I love…
he loves…
you love…
we love…
This is Juan Alberto Díaz
coming to you live from the Mexico City Invitational Chess Tournament
at the Palacio Azteca where
the big story has been the seventeen-year-old
from Lexington, Kentucky…
So far undefeated, this morning she played the Queen's Gambit Declined
against the Austrian, Diedrich.
Facing relentless pressure in the middle of the board,
Harmon had him on his heels from the start.
She did it mostly with pawns,
and crushed his position as one might crush an egg.
Diedrich played well,
made no blunders or anything that could properly be called a mistake,
but Harmon moved with such deadly accuracy, such measured control,
that his position was hopeless
by the 23rd move.
Impressive play by this young woman.
Borgov retreats his knight,
but he's really attacking the black knight.
This is a very interesting position.
It is dangerous for both sides.
How is Black going to answer the threat?
Will he defend himself or counter attack?
It could go either way.
In Moscow, she'll be jet-lagged.
We can destroy her then.
She's getting better.
Have to deal with her here or in Paris
before she gets too strong.
There's talk she's a drunk.
Her game is almost all attack,
so she doesn't always watch her back.
When she blunders, she gets angry,
and can be dangerous.
Like all women…
She's an orphan.
A survivor.
She's like us-- losing is not an option for her.
Otherwise, what would her life be?
Pawn to king four.
She always plays the Sicilian to that opening.
It's the most common opening for White in the game of chess,
and Borgov has been called the "Master of the Sicilian."
Harmon moves pawn to queen bishop four,
hoping to play him on ground that's fresh for both of them,
that won't give him the advantage of his superior knowledge.
And now Borgov has brought out his king's knight to bishop three,
and Harmon,
of course, brings hers to queen bishop three,
attacking the center.
But Borgov moves his bishop to knight five
signaling he's going to play the Closed Sicilian,
not the Open.
The Rossolimo.
A rare opening.
Harmon pushes her pawn to rook three,
attacking Borgov's bishop.
Borgov castles.
Harmon must now decide
to open the game or keep it closed.