Shardul Gagare – 侯逸凡 (Hóu Yìfán)
2nd Qatar Masters Open; Doha, December 22, 2015
Queen’s Pawn Game A40
Notes by Sagar Shah, ChessBase.com, December 23, 2015.
2nd Qatar Masters Open; Doha, December 22, 2015
Queen’s Pawn Game A40
Notes by Sagar Shah, ChessBase.com, December 23, 2015.
1. d4 e6 2. c4 b6 3. Nf3 Bb7 4. g3 Bb4+ 5. Bd2 Bxf3 6. exf3
Bxd2+ 7. Qxd2 d5 8. Nc3 c6 9. cxd5 cxd5 10. Bb5+ Kf8 11. 0-0 Ne7 12. Ne2 a6 13. Bd3 Nbc6 14. Rac1 Qd6 15. Rc3 h5 16. h4 g6
17. Rfc1 Kg7 18. a3 Rhc8 19. Kg2 a5 20. Qg5 Rh8 21. Bb5 Rac8
22. Ba6 Rb8 23. Bb5 f6. The reason why I would like to show you this game is because simply ubeliavable things start happening from this point onwards, right until the end of the game.
24. Qf4!? A bold decision accepting the tripled Pawns. 24. Qe3± was objectively stronger and would have retained the advantage for White but this is nowhere nearly as creative as what was played in the game.
24. ... Qxf4 25. gxf4!? The tripled Pawns looks hideous, but the c-file is beckoning the White Rooks.
25. ... Nd8 26. Rc7 Kf8 27. Rd7 Rh7. 27. ... Nf5 28. Rcc7 Nxh4+ 29. Kh3 Nf5 30. Bd3 Ke8 31. Bxf5 gxf5 32. Rg7± is a horrible position for Black. None of his pieces are playing and the White Rooks wreak havoc on the seventh rank.
28. f5!
24. ... Qxf4 25. gxf4!? The tripled Pawns looks hideous, but the c-file is beckoning the White Rooks.
25. ... Nd8 26. Rc7 Kf8 27. Rd7 Rh7. 27. ... Nf5 28. Rcc7 Nxh4+ 29. Kh3 Nf5 30. Bd3 Ke8 31. Bxf5 gxf5 32. Rg7± is a horrible position for Black. None of his pieces are playing and the White Rooks wreak havoc on the seventh rank.
28. f5!
28. ... Rf7! Great defensive move found by the world female number one. 28. ... exf5 29. Nf4+−; 28. ... gxf5 29. Nf4+−.
29. fxg6 Nxg6 30. Rcc7 Nxh4+ 31. Kh3 Nxf3 32. Kg3 Ng5. Black is two Pawns up, but wait, dear folks, this is just the beginning.
33. Nf4. The Knight comes in threatening to take back one Pawn with Nf4xh5.
33. ... h4+ 34. Kxh4 Nf3+ 35. Kh5. The King now joins the attack.
35. ... Nxd4. Another important Pawn bites the dust and the b5-Bishop is hanging.
36. Kg6! But who cares!
36. ... Rxd7 37. Rxd7 Nxb5. Black is not only two Pawns up but now has an extra piece as well.
38. Kxf6! 38. Nf4-g6+ followed by Rd7-e7# or Rd7-g7# is a deadly threat. And imagine having absolutely no time as we are nearing the 40th move.
38. ... Nc6 39. Nxe6+ Ke8. 39. ... Kg8 40. Rg7+ Kh8 41. Ng5 Nd8 (41. ... Rf8+ 42. Nf7+ Rxf7+ 43. Rxf7⩲) 42. Rh7+ Kg8 43. Rg7+=.
40. Rxd5
29. fxg6 Nxg6 30. Rcc7 Nxh4+ 31. Kh3 Nxf3 32. Kg3 Ng5. Black is two Pawns up, but wait, dear folks, this is just the beginning.
33. Nf4. The Knight comes in threatening to take back one Pawn with Nf4xh5.
33. ... h4+ 34. Kxh4 Nf3+ 35. Kh5. The King now joins the attack.
35. ... Nxd4. Another important Pawn bites the dust and the b5-Bishop is hanging.
36. Kg6! But who cares!
36. ... Rxd7 37. Rxd7 Nxb5. Black is not only two Pawns up but now has an extra piece as well.
38. Kxf6! 38. Nf4-g6+ followed by Rd7-e7# or Rd7-g7# is a deadly threat. And imagine having absolutely no time as we are nearing the 40th move.
38. ... Nc6 39. Nxe6+ Ke8. 39. ... Kg8 40. Rg7+ Kh8 41. Ng5 Nd8 (41. ... Rf8+ 42. Nf7+ Rxf7+ 43. Rxf7⩲) 42. Rh7+ Kg8 43. Rg7+=.
40. Rxd5
The Knight on b5 surprisingly lacks good squares to go to!
40. ... Rb7?! It was time to take a draw and go back home! 40. ... Nba7 41. Nc7+ Kf8 42. Ne6+ Ke8 43. Nc7+ Kf8 44. Ne6+ Kg8 45. Rg5+ Kh8 46. Rh5+ Kg8 47. Rg5+= The Black King alone cannot escape the trio of White King, Rook and Knight.
41. Rxb5 Rf7+ 42. Kg5 Rxf2 43. Rxb6. White is the one who can press now, as he is a Pawn up. But this is very drawish.
43. ... Ne5 44. b3 Kd7 45. Nc5+ Kc7 46. Re6 Nc6 47. Re3 ½ : ½. The players agreed to a draw. I think it was a piece of brilliant attack and defence by both sides, especially from the White player.
40. ... Rb7?! It was time to take a draw and go back home! 40. ... Nba7 41. Nc7+ Kf8 42. Ne6+ Ke8 43. Nc7+ Kf8 44. Ne6+ Kg8 45. Rg5+ Kh8 46. Rh5+ Kg8 47. Rg5+= The Black King alone cannot escape the trio of White King, Rook and Knight.
41. Rxb5 Rf7+ 42. Kg5 Rxf2 43. Rxb6. White is the one who can press now, as he is a Pawn up. But this is very drawish.
43. ... Ne5 44. b3 Kd7 45. Nc5+ Kc7 46. Re6 Nc6 47. Re3 ½ : ½. The players agreed to a draw. I think it was a piece of brilliant attack and defence by both sides, especially from the White player.
侯逸凡 (Hóu Yìfán) needed all her coolness and skill to save the day! Photo: Amruta Mokal/ChessBase India. |
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