Sochi: "Comeback Queen" Pogonina Levels Score, Both Matches Head To Playoff

The “Comeback Queen” opened 1.e4 and was immediately faced with a surprise: 1...c5 2.Nf3 a6!?. The main idea of this move is 3.d4?! cxd4 4.Nxd4 Nf6 5.Nc3 e5, but e.g. 3.c3 or 3.c4 are good replies.
After thinking for seven-and-a-half minutes, Pogonina went 3.Be2!?. The game transposed into a Kan/Paulsen with 5.Be2, used for instance by GM Anish Giri in his game with GM Nikita Vitiugov in Reggio Emilia 2012.
In what followed, Cramling tried to refute White's setup positionally, but meanwhile she neglected her kingside. After 22.Bg5! White had a clear advantage — a free attack with hardly any counterplay for Black.