Monaco GP: Lagno prevails in tactical battle, gets the sole lead

A fine victory

Only one of the five games in the fourth round of the Monaco Women's Grand Prix ended decisively. Kateryna Lagno, who began the round as one of four co-leaders, demonstrated impressive calculation skills to defeat Elisabeth Paehtz in a tactical encounter that featured mutual time trouble. Having played with the white pieces in three of her first four games, Lagno's victory allowed her to emerge as the sole leader with 3/4 points.

The remaining four games ended in draws, though Sara Khadem came closest to securing a full point. She obtained a promising position with all six major pieces still on the board but was unable to convert her advantage against Batkhuyag Munguntuul.

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Meanwhile, Aleksandra Goryachkina pressed for a win deep into the endgame against top seed Tan Zhongyi, extending the struggle to 93 moves, but ultimately could not break through in what was objectively a drawn position.

With the tournament remaining tightly contested, Lagno will look to maintain her lead in Saturday's fifth round, the last before the rest day. She will face Munguntuul with the black pieces in a key matchup.

Sara Khadem is one of three players standing a half point behind the leader | Photo: Niki Riga

Lagno 1 - 0 Paehtz

Lagno, Kateryna2515

1–0

Paehtz, Elisabeth2427

FIDE Women GP Monaco 2024-25 21.02.2025[CC]

1.d4 d5 2.c4 e6 3.Nc3 h6 Not the most popular of continuations. 4.Bf4 Nf6 5.c5 Completely leaving the main lines out of a QGD. This move had been twice employed by players rated 2500 or above - in both cases, the player with white was a clear rating favourite, and won the game. Nh5 6.Bd2 e5 7.e3 g6 8.dxe5 Bxc5 9.Qb3 c6 10.0-0-0 Be7 11.Nf3 Na6 An imprecision - though looking for ways to develop the queenside pieces is surely natural. By this point, after just 10 moves, both contenders had used close to a whole hour from their clocks (in this event, they start with 90 minutes). Better is 11...Ng7 defending the all-important e6-square. A forcing line that might follow is: 12.e4 d4 13.Be3 c5 14.Bb5+ Nc6 12.e6

Not the best objectively. However, from a human point of view, it makes sense to immediately try to create complications, especially given the looming time trouble for both players. Objectively better is 12.Bxa6 bxa6 13.Qa4 and e.g.: Bd7 14.e4 c5 with complications. 12...Nc5 The active 12...Bxe6 13.Qxb7 Nc5 is better for Black, and after 14.Qxc6+ Kf8 Black is a pawn down but has counterplay on the semi-open files on the queenside. 13.exf7+ Kf8 14.Qc2 Bf5 15.e4 dxe4 16.g4 A full-blown tactical battle begins! With 24 moves to go before getting an extra half hour, the contenders had around 15 minutes each on the clock. Bxg4 17.Ne5

Going forward! This was not the strongest continuation, though. Better is 17.Nxe4 Bxf3 18.Nxc5 threatening a fork on e6, and e.g.: Ng7 19.Rg1 Qd4 20.Qxg6 and White is winning. 17...Bxd1 18.Nxg6+ Kg7 19.Qxd1 e3 A crucial mistake. Black could have gone for an endgame with 19...Qxd2+ 20.Qxd2 Bg5 21.Nxh8 Bxd2+ 22.Kxd2 Rxh8 23.Bc4 with better chances for White - though a better alternative than the line played in the game. 20.fxe3 Kxg6 21.Rg1+ Bg5 The best defensive try. But, from this point on, Lagno showed remarkable calculation abilities to make the most of her advantage with little time on the clock. 22.h4 Nf6 23.hxg5 hxg5 24.Qc2+ Kxf7 25.Bc4+ Ke7 26.Qf5 White is an exchange and a pawn down, but the black king is in deep trouble! Qd6

27.e4 Qd4 28.Rf1 Ncd7 Better is 28...Rhf8 29.e5 Qxc4 30.exf6+ Kd8 31.Rd1 Nd3+ 32.Kb1 Kc7 but Paehtz had only a minute and a half left by this point! 29.Bxg5 Pin to win! Rhf8 30.Be6 Rad8 31.Bxd7 Rxd7 32.e5 Kd8 33.Bxf6+ White has consolidated her advantage. The conversion is now considerably simpler. Lagno emerged from the complications with a clearly winning advantage. Kc7 34.e6 Qd2+ 35.Kb1 Rd6 36.e7 Re8 37.Be5 Rxe7 38.Rd1

A beautifully coordinated final position. Paehtz resigned. 1–0

Attacking with the Jobava London System

The Jobava London System is a minor form of the London System. White tries to play Lf4 quickly followed by Nc3.

Kateryna Lagno being interviewed by Charlize van Zyl | Photo: Niki Riga

The playing hall during round four | Photo: Niki Riga

Round 4 results

Standings

All games

Links

• Official website
• Alina Kashlinskaya victorious in Tbilisi after scoring back-to-back wins
• Goryachkina scores 7/9, obtains convincing victory in Shymkent