Ginger milk curd

侯逸凡 (Hóu Yìfán) – Dronavalli Harika
2nd Asian Indoor Games; Team Classical Chess; Macau, October 29, 2007
Sicilian Defence B31

1. e4 c5 2. Nf3 Nc6 3. Bb5 g6 4. 0-0 Bg7 5. Re1 Nf6 6. e5 Nd5 7. Nc3 Nc7 8. Bxc6 dxc6 9. Ne4 b6 10. Nf6+ Kf8 11. Ne4 Bg4 12. d3 Ne6 13. Ned2 Qd5 14. h3 Bxf3 15. Nxf3 Rd8 16. b3. Another line of play is 16. Be3 h6 17. Qe2 Kg8 18. Rad1 Bxe5 19. c4 Qd6 20. Bxc5 Bh2+ 21. Nxh2 Qxc5 22. Nf3 Kg7 23. Qe4 Rd6 24. a3 Rhd8 25. g4 a5 26. Ne5 a4 27. h4 Nd4 28. Kg2 Rf6 29. Re3 Ne6 30. Kg3 Rd6 31. Nf3 Nd4 32. Ne5 Nc2 33. Re2 Nd4 34. Ree1 Ne6 35. f3 Rf4 36. Qe3 Qxe3 37. Rxe3 Rfd4 38. Rde1 Nc5 39. g5 hxg5 40. hxg5 Nxd3 41. Nxd3 Rxd3 42. Rxe7 Rd7 43. Re8 Rd8 44. R8e7 Rb3 45. R1e6 Kf8 46. Re4 Kg7 47. Rf4 Rf8 48. Rf6 Rxb2 49. Rxc6 Rb3 50. Ra7 Rxa3 51. Rxb6 Ra1 52. Rba6 Rc8 53. Rf6 Rf8 54. Rc6 a3 55. Rcc7 a2 56. Kf4 Kg8 57. c5 Rb8 58. Ra4 Kg7 59. Rca7 Rc1 60. Rxa2 ½–½ 侯逸凡 (Hóu Yìfán) – Gomes, 24th World Junior Chess Championship Girls U-20, Yerevan 2006.
16. ... h6? A weak and weakening move that gives White an imposing advantage. Black’s best seems to be 16. ... f5 17. exf6 exf6 18. Bb2 Kf7 so as to oppose Rooks on the open e-file.
17. Bb2 Nd4 18. Bxd4 cxd4

19. e6! Bf6. If 19. ... fxe6 then 20. Nh4! followed by Re1-e4, Qd1-e2 and Ra1-e1 and White will soon regain her Pawn with consequences similar to those of the game.
20. exf7 Kxf7 21. Re4 Rd6 22. Qe2 Re6. A bad move, but maybe there were no good ones.
23. Re1 Rxe4 24. dxe4 Qb5

25. e5 Qxe2 26. Rxe2 Bg7 27. Nxd4. The d4-Pawn has fallen, but much worse things await Black.
27. ... c5 28. e6+ Kf6 29. Nc6 Rc8 30. Nxa7 Ra8 31. Nb5 Rxa2 32. Nc7 Ra1+ 33. Kh2 Kf5

34. g4+ Kf4. If 34. ... Kf6 then 35. f4 g5 36. f5 with unavoidable mate on d5 or e8.
35. Kg2 Rd1 36. c4 Rd3 37. Nd5+ Kg5 38. Nxe7 b5 39. f4+! 1–0.

Short history of vacations

侯逸凡 (Hóu Yìfán) – Anna Vadimovna Sharevich
37th Women’s Chess Olympiad; Turin, June 4, 2006
Sicilian Defence B42

1. e4 c5 2. Nf3 e6 3. d4 cxd4 4. Nxd4 a6 5. Bd3 Bc5 6. Nb3 Be7 7. c4 d6 8. Nc3 Nf6 9. 0-0 Qc7. Or, likewise, 9. ... Nbd7 10. f4 Qc7 11. Bd2 b6 12. Qe2 Bb7 13. Rae1 0-0 14. Nd4 g6 15. Kh1 Rfe8 16. Nf3 Bf8 17. e5 Nh5 18. Be4 Ng7 19. Bxb7 Qxb7 20. Ne4 d5 21. cxd5 exd5 22. Nf2 f5 23. Bc3 Ne6= 侯逸凡 (Hóu Yìfán) – Caruana, 2nd Ruy López International Chess Festival, Mérida 2008.
10. f4 b6 11. Bd2!? Bb7 12. Qf3 Nbd7 13. Rae1 0-0. 13. ... g6 will also bring good luck to 侯逸凡 (Hóu Yìfán): 14. Qh3 h5 15. Nd1! b5 16. Ba5! Qb8 17. Bc3 b4 18. Bxb4 Bxe4 19. Bc3↑ 侯逸凡 (Hóu Yìfán) – Vitiugov, 6th Aeroflot Open, Moscow 2007.
14. Qh3 g6? Deep in her heart, White was asking nothing else than a breakpoint! More appropriated was 14. ... Rad8 15. g4 Nc5 16. Nxc5 dxc5 17. g5 Nh5 18. f5 Qd7 19. Nd5 exd5 20. cxd5 g6 21. Be2 f6 22. Bg4 Qe8 23. Bc3 Bc8? (after 23. ... fxg5 24. Bxh5 gxh5 25. f6 Bxf6 26. Bxf6 Rd6 Black’s position was still defensible) 24. Bxh5 gxh5 25. Qg2! (that’s the difference!) 25. ... fxg5 26. f6! with a crushing attack, Naiditsch – Macieja, 48th Spanish Team Chess Championship, Ciudad Real 2004.
15. f5! exf5 16. exf5 Ne5 17. Bg5 Qd8 18. Be2 Ra7 19. Qh4 Bc8. 19. ... h6 20. Qxh6 Nfg4 21. Bxe7 Nxh6 22. Bxd8 Rxd8 23. fxg6 fxg6 24. Nd4 leaves White a Pawn up with a dominating positional advantage. The text certainly does not produce better results.
20. Nd4 Rc7 21. Nf3 h6 22. Qxh6 Nfg4 23. Bxe7 Rxe7 24. Qf4 Bxf5 25. Nd4 Ree8 26. h3 Ne3 27. Qxe3 Nd3

White concludes in style:
28. Qg3! Nxe1 29. Nxf5 Nc2 30. Bd3 Nb4 31. Nh6+ Kh8 32. Nxf7+ Rxf7 33. Rxf7 g5 34. Qf3 Kg8 35. Qf5 1–0.

淘金记 (The Gold Rush)

侯逸凡 (Hóu Yìfán) – Valentina Valeryevna Golubenko
38th Women’s Chess Olympiad; Dresden, November 13, 2008
French Defence C18

Notes by Grandmaster Lubomir Kavalek, The Washington Post, Monday, November 17, 2008.

1. e4 e6 2. d4 d5 3. Nc3 Bb4 4. e5 c5 5. a3 Bxc3+ 6. bxc3 Ne7 7. h4. One of the sharpest lines against the Winawer French besides 7. Qg4.
7. ... Qc7. After 7. ... Nbc6 8. h5 h6 9. Qg4 Rg8 10. Bd3 white is better, as played already in 1937 in the game L. Steiner – Koshnitzky.
8. Nf3. The Pawn sacrifice 8. h5 cxd4 9. cxd4 Qc3+ 10. Bd2 Qxd4 11. Nf3 Qe4+ 12. Be2 Nf5 is not entirely clear.
8. ... Nbc6 9. h5 h6 10. Bd3 Bd7. Avoiding a trap: 10. ... cxd4 11. cxd4 Nxd4? 12. Nxd4 Qc3+ 13. Qd2! Qxa1 14. c3 Nc6 15. Nb3 winning the Black Queen.
11. 0-0 0-0-0. 11. ... c4 12. Be2 f6 was played before.
12. a4 Nf5. Black should have either attacked the center with 12. ... f6 or blocked it with 12. ... f5.
13. Ba3 f6?! Too late, but after either 13. ... cxd4 14. Bxf5 exf5 15. Bd6 Qb6 16. cxd4 or 13. ... c4 14. Bxf5 exf5 15. a5 Be6 16. Bd6 Qd7 17. a6 White is better.
14. Bxc5 fxe5 15. dxe5 Qa5. After 15. ... Nxe5 16. Nxe5 Qxe5 (on 16. ... Qxc5 17. Bxf5 exf5 18. Nf7 wins) 17. Bxa7 Qxc3 18. a5 Bc6 19. Qg4 White has a clear edge.
16. Bd4. Consolidating, but 侯 (Hóu) could have played the sharp 16. Bb4!? Nxb4 17. cxb4 Qxb4 18. Bxf5 exf5 19. Nd4 Rhe8 20. Re1 Be6 21. Rb1 with a powerful attack.
16. ... g6? Trying to open files against the White King, Black makes a fatal mistake. 16. ... Rhf8 is better.
17. hxg6 Rhg8. After 17. ... Nce7 18. Nd2 Nxg6 19. Nb3 Qc7 20. Bxf5 exf5 21. e6 Bxe6 22. Bxh8 White should win.
18. Bxf5! exf5 19. Nh4 Ne7. 19. ... Be8 is met by 20. Qh5!.

20. e6! White opens the e-file and preserves the g-Pawn.
20. ... Bxe6 21. Qe2 Rd6 22. Qe5 Rc6. After 22. ... Qc7 23. Qf6 Nc6 24. Rfe1 Nxd4 25. cxd4 Qg7 26. Qxg7 Rxg7 27. Re5 white has a decisive advantage.
23. g7! Qc7 24. Qf6 f4. After 24. ... Re8 25. Qxh6 or after 24. ... Rd8 25. Rfe1 Ng8 26. Qg6 wins.
25. Rfe1 Qd7 26. Nf3 Ra6 27. Ne5 Qc7. After 27. ... Qd8 28. Nd3! Qd6 29. Nc5 wins.
28. Ng6 Nxg6 29. Rxe6 1–0. White wins the Black Knight.

Back in Time

Vera Valerievna Nebolsina – 侯逸凡 (Hóu Yìfán)

1st “火炬地产杯” (“Torch Real Estate Cup”) Chinese Chess League; 济南 (Jìnán), April 23, 2005

Modern Benoni A75

1. d4 Nf6 2. Nf3 c5 3. d5 e6 4. c4 exd5 5. cxd5 d6 6. Nc3 g6 7. e4 a6 8. a4 Bg4 9. Be2 Bxf3 10. Bxf3 Bg7 11. Bf4. Three years later, just another blitz story: 11. 0-0 Nbd7 12. Be2 0-0 13. Be3 (13. a5) 13. ... Rb8 (13. ... Qe7 14. f3 Nh5!?) 14. Qd2 Qe7 15. f3 Ne8 16. Kh1 Nc7 17. Rab1? (17. Bg5) 17. ... b5 with good play for Black, Topel – 侯逸凡 (Hóu Yìfán), 1st World Mind Sports Games, Women’s Team Blitz Tournament, 北京 (Běijīng) 2008 (time control: 3 minutes plus 2 seconds per move).
11. ... Qe7 12. 0-0 Nbd7 13. Re1 0-0 14. a5 Ne8 15. Qd2 Rb8 16. Be2 Nc7 17. Bg5 Qe8 18. Bf1 b5 19. axb6 Rxb6 20. Na4 Rb4 21. Qc2 Nb6 22. Nc3 Qe5 23. Be3 Nc4 24. Bxc4. After 24. Bc1 Nb5! 25. Rxa6 Nd4 the position is in dynamic equilibrium — but maybe a little easier for Black.
24. ... Rxc4 25. Qd2 Qe7 26. Bf4 Qd7 27. Qd3 Rb4 28. Qg3 Rd8

29. Re2? The wrong Rook. Both 29. Ra2 and 29. e5 would allow White to maintain her position.
29. ... Nb5! 30. Nxb5? Not a good move, but it’s hard to give a good advice: 30. Rxa6?? Nxc3 loses right off, while on other moves Black can play ... Nb5-d4.
30. ... Qxb5 31. Rae1 Rxb2 32. Rxb2 Qxb2 33. Bxd6 Qb4. That’s the point! Black wins at least a Pawn, remaining with a won ending.

34. Rd1. 34. f3?? is unplayable because of 34. ... Rxd6! winning on the spot, while after 34. Rf1 Qxe4 35. Bxc5 Qxd5 36. Qa3 Qc6 Black’s passed a-Pawn would make the difference.
34. ... Qxe4 35. h3 (35. Bxc5?? Qc2−+)
35. ... Bd4 36. Qb3 Qf5 37. Rc1 Qxf2+ 38. Kh2 Qe3 39. Qxe3 Bxe3 40. Bc7 Rxd5 41. Ra1 Rd7 42. Bb6 Rd6 43. Rxa6 Kg7 44. Ra3 Bf4+ 45. g3 Bxg3+ 46. Kxg3 Rxb6 0–1.

The Return of the Pink Panther

Alexandra Konstantinovna Kosteniuk – Natalia Oleksandrivna Zhukova
2nd FiNet Chess960 Women’s Rapid World Championship; Mainz, July 29, 2008

rqnbnkbr/pppppppp/8/8/8/8/PPPPPPPP/RQNBNKBR w w HAha - 0 1

Position #413

1. Nf3 c5 2. h4 Nf6 3. c4 h6 4. Nb3 Bh7 5. Bc2 Bxc2 6. Qxc2 b6 7. d4 cxd4 8. Nbxd4 Qb7 9. Bh2 Bc7 10. Bxc7 Qxc7 11. e4 Ng4 12. h5 Ne5 13. Rc1 Nxf3 14. Nxf3 Nd6 15. e5 Nb7

16. Rh4! Nc5 17. Rd1. White didn’t need to castle to find the best synthesis between King safety and development. 17. ... 0-0 18. Rg4 f5?! 19. Rgd4 Rad8 20. Nh4 Rf7 21. Ng6 Ne6 22. Rd5 Nf8 23. Nf4 Rc8 24. b3 e6

25. R5d4? It does seem quite a doubtful offer. White could simply continue 25. Rd6 b5 26. R1d4 maintaining her powerful bind. 25. ... Qxe5 26. Ng6 Qh2 27. Rh4 Qc7 28. Qc3 Nxg6. 28. ... d5 doesn’t make all that difference, as after 29. Qe1 Black would take on g6 anyway. 29. hxg6 Rf6 30. Rxh6 b5?? A self-mating blunder due to time shortage. 30. ... Qf4! seems fine for Black.

31. Rh8+! Kxh8 32. Qh3+ Kg8 33. Qh7+ Kf8 34. Qh8+ Ke7 35. Qxg7+ Ke8 36. Qxf6 Qh2 37. Qf7+ 1–0.

To castle or not to castle, that is the question... Photo: Pufichek.

Girl Code

侯逸凡 (Hóu Yìfán) – Lê Quang Liêm
47th World Junior Chess Championship; Gaziantep, August 15, 2008
Sicilian Defence B78

1. e4 c5 2. Nf3 d6 3. d4 cxd4 4. Nxd4 Nf6 5. Nc3 g6 6. Be3 Bg7 7. f3 0-0 8. Qd2 Nc6 9. Bc4 Bd7 10. 0-0-0 Rc8 11. Bb3 Ne5 12. Kb1 Nc4 13. Bxc4 Rxc4 14. g4 Qc7 15. Nb3?! A strange move that would make sense if the Black Queen were on a5. Theoretically speaking, a critical line is 15. g5 Nh5 16. Nd5 Qd8 17. Ne2⩲ Tiviakov – Alterman, 3rd Tan Chin Nam Cup, 北京 (Běijīng) 1997.
15. ... Be6 (15. ... b5!?)
16. Bh6. The story has an illustrious background: 16. Nd4 Rc8 17. Nce2 Qd7 18. b3 R4c7 19. c4 a6 20. Nxe6 Qxe6 21. Bb6 Rc6 22. Be3 Nd7 23. Qd5 Qxd5 24. exd5 R6c7 25. Nd4 Nf6 26. a4 Nd7 27. Rhe1 Nc5 28. Ka2 e6 29. dxe6 fxe6 30. Nc2 b5 31. Bxc5 Rxc5 32. Rxd6 bxa4 33. bxa4 Rxc4 34. Na3 Rxa4 35. Rexe6 Rc3 36. Rxa6 Rcxa3+ 37. Kb1 Rxa6 0–1 Winston – A. J. Miles, 13th World Junior Chess Championship, Manila 1974.
16. ... Bxh6 17. Qxh6

17. ... Rxc3! 18. bxc3 Rc8 19. Qe3 Nd7 20. h4 Ne5 21. h5

21. ... Bxb3?? The opening the c-file proves to be catastrophic. Of course, 21. ... Qxc3 at once was good enough.
22. cxb3 Qxc3 23. Qxc3 Rxc3 24. Rc1+− Rc5 (24. ... Rxf3 25. Rc7+−)
25. Rxc5 dxc5 26. Rd1 Kg7 27. hxg6 Kxg6 28. Rd5 Nxf3 29. Rxc5 Nh2 30. Rc7 Nxg4 31. Rxb7 h5 32. Rxa7 h4 33. Rxe7 h3 34. Rc7 Nf2 35. Rc1 Kg5 36. a4 Nxe4 37. a5 Nd6 38. a6 Nb5 39. Kc2 f5 40. Kd3 Kh4 41. Kc4 Na7 42. b4 h2 43. b5 Nc8 44. Kc5 1–0.

Stollen

侯逸凡 (Hóu Yìfán) – Maia Grigorievna Chiburdanidze
38th Women’s Chess Olympiad; Dresden, November 23, 2008
Caro-Kann Defence B14

1. e4 c6 2. d4 d5 3. exd5 cxd5 4. c4 Nf6 5. Nc3 e6 6. Nf3 Bb4 7. cxd5 Nxd5 8. Qc2 Nc6 9. Bd3 h6 10. 0-0 Nf6 11. Be3 0-0 12. Rac1 Bd6. Threatening ... Nc6-b4.
13. Qe2 b6 14. Rfd1 Bb7 15. Bb1 Qe7 16. a3 Rfd8 17. Nd2 Nb8 18. Nde4 Nbd7 19. Re1 Rac8

20. Rcd1? In a typical isolani position with pros and cons, 侯逸凡 (Hóu Yìfán) falls asleep and makes a grave mistake that loses a Pawn for nothing.
20. ... Nxe4 21. Nxe4 Bxh2+! 22. Kxh2 Bxe4 23. Bxe4 Qh4+ 24. Kg1 Qxe4. Finally Black has gained the Pawn almost for free as she is already eyeing the isolated d4-Pawn, so now it is no longer a matter of good and bad ideas, but rather a matter of technique.
25. Qa6. Also deserving consideration is 25. d5!? so as to interfere on the diagonal a8-h1 after 25. ... exd5 26. Qa6 — if nothing else, that may offer a more stubborn resistance.
25. ... Qa8 26. Bf4 Nf8 27. Bg3 Rd7 28. Qd3 Qd5 29. Re2 Ng6 30. Red2 Rcd8 31. Qc3 Ne7 32. Bf4 Nf5 33. f3 Qb7 34. g4 Ne7 35. Bg3 Rd5 36. Bh4 Rc8 37. Qe3 Ng6 38. Bg3 Qd7 39. Kg2 Rd8 40. Be1 h5! The time control reached, Black finally presents the bill.
41. gxh5 Rxh5 42. Bg3 Rd5 43. Be1 Ne7 44. Bf2 e5! 45. Qe4 Nf5 46. Bh4 f6 47. Bf2 exd4 48. Rd3 Re8 49. Qf4 Re2 50. Kf1 Rxb2 51. Qb8+ Kf7 52. Rc1 Ne7 53. Qg3 Qb5 54. Rcd1 Rb1 0–1.

Acquaintances

阮露斐 (Ruǎn Lùfěi) – 侯逸凡 (Hóu Yìfán)
Women’s Zonal 3.3 Tournament; 北京 (Běijīng), October 22, 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 Qc7 9. a4 0-0 10. Kh1 Nc6 11. Be3 Re8 12. Bd3 Nb4 13. a5 Bd7 14. Qe1 Rac8 15. Qg3 Nh5 16. Qf3 Nf6 17. Qg3 Nh5 18. Qf3 Nf6. A tabiya from the Scheveningen Variation, which usually ends here with a draw by repetition, the first occurrence being in Psakhis – Kasparov, 30th Chess Olympiad, Manila 1992. 阮露斐 (Ruǎn Lùfěi) tries for a win instead, but with little luck.
19. Bg1 Bc6 20. Qe2 Nxd3 21. cxd3 Nd7 22. Nb3 Bf8 23. d4 Nf6 24. Rac1 Qd8 25. Qf3 b5 26. axb6 Qxb6

27. d5 Qxb3 28. dxc6 Rxc6 29. e5 Nd5 30. f5 Nb4 31. fxe6 Qxe6 32. Rce1 dxe5 33. Rxe5 Qd7 34. Rf5 f6 35. Qg3 Kh8 36. Qh4 Qf7 37. Ne4 Rc4 38. Ng5?? A blunder under time pressure. 38. R5f4! (threatening both Ne4xf6 and Ne4-g5) would give White hope of of defending herself.
38. ... Rxh4 0–1.

Another Date

侯逸凡 (Hóu Yìfán) – Alexandra Konstantinovna Kosteniuk

Women’s World Chess Championship Knockout Tournament; Final match game 1; Nalchik, September 14, 2008

Spanish Game C90

Notes by International Master Evgeny Yakovlevich Gik, «Наука и жизнь» (Science and Life), No. 11, 2008.

1. e4 e5 2. Nf3 Nc6 3. Bb5 a6 4. Ba4 Nf6 5. 0-0 Be7 6. Re1 b5 7. Bb3 0-0 8. a3 d6 9. c3 Bg4 10. d3. White wishes to avoid theory, but her play is somewhat passive, and Alexandra Konstantinovna will not meet any difficulties. 10. ... Na5 11. Bc2 c5 12. h3 Bd7 13. d4 Qc7 14. d5. 侯逸凡 (Hóu Yìfán) closes the centre, which in the present situation is to her opponent’s advantage. The sharper 14. b4 was worth considering here. 14. ... c4 15. Nbd2 Nb7 16. Nf1 Nc5

17. g4. Having no prospects on the Queenside, White launches herself toward the Kingside. But the black squares on the Kingside are now seriously weakened — which will eventually affect the result. 17. ... h5 18. N3h2 hxg4 19. hxg4 Qc8 20. f3 Nh7 21. Ng3 Bg5 22. Nf5. A senseless jump: the Knight will be kicked back immediately. 22. ... Qd8 23. Kg2 g6 24. Ng3 Kg7 25. Rh1 Rh8 26. Nhf1 Qf6 27. Be3 Bxe3 28. Nxe3 Ng5 29. Qe2. Kosteniuk stands clearly better, but seemingly White can still resist... 29. ... Rag8 30. Raf1 Qf4 31. Rxh8 Rxh8 32. Rh1 Rxh1 33. Nxh1.

Apparently the Chinese woman has defended all her weaknesses, but here Alexandra Konstantinovna, taking advantage of the vulnerability of the f3-Pawn, delivers a terrible blow. 33. ... Nd3! The Knight enters with decisive effect 34. Bxd3. White must take it — the b2-Pawn is attacked, and there is the threat of ... Ng5xf3 followed by a fork on e1. 34. ... cxd3 35. Qf2 d2 36. Ng3

36. ... Nxf3! The fulfillment of a beautiful combination. 37. Qxf3 Bxg4! 38. Qf2. After 38. Qxf4 exf4 White can resign at once. 38. ... d1=Q 39. Nxd1 Bxd1 40. Qe1 Bf3+ 41. Kg1 f5 42. exf5 gxf5. Black has an extra Pawn and an overwhelming position. The rest is simple. 43. Qf2 Kg6 44. b3 e4 45. c4 bxc4 46. bxc4 Qg5 47. c5 f4 48. cxd6 fxg3 0–1.

Kosteniuk’s one and only victory in the Final match with 侯逸凡 (Hóu Yìfán) sealed the fate of the Women’s World Chess Championship 2008. Photo: Evgeny Yakovlevich Gik Archive.

The Fifteen-Second Secret

侯逸凡 (Hóu Yìfán) – Elena Sedina

Women’s World Chess Championship Knockout Tournament; tie-break game 2; time control: 25 minutes plus 10 seconds per move; Nalchik, September 6, 2008

French Defence C15

1. e4 e6 2. d4 d5 3. Nc3 Bb4 4. a3. Far from playing for a draw, 侯逸凡 (Hóu Yìfán) adopts a sharp variation.
4. ... Bxc3+ 5. bxc3 dxe4 6. Qg4 Nf6 7. Qxg7 Rg8 8. Qh6 c5 9. Ne2 Nc6 10. Qe3!? As already showed by Vasily Vasilyevich Smyslov in the 1954 World Chess Championship match, probably best is 10. dxc5! with more than enough dynamic compensation for triple Pawns, Kosteniuk – 侯逸凡 (Hóu Yìfán), 1st World Mind Sports Games, Women’s Individual Rapid Tournament, 北京 (Běijīng) 2008 (time control: 20 minutes plus 10 seconds per move).
10. ... Qa5. High theory is worth mentioning here: 10. ... Rg6 11. dxc5 Ng4 (11. ... e5=) 12. Qxe4 Qd1+ 13. Kxd1 Nxf2+ 14. Ke1 Nxe4 15. Nf4 Rg8 16. Bd3 Nxc5 17. Bxh7 Rh8 18. Bd3 Nxd3+ 19. cxd3 Bd7 20. Be3 0-0-0 21. Kf2 e5 22. Ne2 Bg4 23. h3 Bh5 24. d4 Bxe2 25. Kxe2 exd4 26. cxd4 Nxd4+ 27. Kf2 b6 28. Rhd1 Ne6 29. Rac1+ Kb7 30. Rxd8 Rxd8 31. h4 Rh8 32. g3 b5 33. Kf3 a5 34. Ke4 Re8 35. Kf3 Rh8 36. Rc3 f5 37. Rd3 Kc6 38. Bd2 Ra8 39. Bc3 Kc5 40. Bf6 b4 41. h5 Ra7 42. Re3 Kd6 43. Be5+ Kd5 44. Bb2 Kd6 45. Rd3+ Kc5 46. Rd2 Rh7 47. Rh2 Kd6 48. a4 Ke7 49. g4 f4 50. Rd2 1–0 Smyslov – Botvinnik, World Chess Championship 1954, Moscow 1954, match game 7.
11. Qd2. Not too probing, but quite interesting, is 11. Bd2 Bd7 12. dxc5 0-0-0 13. Ng3 Ne5 14. Nxe4 Nxe4 15. Qxe4 Nc6 16. Qe3 Ne7 17. c4 Qc7 18. f3? (unnecessary) 18. ... Nf5 19. Qf2?? (self-destructing) 19. ... Qe5+ 0–1 Smyslov – Kohn, 30-board simultaneous exhibition, Columbus 1976.
11. ... Bd7 12. Bb2 0-0-0 13. 0-0-0 Qa4 14. c4 cxd4 15. Nxd4 e5 16. Nxc6 Bxc6 17. Qe1 Rxd1+ 18. Qxd1 Rd8. 18. ... Qa5!? was also good, if not better.
19. Qe1 Nd7 20. Be2 f5. 20. ... e3! seems fine for Black.
21. Qb4

21. ... a5? After this horrible error, Black’s position disintegrates like dust. However unpleasant it might be, Black had to go through 21. ... Qxb4 22. axb4 b6 with some hopes of survival.
22. Qd6! 22. Qe7! e3 23. f3 may transpose into the game.
22. ... e3 23. f3 Nb6 24. Qxe5 Rd2

25. Bd3 Nd7 (25. ... Nc4?? 26. Qxf5++−)
26. Qxe3 Rxg2 27. Re1 Kb8 28. Qf4+ Ka7 29. Qd4+ Ka6 30. Re8 Nb6. If 30. ... b6 then 31. Ra8+! Kb7 (31. ... Bxa8 32. c5++−) 32. Qh8 with a mating attack.
31. c5+ Bb5 32. Qxa4 Bxd3. Or 32. ... Nxa4 33. Ra8#.
33. cxb6 1 : 0.

Twenty-five Minutes from Broadway

Elena Sedina – 侯逸凡 (Hóu Yìfán)

Women’s World Chess Championship Knockout Tournament; tie-break game 1; time control: 25 minutes plus 10 seconds per move; Nalchik, September 6, 2008

Sicilian Defence B53

1. e4 c5 2. Nf3 d6 3. d4 cxd4 4. Qxd4 a6 5. c4 Nc6 6. Qd1 Bg4 7. Be3!? A novelty instead of 7. Be2 g6 8. 0-0 Bg7 9. h3 Bxf3 10. Bxf3 Nf6 11. Nc3 0-0 12. Be3 Rc8 13. Rc1 Qa5 14. Qb3 Nd7 15. a3 Nc5 16. Qd1 Ne6 17. Be2 Ned4 18. Bd3 e6 19. Bb1 b5 20. cxb5 axb5 21. Nd5 exd5 22. exd5 Ne5 23. Rxc8 Ndf3+ 24. gxf3 Rxc8 25. Qe2 Qa8 26. Ba2 b4 27. f4 Nd7 28. Qb5 Nc5 29. axb4 Qxa2 30. bxc5 dxc5 31. Bxc5 Rd8 32. Qb7 Qc4 33. Be7 Qxd5 34. Qxd5 Rxd5 35. b4 Bf8 36. Bxf8 Kxf8 37. Rb1 Ke7 38. Kg2 Kd6 39. b5 Kc7 40. Re1 Rxb5 41. Re7+ Kd6 42. Rxf7 Rh5 43. Kg3 Ke6 44. Ra7 Kf6 45. Kg4 h6 ½–½ Vasiukov – Rashkovsky, 48th USSR Chess Championship, Vilnius 1980. In her notes for Torre & Cavallo Scacco!, No. 11, November 2008, pp. 15-16, Sedina attached an exclamation mark to her last move, as “White tries to exploit the weakness of the squares b6 and b7 after Black’s premature light-square Bishop”.
7. ... g6 8. Nc3 Nf6 9. Nd5 Nxd5 10. cxd5 Ne5 11. Qb3 Bxf3 12. gxf3 Bg7. “This is probably a right decision, for Black cannot afford to waste another tempi; for instance: 12. ... Nxf3+ 13. Ke2 Ne5 14. f4 Nd7 (after 14. ... Ng4 15. Bb6 Qd7 16. Rc1 Rc8 17. Rxc8+ Qxc8 18. Qa4+ Qd7 19. Qxd7+ Kxd7 20. Bh3 f5 21. Rc1 White’s advantage is decisive) 15. Bh3 Bg7 16. Qxb7 Nc5 17. Qc6+ Kf8 18. e5! and White stands much better”. (Sedina).
13. f4. “I didn’t like the alternative 13. Bb6 on account of 13. ... Qd7 14. f4 Qg4! 15. fxe5 Qxe4+ 16. Kd2 Bh6+ 17. Be3 Bxe3+ 18. fxe3 dxe5 with an unclear position”. (Sedina).
13. ... Nd7. “On 13. ... Nf3+ there would follow 14. Ke2 Nh4 15. Bh3 and the h4-Knight is completely out of play”. (Sedina).
14. Bh3 0-0 15. Qxb7 Nf6 16. Bg2 Ng4 17. 0-0 e5

18. h3? “Apparently, I did not remember the en passant rule! After 18. dxe6! fxe6 (there is nothing to fear from 18. ... Qh4; for example: 19. exf7+ Kh8 20. h3 Nxe3 21. fxe3 Rab8 22. Qxa6 Rxb2 23. Rab1 Rc2 24. Qa4 Re2 25. Rf3 and White’s material advantage should guarantee her a win, even though the conversion is far from simple) 19. Rad1 Rb8 20. Qxa6 Rxb2 21. Bc1! and White should win (bad is 21. Qxd6?? due to 21. ... Qh4 22. h3 Nxe3 23. fxe3 Qg3 and it is Black who wins)”. (Sedina).
18. ... Nxe3 19. fxe3 exf4 20. exf4 a5! “Black equalised — and eventually even managed to win the game”. (Sedina).
21. Rab1 Rb8 22. Qc6 Bxb2 23. Kh2?! 23. Kh1 seems to be a better square for the King, but then Black would probably continue 23. ... Rb4 with an edge.
23. ... Qe7 24. Qc2 Bd4 25. Rxb8 Rxb8 26. Qa4 Bc3 27. Qc4 Bf6 28. Rc1 g5

29. e5? After this mistake — probably due to Sedina’s time shortage — it’s all over. 29. Qe2! still offered hope.
29. ... dxe5 30. f5 Kg7 31. Rd1 Qd6 32. Qc6 Be7 33. Rc1 e4+ 34. Kh1 Qe5 35. f6+ Bxf6 36. d6 e3 37. d7 e2 38. Re1 Rb1! 39. Qxf6+ Qxf6 40. Rxb1 Qd6 41. Re1 Qxd7 42. Kg1 Qd4+ 43. Kh2 Qd2 0–1.

Pit Stop

Elena Sedina – 侯逸凡 (Hóu Yìfán)

Women’s World Chess Championship Knockout Tournament; match game 2; Nalchik, September 5, 2008

Sicilian Defence B53

Notes by International Master Elena Sedina, Torre & Cavallo Scacco!, No. 11, November 2008, pp. 15-16.

1. e4 c5 2. Nf3 d6 3. d4. I think my opponent was already a bit surprised by my 3rd move, as in the last years I have always played here 3. Bb5+.
3. ... cxd4 4. Qxd4!? A line especially (and successfully) played by Sergio Mariotti in the 1970s, which was recently reintroduced at high level by super Grandmaster Gata Kamsky. I had prepared it, together with Grandmaster Arthur Kogan, especially for my first round opponent, Irina Krush of United States. [...] Irina then did not take part in the tournament, but my careful preparation proved not to have been in vain...
4. ... Nc6. In the first tie-break game the young Chinese preferred 4. ... a6 [...].
5. Bb5 Nf6. Here is a brilliant win by the young Chinese prodigy from the World Championship under-20 which was held a little time before than the Women’s World Championship: 5. ... Bd7 6. Bxc6 Bxc6 7. Nc3 h6 8. Be3 e5 9. Qc4 Nf6 10. 0-0-0 Qc8 11. Qd3 a6 12. Nh4! b5 13. f4 b4 14. fxe5 dxe5 15. Nd5 Bb5 16. Qd2 Qc6 17. Nf3! Nd7 18. Nxb4 Qc4 19. Nd5 Qxa2 20. Nc7+ Kd8 21. Qc3! Qa1+ 22. Kd2 Qa4 23. Nd5 Rc8 24. Bb6+ Nxb6 25. Nxb6 1–0 侯逸凡 (Hóu Yìfán) – Arun Prasad, 47th World Junior Chess Championship U-20, Gaziantep 2008.
6. Nc3 Bd7 7. Bxc6 bxc6? It’s a trivial and rather unexpected mistake, especially because it was committed by a player who has already achieved all the Grandmaster norms. The theoretical (and logic) move is certainly 7. ... Bxc6. Probably 侯逸凡 (Hóu Yìfán), who occasionally plays this variation as White, had her reasons to avoid the main line...
8. e5 dxe5 9. Nxe5 e6. On 9. ... Qb6 White would play 10. Qc4 provoking the advance 10. ... e6 anyway.
10. 0-0 Be7 11. Rd1. The outcome of the opening is not satisfactory for Black: in addition to her spoiled Pawn structure, she is also behind in development.
11. ... Qb6 12. Qc4. A valid alternative could be 12. Qd3!? with the idea of Qd3-g3.
12. ... Rd8 13. Bg5 h6. 13. ... Qxb2 loses quickly due to 14. Rab1 Qa3 (or 14. ... Qxc2 15. Nxd7 Nxd7 16. Bxc7 Kxc7 17. Nd5+) 15. Bxf6 Bxf6 16. Nxd7 Bxc3 17. Qxc6 Ke7 18. Rb3 winning in both cases.
14. Be3! After the more obvious 14. Nxd7?! Nxd7 15. Bxe7 Kxe7 16. Ne4 Nf6 17. Nxf6 Kxf6 it would not have been easy to exploit the exposed position of the Black King. The key idea of the Bishop move is to transfer it to c5 trying to exchange Black’s dark-square Bishop and preventing her from castling.
14. ... Qc7. Also after 14. ... Qxb2 15. Rab1 Qxc2 the winning idea is always the same: 16. Bc5! Nd5 (after 16. ... Bxc5 17. Qxc5 Black cannot defend against White’ numerous threats) 17. Bxe7 Qxc3 18. Qxc3 Nxc3 19. Bxd8 Nxd1 20. Rxd1 and finally White remains a piece ahead.
15. Nxd7 Rxd7. On 15. ... Nxd7 there would follow 16. Nb5.
16. Rxd7 Qxd7 17. Rd1

17. ... Nd5? After this move Black ends up in a desperate position. The best try for counterplay would have been 17. ... Qb7 18. Bc5 0-0! 19. Bxe7 Qxe7 20. Qxc6 Qb4 and White must work very hard to convert her extra Pawn.
18. Bc5 Qb7. Now the previous variation 18. ... 0-0 19. Bxe7 Qxe7 20. Qxc6 is certainly favourable to White.
19. Nxd5 exd5?! Black’s decision to stay with the King in the centre is hard to understand. The variation 19. ... cxd5 was certainly to be preferred, even though after 20. Qa4+ Qd7 21. Qb4! (the ending after 21. Qxa7 Qxa7 22. Bxa7 Kd7 23. c4 is almost impossible to win) 21. ... a5 22. Qa3 Qc7 23. Bxe7 Qxe7 24. Qa4+ Qd7 25. Qxa5 0-0 26. c4 and White should manage to convert an extra Pawn.
20. Qe2 Kd8 21. Bd4! At this stage, exchanges definitely favour Black.
21. ... Re8 22. Re1! Keeping the Black pieces tied up is more important than immediate material gain. After 22. Bxg7?! Bg5 23. Qf3 Qe7 White would allow Black to recoordinate her forces.
22. ... f6 23. Qe3 Qc7

24. b4! Preventing Black from continuing ... c6-c5. For this reason the move 24. Bxa7?! would not be so good after 24. ... c5.
24. ... f5 25. Bxg7. The time of the harvest has finally come: the end is very near for Black. The rest of the game is of little interest.
25. ... Rg8 26. Be5 Qb7 27. Qxh6 Qxb4 28. c3 Qg4 29. Bg3 Rg6 30. Qh8+ Kd7 31. Qb8 Qg5 32. Qc7+ Ke8 33. h4 Qf6 34. h5 Rg4 35. Bd6 Re4 36. Qxc6+ Kf8 37. Bxe7+ Qxe7 38. Rxe4 Qxe4 39. Qa8+ Ke7 40. Qxa7+ Kd6 41. Qd4 Qb1+ 42. Kh2 Ke6 43. h6 Qb7 44. Qg7 Qb8+ 45. g3 Qb2 46. Kg2 1–0. In conclusion, although, after all, this win was not enough to allow me go through the round, it will remain as one of the highest achievements of my career. Now, after overcoming the bitterness of the lost tie-breaker, I thought that in any case being eliminated in the eighth-finals extra time by the World Championship finalist was not such a little thing...

Helpless

侯逸凡 (Hóu Yìfán) – Elena Sedina

Women’s World Chess Championship Knockout Tournament; match game 1; Nalchik, September 4, 2008

French Defence C10

1. e4 e6 2. d4 d5 3. Nc3 dxe4 4. Nxe4 Nd7 5. Nf3 Ngf6 6. Nxf6+ Nxf6 7. Bd3 c5 8. 0-0 cxd4 9. Nxd4 Be7 10. b3 0-0 11. Bb2 a6 12. Re1 Qc7 13. Qf3 Re8 14. Qh3!?TN (15. Rad1 Bd7 16. Qh3 g6 17. Nf3 Bb5 ½–½ Kovalev – Itkis, Alushta 1997)
14. ... e5 15. Nf5 Bxf5 16. Qxf5 Bd6 17. g3 Rad8 18. Rad1 Qe7 19. Re2 g6 20. Qg5 Kg7 21. Qh4 h6 22. f4 Nd7?? In her hurry to exchange Queens and simplify things, Sedina commits a gross blunder. Correct was 22. ... Qc7 23. Rf1 Bc5+ 24. Kg2 Qc6+ 25. Rf3 Bd4 with rough equality.
23. Qxe7 Rxe7 24. Be4 Nf8 25. Kg2 f6 26. fxe5 fxe5 27. Red2 Red7

28. Rxd6! 1–0.

Sedina glances around the room as if she’s searching for help. Photo: Russian Chess Federation.

A street to be named after Bobby Fischer

A petition with the aim of naming a street after Robert James “Bobby” Fischer in Belgrade is gaining momentum:

• Pat Anđelković, “What’s In A Name?”, BalkanInsight.com, Ocotober 13, 2008.

Turning Tables

侯逸凡 (Hóu Yìfán) – Alexandra Konstantinovna Kosteniuk

1st World Mind Sports Games; Women’s Teams Blitz Tournament; time control: 3 minutes plus 2 seconds per move; 北京 (Běijīng), October 10, 2008

Giuoco Piano C54

1. e4 e5 2. Bc4 Nc6 3. Nf3 Bc5 4. c3 Nf6 5. d3 a6 6. Bb3 Ba7 7. h3 0-0 8. 0-0 d6 9. Nbd2 Kh8 10. Re1 Nh5 11. Nf1 f5. 11. ... Qf6 (Lane – Anand, 75th British Chess Championship, Blackpool 1988) is probably best here.
12. Ng5 Qe8 (12. ... g6 13. Nf7+ Rxf7 14. Bxf7 fxe4 15. Bd5⩲)

13. Bf7! Rxf7 14. Qxh5 g6 15. Nxf7+ Qxf7 16. Qe2 (16. Qf3! f4 17. Be3⩲/±)
16. ... f4 17. Nh2 g5 18. b4 Bd7 19. Bb2 Rg8 20. d4 h5 21. Red1 g4 22. hxg4? 22. Kh1!∞ was called for. Now Black’s attack suddenly becomes irresistible.
22. ... hxg4 23. g3 Qh5 24. Rd2 Rg7 25. gxf4 exf4 26. Qf1 g3 27. fxg3 fxg3 28. Qf8+ Kh7 29. Kh1 Bh3 30. Qf3 Qh6 31. Re2 Ne5! 32. Qf8 0 : 1.

L’Ombre chinoise

侯逸凡 (Hóu Yìfán) – Mathilde Choisy
Trophée Multicoms; 3rd China–France Match; Paris, September 6, 2006
Sicilian Defence B93

1. e4 c5 2. Nf3 d6 3. d4 cxd4 4. Nxd4 Nf6 5. Nc3 a6 6. f4 e5 7. Nf3 Nbd7 8. a4 Be7 9. Bd3 0-0 10. 0-0 Nc5 11. Kh1 d5 12. Nxe5 Ncxe4 13. Bxe4 dxe4 14. Qe2 Bf5 15. g4 Be6? Best is 15. ... Bc8 16. Rd1 Qe8 17. g5 Nd7 18. Nc4 f6 19. Nd5 fxg5 20. fxg5 b5 21. axb5 e3 22. Bxe3 Bxg5 23. Nd6 Qe5 24. Qc4 Kh8 25. Bxg5 axb5 26. Qe4 Rxa1 27. Rxa1 Qxg5 28. Rg1 Qe5 29. Qxe5 Nxe5 30. Nxc8 Rxc8 31. Re1 Nc6 32. c3 Kg8 33. Ne7+ Nxe7 34. Rxe7 b4 35. cxb4 Rc2 36. b3 Rc3 37. Kg2 Rxb3 38. Rb7 h6 39. b5 Kh7 40. Rb6 ½–½ 侯逸凡 (Hóu Yìfán) – Najer, 7th Aeroflot Open, Moscow 2008.
16. f5 Bd5? 16. ... Qc7! may give more scope for complications.
17. Rd1 Bd6 18. Nxd5 Bxe5 19. Bg5!? 19. Ne3 Nd7 20. g5 was probably the most methodical and scientific way of tightening the grip.
19. ... Qe8! 20. Bxf6 gxf6. 20. ... Bxf6!? was also worth considering, as after 21. Nc7 Qc6 22. Nxa8 Rxa8 Black’s exceptionally strong dark-square Bishop may well offer compensation for the Exchange.
21. Ra3

21. ... Rd8? After 21. ... h6 22. Rh3 Kg7 23. Rxh6! Rh8 (not 23. ... Kxh6? because of 24. Qe3+ Kg7 25. g5!+− with a mating attack) 24. Rh5±→ White would retain both material advantage and the attack. Black’s best was probably 21. ... Kh8!, so she could reply to 22. Rh3 with 22. ... Rg8 apparently avoiding the worst consequences.
22. Rh3. With the deadly threat of g4-g5.
22. ... Rxd5 23. Rxd5 Qc6 24. c4 Qxa4 25. g5 Qa1+ 26. Rd1 Qxb2 27. Qh5 Re8 28. g6! fxg6 29. Qxh7+ Kf8 30. Qh8+ 1–0.

丝绸之路 (Silk Road)

侯逸凡 (Hóu Yìfán) – Tiberiu-Marian Georgescu
47th World Junior Chess Championship; Gaziantep, August 4, 2008
Sicilian Defence B25

1. e4 c5 2. Nc3 Nc6 3. Bb5 Nd4 4. Nf3 g6 5. Bc4 Bg7 6. Nxd4 cxd4 7. Qf3 Nh6 8. Ne2 0-0 9. d3 d6. 9. ... Ng4! 10. Bb3 d6 11. 0-0 а5 12. а4 Nе5 13. Qg3 Nd7 14. Qh4 Nc5 15. Bg5 Rе8 is possibly Black’s best defence, Najer – Tiviakov, 37th International Chess Tournament, Groningen 1999.
10. Qg3 Kh8?! 10. ... Ng4 was still worth considering: 11. 0-0 Ne5 12. Bb3 Nd7 (12. ... a5! 13. a4 Nd7 14. f4 Nc5 is a substantial improvement, Borsuk – Azarov, 74th Belarusian Chess Championship, Minsk 2008) 13. f4 Nc5 14. f5 Nxb3 15. cxb3! Qa5 16. Qh4 gxf5? 17. exf5 Qe5 18. Ng3 Bf6 19. Qh5 Bd7 20. Bh6 Rfc8 21. Rae1 Qd5 22. Ne4 Qe5 23. Ng5 Qd5 24. Rf3 Bxf5 25. Rxf5! Qxf5 26. Qxf7+ Kh8 27. Bg7+! 1–0 T. A. Kosintseva – Shumiakina, 54th Russian Women’s Chess Championship, Kazan 2004.
11. h4! f6 12. h5 g5 13. f4. Here 侯逸凡 (Hóu Yìfán) has probably let slip most of her advantage: after 13. Nxd4! f5 14. c3 Qc7 15. Bxg5 fxe4 16. 0-0 White would stand much better.
13. ... Bg4 14. Nxd4 gxf4 15. Bxf4 e5 16. Bxh6 Bxh6 17. Qxg4 Qa5+ 18. c3 exd4 19. 0-0 dxc3 20. bxc3 Qxc3 21. Rab1 b6 22. Rb5 a6 23. Rbf5 b5 24. Bd5 Rae8 25. Qg3 Qd4+ 26. Kh1 Re5 27. Kh2 Bg5?? A huge blunder that allows an elegant conclusion.

28. Qxg5! fxg5 29. Rxf8+ Kg7 30. R1f6! 1–0. Mate is unavoidable.

Relaxing backstage

Violinists Vladimir Tsypin, left, and Mark Ginsburg relaxing backstage at at National Centre for the Performing Arts in 北京 (Běijīng), China. Photo: Chang W. Lee/The New York Times.

The Twelfth Queen

Alexandra Konstantinovna Kosteniuk – 侯逸凡 (Hóu Yìfán)

Women’s World Chess Championship Knockout Tournament; Final match game 4; Nalchik, September 17, 2008

Sicilian Defence B85

1. e4 c5 2. Nf3 e6 3. d4 cxd4 4. Nxd4 Nc6 5. Nc3 d6 6. Be3 Nf6 7. Be2 Be7 8. 0-0 a6 9. a4 0-0 10. f4 Qc7 11. Kh1 Bd7 12. Nb3 b6 13. Qe1 Bc8 14. Qg3 Bb7 15. f5 Kh8 16. Rad1!?TN (16. Bg5 Rae8 17. Rad1 Ne5 18. Nd4 Bd8 19. Rf4 Nfd7 20. Bh5 g6 ½ : ½ Drozdov – Okrugin, 10th Chigorin Memorial, Saint Petersburg 2002) 16. ... Rae8 17. fxe6 fxe6 18. Qh3 Bd8 19. Nd4 Nxd4 20. Rxd4 e5 21. Rc4 Qb8 22. Rd1 b5 23. axb5 axb5 24. Nxb5 Nxe4 25. Bd3 Nf6 26. Rh4. Threat: Rh4xh7+. 26. ... e4 27. Be2 Bc8

28. Qg3. In fact, they aim at opposite goals: 侯逸凡 (Hóu Yìfán) must win, Kosteniuk must not lose — which can explain why White does not dare to play 28. g4!? here. 28. ... Ba6 29. c4 Bxb5 30. cxb5 Bb6 31. Bf4 Qa7 32. Bxd6 Bf2 33. Qf4 Nd5 34. Qc1! “In response to 侯逸凡 (Hóu)’s ... Nf6-d5, with a double attack on the White Queen, Alex found 34. Qc1!. Good for Black are, 34. Qg5? Bxh4 35. Qxh4 Qf2 or 34. Qd2? Bxh4 35. Bxf8 Ne3!. (After 34. Qc1 Bxh4 35. Bxf8 Ne3 doesn’t work anymore because of 36. Bc5!)”, Woman Grandmaster Jennifer Shahade wrote in Chess Life, December 2008, p. 27. 34. .. Rc8??! A calculated miscalculation, as 34. ... Bxh4 35. Bxf8 Qf2= is not enough to hope for a win. 35. Qd2 Rfd8 36. Rxh7+ Kxh7 37. Qxd5. Black is on the verge of ruin, and can only speculate on tricky tactics. 37. ... Qe3 38. Bg4 Ra8 39. Qe6 (39. b6+−) 39. ... Kh8 40. Qe7? (40. g3) 40. ... Qh6 41. h3 Qg6 42. Qe5 Bb6 43. Bh5 Qh6 44. Bg4 e3 45. Qe4

45. ... Qf6? (45. ... e2! 46. Bxe2 Rac8∞) 46. Rd5 Ra1+ (46. ... Rxd6 47. Rh5+ Kg8 48. Qxa8+) 47. Kh2 Qxd6+. Because of the threat of Rd5-h5+ there’s nothing else Black can do. 48. Rxd6 Bc7 49. Qf5 Bxd6+ 50. g3 Kg8. Now Kosteniuk can win as she pleases, but she just doesn’t need it — hence, very chivalrously, she concedes a draw by perpetual check. 51. Qd5+ Kf8 52. Qf5+ Ke7 53. Qe6+ Kf8 54. Qf5+ Kg8 55. Qd5+ Kf8 56. Qf5+ ½ : ½.

Kosteniuk became the 12th Women’s World Chess Champion, outpointing the 14-year-old Chinese prodigy 侯逸凡 (Hóu Yìfán), mostly by virtue of her more mature experience and more effective self-control. Photo: chesspics.com.

枣 (Jujube)

侯逸凡 (Hóu Yìfán) – Alexandra Konstantinovna Kosteniuk

Women’s World Chess Championship Knockout Tournament; Final match game 3; Nalchik, September 16, 2008

Spanish Game C88

Notes in quotation marks by Grandmaster Pál Charles Benkő, Chess Life, January 2009. p. 45.

1. e4 e5 2. Nf3 Nc6 3. Bb5 a6 4. Ba4 Nf6 5. 0-0 Be7 6. Re1 b5 7. Bb3 0-0 8. h3 Bb7 9. d3 d5 10. exd5 Nxd5 11. Nxe5 Nd4 12. Nd2 Re8 13. c3!TN (13. Ndf3 Nxb3 14. axb3 f6 15. Ng4 Qd7 16. Bd2 c5 17. Qe2 h5 18. Ngh2 Bd6 19. Qf1 ½–½ Ivanchuk – Svidler, 3rd Aerosvit Chess Tournament, Foros 2008)
13. ... Nxb3 14. Nxb3 c5 15. Qh5 g6 16. Qf3 f6

17. Nxg6 (17. Ng4! h5 18. Nh6+ Kh7 19. Nf5!↑)
17. ... hxg6 18. c4 Qd7 19. cxd5 Bxd5 20. Qg3 g5 21. Be3 Rac8 22. Qg4 Qxg4 23. hxg4 Bd6 24. Rec1 Kf7 25. Nd2 Be5 26. Rc2 Be6 27. Ne4 c4! 27. ... Bxg4 28. Nxc5 Bf5 ensures Black at least a sound equality, but Kosteniuk aims at something more substantial.
28. dxc4 Rxc4 29. Rxc4 bxc4. “Black had sacrificed a Pawn but should retrieve it with two white pawns under fire”.
30. Rd1? “After 30. Bd4! White could have the upper hand (netting a Pawn) 30. ... Bxg4 31. Bxe5 (31. Nxg5+ fxg5 or even 31. ... Kg6 does not give much for White) 31. ... Rxe5 32. Re1 f5 33. Nd6+ Ke6 34. Rxe5+ Kxe5 35. Nxc4+ Kd4, winning a Pawn, though the Black King becomes quite active”.
30. ... Rb8! “After this it is White who must struggle to survive”.
31. b3 cxb3 32. axb3 Rxb3. Material equality is restored, and, futhermore, Black can boast of her Bishop pair and distant passed a-Pawn.
33. Bd4. White cannot but put up a strenuous and ultimately successful defence in a Rook ending a Pawn down.
33. ... Bxg4 34. f3 Bxd4+ 35. Rxd4 Be6 36. Rd6. “Though a Pawn down, White has succeeded in getting rid of the Bishop pair. The Rook naturally intends to get behind the passed Pawn”.
36. ... a5 37. Nc5 Rb1+ 38. Kf2 Bf5 39. Ra6 Rb5 40. Ne4 Bxe4 41. fxe4. “White has managed to escape into a theoretically drawn Rook endgame. The Black King is chained to the f6-Pawn and even trading it would not help”.
41. ... Rb2+ 42. Kf3 Ra2 43. Kg3 a4 44. Kf3 a3 45. Kg3 Ra1 46. Kh2 a2. “Liberating the Black King, but placing the Rook in the pillory”.
47. Kg3 Ke7 48. Kh2 Kd7 49. Kg3 Kc7 50. Kh2 Kb7 51. Ra3 Kb6 52. Ra8 Kb5 53. Rb8+ Kc4 54. Ra8 Kd4 55. Ra4+ Kd3 56. Kg3 Ke3 57. Kh2 Kf4

58. e5+!! Only this way! Any other move would lose; for instance: 58. g3+?? Kf3 and finis.
58. ... Kxe5. “Black’s achievements are but an illusion. This is drawn despite the two Pawns plus”.
59. g4! Kd5 60. Kg2 Kc5 61. Ra8 Kb4 62. Ra6. Claiming a draw two Pawns down is a success of which 侯逸凡 (Hóu Yìfán) can be proud.
62. ... Kc4 63. Ra3 Kd4 64. Ra6 Ke5 65. Ra4 Ke6. “Even if Black could trade the f6-Pawn for the g4 one, the position is a draw”.
66. Ra8 Ke5 67. Ra4 Re1 68. Rxa2 Kf4 69. Rf2+ Kxg4 70. Rxf6 Re2+ 71. Kg1 Kg3 72. Rf1 ½–½. “Kosteniuk ironically commented that Tarrasch was right in saying that every Rook ending is a draw. She also expressed her belief that 侯 (Hóu) will be a world champion one day”.

It should be noted, if only for curiosity’s sake, that 侯逸凡 (Hóu Yìfán) usually fills her inseparable pot with jujube red dates. Photo: chesspics.com.

午夜快車 (Midnight Express)

Alexandra Konstantinovna Kosteniuk – 侯逸凡 (Hóu Yìfán)

Women’s World Chess Championship Knockout Tournament; Final match game 2; Nalchik, September 15, 2008

French Defence C07

Notes in quotation marks by Grandmaster Pál Charles Benkő, Chess Life, January 2009. p. 45.

1. e4 e6 2. d4 d5 3. Nd2 c5 4. Ngf3 cxd4 5. exd5 Qxd5 6. Bc4 Qd6 7. Qe2 Nf6 8. Nb3 Nc6 9. Bg5 Qb4+ 10. Bd2 Qb6 11. 0-0-0 Bd7 12. Bg5 h6 13. Bh4 Bc5 14. Kb1!?TN 0-0-0 15. Bg3 Nh5 16. Be5 f6 17. Nxc5 Qxc5 18. Bxd4 Nxd4 19. Rxd4 e5 20. Rd5 Qc7 21. g3 g5 22. Rhd1 Ng7 23. Nd2 Bc6 24. Rd3 Rxd3 25. Bxd3 f5 26. f3 Re8 27. Re1

27. ... h5? This is clearly an oversight. Correct was 27. ... Kb8! in order to answer 28. Qe3 by 28. ... f4 with approximately balanced play. 28. Qe3 g4 29. fxg4 e4 30. Be2 hxg4 31. Qxa7 b6 32. Qa3 Rd8 33. Qb4 Ne6 34. Nc4 b5 35. Ne3 Nd4 36. c4. Black is in serious trouble, being a Pawn down and hard pressed; hence she offers to exchange Queens, hoping for a little relief. 36. ... Qd6 37. Qxd6 Rxd6. “The Queens have just been exchanged and White snags a second extra Pawn — and so should win — but...”. 38. cxb5 Nxe2 (38. ... Bd7 39. Rd1+−) 39. bxc6. “Not bad but even stronger was the intermediate move 39. Nxf5!”. 39. ... Nd4 40. Rf1. 8th Women’s World Chess Champion Zsuzsa Polgár regards 40. Rd1 as a technically stronger move. 40. ... Kc7 41. Nxf5 Nxf5 42. Rxf5 Kxc6 43. Re5. “The Rook ending can be won in any of several ways but White plays inaccurately. The best here is 43. Kc1 (if 43. Kc2 Rh6 or 43. Rf4 Kd5; 43. Rg5 Rd2)”. 43. ... Rd4 44. Kc1. “The right path here was either 44. Rg5 or 44. Kc2 Kd6 45. Re8 Kd7 46. Rf8 since after 46. ... e3 47. Rf4! could have come”. 44. ... Kd6 45. Re8 Kd7 46. Rf8 Ke6

47. Rf4? This rush to the third Pawn proves dramatically wrong, as Black’s e-Pawn gets all the stage for itself, eventually allowing 侯逸凡 (Hóu Yìfán) to escape with a miracolous draw. 47. ... Ke5 48. Rxg4? “Once again it is proven true that it is not the quantity of Pawns, but their quality that is most important. After this greedy capture, Black’s last Pawn becomes a super power. The position was still possible to improve by playing 48. Rf8 Rd6 49. Re8+ Kf5 50. Rb8 Rh6 51. Kd2 Rxh2+ 52. Ke3 Rg2 53. Rb5+ Ke6 54. Kxe4, with winning chances”. 48. ... Rd8! 49. Rg5+ (49. a4?? e3 50. Rg7 Kf6 51. Rg4 e2 52. Re4 Rd1+−+) 49. ... Kf6 50. Rc5 e3 51. Rc2 Kf5 52. a4 Ke4 53. Rc4+ (53. a5?? Kf3 52. a6 e2−+) 53. ... Kd3 54. Rc3+ Ke4. “There was nothing better left for either party than to repeat moves, holding on for a draw. Thus 54. ... Ke2?! 55. Rc7 Kf2 56. Rf7+ Ke1 57. b4 e2 58. Kc2 could have been dangerous for Black”. 55. Rc4+ Kd3 56. Rc3+ Ke4 57. Rc4+ Kd3 ½ : ½.

As she was on verge of losing her second game in a row, 侯逸凡 (Hóu Yìfán) managed an incredible escape thanks to her superb endgame technique. Photo: chesspics.com.

At First Bite

侯逸凡 (Hóu Yìfán) – Alexandra Konstantinovna Kosteniuk

Women’s World Chess Championship Knockout Tournament; Final match game 1; Nalchik, September 14, 2008

Spanish Game C90

Notes by Alexandra Konstantinovna Kosteniuk, Chess Life Online, December 8, 2008.

The first game of any match is very important. If the match is short it’s even more important since a good start means a lot. I was very happy to begin the match (for the first time in the championship) with the black pieces.

1. e4 e5 2. Nf3 Nc6 3. Bb5 a6 4. Ba4 Nf6 5. 0-0 Be7 6. Re1 b5 7. Bb3 0-0 8. a3

An unexpected move. I was not ready for this variation. I thought she would opt for a different kind of Anti-Marshall starting with 8. a4. 8. ... d6. Since I didn’t know much about this kind of variation, I tried to use my logic in order to solve the opening problems. Magnus Carlsen used this variation twice with White this year and had pretty good results with it, although I doubt it was purely a question of the opening. Those two games went:
a) 8. ... Bc5 9. c3 d6 10. d4 Bb6 11. h3 Re8 12. Bg5 h6 13. Bh4 exd4 14. cxd4 g5 15. Bg3 g4 16. hxg4 Bxg4 17. Bh4 Nxd4 18. Nc3 Bxf3 19. gxf3 Kh8 20. Nd5 Rg8+ 21. Kf1 Ng4 22. Qxd4+ Bxd4 23. Bxd8 Nh2+ 24. Ke2 Raxd8 25. Rad1 Bxb2 26. Rh1 c6 27. Nf4 Be5 28. Nd3 Nxf3 29. Kxf3 Bg7 30. Rh5 d5 31. exd5 Rd6 32. Rf5 cxd5 33. Rc1 Rf6 34. Rxf6 Bxf6 35. Rc6 Kg7 36. Nf4 Bg5 37. Nh5+ Kh8 38. Rxa6 d4 39. Ke4 Rg6 40. Ra7 1 : 0 Carlsen – Aronian, 25th Torneo Internacional de Ajedrez Ciudad de Linares – Morelia, Morelia 2008;
b) 8. ... Bc5 9. c3 d6 10. h3 Bb6 11. d3 h6 12. Nbd2 Ne7 13. Nf1 Ng6 14. Ng3 Bb7 15. Nf5 Bc8 16. d4 Be6 17. dxe5 Bxb3 18. Qxb3 dxe5 19. Qc2 Re8 20. c4 bxc4 21. Qxc4 Qd7 22. Be3 Qe6 23. Qxe6 Rxe6 24. g3 Rb8 25. Bd2 Nf8 26. Bc3 N8d7 27. Re2 Rbe8 28. Nd2 Nc5 29. Kg2 Na4 30. Rc1 Rc6 31. Ne3 Nxc3 32. Rxc3 Rxc3 33. bxc3 Ba5 34. Nd1 Rd8 35. Nc4 Rxd1 36. Nxa5 Rd3 37. Nc4 Rxc3 38. Nxe5 Rxa3 39. f3 Ra5 40. Nc6 Rc5 41. Nd4 a5 42. Ra2 Rc4 43. Nf5 a4 44. Ne3 Rc3 45. Kf2 a3 46. Nc2 Nd7 47. Nxa3 Ne5 48. f4 Nd3+ 49. Kg2 Nb4 50. Rb2 c5 51. Nb5 Rd3 52. e5 g5 53. fxg5 hxg5 54. Nd6 Re3 ½ : ½ Carlsen – Lékó, 17th Amber Blindfold Chess Tournament, Nice 2008.
9. c3 Bg4. During the game I was interested in transposing to a Marshall by playing ... d6-d5. Would the s2-a3 move be helpful for White? Since I couldn’t understand the difference between a normal Marshall and a Marshall with a2-a3 I finally decided not to play ... d6-d5. After the game I found a game between Suetin and Lilienthal where Andor played 9. ... d5 10. exd5 Nxd5 11. Nxe5 Nxe5 12. Rxe5 c6 13. d4 Bd6 14. Re1 Qh4 15. g3 Qh3 16. Be3 Bg4 17. Qd3 Rae8 18. Nd2 Re6 and even though here Suetin played using the fact that the Pawn is on a3, 19. c4 (19. a4 would lead to a very well-known theoretical position of the main Marshall variation) Black could have played 19. ... Bf4! (19. ... bxc4 20. Nxc4 Rb8 21. Bc2 Nxe3 22. Nxe3 Bf3 23. Qf5 Qxf5 24. Bxf5 Rf6 25. b4 Bf8 26. Bd3 Rd8 27. Nc2 Ra8 28. Re5 Bd5 29. Rae1 Rd6 30. Be4 Be6 31. Rd1 Be7 32. Rc5 1 : 0 Suetin – Lilienthal, Kislovodsk 1967. 10. d3 Na5 11. Bc2. I was a little bit surprised to see this move. I thought that the Bishop would go to a2. 11. ... c5 12. h3 Bd7! 13. d4 Qc7 14. d5. After this move we have a Classical Chigorin with the strange move a2-a3 and an extra tempo for Black. Since I play this kind of structure for White I knew the basic ideas and plans for both sides and that gave me a practical advantage. 14. ... c4 15. Nbd2 Nb7 16. Nf1 Nc5 17. g4?!

A very risky move. Keres was the first to use this move in the position with the Pawn on a2 and the Knight on b7. I knew this idea since not so long ago, in a blitz game I unsuccesfuly tried to use this plan for White. I would suggest a normal move such as 17. Ng3 or 17. N3h2 for White. 17. ... h5! Of course Black didn’t want to allow White to put her Knight on g3. 18. N3h2? Here White shouldn’t allow Black to close the g-file. 侯 (Hóu) should have played 18. gxh5 Bxh3 and only here 19. N3h2 hoping to use an open g-file for the attack. 18. ... hxg4 19. hxg4 Qc8. Forcing White to weaken the black squares. 20. f3 Nh7 21. Ng3 Bg5 22. Nf5!? An interesting idea, but only if 侯 (Hóu) finds the most brave continuation. 22. ... Qd8 23. Kg2 g6 24. Ng3. After this move, Black’s advantage is unquestionable. White should have tried to complicate the game with 24. Nxd6!? Bxc1 25. Qxc1 Qf6 26. Nf5 gxf5 27. gxf5 Qg5+ 28. Ng4 and despite the extra piece, Black has to be very careful. For example after 28. ... Qxc1 29. Raxc1 f6 30. Rh1 Kg7 31. Rcg1 White has very strong compensation for the Knight. 24. ... Kg7 25. Rh1 Rh8 26. Nhf1 Qf6 27. Be3 Bxe3 28. Nxe3 Ng5 29. Qe2 Rag8?! I didn’t see how to continue and decided simply to wait. I think I should have played 29. ... Nd3!? 30. Bxd3 cxd3 31. Qf2 Qf4 32. Rad1 and it seems that the d3-Pawn will be lost in a few more moves. But it’s not that easy: 32. ... a5 33. Rxd3 [33. Rxh8 Rxh8 34. Rxd3 (34. Nef1 Qf6! preparing the f4 square for the Knight 35. Rxd3 Nh3 36. Qe3 Nf4+ 37. Kg1 Nxd3 38. Qxd3 Qf4 and Black should be winning soon) 34. ... Nxe4! 35. fxe4 Rh2+) 33. ... Rxh1 34. Nxh1 (34. Kxh1? Nh3!) 34. ... Nxe4 35. Qe2 Rh8 with attack. 30. Raf1 Qf4 31. Rxh8? 侯 (Hóu) couldn’t handle the pressure and decided to exchange the Rooks forgetting about a very strong resource that Black will have after this exchange. She should have continued the game by playing 31. Qf2 and I’m not sure what I would have played. During the game I was thinking about playing on the Queenside. Although Black’s position is better, it is unclear how to get something concrete from this small advantage. 31. ... Rxh8 32. Rh1 Rxh1 33. Nxh1 Nd3!

After this move the White’s position collapses like a house of cards. 34. Bxd3. After 34. Ng3 Black would continue 34. ... Nxf3 35. Bxd3 Nh4+ 36. Kh3 cxd3 37. Qxd3 Nf3 dominating the game. 34. ... cxd3 35. Qf2 d2 36. Ng3 Nxf3! Of course not 36. ... Qxe3 37. Qxe3 d1=Q 38. Qxg5 giving White some initiative. 37. Qxf3 Bxg4! After this move the game is practically over and I was precise till the very end. 38. Qf2 d1=Q 39. Nxd1 Bxd1 40. Qe1 Bf3+ 41. Kg1 f5 42. exf5 gxf5 43. Qf2 Kg6 44. b3 e4 45. c4 bxc4 46. bxc4 Qg5 47. c5 f4 48. cxd6

48. ... fxg3. The last precise moment. It was still possible to lose the game: 48. ... Qxg3+?? 49. Qxg3+ fxg3 50. d7. 0 : 1.

侯逸凡 (Hóu Yìfán) on her début in the World Championship Final match took a bitter bite. Photo: chesspics.com.

Sui caedere

Se nella modalità classica gli “Scacchi Matti” à la Paolo Bagnoli sono ormai un cult alla quinta recidiva, negli scacchi960 la casistica suicida-cappellologica è ancora alla preistoria, anche se... per mole e prole gli scacchi cangianti sono il Paese dei Balocchi!

E. Najer – N. Zhukova
Magonza, 2008
[FEN "bnqrkbrn/pppppppp/8/8/8/8/PPPPPPPP/BNQRKBRN"]
Posizione 306

Il virgolettato è del Grande Maestro Ian Rogers, Torre & Cavallo Scacco!, n. 9, settembre 2008, p. 9. 1. c4 c5 2. e3 Dc7 3. Cc3? Dxh2 “Completamente sfuggita a Najer, ed è già una fortuna che possa evitare la cattura della Tg1”. 4. Ce2 Più unica che rara! 4. ... Dc7 Indietro tutta, altrimenti il Bianco si ravvede operosamente con 5. Chg3 e 6. Th1. 5. Chg3 g6 6. b3 Cc6 7. d4 Ag7?! “7. ... d6 sarebbe stata abbastanza solida”. 8. d5 Ce5 9. d6! exd6 10. Cc3 “Qui Natalia Zhukova, spaventata dalla minaccia 11. Cb5, ha giocato sbadatamente...” 10. ... 0-0?? “e dopo” 11. Cd5! “ha dovuto abbandonare, non potendo parare la doppia minaccia 12. Ce7 matto e 12. Cxc7”. 1 : 0. Se infatti 11. ... Da5+ allora 12. b4! +-.

Lékó ricorda Fischer

Intervistato da Janis Nisii all’indomani del successo allo Sparkassen Chess Meeting di Dortmund (Torre & Cavallo Scacco!, n. 9, settembre 2008, pp. 3-6 e p. 30), il Grande Maestro ungherese Péter Lékó, già enfant terrible degli scacchi negli anni ’90, ha ricordato le sue ormai remote frequentazioni con Bobby Fischer:

– Mi puoi parlare delle tue lezioni con Fischer?
– Non ho mai fatto lezioni con Fischer, questa cosa che si dice è frutto di un fraintendimento. No, ho avuto una relazione molto stretta con lui negli ultimi anni in cui ha vissuto in Ungheria. Ci siamo avvicinati molto e siamo diventati amici, ma non credo sia bello parlare di questa amicizia proprio perché era così forte.
– C’era una grossa differenza di età...
– Sì, ma è stato splendido. Abbiamo passato dei momenti magnifici insieme tra il 1998 e il 1999.
– Quindi non prendevi lezioni da lui. Però parlavate di scacchi, immagino, puoi dirci qualcosa?
– No, non prendevo lezioni da lui innanzitutto perché lui non ne dava proprio di lezioni! Ma per me è stato veramente incredibile conoscere la sua visione degli scacchi. Anche se non era tra i top da più di 20 anni, era sorprendente il modo in cui parlava del gioco. Il modo in cui pensa e vede gli scacchi è assolutamente fenomenale [qui, e in altre frasi successive, Peter usa i verbi al presente, come se Fischer fosse ancora vivo... N.d.R.]. Era facile comprendere perché fosse il numero uno in assoluto e perché è diventato una simile leggenda, cosa che prima di incontrarlo non capivo. Credo che la generazione più giovane sia fuorviata dai computer e così tende a pensare che Fischer non giocasse con avversari così bravi, che all’epoca non fossero poi così preparati e cose simili. Poi, quando lo vedi, quando lo incontri, ed è chiaro che non è nel momento del suo fulgore, e ti accorgi di quanto sia ancora così brillante, beh allora inizi a nutrire un tale rispetto... Sono felice di aver avuto quel periodo con lui, perché sono arrivato a conoscerlo bene e ho capito che dentro è un’ottima persona.
– Ti ha ispirato?
– Sì, senza dubbio.
– Ti spingeva ad andare avanti?
– No, lui non spingeva nessuno. Stava spesso da solo, voglio dire, per lo più. Ma per me è stato un periodo molto bello e mi ha ispirato tantissimo.
– Già, non stento a crederlo.

Lékó onorò comunque in vita il “maestro”, allorché a Magonza nel 2001 si consacrò primo Campione del Mondo di scacchi Fischerandom della storia di specialità. Un idillio cominciato in verità nel 1996 a Kanjiza, cittadina serba al confine con l’Ungheria, già covo del “latitante” Fischer nei primi anni ’90, e dove l’allora giovanissimo Péter si impose con 9½ su 11 nel primo torneo di Fischerandom della storia eterodossa.

P. Lékó – L. Abel
Kanjiza, 1996
[FEN "nnrqbkrb/pppppppp/8/8/8/8/PPPPPPPP/NNRQBKRB"]
P59

1. d4 g6 2. Cb3 d6 3. 0-0 Cd7 4. g3 c6 5. c4 0-0 6. Cc3 Cf6 Se 6. ... Cc7 allora 7. Ca5 è spiacevole. 7. Ag2 Ad7 8. h3 Cb6 9. c5 Cbd5 10. e4 Cc7 11. Ad2 Ae6 12. Ah6 Ag7 13. Axg7 Rxg7 14. d5 Iniziativa e vantaggio di spazio son tutti per il Bianco. 14. ... Ad7 15. cxd6 exd6 16. dxc6 Axc6 17. Dd4 Ce6 L’ignava 17. ... b6 è confutata da 18. e5!. 18. Dxa7 b6 19. Da6 Cc5 20. Cxc5 dxc5 21. Tfe1 Con un decisivo Pedone in più al centro. 21. ... Cd7 22. Tcd1 Df6 23. f4 Ta8 24. De2 De7 25. a3 Tfe8 26. Dd2 Cf8 27. e5 Tad8 28. Df2 Db7 29. Axc6 Dxc6 30. Dg2 Dc8 31. Cb5 Txd1 32. Txd1 Td8 33. Cd6 Db8 34. f5! Rintoccano le campane dell’attacco! 34. ... gxf5+ 35. Cxf5+ Rh8 Oppure 35. ... Rg8 36. Ch6+ Rg7 37. Td6. 36. Cd6 Td7 37. Df3 Da7 38. Tf1 Rg8 39. Df6 Da4 40. Cf5 Ce6 41. Ch6+ Rh8 42. Dh8+ 1 : 0. Appena prima di 42. ... Re7 43. Cf5 matto (duale: 43. Txf7 matto).

Regina globale

Dopo la trionfale riconferma al Campionato del Mondo femminile di scacchi960 (Fischerandom) a Magonza (28 luglio-3 agosto 2008), per Alexandra Kosteniuk si apriranno (forse) anche le porte del regno degli scacchi classici, in programma a Nalchik dal 28 agosto al 18 settembre). Al titolo eterodosso la Kosteniuk ha dedicato un circostanziato articolo (in inglese): “How I kept my FiNet Chess960 World Champion title”. Dalla “roulette russa” di Nalchik ecco una scintilla di Sashenka:

A. Kosteniuk (2510) – A. Pourkashiyan (2269)

Nalchik, 29 settembre 2008 Russa C43

Il virgolettato è del Grande Maestro Vladimir Belov, Bulletin, n. 1, p. 28. 1. e4 e5 2. Cf3 Cf6 3. d4 Cxe4 4. Ad3 d5 5. dxe5 Ae7 6. 0-0 Cc6 7. Cc3 Cxc3 8. bxc3 Ag4 9. Te1 Dd7 “In precedenza il Nero aveva optato per l’arrocco corto, che pare più saggio”. 10. h3 Ae6? “Non credo che l’Alfiere sia stato sviluppato in g4 per provocare h2-h3. Il Nero avrebbe dovuto giocare in modo più consono 10. ... Ah5”. 11. Tb1 Tb8 12. Cg5 Axg5 13. Axg5 0-0 14. Df3 “Coppia degli Alfieri, pezzi attivi e buone prospettive di matto – l’esito dell’apertura sembra favorire il Bianco. Nel prosieguo Alexandra sfrutta con successo questi vantaggi”. 14. ... Tfe8 15. Tbd1 Ce7 Esalta l’iniziativa avversaria. Più riottosa era 15. ... b5 onde rispondere a 16. c4 con 16. ... bxc4 17. Axc4 d4. 16. c4! Dc6 Se 16. ... h6 allora 17. Axe7 Txe7 18. cxd5 Axd5 19. Ae4 Axe4 20. Txd7 Axf3 21. Txe7 +-. 17. cxd5 Axd5 18. Dg3 Cg6 18. ... Rh8 è confutata da 19. Axe7 Txe4 20. Dh4. 19. h4 h5 20. f4! Dc5 Improponibile 20. ... Cf8 21. Af6 g6 22. f5 +-. 21. Rh2 Axa2 “Il frutto è maturo, coglilo!”. 22. Af6! gxf6 Se 22. ... Df8 allora 23. Axg6 fxg6 24. Td7 Af7 25. e6 +-. 23. Axg6 fxe5 Dopo 23. ... fxg6 24. Dxg6+ Rf8 25. Dh6+ Rg8 26. exf6 Df8 27. Dg6+ Rh8 27. Td7 il Nero è in ginocchio, ma “23. ... Df8 resisteva un po’ di più”. 24. Td7! Rh8 Oppure 24. ... Te7 25. Txe7 Dxe7 26. Txe5 Df6 27. Ah7+ Rxh7 28. Th5+ +-. 25. Dg5 Df8 26. Dxh5+ Rg7 27. Dh7+ Rf6 28. fxe5+ Txe5 29. Tf1+ Re6 30. Tfxf7 1 : 0.