1（一／壹）

侯逸凡 (Hóu Yìfán) – A. R. Saleh Salem

1st Champions Chess Tour; 7th stage; Goldmoney Asian Rapid; Prelims Tournament; time control: 15 minutes plus 10 seconds per move; chess24.com, June 26, 2021

Caro-Kann Defence B15

1. e4 c6 2. Nc3 d5 3. d4 dxe4 4. Nxe4 Nf6 5. Nxf6+ exf6 6. c3 Bd6 7. Bd3 0-0 8. Qc2 Re8+ 9. Ne2 h5 10. Be3 Nd7 11. Ng3 Nb6 12. 0-0-0 Nd5 13. Bd2 Nf4 14. Bxf4 Bxf4+ 15. Kb1 Qa5

16. d5! An important detail, improving on 16. Bh7+ Kf8 17. Bf5 Bxf5 18. Nxf5 g6 which proved to be comfortable enough for Black in Abdumalik – Lenderman, 1st Spring Chess Classic (Group B), Saint Louis 2017.
16. ... h4 17. Nf5 cxd5. It is better this way because 17. ... Qxd5? 18. Ne7+ Rxe7 19. Bh7+ costs the Queen.
18. g3 Bxf5 19. Bxf5 Bh6 20. Rd4 Re5 21. Rhd1 hxg3

22. hxg3. 侯逸凡 (Hóu Yìfán) shows a wise caution. However, the zwischenzug 22. f4! might have put Black to the test.
22. ... Rae8 23. Bd7 R8e7 24. Bg4 g6 25. Bf3 Kg7 26. Rxd5 Qb6 27. a4 a5 28. Rd6 Qc5 29. R6d4 b5 30. axb5 Qxb5 31. Rd5 Qb6 32. Rd6 Qc5 33. R6d5 Qb6 34. Rd6 Qa7 35. R6d4 Qb6 36. Rd6 ½ : ½.