Centralizing the pieces is almost always a great strategy, no matter what the material is like.
1. d2d4  1... g7g6  2. e2e4  2... f8g7  3. c2c4  3... d7d6 Kosteniuk is in a must-win situation, thus the appearance of the KID could have been predicted. 4. b1c3  4... b8d7  5. c1e3  5... g8f6  6. f2f3 Switching to the solid Saemisch line. 6... a7a6 One of the rare continuations. Black's strategy becomes clear: she wants her opponent out of the opening books as early as possible. 7. f1d3  7... a8b8  8. g1e2  8... c7c6  9. a2a4 There is a reason why certain opening continuations are off the beaten path. They provide the opponent easy play, as in this case. Goryachkina completed her development comfortably and even got a chance to block the opponent's queenside ambitions. 9... e8g8  10. a4a5 A logical novelty. 10... b7b5 Kosteniuk has to weaken her structure, otherwise the whole setup makes no sense. 11. a5b6  11... d8b6  12. c3a4  12... b6c7  13. e1g1  13... e7e5 After this White stabilizes the center in her favor. 14. d4d5  14... f6h5 Kosteniuk feels that she needs to hurry with her counterplay. 15. d1c2 A solid approach which stops the planned f7-f5. 15... g8h8  16. f1c1 Not just overprotecting the queen, but already threatening c4-c5 $1 That leaves Black no chance and... 16... f7f5 She goes all in $1 17. e4f5 After some thought Goryachkina coldly took the pawn. 17... g6f5  18. d3f5  18... d7f6  19. f5c8  19... f8c8  20. c2d2 Once again, a most solid continuation. 20... b8b3 