Milking the cow

侯逸凡 (Hóu Yìfán) – Humpy Koneru
Women’s World Chess Championsip match game 7; Tirana, November 23, 2011
Spanish Game C92

1. e4 e5 2. Nf3 Nc6 3. Bb5 a6 4. Ba4 Nf6 5. 0-0 Be7 6. Re1 b5 7. Bb3 d6 8. c3 0-0 9. h3 Qd7 10. d4 Re8 11. Nbd2 Bf8 12. a3. The “Modern Chess Openings”, 13th edition, New York, McKay Chess Library, 1989, p. 56, edited by Nick de Firmian and Walter Korn, quoted 12. d5 Ne7 13. Nf1 g6 14. c4 Bg7 15. c5 Nh5 16. a4 dxc5 17. axb5 as leaving “Black with an ugly position”, R. J. Fischer – Wade, Buenos Aires 1960. 12. ... Bb7 13. d5 Ne7 14. Nf1. If 14. c4 then 14. ... c6 15. Bc2 h6 16. b4 a5!= 刘文哲 (Liú Wénzhé) – 徐俊 (Xú Jùn), 21st Chinese Chess Championship, 许昌 (Xǔchāng) 1987. 14. ... Ng6 15. N3h2!? A “thematic” novelty. After 15. Bc2 c6 16. dxc6 Bxc6 17. Bg5 Nh5 18. Nh4 Ngf4 Black’s chances seem quite reasonable, Bacrot – I. Sokolov, Hrókurinn Chess Tournament, Reykjavík 2003. 15. ... c6 16. Bg5 Be7 17. dxc6 Bxc6 18. Ng3 Nf4 19. Bxf6 Bxf6 20. Nh5 Qe7 21. Qf3 Bg5 22. Rad1 Ne6 23. Ng4 Rf8 24. Ne3 Bxe3. Of course, Black can’t leave the White Knights dominating the centre light squares. On 24. ... g6? 25. Bd5! may be annoying, to say the least. 25. Qxe3 Rad8 26. Ng3 g6 27. Rd2. White has emerged from the opening with a slight but lasting edge, which is all but good news to Koneru, who must play for a win at all costs. 27. ... h5? This impulsive move carries in itself the seeds of defeat. Black had probably nothing better than 27. ... Nc5 28. Ba2 Bd7 aiming at neutralising White’s Bishop with ... Bd7-e6. 28. Qh6 Nf4 29. Ne2 Qf6? And this is the crucial mistake, which loses a Pawn for no good compensation. After 29. ... Ne6 30. Ng3 Nf4 31. Red1 White stands clearly better. 30. Nxf4 exf4

31. Rd3! Sic et simpliciter. The f4-Pawn is doomed, due to the threat of Rf3-d3. 31. ... Rfe8 32. Rf3 Rd7 33. Rxf4 Qg7 34. Qg5 Re5 35. Qg3 Rde7 36. Rd1 g5 37. Rf5 Bxe4 38. Rxe5 Qxe5 39. Rxd6 Qxg3 40. fxg3. 侯逸凡 (Hóu Yìfán) must have been satisfied that the ending can be won because of White’s healthy Pawn up. Regardless of Black’s reply, White intends to continue with Bb3-d1, Kg1-f2, and Bd1-f3 powerfully improving her position.

40. ... Bb7. In his annotations for the ChessBase web site, Grandmaster Alejandro Tadeo Ramírez Álvarez writes that “40. ... a5 was a better try: 41. Rb6?! a4 42. Ba2 Bd3 is OK for Black”, but, indeed, after 41. Bd1! Bg6 42. Kf2 Black is equally hopeless. 41. Kf2 Kg7 42. Bd1 h4 43. gxh4 gxh4 44. Rd4 Be4 45. Bf3 Bxf3 46. Kxf3 Re1 47. Rxh4. That’s all. A second Pawn has fallen, and the win is by now only a matter of technique. 47. ... Rb1 48. Rb4 Kf6 49. Ke3 Ke5 50. Re4+ Kd5 51. Rd4+ Ke5 52. Rd2 f5 53. Kd3 Kf4 54. Rf2+ Kg3 55. Rxf5 Rxb2 56. Rg5+ Kh4 57. Rg6 a5 58. Rg4+ Kh5 59. Re4. As Ramírez Álvarez points out, “59. a4 bxa4 60. Rxa4 Rxg2 61. Rxa5+ Kg6 62. Re5 is a win even without the h3-Pawn”. 59. ... Kg6 (59. ... Rxg2 60. Re5+ Kg6 61. Rxb5+−) 60. Re2 Rb3 61. Ra2 b4 62. axb4 axb4 63. Rc2 Ra3 64. Kd4 bxc3 65. Rxc3 Ra2 66. Rg3+ Kh5 67. Ke3 Ra3+ 68. Kf2 Ra2+ 69. Kg1 Ra1+ 70. Kh2 Ra2 71. Rd3 Ra5 72. Rd4 Rb5 73. h4 Rb3 74. g3 Rb1 75. Kh3 Rh1+ 76. Kg2 Ra1 77. Rd5+ Kh6 78. Kh3 Ra3 79. Re5 Ra4 80. Re3 Ra6 81. g4 Ra1 82. Re6+ Kg7 83. h5 Rh1+ 84. Kg3 Kh7 85. Kf4 Rf1+ 86. Kg5 Rf7 87. h6 Ra7 88. Kh5 Ra5+ 89. g5 Rb5 90. Re7+ Kg8 91. Kg6 Rb6+ 92. Kf5 Rb5+ 93. Kf6 Rb6+ 94. Re6 Rb8 95. g6 Kh8 96. Re5 Ra8 97. Kg5 1 : 0.

By virtue of today’s win, 侯逸凡 (Hóu Yìfán) needs only one draw to retain the crown. Photo: Anastasiya Valeryevna Karlovich.

Free Time

侯逸凡 (Hóu Yìfán) spending her day off from the second-stage tournament of FIDE Women’s Grand Prix 2011–12 babysitting a class of young chess fans in 深圳 (Shēnzhèn), China, September 16, 2011. Photos: 樊璐璐 (Fán Lùlù).

Domenica 18 dicembre: Festa-Torneo

Derby sestese

Festa-Torneo di scacchi classici e scacchi960

Under Ten

Giacomo (on the left) is the winner!

Tall Order

侯逸凡 (Hóu Yìfán) as the Sugar Plum Fairy exchanges toasts at the awarding ceremony of the 35th Women’s World Chess Championship in Tirana, Albania on November 30, 2011. Yet she maintained her modesty and humour: “I am 17 years old now, and my height is 165 cm. I don’t know how tall I’ll grow. I am definitely not tall now”, she said. “I have healthy limbs and two hands. Now this is what everyone can see. There is still a long way to go. Still working hard”. Photo: Anastasia Valeryevna Karlovich and Anna Denisovna Burtasova.

The Laurel Wreath

13th Women’s World Chess Champion 侯逸凡 (Hóu Yìfán) is being awarded “Best Non-Olympic Sportswoman of the Year Award” at 2011 China’s Top Ten Laureus World Sports Awards Ceremony in 宁波 (Níngbō), 浙江省 (Zhèjiāng province), China, October 11, 2011. Photo collage: 众辉体育 (Starz Sports).

Breathless

On December 2, 2011 侯逸凡 (Hóu Yìfán) landed back in a snowy 北京 (Běijīng) after successfully defending her title in the Women’s World Chess Championship 2011 in Tirana, Albania against Humpy Koneru. But now was not yet the time to rest on her laurels: “I will go to 天津 (Tiānjīn) tomorrow to prepare for the last rounds of the Chinese Chess League. I will be there until December 6. From 9 to 16 December I will be back in 北京 (Běijīng) for the SportAccord World Mind Games. And then, from 18 to 28 December, I’ll be playing the Women’s World Chess Team Championship in Turkey. I feel like I haven’t time to breath!”, she said. Photo: 张斌 (Zhāng Bīn).

The Pink Panther Strikes Again

Former Soviet Union President Mikhail Sergeyevich Gorbachev hands the winner’s trophy of the 35th Women’s World Chess Championship to China’s 侯逸凡 (Hóu Yìfán) at the awarding ceremony held November 30, 2011 in Tirana, Albania. Photos: Red Black Chess.

Give what you can, take what you need

侯逸凡 (Hóu Yìfán) – Humpy Koneru
Women’s World Chess Championsip match game 4; Tirana, November 18, 2011
Spanish Game C80

1. e4 e5 2. Nf3 Nc6 3. Bb5 a6 4. Ba4 Nf6 5. 0-0 Nxe4 6. d4 b5 7. Bb3 d5 8. dxe5 Be6 9. Nbd2 Nc5 10. c3 Be7 11. Bc2 d4 12. Nb3 d3 13. Nxc5 dxc2 14. Qxd8+ Rxd8 15. Nxe6 fxe6 16. Be3 Rd5 17. c4. Here the first Chinese woman to ever win a World Chess Championship continued 17. Rac1 Nxe5 18. Nxe5 Rxe5 19. Rxc2 Kf7 20. c4 b4 21. Rd1 Rd8 22. Rxd8 Bxd8 23. Kf1 Bg5 24. Ba7!⩲ 谢军 (Xiè Jūn) – Zsu. Polgár, Jaén 1996, Women’s World Chess Championship match game 10 — “This slightly worse ending may be Black’s best choice”, Nick de Firmian and Walter Korn wrote in “Modern Chess Openings”, 14th edition, New York, David McKay Company, 1999, p. 73. 17. ... bxc4 18. Rac1 Nb4. Another Chinese milestone is 18. ... Bc5 19. Rxc2 Bxe3 20. fxe3 Rc5 (⌓ 20. ... Nxe5 21. Nxe5 Rxe5 22. Rxc4⩲) 21. Ng5 Nd8 22. Rd2 Rd5 23. Rfd1 Rxd2 24. Rxd2 c3 25. bxc3 Ke7 26. Rd4 Nc6 27. Rf4 Nxe5 28. Re4 Kf6 29. Rxe5 Kxe5 30. Nf7+ Kf6 31. Nxh8 g5 32. Kf2 Kg7 33. e4 Kxh8 34. Ke3 Kg7 35. g4 Kf6 36. Kd4 Ke7 37. e5 Kd7 38. Kc5 a5 39. Kb5 a4 40. a3 h6 41. h3 1 : 0 谢军 (Xiè Jūn) – 秦侃滢 (Qín Kǎnyìng), Women’s World Chess Championship Knockout Tournament, New Delhi 2000, Final match game 1.
19. a3 Nd3 20. Rxc2 Kd7 21. Bd4 Rb8 22. Bc3 c5. Afterwards Koneru suggested 22. ... Bc5 23. g3 Rf8 as an easier way to aim toward equality. 22. ... Rf8 may imply similar rights.
23. Nd2 Nxe5 24. f4. Koneru: “After this move I think White is better in the endgame. I have weak Pawns. But the question is how to convert it into a win. It was a tough game, I had to defend a lot”.
24. ... Ng4 25. Nxc4 Bf6 26. Re1 Bd4+ 27. Bxd4 Rxd4 28. h3 Nf6 29. Ne5+ Kd6 30. Nf7+ Kd7 31. Ne5+ Kd6 32. Nf7+ Kd7 33. Rxc5 Rxb2 34. Ne5+ Ke8

35. Nf3. Koneru: “I think White could have tried 35. Rc7. This would have been better for White than the actual game”.
35. ... Re4 36. Rxe4 Nxe4 37. Re5 Nc3 38. Rxe6+ Kf8

39. Rxa6. 39. Kh2 Ne2 40. Re5 was probably White’s last chance to keep playing for a win.
39. ... Ne2+ 40. Kh2 Nxf4. Now it’s an easy draw. 41. Kg3 Nxg2 42. Re6 h6 43. Ne5 Ra2 44. a4 g5 45. Rxh6 Ne1 46. Rf6+ Kg7 47. Rg6+ Kh7 48. Rxg5 Rxa4 49. h4 Ra3+ 50. Kg4 Ng2 51. h5 Ne3+ 52. Kf4 Nd5+ 53. Kf5 Ra5 54. Rg1 Ra2 55. Ng4 Ra5 56. Ke4 Nc3+ 57. Kd3 Nd5 ½ : ½.

“Maybe I missed some good chances today”, 侯逸凡 (Hóu Yìfán) said afterwards. Photo: Anastasiya Valeryevna Karlovich.

A Cast for a Crown

• Jan Hendrik Timman, “侯逸凡 (Hóu Yìfán)’s progress”, New In Chess, 6/2011, pp. 98–102

Never Never Land

13th Women’s World Chess Champion 侯逸凡 (Hóu Yìfán) is being awarded “Best Non-Olympic Sportswoman of the Year Award” at 2011 China’s Top Ten Laureus World Sports Awards Ceremony in 宁波 (Níngbō), 浙江省 (Zhèjiāng province), China, October 11, 2011. Photo: 新华社 (Xīnhuá News Agency).

Material Girl

侯逸凡 (Hóu Yìfán) – Viktorija Čmilytė
FIDE Women’s Grand Prix 2011–12; 2nd stage; 深圳 (Shēnzhèn), September 15, 2011
Sicilian Defence B76

1. e4 c5 2. Nf3 d6 3. d4 cxd4 4. Nxd4 Nf6 5. Nc3 g6 6. Be3 Bg7 7. f3 0-0 8. Qd2 Nc6 9. g4 Be6 10. 0-0-0 Nxd4 11. Bxd4 Qa5 12. a3 b5? A misplay that loses a Pawn for no compensation. It’s likely that Čmilytė has mixed up one or more theoretical lines — 12. ... Rab8 13. h4 b5!? just comes to mind — to suddenly realise the quid pro quo. Yet 侯逸凡 (Hóu Yìfán) thinks, whether pretendedly or not, that “12. ... b5 is a really interesting idea and maybe Black can have some compensation. After we changed Queens I’m not sure if Black got enough compensation or not. Probably White have slightly better position. Of course 15. ... Rfc8 is a huge mistake”.

13. g5 Nd7 14. Nxb5 Qxd2+ 15. Rxd2 Rfc8? “Well I made a mistake in the opening and 侯逸凡 (Hóu Yìfán) didn’t really give me a chance to survive. After 12. ... b5 13. g5 I’m just a Pawn down but 15. ... Rfc8 loses three Pawns. Instead of 12. ... b5 there were many other normal moves, it’s a theoretical position”, Čmilytė said afterwards, somewhat disconsolately.

16. Nxa7 Bxd4 17. Nxc8 Be3 18. Nxe7+ Kf8 19. Nd5 Bxd5 20. exd5 Ne5 21. Be2 Ra4 22. c3 Bxg5 23. Kc2 Bxd2 24. Kxd2 Ke7 25. Ra1 Rh4 26. a4

26. ... Kd7. 26. ... Rxh2 27. a5 Nxf3+ restores material equality — but not for long as after 28. Ke3 Ne5 29. a6 the a-Pawn is unstoppable.
27. a5 Kc7 28. a6 Kb8 29. a7+ Ka8 30. b4 Rxh2 31. Ke3 f5 32. Bb5 f4+ 33. Kxf4 g5+ 34. Kg3 Rb2 35. Ra3 h5 36. Bc6+ Nxc6 37. dxc6 h4+ 38. Kh3 Rf2 39. b5 Rxf3+ 40. Kg4 1 : 0.

Just another Dragon gone wrong. Photo: FIDE Women’s Grand Prix 2011–12.

Rockstar

Viktor Láznička – 侯逸凡 (Hóu Yìfán)
1st Airports Authority of India (AAI) Chess Tournament, New Delhi, June 28, 2011
Catalan Opening E06

1. d4 e6 2. c4 Nf6 3. g3 d5 4. Nf3 Be7 5. Bg2 0-0 6. 0-0 dxc4 7. Qc2 a6 8. Qxc4 b5 9. Qc2 Bb7 10. Bd2 Be4 11. Qc1 Bb7 12. Bf4 Nd5 13. Nc3 Nxf4 14. Qxf4 Nd7 15. Rfd1 Bd6

16. Qe3. Five months later 侯逸凡 (Hóu Yìfán)’s theory was put to the test with 16. Qh4 Be7 17. Qf4 Bd6 18. Qh4 Be7 19. Qf4 Bd6 20. Qh4 Be7 ½ : ½ M. O. Muzychuk – 侯逸凡 (Hóu Yìfán), 3rd Women’s World Team Chess Championship, Mardin 2011.
16. ... Nb6 17. Ne1 Bxg2 18. Kxg2 Qe7 19. Nd3 Nc4 20. Qf3 c5 21. dxc5 Bxc5

22. Nxc5. Grandmaster Viorel Antonovich Bologan, in his monograph on the Catalan, recommends 22. b3 Bd4 23. Rac1 Nb6 24. e3 Bxc3 25. Rxc3 Nd5 26. Rc2 Rac8 27. Rxd1 Rxc2 28. Rxc2⩲ (sic), but after 28. ... h6 Black shouldn’t have anything to worry about.
22. ... Qxc5 23. Ne4 Qe7 24. b3 Nb6 25. Rac1 Nd5 26. Nc5 Rac8 27. Nxa6 Rxc1 28. Rxc1 Qa3 29. Rc6 Ne7 30. Rc7 Nd5 31. Rc6 Ne7 32. Rc7 ½ : ½. “I must admit that I am disappointed. With White I was hoping for a better result, but she defended well. I could not find a way, I am not sure where I made a mistake, if any”, Láznička said afterwards.

Deep Thought

Alpha Girl

Betül Cemre Yıldız – 侯逸凡 (Hóu Yìfán)
16th European Women’s Chess Club Cup; Rogaška Slatina, September 26, 2011
Sicilian Defence B27

1. e4 c5 2. Nf3 g6 3. d4 cxd4 4. Nxd4 Nf6 5. Bd3?! Bg7 6. c4 Nc6. As a consequence of her uninspired opening play, White got herself into an unfavorable Maróczy Bind. 7. Ne2 Ne5 8. Nbc3 d6 9. 0-0 0-0 10. b3 Bd7! A cool novelty. An earlier game between two dei minores continued, in Benkö’s style, 10. ... Nxd3 11. Qxd3 b5!? 12. cxb5 a6 13. Bb2 axb5 14. Nxb5 Ba6 15. a4 Qb8 with controversial claims for compensation, Schwab – Hölzl, 47th Austrian Chess Championship, Hartberg 2004. 11. Kh1 a6

12. Nd4? The beginning of the end. 12. a4! was called for, and after 12. ... b5!? 13. axb5 axb5 14. Rxa8 Qxa8 15. cxb5 Rb8 Black should regain her pawn with comfortable equality. 12. ... b5! 13. cxb5. Of course White cannot take the Pawn with neither of the two Knights because of 12. ... Nxe4! with overwhelming effect. 12. ... Nxd3 14. Qxd3 axb5 15. Bb2 b4 16. Nd5. This loses a Pawn (even if not by force), but 16. Nd1 Ra5! eventually followed by ... Qd8-a8 is also hopeless. 16. ... Nxd5 17. exd5 Ra5 18. Qe4 Re8 19. a3 bxa3 20. Rxa3 Rxa3 21. Bxa3 f5 22. Qe3 Qa5 23. Bb2 Qxd5 24. Rc1 e5 25. Nf3 Be6 26. Nd2 Qb7 27. Ra1 Rc8 28. Qd3 Bd5 29. f3

29. ... e4! 0 : 1.

變數 (Variable)

侯逸凡 (Hóu Yìfán) – Nana Dzagnidze
16th European Women’s Chess Club Cup; Rogaška Slatina, October 1, 2011
Sicilian Defence B93

1. e4 c5 2. Nf3 d6 3. d4 cxd4 4. Nxd4 Nf6 5. Nc3 a6 6. f4 e5 7. Nf3 Nbd7 8. a4 Be7 9. Bc4 0-0 10. 0-0 b6. Or, alternatively, 10. ... Qb6+ 11. Kh1 exf4 12. a5 Qc5 13. Bb3 Ne5 14. Bxf4 Ng6 15. Bg3 Bg4 16. Qd2 Rae8 17. h3 Bd7 18. Qd4 Bc6 19. Qd3 Nh5 20. Bf2 Qb4 21. Nd4 Nhf4 22. Qf3 Bf6 23. Nxc6 bxc6 24. Bb6 Bxc3 25. Ra4 Qb5 26. bxc3 c5 27. Raa1 Re7 28. Qe3 Nh5 29. Bd5 Nf6 30. Rxf6 gxf6 31. Qf3 Re5 32. Qxf6 Qd7 33. Rd1 Rh5 34. Rd3 Re5 35. Rg3 Qe7 36. Rxg6+ hxg6 37. Qxg6+ Kh8 38. Qh6+ Kg8 39. Qg6+ Kh8 40. Qh6+ ½–½ 侯逸凡 (Hóu Yìfán) – 居文君 (Jū Wénjūn), Women’s Grand Prix 2011–12, 2nd stage, 深圳 (Shēnzhèn) 2011.
11. Kh1 Bb7 12. Qe2 h6 13. Nh4!?TN Nxe4?! The acceptance of the Pawn sacrifice is quite critical.
14. Nf5 Nef6 15. fxe5 Nxe5 16. Bf4 Qc7 17. Bb3 Rae8 18. Qd2 Nh7 19. Bxh6? It was really hard to resist such a tempting sacrifice, but had 侯逸凡 (Hóu Yìfán) calculated to the end of her variation, she would have probably contented herself with 19. Rad1, assuring White a sound advantage.
19. ... gxh6 20. Qxh6 Bf6 21. Rf4? And now the threat of Rf4-h4 looks deadly.

21. ... Bc8? Dzagnidze probably excluded 21. ... Kh8! from her analysis for fear of 22. Rh4 — which actually looks like a win — apparently not noticing the counter move 22. ... Bxg2+! 23. Kxg2 (or 23. Kg1 Nf3+−+) 23. ... Rg8+ 24. Kh1 Bxh4 which gave Black the preponderance of both the material and positional values.
22. Ne4! Qd8 (22. ... Bxf5 23. Nxf6+ Nxf6 24.Rxf5+−)
23. Nexd6 Bxf5 24. Nxf5 Re6 25. Rh4 Ng5 26. Rh5 Qd2 27. Ne7+ Rxe7 28. Qxf6 Nh7 29. Qf5 1–0.

rknnbrqb/pppppppp/8/8/8/8/PPPPPPPP/RKNNBRQB w AFaf - 0 1

Alexandra Konstantinovna Kosteniuk – Jacek Stopa

1st Kings vs. Queens Tournament; time control: 25 minutes plus 10 seconds per move; Saint Louis, September 14, 2011

rknnbrqb/pppppppp/8/8/8/8/PPPPPPPP/RKNNBRQB w AFaf - 0 1

Position #763

1. f4 f5 2. g4 g6 3. e4 fxe4 4. Bxe4 d5 5. Bg2 Nd6 6. d3 Nc6 7. Nb3 0-0-0 8. Nc3 e6 9. Bh4 Rd7 10. Ne2 b6 11. c3 e5 12. 0-0-0 e4 13. Ned4 Nxd4 14. Nxd4 c5 15. Nc6 Qe6 16. Ne5 Rc7 17. dxe4?! 17. Kb1 at once was safer. 17. ... d4 18. Kb1 dxc3 19. Rd5 cxb2 (19. ... Bb5!? 20. f5 Qe8 21. f6 Nc4∓)

20. f5 gxf5 21. exf5 Qh6?? Black overlooks a hidden resource which might have saved the game: 21. ... Bxe5! 22. Bg3! (22. fxe6?? Bg6+−+) 22. ... Nc4! 23. Bxe5 Bf7!∞ with a balanced mess. 22. Rxd6!+− Qxh4 (22. ... Qxd6 23. Rd1+−) 23. Qe3. Threatening both Qe3-e4 and Qe3-f3. 23. ... Bxe5 24. Qxe5 Re7

25. Rd8+! Kxd8 26. Qb8+ Kd7 27. Rd1 mate.

Fire under the Ashes

阮露斐 (Ruǎn Lùfěi) – 侯逸凡 (Hóu Yìfán)
FIDE Women’s Grand Prix 2011–12; 1st stage; Rostov-on-Don, August 13, 2011
Sicilian Defence B83

1. e4 c5 2. Nf3 e6 3. d4 cxd4 4. Nxd4 Nc6 5. Nc3 d6 6. Be2 Nf6 7. 0-0 Be7 8. Be3 0-0 9. Kh1 e5 10. Nb3 Be6 11. Bf3 a5 12. Nd5 Bxd5 (12. ... a4 13. Nd2 Bxd5 14. exd5 Nd4 15. Nc4 Nd7 16. Rb1 ½ : ½ Tringov – Spassky, 21st Chess Olympiad, Nice 1974) 13. exd5 Nb4 14. c3TN (14. c4 b6 15. Be2 Nd7 ½ : ½ Nisipeanu – Sakaev, 4th European Chess Championship, Silivri 2003) 14. ... Na6 15. Qd3 Nd7 16. g4 In order to prevent ... f7–f5. “I was not satisfied with the opening, maybe I made some mistakes, but I am not sure”, 阮露斐 (Ruǎn Lùfěi) then said.

16. .. Bg5 17. Nd2 g6 18. Rg1 Kh8 19. Qe2 a4 20. Ne4 Bxe3 21. fxe3 Qe7 22. Ng3 Rac8 23. Rac1 Rc7 24. Qd2 Qg5 25. Ne4 Qe7 26. Ng3

26. ... h6. Quite rightly Black refuses to repeat moves. 27. Be2 Nac5 28. e4 Qg5 29. Rcd1 Nf6 30. Bf3 Qxd2 31. Rxd2 a3 32. b3

32. ... Na6. Very interesting was 32. ... Nxb3! 33. axb3 Rxc3 with excellent practical chances for Black.
33. c4 Rb8 34. Kg2 b5 35. Be2 Nc5 36. Kf3 b4. “I think at some point my position was better: my Knight was better than her Bishop, but then I had a feeling that after 36. ... b4 that ending was drawish, however, before that I guess I had made some mistakes”, 侯逸凡 (Hóu Yìfán) said afterwards.
37. Bd1 Nh7 38. h4 Kg7 39. Ke3 Rf8 40. Rf2 Rb7 41. Rgf1 Rc7 42. Rg1 Rb7 43. Rgf1 Rc7 ½ ; ½.

Being better was not enough to win. Photo: FIDE Women’s Grand Prix 2011–12.

Tall Tale

13th Women’s World Chess Champion 侯逸凡 (Hóu Yìfán) poses for a picture with basketball star 姚明 (Yáo Míng) in the backstage of 2011 China’s Top Ten Laureus World Sports Awards Ceremony in 宁波 (Níngbō), 浙江省 (Zhèjiāng province), China, October 11, 2011. Photo: 众辉体育 (Starz Sports).

蛋黃醬 (Mayonnaise)

Nadezhda Anatolyevna Kosintseva – 侯逸凡 (Hóu Yìfán)
1st 杭州 (Hángzhōu) WGM Chess Tournament; 杭州 (Hángzhōu), July 23, 2011
French Defence C18

1. e4 e6 2. d4 d5 3. Nc3 Bb4 4. e5 c5 5. a3 Bxc3+ 6. bxc3 Ne7 7. Qg4 Qc7 8. Qxg7 Rg8 9. Qxh7 cxd4 10. Ne2 Nbc6 11. f4 dxc3 12. Nxc3 a6. Dubious is 12. ... Nxe5?! because of 13. Nb5 Qb8 14. Be2! N5g6 15. 0-0± T. A. Kosintseva – 侯逸凡 (Hóu Yìfán), FIDE Women’s Grand Prix 2009–2011, 3rd stage, Nalchik 2010. 13. Qd3 Bd7 14. Bd2. Not the most common move. More usual are 14. h4, 14. Ne2 and 14. Rb1.

14. ... 0-0-0! This is probably sharper than 14. ... Rc8 15. Ne2 (15. g3 Na5 16. Nd1 Nc4 17. Bc3 Bb5 18. a4 Nb2 19. Qd2 Nxd1 20. Ba5 Qc5 21. axb5 Ne3 22. Bd3 axb5 23. Rb1 Nxc2+ 24. Ke2 Nc6 25. Rhc1 b4 26. Kf1 Ne3+ 27. Ke2 Nc4 28. Bxc4 Qxa5 29. Bd3 Ke7 30. Kf1 Ra8 31. Qb2 Qb6 32. Qc2 Ra3 33. Ra1 Rga8 34. Rxa3 Rxa3 35. Be2 Rc3 36. Qb1 d4 37. Rd1 b3 38. Qh7 b2 39. Qh4+ Kd7 40. Qf6 b1=Q 0 : 1 Kupper – Schmid, 2nd Clare Benedict Cup, Zürich 1954) 15. Ne2 Nf5 16. g3 Nce7 17. Rc1 Bb5 18. Qb3 Qc6 19. Qc3 Qd7 20. Qb2 d4 21. Rg1 Rh8 22. h4 Rg8 23. Kf2 Nc6 24. Bh3 d3 25. Bxf5 dxe2 26. c4 Ba4 27. Be4 Rd8 28. Be3 Bd1 29. Bf3 e1=Q+ 30. Rxe1 Bxf3 31. Kxf3 Qd3 32. Kf2 Qg6 33. Rg1 Rd3 34. Rc3 Nxe5 35. fxe5 Rd8 36. Bf4 1 : 0 Zinser – Durão, 6th “Costa del Sol” International Tournament, Málaga 1966. 15. g3 Nf5 16. Bg2 Na5 17. Bh3 Bc6

18. Bxf5 exf5 19. Qxf5+? The capture of the Pawn is very unsound. ⌓ 19. Qd4 Nc4∞ was what one might expect — not an easily assessable issue. 19. ... Kb8 20. Qd3? The second error in a row is grave enough to lose the game. There was probably nothing better than 20. 0-0 d4 21. Ne4 Nc4 22. Rf2! b6∓ with the upper hand for Black. 20. ... d4−+ 21. Ne4 f5 22. Nf2 Bxh1 23. Nxh1 Rh8 24. h4 Nc4 25. Kf1 Qc6

26. Nf2. Or 26. Kf2 Nb2 27. Qb3 (27. Qxf5 d3−+) 27. ... d3−+ finis. 26. ... Rhg8 27. g4 (27. Bc1 Ne3+ 28. Bxe3 Rxg3−+) 27. ... fxg4 28. Re1 Nxd2+ 29. Qxd2 Qf3 30. Qd3 Qxf4 31. Qe4 Qh2! 32. Qg2 (32. Rb1 Rg7−+) 32. ... g3 33. Ne4 (33. Rb1 Rg7−+) 33. ... Rg4 0 : 1.

Through the Lens

Playing for the Cercle d’Échecs de Monte-Carlo at the 16th European Women’s Chess Club Cup held in Rogaška Slatina, Slovenia from September 25 to October 1, 2011, Women’s World Champion 侯逸凡 (Hóu Yìfán) not only made the best score on first board (+4 −2), but she has also dabbled with taking pictures. Photo: Uroš Hočevar.