From Time to Time

Jan Michael Sprenger – 侯逸凡 (Hóu Yìfán)
40th German Schach Bundesliga; Deizisau, November 23, 2019
Sicilian Defence B90

Four-time Women’s World Chess Champion and Rhodes Scholar 侯逸凡 (Hóu Yìfán) made today his début for OSG Baden-Baden in the 2019/2020 season of the SchachBundesliga: after some anxiety, she finally succeeded in mating her opponent, Jan Michael Sprenger, the philosopher of Schachfreunde Berlin. 1. e4 c5 2. Nf3 d6 3. d4 cxd4 4. Nxd4 Nf6 5. Nc3 a6 6. h3 e6 7. g4 Nfd7 8. Bg2 Nc6 9. Be3 Qc7 10. Qe2 b5. After 10. ... Na5 11. 0-0-0 Nc4 12. Bf4 Nde5? 13. Bg3 g5 14. h4! Black very soon fell into serious trouble, Lékó – Grischuk, 9th Tal Memorial Blitz, Sochi 2014. 11. 0-0-0!TN Bb7 12. Rhe1 Be7 13. Nd5! White offers a thematic Knight sacrifice which gives him a powerful initiative. 13. ... exd5 14. exd5 Nxd4 15. Bxd4 Qd8. 15. ... Ne5 16. Bxe5 dxe5 17. d6! is quite unpleasant too. 16. Bxg7 Rg8 17. Bh6 Rg6 18. g5 Rxh6 19. gxh6 Kf8 20. f4 Bf6 21. Qg4. Just a bit of luck that White “missed” 21. Rd3! with an attack hard to meet. 21. ... Nc5 22. Be4 Bc8 23. Bf5? After this grave error Black will be able to dramatically turn tables. 23. Qg3! would still leave White with the upper hand.

23. ... Bxb2+! 24. Kb1. Or 24. Kxb2 Qf6+ winning immediately. 24. ... Bxf5 25. Qxf5 Bc3 26. Re3 Qa5 27. Rxc3 Qxc3 28. Qxh7 Re8 29. Rg1. A way as another to surrender. 29. ... Re1+ 30. Rxe1 Qxe1+ 31. Kb2 Na4+ 32. Kb3 Qc3# 0 : 1.