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