Thursday, July 16, 2009

Touch and Go

侯逸凡 (Hóu Yìfán) – Tamijani Homayoon Toufighi
7th Asian Continental Chess Championship; Olongapo City, May 19, 2009
French Defence C10

1. e4 e6 2. d4 d5 3. Nc3 Nc6 4. Nf3 Nf6 5. e5 Ne4 6. Bd3 Bb4 7. Bd2 Nxd2 8. Qxd2 f6 9. a3 Bxc3 10. Qxc3 fxe5 11. dxe5 0-0 12. h4 Qe7 13. Qd2 Bd7 14. Qe3 b6 15. 0-0-0 h6 16. c4 Qf7? (16. ... Na5! 17. Bc2 Nxc4 18. Qd3 g6! 19. Qxg6+ Qg7) 17. Bc2 Ne7 18. Qd3 g6 19. Kb1 Rad8 20. h5 g5 21. Nh2 Qg7 22. Ng4 Kh8 23. Nf6 Nc6 24. Nxd7 Rxd7 25. cxd5 Nxe5 26. Qb3 exd5 27. Rxd5 Rxd5 28. Qxd5 c6 29. Qe4 b5 30. Qe2 Rd8 31. Re1 Nc4. With threat of mate at b2, but White had prepared a pretty finale:


32. Qe8+! Rxe8 33. Rxe8+ Qg8 34. Rxg8+ Kxg8 35. Bb3! Kf7 36. Kc2 Ke6 37. Kc3 Kd5. Now what?


38. Ba2! Clearing the way for the b-Pawn. 38. ... Kc5 39. b4+ Kd5 40. a4 a6 41. Bb3 g4 42. Ba2 1 : 0. Zugzwang! If 42. ... c5 then 43. Bxc4+ bxc4 44. b5 and finis.