Twosome

侯逸凡 (Hóu Yìfán) – Guðlaug Þorsteinsdóttir
27th Reykjavík Open; Reykjavík, March 6, 2012
Sicilian Defence B43

1. e4 c5 2. Nc3 e6 3. Nf3 a6 4. d4 cxd4 5. Nxd4 Qc7 6. Bd3 Nc6 7. Nxc6 dxc6 8. f4 e5 9. Qf3 Nf6 10. f5 Bc5 11. a4 a5 12. Qg3 Rg8 13. Qh4 Bd7 14. Bc4 Qb6 15. Bb3 0-0-0

16. Bxf7? A liberty that could cost her dear. 16. Bd2 g5! is double-edged but probably balanced as well (17. Bxg5 Bd4∞). 16. ... Rgf8 17. Bb3

17. ...Bd4? So Þorsteinsdóttir’s opportunity passes by. Instead, 17. ... Be8! just stuck the White King in the centre with crushing effect (18. Bd2? Bh5!−+). 18. Bd2 Be3? Two mistakes in a row are too many. Both 18. ... Bxc3 19. bxc3 c5∞ and 18. ... Be8∞ would have kept Black in the game. 19. 0-0-0 Bxd2+ 20. Rxd2 Qb4 21. Rf1 c5 22. Bd5 Bxa4 23. Qg3 Nxd5 24. Nxd5 Qb5 25. Rfd1 1 : 0.

Reykjavík City Councilor Óttarr Proppé makes the first move for 侯逸凡 (Hóu Yìfán), the reigning Women’s World Chess Champion, against Icelandic Women’s pluri-Champion Guðlaug Þorsteinsdóttir. Photo: skak.blog.is.