Saturday, June 23, 2012

我偶然,你必然 (I accidentally, you absolutely)

侯逸凡 (Hóu Yìfán) – Yrjö Aukusti Rantanen
12th Bangkok Chess Club Open; Bangkok, April 18, 2012
r5Q1/1ppk1p1r/p2pbq2/2b1pN2/4Pp2/2PP3P/PP3P2/R3K1R1 w Q - 0 1

Position after ... Ke8-d7

White to move and gain the Exchange, but 侯逸凡 (Hóu Yìfán) stands before a dilemma: which Rook to take?
1. Qxa8? And what if it’s the wrong one? After the correct 1. Qxh7 Rh8 2. Qg7 Qxg7 3. Nxg7 Rxh3 4. Nxe6 fxe6! Black has only a Pawn for the Exchange, but his nut is hard to crack.
1. ... Bxf5? What a difference an inversion of moves makes! 1. ... Bxf2+! would have left White without resource.
2. Rg8! Threatening Qa8-e8#. 2. exf5?? Bxf2+! could transpose to the line given in the previous note.
2. ... Bxf2+! 3. Kd2. Not 3. Kxf2?? on account of 3. ... Qh4+ 4. Ke2 Bg4+!! and Black wins in all variations.
3. ... Kc6 4. exf5 Rxh3? (⌓ 4. ... Qxf5 5. Rb8 Qxh3 6. Qxb7+ Kd7=)
5. Rb8 Bb6? 6. Qxb7+ Kd7 7. Qc8+ Kc6 8. Qe8+ Kd5


9. Rxb6? Both are short of time. Under better circumstances 侯逸凡 (Hóu Yìfán) would have never missed 9. Qa4!+− with threat of mate at c4.
9. ... Rh2+ 10. Kc1 Qxf5! This must have come as a cold shower to 侯逸凡 (Hóu Yìfán): Black sacrifices a whole Rook to launch a devastating attack! Perhaps she only counted on 10. ... cxb6?? 11. Qa8+ Kc5 12. b4+ Kb5 13. a4#.
11. Qa8+ Ke6 12. Qc8+ Kf6 13. Qxc7 Kg7 14. Qxd6 Qg5 15. Qc5 f3+ 16. Kb1 f2 17. a3 f1=Q+ 18. Ka2 Qf2 19. Qb4 Rh8. And here Rantanen offered a draw, which 侯逸凡 (Hóu Yìfán) very happily accepted!
½–½.

侯逸凡 (Hóu Yìfán) staring at her opponent in open-mouthed surprise after the draw offer. Screenshot courtesy of Karpovsky Chess Wannabe.

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