The Future of Time

侯逸凡 (Hóu Yìfán) – Parimarjan Negi

2015 Showdown in Saint Louis — Fischerandom Chess; match game 4; time control: 20 minutes plus 10 seconds per move; Saint Louis, November 13, 2015

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Position #227

1. g3 g6 2. c4 c5 3. Nc3 Nc6 4. d3 d6 5. Nd2 Nd7 6. 0-0 0-0. Magic Mirror on the Wall, Who is the fairest one of all? 7. a3 b6 8. Qa4 Nde5 9. b4 Qd7 10. Bg2 Nd4 11. Qxd7 Nxd7 12. b5 Bxg2 13. Kxg2 f5 14. e3 Ne6 15. Nd5 Kf7 16. f4 Nc7 17. Nxc7 Rxc7 18. Bxh8 Rxh8 19. a4 a6 20. Ra1 Ra8 21. Ra3 Rca7 22. Rfa1 Nf6 23. Kf3 Ke8 24. h3 Kd7 25. g4 e6

26. Nb1 axb5 27. axb5 Rxa3 28. Rxa3 Rxa3 29. Nxa3 d5 30. g5 Ne8 31. Nb1 Kd6 32. Nc3 Nc7 33. Na4 Na8 34. h4 Ke7

35. Nc3. Only one minor thrill in an otherwise peaceful plot. In his live commentary, Grandmaster Maurice Ashley picturesquely said that 35. d4! was screaming for 侯逸凡 (Hóu Yìfán) to do it! His analysis runs 35. d4! cxd4 36. c5! bxc5 37. exd4 cxd4 38. b6 Nxb6 39. Nxb6 and White is still just messing around and trying to win. 35. ... Nc7 36. Na4 Na8 37. Nc3 ½ : ½.

One last handshake before the end. Screenshots from the live stream.