The Human Hippocampus

侯逸凡 (Hóu Yìfán) – Eltaj Safarli
3rd Gashimov Memorial; Shamkir, May 27, 2016
French Defence C18

1. e4 e6 2. d4 d5 3. Nc3 Bb4 4. e5 c5 5. a3 Bxc3+ 6. bxc3 Ne7 7. h4!? An idea launched in the 1940s by Hermann Pilnik, then lapsed into oblivion, until it was rediscovered about forty years later by Nigel David Short. 7. ... Qc7 8. Nf3 Bd7 9. h5 h6 10. Rh4. The Rook lift. That’s not the easiest way to go for an advantage, but she has a clear idea in mind. 10. ... Nbc6 11. Rg4 Nf5 12. Bd3 Nce7

13. dxc5! Maybe a new move (even though more formally than substantially), aimed to give a meaning to 10. Rh4. For 13. a4 g6 14. hxg6 Nxg6 15. Ba3 c4 16. Be2 0-0-0 17. a5 Rdg8 see Marković – Damljanović, 52nd Yugoslav Chess Championship, Nikšić 1997. 13. ... Qxc5 14. Rb4 a5. It appears a bit incautious. 15. Rxb7 Bc6 16. Rb3. Maybe letting her hook slide away. On the other hand, from a human point of view, finding over the board the paradoxical 16. Rbb1! is anything but obvious: after 16. ... Qxc3+ 17. Kf1! the f5-Knight is left hanging, while if 16. ... d4 there might follow 17. c4! with a very powerful edge. 16. ... Ba4 17. Rbb1 Qxc3+ 18. Bd2. Now 18. Kf1 can be answered by 18. ... Nc6 – Alas! The Black light-squared Bishop is not anymore in c6. 18. ... Qc5 19. Qe2 0-0 20. g4 Nd4. The worst is over. 21. Nxd4 Qxd4 22. c3 Qc5 23. g5 hxg5 24. Qg4 Bc6 25. Rc1. 25. h6 gxh6 26. Bxg5 hxg5 27. Qxg5+ Ng6 28. Bxg6 fxg6 29. Qxg6+ only leads to perpetual check. 25. ... Nf5 26. Bxg5 Bb5 27. Bxf5 exf5 28. Qd4 Qc4 29. Qxc4 Bxc4 30. Be7 Rfb8 31. Rab1 Bd3 32. Rxb8+ Rxb8 33. Kd2 Be4 34. Ke3 Rb2 35. Bc5 Rb5 36. Bd6 Rb2 37. Bc5 Rb5 38. Bd6 Rb2 39. Bc5 ½ : ½. A hard-fought game.

侯逸凡 (Hóu Yìfán)’s mother, 王茜 (Wáng Qiàn), is a good photographer who has not yet received the recognition she deserves. Photos: gashimovchess.com.