Alexandra Goryachkina
This 20 year old Russian girl is already a “men’s” Grandmaster, twice Champion of Russia and twice Under-20 World Champion. Moreover, Alexandra is continuing to improve.
At the 2019 World Team Championships in Astana, she scored a blistering 8 points from 9 games. Her style of play is universal, meaning that she can play both positional and tactical equally well.
Like the great Boris Spassky, Goryachkina is absolutely fearless, which explains why so many of her victories are attractive to the public.
I present one such game that was played in Astana, when Russia was paired against the USA. Enjoy!
(I am using the RPB plugin, so just click on any move an a floating diagram will appear!)
gm Goryachkina – wim Yip,C Astana 11.3.2019 (1-0)
1.d4 Nf6 2.c4 g6 3.f3 e6 4.e4 d5 5.cxd5 exd5 6.Nc3 dxe4 7.fxe4
Bb4 8.Bd3!{[#]<strong style="color:black;"> I have not mentioned anything about this unusually sharp opening, but apparently both players are well prepared and are following the most recent recommendations. </strong> } Nxe4$5{[#] <strong style="color:black;"> Super sharp! Great players such as Vachier Lagrave, Navara and Anna Muzychuk have played it. Perhaps this game will discourage the Black players from venturing it.</strong>}
9.Qe2 O-O 10.Bxe4 Re8 {[#] <strong style="color:red;">This is the idea of Black’s sacrifice on move 8. Black is counting on the pin along the e-file to recover the piece.</strong>} 11.Nf3 Bf5 {[#]}
({<strong style="color:black;">Tempting but wrong is </strong> } 11...Bxc3+
12.bxc3 f5$6 13.Bg5!{<strong style="color:black;"> when White wins immediately: </strong> } Qd6 ( 13...Qd7 14.Ne5 ) 14.Bd5+ Be6 15.Bxb7
Bf7 16.Be3!{<strong style="color:black;"> etc </strong> } )
12.Bg5! {[#]} Qd6$5 {[#]}
( {<strong style="color:black;">Trying to improve on known theory: </strong> }12...Bxc3+ 13.bxc3 f6 14.Nd2 ( 14.Bxf6$6 Qxf6 15.Bd5+ Kf8 16.Qxe8+
Kxe8 17.Bxb7 a5 18.Bxa8 Qa6 19.Bd5 Nd7$13 ) fxg5 15.O-O Nd7 16.Qc4+
Be6 17.Bd5 Bxd5 18.Qxd5+ Kh8 19.Rae1$14 {<strong style="color:black;"> Giri,A – Vachier Lagrave,M , Biel SUI 23/ 7/2014 Hans Suri Mem </strong>}
)
13.Nd2! Nd7 14.O-O Bxc3 ({<strong style="color:black;">Of course not </strong> } 14...Qxd4+$2 15.Be3 Qg7 16.Qc4! ) 15.bxc3
Bxe4 16.Nxe4{[#]}
Qd5{[#]<strong style="color:black;">It now looks as though Black is going to recover the piece. But an unpleasant surprise awaits her… </strong> } ( 16...f5 17.Qc4+ ) 17.Be7$3 {[#] <strong style="color:black;">This is what champions are made of! Brilliant and unexpected, this resource must have escaped Yip and her team when preparing for this important encounter. </strong> }
( 17.Rae1$6 f5!$13 )
f5 {[#]}
( {<strong style="color:black;">White’s clever idea is that now if </strong> }17...Rxe7 18.Nf6+! Nxf6 19.Qxe7 {<strong style="color:black;">White has a crushing position </strong> } )
18.Ng5!{[#]} ({<strong style="color:black;">The computer prefers </strong> } 18.Ng3$5 {<strong style="color:black;">with the idea that after </strong> } Qf7 19.Rae1
Nb6 20.Qe5 Nc8 21.Nxf5$3 gxf5 22.Rxf5 {<strong style="color:black;">and White has a winning attack. Goryachkina’s move is convincing enough to win </strong> } )
Nb6$5{[#]}
({<strong style="color:black;">Black plans to play Nc8 to try to recover the piece on e7. Not good enough is the direct </strong> } 18...h6$6 19.Nf3 Kf7
20.Rae1 {<strong style="color:black;">And Black is left without any good idea </strong> } )
19.Rae1 Nc8 20.Qf2!{[#]} ({<strong style="color:black;">Once more the silicon monster prefers the fancy </strong> } 20.Rxf5$5 gxf5 ( 20...Qxf5 21.Qc4+
Kg7 22.Qxc7 Kg8 23.Rf1! Qd5 24.Rf8+! Rxf8 25.Bxf8 Kxf8 26.Nxh7+! ) 21.Nxh7! {<strong style="color:black;">With a winning attack, but this is very complicated. Goryachkina’s way to win is good enough and is ‘human’! </strong> } )
Rxe7{[#]} ( 20...Nxe7 21.Qh4 h5 22.Ne6 ) 21.Rxe7 Nxe7 22.Qh4!{[#]} h5 23.Re1!
Qd7{[#]}
{<strong style="color:black;">There is nothing better: </strong> }
( 23...Re8 24.Ne6! Qd6 ( 24...Kf7 25.Nxc7 ) 25.Qf6! )
( 23...Nc6 24.Ne6! {<strong style="color:black;">Always a key move in these variations </strong> } Qd7 25.d5! ( 25.Qf6$6 Qf7! )
Re8{[#]<strong style="color:black;">One of the most frustrating aspects of this game is that Black does not have the time to consolidate her position. Goryachkina’s every move is so energetic and contain immediate threats that have to be defended against. </strong> }
( 25...Nd8$6 26.Qg5 Kf7 27.Qh6! {<strong style="color:black;"> is immediately decisive</strong> } )
26.dxc6! bxc6 27.Qd4! {<strong style="color:black;">and White remains with an extra piece. </strong> })
24.Re6!{[#]<strong style="color:black;">Now the Rook move to e6 is stronger than the Knight move. White hits g6 and prepares Qe1 to e5 </strong> }
( 24.Ne6$5 Kf7 25.c4! )
Kg7 {[#] <strong style="color:black;">Once more, there is nothing better </strong> }
( 24...Rf8 25.Qe1 Rf7 26.Qe5 Nc6 27.Rxg6+ Rg7 28.Rxg7+ Qxg7
29.Qe6+ Kh8 30.Qc8+ Qg8 31.Qxf5 )
( 24...Re8 25.Qe1 )
25.Qg3!{[#]}
( 25.Qf4 {<strong style="color:black;">is the same thing. Black can not stop White from infiltrating on the dark squares. </strong> }) Kh6{[#]}
( 25...Nc6 26.d5! Re8 27.c4! Rxe6 28.Nxe6+ Kf7 29.Qc3 {<strong style="color:black;"> And the Queen penetrates decisively. Sounds like a recurring theme, doesn’t it! </strong> } )
( 25...Re8 26.Qe5+ Kg8 27.Qf6! )
26.Qe3{[#]<strong style="color:black;">It is always nice to threaten a double discovered check! Black should now consider resignation, but in team events one must think of one’s team mates. </strong> } Nd5$5{<strong style="color:black;"> Black tries a last desperate idea </strong> }
( 26...Re8 27.Ne4+ Kg7 28.Nf6! )
( 26...Ng8 27.Nf3+! Kh7 ( 27...Kg7 28.Rxg6+! ) 28.Rxg6! {<strong style="color:black;">anyway! </strong> } Re8 29.Qg5 )
27.Nf7+! Kg7 28.Qh6+ Kxf7 29.Rxg6!{<strong style="color:black;"> Enough is enough! Black is being butchered alive.</strong> } 1-0
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A brilliant performance by Alexandra! Her opponent’s only real mistake, it appears at first sight, is her opening choice!
