On Top of the World

侯逸凡 (Hóu​ Yì​fán) – Anna Yuriyivna Ushenina

Women’s World Chess Championship match game 7; 泰州 (Tàizhōu), September 20, 2013

Sicilian Defence B90

Curiously enough, the 7th game was moved to another hall as the main one was reserved for a wedding ceremony long before it was known the match would be held in China. 1. e4 c5 2. Nf3 d6 3. d4 cxd4 4. Nxd4 Nf6 5. Nc3 a6 6. Be3 Nbd7 7. Be2 e6 8. g4 h6 9. f4 g5 10. f5 Ne5 11. h3 b5 12. a3 Qe7 13. fxe6 fxe6 14. Nf3 Nfd7!? For 14. ... Bb7 15. Nxe5 dxe5 16. Bd3 Qc7 17. h4 Bc5 take a look at Ponomariov – Topalov, Grand Prix 2012–2013, Thessaloniki 2013. 15. Dd2 Nxf3+ 16. Bxf3 Ne5?! (16. ... Bg7 17. 0-0-0 Be5=) 17. Be2 Bg7 18. 0-0-0 Nf7 19. Bd4 Be5 20. Bxe5 dxe5 21. h4 gxh4 22. Qe1 Ra7 (22. ... Bb7!? 23. Rxh4 Rd8 24. Bd3 0-0 25. Rh5→) 23. Rxh4 Rd7 24. Rh5 Rg8 25. Kb1 Qc5 26. Rh3 Qb6 27. Qh4 (27. Rxd7!? Bxd7 28. Rf3 Ng5 29. Rf6±) 27. ... Rxd1+ 28. Nxd1 Bb7 29. Rc3 Qd8. International Master Elisabeth Pähtz suggests here 29. ... Bxe4!? 30. Rc8+ Nd8 31. Qxh6 Kd7 32. Rc3 Bg6, but then 33. Qh1! e4 34. Ne3 looks very strong for White. 30. Qf2

30. ... Qd4? (30. ... Ng5 31. Rd3 Qc7 32. Qf6 Bxe4 33. Rc3 Qg7 Δ 34. Rc8+? Kd7) 31. Qf6 (Δ Rc3-c7) 31. ... Qd6 (31. ... Qd7 32. Nf2 Kf8 33. g5! Rxg5 34. Nh3 Rg7 35. Bh5+-) 32. Nf2 Kf8 33. Rf3 Rg7 34. Qxh6 Kg8 35. Qf6 Bc6 36. Rd3 Qc5 37. g5 Nxg5 38. Ng4 Nf7 39. Qxe6 Qg1+ 40. Rd1 1 : 0.

After about nine months the crown is back to 侯逸凡 (Hóu Yìfán)! Photo: Anastasiya Karlovich