Hairpin Loop

Erwin l’Ami – 侯逸凡 (Hóu Yìfán)
71st Corus Chess Tournament (B Group); Wijk aan Zee, February 2, 2009
Queen’s Indian Defence E12

1. d4 Nf6 2. c4 e6 3. Nf3 b6 4. a3 Bb7 5. Nc3 d5 6. Bg5 Be7 7. Bxf6 Bxf6 8. cxd5 exd5 9. Qa4+ c6 10. g3 0-0 11. Bg2 Na6 12. 0-0 c5 13. Rfd1 Qe7 (13. ... Nc7 14. dxc5 bxc5 15. e4 d4 16. e5 Bxf3 17. Bxf3 Rb8 18. exf6 Qxf6 19. Nd5 Qxf3 20. Nxc7 Rxb2 21. Rf1 Qb7 22. Qd7 d3 23. Rae1 h6 24. Re8 Rxe8 25. Qxe8+ Kh7 26. Qxf7 Rb1 27. Qf5+ Kh8 28. Rxb1 Qxb1+ 29. Kg2 Qb7+ 30. Nd5 d2 31. Qf8+ Kh7 32. Qf3 Qb1 33. Nc3 Qc1 34. a4 Qxc3 35. Qxc3 d1=Q 36. Qxc5 Qxa4 37. Qf5+ ½ : ½ A. I. Kuzmin – Korotylev, 36th Meisterturnier MTO, Biel/Bienne 2003)
14. e3 Nc7 15. Rac1 Rfd8 16. dxc5 bxc5 17. Ne1 h6 18. Qa5

18. ... Rab8! 19. Qxa7 d4 20. exd4 (20. Bxb7 dxc3)
20. ... Bxg2 21. Kxg2 cxd4 22. Na4 Qe4+ 23. Kg1 Ne6 24. Nc5 Nxc5 25. Qxc5

25. ... d3 26. Qc6 Qe2 27. Qf3 Qxf3 28. Nxf3 Rxb2 29. Rb1 Rxb1 30. Rxb1 d2 31. Rd1 Rd3 32. Kg2 Bc3 33. a4 g5 34. h3 f5 35. Nh2 Rd4 36. Nf3 Rd3 37. Nh2 h5

38. Nf1 f4 39. gxf4 gxf4 40. f3 Rd4 41. Kf2 Rxa4 42. Nxd2 Bxd2 43. Rxd2 Kf7 44. Rd5 Kg6 45. h4 Ra2+ 46. Kg1 Ra1+ 47. Kg2 Ra2+ 48. Kh3 Ra3 49. Rg5+ Kf6 50. Rxh5 Rxf3+ 51. Kg4 Rf1 52. Rf5+ Kg7 53. Rxf4 Rxf4+ ½ : ½.

It was a draw, at last. Photo: Corus Chess.