Renaissance Madonna

侯逸凡 (Hóu Yìfán) – Csaba Balogh
5th György Marx Memorial; Paks, August 6, 2007
Sicilian Defence B83

1. e4 c5 2. Nf3 e6 3. d4 cxd4 4. Nxd4 Nc6 5. Nc3 d6 6. Be2 Nf6 7. 0-0 Ae7 8. Be3 Bd7 9. Nb3 a6 10. a4 Na5 11. Nd2. If 11. Nd4 then 11. ... Nc6 with equality. 11. ... 0-0 12. f4 Bc6. The alternative is 12. ... Qc7 in order to answer 13. Qe1 by 13. ... b5. 13. Qe1!? A novelty by 侯逸凡 (Hóu Yìfán). If 13. Bd3 then 13. ... d5 14. e5 d4 15. exf6 Bxf6 16. Nde4 Be7 (Nisipeanu – Rublevsky, 1st Aerosvit Chess Tournament, Foros 2006) 17. Bd2 dxc3 18. Bxc3 Nc4= (Rublevsky’s analysis). 13. ... d5. That’s a strategic goal for Black! 14. Rd1 Bb4 15. exd5 Nxd5 16. Nxd5 Qxd5? After 16. ... exd5 Black’s position was at least more tenable, if not more balanced. 17. Qf2. White has a very powerful initiative force, which 侯逸凡 (Hóu Yìfán) will soon turn into an overwhelming attack. 17. ... b5 18. Nb3 Qf5 19. Nd4 Qg6 20. c3 Be7 21. b4 e5 22. fxe5 Nb7 23. Nxc6 Qxc6 24. Qf3 Qc7 25. axb5 axb5 26. Bxb5 Ra3 27. Rd7 Qxe5 28. Bd4! Qxb5 29. Rxe7 Nd8

And here is the “clou”: 30. Bxg7! Kxg7 31. Qf6+ Kg8 32. Re5 1 : 0.

侯逸凡 (Hóu Yìfán) (left) vs. Csaba Balogh (right).