Fischer would’ve wept if he saw her but once...

Anish Giri – 侯逸凡 (Hóu Yìfán)
75th Tata Steel Chess Tournament; Wijk aan Zee, January 18, 2013
Sicilian Defence B70

1. e4 c5 2. Nf3 d6 3. d4 cxd4 4. Nxd4 Nf6 5. Nc3 g6 6. g3 Nc6 7. Nde2 Bd7 8. Bg2 Qc8 9. h3 Bg7 10. a4!? 0-0 11. Bg5. Another way is 11. Be3 Rd8 12. Qd2 Nb4 13. Rc1 a5 14. Nd4 e6 15. b3 Ra6 16. g4 Bc6 17. 0-0 e5 18. Nxc6 Rxc6? (18. ... bxc6) 19. Nb5!± Short – Mestel, 58th Hastings International Chess Congress, Hastings 1982/1983. Furthermore, 11. Nd5!? is also worth considering. 11. ... Re8 12. Qd2 Ne5 13. b3 Rb8 14. Ra2 Nc6 15. Nd5 a5! 16. c3 b5 17. axb5 Rxb5 18. Qd1 Qb8 19. Ra3 Nxd5 20. exd5 Ne5 21. 0-0

21. ... a4!! Just like Harry Potter’s magic! If, instead, 21. ... Bxh3? then 22. Bxh3 Nf3+ 23. Kg2 Nxg5 24. Bd7 and... oops! 22. Nd4 (22. bxa4 Ra5 23. Nd4 Qc8) 22. ... Rxb3! A powerful sacrifice. 23. Nxb3 Nc4! 24. Nc5 dxc5 25. Ra1 Qe5 26. Bf4 Qxc3 27. Qe2 Na5. Two passed Pawns and the Bishop pair more than compensate for the Exchange. 28. Rac1 Qb4 29. Bd2 Qb6 30. Bc3 Nb3 31. Qb2

31. ... a3. Liquidating into an ending with a Pawn up. Tne engines give 31. ... Rb8! instead — which is also very strong. 32. Qxa3 Nxc1 33. Rxc1 Bxc3 34. Qxc3 Rc8 35. Qe3 Qd6 36. Re1 Re8 37. Rc1 Rc8 38. Re1 e6 39. dxe6 Bxe6 40. Bf1 c4 41. Qc3 Qf8. Preparing for fianchettoing Her Majesty!

42. Rxe6!? The best practical chance. 42. ... fxe6 43. Bxc4 Rc6 44. Qd4 Qc8 45. Be2 Rc1+ 46. Kg2 Rc2 47. Qe4 Qc6 48. Qxc6 Rxc6. In the end there is a Rook-plus-Pawns vs. Bishop-plus-Pawns endgame. 49. f4 Kg7 50. h4. White is doing his best, but not enough to claim a draw. 50. ... Rc2 51. Kf3 Rc3+ 52. Kf2 Kf6 53. Bg4 Rc5 54. Bh3 Rc2+ 55. Ke3 Ke7 56. Bg4 Kd6 57. Bf3 Rc3+ 58. Kf2 Rc5 59. Be4 Ra5 60. Bb7 Kc5 61. Ke3 Ra3+ 62. Kf2 Kd4 63. Bc6 Ra7 64. Ke2 Rc7 65. Ba8 h6 66. Kf2 g5 67. fxg5 hxg5 68. Kf3 gxh4 69. gxh4 Ke5 70. h5 Rh7 71. Kg4 Rg7+ 72. Kh4 Kf5 73. h6 Rg8 74. Bf3 e5 75. Bd5 Rd8 76. h7 Rh8 77. Bg8 e4 78. Kg3 Ke5 79. Kf2 Kd4 80. Ke2 e3 81. Ke1 Kd3 82. Be6 (82. Kd1 e2+ 83. Ke1 Ke3−+) 82. ... e2 83. Bg4 Ke3 84. Bxe2 Rxh7 85. Kf1 Rf7+ 0 : 1. For after 86. Ke1 Rf2 87. Bg4 (87. Bb5 Rb2−+) 87. ... Rg2 88. Bh3 Rg1+ 89. Bf1 Rh1 the curtain falls.

侯逸凡 (Hóu Yìfán): steel and silk. Photo: Tata Steel Chess.