The Queen’s Carpet

From left to right: 居文君 (Jū Wénjūn), 侯逸凡 (Hóu Yìfán), and 沈阳 (Shěn Yáng) posing as models. Photo: taizhou.com.cn.

Scacchi classici e 960 al Liceo Gobetti

Scacchi classici e 960 al Liceo Scientifico Statale Piero Gobetti
Il Delta della Luna Channel 3

Clarice Benini

Alessandra Innocenti & Lorenzo Barsi

Clarice Benini
Omaggio alla Campionessa di Scacchi

versione 0.1 (PDF)

Queen Cobra

侯逸凡 (Hóu Yìfán) – Lilit Maratovna Mkrtchian
FIDE Women's Grand Prix 2009–11; 4th stage; Jermuk, June 26, 2010
French Defence C05

1. e4 e6 2. d4 d5 3. Nd2 Be7 4. Ngf3 Nf6 5. e5 Nfd7 6. Bd3 c5 7. c3 Nc6 8. 0-0 a5 9. a4 cxd4 10. cxd4 Nb4 11. Bb5 0-0 12. Nb1 Nb8 13. Nc3 Bd7 14. Re1 N8c6 15. Bf4 Na7?!TN (15. ... Kh8 16. Qd2⩲↑ Kalod – Kortschnoi, 21st Mitropa Cuo, Leipzig 2002) 16. Bf1 Rb8 17. Re3 b5

18. h4!? A proclamation of her belligerent intentions, but possibly stronger was 18. Ne1 intending Re3-h3. 18. ... Bxh4? Mkrtchian very imprudently plays in her opponent’s hands. 19. Nxh4 Qxh4 20. Bg3. Even stroger seems 20. Ne2! massing on the Kingside. 20. ... Qg5 21. axb5. This and the few next moves dissipate almost all White’s initiative. 21. ... Nxb5 22. Ne2 Ra8 23. Bh2 Qf5 24. Nf4 Qc2 25. Qg4 Nxd4 26. Nh5 Qg6 27. Qh3? 侯逸凡 (Hóu Yìfán) is reluctant to resign herself to 27. Qxd4 Qxh5 with rough equality, and embarks into obscure complications. 27. ... Nf5 28. Rf3 Rfc8? Black misses her best chance here: 28. ... Kh8! 29. Rf4 Qh6 30. Ra3 d4! with excellent counterplay; a sample line is 31. Rxf5 exf5 32. Bf4 Qc6 33. Nf6 gxf6 34. Bb5 Qxb5 35. Qh6 Nd3 36. Bg5 fxg5 37. Qf6+ with perpetual check. 29. Rf4 Nh6

30. Nf6+! gxf6 31. Rxf6 Qg7? 31. ... Nf5 32. Rxg6+ fxg6 was Black’s only chance, though after 33. Bf4 White should win in the long run anyway. 32. Rxh6 Kh8 33. Bf4 Rg8

34. Bg5! 1 : 0.

Three rounds went by and finally the day came, when 侯逸凡 (Hóu Yìfán) finally achieved her first win. Photo: Aghasi Inants.

Bodensee

Mauro Berni ci ha inviato una partita di Clarice Benini a noi ancora ignota, dal Torneo Internazionale femminile di Lindau (22 marzo–3 aprile 1959), rinomata località di villeggiatura dell’allora Germania Occidentale. Fonte testuale la Deutsche Schachzeitung del giugno 1959, pp. 169-170. L’avversaria di Clarice è Elfriede (Friedl) Benzinger Rinder (Schrobenhausen, 20 novembre 1905–Monaco di Baviera, 3 giugno 2001). Come chiosa Mauro, “la Benini si lascia tentare da un sacrificio scorretto”.

[Event "Women’s International Tournament"]
[Site "Lindau on Bodensee"]
[Date "1959.??.??"]
[White "Rinder, Friedl"]
[Black "Benini, Clarice"]
[ECO "C04"]
[Result "1-0"]
[PlyCount "61"]

1.e4 e6 2.d4 d5 3.Nd2 Nc6 4.Ngf3 Nf6 5.e5 Nd7 6.c3 f6 7.exf6 Qxf6 8.Bb5 Bd6 9.O-O O-O 10.Re1 e5 11.dxe5 Ncxe5 12.Re2 c6 13.Ba4 Nc5 14.Nxe5 Bxe5 15.Bc2 Bg4 16.f3 Bh5 17.Nf1 Rae8 18.Ng3 Qh4 19.Be3 Bxg3 20.hxg3 Qxg3 21.Bxc5 Bxf3 22.Qd3 Qg4 23.Qxh7+ Kf7 24.Rf2 Rh8 25.Rxf3+ Qxf3 26.gxf3 Rxh7 27.Bxh7 g6 28.Bd4 b6 29.Kf2 c5 30.Rg1 Re6 31.Bh8 1-0

Dahn, 1959: Friedl Rinder