Debutante Ball

侯逸凡 (Hóu Yìfán) – Phạm Lê Thảo Nguyễn
42nd Women’s Chess Olympiad; Baku, September 4, 2016
Spanish Game C65

Four-time Women’s World Chess Champion 侯逸凡 (Hóu Yìfán) made her Olympic début only in the third round, but her convincing victory was not enough for the top seaded Chinese women’s team to defeat the Vietnamese team. 1. e4 e5 2. Nf3 Nc6 3. Bb5 Nf6 4. d3 Bc5 5. c3 d6 6. 0-0 Bd7 7. Ba4 a6 8. h3 Ba7 9. Re1 0-0 10. Bc2 Ne7 11. d4 Ng6 12. Nbd2 Re8 13. Nf1 Nh5. 13. ... d5!? 14. Nxe5 Nxe4 seems to be a rather solid and drawish line, Andriasian – Michalik, 51st International Open, Groningen 2013. 14. Be3. Most uncommendable is 14. Nxe5? dxe5 15. Qxh5 exd4 16. e5? Bc6 with powerful attack for Black, Stavru – Almási, Budapest 1991. 14. ... Nhf4 15. Ng3 Qc8 16. Nf5 f6 17. c4 Ne6 18. b4 exd4 19. N3xd4 Nxd4 20. Nxd4 Kh8 21. Rc1 Ne5 22. Bb1 c5 23. Nf5 Bxf5 24. exf5 cxb4 25. Bxa7 Rxa7 26. Qxd6 a5 27. Be4 Ra6 28. Qd5 Nc6. 28. ... Re7(!) 29. f4 (29. Qb5 Ra8) 29. ... Nc6 might have been more consolidating. 29. Qb5 Re5 30. Bd5 h6? This is the last mistake. 30. ... Rxe1+ 31. Rxe1 Ra8 seemed still tenable enough. 31. Rxe5 fxe5

32. Rd1! Qc7. If 32. ... Qd7 then 33. Bf3 Qc7 34. Qc5 and soon or later White will give her opponent a final crushing squeeze. 33. Be6 Qb6 34. Rd7! Black is in a curious zugzwang position. 34. ... Kh7 35. f6! 1 : 0.

Four-time Women’s World Chess Champion 侯逸凡 (Hóu Yìfán) seeking for inspiration. Photo © Lana Afandiyeva.