The Ice Castle

Anatoly Yevgenyevich Karpov – 侯逸凡 (Hóu Yìfán)

“Belt and Road” 2018 Sino-Russian Chess Champions Showdown; match game 5 (15+10); 哈尔滨 (Hā’ěrbīn), February 6, 2018

Modern Benoni A70

1. d4 Nf6 2. c4 e6 3. Nf3 c5 4. d5 exd5 5. cxd5 d6 6. Nc3 g6 7. e4 a6 8. h3 b5 9. Bd3 Bg7 10. 0-0 0-0 11. Re1 Re8. The alternative was 11. ... Nbd7 12. Bf4 Qb6 13. Rc1 c4 14. Bb1 Bb7 15. Qd2 Rfe8 16. Be3 Qd8 17. Bd4 Rc8 18. a3 Nc5 with a dynamic balance, Mamedjarova – 侯逸凡 (Hóu Yìfán), Women’s Grand Prix 2009–2011, first stage, Instanbul 2009. 12. Bf4 Qb6 13. a3 Nbd7 14. Qd2 Bb7 15. b4 Rac8 16. Rac1 Nh5 17. Be3 Qd8 18. Ne2 f5? This is a very imprudent commitment which could end into a half disaster. After 18. ... Qe7 19. g4 Nhf6 20. Ng3 White has only a slight edge, V. Georgiev – Delchev, 16th International Open, Benasque 1996. 19. exf5 Bxd5

20. Nh2? Karpov misses the fatal coup 20. Ng5! which would have made the threat of f5xg6 almost terrific. 20. ... Bf7 21. fxg6 hxg6 22. Ng4 Ne5 23. Nh6+ Bxh6 24. Bxh6 Nxd3 25. Qxd3 Qf6 26. Qd2 Re5! 27. Be3 Bc4 28. Rcd1 Rd5 29. Qc2 Qf7? After defending successfully her position, 侯逸凡 (Hóu Yìfán) slips on ice and falls. Correct was 29. ... Re5! and if 30. g4 then 30. ... Rf8! 31. gxh5 Rxe3 32. fxe3 Qf2+ with a draw by perpetual check. 30. Nc3. Now White forces the exchange of Rooks and launches a typical attack with Bishops of opposite colour. Black is harmless. 30. ... Rxd1 31. Qxd1 cxb4 32. axb4 Bb3 33. Qd2 Nf6 34. Bd4 Rf8 35. Ne4 Nxe4 36. Rxe4 Qh7 37. Bc3 d5 38. Rg4 Rf5 39. Qd4 Bc4 40. Qb6 g5 41. h4 Qh5 42. Qd8+ Kf7 43. Qd7+ 1 : 0.

Anatoly Yevgenyevich Karpov vs. 侯逸凡 (Hóu Yìfán). Photo: 樊璐璐、王亮 (Fán Lùlù, Wáng Liàng).

侯逸凡 (Hóu Yìfán) – Anatoly Yevgenyevich Karpov

“Belt and Road” 2018 Sino-Russian Chess Champions Showdown; match game 6 (15+10); 哈尔滨 (Hā’ěrbīn), February 6, 2018

English Opening A11

1. c4 Nf6 2. g3 c6 3. Nf3 d5 4. Bg2 Bf5 5. 0-0 e6 6. cxd5 cxd5 7. d3 Nc6 8. Nc3 d4 9. Nb5 a6 10. Na3 Be7

11. Qb3 0-0 12. Nc4 b5 13. Nce5 Na5. If Black doesn’t want to give the Pawn, he should, perhaps, prefer 13. ... Nxe5, but after 14. Nxe5 Rc8 14. a4 White has a clear advantage. 14. Qd1 Rc8. Probably better is 14. ... Bd6 15. Bd2 Rc8 that after 16. Qe1 Nb7 17. Nxd4 Bxe5 18. Nxf5 exf5 19. Bxb7 Rc2 led Black to quite a satisfactory game, Dizdarević – Seirawan, 26th “Bosna” International Tournament, Sarajevo 1987. It’s foreseeable, however, that 侯逸凡 (Hóu Yìfán) had prepared some improvement. 15. Bd2 Qb6 16. Bxa5 Qxa5 17. Nxd4. Now Black will get nothing for the loss of Pawn, and 侯逸凡 (Hóu Yìfán) meets no difficulty in enlarging her material and positional advantage. 17. ... Qb6 18. Nxf5 exf5 19. d4 Rfd8 20. e3 Nd7 21. Nd3 Rc7 22. a4 Rdc8 23. a5 Qd6 24. b4 Rc4 25. Rb1 g6 26. Nc5 Nxc5 27. bxc5. Now the Black Rook on c4 can start shivering. 27. ... Qc7 28. Ra1 Rd8 29. Qb3 g5 30. Rfb1 f4 31. Bf1 fxe3 32. fxe3 Ra4 33. Rxa4 bxa4 34. Qb7! Qxb7 35. Rxb7 a3 36. Bc4 Kf8 37. Kf1 g4 38. Ke2 h5 39. c6 Rc8 40. d5 f5 41. Kd3 Bc5 42. Rh7. The White Rook can finally raid Black’s Pawns on the Kingside. 42. ... Kg8 43. Rxh5 Kg7 44. Rxf5 Rb8 45. Rf2 Re8 46. Bxa6 Rxe3+ 47. Kc4 Bd6 48. Bb7 Re4+ 49. Kb3 Rb4+ 50. Ka2 Ra4 51. a6 Ra5 52. Rc2 Bc7 53. d6! 1 : 0.

Anatoly Yevgenyevich Karpov vs. 侯逸凡 (Hóu Yìfán). Photo: 樊璐璐、王亮 (Fán Lùlù, Wáng Liàng).