Youth on the Move

侯逸凡 (Hóu Yìfán) – Tania Sachdev
24th World Junior Chess Championship Girls U-20; Yerevan, October 14, 2006
Sicilian Defence B43

1. e4 c5 2. Nf3 e6 3. d4 cxd4 4. Nxd4 a6 5. Bd3 Nf6 6. 0-0 Qc7 7. Nc3 b5 8. Re1 d6 9. a4 b4 10. Na2 e5 11. Nf3!? The theory continuation was 11. Nf5 Bxf5 12. exf5 Nc6 13. Bg5 with a safe edge for White, Bezgodov – Ozolin, Izhevsk 2005.
11. ... Nc6 12. Bg5 Be6!? Rather than continuing with 12. ... Be7, Sachdev goes for a risky strategy.
13. Bxf6 gxf6 14. c3 bxc3 15. Nxc3 Bh6 16. a5 Qb7 17. Nh4. 侯逸凡 (Hóu Yìfán) doesn’t hesitate to sacrifice a Pawn for taking control of the board, being confident that the presence of opposite-coloured Bishops will favour her initiative.
17. ... Qxb2 18. Nd5 Bxd5 19. exd5 Ne7 20. Qh5 Qd2 21. Qf3 Bg5 22. Nf5 Nxf5 23. Bxf5 Ke7 24. Rec1 Ra7. The rest of the game must have been played with an eye stuck on the clock.
25. h4!? Bxh4 26. Rc2 Qb4 27. Qe3 Rb7 28. Rac1? This very natural move could actually dissipate White’s advantage. Best seems 28. g3 Bg5 (28. ... Rg8 29. Bc8 doesn’t look any better) 29. f4 Bh6 30. Rh2 winning material (due to the double threat of Rh2xh6 and Ra1-b1).

28. ... Qxa5! Perhaps 侯逸凡 (Hóu Yìfán) had envisioned something like 28. ... Bg5 29. Rc7+ Kf8 30. Rc8+ Kg7 31. Rxh8 Bxe3?? (but 31. ... Kxh8 32. Qh3 Qh4 holds everything together) 32. Rxh7+ Kf8 33. fxe3 with irresistible attack.
29. f4 Rg8!? There’s nothing wrong with it, but 29. ... Qb6!= might have been simpler.
30. Qh3 Bg3 31. Qxh7. With the threat of Bf5-e6.
31. ... Qb6+? This proves to be a fatal loss of time! Correct was 31. ... Rf8! defending everything: 32. fxe5 Bxe5 33. Be6!? Qb6+ 34. Kh1 f5! (threatening ... Rf8-h8) 35. Rc8 Qb2 36. R1c7+ Rxc7 37. Rxc7+ Ke8 38. Rc8+ with perpetual check.
32. Kh1 Qd8. Now it’s too late for 32. ... Rf8 because of 33. Rc6 Qd8 34. fxe5 Rh8 (or 34. ... fxe5 35. Rc8+−) 35. exd6+ Bxd6 36. Re1+ Be5 37. Rxe5+ fxe5 38. Re6+ Kd7 39. Rh6+ winning decisive material.
33. Rc8 1–0.

我要高飛 (Fame)

John van der Wiel – 侯逸凡 (Hóu Yìfán)
69th Corus Chess Tournament (C Group); Wijk aan Zee, January 15, 2007
Sicilian Defence B96

1. e4 c5 2. Nf3 d6 3. d4 cxd4 4. Nxd4 Nf6 5. Nc3 a6 6. Bg5 e6 7. f4 Qc7 8. Bxf6 gxf6 9. f5 Nc6 10. fxe6 fxe6 11. Be2 Nxd4 12. Qxd4 Qf7!?TN 13. Na4 Bd7 14. Nb6 Rd8 15. 0-0 Be7 16. Nxd7 Rxd7 17. Qc4 Rg8 18. Rf4 Rg5 19. Bg4 Re5 20. Qc8+ Bd8 21. Raf1 Rc7 22. Qb8 Kd7 23. c4 Be7 24. Kh1 Qe8 25. Qa7 Qc8 26. Be2 b5 27. Qd4 bxc4 28. Rh4 f5. After putting up a tight defence almost in Steinitz’s style, 侯逸凡 (Hóu Yìfán) is now ready to settle down. Apparently puzzled by Black’s stunning defence, however, van der Wiel melts himself into a mirage:

29. exf5?? White had to be content with 29. Rd1 Rxe4 30. Rxe4 fxe4 31. Qxe4 Qb7 with a dynamic balance.
29. ... Rxe2 30. f6 Qg8! 31. Rg4 Bxf6! The second zwischenzug puts the final nail in White’s coffin and well illustrates the remarkable tactical sensibility of the 12 year old 侯逸凡 (Hóu Yìfán).
32. Qf4 Qd8! 33. Qf3 Re5 34. Rf4 Be7 35. Rf7 Rcc5 36. Qb7+ Qc7 37. Qa8 Rf5! 0–1.

Cover Story

Chess prodigy 侯逸凡 (Hóu Yìfán) takes on the 国际象棋杂志（2007年夏） | Chess Magazine Summer 2007 issue.

Happy Hour

蓝色多瑙河 (The Blue Danube)

Ferenc Berkes – 侯逸凡 (Hóu Yìfán)
5th György Marx Memorial; Paks, August 8, 2007
Nimzo-Indian Defence E58

1. d4 Nf6 2. c4 e6 3. Nc3 Bb4 4. e3 0-0 5. Bd3 d5 6. Nf3 c5 7. 0-0 Nc6 8. a3 Bxc3 9. bxc3 Qc7 10. cxd5 exd5 11. a4 Re8 12. Ba3 c4 13. Bc2 Ne4 14. Bxe4 Rxe4 15. Nd2 Re8 16. e4 dxe4 17. Nxc4. 17. Re1 Bf5 18. Nxc4 Rad8 is likewise quite easy for Black: 19. Ne3 Bc8 20. Qh5 Qa5 21. Qxa5 Nxa5 22. d5 b6 23. Bb4 Nb7 24. a5 f5 25. axb6 axb6 26. Ra7 b5 27. g3 Nd6 28. Bxd6 Rxd6 29. Rb1 Bd7 30. Rba1 Rc8 31. Rb7 g5 32. Raa7 Rd8 33. c4 bxc4 34. Nxc4 Rxd5 35. Nb6 Rd1+ 36. Kg2 Be6 37. Rg7+ Kf8 38. Rxh7 e3 39. Kf3 exf2 40. Kxf2 R1d2+ 41. Ke1 Rd1+ 42. Ke2 R1d2+ ½–½ Lautier – Kramnik, 7th “Melody Amber” Rapid Chess Tournament, Monte Carlo 1998 (time control: 25 minutes plus 10 seconds per move).
17. ... Nb4 18. Ne3 Qxc3 19. Qc1 Qxc1 20. Rfxc1 a5 21. Bxb4 axb4 22. Rcb1 Bd7 23. a5 Ra6

24. Rxb4. If 24. Nc4 then 24. ... Be6 25. Nb6 b3 26. d5 Rxb6! 27. axb6 Bxd5 with a full dynamic balance.
24. ... b5 25. Rb2 Rea8 26. Rba2 b4 27. h4 g6 28. Kh2 Kg7 29. Kg3 h6 30. Kf4 Rf6+ 31. Kg3 Rfa6 32. d5 g5 33. Rb2 f5 34. Nc4 Bb5 35. Rxb4 Bxc4 36. Rxc4 Rxa5 37. Rd1 Ra1 38. Rc7+ Kf6 39. Rc6+ Kf7 40. Rxa1 Rxa1 41. Rxh6 Ra3+ 42. Kh2 gxh4 43. Rxh4 Rd3 44. g4 Rxd5 ½–½.

Life is not about always winning. Photo: marxgy.ase.hu.

The Eiffel Tower

侯逸凡 (Hóu Yìfán) – Hoàng Thị Bảo Trâm
24th World Junior Chess Championship Girls U-20; Yerevan, October 9, 2006
Caro-Kann Defence B17

Notes by Grandmaster Lubomir Kavalek, The Washington Post, October 30, 2006, C10.

Remember the Chinese girl who dreamed of beating the best woman ever, Judit Polgár, and of buying real estate in Paris? Twelve-year-old 侯逸凡 (Hóu Yìfán) is on her way to fulfilling her dreams. She tied for first in the girls’ section of the Junior World Championship in Yerevan with her countrywoman 沈阳 (Shěn Yáng), Salome Melia of Georgia and Möngöntuul Batkhuyagiin of Mongolia. They each scored nine points in 13 games, but the 18-year-old 沈 (Shěn) won the title on a tiebreaker, just edging 侯 (Hóu). American Tatev Abrahamyan finished 14th with 7½ points. 侯 (Hóu)’s one-sided victory over Vietnamese women’s grandmaster Hoàng Thị Bảo Trâm in the Caro-Kann defense is very impressive.
1. e4 c6 2. d4 d5 3. Nc3 dxe4 4. Nxe4 Nd7 5. Ng5 Ngf6 6. Bd3 e6 7. N1f3 Bd6 8. Qe2 h6 9. Ne4 Nxe4 10. Qxe4 Qc7 11. 0-0 b6 12. Qg4 Kf8. You have to have Anatoly Karpov’s great defensive skills to hold this position.
13. b3 c5 14. dxc5 Nxc5 15. Bb2 e5 16. Bf5 Bxf5? Usually Black plays 16. ... h5 17.Qh3 Ne6, but now instead of 18. Bxe6, the current Women’s World Champion, 许昱华 (Xǔ Yùhuá) of China, tried successfully 18. Nh4 against 刘沛 (Liú Pèi) in 无锡 (Wúxī) last year, and after 18. ... Kg8 19. Rfe1 Nf4 20. Qf3 Bb7 21. Be4 Bxe4 22. Qxe4 Re8 23. Nf5 f6 24. g3 Ne6 25. h4 Kf7 26. Rad1 was clearly better and won in 43 moves.
17. Qxf5 Re8 18. Rad1 Kg8. After 18. ... e4 19. Nh4 Kg8 20. Qh3 Black is still tied up.
19. Rfe1. Mobilizing the last piece and attacking the Pawn on e5 gives white an overwhelming advantage.
19. ... f6? Surrendering the light squares, but after 19. ... e4 20. Qg4 Bf8 21. Nd4 Black is playing without the Rook on h8.
20. Nh4! Rd8 21. f4. The move order 21. Ng6 Rh7 22. f4 is more precise.
21. ... exf4 22. Ng6 Rh7 23. b4 Nb7

24. Re7! Playing for 24. ... Bxe7 25. Qe6#.
24. ... Qc4. 24. ... Bc5+ is met by 25. Bd4.
25. Rd5 1–0.. After 25. ... Bc5+ 26. bxc5 Qxd5 27. Re8+ Kf7 28. Rf8+ Rxf8 29. Qxd5+ wins.

The Big Tomorrow

Stellan Brynell – 侯逸凡 (Hóu Yìfán)
69th Corus Chess Tournament (C Group); Wijk aan Zee, January 27, 2007
Queen’s Indian Defence E15

1. d4 Nf6 2. c4 e6 3. Nf3 b6 4. g3 Ba6 5. b3 b5 6. Bg2 bxc4 7. Ne5 Bb4+ 8. Bd2 cxb3 9. axb3 Bxd2+ 10. Qxd2 d5 11. 0-0 0-0 12. Nc3 Qd6. Also sound is 12. ... Bb7 13. Rfc1 c6 14. Na4 Nfd7 15. Nd3 Ba6 16. Nb4 Bb5 17. Nc3 Qb6 18. e4 Nf6 19. e5 Nfd7 20. Nxb5 Qxb5 21. Nd3 Qb6 22. Qc3 a5 23. Ra3 ½–½ Shipov – Dobosz, 33rd International Chess Tournament, Groningen 1994.
13. Rfc1 Nfd7? A grave inaccuracy which puts Black in serious trouble. 13. ... c6(!) was still good and solid enough to hold on for a draw.
14. e4!↑ c6? Now too late. Comparatively better was 14. ... Nb6, but even then, after 15. exd5 exd5 15. Qf4± White has a clear advantage.
15. Nxc6! A petite combinaison that leads to material gain.
15. ... Qxc6 16. exd5 Qd6 (16. ... exd5 17. Nxd5 Qd6 18. Qb4!+−)
17. Ne4 Qb6 18. Nc5! Nxc5 19. dxc5 Qb5

20. dxe6? White throws away his chance of heaven! 20. Qa5!+− would have won decisive material.
20. ... Bb7 21. exf7+ Kh8 22. Ra5 Qxb3 23. Qd6 Nc6 24. Bxc6 Qxf7 25. Bxb7 Qxf2+! Probably White was hoping for 25. ... Qxb7 26. c6 with good winning possibilities. But now, instead, he is lucky not to lose!
26. Kh1 Rad8 27. Raa1 Rxd6 28. cxd6 Qb6 29. Bc6 Rc8 30. Bg2 Rd8 31. Rc6 Qd4 32. Rca6 Rd7 33. h4 Rxd6 34. Rxa7 h5 35. Ra8+ Kh7 36. R1a2 Qe3 37. R8a3 Qe5 38. Kh2 g5 39. Ra5 Qe6 40. hxg5 Kg6 41. Rf2 Qe3 42. Raf5 Rd2 43. Rf6+ Kg7 44. Rf7+ Kg6 45. R7f6+ ½–½.

Born in the Renaissance

On December 24, 1928 Albert Einstein wrote a birthday letter on Emanuel Lasker’s 60th birthday, in which he said: “Emanuel Lasker is one of the strongest minds I ever met in my life. A Renaissance man, gifted with an untamable urge for liberty; averse to any social bonds [...]. As a genuine individualist and self-willed soul, he loves deduction; and inductive research leaves him cold [...]. I love his writings, irrespective of their content of truth, as the fruits of a great original and free mind”.

Courtesy of Einstein Archives Online.

贝尔福 (Belfort)

侯逸凡 (Hóu Yìfán) – Gil Popilski
19th World Youth Chess Championship U-12; Belfort, July 25, 2005
Sicilian Defence B85

1. e4 c5 2. Nf3 d6 3. d4 cxd4 4. Nxd4 Nf6 5. Nc3 a6 6. Be2 e6 7. 0-0 Be7 8. f4 0-0 9. Kh1 Qc7 10. a4 Nc6 11. Be3 Re8 12. Bd3 Bd7 13. Qe1 Nxd4!? Quite a novelty — but hardly sounder than 13. ... Nb4 14. a5 Nxd3 15. cxd3 Bc6 16. Qg3 Rac8 17. f5 e5 18. Nf3 d5 19. Bh6 (Smirin – Summermatter, 6th International Open, Geneva 1992) and now 19. ... Bf8!∞ seems to be tenable.
14. Bxd4 Bc6. 14. ... e5 also deserved consideration, since after 15. fxe5 dxe5 16. Qg3 Bd8 Black somehow holds everything together.
15. Qg3 Bd8? That doesn’t seem a good idea, at least not now.

16. e5! dxe5 17. Bxe5? White ought to take with the Pawn, powerfully keeping the upper hand: 17. fxe5! Nh5 18. Qh3 g6 19. Ne4± with a big edge.
17. ... Qe7 18. f5 exf5? This must be the losing move. Instead, after 18. ... Nh5! 19. Qg4 Qh4 everything was okay for Black.
19. Rxf5 Qe6 20. Raf1+− Kf8 21. b3 b5 22. axb5 axb5 23. Nxb5 Bd5 24. Bxf6 gxf6 25. Nd4 Qb6 26. Rxd5 Bc7 27. Qh4 Be5 28. Nf5 Kg8 29. Qg4+ 1–0.

The Ice House

As originally reported by Vincenzo Martucci for La Gazzetta dello Sport of Saturday, November 24, 2007 11th World Chess Champion Robert James “Bobby” Fischer has been hospitalised at Landspítali in Reykjavík, Iceland for acute kidney failure.

“He’s seriously ill”, Argentine reporter Ezequiel Fernández Moores also wrote in his article “Tras los pasos de Bobby Fischer... y sus fantasmas” for La Nación of November 19, 2007.

Kasparov in prigione...

Arrestato il 24 novembre u.s. e condannato per direttissima (a cinque giorni di galera) l’ex Campione del Mondo Garry Kasparov per la sua sfilata anti-Putin a Mosca...

Cfr. il circostanziato reportage di ChessBase.com.

Suite in Olden Time

Early morning in Battambang, Cambodia, August 2007. Photo: Mado Flynn.