Desert Sojourn

侯逸凡 (Hóu Yìfán) – 诸宸 (Zhū Chén)
FIDE Women’s Grand Prix 2013–14; 6th stage; Sharjah, September 1, 2014
Spanish Game C65

1. e4 e5 2. Nf3 Nc6 3. Bb5 Nf6 4. d3 Bc5 5. Bxc6 dxc6 6. Nbd2 Be6 7. Nb3 Bd6 8. Na5!? Rb8 (8. ... Bb4+!? 9. Bd2 Bxa5 10. Bxa5 Nd7 11. d4⩲)
9. Bd2 c5 10. Qe2 Qe7. 10. ... 0-0 can transpose into 11. Nc4 Bxc4 12. dxc4 Nd7 13. h4 a6 14. h5 b5 15. Nh4 Qe8 16. Nf5 Kh8 17. Ba5 Nb6 18. Bxb6 Rxb6 19. 0-0-0 Qe6 20. Rh3 bxc4 21. Ne3 c3 22. b3 Rbb8 23. Nc4 f5 24. Rxc3 fxe4 25. Re3 Rf5 26. Rxe4 Rbf8 27. f3 Rxh5 28. Ne3 Qc8 29. Kb1 Rg5 30. Rh1 Rf4 31. Qd3 h6 32. Rd1 Qb7 33. Rd2 Rxe4 34. fxe4 Rg3 35. Re2 Kh7 36. Qd2 Qb4 37. Qd1 Rg6 38. Nc4 Qb8 39. Rf2 Qe8 40. Qe2 Qe6 41. Ne3 Be7 42. Nd5 Bg5 43. Nxc7 Qc6 44. Nd5 c4 45. Qxc4 Qxc4 46. bxc4 Rc6 47. Rf5 Rxc4 48. Rxe5 Rd4 49. Re6 Rd2 50. g4 Rg2 51. Rxa6 Rxg4 52. e5 h5 53. e6 h4 54. e7 Re4 55. Kb2 Bxe7 56. Rc6 Bb4 57. c3 Be7 58. Kc2 h3 59. Rb6 Re1 0 : 1 Caruana – Aronian, 3rd World Rapid Chess Championship, Dubai 2014.
11. a3!? h6 12. 0-0 Nd7 13. Rfb1 Qf6 14. b4⩲

14. ... Bg4 15. Be3 0-0 16. h3 Bxf3 17. Qxf3 Qxf3 18. gxf3 cxb4 19. axb4 a6 20. c4 b6 21. Nc6 Ra8 22. Rc1 Rfe8 23. c5 Bf8 24. Kf1 g6 25. f4 bxc5 26. bxc5 exf4 27. Bd4. A pseudo Pawn sacrifice in the attempt to invent something less predictable than 27. Bxf4 Nxc5 with rough equality.
27. ... Bg7 28. Bxg7 Kxg7 29. Nb4 a5 30. Nd5 Ra7 31. Nxf4 Ne5 32. Ke2 Rd8 33. Rc3 g5 34. Nd5 f5 35. f3 Rb8 36. Ra2 Nc6 37. Rc4 Rb1 38. exf5 Rh1 39. Ke3 Re1+ 40. Kf2 Rh1 41. Ke3 Re1+ 42. Kd2 Rf1 43. Ke2 Rh1

44. Ra3! Probably 诸宸 (Zhū Chén) expected 44. Ke3 Re1+ with a draw by threefold repetition.
44. ... Rb7 45. Ke3 Re1+ 46. Kd2 Rbb1 47. Nc3 Rbc1 48. Re4 Rh1 49. Rb3 Nb4

50. Rbxb4! An inspired Exchange sacrifice, which offers White fresh and lively chances, although not necessarily winning.
50. ... axb4 51. Rxb4 Rcf1 52. Rb7 Rxf3 53. Rxc7+ Kf8 54. Ne4

54. ... Rh2+? The crisis. After 54. ... Rhxh3 55. Rd7 Rh2+ 56. Rc3 Rxf5 57. c6 Rf1 Black would have held her own. What difference an inversion of moves can make!
55. Kc3 Rhxh3 56. Rd7! Rh1. Now, after 56. ... Rxf5 57. c6 the Pawn is running for the crown!
57. Kd4 Rd1 58. Ke5 Rfxd3 59. Nd6 Rc3 60. Kf6 Rxd6+. Despair, but if 60. ... Kg8 then 61. Kg6 winning.
61. Rxd6 Ke8 62. c6 g4 63. Kg7 Rc5 64. f6 Rg5+ 65. Kxh6 Rc5 66. Kg6 g3 67. f7+ Ke7 68. Rd7+ 1 : 0. A superb display of endgame technique by 侯逸凡 (Hóu Yìfán)!

It is almost the same haircut! Photo: Maria Alekseevna Emelianova.