Paeonia (芍药属)

Anna Yuriyivna Ushenina – 侯逸凡 (Hóu Yìfán)

Women’s World Chess Championship match game 6; 泰州 (Tàizhōu), September 18, 2013

Queen’s Indian Defence E17

1. d4 Nf6 2. c4 e6 3. Nf3 b6 4. g3 Bb7 5. Bg2 Be7 6. Nc3 0-0 7. Qc2 c5 8. d5 exd5 9. Nh4 Nc6 (9. ... b5!?) 10. cxd5 Nd4 (10. ... Nb4 11. Qd1 d6 12. a3 Na6 13. Nf5 Re8 14. 0-0 Bf8 15. e4 c4 16. Be3 Rc8 17. f3 Nc5 18. Bh3 a6 19. a4 Rc7 20. Qc2 Bc8 21. g4 g6 22. Nh6+ Kg7 23. Bd4 Nb3 24. Bxb6 Qe7 25. Qg2 Rb7 26. Be3 Nxa1 27. Rxa1 Kh8 28. g5 Nh5 29. Bxc8 Rxc8 30. Qh3 Rcb8 31. Bd4+ Bg7 32. Bxg7+ Kxg7 33. Qxh5 gxh5 34. Nf5+ Kg6 35. Nxe7+ Rxe7 36. Nd1 Kxg5 37. Kf2 Kf4 38. Rc1 Rb3 39. Rc3 Rxc3 40. Nxc3 Rb7 41. Ne2+ Ke5 42. Ke3 Rb3+ 43. Nc3 Rxb2 44. f4+ Kf6 45. Kd4 Rd2+ 46. Kxc4 Rxh2 47. Kd4 Rd2+ 48. Kc4 Rc2 0 : 1 Bergraser – Raizman, 16th French Chess Championship, Nice 1938) 11. Qd1 Ne8 12. Nf3 Nxf3+ 13. Bxf3 d6 14. 0-0 Nc7 15. a4 a6 16. Rb1 Bf6 17. Bd2 (⌓ 17. Bf4) 17. ... b5 18. axb5 Nxb5!? 18. ... axb5 19. b4 c4⩱ “It would be a different game”, 侯逸凡 (Hóu Yìfán) said afterwards. “I just preferred to activate my Knight”. 19. Bg2 Bc8 20. Ne4 Re8 21. Nxf6+ Qxf6 22. e4 a5 23. Ra1 Bd7 24. Ra2 a4 25. Re1 h6 26. Be3 a3 27. Qd2 axb2 28. Rxb2 Nc3 29. f3 Ra3 30. Bf2 Nb5 31. Reb1

31. ... c4! Very sharp! With 3 minutes on her clock, maybe Ushenina was hoping for 31. ... Nc3 32. Re1 Nb5= offering a draw by repetition. 32. Rxb5 Bxb5 33. Bd4? Should be the losing blunder! White ought to play 33. Qb4= Ra2 34. Qxb5 Rxe4! 35. Rf1 Ree2 36. Qxc4 Qb2 37. Qc8+ Kh7 38. Qf5+ drawing by perpetual check.

33. ... c3!−+ 34. Qf2 Qg5 35. f4 (35. Rxb5 Qc1+ 36. Bf1 Qd1−+) 35. ... Qg4 36. Re1 (36. Rc1 Bd3 Δ 37. Bxc3 Rxc3 38. Rxc3 Qd1+ 39. Bf1 Bxf1 40. Qxf1 Qd4+−+) 36. ... Rea8 37. h3 Qc8 38. e5 Ra1 39. exd6 c2 40. Bxa1 0 : 1. Ushenina’s flag fell, but after 40. ... c1=Q she could well resign!

Photos: Anastasiya Karlovich.