Touched by Grace

韦奕 (Wéi Yì) – Anne Haast
77th Tata Steel Chess Tournament; Wijk aan Zee, January 24, 2015
Sicilian Defence B48

1. e4 c5 2. Nf3 e6 3. d4 cxd4 4. Nxd4 Nc6 5. Nc3 Qc7 6. Be3 a6 7. Qf3 Ne5 8. Qg3 h5 9. 0-0-0 h4 10. Qh3 b5 11. f4 Nc4 12. Bxc4 Qxc4 13. f5 Bb7 14. Rhf1 e5!? Giri’s move, improving on 14. ... Rc8? 15. fxe6? (since 15. Nf3! – threatening Nf3-e5 – would have ensured White excellent prospects) 15. ... dxe6 16. Rxf7 Kxf7 17. b3 Ba3+ 18. Kb1 Qxc3 19. Qxe6+ Kf8 20. Rf1+ Nf6 21. Rxf6+ gxf6 22. Qxf6+ Kg8 23. Qg6+ Kf8 24. Qf6+ Kg8 25. Qg6+ Kf8 26. Qf6+ ½ : ½ Radjabov – Giri, 77th Tata Steel Chess Tournament, Wijk aan Zee 2015. 15. Nb3 Qc7 16. Kb1. For 16. Bg5 Rc8 17. Rf2 Be7 18. Bxe7 Kxe7!! see Šarić – Giri, 77th Tata Steel Chess Tournament, The Hague 2015. 16. ... Rc8? Anne’s only one mistake, but it is enough to lose the game! Black’s position would have been tenable after 16. ... Be7.

17. f6! The first of a series of stunning moves. 17. ... Nxf6. On 17. ... gxf6 18. Bb6 Qc6 19. Na5 would have made no difference. 18. Rxf6! gxf6 19. Bb6! Qc6 20. Na5! Qe6 21. Nxb7 Rb8 22. Nd5! Rxb7. If 22. ... Qxh3 then 23. Nc7+ Ke7 24. Bc5+ d6 25. Rxd6 f5 26. Nd5+ Ke8 27. Rd8+! Rxd8 28. Nf6 mate. 23. Qc3! Qc6 24. Nxf6+! Ke7 25. Bd8+! Ke6 26. Qh3 mate. A display of brilliancy which is reminiscent of the elegant style of Paul Charles Morphy.

Andrey Deviatkin (@AndreyDeviatkin)

韦奕 (Wéi Yì) vs. Anne Haast
Photo: Alina l’Ami