could follow 13. cxd5 Nxd5 14. Nxd5 cxd5 15. dxe5 Nxe5 16. Nxe5 Bxe5 17. Bc3 Bxc3 18. Qxc3 Qg5 19. Kf1 Bf5 20. Bxf5 Qxf5 21. Rac1 Rac8 22. Qd2 Qe5 23. Kg1 g6 24. Red1 h5 25. a4 Rc6 26. Rxc6 bxc6 27. Rc1 Rb8 28. Rc3 c5 29. Rxc5 Rxb3 30. Qd1 Ra3 31. Rxd5 Qa1 32. Qxa1 Rxa1+ 33. Kh2 Rxa4 34. g4 hxg4 35. hxg4 Rxg4 ½ : ½ Sargissian – 卜祥志 (Bǔ Xiángzhì), 40th Chess Olympiad, Istanbul 2012. 13. Rad1 Qc7 14. e4 dxc4 15. bxc4 e5 16. dxe5 Nxe5 17. Nxe5 Bxe5 18. Ne2 Bd6 19. Be3 Nd7 20. f4 Bc5 21. Bxc5 Nxc5

22. e5 b5 23. Ng3 Nxd3? This dogmatic move gives shape and solidity to White’s initiative. Probably best was 23. ... Be6 24. Bf1⩲ with the edge still for White — but yet nothing definitive. 24. Rxd3 bxc4. Now 24. ... Be6 can be met by 25. c5! preparing for the attack.

25. Rde3! Qb6 (25. ... Be6 26. Nh5→) 26. Kh2 c5. Black cannot prevent her opponent from launching an overwhelming attack by Ng3-h5 followed by the transfer of the Rook along the third rank to g3. If 26. ... g6 there would follow 27. f5! with a breakthrough. 27. Nh5 Kh8 28. Rg3 Rg8 29. f5! Rb8. 29. ... Ra7 may be aesthetically more suitable, but then after 30. Qe4 White’s attack must succeed anyway.

30. e6! f6 (30. ... fxe6 31. f6!+−) 31. Qc1! (Δ Nh5xg7) 31. ... Qc7 32. Nxf6 Qxg3+ 33. Kxg3 gxf6+ 34. Kh2 Kh7 35. Qc3 Bb7 36. Re2 Rg5 37. Qxf6 Rbg8 38. g4 h5 39. e7 hxg4 40. Qxg5! 1 : 0.

Goryachkina won in grand style the return game with Stefanova to take the match to tomorrow’s tie-breaker. Photo © Anastasia Korolkova.

Yesterday’s Tomorrow

Antoaneta Stefanova – Aleksandra Yuryevna Goryachkina
1st Women’s Chess World Cup; match game 1; Krasnaya Polyana, July 22, 2021
Slav Defence D11

1. Nf3 d5 2. g3 c6 3. Bg2 Bg4 4. 0-0 Nf6 5. d4 e6 6. c4 Nbd7 7. cxd5 exd5 8. Nc3 Bd6 9. Ne1 0-0 10. f3 Be6!? Perhaps a novelty. Not good is 10. ... Bf5?! on account of 11. e4± LeBlanc – Sullivan, 1st Labour Day Open, Langley 2006, while 10. ... Bh5 11. Nd3 Re8 12. Nf4 Bxf4 13. Bxf4 a5 seems good enough for Black: 14. Qd2 Nb6 15. b3 a4 16. e4 dxe4 17. fxe4 axb3 18. axb3 Rxa1 19. Rxa1 Bg6 20. d5 Qe7 21. Be3 Nbd7 22. Ra7 Ne5 23. d6 Qd7 24. Qd4 Bh5 25. Na4 Nf3+ 26. Bxf3 Bxf3 27. Nc5 Qh3 28. Qd2 b6? (28. ... h5! 29. Rxb7 h4⇄) 29. d7 Rd8? 30. Ra8! 1 : 0 Miller – Colpe, 89th German Chess Championship, Dresden 2018. 11. Nd3. 11. e4 might be also considered. 11. ... Re8 12. Nf4 Nf8 13. Nxe6 Nxe6 14. Be3 c5 15. dxc5 Bxc5 16. Bxc5 Nxc5

17. Qd2?! White unwisely allows Black’s centre Pawn to advance. 17. e3! was called for, because if 17. ... Rxe3 there would follow 18. Qd4 Qe7 19. Ne4! with good play for White. 17. ... d4 18. Nb5 d3! 19. exd3 Qb6. Perhaps 19. ... a6!? 20. Rac1 Nxd3 may be a little more promising.

20. d4 Qxb5 21. dxc5 Rad8 22. Qc3? A bad error, probably due to time pressure. ⌓ 22. Qc1 to which Black can reply with 22. ... Nd7 winning back the Pawn with comfortable play. 22. ... Nd5 23. Qa3 Ne3 24. Rf2 Nc4?! Stronger seems 24. ... Nd1 25. Rf1 Qe2 with the powerful threat of ... Rd8-d2. 25. Qc3 Re3 26. Qc2

26. ... Qxc5?? A gross oversight quite unusual with Goryachkina. Best was 26. ... Ne5! 27. Rd2 Re8 with a dynamic balance. 27. Rc1. Now White wins the Knight and Black has nothing to show for it. 27. ... Red3. In her mirage, Black might have hoped for 27. ... Rd2 28. Qxc4?? Re1+ followed by mate in two, just to suddenly realise that 28. Qxd2! wins at once. 28. Kh1! Avoiding the last trap: 28. Qxc4?? Rd1+! 29. Rxd1 Rxd1+ 30. Qf1 Rxf1+ 31. Bxf1 g5! with the mighty Queen to dominate the board. 28. ... b5. Naturally Black cannot play 28. ... Rd1+ 29. Rxd1 Rxd1+ 30. Qxd1 Qxf2 because of the back rank mate. 29. b3 h5 30. bxc4 b4 31. Qe2 Rc3 32. Re1 Rxc4 33. Bf1 Rc3 34. Kg2 h4 35. gxh4 Rd6 36. Kh1 Re6 37. Qd2 Rxe1 38. Qxe1 Re3 39. Qd2 Qe7 40. Qd4 Re1 41. Kg2 a5 42. Rc2 Qe6 43. Bd3 g6 44. h5 gxh5 45. Qd8+ Kg7 46. Qg5+ Kf8 47. Qxh5 1 : 0.

Three-time Russian Women’s Chess Champion Goryachkina has appealed too much to her emotions today and timorrow will have to play all out if she is to win. Photo © Anastasia Korolkova.

Spacetime

Sarasadat Khademalsharieh – Gunay Vugar qizi Mammadzada
1st Women’s World Chess Cup; match game 2; Krasnaya Polyana, July 19, 2021
Slav Defence D11

1. d4 d5 2. c4 c6 3. Nf3 Nf6 4. g3 dxc4 5. Bg2 g6 6. 0-0 Bg7 7. a4 Ne4 8. Nc3 Nd6 9. e4 Bg4 10. Be3 Na6 (10. ... Qc8!? 11. Qe2 Na6 12. Rad1 0-0 13. h3 Bxf3 14. Bxf3 Nb4 ½ : ½ Štukan – Basso, Third Saturday Mix 158, Novi Sad 2021) 11. h3 Bxf3 12. Qxf3 Qb6? A novelty which is useless to say the least. But 12. ... Nb4 13. Qe2 Nd3 14. b3 also proved quite unpleasant for Black in Gelfand – Sarana, 6th Nutcracker Match of the Generations, Moscow 2020, match game 1 (time control: 15 minutes plus 10 seconds per move). 13. a5 Qd8 14. Qe2 0-0 15. Rfd1 Nc7 16. f4 Qd7 17. Bf2 f5? (⌓ 17. ... e6 18. e5 Nf5 19. Qxc4 Nd5 20. Rd3 Rab8 21. Ne4±) 18. e5 Ndb5 19. Nxb5 cxb5 20. d5+− Na6 21. d6 e6 22. Qf3 Rfb8 23. b3 cxb3 24. Qxb3 Rc8 25. Rac1 Kf7 26. Qf3 Rcb8 27. g4 Kg8 28. gxf5 gxf5 29. Rd3 Kh8 30. Rdc3 Qf7 31. Kh1 Qe8

32. Rc7! Nb4 (32. ... Nxc7 33. dxc7 Rc8 34. Qxb7+−) 33. Qg3 1 : 0.

Khademalsharieh masterfully took advantage of Mammadzada’s opening inaccuracies. Photo © Anastasia Korolkova.