Time out of Time

侯逸凡 (Hóu Yìfán) – Étienne Bacrot

7th Karpov Trophy; time control: 20 minutes plus 10 seconds per move; Cap d’Agde, October 29, 2019

Sicilian Defence B90

1. e4 c5 2. Nf3 d6 3. d4 cxd4 4. Nxd4 Nf6 5. Nc3 a6 6. a4 Nc6 7. Be2 g6 8. Be3 Bg7 9. 0-0 0-0 10. Qd2 Bd7 11. f3 Rb8 12. Nb3 Na5 13. Nxa5 Qxa5 14. Rfd1 Rfc8 15. Ba7 Ra8 16. Bd4 Be6 17. Bf1 Nd7 18. Bxg7 Kxg7 19. Qf2 Qc5 20. Rd2 Qb4 21. Nd1 b5. Bacrot prefers to sacrifice a Pawn for activity rather than defend a slightly inferior game. 22. c3 Qa5 23. b4 Qc7 24. axb5 axb5 25. Rxa8 Rxa8 26. Bxb5 Ne5

27. h3. Of course, one may argue that on the previous move Black should have preferred 26. ... Ra1, while now White might have taken advantage of Black’s last move by playing 27. f4, but only one thing is certain: that after his next move, Black has no longer anything to fear. 27. ... g5! 28. Be2 f6 29. Qd4 Ra1 30. Kf2 Nc6 31. Qe3 Ne5 32. b5 Bc4 33. b6 Qc6 34. Qd4 Bxe2 35. Rxe2 Nc4 36. Kg3 Qxb6 37. Ne3 Qxd4 38. cxd4 Nxe3 39. Rxe3 ½ : ½.

In spite of all efforts, 侯逸凡 (Hóu Yìfán) was not able to break down the resistance of the French Grandmaster. Photo: capechecs.com.