Black on White

Alisa Mikhailovna Galliamova – 侯逸凡 (Hóu Yìfán)
FIDE Women’s Grand Prix 2011–12; 4th stage; Kazan, June 20, 2012
Modern Benoni A70

1. d4 Nf6 2. c4 c5 3. d5 e6 4. Nc3 exd5 5. cxd5 d6 6. e4 g6 7. h3 Bg7 8. Nf3 0-0 9. Bd3 a6 10. a4 Nbd7 11. 0-0 Nh5 12. Bg5 Bf6 13. Be3 Re8 14. Nd2 Bd4 15. Bxd4 cxd4 16. Ne2 Ne5 17. Ra3

侯逸凡 (Hóu Yìfán) then praised this move, probably regretting not having played 16. ... Nc5 (instead of 16. ... Ne5).
17. ... Qb6 18. Qb3. By exchanging Queens, White content herself with very little.
18. ... Qxb3 19. Rxb3 Bd7 20. Ra1 b5 21. a5 Nf6 22. Nxd4 Nxd3 23. Rxd3 Nxe4 24. Nxe4 Rxe4 25. Rc1 Rc8 26. Rxc8+ Bxc8. The ending should be a draw, but White’s next move makes things decidedly more complex.

27. Re3?! 侯逸凡 (Hóu Yìfán) suggested afterwards 27. Nc2 so as to avoid the exchange of minor pieces.
27. ... Rxd4 28. Re8+ Kg7 29. Rxc8 Kf6 30. Rc6 Ke5 31. Rxa6 Rb4 32. Rb6 Kxd5

33. a6. 侯逸凡 (Hóu Yìfán) then admitted that both her herself and Galliamova did not notice that 33. Rb8! would have still drawn.
33. ... Rxb2 34. a7? White was still in time for 34. Rb8! saving the day.
34. ... Rb1+ 35. Kh2 Ra1 36. Rxb5+ Kc6 37. Rb2 Rxa7 38. g4 d5 39. Kg3 Re7 40. Kf4 d4 41. Kg5 Kc5 42. f4 d3 43. f5 Rd7 44. Rb1 d2 45. Rd1 Kc4 46. f6 Kd3 47. Kh6 Ke2 48. Rxd2+ Kxd2 0 : 1.

Not all rook endings are drawn! Photo: Anastasia Valeryevna Karlovich.