Monday, January 28, 2008

Time and Chance

许昱华 (Xǔ Yùhuá) – 侯逸凡 (Hóu Yìfán)
2nd “火炬地产杯” (“Torch Real Estate Cup” Chinese Chess League; 北京 (Běijīng), April 4, 2006
Sicilian Defence B52

1. e4 c5 2. Nf3 d6 3. Bb5+ Bd7 4. Bxd7+ Qxd7 5. 0-0 Nf6 6. Qe2 Nc6 7. Rd1 e6 8. b3 Be7 9. Bb2 0-0 10. c4. 10. c3 Rac8 11. Na3 b6 12. d4 cxd4 13. cxd4 d5 is fine for Black, Galego – David, Zonal Tournament, Linares 1995. 10. ... e5! 11. Nc3 Nd4 12. Qd3 Qg4 13. Nxd4 cxd4 14. f3 Qg6 15. Ne2 Rfe8 16. Ng3 Bf8 17. Rf1


17. ... d5! 18. Rac1. Of course, 18. cxd5? Nxd5 is very much in Black’s favour. 18. ... a6 19. Qe2 dxe4 20. fxe4 Qg4 21. Rf3 Qe6 22. Rcf1 Nd7 23. Bc1. 23. Rxf7 Nf6 forces White to give up the Exchange for an uncertain compensation. 23. ... g6. More accurate seems 23. ... f6 followed by ... g7-g6. 24. d3. White could win the Queen and a Pawn for two Rooks by 24. Rxf7, but it wouldn’t be an easy game for her anyway. 24. ... f6 25. h4 Qg4?! (25. ... h5∞) 26. h5!→ Bg7 27. Qe1 Qh4? The Queen stands badly here. 27. ... Qe6 was better and quite good.


28. h6! Bf8 (28. ... Bxh6? 29. Nf5!+−) 29. R1f2? White misses 29. Qa5 (Δ Qa5-d5+) 29. ... b5 30. Qc7 breaking through with powerful effect. 29. ... Qg4 30. Rf1 Qe6 31. Nh1 b5 32. Qh4 Be7 33. Ng3 (33. g4) 33. ... bxc4 34. dxc4 (34. bxc4) 34. ... Bf8 35. Bd2? White ought to continue with Ng3-h1-f2-d3. Now Black easily shatters her opponent’s Queenside. 35. ... a5! 36. a4 Ra6 37. Kh2 Rb8 38. Nh1 Rab6 39. Qg3 Nc5 40. Qe1


40. ... Nxb3? (40. ... Be7!−+) 41. Bxa5? 41. Rxf6! Qxc4 42. Rxb6 Rxb6 43. Bg5! gave White enough for the Pawn. 41. ... Nxa5 42. Qxa5 Bxh6 43. Rxf6 Qxf6 44. Rxf6 Rxf6−+ 45. g3 Rb2+ 46. Kh3 Rf1 47. Qd5+ Kh8 48. Qxe5+ Bg7 49. Qe8+ Bf8 50. Qe5+ Bg7 51. Qe8+ Rf8 52. Qd7 h5 53. Qd5 Rf1 54. e5 Rbb1 55. e6 Rxh1+ 56. Kg2 Rhg1+ 57. Kh3 Rge1 58. a5 Re2 59. a6 Rbb2 60. Qh1 Ra2 61. g4 Ra3+ 62. Kh4 Bf6+ 63. g5 Be7 64. c5 Rxa6 65. c6 Bd6 66. e7 Ra8 0 : 1.