Too Much, to Little

Maria Nikolaeva Velcheva – 侯逸凡 (Hóu Yìfán)
37th Women’s Chess Olympiad; Turin, May 28, 2006
Sicilian Defence B58

1. e4 c5 2. Nf3 d6 3. d4 cxd4 4. Nxd4 Nf6 5. Nc3 Nc6 6. Be2 e5 7. Nf3 h6 8. 0-0 Be7 9. Re1 0-0 10. h3 Be6 11. Bf1 Nb8 12. b3 a6 13. a4 Nbd7 14. Bb2 Rc8 15. Nd2 Qc7 16. Nc4 Qc6 17. Qf3 Rfe8 18. Ne3 Bf8 19. Ncd5 Bxd5 20. exd5 Qc7 21. a5 g6 22. Nc4 Rcd8 23. Rad1 Bg7 24. Qe3 Nh5 25. Ba3 Bf8 26. g3 f5 27. Bg2 Kh7 28. Bf3 Nhf6 29. Qd2 Nc5 30. Qe3 Ncd7 31. Qd2 Nc5 32. Qe3 Nce4 33. Bg2 Qf7 34. Qd3 Be7 35. Re2 h5 36. Kh2

36. ... h4 37. gxh4? (37. g4!) 37. ... Nh5 38. Bc1 Nc5 39. Qd2 Nf4 40. Ree1 Bxh4 41. b4 Ne4 42. Bxe4 fxe4 43. Rxe4 Qf5 44. Qe3

44. ... Bxf2 (44. ... Bg3+! 45. Qxg3 Qxe4−+) 45. Qf3 Nxd5 46. Qxf5 gxf5 47. Re2 Nc3 48. Rxf2 Nxd1 49. Rxf5 Rc8 50. Nxd6 Rxc2+ 51. Kg3

51. ... Rg8+ (51. ... Re6−+) 52. Bg5 Rg6 53. Ne4 Rcc6? (53. ... Nc3!−+) 54. Rxe5! Rce6 55. Rxe6 Rxe6 56. Nc5 Rg6 57. Kf4 Nf2 58. h4 Nh3+ 59. Kf5 Nxg5 60. hxg5 Rg7 61. Ne6 Rf7+ 62. Ke5 Kg6 63. Kd6 Rf5 64. Nc5 Rf4 65. Nxb7 Rxb4 66. Nc5 Rb5 67. Nxa6 Rxa5 68. Nc5 Kxg5 69. Kd5 Kf5 70. Kd4 Ra8 71. Kd5 Rd8+ 72. Kc4 Ke5 73. Nd3+ Ke4 74. Nc5+ Ke3 75. Kc3 Rd4 76. Nb3 Rh4 77. Nc5 Rg4 78. Nb3 Ke4 79. Kc4 Ke5+ 80. Kc5 Rg2 81. Kc4 Rc2+ 82. Kd3 Rh2 83. Kc4 Rh4+ 84. Kc5 Rh8 85. Kc4 Rc8+ 86. Kd3 Kd5 87. Nd2 Ra8 88. Nb3 Ra4 89. Kc3 Rh4 90. Nd2 Rh3+ 91. Kc2 Kc5 92. Nb3+ Kb4 93. Nd2 Re3 94. Nb1 Rb3 95. Nd2 Rc3+ 96. Kd1 Rd3 97. Kc2 Rd4 98. Nb1 Rh4 99. Nd2 Rh3 100. Nb1 Rg3 101. Nd2 Rc3+ 102. Kd1 Rc8 103. Ke2 Kc3 104. Ke3 Re8+ 105. Ne4+ Kc4 106. Kf4 Kd4 107. Nd6 Re1 108. Nf5+ Kd5 109. Ne3+ Kd4 110. Nf5+ Kd5 ½ . ½.

Much work for little recompense. Photo: Jay Nikki Yongwei Jiang.