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

Women’s World Chess Championship match game 5; 泰州 (Tàizhōu), September 17, 2013

Sicilian Defence B90

Notes by Grandmaster Ian Rogers. 1. e4 c5 2. Nf3 d6 3. d4 cxd4 4. Nxd4 Nf6 5. Nc3 a6 6. Be3 e6 7. g4 h6 8. h4 Nc6 9. Nxc6. The latest fashion, even though the idea was first tried by Gilberto Milos 18 years ago. 9. Rg1 would be standard. 9. ... bxc6 10. Qf3 h5. As played in the original Milos – Sunye game. 10. ... Rb8 11. 0–0–0 Qa5 has also been tried but after 12. Bc4, White’s King will be safer than Black’s. 11. gxh5 Nxh5 12. 0–0–0 Rb8 13. Bc4 Df6! Original and effective. 14. Qg2 Nf4 15. Qg5. 15. Qg3 e5 offers White nothing, so Hóu looks for an endgame, slightly better than the one she could have had two moves earlier. 15. ... e5! 16. Qxf6 gxf6 17. Bxf4 exf4 18. Ne2 Rb4 19. Bd3 f5! 20. exf5 f3 21. Nc3?! 21. Ng1 was necessary but “I thought I would be worse after 21. ... Rbxh4 22. Rxh4 Rxh4 23. Nxf3 Rf4”, said Hóu.

21. ... Bh6+?! 21. ... Rbxh4 22. Rxh4 Rxh4 was simple and strong. After 23. Be4 d5 24. Bxf3 Bxf5 Black’s Bishops will rule the board. 22. Kb1 d5 23. a3 Rf4 24. Rde1+ Kd8 25. Nd1! Just in time the White Knight finds a useful square, Black now tries to keep chances alive but with White’s extra h-Pawn always a threat she must tread careully. 25. ... a5 26. Ne3 Rg8 27. h5 Bd7 28. Reg1 Rxg1+ 29. Rxg1 Rh4 30. Ng4 Rxh5 31. Ne5! Eliminating the light-squared Bishop, after which a draw could be agreed at any time. 31. ... f6. 31. ... Be8?! 32. Rg8 Ke7 33. f6+ is certainly not a winning try. 32. Nxd7 Kxd7 33. Rg3 Rh2 34. Rxf3 Bg5 35. Ka2 Bh4 36. Kb3 Bxf2 37. Ka4 Bb6 38. b4 axb4 39. axb4 Kd6 40. Rg3 Rh1 41. c3 Bf2 42. Rf3 Rh2 43. Kb3 Ke5 44. Bc2 Kd6 45. Bd3 Kd7 46. Bc2 Rg2 47. Rd3 Rg4 48. b5 Rf4 49. bxc6+ Kxc6 50. Rd1 Rf3 51. Bd3 Bg3 52. Kc2 Kc5 53. Rf1 Re3 54. Ra1 Be5 55. Ra5+ Kc6 56. Ra6+ Kc5 57. Ra5+ Kc6 58. Ra6+ Kc5 59. Ra5+ Kc6 60. Ra6+ Kc5 61. Ra5+ ½ : ½.

侯逸凡 (Hóu​ Yì​fán) vs. Anna Yuriyivna Ushenina. Photo: Anastasiya Karlovich.