Six to One

侯逸凡 (Hóu Yìfán) – Lars Rindlisbacher
6-board clock simultaneous exhibition; Zürich, February 1, 2014
Sicilian Defence B30

1. e4 c5 2. Nf3 e6 3. d3 Nc6 4. g3 d5 5. Qe2 Nf6 6. Bg2 Be7 7. 0-0 b6 8. e5 Nd7 9. c4 d4 10. Re1 Bb7 11. h4 h6 12. h5 Qc7 13. Na3 a6 14. Nc2 b5 15. b3 b4 16. Bf4 a5!? If, instead, 16. ... 0-0-0 then 17. a3 a5 18. axb4 axb4 19. Nd2 g5 20. hxg6 fxg6 21. Ne4 g5 22. Nd6+ Bxd6 23. exd6 Qb8 24. Bd2 e5 (Beshukov – Kosyrev, 1st Aeroflot Open, Moscow 2002) and now 25. Nxb4! cxb4 26. c5! Nxc5 27. Bxb4 Nxb4 28. Bh3+ Nd7 29. Qxe5 Bc6 30. Qc5 gives White excellent compensation.
17. Nh2? (17. a3!?)
17. ... 0-0-0 18. Ng4 Bg5 19. Bc1 Bxc1 20. Raxc1 g6 (20. ... Rde8! 21. f4 f6∓)
21. hxg6 fxg6

22. f4 (22. Nf6 h5)
22. ... g5! 23. fxg5 hxg5 24. Qe4 Rdf8 25. a3 Kb8. Simpler was 25. ... Rf5 followed by the capture of the e5-Pawn.
26. axb4 Ncxe5 (26. .. axb4 27. Ra1 Rf5) 27. Qxb7+ Qxb7 28. Bxb7 Nxg4 29. Bg2 Nde5 30. Re4 axb4 (30. ... Nxd3−+)
31. Ra1 Kc7 32. Ra7+ Kb6 33. Re7 Rh6 34. Ne1 Rf5 35. Nc2 Nh2 36. Ne1

36. ... g4? 36. ... Nhf3+ was good and consistent: 37. Nxf3 Nxf3+ 38. Bxf3 Rxf3 39. R4xe6+ Rxe6 40. Rxe6+ Kc7 with a won ending for Black.
37. Rf4 Rxf4 38. gxf4 Nhf3+? 38. ... Nc6 39. Re8 Na5 still gave some hope for happiness.
39. Bxf3 Nxf3+ 40. Nxf3 gxf3 41. Kf2 Kc6 42. Kxf3 Rh3+ 43. Ke2 Kd6 44. Ra7 Re3+ 45. Kd2 Rf3 46. Ra6+ Kd7 47. Ra5 Kd6 48. Ra6+ Kd7 49. Ra5 Kd6 ½ : ½.

On February 1, 2014, three-time Women’s World Chess Champion 侯逸凡 (Hóu Yìfán) gave a clock simultaneous exhibition to six gifted Swiss juniors as a highlight of the 3rd Zürich Chess Challenge. Her toughest opponent proved Lars Rindlisbacher, rated 2319. Photo © Georg Kradolfer.