Man Hunt

侯逸凡 (Hóu Yìfán) – Yuliya Shvayger
4th Isle of Man International Chess Tournament; Douglas, September 26, 2017
English Opening A13

1. Nf3 d5 2. e3 Nf6 3. c4 e6 4. b3 c5 5. Bb2 Nc6 6. cxd5 exd5 7. Bb5 Bd7 8. 0-0 Bd6 9. d4 cxd4 10. Nxd4 0-0 11. Nd2 Qe7 12. Bd3 Ba3 13. Qc1 Bxb2 14. Qxb2 Rfc8 15. N2f3 Nxd4 16. Nxd4 Qe5 17. h3 Rc7 18. Rad1 Rac8 19. Qa3 a6 20. Qb4 Ne4 21. Ne2 Nc3 22. Rd2 h6 23. Nf4 Be6 24. Re1 Bd7 25. f3 Re8 26. Bf1 Rec8 27. a4 Be6 28. Kf2 Qf6 29. Qd4 Qe7 30. Bd3

侯逸凡 (Hóu Yìfán) kept her opponent, Yuliya Shvayger, under a constant pressure, but it is questionable whether it is enough. If now 30. ... Qc5 then, probably, 31. Qe5⩲↑ retaining the upper hand. And yet maybe that was the best option for Black too.
30. ... a5?! 31. Nh5 Qg5 (31. ... f6 32. h4±)
32. g4 Qh4+? This definitely loses whereas 32. ... f5! at once seems to give some chances of resistance.
33. Kg2 f6 34. Rh1 f5 35. Nf4 fxg4 36. hxg4 Qe7 37. Nxe6 Qxe6 38. Bf5 1 : 0.

And thus 侯逸凡 (Hóu Yìfán) is still on the “hunt” for a man. Photo: John Saunders.