Snipe

侯逸凡 (Hóu Yìfán) – Radosław Wojtaszek
77th Tata Steel Chess Tournament; Wijk aan Zee, January 16, 2015
Sicilian Defence B70

1. e4 c5 2. Ne2 Nf6 3. Nbc3 d6 4. g3 Nc6 5. Bg2 g6 6. d4 cxd4 7. Nxd4 Nxd4 8. Qxd4 Bg7 9. e5!? This used to be Alexander Vasilyevich Onischuk’s favourite. 9. ... Nd7 10. Qa4 0-0 11. exd6 Nb6. There are just two references to the line: A) 11. ... exd6 12. 0-0 Nb6 13. Qb4 a5 14. Qf4 Be5 15. Qf3 Bf5 16. Bf4 Re8 17. Bxe5 Rxe5 18. Qxb7 Rb8 19. Qa7 Bxc2 20. Rac1 Bf5 21. Rfd1 Rc8 22. Re1 Rcc5 23. Rxe5 Rxe5 24. h3 h5 25. Rd1 Rc5 26. h4 d5 27. a4 Be6 28. Ne4 Qc7 29. Nf6+ Kf8 30. Qa6 Rc1 31. Rxc1 Qxc1+ 32. Kh2 Qxb2 33. Qxa5 Qxf2 34. Qa7 Qxf6 35. Qxb6 Kg7 36. a5 Bc8 37. Qxf6+ Kxf6 38. Bxd5 g5 39. Kg2 gxh4 40. gxh4 Kf5 41. Kg3 Kg6 42. Kf4 f6 43. Be4+ Kg7 44. Bf5 Ba6 45. Ke3 Kf7 46. Kd4 Bb7 47. Be4 Bc8 48. Bf3 Kg6 49. Be2 Kh6 50. Bb5 Bb7 51. Be8 Ba6 52. Kc5 Bc8 53. Kd6 1 : 0 Onischuk – Tolnai, 33rd International Open, Zalakaros 2014; B) 11. ... Nc5 12. Qa3 exd6 13. 0-0 Bf5 14. Bf4 Bxc2 15. Rac1 Bf5 16. Rcd1 Bd3 17. Rfe1 Qb6 18. Nd5 Qxb2 19. Qxb2 Bxb2 20. Bxd6 Rfd8 21. Bxc5 Bc2 22. Be7 Bxd1 23. Bxd8 Rxd8 24. Rxd1 1 : 0 Onischuk – Miroshnichenko, Kocaeli 2014. 12. Qf4 Qxd6 13. Qxd6 exd6 14. 0-0

14. ... Nc4. This is an enterprising move at least. The game looks fairly even. 15. Nd5 Bxb2 16. Bxb2 Nxb2 17. Rfb1 Na4 18. Nc7 Rb8 19. Na6 Ra8 20. Bxb7 Bxb7 21. Rxb7 Rfc8 22. Re1 Nc5. Another way was 22. ... Rxc2 23. Ree7 Rf8 24. Nc7 (with the threat of Nc7-e6) 24. ... Nc5 25. Rxa7 Rc1+ 26. Kg2 Rc2 and the endgame has a very drawish nature. 23. Nxc5 Rxc5 24. Ree7 Rf5 25. Rbc7. Or 25. Rxa7 Rxa7 26. Rxa7 Rc5 with equality. 25. ... a5 26. Kg2 Rb8 27. a3 Rbb5 28. f4 h5 29. Kf3 Kg7 30. Ke3 Rb1 31. Kf3 Rf1+ 32. Kg2 Rd1 33. Kf3 Rf1+ 34. Kg2 Rd1 35. Kf3 Rf1+ ½ : ½.

La vie en rose. Photo: Alina l’Ami.