After All

翟墨 (Zhái Mò) – 侯逸凡 (Hóu Yìfán)

1st “机器人谷杯” (“Robot Valley Cup”) China City Chess League; 济南银丰 (Jǐnán Yínfēng)–青岛城阳 (Qīngdǎo Chéngyáng) Final; round two; time control: 30 minutes plus 15 seconds per move; 棋子湾 (Qízǐ Bay), January 3, 2021

English Opening A37

1. Nf3 c5 2. g3 Nc6 3. Bg2 g6 4. 0-0 Bg7 5. c4 d6 6. Nc3 Bf5 7. d3 Qd7 8. Bd2 Bh3 9. Bxh3 Qxh3 10. Nd5 Qd7 11. Rb1 e6 12. Bc3 f5?!TN (12. ... Bxc3 13. Nxc3 Nf6 14. d4⩲ Cori Tello – Hansen, 10th American Continental, Montevideo 2015)
13. Bxg7 Qxg7 14. Qa4 Rb8 15. Nf4 Qd7 16. b4! Nxb4 (16. ... Nge7 17. b5±)
17. Qxa7. Very interesting is 17. Rxb4! cxb4 18. Qxa7 Rd8 19. Qe3 e5 20. Nd5 with powerful compensation for the Exchange.
17. ... Nc6 18. Qa4 Nf6

19. Nxe6!? White does not resist the temptation to win two Rooks for the Queen. Also strong was 19. Rb6 followed by the doubling of the Rooks on the b-file.
19. ... Qxe6 20. Qxc6+ bxc6 21. Rxb8+ Kd7 22. Rxh8 Qxe2 23. Ng5 Qxd3 24. Nxh7? A mistake that could cost her dearly. White ought to play 24. a4! Qxc4 25. Rb1 Qa6 (25. ... Qxa4?? 26. Rb7#) 26. Rf8 h6! 27. Rf7+ Kc8 28. Rf8+ Kd7 with a draw.
24. ... Ne4 25. Nf8+ Kc7 26. Rh7+ (26. Nxg6 Nd2)
26. ... Kb6 27. Nd7+ Ka5 28. Rh8

28. ... Nd2? After 28. ... f4!−+ White can’t continue as in the game, as 29. Ra8+ Kb4 30. Rc1 is met by 30. ... Qe2 with an easy win.
29. Ra8+ Kb4 30. Rc1! Threatening Nd7-b6 followed by Ra8-a4#.
30. ... Qe4 31. Nb6 Nf3+ 32. Kf1 Nxh2+ 33. Kg1 Nf3+ 34. Kf1 Nd2+ 35. Kg1 Nf3+ 36. Kf1 Nd2+ ½–½.

That’s all four-time Women’s World Chess Champion and Rhodes Scholar 侯逸凡 (Hóu Yìfán) did, and it was enough to make her team the winner of the 1st “机器人谷杯” (“Robot Valley Cup”) China City Chess League. Photo: Sina Sports.

The Black knight jumps to d2, paving the way for a draw. Photo: 骆云飞 (Luò Yúnfēi)/Chinanews.com.

That is, 28. ... Ne4-d2, 31. ... Nd2-f3+, 32. ... Nf3xh2+, 33. ... Nh2-f3+, 34. ... Nf3-d2+ and so on till the end of time. Photo: 骆云飞 (Luò Yúnfēi)/hi.chinanews.com.

侯逸凡 (Hóu Yìfán) does another of her impeccable colour-matched wardrobes. Photo: culturechina.cn.