15（十五）

Pyotr Veniaminovich Svidler – 侯逸凡 (Hóu Yìfán)

1st Champions Chess Tour; 7th stage; Goldmoney Asian Rapid; Prelims Tournament; time control: 15 minutes plus 10 seconds per move; chess24.com, June 28, 2021

Sicilian Defence B90

1. e4 c5 2. Nf3 d6 3. d4 cxd4 4. Nxd4 Nf6 5. Nc3 a6 6. b3!? Dernier cri.
6. ... e6 7. Bb2 Be7 8. Qd2 Qc7. Also interesting is 8. ... b5 9. f3 0-0 10. a4 b4 11. Nd1 a5 12. Ne3 Bb7 13. Rd1 d5 14. e5 Nfd7 15. f4 Nc5 16. Bd3 Nc6 17. 0-0 ½ : ½ Kr. Georgiev – Pintér, Zonal Tournament, Prague 1985) 9. 0-0-0 b5? Asking for trouble.

10. Bxb5+! Almost a classic. Three Pawns and the initative are well worth a piece. 10. ... axb5 11. Ndxb5 Qb6 12. Nxd6+ Bxd6 13. Qxd6 Nc6? Black had nothing better than to exchange Queens.

14. Nd5!+− exd5 15. exd5 Nxd5 16. Rhe1+ Be6 17. Rxd5 Qb7 18. Rc5. Also strong was 18. Bxg7 Rg8 19. Bf6 with decisive threats such as Re1xe6+.
18. ... Ra6?! 18. ... Rc8 is probably a little better — though, of course, after 19. Bxg7 Rg8 20. Bf6 White’s attack continues.
19. Rd1 Qa8 20. Bxg7 Ne7 21. Qd4 Rg8 22. Bf6 Nd5 23. a4 Nxf6 24. Qxf6 Bxb3 25. Rd6 Rxd6 26. Qxd6 Be6 27. Rb5 Qd8

28. Rb8? An impulsive move which throws away all attack. The right way was 28. Qe5! (actually threatening Rb5-b8) 28. ... Kd7 (28. ... Kf8 29. Rb8 Bc8 30. a5 transposes to the game) 29. Rb7+ Kc6 30. Qb5+ Kd6 31. f4!+− with deadly threats.
28. ... Bc8 29. Qe5+ Kf8? But 侯逸凡 (Hóu Yìfán) returns the favour. After 29. ... Kd7! Black is well and alive with nothing to worry about (if 30. Rb5 then 30. ... Qe7).
30. a5 Rxg2 31. Qc5+ Kg7 32. Rxc8 Rg1+ 33. Kb2 Qd1 34. Qf8+ Kg6 35. Rc6+ Kg5 36. Qg7+ Kf5 37. Qxf7+ 1 : 0.