Anything but Easy

侯逸凡 (Hóu Yìfán) – Humpy Koneru
FIDE Women’s Grand Prix 2009–11; 1st stage; Istanbul, March 14, 2009
Spanish Game C88

Notes by Grandmaster Michael Adams, Saturday Daily Telegraph, April 4, 2009.

1. e4 e5 2. Nf3 Nc6 3. Bb5 a6 4. Ba4 Nf6 5. 0-0 Be7 6. Re1 b5 7. Bb3 d6 8. c3 Na5 9. Bc2 c5 10. h3 Qc7 11. d4 Bd7 12. b3 0-0 13. d5 Nb7 14. Nbd2 g6 15. Nf1 Nh5 16. Bh6 Rfc8 17. Ng3 Ng7 18. Nd2 Qd8 19. Nf3 a5 20. a4 c4 21. b4 Ne8 22. axb5 Bxb5 23. Be3 axb4 24. cxb4 Nc7 25. Ne2 Bd7 26. Rxa8 Rxa8 27. Nd2 Na6 28. Qb1 Rb8 29. Nxc4 Nbc5 30. Bxc5 Nxc5 31. Nc3 Qc8 32. Na2 Na6 33. Qb3 Bb5 34. Na3 Bd7 35. Rb1 f5 36. Qc4 Qb7 37. b5 Nc5 38. exf5 Ra8 39. Qc3 Qa7

40. b6. If 40. fxg6 Qxa3 41. gxh7+ Kh8 White ends up with four Pawns for the piece, but the exchange of Queens solves Black problems.
40. ... Qxa3 41. b7. 侯逸凡 (Hóu Yìfán) shows a keen tactical eye, typical of Chinese players aiming to keep the Queens on the board instead of 41. Qxa3 Rxa3 42. b7 Nxb7 43. Rxb7 Bxf5 when White is a little better in the ending.
41. ... Qxa2

42. b8=Q+. This allows the Rook to join the attack 42. bxa8=Q+ Qxa8 43. fxg6 also looks tempting.
42. ... Rxb8 43. Rxb8+ Kg7 44. fxg6 hxg6 45. Bxg6 Qa7? Humpy blunders, she could have defused White’s initiative with 45. ... Bh4 46. Qf3 Qxf2+ 47. Qxf2 Bxf2+ 48. Kxf2 Kxg6 leading to a balanced ending.

46. Qf3! Typically, 侯逸凡 (Hóu Yìfán) doesn’t miss the opportunity and drives her opponent’s King up the board to its demise.
46. ... Qxb8 47. Qf7+ Kh6 48. Qh7+ Kg5 49. h4+ Kf4 50. Qh6+ 1 : 0.

Checkmate in Istanbul. Photo: Turkish Chess Federation.