Down to Earth

侯逸凡 (Hóu Yìfán) – Noël Oliver Studer
50th International Chess Festival; Biel/Bienne, July, 25, 2017
French Defence C11

1. e4 e6 2. d4 d5 3. Nc3 Nf6 4. Bg5 dxe4 5. Nxe4 Nbd7 6. Nf3 h6 7. Nxf6+ Nxf6 8. Bh4 c5 9. c3 Bd7 10. Bd3 cxd4 11. Nxd4 Bd6. The alternative was 11. ... Bc5 12. Nf3 Bd6 13. Qe2 Qc7 14. 0-0-0 0-0-0 with a balanced position. 12. Qe2 Qa5 13. Nf5 Bf8. 13. ... Be5 looks more appropriate; for instance: 14. f4 exf5 15. 0-0 Ne4 with roughly even chances. 14. Ne3. 14. 0-0(!) looks simpler and more promising. 14. ... Bc6 15. Nc4 Qh5 16. Qxh5 Nxh5 17. f3 g5 18. Bf2 Nf4 19. Bf1 g4. A pseudo-aggressive move that gives White the Bishop pair. 20. Ne5 gxf3 21. gxf3 Bd6 22. Nxc6 bxc6 23. 0-0-0 Nd5 24. Kc2. If 24. c4 Black replies with 24. ... Bf4+ 25. Kb1 Ne3 26. Rd4 Rd8! saving everything. 24. ... Bf4 25. Re1. 25. Ba6 would ultimately lead to the gain of Black’s a-Pawn, but, most likely, at the price of an endgame with opposite coloured Bishops. 侯逸凡 (Hóu Yìfán) aims for more. 25. ... a5 26. a3 Rg8 27. c4 Ne7 28. Bb6 Nf5 29. Re4 e5 30. Bh3 Nd6

31. Rxf4. White prefers to sacrifice the Exchange rather than a Pawn, and, indeed, her assessment proves correct, as the Bishop pair offers more than enough compensation. 31. ... exf4 32. Kc3 Rg5 33. Re1+ Kf8 34. Bd7 c5 35. h4 Rh5 36. Bc7 Nf5

37. Bxf4? 侯逸凡 (Hóu Yìfán)’s too hasty. Very strong was 37 Re5! Ng3 (if 37. ... Ra7 then 38. Rxf5!+−) 38. Bd6+ Kg7 39. Rxh5 Nxh5 40. Bxc5 with a telling White’s Queenside Pawn majority eager to roll. 37. ... Rd8 38. Ba4 Rxh4 39. Be5? 39. Bc7! Rc8 40. Bb6 draws. 39. ... Rh3 40. Bc6 Nd4. Black, too, was short of time. Best was 40. ... f6!−+ and even without considering 41. Bxf6?? Rd6 (blundering a piece), White’s Bishop has no good squares. 41. Bxd4 cxd4+ 42. Kd3 Rh2 43. Rb1 h5 44. Bd5 a4 45. b3 h4. With 45. ... Rh4! 46. bxa4 Re8 Black would have retained excellent winning chances. 46. bxa4 h3 47. Kxd4 Rg2 48. Rh1 h2 49. a5 Rd6 50. f4 Ra2 51. Kc5 Rg6? 51. ... Rh6(!) was Black’s very last try to keep playing for a win. 52. Bc6 Rxa3 53. Rxh2 Rxa5+ 54. Bb5 Ra1 55. Rf2 Rgg1 56. Kb6 Raf1 57. Rxf1 Rxf1 ½ : ½.

Today 侯逸凡 (Hóu Yìfán) did not succeed in accomplishing what she was striving for. Photo © Biel Chess Festival.