Goryachkina is the new World Championship challenger

by Antonio Pereira
6/14/2019 – Aleksandra Goryachkina had a winning position against Tan Zhongyi in round twelve of the Women's Candidates Tournament, but decided to go for perpetual check and sign a draw, as this secured her first place in Kazan. The 20-year-old will play Ju Wenjun in the next Women's World Championship match. Meanwhile, Anna Muzychuk, Valentina Gunina and Nana Dzagnidze won their round twelve games. | Photo: Anastasiya Karlovich

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An overwhelming performance

Getting such a clear-cut victory in a Candidates Tournament — with two rounds to spare — cannot but be regarded as a career-changing performance for a 20-year-old. Aleksandra Goryachkina will play her first World Championship match after having got her ticket with a commanding performance. While doing so, she also managed to climb to third place in the live ratings list, reducing the distance between her rating and that of Ju Wenjun from 55 to 22.4 points (for the time being). 

The game that confirmed Aleksandra's first place finished drawn, but she could have easily kept on trying to get a win, as she was clearly on top in the final position. By then, however, Kateryna Lagno — who still had a mathematical chance to catch up with her — had lost against Anna Muzychuk, which meant the half point was enough to secure the title. Nana Dzagnidze and Valentina Gunina also won in round twelve.

Results of Round 12
NameRtg.Nt.Pts.Pts.NameRtgNt.
GM
GM
2513

1
GM
2510
½

2
GM
2563
½

3
GM
2539
1

4
GM
2546
½


6
GM
2554
0

7
GM
2506
0

8
GM
2510
1

9
GM
2563
0

10
GM
2539
½

11
GM
2546
1

12
GM
2522
½

Ø 2535
5.5/12
2513
5
½-½
GM

1
GM
2546
½

2
GM
2506
1

3
GM
2554
1

4
GM
2539
½

5
GM
2513
1

6
GM
2510
1

7
GM
2563
½

8
GM
2546
1

9
GM
2506
1

10
GM
2554
½

11
GM
2539
½

12
GM
2513
½

Ø 2532
9/12
2522
GM

1
GM
2563
½

2
GM
2510
0

3
GM
2513
0

4
GM
2522
½

5
GM
2554
½

6
GM
2506
1

7
GM
2546
½

8
GM
2563
½

9
GM
2510
1

10
GM
2513
½

11
GM
2522
½

12
GM
2554
1

Ø 2531
6.5/12
2539
1-0
6
GM
GM
2554

1
GM
2506
½

2
GM
2546
½


4
GM
2563
1

5
GM
2539
½

6
GM
2513
1

7
GM
2510
½

8
GM
2506
½

9
GM
2546
½

10
GM
2522
½

11
GM
2563
½

12
GM
2539
0

Ø 2531
6/12
2554
GM

1
GM
2539
½

2
GM
2513
½

3
GM
2510
0

4
GM
2554
0

5
GM
2506
½

6
GM
2546
1

7
GM
2522
½

8
GM
2539
½

9
GM
2513
1

10
GM
2510
½

11
GM
2554
½

12
GM
2506
0

Ø 2526
5.5/12
2563
0-1
GM
GM
2506

1
GM
2554
½


3
GM
2546
1

4
GM
2510
0

5
GM
2563
½

6
GM
2539
0

7
GM
2513
1

8
GM
2554
½


10
GM
2546
0

11
GM
2510
1

12
GM
2563
1

Ø 2537
5.5/12
2506
GM

1
GM
2513
½

2
GM
2539
1

3
GM
2563
1

4
GM
2506
1

5
GM
2546
0


7
GM
2554
½

8
GM
2513
0

9
GM
2539
0

10
GM
2563
½

11
GM
2506
0

12
GM
2546
1

Ø 2534
5.5/12
2510
1-0
GM

1
GM
2522
½

2
GM
2554
½

3
GM
2506
0

4
GM
2513
½

5
GM
2510
1

6
GM
2563
0

7
GM
2539
½


9
GM
2554
½

10
GM
2506
1

11
GM
2513
0

12
GM
2510
0

Ø 2526
4.5/12
2546

Aleksandra Goryachkina

Aleksandra Goryachkina will fight for the highest title in women's chess against Ju Wenjun | Photo: Eteri Kublashvili

Tan Zhongyi ½:½ Goryachkina: Anyone's game

For a third game with Black in a row, Goryachkina played the Caro-Kann Defence. A well-prepared Tan Zhongyi responded by blitzing out theory until move 16, when Aleksandra varied from a Giri v Navara game from last year. The Chinese grandmaster seemed more comfortable in the middlegame and slowly started putting pressure on Black's position. Tan Zhongyi could have left a scramble in the centre with a clear edge:

 
Tan Zhongyi vs. Goryachkina
Position after 28...Ng6

Aleksandra's 28...g6 gave White a chance to simplify into a superior position with 29.cxd5. White chose 29.g3 instead, preferring to prevent her rival from capturing the f-pawn — after 29.cxd5 ♞xf4 White had 30.d6, with an annoying passer on the d-file. 

When the time control was reached, Tan Zhongyi was a pawn up and had the pair of bishops, but her king was more vulnerable. The Chinese could not make progress and the players started to shuffle their pieces around, looking for some entrance into the opposite camp. So much shuffling must have befuddled Tan, as she blundered on move 52:

 
Position after 52.Kf2

White's 52.f2 in the previous move allowed 52...h1 and Black has a strong attack on the light squares. Goryachkina could have tried to make the most of her initiative, but decided to repeat moves with 53.e3 e4+ 54.f2 g2+ 53.e3 instead — an understandable decision if we take into account the tournament situation!

Tan Zhongyi, Aleksandra Goryachkina

Tan Zhongyi missed her chances in the middlegame | Photo: Anastasiya Karlovich

A. Muzychuk 1:0 Lagno: Way too passive

Kateryna Lagno climbed to second place of the standings in round six and remained in that spot until her round twelve duel with Anna Muzychuk, who, after winning their direct encounter, is now in sole second place. The players started taking their time early in the game, as Lagno unexpectedly opted for 3...f5 after 1.e4 e5 2.f3 c6 3.b5 (there are so many more lines of the Ruy Lopez to memorize!). Kateryna's intention to play a sharp game became even more clear when she went 7...h6 and 8...g5, but when it was time to keep playing actively she made a quiet move that gave her opponent a free hand on the kingside:

 
A. Muzychuk vs. Lagno
Position after 18.exd5

Black needed to play 18...b5, getting counterplay and preventing White from creating a battery on the b1-h7 diagonal (as was seen in the game) — Lagno played 18...ae8 instead and White coordinated her pieces on the light squares with 19.e4 d8 20.d3.

White had a strong initiative, and eventually Black decided to give up an exchange to deal with the threats. Muzychuk kept her cool and did not falter in the conversion — Lagno resigned on move 45 in the following position:

 
Position after 45.h4

White's rook will slowly but surely capture Black's pawns.

Kateryna Lagno, Anna Muzychuk

Anna Muzychuk and Kateryna Lagno swapped places in the standings table | Photo: Anastasiya Karlovich


Game analysis by Anna Muzychuk and Evgeny Miroshnichenko


M. Muzychuk 0:1 Gunina: "I feel completely dead"

After getting two consecutive wins in the longest games of each round (106 and 81 moves, respectively!), Valentina Gunina simply uttered in the post-game interview, "I feel completely dead". The 30-year-old Russian had been mentioning the fact that this tournament is too long for her in the previous rounds, but she has nonetheless bounced back from two straight losses in rounds nine and ten and is now on 5½/12.

Against former women's world champion Mariya Muzychuk, Gunina found herself in a rather uncomfortable position...until Mariya failed to play actively in a critical point of the game:

 
M. Muzychuk vs. Gunina
Position after 31...Rf8

It is undeniable that White has the initiative, and here Muzychuk needed to bring one more piece to the party with 32.♖e3. The Ukrainian opted for 32.g3 instead, and found herself down an exchange in a queenless position after 32...b6 33.xc5 xc5 34.xc5 bxc5.

White was a pawn up still, which made Gunina's task quite difficult. The Russian was up to the task, however, and got the win on move 81.

Valentina Gunina

The ever smiling — even when tired — Valentina Gunina | Photo: Eteri Kublashvili 

Dzagnidze 1:0 Kosteniuk: A nice strategic win

In the early middlegame, Nana Dzagnidze and Alexandra Kosteniuk delved into a strategical battle with most pieces still on the board. When both of them were fighting to get key squares and coordinate their pieces, Kosteniuk started going for rather mysterious manoeuvres:

 
Dzagnidze vs. Kosteniuk
Position after 21.Qf2

Dzagnidze declared afterwards that she did not understand the point behind Black's 21...c6, which simply wasted a couple of tempi and gave White an opportunity to slowly improve her pieces.

A couple of moves later, Kosteniuk sacrificed a pawn in order to open up the centre with 26...d5, but could not prove there was compensation for Black in the battle that ensued. On move 31, Nana repositioned her knight to a strong central square:

 
Position after 31.Nf5

Dzagnidze declared that she was expecting 31...♞de5 here, controlling the c4-square. Instead, Alexandra opted for 31...c2, allowing White's knight to get to d6 via c4 in the next two moves. From this point on, it was hard to imagine Black surviving against White's coordinated army. Resignation came on move 48.

Alexandra Kosteniuk

Former women's world champion Alexandra Kosteniuk | Photo: Anastasiya Karlovich


Game analysis by Nana Dzagnidze and Evgeny Miroshnichenko


Standings after Round 12

Rk.NameRtg.Nt.Pts.n
1
2
3
4
5
6
7
8
TBPerf.
1
GM

1
GM
2546
½

2
GM
2506
1

3
GM
2554
1

4
GM
2539
½

5
GM
2513
1

6
GM
2510
1

7
GM
2563
½

8
GM
2546
1

9
GM
2506
1

10
GM
2554
½

11
GM
2539
½

12
GM
2513
½

Ø 2532
9/12
2522
9.0
12
2.50
2725
2
GM

1
GM
2563
½

2
GM
2510
0

3
GM
2513
0

4
GM
2522
½

5
GM
2554
½

6
GM
2506
1

7
GM
2546
½

8
GM
2563
½

9
GM
2510
1

10
GM
2513
½

11
GM
2522
½

12
GM
2554
1

Ø 2531
6.5/12
2539
6.5
12
2.50
2560
3
GM
GM
2554

1
GM
2506
½

2
GM
2546
½


4
GM
2563
1

5
GM
2539
½

6
GM
2513
1

7
GM
2510
½

8
GM
2506
½

9
GM
2546
½

10
GM
2522
½

11
GM
2563
½

12
GM
2539
0

Ø 2531
6/12
2554
6.0
12
1.00
2531
4
GM
GM
2513

1
GM
2510
½

2
GM
2563
½

3
GM
2539
1

4
GM
2546
½


6
GM
2554
0

7
GM
2506
0

8
GM
2510
1

9
GM
2563
0

10
GM
2539
½

11
GM
2546
1

12
GM
2522
½

Ø 2535
5.5/12
2513
5.5
12
2.00
2506
5
GM

1
GM
2539
½

2
GM
2513
½

3
GM
2510
0

4
GM
2554
0

5
GM
2506
½

6
GM
2546
1

7
GM
2522
½

8
GM
2539
½

9
GM
2513
1

10
GM
2510
½

11
GM
2554
½

12
GM
2506
0

Ø 2526
5.5/12
2563
5.5
12
2.00
2497
6
GM

1
GM
2513
½

2
GM
2539
1

3
GM
2563
1

4
GM
2506
1

5
GM
2546
0


7
GM
2554
½

8
GM
2513
0

9
GM
2539
0

10
GM
2563
½

11
GM
2506
0

12
GM
2546
1

Ø 2534
5.5/12
2510
5.5
12
1.50
2505
7
GM
GM
2506

1
GM
2554
½


3
GM
2546
1

4
GM
2510
0

5
GM
2563
½

6
GM
2539
0

7
GM
2513
1

8
GM
2554
½


10
GM
2546
0

11
GM
2510
1

12
GM
2563
1

Ø 2537
5.5/12
2506
5.5
12
1.00
2508
8
GM

1
GM
2522
½

2
GM
2554
½

3
GM
2506
0

4
GM
2513
½

5
GM
2510
1

6
GM
2563
0

7
GM
2539
½


9
GM
2554
½

10
GM
2506
1

11
GM
2513
0

12
GM
2510
0

Ø 2526
4.5/12
2546
4.5
12
2.00
2439
TBs: Koya, Wins with black, Wins

Commentary webcast

Commentary provided by GM Evgeny Miroshnichenko and IM Elisabeth Paehtz


All games

 
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MoveNResultEloPlayers
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1.e4 e5 2.Nf3 Nc6 3.Bb5 a6 4.Ba4 d6 5.c3 Bd7 6.0-0 g6 7.d4 Bg7 8.Bg5 f6 9.Be3 Nh6 10.dxe5 dxe5 11.c4 C76: Ruy Lopez: Deferred Steinitz: 5 c3 Bd7 6 d4 g6 11.Bc5 Bf8 12.Bxf8 Kxf8 13.Qd2 Nf7 14.Rd1 Be8 15.Qxd8 Ncxd8 16.Bxe8 Kxe8 17.Nbd2 Nd6 18.Ne1 a5 ½-½ (29) Harikrishna,P (2744)-Mamedyarov,S (2799) Riadh 2017 11...Nf7 12.Nc3 Ne7N Predecessor: 12...0-0 13.b4 f5 14.b5 Na5 15.Bc5 Re8 16.bxa6 Bxa4 17.Qxa4 Rxa6 18.Rfd1 Qc8 0-1 (44) Zhigalko,A (2543)-Alekseenko,K (2639) Czech Republic 2018 13.Qb3 White is better. Bxa4 14.Qxa4+ Qd7 15.Qb4 b6 16.Rfd1 Qc6 17.Nd5 Nxd5 18.exd5 18.cxd5 looks sharper. Qd7 19.Rac1 Bf8 20.Qc4 Bd6 21.Ne1 18...Qd7 19.c5 bxc5 20.Bxc5 Nd6 21.Bxd6 cxd6 22.Rac1 0-0 23.Rc6 Rfb8 24.Qa3 Bf8 25.h3 Qb7 26.b3 Qb5 27.Qc1 a5 28.Nh2 f5 29.Qg5 29.Rc4= 29...Qb7 29...Rb7 30.Rdc1= Strongly threatening Rc7. Qe7 31.Qd2 e4 32.Rc7 Qe5 33.Re1 Rb5 34.Rd1 a4 35.bxa4 Rxa4 36.Rc8 Rb2 37.Qh6 37.Qg5 Ra7 38.a3 37...Qg7-+ 38.Qf4 Raxa2 39.Rf1 Rc2 39...Qe7 Hoping for ...e3! 40.Rc3 Qb7 40.Re8 40.Qxd6 Rxc8 41.Qe6+ Qf7 42.Qxc8 40...Qf7 41.Rb8 Rab2 Weaker is 41...Qxd5
42.Ng4!±      
42.Rxb2 Rxb2 43.Rd1 Qa7 ...Bh6! is the strong threat. 44.Nf1
44...Bh6!       45.Qh4 45.Qxh6 Qxf2+ 45...Kg7 45...Rc2 And now ...Kg7 would win. 46.Re1 Kg7 46.Ra1 Qxa1 Better is 46...Qf7 47.Qg3 Qf6 47.Qe7+= The position is equal. Kg8 48.Qe6+ Kf8 49.Qc8+! Ke7 50.Qc7+! Ke8 51.Qc8+! Ke7 52.Qc7+! Kf6 53.Qxd6+ Kg5 54.Qe7+ Kh5 55.g3! Bg5 56.Qxh7+ Bh6 57.Qe7 Bg5 58.Qh7+ Bh6 59.Qe7 Bg5 60.Qh7+ Accuracy: White = 48%, Black = 55%.
½–½
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WhiteEloWBlackEloBResYearECOEventRnd
Gunina,V2506Lagno,K2554½–½2019C75FWCT 20191.1
Kosteniuk,A2546Goryachkina,A2522½–½2019C60FWCT 20191.2
Dzagnidze,N2510Tan,Z2513½–½2019C42FWCT 20191.3
Muzychuk,M2563Muzychuk,A2539½–½2019A29FWCT 20191.4
Lagno,K2554Kosteniuk,A2546½–½2019C77FWCT 20192.1
Goryachkina,A2522Gunina,V25061–02019E15FWCT 20192.2
Tan,Z2513Muzychuk,M2563½–½2019D45FWCT 20192.3
Muzychuk,A2539Dzagnidze,N25100–12019B31FWCT 20192.4
Gunina,V2506Kosteniuk,A25461–02019C45FWCT 20193.1
Goryachkina,A2522Lagno,K25541–02019D85FWCT 20193.2
Tan,Z2513Muzychuk,A25391–02019D70FWCT 20193.3
Dzagnidze,N2510Muzychuk,M25631–02019D47FWCT 20193.4
Dzagnidze,N2510Gunina,V25061–02019C01FWCT 20194.1
Kosteniuk,A2546Tan,Z2513½–½2019C43FWCT 20194.2
Muzychuk,A2539Goryachkina,A2522½–½2019C54FWCT 20194.3
Muzychuk,M2563Lagno,K25540–12019C55FWCT 20194.4
Gunina,V2506Muzychuk,M2563½–½2019B40FWCT 20195.1
Kosteniuk,A2546Dzagnidze,N25101–02019B22FWCT 20195.2
Goryachkina,A2522Tan,Z25131–02019E04FWCT 20195.3
Lagno,K2554Muzychuk,A2539½–½2019C77FWCT 20195.4
Muzychuk,A2539Gunina,V25061–02019B13FWCT 20196.1
Muzychuk,M2563Kosteniuk,A25461–02019A22FWCT 20196.2
Dzagnidze,N2510Goryachkina,A25220–12019A06FWCT 20196.3
Tan,Z2513Lagno,K25540–12019D20FWCT 20196.4
Kosteniuk,A2546Muzychuk,A2539½–½2019C81FWCT 20197.1
Goryachkina,A2522Muzychuk,M2563½–½2019A04FWCT 20197.2
Lagno,K2554Dzagnidze,N2510½–½2019B30FWCT 20197.3
Gunina,V2506Tan,Z25131–02019C42FWCT 20197.4
Goryachkina,A2522Kosteniuk,A25461–02019D39FWCT 20198.1
Tan,Z2513Dzagnidze,N25101–02019D58FWCT 20198.2
Muzychuk,A2539Muzychuk,M2563½–½2019B19FWCT 20198.3
Lagno,K2554Gunina,V2506½–½2019C60FWCT 20198.4
Kosteniuk,A2546Lagno,K2554½–½2019B06FWCT 20199.1
Gunina,V2506Goryachkina,A25220–12019B10FWCT 20199.2
Dzagnidze,N2510Muzychuk,A25390–12019A35FWCT 20199.3
Muzychuk,M2563Tan,Z25131–02019C77FWCT 20199.4
Kosteniuk,A2546Gunina,V25061–02019C65FWCT 201910.1
Lagno,K2554Goryachkina,A2522½–½2019B19FWCT 201910.2
Muzychuk,A2539Tan,Z2513½–½2019C50FWCT 201910.3
Muzychuk,M2563Dzagnidze,N2510½–½2019B31FWCT 201910.4
Gunina,V2506Dzagnidze,N25101–02019A05FWCT 201911.1
Tan,Z2513Kosteniuk,A25461–02019E21FWCT 201911.2
Goryachkina,A2522Muzychuk,A2539½–½2019D70FWCT 201911.3
Lagno,K2554Muzychuk,M2563½–½2019B33FWCT 201911.4
Muzychuk,M2563Gunina,V25060–12019B12FWCT 201912.1
Dzagnidze,N2510Kosteniuk,A25461–02019A16FWCT 201912.2
Tan,Z2513Goryachkina,A2522½–½2019B12FWCT 201912.3
Muzychuk,A2539Lagno,K25541–02019C63FWCT 201912.4
Gunina,V2506Muzychuk,A25390–12019C58FWCT 201913.1
Kosteniuk,A2546Muzychuk,M25631–02019B29FWCT 201913.2
Goryachkina,A2522Dzagnidze,N2510½–½2019A62FWCT 201913.3
Lagno,K2554Tan,Z2513½–½2019C67FWCT 201913.4
Muzychuk,A2539Kosteniuk,A2546½–½2019C47FWCT 201914.1
Muzychuk,M2563Goryachkina,A25221–02019B12FWCT 201914.2
Dzagnidze,N2510Lagno,K2554½–½2019A05FWCT 201914.3
Tan,Z2513Gunina,V25061–02019C54FWCT 201914.4

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Antonio is a freelance writer and a philologist. He is mainly interested in the links between chess and culture, primarily literature. In chess games, he skews towards endgames and positional play.

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