Ring a Ring o’ Roses

侯逸凡 (Hóu Yìfán) – Maxime Vachier-Lagrave
47th International Chess Festival “In Memoriam Hans Suri”; Biel/Bienne, July 16, 2014
Sicilian Defence B51

1. e4 c5 2. Nf3 d6 3. Bb5+ Nd7 4. 0-0 a6 5. Bd3!? Ngf6 6. c3 b5 7. Bc2 Bb7 8. Re1 e6. Another try is 8. ... c4, e.g. 9. b3 Rc8 10. a4 cxb3 11. Bxb3 Nxe4 12. axb5 axb5? (⌓ 12. ... Qb6) 13. Ra7 and White’s position is already imposing, Bosboom – Zso. Polgár, Münster 1994. 9. d4 Be7. If 9. ... cxd4 may follow 10. cxd4 Be7 11. Nbd2 0-0 12. Nf1 Rc8 13. Ng3 Re8 14. h3 Bf8 15. Bd2 Qc7 16. Rc1 Qb8 17. Ba5 g6 18. Qd2 Qa8 19. a3 Rc4 20. Bd3 Rxc1 21. Qxc1 Rc8 22. Qd2 Qa7 23. h4 e5 24. Bc3 Ng4 25. Bb1 Bg7 26. Ba2 exd4 27. Bxd4 Bxd4 28. Nxd4 Nde5 29. Rd1 Ba8 30. f3 Nf6 31. Qg5 Ne8 32. Nf5 Kf8 33. Nxd6 Nxf3+ 34. gxf3 Nxd6 35. Qf6 Qc5 36. b4 1 : 0 Svidler – Papaioannou, Rhodes 2013. 10. Nbd2 Qc7 11. Nf1 0-0 12. Ng3 Rfe8 13. h3 Rac8 14. Bd3 Bf8 15. Bd2 g6 16. Qe2 Bg7 17. a4 e5. This transposes the early Sicilian into a Ruy Lopez. 18. d5 c4 19. Bc2 Nc5 20. Nh2 Rb8

21. Ra3. A journey in the tracks of Fischer, Karpov & other superstars... 21. ... Bc8 22. axb5 axb5 23. Ng4 Bxg4 24. hxg4 Ra8 25. Rea1 Rxa3 26. Rxa3 Qb7. And now, how to milk the cow? 27. g5 Nfd7 28. Qd1 Ra8 29. Qa1 Rxa3 30. Qxa3 Bf8 31. Be3 Be7 32. Nf1 Bd8 33. Nd2 Bb6 34. Nb1 Bc7 35. Nd2 Bb6 36. Nb1 Bc7 37. Nd2 Kg7. Vachier-Lagrave refuses the draw by threefold repetition (37. ... Bb6). 38. g3 Bb6 39. Nb1. Maybe a little too speculative. On 39. Kg2 Qb8 is absolutely equal. 39. ... Nd3! Despite his time trouble, Maxime evaluates the ensuing ending with boldness and precision! 40. Bxb6 Qxb6 41. Bxd3 cxd3 42. Nd2 Qd8 43. c4 Qxg5 44. Qxd3 b4 45. Nb3 h5. Black’s game is easier. 46. Kg2 h4 47. Kh3. If 47. Qf3 then 47. ... f5. The text is no better. 47. ... hxg3 48. fxg3 Qd8! Her Majesty vehemently enters the scene! 49. Kg2 Qa8 50. Qc2 Qa7 51.Qd2 Nf6 52. Qe2 Qa2 53. Nc1 Qb1 54. Nd3 b3 55. Nf2 Qc1 56. Kf3 Nh7 57. Kg2. No better is 57. Nh3 f5. 57. ... Ng5 58. g4 Kf6 59. Qd3?? A gross blunder in time trouble. 59. c5 Qc2 is equally ruinous. The critical line is 59. Nh3 Nxh3 (but not 59. ... Qc2? on account of 60. Qf2+!) 60. Kxh3 Qc2 which, however, looks equally successful in the long run for Black. Of course are needed deeper analysis! 59. ... Qxb2 60. c5 dxc5 61. d6 Qd4 62. d7. Else 62. Qxb3 Qxd6 (Δ ... Qd6-d4) and wins. 62. ... Qxd3 63. Nxd3 Ke7 0 : 1.

Anyway, she’ in a good mood for a change. Photo: Biel Chess Festival.