[Event "FIDE Women's Candidates Tournament 2026"] [Site "lichess.org"] [Date "2026.04.01"] [Round "4.1"] [White "Muzychuk, Anna"] [Black "Lagno, Kateryna"] [Result "1-0"] [WhiteElo "2522"] [WhiteFideId "-1"] [BlackElo "2508"] [BlackFideId "-1"] [Annotator "WGM Katerina Nemcova"] [GameId "2294491197005840"] [Variant "Standard"] [ECO "C85"] [Opening "Ruy Lopez: Closed, Delayed Exchange"] [StudyName "2026 Candidates Rounds 1-11"] [ChapterName "Muzychuk, Anna - Lagno, Kateryna"] [ChapterURL "https://lichess.org/study/L5mZq8u7/YVGHlsfn"] [Orientation "white"] 1. e4 e5 2. Nf3 Nc6 3. Bb5 a6 4. Ba4 Nf6 5. O-O Be7 6. Bxc6 dxc6 7. d3 Qd6 8. a4 Be6 9. Na3 h6 10. Nd2 O-O-O 11. Ndc4 Bxc4 12. Nxc4 Qe6 13. Qe2 Nd7 14. Bd2 b6 15. b4 Kb7 16. Rfb1 Ra8 17. Qe1 h5 18. b5 cxb5 19. axb5 a5 20. Bxa5!? { A bold positional sacrifice. In the press conference, Muzychuk mentioned she found the idea attractive, although she also considered more restrained options. This highlights how positional sacrifices are often guided more by long-term potential than by concrete calculation to the very end. } 20... bxa5 21. Nxa5+ Kc8 (21... Rxa5!? { Black can capture the knight and enter a dynamic imbalance: two minor pieces against a rook and two pawns. } 22. Qxa5 Rb8 23. g3 { with roughly balanced play. } (23. Qa6+ Qxa6 24. bxa6+ Ka7 25. Rxb8 Nxb8 26. g3)) 22. Nc6 Rxa1! (22... Kb7? { Trying to maintain control of the a-file turns out poorly for Black. } 23. Rxa8! Rxa8 24. Ra1! Nc5 25. Rxa8 Kxa8 26. Qa1+! Kb7 27. h4! $18 { Black's pieces are tied down, and the king is constantly exposed to mating threats. The evaluation is already winning, even if it may not look so at first glance. White can steadily advance on both flanks until the position collapses. } 27... Bxh4? 28. Qa7+ Kc8 29. Qxc5 $18) 23. Rxa1 Nb6! { Defending against back rank issues. } 24. Qe3!? { Muzychuk plans to advance the c-pawn with c2-c4-c5, forcing the knight away and opening access to the back rank for the rook on a1. } 24... Bd6! { A very resourceful defensive idea. Lagno aims to trade queens, reducing the power of White's pawn advance. } 25. c4 Qh6! 26. Qh3+ Qe6 27. Qe3 Qh6 28. d4! { Muzychuk chooses to keep the tension and continue playing for the initiative. } 28... exd4? { This is the decisive mistake. It is unclear whether Lagno overlooked White's idea or simply missed the chance to trade queens first. } (28... Qxe3! 29. fxe3 exd4 30. exd4 Re8! 31. c5 Rxe4! 32. cxd6 cxd6 { Black returns the extra piece and reaches a balanced position with a safe king. The game should be drawn. }) 29. Qxd4! $18 { Now the original idea with c4-c5 becomes unstoppable. } 29... Kb7 (29... Qf6 30. e5! $18) 30. c5! $18 Ra8 31. cxd6 Qxd6 32. Rxa8 { 1-0 White wins. } (32. Kxa8 Qa1+! 33. Kb7 Qa6#) 1-0