Missing by a Heartbeat

Alexandra Konstantinovna Kosteniuk – 侯逸凡 (Hóu Yìfán)
FIDE Women’s Grand Prix 2013–2014; 1st stage; Geneva, May 14, 2013
Sicilian Defence B22

The two former Chess Queens played a very long game, in which Kosteniuk ran a serious risk of losing due to her controversial Pawn sacrifice. Black apparently missed more than one opportunity for victory, and after 95 moves the peace was finally agreed. 1. e4 c5 2. c3 d5 3. exd5 Qxd5 4. Nf3 Nf6 5. d4 Nc6 6. Be2 cxd4 7. cxd4 e6 8. Nc3 Qd6 9. 0-0 Be7 10. Nb5 Qd8 11. Bf4 Nd5 12. Bg3 0-0 13. Bc4 a6 14. Nc3 Bf6 15. Ne4 Be7 16. Nc3 Nf6 17. Bb3 Na5 18. Bc2 b5 19. Ne5 Bb7 20. Ne2. The opening ended, but no clear indication has been obtained as to where White is going, since “[I] was choosing strange moves”, Kosteniuk acknowledged in the press conference after the game. 20. ... Rc8 21. Rc1 Nc4 22. b3 Nb6 23. Nd3 Ba3 24. Nc5 Ba8 25. Ra1 Bxc5 26. dxc5 Rxc5 27. Qb1 Nbd5 28. Be5 h6 29. Qb2 Ng4 30. Bg3 Qd7 (30. ... f5! 31. h3 Nge3!−+) 31. Rac1 Rfc8 32. Bb1 Qb7 33. Rxc5 Rxc5 34. Qd4 Rc8 35. Qxg4 Ne3 36. Qf3 Qxf3 37. gxf3 Nxf1 38. Kxf1 Bxf3 39. Bf4 e5 40. Bd2 h5 41. Nc3 Rd8 42. Be1 Rd4 43. Bf5 b4 44. Nb1 g6 45. Bc8 a5 46. Nd2 Bc6 47. Ba6 Rd8 48. Be2 f6 49. Nc4 Ra8 50. Bd2 Kg7 51. Ke1 Be4 52. Nb6 Rd8 53. Nc4 Ra8 54. Nb6 Ra7 55. Be3 Bb1 56. Kd2 Rc7 57. Nc4 Bxa2 58. Nxa5 Rc3 59. Bc4 h4 60. Ke1 Bb1 61. Bd2 Rh3 62. Kf1 Rxh2 63. Kg1 Rh3 64. Bf1

64. ... Rc3!!−+ 65. Bxc3 bxc3 66. b4 Bc2? Going the wrong way; after 66. ... Kf7!−+ (67. Nb3 Be4) Black must win. 67. b5 Ba4 68. b6 c2 69. b7 c1=Q 70. b8=Q Qg5+ 71. Kh1 Qd2 72. Qa7+ Kh6 73. Qc5 Bc2 74. Qf8+ Kg5 75. Qc5 Be4+ 76. Kg1 Kh6 77. Qf8+ Kg5 78. Qc5 Qf4 79. Nc4 Qf3 80. Qe3+ Qxe3 81. Nxe3 f5 82. Bc4 Kf4 83. Nd5+ Bxd5 84. Bxd5 e4 85. Kg2 g5 86. Be6 Ke5 87. Bc8 Kf4 88. Be6 Ke5 89. Bc8 f4 90. f3 Kd4 91. fxe4 Kxe4 92. Bg4 Ke3 93. Bh5 Kd4 94. Bg4 Ke4 95. Kf2 Ke5 ½ : ½.

Alexandra Konstantinovna Kosteniuk (right) vs. 侯逸凡 (Hóu Yìfán) (left). Photo: Anastasiya Karlovich.