Touch of Enchantment

Sergey Viktorovich Volkov – 侯逸凡 (Hóu Yìfán)
7th Aeroflot Open; Moscow, February 22, 2008
4k3/p1P5/P1r5/3N1p1p/7P/6B1/6PK/8 w - - 0 61

Position after 60. ... Kf7xe8

In the diagram, there is no doubt that White will win, but the way Volkov does it, it is literally breathtaking: 61. Nb6!! 1 : 0. A delightful finish.

Transformation geometry

侯逸凡 (Hóu Yìfán) – Nicholas Pert
800th Anniversary Summit Chess Match UK–China; Liverpool, September 7, 2007
r1b1k2r/ppq2pp1/2n1p3/3pPn1p/3P1Q2/P2B1N2/R1P2PPP/2B1K2R b Kkq - 1 12

Position after 12. Qg4-f4

Notes by Errol Tiwari, Stabroek News, No. 258, Sunday, September 16, 2007, p. 12A.

Black now snatches a Pawn by 12. ... Ncxd4 13. 0-0! White castles. 13. ... Nxf3+ 14. Qxf3 Qxe5. Black has two extra Pawns, but his development is lagging and his dark squares are very weak. Play continues as follows: 15. Bb2 d4 16. Raa1 Nh4 17. Qh3 Qf4 18. Rae1 Qg4 19. Qxg4 hxg4 20. Bxd4 f6 21. f3! Bd7 22. fxg4 0-0-0 23. Bxa7... White goes from two Pawns down to one Pawn up. Black cannot save the ending. Pert resigned on the 47th move. 1–0.

中英关系 (China–United Kingdom relations)

侯逸凡 (Hóu Yìfán) – Nigel Short
800th Anniversary Summit Chess Match UK–China; Liverpool, September 7, 2007
Spanish Game C60

1. e4 e5 2. Nf3 Nc6 3. Bb5 Nge7 4. 0-0 Ng6 5. c3 a6 6. Ba4 d5 7. exd5 Qxd5 8. Bb3 Qd3 9. Bc2 Qd6 10. d4 exd4 11. cxd4 Bg4 12. Be3 Nh4 13. Nbd2 Nxf3+ 14. Nxf3 Qd5 15. Bb3 Qh5 16. Ba4 b5 17. Bc2 Bd6 18. h3 Bxf3 19. Qxf3 Qxf3 20. gxf3 Ne7 21. a4 Kd7 22. Bb3 f6 23. d5 Rhe8 24. Rfd1 Nf5 25. Rd3 Rab8 26. Bc2 g6 27. axb5 axb5

28. Rb3? This precipitates White into very bad trouble. Here 28. f4! was almost an imperative.
28. ... Nxe3 29. fxe3 Bc5 30. Kf2 Re5 31. Ke2. Rather than defending with 31. Rd1, which after, say, 31. ... Rbe8 32. Rdd3 Kd6 would leave White with too many weaknesses, 侯逸凡 (Hóu Yìfán) prefers to abandon the Pawn at once, just hoping for a bit of luck.
31. ... Rxd5 32. Bd3 c6 33. Be4 Re5 34. Ra6 Bb6 35. Rc3 c5 36. b3 Rh5 37. Bd3 Kc6 38. Be4+ Kc7 39. Bd3 b4 40. Rc4 Re8 41. Rf4 f5 42. h4 Kb7 43. Ra1 Bd8 44. Rd1 Kb6 45. Rc4 Bf6 46. Bc2

46. ... Bd4? Short makes it too easy for himself, falling into the trap set by the Chinese wunderkind. Simply 46. ... Kc6−+ leaves Black with an easy winning game.
47. Rdxd4! The Exchange sacrifice Short apparently overlooked on his previous move — which in fact guarantees Black a draw.
47. ... cxd4 48. Rxb4+ Kc7 49. Rc4+ Kd6 50. Rxd4+ Ke7 51. b4 Rd8 52. Rc4 Rd6 53. b5 Rb6 54. Rb4 Kd6 55. Bd3 Kc5 56. Rf4 Rd6 57. Kd2 Kb6 58. Kc3 Rd5 59. Ra4 Rc5+ 60. Kd2 Rc8 61. Ra6+ Kb7 62. Ra4 Ra8 63. Rd4 Ra2+ 64. Kc3 Rh2 65. Rd7+ Kc8 66. Ra7 R5xh4 67. b6 Kb8 68. Ba6 Ra4 69. Rb7+ Ka8 70. Ra7+ Kb8 ½–½.

East Asian Monsoon

侯逸凡 (Hóu Yìfán) – 王瑜 (Wáng Yú)
Women’s Zonal 3.3 Tournament; 北京 (Běijīng), October 23, 2005
Spanish Game C88

1. e4 e5 2. Nf3 Nc6 3. Bb5 a6 4. Ba4 Nf6 5. 0-0 Be7 6. Re1 b5 7. Bb3 d6 8. a4 b4 9. a5 0-0 10. d3 Be6 11. Nbd2 Qc8 12. Bc4 h6 13. Nf1 Re8 14. Ne3 Bf8 15. b3 Nd8!?TN (15. ... g6 16. Bb2 Bg7 17. Qd2 Rb8 18. h3 Nd8= Hráček – Bacrot, 23rd German Schach Bundesliga, Bremen 2003) 16. Bd2 Rb8 17. Nh4 c6 18. Bxe6 Qxe6 19. Nc4 Nd7 20. Qf3 g6 21. Qg3 Bg7

22. f4! White claims the initiative with a bold break on f4 which also implies the sacrifice of the Exchange. 22. ... exf4 23. Bxf4 Ne5. After 23. ... Bxa1 24. Rxa1 White’s domination of the dark squares more than compensates for the Exchange. 24. Nxe5. Also very tempting was 24. Nf5! with great play for White. 24. ... dxe5 25. Be3 Rb5 26. Nf3 c5 27. Qf2 Qe7 28. Nd2 Nc6 29. Nc4 Kh7 30. Rf1 Rf8 31. Qd2 h5 32. Rf3 Kg8 33. Nb6. Alea iacta est! 33. ... Rxa5? Too greedy. Best was 33. ... Nd4! 34. Bxd4 cxd4 with the intention of sacrificing the Exchange soon as the White Knight jumps to d5. 34. Rxa5 Nxa5 35. Nd5 Qd6 36. Qf2 Nb7 37. Nf6+ Kh8

38. g4! The coup de grâce. 38. ... Ra8 39. gxh5 Qe6 40. Qh4 g5 41. Qxg5 a5 42. Kh1 Ra6 43. Ng4 Kh7 44. Rg3 a4 45. h6 1 : 0.

Youth and the City

Michał Vladimirovich Krasenkow – 侯逸凡 (Hóu Yìfán)
70th Corus Chess Tournament (B Group); Wijk aan Zee, January 27, 2008
English Opening A14

1. Nf3 Nf6 2. c4 e6 3. g3 d5 4. Bg2 Be7 5. 0-0 0-0 6. b3 b6 7. Bb2 Bb7 8. e3 c5 9. Nc3 dxc4 10. bxc4 Nc6 11. Qe2 a6 12. Rfd1 Qc7 13. d3 Rab8 (13. ... Na5 14. Rab1 Rab8 15. Ba1 Nd7 16. Nd2 Bxg2 17. Kxg2 b5 ½ : ½ L. Schmid – T. V. Petrosian, 5th European Team Chess Championship, Bath 1973)
14. Rac1 Rfd8 15. Ba1 Na5 16. Na4 Bc6 17. Bxf6 Bxf6 18. Nc3

18. ... b5! 19. cxb5 axb5 20. Nd2 Bxg2 21. Kxg2 Be7 22. Nb3 h6 23. Ne4 Nxb3 24. axb3 Qb7 25. Kg1 Rd5 26. Nc3 Rd7 27. Ne4 Rd5 28. Nc3 Rd7 ½ : ½.

Not the easiest of draws for White. Photo: Harry Gielen.

L’ospite esotico

Nell’estate del 1857 Serafino Dubois si confrontò in un match “alternato” – all’italiana e con le regole internazionali – con il conte – nonché presidente del Circolo Scacchistico di Lipsia – Conrad Woldemar von Ekstädt Vitzthum (1802-1875) e si impose nella proporzione di 4 a 1. Nel nostro libretto “Serafino Dubois il Professionista”, Messaggerie Scacchistiche, Brescia, 2000, pp. 40-45, presentammo cinque partite del match (un Gambetto di Donna, una Francese e tre Gambetti di Re). Georges Bertola ne produsse poi una sesta (un Gambetto Scozzese: cfr. Georges Bertola, “Serafino Dubois e l’arrocco all’italiana”, Torre & Cavallo Scacco!, n. 11, novembre 2004, pp. 25-28). Eccone allora anche una settima, riposta e dimenticata nelle back pages della rivista olandese Sissa, 1859, pp. 342-343:

S. Dubois – C. W. von E. Vitzthum
Roma, 1857
Francese C01

1. e4 e6 2. d4 d5 3. exd5 exd5 4. Ad3 Ae6 5. Cf3 Ad6 6. Cc3 In un’altra partita Serafino preferì, sulla scia di Paul Morphy, 6. 0-0 h6 7. Ae3 Cf6 8. Cc3 c6 9. Ce5 (Dubois – Vitzthum, Roma, I giugno 1857); cfr. Alessandra Innocenti & Lorenzo Barsi, op. cit., pp. 41-42. 6. ... Cf6 7. 0-0 Cbd7 8. Te1 0-0 L’anonimo commentatore di Sissa (Jean Dufresne?) accenna a 8. ... h6, ma allora 9. Af5 è per il Nero una pillola amara. 9. Ag5 c6 10. Ce5 Dc7 11. Cxd7 Cxd7 12. Dh5 g6 13. Dh6 Tfe8 14. Te3 f5 Se 14. ... Af8 (Δ Af8-g7) allora 15. Dh4. La risposta del testo è più compromettente. 15. Tae1 Cf8 16. f4 a6 Prepara c6-c5. 17. h4? Dubois apre il fuoco... Quasi chiunque oggigiorno preferirebbe la più posizionale 17. Ca4. 17. ... Df7 Vale lo stesso per il Nero: perché non 17. ... Dg7!, onde neutralizzare radicalmente l’attacco avversario? 18. h5 Tac8 19. hxg6 Cxg6 20. g4! fxg4? Un esempio di collaborazionismo autolesionista. L’imperativo era 20. ... Ad7! ove se 21. Cd1 allora 21. ... Tf8 con approssimativo equilibrio. 21. f5! Axf5 22. Txe8+ Txe8 23. Tf1 Dg7? Più resiliente 23. ... Af8!, benché dopo 24. Dh2! (24. Dh5 Dc7!) 24. ... Ag7 25. Txf5 Axd4+ 26. Rg2 il Bianco serbi prospettive gratificanti. 24. Axf5 I Maestri dell’epoca disdegnavano spesso la tecnica (24. Dxg7+), anche contro la propria convenienza! 24. ... Dxd4+ 25. Rh1 Af8 26. Dh5 Dg7? Dopo la stupefacente 26. ... Te1!! 27. Txe1 Df2 il Nero arranca, ma combatte ancora. 27. Dxg4 Ae7 28. Ae6+ Rh8 29. Tf7 De5

30. Txh7+! Il sigillo romantico! 30. ... Rxh7 31. Dh5+ Rg7 32. Dh6 matto 1 : 0.

Ride the Wild Tiger

侯逸凡 (Hóu Yìfán) – Nikita Kirillovich Vitiugov
6th Aeroflot Open; Moscow, February 14, 2007
Sicilian Defence B42

Comments in quotation marks by Grandmaster Jan Timman, New In Chess, 6/2011, pp. 98–99.

1. e4 c5 2. Nf3 e6 3. d4 cxd4 4. Nxd4 a6 5. Bd3 Bc5 6. Nb3 Be7 7. 0-0 d6 8. c4 Nf6 9. Nc3 Nbd7 10. f4 b6 11. Bd2 Bb7 12. Qf3 Qc7 13. Rae1 g6. If 13. ... 0-0 14. Qh3 g6? then 15. f5! with strong initiative for White, 侯逸凡 (Hóu Yìfán) – Sharevich, 37th Women’s Chess Olympiad, Turin 2006.
14. Qh3 h5

“Black has just advanced his h-Pawn, a well-known strategical move in these kinds of Sicilian positions that entails a certain amount of risk: on the one hand, Black gains territory, on the other, he will have problems finding a safe spot for his King later on”.
15. Nd1! “An excellent plan. White regroups her Knight and vacates square c3 for her Queen’s Bishop”.
It must also be said that White’s was at the time a novelty, and an improvement upon 15. Qg3 h4 16. Qh3 0-0-0 17. Nd4 Kb8 18. b4 (Markzon – Kriventsov, 48th U.S. Chess Championship, Seattle 2003) to which Black’s best reply seems to be 18. ... d5!⇄ with a messy fight.
15. ... b5. “A principled advance, but right up White’s street. Better was 15. ... Nc5”.
16. Ba5! “Before putting the Bishop on c3, White forces the Black Queen to go to a worse square”.
16. ... Qb8 17. Bc3 b4 18. Bxb4 Bxe4 19. Bc3. “The Bishop returns to its post. White is exerting strong pressure on the enemy position”
19. ... Bxd3 20. Qxd3 h4

“The start of an erroneous plan. Black is going to take his Rook to h5, but this does nothing to improve the coordination in his camp. He should have castled, although his slightly weakened King position is not an attractive prospect”.
21. Nf2 Rh5 22. Nd4! “Making optimum use of the lack of coordination in the Black camp”.
22. ... Nc5 23. Qc2 Qb7

24. b4! “White is steadily gaining space”.
24. ... h3 25. Nxh3 Nce4 26. Ng5 d5 27. c5 Kf8. “His only chance of counterplay was 27. ... a5”.
28. a3 Kg8 29. Ndf3

“Decisive regrouping. 侯逸凡 (Hóu Yìfán) rounded off the game excellently”.
29. ... Nxc3 30. Qxc3 Nh7 31. Nxh7 Rxh7 32. Qd4 Rh5 33. h3 Bf8 34. Qd3 Bg7 35. Nd4 Rh4 36. Kh1 Qc7 37. Qe3 Bf6 38. Nb3 Kg7 39. Qd2 Qd7 40. Nd4 Rah8 41. Nf3 R4h5 42. Ne5 Qa4 43. Rf3 Rb8 44. Ng4 Bd8 45. Qd4+ Kf8 46. Rc1 Rc8 47. Ne5 Qb5 48. c6 Rc7 49. Nd7+ Kg8 50. Qb6 d4 51. Nf6+ 1 : 0.

Aeroflot Bonus

侯逸凡 (Hóu Yìfán) – Emil Davidovich Sutovsky
6th Aeroflot Open; Moscow, February 15, 2007
Sicilian Defence B93

“China’s 12-year-old prodigy 侯逸凡 (Hóu Yìfán) beat 2600-rated grandmasters in the first two rounds. Below, Israel's No 4 Emil Sutovsky concedes the Bishop pair against the 6. f4 Najdorf and his later 25. ... Rxc3 sacrifice is overoptimistic”, Leonard Barden wrote in his The Guardian chess column of February 24, 2007.

1. e4 c5 2. Nf3 d6 3. d4 cxd4 4. Nxd4 Nf6 5. Nc3 a6 6. f4 Nc6 7. Nf3 Bg4. In his book “How to Beat Bobby Fischer”, Dover Publications, New York, 1997, p. 241, Grandmaster Edmar John Mednis wrote: “The questionable idea. Together with the following KB fianchetto Black hopes to exert pressure on White’s Q4 square. But the concept has no sound strategic basis nor any practical significance. White obtains the two Bishops and a freer position while Black has nothing”.
8. Be3 g6 9. h3 Bxf3 10. Qxf3 Bg7 11. Bc4! “Much better than the routine 11. Bd3. The Bishop not only has some realistic possibilities against Black’s KB2 but the QR will be well placed on the half-open Queen’s file”, Mednis writes (op.cit., p. 242).
11. ... 0-0 12. 0-0 Nd7. An old game by Bobby Fischer instead continued: 12. ... Qc7 13. Bb3 b5 14. g4?! b4 15. Na4 Nd7 16. Rad1 Na5 17. e5! Nxb3 18. exd6 exd6 19. cxb3 Rae8 20. Rc1 Qb8 21. Rfd1 Re6 22. Bf2 Rfe8 23. g5 h6 24. h4 R8e7?! (Mednis recommends 24. ... Re4! 25. Rc4 f5∞) 25. Qd5! Qe8 26. Rc2! Re4! 27. Qxd6 Bf8! 28. Qxa6 Qb8! 29. Qd6 Re1+! 30. Kg2 Rxd1 31. Qxd1 Qxf4 32. Qf3! hxg5 33. Qxf4 gxf4 34. Rc8 f6 35. Nb6 Kf7 36. Nd5 Re5? (correct was 36. ... Re2 37. Rc7 Ke8 38. Rc8+ with a draw by repetition) 37. Nxf4 g5? (37. ... Rf5! made it harder for White to take advantage of his extra Pawn) 38. Rc7! Ke8 39. Ng6 Re2 40. Nxf8! Nxf8 41. h5! Rxb2 42. Kg3 f5 43. Bc5 Nd7 44. h6! f4+ 45. Kh3 Rxa2 46. Bd4! g4+ 47. Kxg4 Rd2 48. Bg7 Nb6 49. Rb7 Nd5 50. Rb5 Ne7 51. Rxb4 Ng6 52. Rb6 Rg2+ 53. Kf3 Rg3+ 54. Ke4 Re3+ 55. Kd4 Kf7 56. Rf6+ Kg8 57. b4 Kh7 58. b5 Rb3 59. Kc4 Rb1 60. Rf7 Kg8 61. Rb7 Rc1+ 62. Kd3 Rf1 63. b6 f3 64. Ke3 Nh4 65. Rb8+ Kh7 66. b7 Re1+ 67. Kf2 Re2+ 68. Kg3 f2 69. Rf8 1 : 0 Janošević – R. J. Fischer, 1st “Solidarity” International Tournament, Skopje 1967.
13. Rad1 Na5 14. Bb3 Rc8 15. e5! Nxb3. 15. ... dxe5?? 16. Qg4 (16. ... e6 17. Bxe6!) is disastrous enough.
16. axb3 Rc6 17. exd6 exd6 18. Bd4. 18. f5! at once seems stronger.
18. ... Bxd4+ 19. Rxd4 Nf6 20. Kh1 d5! 21. Rfd1 Qe7 22. Qf2 Rfc8 23. f5 Ne4 24. Qe3

24. ... Rxc3? A velleitary Exchange sacrifice which quickly leads Black to defeat. Correct was 24. ... gxf5 in order to answer both 25. Rxd5 and 25. Nxd5 by 25. ... Qh4 with a playable game.
25. bxc3 Rxc3 26. R1d3 Rxc2 27. Rxd5 Re2. Sutovsky tries a last-ditch, desperate, hat with no rabbit. White, of course, doesn’t bite the bait:
28. Qd4 Nf6 29. Rd8+ Kg7 30. fxg6 hxg6 31. Qd6 Qxd6 32. R3xd6 Ne4 33. Rb6 Ng3+ 34. Kh2 Nf1+ 35. Kh1 Ne3 36. Rxb7 g5 37. Rdd7 Nxg2 38. Rxf7+ Kg6 39. Rg7+ Kh6 40. Rge7! 1 : 0.

She has a big surprise for him. Photo: Mikhail Savinov.

Thunder from the Sea

Evgenija Viktorovna Ovod – 侯逸凡 (Hóu Yìfán)
8th Russian Women’s Team Chess Championship; Dagomys, May 7, 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. Bb2 Na5 11. cxd5 exd5 12. Ne5 c4 13. Bc2 Ne4 14. f3 Nd6 15. h3 (15. e4 f6!) 15. ... Re8 (15. ... Bf5 16. a4 f6 17. Ng4 Rfe8 18. Ba3 Bxg4 19. hxg4 Rxe3 20. Qd2 Rae8 21. Rae1 Rxe1 22. Rxe1 g6 23. Kf2 Rxe1 24. Qxe1 Kf7 25. Qe3 Nc6 26. Qh6 Ke6 27. Qe3+ Kf7 28. Qh6 Ke6 29. f4 Qf7 30. f5+ gxf5 31. Qf4 Qc7 32. Bxf5+ Ke7 33. g5 fxg5 34. Qxg5+ Kf7 35. Qh5+ Kf6 36. Bxh7 Qf7 37. Qf3+ Kg7 38. Bxd6 Qxf3+ 39. Kxf3 Kxh7 40. Kf4 Kg6 41. g4 a6 42. g5 ½ : ½ Piket – Aleksandrov, 34th Chess Olympiad, Istanbul 2000) 16. Qe1 (16. Re1 f6 17. Ng4 Bf5 ½ : ½ del Río de Angelis – Arizmendi Martínez, 49th Spanish Team Chess Championship, Sant Lluís 2005) 16. ... f6 17. Ng4 Bf5

18. Rc1? This loses a Pawn without any return. Instead 18. e4! may well illustrate the difference between two ways of giving up a Pawn, as after 18. ... dxe4 19. Qg3 White can at least claim compensation. 18. ... Bxc2 19. Rxc2 Nf5 20. Bc1 Nb3 21. Rff2 h5 22. Nh2 Nxc1 23. Qxc1 Rxe3 24. Nf1 Re7. Black has gained a Pawn and dominates the e-file.

25. g4? White could do little to prevent her opponent consolidating her advantage (by ... Ra8-e8 followed by ... h5-h4), but certainly the text just makes things even worse. 25. ... Nh4−+ 26. gxh5 Rae8 27. f4 Re1 28. Qb2 (28. Qd2 Qd7−+) 28. ... Qd7 29. Kh2 (29. Rce2 Qxh3−+)

29. ... R8e3! 30. Nxe3 Rxe3 31. Rce2 Qxh3+ 32. Kg1 Rg3+ 33. Rg2 Nf3+ 34. Kf1 Qh1+ 35. Kf2 Qxg2+ 0 : 1. Because of 36. Ke3 Ng1+ 37. Kd2 Qxe2+ 38. Kc1 Qe1+ 39. Kc2 Rg2 mate.

From the Island

Alina Anatolyevna Kashlinskaya – 侯逸凡 (Hóu Yìfán)
18th World Youth Chess Championship Girls U-10; Kallithea, October 29, 2003
Torre Attack A46

1. d4 Nf6 2. Nf3 e6 3. Bg5 c5 4. c3. No better is 4. Bxf6 Qxf6 5. e4 cxd4 6. Qxd4 Nc6 7. Qxf6 gxf6 8. c3 b6 9. Nbd2 Bb7 10. Bd3 Rc8 11. Nc4 Rg8 12. g3 Nd8 13. Ke2 h6 14. Rhe1? (14. Ne3) 14. ... Bxe4 15. Bxe4 Rxc4 16. Kd3 Rc7 17. Nd4 a6 18. f4 Bc5 19. Nc2 d5−+ Wahltuch – Capablanca, International Chess Congress, London 1922 4. ... Nc6 5. Bxf6 Qxf6 6. e4. The strategic alternative is 6. c3 Be7 7. Bd3 d5 8. Nbd2 0-0 9. Qe2 e5 10. dxe5 Nxe5 11. Nxe5 Qxe5 12. 0-0-0? (in his book of the tournament, Géza Maróczy recommended 12. Nf3 followed by 0-0) 12. ... b5!→ 13. Nf3 Qc7 14. Bxb5 Rb8 15. Bd3 Qa5 16. Bb1 Bf6 17. Rd2 Ba6 18. Qd1 Bxc3 19. Bxh7+ Kh8 20. Qc2 Rxb2 21. Rxd5 Qxa2 22. Rh5 Qa1+ 23. Qb1 Rxb1+ 0 : 1 Wahltuch – A. K. Rubinstein, International Chess Congress, London 1922. 6. ... cxd4 7. cxd4

7. ... d5! 8. exd5 (8. e5 Qd8) 8. ... exd5 9. Be2?! 9. Nc3 Be6 10. Bb5 Bd6 11. 0-0 0-0 is very comfortable for Black, but at least on the short run it saves time and material. 9. ... Bd6 10. 0-0 0-0 11. Nc3 Be6 12. a3?! a6 13. Bd3 (13. h3 g5!→) 13. ... Qh6 14. Ne2 Bg4 15. Ng3 Qf6 16. Re1 Bxf3 17. Qxf3 Qxf3 18. gxf3 Nxd4. The Pawn has fallen, and Black encounters no particular difficulties in converting into a win. 19. Kg2 Ne6 20. Rad1 g6 21. h4 Rfe8 22. Bb1 h5 23. Ba2 Nf4+ 24. Kf1 Rxe1+ 25. Rxe1 Rc8 26. Bb3 Rc5 27. Re8+ Kg7 28. Ne2 Nxe2 29. Kxe2 Rb5 30. Rd8 Rxb3 31. Rxd6 Rxb2+ 32. Ke3 Rb3+ 33. Kf4 Rxa3 34. Rxd5 b5 35. Rd6 a5 36. Ke4 Ra4+ 37. Ke3 Rxh4 38. Rd5 Rb4 39. Kd3 h4 0 : 1.

China’s rising star 侯逸凡 (Hóu Yìfán). Photo: Sina Sports.

Linosa Island

At Last

Péter Ács – 侯逸凡 (Hóu Yìfán)
5th György Marx Memorial; Paks, August 7, 2007
Nimzo-Indian Defence E58

1. d4 Nf6 2. c4 e6 3. Nc3 Bb4 4. Nf3 c5 5. e3 0-0 6. Bd3 d5 7. 0-0 Nc6 8. a3 Bxc3 9. bxc3 Qc7 10. h3 dxc4 11. Bxc4 e5 12. Ba2 Bf5 13. d5 Rad8 14. c4 e4 15. Nh4 (15. Qc2 Bg6 16. Nh4 Ne5 17. Bb2 Rfe8 18. Bc3 Rd6 19. Rab1 b6 20. Rbd1 Qc8 21. Nxg6 hxg6 22. Kh2 g5 23. Qb2 Nfg4+ 24. hxg4 Rh6+ 25. Kg1 Nf3+ 26. gxf3 exf3 0 : 1 Henrichs – Prusikin, 78th German Chess Championship, Bad Königshofen 2007) 15. ... Bc8 16. Bb2 Qe7 17. f4 exf3 18. Qxf3 Ne5 19. Qg3 Rfe8 20. Nf5 Bxf5 21. Rxf5 Nfd7 22. Raf1 g6 23. e4 Qd6 24. R5f4 Re7 25. Bb3 Rf8 26. h4 f6 27. Ba1 Nb6 28. h5 Nbd7 29. Ba4 Nb6 30. hxg6 hxg6 31. Bb3 Nbd7 32. Bd1 Rg7 33. Bg4 Nxg4 34. Qxg4 Ne5 35. Qe6+ Qxe6 36. dxe6 Nc6 37. Rxf6 Re8 38. Rd1 Rge7 39. Rxg6+ Kh7

40. Rg5. Even stronger seems 40. Rg4 Rxe6 41. Rd5 Ne5 42. Rg3 with a quasi-zugzwang. 40. ... Rxe6 41. Rd3 R8e7 42. Rxc5 Rxe4 43. Bf6 R7e6 44. Rd7+ Kg6 45. Bb2 b6 46. Rcd5 Re2 47. Bc3

47. ... Rc2?? Black blunders away the game. Instead, 47. ... Ne7! would probably have saved the day. 48. Rg7+ Kh6 49. Rg3 Rc1+ 50. Kh2 1 : 0.

The sun sank at last. Photo: marxgy.ase.hu.

Draw the Line

侯逸凡 (Hóu Yìfán) – Mitra Hejazipour
18th World Youth Chess Championship Girls U-10; Kallithea, October 28, 2003
Spanish Game C96

1. e4 e5 2. Nf3 Nc6 3. Bb5 a6 4. Ba4 Nf6 5. 0-0 Be7 6. Re1 b5 7. Bb3 d6 8. c3 0-0 9. h3 Na5 10. Bc2 c5 11. d3 Nc6 12. Nbd2 Re8 13. Nf1 Bf8 14. d4 Qc7 15. Bg5 Be7 (15. ... Nd7 16. Ne3⩲ Vujošević – Le Bellac, First Saturday IM November 1993, Budapest 1993) 16. dxc5 dxc5 17. Ne3 Be6 18. Nd5 Bxd5 19. exd5 Rad8 20. c4

20. ... Nd4 (20. ... bxc4 21. Bxf6 Bxf6 22. Ba4 Re6!∞) 21. Nxd4 exd4 22. cxb5 axb5 23. Qd3 c4! 24. Qxd4 Nxd5 25. Qh4 g6 26. Be4? 侯逸凡 (Hóu Yìfán) plays with fire. She had nothing better than 26. Bxe7 Rxe7 with approximate equality. 26. ... Bxg5 27. Qxg5 Re5 28. Qh4 Rde8 29. f3 Qc5+ (29. ... Rh5 30. Qf2 Nf4−+) 30. Qf2 Qb4 31. a3 Qa5 32. Qh4 Kg7 33. Rad1 f5 34. f4

34. ... Rxe4? What may seem an innocent inversion of moves is instead cause for immediate regret, as after 34. ... Qa7+! 35. Kh2 (the crucial difference is that now the White King can’t go to f1: 35. Kf1? fxe4 36. fxe5 Rf8+−+) 35. ... Rxe4 36. Rxe4 fxe4 37. Rxd5 e3−+ White could resign. 35. Rxe4 Rxe4. Or, even better (but not enough), 35. ... fxe4 36. Rxd5 Qa7+ 37. Kf1! e3 38. Re5! Rxe5 39. fxe5 Qd7 40. Kg1! e2 41. Kf2 Qd1 42. Qe7+ drawing by perpetual check. 36. Rxd5 Qa7+ (36. ... Qe1+ 37. Qxe1 Rxe1+ 38. Kh2 Rb1 39. Rxb5 c3=) 37. Kh2 Qc7 38. Rxb5 Rxf4 39. Qg3 Qc6? (39. ... Kf7) 40. Ra5? 40. Re5! Re4 41. Rxf5 wins a valuable Pawn. 40. ... Re4? (40. ... Qe4!=) 41. Ra7+? 41. Rxf5 goes into the line mentioned in the note after 40. Ra5. 41. ... Kg8 42. Qb8+ Re8 43. Qc7 Qxc7+ 44. Rxc7 Rb8 45. Rxc4 Rxb2 46. Rc7 Ra2 47. Ra7 f4 48. Kg1 h6 49. a4 Kh8 50. a5 Kg8 51. a6 Kh8 ½ : ½.

A Byzantine Iliad

侯逸凡 (Hóu Yìfán) – Nazí Nodarovna Paikidze
18th World Youth Chess Championship Girls U-10; Kallithea, October 31, 2003
Sicilian Defence B92

1. e4 c5 2. Nf3 d6 3. d4 cxd4 4. Nxd4 Nf6 5. Nc3 a6 6. Be2 e5 7. Nb3 Be7 8. 0-0 Be6 9. Be3 0-0 10. Nd5 Bxd5 11. exd5 Nbd7 12. Qd3 Nc5 13. Bxc5. Critical is 13. Qd2!? Nfe4 14. Qb4 a5 15. Qb5 Qc7 16. Rfd1 b6 17. Qc4 f5 18. Bd3 Qd8 19. Nxc5 Nxc5 20. a3 Rc8 21. Qb5 e4 22. Bf1 Bf6 23. Rab1 Be5 24. b4 axb4 25. Rxb4 Nd7 26. Rc4 Rxc4 27. Qxc4 Qe8 28. Re1 Nf6 29. h3 Nd7 30. Qc7 f4 31. Bc1? (31 Bxb6 Nxb6 32. Qxb6 e3!? 33. fxe3 f3 34. gxf3 Qg6+ 35. Bg2 Qg3 36. Kf1 Rxf3+ 37. Bxf3 Qxf3+ ends with a draw by perpetual check) 31. ... e3! 32. Bb5 (32. fxe3 f3!−+) 32. ... exf2+ 33. Kxf2 f3! 0 : 1 Svidler – J. Polgár, 10th Torneo Ciudad de Dos Hermanas, Dos Hermanas 1999. On the other hand, American Grandmaster Yasser Seirawan very rightly regards 13. Nxc5 as a strategic imperative for White. 13. ... dxc5 14. Rad1 e4 15. Qe3 Qc7 16. Nd2 Bd6 17. Nxe4 Bxh2+ 18. Kh1 Nxe4 19. Qxe4 Rfe8 20. Qf3 Be5 21. b3 Qe7 22. Bd3 Rad8 23. g3 Rd6 24. Kg2 g6 25. Rfe1 Qd7 26. Qe2 Re7 27. c4 b6 28. Qd2 Rf6 29. f4 Bd4 30. Rxe7 Qxe7 31. Re1 Qd7 32. Qe2 Kg7 33. Qe7 Qg4 34. Be2 Qf5 35. d6 Re6 36. Bd3

36. ... Rxe7. Much simpler was 36. ... Qf6! forcing a liquidation to a drawish opposite-coloured Bishops endgame. By the text move Black gives up the Exchange for uncertain returns, probably overestimating his Queen-Bishop battery. 37. dxe7 Qxd3 38. e8=Q Qc2+ 39. Qe2 Qf5 40. Qe4 Qg4. Apparently safer was 40. ... Qc8 keeping a presence on the back rank. 41. Qb7. 41. Qd5 Bf6 42. Re8 was probably White’s best, threatening to mount an attack with Qd5-d6-f8+. 41. ... h5 (Δ ... h5-h4) 42. Qe7 Bf6 43. Qe2 Qd7 44. Rd1 Qc6+ 45. Rd5 Qc8

46. Rd6. 46. f5! was White’s last serious attempt at playing for the win. 46. ... Qc7 47. Rd5 h4 48. Qe4 hxg3 49. Kxg3 Qc8 50. Rd6 Qc7 51. Rc6 Qd8 52. Qd5 Qe7 53. Rxb6 Qe1+ 54. Kg2 Qe2+ 55. Kg3 Qe1+ 56. Kg2 Qe2+ 57. Kg3 ½ : ½.

摩根勒菲 (Morgan le Fay)

侯逸凡 (Hóu Yìfán) – Wouter Spoelman
69th Corus Chess Tournament (C Group); Wijk aan Zee, January 26, 2007
Giuoco Piano C54

1. e4 e5 2. Bc4 Nf6 3. d3 Nc6 4. Nf3 Bc5 5. c3 d6 6. 0-0 0-0 7. Bb3 a6 8. h3 h6 9. Re1 Ba7 10. Nbd2 Nh5 11. Nf1 Qf6 12. Be3 Nf4 13. d4 Ne7 14. Ng3 Neg6 15. Bc2 c6 16. Nf5 Re8 17. Nh2 h5 18. Kh1? With this sophisticated move, 侯逸凡 (Hóu Yìfán) lets her advantage slip. Much stronger was 18. Nf3! c5 19. dxe5 dxe5 20. Qd6 with a definite edge for White. 18. ... d5! 19. dxe5

19. ... Qg5? But Black misses the resourceful sacrifice 19. ... Rxe5 20. Bd4 dxe4! which would give him more than enough compensation for the Exchange. 20. Ng3 h4 21. Nf3 Qh6 22. Nf5 Qg5?? Threatening mate, but... 23. Nxg5 1 : 0.

強制被動 (Zugzwang)

Gabriel Eduardi Sargissian – 侯逸凡 (Hóu Yìfán)
70th Corus Chess Tournament (B Group); Wijk aan Zee, January 25, 2008
Queen’s Indian Defence E15

1. d4 e6 2. c4 Nf6 3. Nf3 b6 4. g3 Ba6 5. Qc2 Bb4+ 6. Bd2 Be7 7. e4 d5 8. cxd5 Bxf1 9. Kxf1 exd5 10. e5 Ne4 11. Nc3 Nxd2+ 12. Nxd2 Qd7 13. Kg2 Nc6 14. Qa4 0-0. 14. ... 0-0-0 seems more convincing; a game played some months later went 15. Qa6+ Kb8 16. Nb5 Qc8 17. Qxc8+ Rxc8 18. Rac1 Nd8 19. f4 c6 20. Nc3 Ne6 and Black somehow managed to consolidate, Grigoryan – Zhigalko, 48th World Junior Chess Championship, Puerto Madryn 2009. 15. Rac1 f6. This move has been rightly criticised, 15. ... Rfd8 being suggested as a better one (but after 16. Nf3 White seems to stand better anyway). 16. f4. 16. Ne2(!) Nxe5 17. Qxd7 Nxd7 18. Rxc7 should give White a clear advantage. On the other hand, Sargissian’s modus operandi is not bad either. 16. ... fxe5 17. dxe5 Bb4 18. Rhf1 Rac8 19. Ne2 Nxe5 20. Qxb4 Nd3 21. Qb3 Nxc1 22. Nxc1. White has two Knights against Rook and Pawn, and should succeed in making progress. Instead, psychologically anguished by the imperative of restraining Black’s centre Pawns, the Armenian Grandmaster will gradually lose the thread of the game. 22. ... Rce8 23. Nf3 Qf5 24. Rf2 c5 25. Qd3 Qe4 26. Rd2 d4 27. Qxe4 Rxe4 28. Nd3 Re6 29. h4 Rc8 30. a4 a6 31. Nfe5 b5 32. a5 g6 33. Rc2 c4 34. Nb4. This is already quite questionable, but probably not irreparable. 34. ... Rf8 35. b3? Bad timing. He would rather have had to play it on the previous move. 35. ... d3 36. Rd2 Rc8 37. Rd1 Rd6 38. Kf3? And this is probably the losing move. It is unlikely that after 38. bxc4 bxc4 39. Rd2 Black may make progress. Now instead Black inexorably zugzwangs her opponent. 38. ... d2 39. bxc4 bxc4 40. Nc2 c3 41. Ke2 Rd5 42. Ng4 Rxa5 43. Nge3 Rd8 44. Rb1 Ra2 45. Kd1 Rb2 46. Ra1 Rdb8 47. Rxa6 Rb1+ 48. Ke2 Rc1 49. Rc6

49. ... Re8 0 : 1. For if 50. Kd3 then 50. ... Rxc2! and finis.