Less and More

修德顺 (Xiū Déshùn) – 侯逸凡 (Hóu Yìfán)
42nd Chinese Chess Championship; 兴化 (Xīnghuà), March 30, 2011
Sicilian Defence B36

1. Nf3 c5 2. c4 Nc6 3. d4 cxd4 4. Nxd4 g6 5. e4 Nf6 6. Nc3 d6 7. Be2 Nxd4 8. Qxd4 Bg7 9. Bg5 0-0 10. Qd2 a5 11. Rc1 a4 12. f3 Be6 13. Rc2 Qd7 (13. ... Re8 14. Nb5 Bd7 15. 0-0 Bc6 16. Rd1 Qb8 17. c5 d5 18. Bxf6 Bxf6 19. exd5 Rd8 20. Bc4 Be5 21. d6 Bxb5 22. Bxb5 exd6 23. f4 Bg7 24. cxd6 Qa7+ 25. Qf2 Qa5 26. Rd5 Qb4 27. Rc4 Qxb2 28. Qxb2 Bxb2 29. Rxa4 Rxa4 30. Bxa4 Ra8 31. Bb5 f5 32. d7 Rd8 33. Rd2 Bf6 34. Re2 Kf7 35. Re8 Be7 36. Kf2 Ke6 37. Ke3 Kd6 38. Kd4 Bf6+ 39. Kc4 Be7 40. h3 h5 41. Rxe7 Kxe7 42. Kc5 g5 43. Kb6 Rg8 44. Kxb7 Kd8 45. a4 gxf4 46. Bc6 Rg3 47. Bf3 Rg7 48. a5 Rxd7+ 49. Kb8 Rd6 50. Bb7 Ke7 51. a6 Rxa6 52. Bxa6 f3 53. gxf3 Kd6 54. Bb7 1 : 0 Yemelin – Pigusov, 19th European Chess Club Cup, Rethymno 2003)
14. 0-0 Rfc8 15. Rfc1 Qd8 16. Nb5 Nd7 17. Kh1 Nc5 18. Qe3 Qf8

19. Rd2? Now, for the sake of Black’s dark-squared Bishop, all White’s heavy places are on the same diagonal. 19. Rd1 was obviously better.
19. ... Bd7 20. Nc3? Another mistake, skewering himself. Best was 20. Qg1! Bxb5 21. cxb5 a3!⩱ leaving Black with a slightly superior game.
20. ... Ne6 21. Nd5. This implies the loss of the Exchange, but 21. f4 f6 22. Bh4 Nxf4! was not appealing either.
21. ... Nxg5 22. Qxg5 Bh6 23. Qxe7 Bxd2 24. Rd1 Be6 25. Qxf8+. 25. Rxd2 Bxd5 transposes to the game.
25. ... Kxf8 26. Rxd2 Bxd5 27. Rxd5 Rc6. The ending should be winning for Black.

28. Kg1 Rb6 29. Rd2 a3 30. bxa3 (30. b3? Rxb3!−+)
30. ... Rxa3 31. Bd1 Ke7 32. Bb3 Ra5 33. Re2 Re5 34. f4 Rc5 35. Kf2 g5 36. f5 Kf6 37. Ke3 Ke5 38. Kd3 Ra6 39. Rf2 h6 40. Ke3 Ra3 41. Rd2 Ra6 42. Kd3 Rac6 43. Ba4 Rc7 44. Bb5 Re7 45. Ke3 Rec7 46. Rb2 Kf6 47. Kd4 Re7 48. Ba4 Rec7 49. Rb4 Ke7 50. Bb5 Kd8 51. Ra4 Re7 52. Ra8+ Kc7 53. Ba4 Rce5 54. Bc2 Re8 55. Ra3 Rc5 56. Rh3 Rh8 57. Bd1 Ra5 58. a4 f6 59. Bc2 h5 60. Bd1 h4 61. Rc3 Rha8 62. Rc1 R8a6 63. Bb3 Rb6 64. Kc3 Re5 65. Bc2 Kc6 66. Rd1 Kc5 67. Rd2 Rb4 68. Bb3

68. ... Rxb3+. Finally Black returns the Exchange, forcing what should be a winning Rook endgame.
69. Kxb3 Rxe4 70. Rd5+ Kc6 71. Rd2 Rf4 72. Kb4 Rxf5 73. a5 Rf4 74. h3 f5 75. Kc3 g4 76. hxg4 fxg4 77. Rd5

77. ... Rf2? 77. ... g3! 78. Rh5 Rf3+! gains a crucial tempo on the King, winning by force.
78. Rh5 Rxg2 79. Rxh4 g3 80. Rg4 Rg1 81. Rg5 g2 82. Kb2. Of course. Now it’s a draw.
82. ... Kd7 83. Rg3 Ke6 84. Rg5 Kf6 85. Rg8 Ke5 86. Rg4 Kf5 87. Rg7 Ke4 88. Rg6 Ke3 89. Re6+ Kf4 90. Rg6 Ke4 91. Ka2 Rc1 92. Rxg2 Rxc4 93. Kb3 Rc5 94. Kb4 Kd5 95. Rg5+ Kd4 96. Rg4+ Kd3 97. Rg6 Rc6 98. Kb5 Kc3 99. Rg7 Rc5+ 100. Kb6 Kb4 101. Rg4+ Kc3 102. Ra4 Kb3 103. Rd4 Rh5 104. Rxd6 Kc4 105. Kxb7 ½ : ½.

The noodle slipped out of her fingers. Photo: Sina Chess News.