Free Play

侯逸凡 (Hóu Yìfán) – Vladimir Vasilyevich Fedoseev

“一带一路” (“One Belt One Road”) 6th China–Russia Junior Match of Friendship “国奥棋院杯” (“Guó Ào Qíyuàn Cup”); match game 3 (15+10); 济南 (Jǐnán), December 12, 2019

English Opening A11

1. Nf3 d5 2. c4 c6 3. g3 dxc4 4. Qc2 Qd5 5. Bg2 Bf5 6. Qc3 Nf6 7. Nh4 Be4 8. f3 Bxb1 8. f3 Bxb1 9. Rxb1 Nbd7 10. b3 cxb3 11. Rxb3 Nb6 12. f4 Qd8 13. Nf3 e6 14. Qc2 Be7 15. Bb2 Qd5 16. Nh4 Qa5 17. Bc3 Qa4 18. 0-0 Nbd5 19. Ba1 0-0 20. Qb1 b5 21. Nf3 Rac8 22. Ne5 a6 23. e4 Nb6 24. g4. White, having sacrificed a Pawn in the opening, must seek compensation, so now 侯逸凡 (Hóu Yìfán) doesn’t hesitate to take her own risks. 24. ... Nc4 25. Nxc4 bxc4 26. Rg3 Rfd8 27. g5 Ne8 28. Qd1 Qxa2 29. Bc3 Bc5+ 30. Kh1 Bd4 31. Qh5 Bxc3 32. dxc3 Rd2. It’s questionable whether — after, let’s say, 32. ... g6 — White would have been able to justify her two Pawn deficit. 33. f5 exf5 34. exf5 Nd6? (34. ... Rd3!∞)

35. Rh3. Even stronger was 35. g6!+− fxg6 36. fxg6 h6 37. Qe5 Re8 38. Rgf3! with a mating attack. 35. ... Rxg2 36. Qxh7+ Kf8 37. Re3. Now 侯逸凡 (Hóu Yìfán) might finish off her attack with 37. f6; instead, she contents herself with a won ending which she conducts with superb technique. 37. ... Rxh2+ 38. Qxh2 Qxh2+ 39. Kxh2 Rb8 40. Kg3 Rb5 41. Kg4 Kg8 42. g6 Rd5 43. Rb1 Rb5 44. Rd1 Rd5 45. Rxd5 cxd5 46. Re5 Kf8 47. Rxd5 Ne4 48. Rd4 Nxc3 49. Rxc4 Nd5 50. Rc6 a5 51. Ra6 fxg6 52. fxg6 Ke7 53. Kg5 Nc7 54. Ra7 Kd6 55. Kf5 Nd5 56. Ra6+ Kd7 57. Rxa5 Ne7+ 58. Kg5 Nc8 59. Ra6 Kc7 60. Kf5 Ne7+ 61. Ke5 Kd7 62. Rd6+ Kc7 63. Re6 Kd7 64. Rd6+ Kc7 65. Ra6 Kd7 66. Kf4 Nd5+ 67. Kg5 Ne7 68. Ra1 Nc8 69. Rh1 Nd6 70. Rh8 Ke7 71. Rb8 Ne4+ 72. Kf5 Nd6+ 73. Ke5 Nc4+ 74. Kd5 Ne3+ 75. Ke4 Nc4 76. Rb4 Nd6+ 77. Ke5 1 : 0.

In the third rapid game, 侯逸凡 (Hóu Yìfán) first gave a display of daring opening play, and then a masterly display of endgame technique. Photo: 山东智力运动网 (Shāndōng Intellectual Sports Network) via 中国国际象棋协会 (Chinese Chess Association).