1. e4 c5 2. Nf3 e6 3. d4 cxd4 4. Nxd4 a6 5. Bd3 Bc5 6. Nb3 Be7 7. Be3

7. Qg4 is a very popular move here and one that Goletiani has faced recently 7... g6 8. Qe2 d6 9. O-O Nd7 10. Na3 Ne5 11. Nc4 Nxc4 12. Bxc4 Qc7 13. Bd3 e5 14. f4 Nf6 15. fxe5 dxe5 16. Bh6 Ng4 17. Bd2 Be6 18. Rf3 Nf6 19. Qf1 Nh5 20. Be2 Qxc2 21. Rc3 Qxb2 22. Rc7 Nf4 23. Bc4 Bd6 24. Rxb7 Bxc4 25. Qxc4 O-O 26. g3 Nh3+ 27. Kg2 Ng5 28. h4 Ne6 29. Kh3 Rab8 30. Rxb8 Rxb8 31. Bc3 Qc2 32. Nd2 Rb5 33. Qc8+ Bf8 34. Rf1 Rc5 35. Qe8 Nf4+ 36. Rxf4 exf4 37. Bd4 Qd3 38. Bf2 Rc2 0-1 Gaponenko, I (2438)-Goletiani,R (2391)/Ningbo 2009

7... Qc7 8. N1d2

Two moves, 8. Nc3 and

8. O-O are more popular here although as we'll see, castling doesn't seem to be a part of either player's plans.

8... d6 9. f4 Nf6 10. Qe2 Nc6 11. c3 b6 12. g4

Tsagaan definitely doesn't hide her intentions with this move.

12... Bb7 13. Rf1 Nd7 14. g5 b5 15. h4 Nb6 16. Nd4 Na5 17. f5 e5 18. N4b3

An interesting alternative was the piece sacrifice with 18. f6!? exd4 19. fxg7 Rg8 20. Bxd4 intending Qh5 or Qf2 ensuring a complicated and messy game, which would suit Tsagaan's style.

18... Nc6 19. Nf3 Nd7 20. h5 Na5 21. Nxa5 Qxa5 22. g6 hxg6 23. fxg6 fxg6 24. hxg6 Nf6?!

Trying to block off the f-file while putting pressure on the e-pawn. However, opening up the white king with 24...b4 or getting the black king to a safer place with 24...O-O-O may have been better.

25. Ng5 Rh6 26. Ne6 Rxg6 27. Qf2 Rc8 28. Bb6

28. a4! A very hard move to find but it is white's best shot. The simple idea is to remove access to a4 for the black queen so now b4 on the next move will trap her. How does black stop this? 28... Rxc3! A necessary counter shot just to try and stay in the game(28... bxa4? 29. Bb6) 29. Bd2 Bc8 30. Bxc3 b4 and black will at least win a piece back for the rook.

28... Qa4 29. b3?

Tsagaan was herself critical of this move which gives the black queen the chance to infiltrate the white camp.

29... Qa3 30. Rg1?

A decisive mistake but made in severe time pressure.

30... Rxg1+ 31. Qxg1 Qb2 32. Nxg7+ Kf7 33. Rb1 Qxc3+ 34. Ke2 Bxe4 35. Bxe4 Nxe4 36. Rf1+ Bf6 37. Nf5

Can you find the mate in 6? Goletiani did with just one minute left on her clock to reach move 40!

37... Qd2+ 38. Kf3 Qf4+ 39. Kg2 Rg8+ 40. Kh3 Rh8+ 41. Kg2 Qg4+

41... Qg4+ 42. Ng3 Qxg3#

0-1 [Bird C.]