Spettekaka

Nils Axel Grandelius – 侯逸凡 (Hóu Yìfán)

Altibox Norway Chess Qualifier; time control: 25 minutes plus 5 seconds per move; Fagernes, March 26, 2016

Semi-Tarrasch Defence D41

1. c4 c5 2. Nf3 Nc6 3. Nc3 Nf6 4. g3 d5 5. d4 e6 6. cxd5 Nxd5 7. Bg2 cxd4 8. Nxd4 Nxc3 9. bxc3 Nxd4 10. Qxd4 Qxd4 11. cxd4 Bd6 12. e4 Rb8 13. e5 Be7 14. Be3 b6 15. Rc1 Kd8!? Possibly improving on 15. ... Bb7 16. Bxb7 Rxb7 17. Rc8+ Bd8 18. Ke2 Kd7 19. Rhc1⩲ van Wely – Anand, 15th Amber Rapid Chess Tournament, Monte Carlo 2006. 16. f4 Bb7 17. Bxb7 Rxb7 18. Ke2 Kd7 19. Kd3 (19. Rhd1 Rc8 20. Rxc8 Kxc8 21. d5 exd5 22. Rxd5 Rd7=) 19. ... Rc8 20. Rxc8 Kxc8 21. Rc1+ Kd8 (21. ... Rc7 22. Ke4 Rxc1 23. Bxc1⩲) 22. g4 Rd7 23. f5 Rd5 24. fxe6 fxe6 25. Rf1 Ke8 26. Rc1 h6 (26. ... Kd7=) 27. Rc8+ Bd8 28. Bd2 (28. g5 Kd7 29. gxh6 gxh6 30. Rc2 h5 31. Rg2 Ra5=) 28. ... Kd7 29. Ra8 a5 30. a4 Kc6 31. Rc8+ Kb7 32. Rc1 b5 33. axb5 Rxb5 34. Rf1 Kc6 35. Rf7 Rb7 36. Rf8 Rd7 37. Ke4. Again an impressive exhibition of “volitional” endgame technique by Grandelius! 37. ... a4 38. Bb4 Be7?! (38. ... Rb7 39. Bc5 Bb6=) 39. Bxe7 Rxe7 40. Ra8 Kb5 41. d5 exd5+ 42. Kxd5 Rd7+ 43. Ke6? [43. Ke4! Rd2 44. e6 Kc6 (44. ... Rxh2? 45. Kf3+−) 45. h4! Re2+ 46. Kf5 Kb5 (46. ... Kd6 47. Rxa4+−) 47. Ra7+−] 43. ... Rd2 44. Kf7 (44. h4 g5 45. hxg5 hxg5 46. Kf6 Rf2+ 47. Kxg5 Re2 48. Kf6 Rf2+ 49. Ke6 Rg2=) 44. ... Rxh2 45. e6

45. ... Re2? Under severe time pressure 侯逸凡 (Hóu Yìfán) fails to find the (easy) exit way: 45. ... Rf2+! 46. Kxg7 (46. Kg8 Re2=) 46. ... Rg2! 47. e7 Rxg4+ 48. Kxh6 Re4 49. e8=Q+ Rxe8 50. Rxe8 a3 with a draw. 46. e7 g6 47. e8=Q+ Rxe8 48. Rxe8 h5 49. g5 h4 50. Kxg6 h3 51. Re1 a3 52. Kf5 1 : 0. “This will actually be the first time Sweden has a player in a super tournament since Ulf Andersson in early 90’s”, Tarjei J. Svensen said.

Nils Grandelius vs. 侯逸凡 (Hóu Yìfán). Photo: Tarjei J. Svensen.