Saturday, April 11, 2009

In the Cage

Dimitri Reinderman – 侯逸凡 (Hóu Yìfán)
71st Corus Chess Tournament (Group B); Wijk aan Zee, January 19, 2009
English Opening A20

1. c4 e5 2. g3 Nf6 3. Bg2 d5 4. cxd5 Nxd5 5. Nf3 Nc6 6. 0-0 Be7 7. d4 exd4 8. Nxd4 Nxd4 9. Qxd4 Nf6 10. Qa4+ c6 11. Rd1 Bd7 12. Nc3 0-0 13. e4 Qb6 14. Qc2 Bg4 15. Re1 Be6 16. h3 Rad8 17. Be3 Qa6 18. f4 Nd7 19. e5 Bc5 20. Ne4 Bxe3+ 21. Rxe3 Qb6 22. Qf2 f6 23. exf6 Nxf6 24. Ng5 Bd5 25. Bxd5+ Nxd5 26. Rb3 Qxf2+ 27. Kxf2 Rd7 28. Ne6 Re8 29. Nc5 Rde7 30. Nxb7 Re2+ 31. Kf3 h5 32. Nd6 R8e3+ 33. Rxe3 Rxe3+ 34. Kf2 h4. 34. ... Rd3 35. Nc4 h4 was also possible. 35. Rg1 hxg3+ 36. Rxg3 Re6 37. Nf5 g6 38. Nd4 Rf6 39. f5 c5 40. Nf3


40. ... Rxf5? After a series of forced moves, Black finally goes astray. The right move was 40. ... Ne7! 41. Nh4 (41. fxg6 Nf5=) 41. ... Kf7 with excellent drawing chances. 41. Rxg6+ Kf7 42. Ra6 Nf4 43. Rxa7+ Ke6 44. h4 Nd3+ 45. Kg3 Nxb2 46. Kg4 Rf8 47. h5


47. ... c4? Her only hope for a draw consisted in 47. ... Nc4! heading for f5 via e3. 48. h6 c3 49. h7 Kd5 50. Ne1 Nc4 51. Kg5 Nd6 52. Kg6 Ne8 53. Rf7 Rh8 54. Rf3 Kd4 55. Nc2+ Kc4 56. Rh3 1 : 0. Black finally ended up in zugzwang.