慢慢来

侯逸凡 (Hóu Yìfán) – 沈阳 (Shěn Yáng)
Women's Grand Prix 2009–2011; fourth stage; Jermuk, June 24, 2010
Four Knights Game C48

1. e4 e5 2. Nf3 Nc6 3. Nc3 Nf6 4. Bb5. The so-called Spanish Four Knights. 4. ... Nd4. The Rubinstein-Marshall Variation. 5. Bc4. The most important book line is 5. Bc5 6. Nxe5 Qe7. 5. ... d6 6. Nxd4 exd4 7. Nd5 Nd7. If 7. ... Ng4 8. d3 c6 9. Nf4 Qh4 10. g3 Qf6 11. f3 Ne5 12. 0-0 (Rublevsky – Bologan, Poikovsky 2008) 12. ... g6 13. Bb3 Bg7 14. c3 Nd7 15. Bd2 with a slight plus for White (Rublevsky’s analysis). 8. 0-0 c6. The alternative is 8. ... g6 9. c3 Bg7 10. cxd4 Bxd4 11. Nc3 0-0 12. Ne2 Qe7 13. Qc2 Bg7 14. d4 Nb6 15. Bb3 Re8 16. Be3 Qxe4 17. Qxc7 Qe7 18. Rfc1 Be6 19. Qxe7 ½ : ½ Radjabov – Aronian, 17th European Team Chess Championship, Novi Sad 2009. 9. Nf4 g6. 9. ... b5 10. Be2 g6 11. c3 Bh6 12. d3 Bg7 see Sutovsky – Bacrot, FIDE World Cup, Khanty Mansyisk 2005. 10. a3 Bg7 11. d3 0-0 12. Bd2 Kh8 13. Ba2 a5 14. Kh1 Nc5 15. f3 Bd7 16. Qe1 a4 17. Qf2 Qb6 18. Bb4 Qc7 19. Ne2 Ne6 20. Bd2. More promising looks 20. f4 c5 21. Bd2 f5 22. exf5 Rxf5 23. Qh4 with prospects for an initiative. 20. ... Qb6 21. Rab1 f5 22. c3 fxe4 23. dxe4 Nc5 24. Qg1. Clearly not 24. cxd4? on account of 24. ... Nxe4. 24. ... Nb3. 侯逸凡 (Hóu Yìfán) was hoping perhaps in 24. ... dxc3 25. Bxc3 Rae8? 26. Bxg7 Kxg7 27. Qd4+ Rf6 28. g4! breaking down Black’s defences. 25. Bxb3 Qxb3 26. Nxd4. Possibly simpler looks 26. cxd4 Qd3 27. Qe3 with a small edge for White. 26. ... Qc4 27. Rfd1 Rae8 28. Be3 d5 29. Nc2 Be6 30. Bd4. Sounder looks 30. Bc5 Rg8 31. exd5 Bxd5 32. Rd2 and White consolidates her position. 30. ... dxe4 31. fxe4 Bxd4 32. Nxd4 Bg4 33. Re1 c5 34. Nc2 b6 35. h3 Be2 36. Ne3 Qd3 37. Nd5 Qxe4 38. Rbd1. Not 38. Nxb6 because of 38. ... Qc6 and the Knight is trapped. A little better looks 38. c4, although after 38. ... Qd3 Black preserves an easier play; for example: 39. Nxb6? Re3! with a vehement attack. 38. ... Qc2 39. Rb1 Qb3 40. Nc7 Re7 41. Qh2 Qf7 42. Qd6 Re3. The threat is ... Re3xh3+. 43. Kh2. Not a panacea, but also after 43. Qh2 Rd8 Black’s position is imposing.

43. ... g5! 44. Rg1 Qf2. Threatening 45. ... Rxh3+ 46. Kxh3 Qh4#. 45. Qh6 g4. A “dual” is 45. ... Rff3! with the deadly threat of 46. ... Rxh3+ 47. Qxh3 Rxh3+ 48. Kxh3 Qh4#. Also the text move, however, is threatening ... Re3xh3+. 46. hxg4 Rf6 47. Qg5. No better is 47. Qh5 Bxg4! and wins. 47. ... Re5. Another way is 47. ... Rg6 48. Qd8+ Rg8 rigor mortis. 48. Rgf1. Else 48. Qxe5 Qh4#. 48. ... Bxf1 0 : 1. A most exciting King Hunt by 沈阳 (Shěn Yáng).

沈阳 (Shěn Yáng)