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Mariya Olehivna Muzychuk – 侯逸凡 (Hóu Yìfán)
3rd Women’s World Team Chess Championship; Mardin, December 18, 2011
Catalan Opening E06

1. d4 d5 2. c4 e6 3. Nf3 Nf6 4. g3 Be7 5. Bg2 0-0 6. 0-0 dxc4 7. Qc2 a6 8. Qxc4 b5 9. Qc2 Bb7 10. Bd2 Be4 11. Qc1 Bb7 12. Bf4 Nd5 13. Nc3 Nxf4 14. Qxf4 Nd7 15. Rfd1 Bd6 16. Qh4. The alternative was 16. Qe3 Nb6 17. Ne1 Bxg2 18. Kxg2 Qe7 19. Nd3 Nc4 20. Qf3 c5 21. dxc5 Bxc5 22. Nxc5 Qxc5 23. Ne4 Qe7 24. b3 Nb6 25. Rac1 Nd5 26. Nc5 Rac8 27. Nxa6 Rxc1 28. Rxc1 Qa3 29. Rc6 Ne7 30. Rc7 Nd5 31. Rc6 Ne7 32. Rc7 ½ : ½ Láznička – 侯逸凡 (Hóu Yìfán), 1st Airports Authority of India (AAI) Chess Tournament, New Delhi 2011. “I must admit that I am disappointed. With White I was hoping for a better result, but she defended well. I could not find a way, I am not sure where I made a mistake, if any”, then Láznička said.
16. ... Be7 17. Qf4 Bd6 18. Qh4 Be7 19. Qf4 Bd6 20. Qh4 Be7 ½ : ½. “Hóu Yìfán’s opponent Mariya Muzychuk just wanted a deuce while she was the White side. It is quite difficult to beat her in such a situation”, then Grandmaster 余少腾 (Yú Shǎoténg) said.

Mariya Muzychuk vs. 侯逸凡 (Hóu Yìfán)
Photo © Turkish Chess Federation

Mariya Muzychuk – 侯逸凡 (Hóu Yìfán)
10th Tradewise Gibraltar Chess Festival; Catalan Bay, January 24, 2012
Sicilian Defence B53

1. e4 c5 2. Nf3 d6 3. d4 cxd4 4. Qxd4. The so-called Chekhover Variation. 4. ... Nc6 5. Bb5 Bd7 6. Bxc6 Bxc6 7. Nc3 e5 8. Qd3 h6 9. Nd2 Nf6 10. Nc4 b5 11. Ne3 Qb6 12. Ncd5 Nxd5 13. Nxd5 Qb7 14. Be3. Another reference is 14. 0-0 Bxd5 15. exd5 Be7 16. a4 b4 17. a5 Bg5 18. f4 exf4 19. Qe4+ Qe7 20. Qxb4 0-0 21. Bxf4 Bxf4 22. Qxf4 Rac8 23. c4 Rb8 24. Qd4 Rb4 25. Rf3 Rfb8 26. Raf1 f6 27. R3f2 Qc7 28. Rc2 Qxa5 29. h4 Qa2 30. Rff2 Rc8 31. Qg4 Rbxc4 32. Qxc8+ Rxc8 33. Rxc8+ Kh7 34. Rc7 Qxd5 35. g3 Qd4 36. Kg2 Qe4+ 37. Kh2 Kg6 38. Rd2 d5 39. Rd7 a6 40. R7xd5 Qb4 41. h5+ Kh7 42. R5d4 Qb5 43. Rd5 Qb4 44. R5d4 Qb5 45. Rd5 Qb4 ½ : ½ Bodnaruk – Travkina, Women’s Russian Team Championship, Sochi 2015. 14. ... Bxd5 15. exd5 Be7 16. 0-0-0? A gross strategic error, because here White’s King will be exposed to attack, while Black’s King can castle on the other side without danger. White should castle short and develop her Queenside play by a2-a4. 16. ... Rc8 17. f4 0-0 18. f5? This appears to be another mistake, underestimating Black’s powerful initiative. Here 18. fxe5 was worth considering, as after 18. ... dxe5 19. d6 Rfd8 20. Qd5 Qxd5 21. Rxd5 Rxd6 22. Rxe5 Re6 the game seems more or less equal.

18. ... Rc4! 19. b3 e4! 20. Qe2 Rc7 21. Kb1 Rfc8 22. Rhf1!? Mariya aims at the initiative – she is threatening f5-f6. In any event, even after 22. Rd2 Bf6 White’s position is far from pleasing. 22. ... Qa6? As Grandmaster Aron Nimzowitsch once said: “The threat is stronger than its execution”, but... it’s not always true! Black indeed threatens 23. ... Rxc2 24. Qxc2 Rxc2 25. Kxc2 Qxa2+, but the “threat” now gives White time to breathe. Therefore, more timely would have been the “execution” by 22. ... Rxc2 23. Qxc2 Rxc2 24. Kxc2 Qc8+ 25. Kb1 Bf6 with an overwhelming advantage for Black. 23. Rf2 Qa5 24. Bd4? Comparatively best for White is 24. Qe1! forcing the exchange of Queens (otherwise there follows Be3-d4): 24. ... Qxe1 25. Rxe1 Bf6 26. Bf4 Bc3 27. Rxe4 Rc5 28. g4 (not 28. Bxd6?? Rxd5 and wins) 28. ... Rxd5 29. Kc1 b4 and Black’s advantage – if any – is apparently insignificant. 24. ... Rxc2 25. Qxc2 Rxc2 26. Rxc2 b4 27. Be3 Qb5 28. Rc4 Bf6 29. Bf4. After 29. Rxe4? Qe2! Black infiltrates with devastating effect. However, much more solid was 29. Kc2 Qe8 when Black undoubtedly has a clear advantage, but the win is still a long way off. 29. ... Qb6. Much stronger was 29. ... e3! 30. Bxe3 Qe8 mounting a powerful attack with Queen and Bishop together along the long diagonal. 30. Rd2. 30. Rxe4 looks a more stubborn defence, although after 30. ... Qf2 31. Rd2 Qg1+ 32. Kc2 Bc3 33. Rde2 Qc5 Black wins a Pawn and steadily consolidates her position. 30. ... Bc3 31. Re2. Possibly best was 31. Rc2, but after 31. ... Qg1+ 32. Bc1 Qf1 33. Rxe4 Qxf5 34. Re7 Qxd5 Black should win without too much difficulty. 31. ... Qg1+ 32. Kc2. Now 32. Bc1 is refuted by 32. ... Qd1! and Black wins. 32. ... Qa1! The End. 33. Rexe4 Qxa2+ 34. Kd3 Qxb3 35. Ke2 Qc2+ 36. Kf3 Qd1+ 37. Kf2 Qxd5 38. g4 Kh7 39. Ke2 b3 0 : 1.