Casting Out

侯逸凡 (Hóu Yìfán) – Nico Zwirs
39th German Schach Bundesliga; Mülheim an der Ruhr, November 10, 2018
Sicilian Defence B51

1. e4 c5 2. Nf3 d6 3. Bb5+ Nc6 4. Bxc6+ bxc6 5. e5 dxe5 6. Nxe5 Qd5 7. Nf3 Qe4+ 8. Kf1 Nf6 9. d3 Qf5 10. Nbd2 g6 11. b3 Bg7 12. Bb2 0-0 13. Qe2 Re8!? Probably a new move. A recent game continued: 13. ... Ba6 14. Qe5 Rfd8 15. Re1 e6 16. h3 Ne8 17. Qxf5 exf5 18. Ne5 Rac8 19. Ba3 Bf8 20. g4 f6 21. Nef3 Rd5 22. Nc4 fxg4 23. hxg4 Rd7 24. Nfd2 Bxc4 25. bxc4 Re7 26. Kg2 Rxe1 27. Rxe1 Rb8 28. Re6 Rc8 29. Nb3 Kf7 30. Re1 Rb8 31. Bxc5 Bxc5 32. Nxc5 Rb2 33. Re6 Rxc2 34. a4 Ng7 35. Rxc6 h5 36. Rc7+ Kg8 37. gxh5 Nxh5 38. Rxa7 g5 39. a5 g4 40. a6 g3 41. Ne4 gxf2 42. Nxf2 Ra2 43. Kf3 f5 44. c5 1 : 0 Pavlidis – Kotrōnias, 66th Greek Chess Championship, Thessaloniki 2017. 14. Qe5 Qd7!? It introduces a double Pawn sacrifice which may lead to sharp complications. 15. Qxc5

15. ... Ne4!? 16. Nxe4 Bxb2 17. Rb1 Bg7 18. Ne5 Qc7 19. Qxc6 Qxc6 20. Nxc6 a5! The Bishop pair and the dominated c6-Knight provide Black with enough compensation for the two Pawns. 21. b4 axb4 22. Nxb4 Be6. 22. ... f5 23. Nd2 e5 24. Ke2 would lead to consequences similar to those in the game. 23. c4 Reb8 24. Ke2 Ra4 25. Nc2 Rc8 26. Nb4 Bxc4 27. Rhc1! Clearly not 27. dxc4? because of 27. ... Rxc4 with a draw in sight. 27. ... f5? 27. ... Rxb4! 28. Rxb4 Bxd3+ 29. Kxd3 Rxc1 would have offered better drawing chances. 28. Rxc4 Rxc4 29. dxc4 fxe4 30. c5 Kf7 31. c6 Be5 32. Rb3 Ke6 33. Ke3 Bd6 34. a3! Bc7? Black’s last hope was 34. ... Ke5, though after 35. Kd2 Bc7 36. Kc2 White remains a Pawn ahead and a favourable endgame. 35. Kxe4 Ra5 36. Nc2 Rc5 37. Nd4+ Kd6 38. Rb5! Rc1. It is as bad a way as another to put an end to a game. 39. Rd5# 1 : 0.

侯逸凡 (Hóu Yìfán) and Nico Zwirs analysing their game. Photo: Guido Giotta/schachbundesliga.de.