Time to Think

侯逸凡 (Hóu Yìfán) – Sabrina Vega Gutiérrez

2nd Chess Festival Eighth Centenary 2019 of Salamanca University; time control: 40 minutes plus 5 seconds per move; Salamanca, November 28, 2019

English Opening A13

In her fourth round game against Sabrina Vega Gutiérrez, 侯逸凡 (Hóu Yìfán) wasn’t able to handle the “slow rapid” time control, and the melodramatic way in which she “self-mated” shows how far from the board she has taken herself, since she has been spending her sabbatical year studying at the University of Oxford. 1. Nf3 d5 2. e3 Nf6 3. c4 e6 4. b3 Be7 5. Bb2 0-0 6. Qc2 c5 7. cxd5 Nxd5 8. Nc3 Nc6 9. h4 Nxc3. Alternatively, a key line may be 9. ... h6 10. g4!?∞↑ Carlsen – Ganguly, 5th World Rapid Chess Championship, Doha 2016. 10. Bxc3!? A new take on quite a recent game: 10. dxc3 f5 11. Rd1 Qe8 12. g4 fxg4 13. Ng5 Qh5 14. Bg2 Ne5 15. c4 with an ideal attacking position, Cornette – Niemi, 5th TV2 Fagernes International, Fagernes 2018. 10. ... Nb4 11. Qb1 Nd5 12. Ng5 f5 13. Bb2 Bf6 14. Bc4 Bd7 15. e4 Bxb2 16. Qxb2 fxe4 17. Qe5 Rf5 18. Qd6 (18. Qxe4? Qf6 19. 0-0 h6∓)

18. ... Qc7 19. Qxc7 Nxc7 20. Nxe4? 20. 0-0 h6 21. Nxe4 Bc6 is somewhat easier for Black, but quite tenable. 20. ... Bc6 21. Ng3 Re5+ 22. Kf1 Rd8 23. Rd1 Bb5? (23. ... Nd5!∓) 24. f3 Red5 25. Ne4 b6 26. Ke2 Bxc4+ 27. bxc4 Rd3 28. a4 e5 29. a5 Ne6 30. axb6 axb6 31. Rb1 Nf4+ 32. Kf1 R8d4 33. Rxb6 Rxc4 34. Kf2 h6 35. Rb8+ Kh7 36. Ra1 Rd7? 36. ... Rxe4! 37. fxe4 Rxd2+ 38. Kf3 Rd3+ 39. Kg4 Nxg2 is dynamically balanced. 37. Raa8 Kg6 38. Ra6+ Kh7 39. g3 Nh5? 40. g4? Simply 40. Ke3 would have left Black short of good moves. 40. ... Nf6 41. Rxf6 Rxe4 42. Rff8. 42. Rxh6+ Kxh6 43. fxe4 Rxd2+ 44. Ke3 Rh2 is a dead draw. 42. ... Rxd2+ 43. Kg3 Ree2 44. h5?? And here is 侯逸凡 (Hóu Yìfán)’s blundering self-mate. 44. Rh8+ Kg6 45. Rb6+ Kf7 46. g5 hxg5 47. h5! gives White sufficient counterplay for a draw. 44. ... Rg2+ 0 : 1. For mate in two follows.