Blunderbuss

侯逸凡 (Hóu Yìfán) – Richárd Rapport
13th Tradewise Gibraltar Chess Festival; Catalan Bay, February 4, 2015
Modern Defence B06

Notes by 侯逸凡 (Hóu Yìfán).

This was my second time in Gibraltar after a fantastic performance in 2012. Although we always hope to do better than in previous events, considering my not very good play in Wijk aan Zee I didn’t really have high expectations here. I just wanted to enjoy some interesting positions. In round nine I was facing a strong and talented player from Hungary and this was the first game between us. Let’s have a look now:
1. e4 g6 2. Nc3 Bg7 3. d4 a6 4. f4!? Another setup. In earlier rounds Richard played same structure with Spanish GM Vázquez and was fortunate to win. So this time I decided to choose a more aggressive line which allows White more space.
4. ... d5!? To fix the centre and look forward for a long battle. Another option here is 4. ... b5 5. Nf3 Bb7 6. Bd3 d6 leading to the main line and probably it’s not what my opponent preferred.
5. e5 h5. Preventing g2-g4 and sometimes planning to move the Knight via h6 to f5 followed by ... h5-h4. An ideal plan for Black!
6. Nf3 Bg4. A well-known plan to exchange the “bad” Bishop. According to the Pawn structure, if Black keeps the light-squared Bishop on the board it might be the “French” one. 6. ... Nh6 is also possible. Because here White has to play 7. Be3 before Black’s Knight goes to f5, in that case d4 & h4 square will be out of control (7. h3 Nf5!).
7. h3 Bxf3 8. Qxf3 e6 9. g3! Slowly developing my position. Without allowing Black to push ... h5-h4 White’s position will be more flexible, which gives White more possibilities to enhance the advantage on the Kingside.
9. ... Ne7 10. Be3 Nbc6 11. g4. I thought about this for a long time: this move seems like a bit premature, but meanwhile it might save some time. Because now Black threatens ... Ne7-f5, if 11. Bf2 Qd7 12. a3 intending to create some attacks after Black castles long but it’s too slow: 12. ... 0-0-0 13. b4 f6! Breaking the centre, suddenly the position turns in favour of Black.
11. ... Qd7 12. 0-0-0 0-0-0 13. Bd3. A natural move played by hand. Here it’s worth paying attention to 13. Na4 The unavoidable Na4-c5 will bring White a promising position since Black cannot open the centre with ... f7-f6, then the g7-Bishop is unactive.
13. ... hxg4 14. hxg4 f6 15. exf6. Although it’s better to keep the Pawn structure which can block the dark-squared Bishop, that is really difficult. Now Black wants to break the Pawn chain with ... g6-g5, the other option which came to my mind was 15. Rxh8 Rxh8 16. Na4 (Now I found this plan, but already a bit late) 16. ... Nxd4 (16. ... fxe5 17. Nc5 e4 18. Qf1 Qd6 19. Bxa6 Nd8! not pleasant for White) 17. Nb6+! (17. Bxd4 Qxa4 18. exf6 Qxd4) 17. ... cxb6 18. Bxd4 fxe5 19. Bxe5 Bxe5 20. fxe5 The weakness on the dark squares and the doubled b-Pawn offer White some compensation in a double-edged position.
15. ... Bxf6 16. Qf2 Qd6 17. a3. Preventing ... Nc6-b4.
17. ... Kb8 18. Kb1 Rdf8 19. Ne2 Na5 20. Bd2 Nac6 21. Bc1?! Starting from this point somehow I became puzzled with my position, could not find a clear plan to develop the pieces. Later on I realised that the Knight on e2 is out of work, it should be moved to a more active place. Then there are two option: f3/b3. Before doing that we should first defend the d4-Pawn: 21. Rxh8 Rxh8 22. Qe3 Rh2 23. Bc3! (Δ Ne2-c1-b3-c5).
21. ... Bg7 22. Qe3 Na5 23. Rhe1 Nac6! A wise choice, it cannot move to c4 immediately: 23. ... Nc4 24. Bxc4 dxc4 25. Qe4 the pair of Rooks on the d- and e-files give White some pressure (25. Nc3 Nd5 26. Nxd5 exd5 27. Qe6 Qxe6 28. Rxe6 Rf6=).
24. Rh1. Still I didn’t find the right plan which is to activate the e2-Knight! It’s the key point in this game. 24. c3! Bh6 (24. ... Rh4 25. Ng1 xe6) 25. Bc2 The h6-Bishop covers the open file of the Rook. White is obviously much better but it’s still not easy to win the game.
24. ... Na5

25. Bd2? The last mistake, letting all his advantages slip away. 25. Rxh8 Rxh8 26. Qf3 keeps the structure with a pair of Bishop and will definitely favour White.
25. ... Nc4! Seizing the right time to move there! I guess my opponent must have been waiting this chance for the whole game, it seems like the only promising way to level the position.
26. Bxc4 dxc4. Precise move order. If 26. ... Rxh1 27. Rxh1 dxc4 28. Rh7! Nd5 29. Qe4 Nf6 (29. ... c3 30. Bxc3 Nxc3+ 31. bxc3 makes no sense) 30. Qxg6! Nxh7 31. Qxg7+−.
27. Rxh8 Rxh8 28. Re1. A calm choice. Actually my first intention was to play 28. Bb4 Nd5 29. Qe4 Nxb4 30. axb4 Qxb4 31. c3! (31. Qxg6 A few moves earlier I had calculated until now, but before making up my mind on move 28 I surprisely found a brilliant idea for Black: 31. ... c3! 32. Nxc3 Bxd4∓) 31. ... Qb3 32. Re1 The computer shows equality but as a human I prefer Black.
28. ... Qc6

29. Bc1. A passive move again! 29. f5!? can still create some difficulties for Black: 29. ... gxf5 30. Qg5 Bh6 31. Qf6 Bxd2 32. Qxh8+ Ka7⯹.
29. ... Rh4 30. f5?! Unfortunately I picked the same idea at the wrong moment: The accurate one is 30. Qg3 Rh1 31. Rxh1 Qxh1 32. Qe3 Qc6 33. f5 gxf5 34. Qg5 with a series of only moves following it will lead to a drawish ending.
30. ... Rxg4 31. fxe6

31. ... Re4?! A confident move made by Richard. I guess he might have missed my next move or didn’t pay enough attention to it. Otherwise the simple 31. ... Nd5 will bring some winning chances for Black 32. Qf2 Re4 Losing the only hope on e6 White will be suffering for rest of the game.
32. Qf3! Rxe6. Now both of us were in time trouble but still my opponent made the right choice. If 32. ... Qxe6 33. Nf4 Rxf4 34. Qh1! (Probably this is the move Richard missed?) 34. ... Qf6 35. Bxf4 Qxf4 36. Rxe7 Qxd4 37. Qc1! The only move to keep some hopes (37. c3 Qd3+ 38. Ka2 Bxc3! 39. Re8+! avoid a3 check to capture the Rook 39. ... Ka7 40. bxc3 Qc2+=).
33. Qf7 Nd5? A blunder resulting from strong pressure. Frankly speaking it’s not easy to find the continuations over the board: 33. ... Bf6 34. d5! Nxd5 35. Nd4 Rxe1! 36. Nxc6+ bxc6 37. Qxg6 A weird position. White can use perpetual to save the c1-Bishop. With accurate defence the game will end in a draw.
34. Qxg7+− Ka7. If 34. ... Qe8 immediately, White will exploit its position on the 8th rank to play 35. Rh1!.
35. Qf8! Although a piece up White still needs to play carefully. If 35. Bd2 Qe8.
35. ... c3 36. Qc5+. Avoiding the last trap. If 36. Qf3? cxb2 37. Bxb2 Re3⯹.
36. ... Qxc5 37. dxc5 c6

38. Bg5! With the clear plan Bg5-h4. 38. Ka2 makes the position more complicated: 38. ... a5 39. Kb3 a4+! 40. Kc4 (40. Kxa4? cxb2 41. Bxb2 g5=) 40. ... cxb2 41. Bxb2 Nf4 42. Nxf4 Rxe1 43. Nxg6 A technically winning position but you may need many moves to achieve the win. Compared to the previous position it’s not at all necessary.
38. ... Re5 39. Bh4 cxb2 40. Kxb2 1 : 0. A piece down, first time limit past, with hopeless position Black resigned.

Sure, creativity matters, but it’s not everything. Photo: John Saunders.