Wednesday, March 5, 2008

The Steamroller and the Violin

侯逸凡 (Hóu Yìfán) – Maria Alexandrovna Butuk
18th World Youth Chess Championship Girls U-10; Kallithea, October 25, 2003
Caro-Kann Defence B13

1. e4 c6 2. d4 d5 3. exd5 cxd5 4. Bd3 Nc6 5. c3 Qc7 6. h3 e6 7. Nf3 Bd6 8. 0-0 Nge7 9. b3!?TN Ng6 10. Na3 a6 11. c4 dxc4 12. bxc4


12. ... 0-0? 12. ... b6! was called for, with reasonable chances for equality.
13. c5± Be7 14. Nc4 Rd8 15. Be3 Nf4 16. Be4 Ng6 (16. ... Bxc5 17. Bxh7+ Kxh7 18. Qc2+ Kg8 19. dxc5±)
17. Qb3 Bf8 18. Rab1 Rb8 19. Rfd1 Na5 20. Nxa5 Qxa5 21. Rdc1 Qc7 22. Qb6 Qxb6 23. Rxb6 f5 24. Bd3. Black ended up totally crushed, and practically helpless against the threat of c5-c6.


24. ... e5? Black gets rid of the weakness on e6, but at too dear price. On the other hand, also 24. ... Ra8 25. Bc4 does not give any hope for recovery.
25. Bc4+ Kh8 26. Ng5 Rd7 27. c6 Rc7 28. Nf7+ Rxf7 29. Bxf7 exd4 30. Bxd4 Be7 31. Bxg6 hxg6 32. Be5 Ra8 33. cxb7 Bxb7 34. Rxb7 Bf6 35. Bxf6 gxf6 36. Rcc7 g5 37. Rh7+ Kg8 38. Rbg7+ Kf8 39. Rg6 Rb8 40. Rh8+ Kf7 41. Rxf6+ Kxf6 42. Rxb8 1 : 0.