The Fall of the Gods

侯逸凡 (Hóu Yìfán) – Vahap Şanal
“Naxçıvan-Open 2015”; Naxçıvan, May 8, 2015
Queen’s Indian Defence E14

1. d4 Nf6 2. c4 e6 3. Nf3 b6 4. Nc3 Bb7 5. e3 Be7 6. Bd3 d5 7. cxd5 Nxd5 8. 0-0 0-0 9. Nxd5 Bxd5 10. Qc2 h6 11. e4 Bb7 12. Rd1 Nd7. Likewise, after 12. ... Qc8 13. Bf4 c5 (Malaniuk – Demidov, II Miedzynarodowy Festiwal Szachowy “Perla Baltyku”, Mielno 2006) 14. d5! looks really strong for White. 13. Bf4 c5 14. d5! exd5 15. exd5 Bf6 16. Rd2 Re8 17. Rad1 Rc8? 17. ... a6 was probably necessary.

18. Bb5! Threatening both Qc2-a4 and Qc2-f5. 18. ... Ra8. On 18. ... a6 19. Bc6! is devastating. 19. Qa4 a6. This is Black’s only one reasonable reply (for if 19. ... Re7 then 20. Bd6+−), which, however, implies the loss of three Pawns! 20. Bxd7 b5 21. Bxb5 axb5 22. Qxb5 Ba6 23. Qxc5 Be2 24. Ra1 Rc8 25. Qa3? 25. Qd6 Qa5 26. Qd7 seems to be a much better way to administer the advantage. Now Black suddenly obtains strong counterplay on the Kingside. 25. ... Rc4! 26. Be3 Bxf3 27. gxf3 Be5!? 27. ... Qd7!∞ was probably Black’s best, with threats such as ... Rc4-h4 and/or ... Qd7-h3 which appear to compensate for the three Pawn minus. 28. f4! Bxf4? Black contents himself with a Pawn, ending up straight into a dead lost endgame two Pawns down. After the Exchange sacrifice 28. ... Rxf4! 29. Bxf4 Bxf4 the situation was anything but clear and still “drawable” by dynamic means. 29. Bxf4 Rxf4 30. Kh1 Qg5 31. Rad1 Qh5 32. Rg1 Rg4 33. Rg3 Qg5 34. Rd1 h5 35. Qf3 Qe5 36. b3 Rf4 37. Qg2 Qb2 38. Rg1 Rg4 39. Rxg4 hxg4 40. Qxg4 g6 41. Qf3 Qxa2 42. d6 Qd2 43. Rd1 Re1+ 44. Rxe1 Qxe1+ 45. Kg2 Qd2 46. Qc6 Qg5+ 47. Kf1 1 : 0.

侯逸凡 (Hóu Yìfán) with her mother (and manager as well) 王茜 (Wáng Qiàn). Photo: Pouya Idani.