Heartbeats

Magnus Carlsen – 侯逸凡 (Hóu Yìfán)

8th Rencontres Nationales et Internationales d’Échecs du Cap d’Agde; Trophée CCAS Groupe B; time control: 25 minutes plus 10 seconds per move; Cap d’Agde, October 26, 2008

Nimzo-Indian Defence E32

1. Nf3 Nf6 2. c4 e6 3. Nc3 Bb4 4. Qc2 0-0 5. a3 Bxc3 6. Qxc3 b6 7. e3 Bb7 8. Be2 d6 9. b4 Ne4 10. Qc2 Nd7 11. Bb2 f5 12. 0-0 Qe7 13. d4. Taking the game to a Nimzo-Indian.
13. ... Rf6. 13. ... a5!? is a suggestion by Carsten Hansen.
14. d5

14. ... Rg6?! Better is 14. ... Rh6! 15. dxe6 Qxe6 16. Nd4 Qg6 17. f3 Rxh2! (17. ... Qh5!? 18. h3 Qg5 19. Nxf5 Rg6 20. g4 Qxf5∞) 18. Kxh2 Qh6+ 19. Kg1 Qxe3+ drawing by perpetual check.
15. Nd4 Nf8 16. Rad1. Or 16. Bd3 Qg5 17. f4 Qg4 18. Bxe4 fxe4 19. f5 exf5 20. Nxf5 Rg5 21. Rf4 Qh5 22. Raf1 Nd7 23. Qf2 Qe8 24. Nxg7 1 : 0 Vera González-Quevedo – Quesada Pérez, 43rd Capablanca Memorial, Havana 2008.
16. ... Qh4

17. f4. As observed by Carsten Hansen, 17. Bd3!? has also its merits.
17. ... Rh6 18. h3 Ng3 19. Bf3! Nxf1 20. Rxf1 Rg6 21. dxe6 Bxf3 22. Rxf3 Nxe6 23. Nxf5 Qd8 24. Qe4 (Δ Nf5-e7+)

24. ... Rb8 25. g4 Qd7 26. Qd5 Kh8. 26. ... c6 27. Qd3 d5 28. cxd5 cxd5 29. Kh2 is similar to the game.
27. Kh2 Rf8 28. Rf2 c6 29. Qd3 Nc7 30. e4 d5 31. Be5 Qf7 32. cxd5 cxd5 33. Qc2 Ne8 34. exd5 Qxd5 35. Ne7 Qf7 36. Nxg6+ hxg6 37. g5

White has only one extra Pawn, but his overwhelming domination seals the win.
37. ... Qe6 38. Re2 Qf7 39. b5 Kh7 40. h4 Kh8 41. a4. Black is virtually in zugzwang.
41. ... Qd7. On King moves White will sooner or later exchange Queens, and then penetrate with his Rook to the back ranks.
42. Qxg6 Qg4 43. Qd3 Rf7 44. Rg2 Qxh4+ 45. Qh3 Qxh3+ 46. Kxh3 Kg8 47. Rd2 g6 48. Rc2 Re7 49. Rc6 Kf7 50. Kg4 Ng7 51. Rf6+ Ke8 52. Rxg6 1 : 0. For if 52. ... Ne6 then 53. Bd6+− and finis.