Harmon vs. Borgov (1968)

> ***Disclaimer:** There are many ways to interpret the final game between Harmon and Borgov. For instance, the game is actually based off of a real-world Queen's Gambit Accepted, as shown in this YouTube video. Still, the canonical continuation transposes into that game as follows:*
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## Biographical information

### Event

1968 Moscow Invitational Chess Tournament

## Game information

### Opening

Queen's Gambit Accepted: Central Variation, McDonnell Defense

### Result

White wins due to resignation

For the final game of the tournament, US Champion **Elizabeth Harmon** plays against World Champion and USSR Grandmaster **Vasily Borgov** in the 1968 Moscow Invitational Chess Tournament. It is the climax of the Netflix series, *The Queen's Gambit*.

The Queen's Gambit Accepted: Central Variation, McDonnell Defense, is a somewhat unorthodox opening for both of their playing styles; Harmon more often plays the king's pawn as white, and Borgov more often plays a solid approach against the Queen's Gambit. This results in an intense, brutal battle of wits, inevitably resulting in Borgov's resignation.

The game begins as a Queen's Gambit Declined: Albin Countergambit 3. e4, and it transposes after 3. dxc4.

## Notation

Full PGN

[Event "Moscow Invitational"]

[Site "https://lichess.org/DxKCK3mk"]
[Date "1968.??.??"]
[Round "1"]
[White "Harmon, Elizabeth (?)"]
[Black "Borgov, Vasily (?)"]
[Result "1-0"]
[WhiteElo "?"]
[BlackElo "?"]
[Variant "Standard"]
[TimeControl "-"]
[ECO "D20"]
[Opening "Queen's Gambit Accepted: Central Variation, McDonnell Defense"]
[Termination "Normal"]
[Annotator "lichess.org"]

1. d4 d5 2. c4 e5?! { (0.00 → 0.83) Inaccuracy. e6 was best. } (2... e6 3. Nc3 c6 4. e3 Nf6 5. b3 Nbd7 6. Bb2 Bd6 7. Bd3) 3. e4?? { (0.83 → -0.94) Blunder. dxe5 was best. } (3. dxe5 Ne7 4. Nc3 d4 5. Nb5 Nbc6 6. Nf3 Ng6 7. a3 Be7) 3... dxc4? { (-0.94 → 0.48) Mistake. dxe4 was best. } { D20 Queen's Gambit Accepted: Central Variation, McDonnell Defense } (3... dxe4 4. Ne2 exd4 5. Qxd4 Qe7 6. Nbc3 Nc6 7. Qxe4 Be6 8. Nd4) 4. Be3? { (0.48 → -0.91) Mistake. Nf3 was best. } (4. Nf3 exd4 5. Bxc4 Nc6 6. O-O Be6 7. Bb5 Bc5 8. b4 Bb6) 4... Nf6 5. Nc3 Nc6?! { (-0.51 → 0.13) Inaccuracy. exd4 was best. } (5... exd4 6. Qxd4 Qxd4 7. Bxd4 Be6 8. f4 Nc6 9. Bxf6 gxf6 10. f5) 6. d5 Ne7?! { (-0.33 → 0.60) Inaccuracy. Na5 was best. } (6... Na5 7. Qa4+ c6 8. dxc6 Nxc6 9. Bxc4 Bb4 10. Nf3 Bd7 11. O-O) 7. Bxc4 Ng6 8. f3 Bd6 9. Qd2 Bd7 10. Nge2 a6 11. Bb3 b5 12. a4 O-O 13. O-O Qe7 14. Rac1 Nh5 15. g3 h6 16. Bc2 Rab8 17. axb5 axb5 18. Ra1 Ra8?! { (-0.20 → 0.55) Inaccuracy. Bh3 was best. } (18... Bh3) 19. Bd3 Bb4 20. Rxa8 Rxa8 21. Qc2 Bc5 22. Nd1 Bd6 23. Nf2?! { (0.56 → 0.00) Inaccuracy. Nc1 was best. } (23. Nc1 Bh3 24. Rf2 b4 25. Nb3 Nf8 26. Qc6 Qd8 27. Rd2 Bd7 28. Qc2 Nh7 29. Nf2 Ng5) 23... Nhf4 24. Rc1 Qg5 25. Kh1 Qh5 26. Ng1 Nxd3 27. Nxd3 f5 28. Nc5 Bc8 29. Rf1?! { (-0.40 → -0.93) Inaccuracy. Ne6 was best. } (29. Ne6 Bxe6 30. dxe6 Ne7 31. Bc5 Qg6 32. exf5 Qxf5 33. Qxf5 Nxf5 34. Ne2 Re8 35. g4 Nh4) 29... Ne7 30. Qd3 fxe4 31. fxe4 Qg6 32. Kg2 Kh7 33. Nf3 Ng8 34. Nh4 Qg4 35. Nf5 Nf6?! { (-0.99 → 0.00) Inaccuracy. Ra2 was best. } (35... Ra2 36. h3 Rxb2+ 37. Rf2 Rxf2+ 38. Bxf2 Qg6 39. Ne6 Bxe6 40. dxe6 Qxe6 41. Qxb5 Nf6 42. Qd3) 36. h3 Qg6 37. Ne6 Ra4 38. b3?! { (0.67 → 0.00) Inaccuracy. Bc1 was best. } (38. Bc1 Bxe6) 38... Rxe4?! { (0.00 → 0.91) Inaccuracy. Nxe4 was best. } (38... Nxe4 39. bxa4 Nxg3 40. Ne7 Qxd3 41. Nf8+ Kh8 42. Nfg6+ Kh7) 39. Nxd6 Bxe6 40. dxe6 cxd6 41. e7 d5 42. Bc5 Qe8 43. Qf3 Qc6 44. b4 Qe8?? { (0.62 → 4.28) Blunder. Kg8 was best. } (44... Kg8) 45. Qf5+ Kh8 46. Qxf6 gxf6 47. Rxf6 Qh5?! { (3.54 → 4.50) Inaccuracy. Kg7 was best. } (47... Kg7) 48. Rf8+ Kg7 49. e8=Q Re2+?! { (4.09 → 5.81) Inaccuracy. Qxe8 was best. } (49... Qxe8 50. Rxe8) 50. Kf1 Qxh3+?? { (5.42 → Mate in 8) Checkmate is now unavoidable. Qxe8 was best. } (50... Qxe8 51. Rxe8 Re4 52. Rd8 d4 53. Bf8+ Kg6 54. Rd6+ Kf7 55. Bxh6 Ke7 56. Rd5 Ke6 57. Rd8) 51. Kxe2 Qg2+ 52. Rf2 Qe4+ 53. Kd2 { Black resigns. } 1-0

Harmon opens with the Queen's Gambit.

```
1. d4, d5 2. c4, e5

```

Borgov declines with the Albin Countergambit.

```
3. e4?? dxc4??

```

*Inaccuracy:* Harmon replies with "a complete deviation" from Albin theory at the time by pushing her king's pawn.
*Inaccuracy:* Borgov takes the gambit pawn, failing to take an opportunity for the advantage. The game transposes into a Queen's Gambit Accepted: Central Variation, McDonnell Defence.

```
4. Be3?? Nf6??

```

*Inaccuracy:* Once again, Harmon develops inaccurately, yet Borgov does not capitalize.

```
5. Nc3 Nc6 6. d5 Ne7??

```

*Inaccuracy:* Na5 was best.

```
7. Bxc4 Ng6 8. f3 Bd6 9. Qd2 Bd7 10. Nge2 a6 11. Bb3 b5 12. a4 O-O 13. O-O Qe7 14. Rac1 Nh5 15. g3 h6 16. Bc2 Rab8 17. axb5 axb5 18. Ra1 Ra8??

```

The moves go on to replicate the aforementioned referenced game, Ivanchuk, Vassily vs. Wolff, Patrick (1993). Hence, the position has transposed into a Queen's Gambit Accepted: Saduleto Variation.

However, in an attempt to find a breakthrough, Harmon develops an improvement on the real-world Ivanchuk's attack with *37. Ne6*, transforming the game into an intense battle where Borgov needs to go after the king's pawn before Harmon gets to the black king.

After a series of exchanges, Borgov surprises Harmon with *41. e7 d5*, taking her out of the preparation she founded with her allies. Harmon then stares at the ceiling to visualize the chess game and its possibilities, referencing Ivanchuk's tendency to stare a the ceiling during tournament games as well. Her ability to visualize the game without the distraction of drugs is what allows her to play the absolute best move: *42. Bc5*.