Day After Night

侯逸凡 (Hóu Yìfán) – 卜祥志 (Bǔ Xiángzhì)

2022 深圳 (Shēnzhèn) Grandmaster Chess Match game 2; 深圳 (Shēnzhèn), February 22, 2022

Giuoco Piano C54

1. e4 e5 2. Nf3 Nc6 3. Bc4 Bc5 4. 0-0 Nf6 5. d3 d6 6. c3 h6 7. Re1 0-0 8. h3 a5. The alternative is 8. ... a6 9. a4 Ba7 10. Nbd2 Re8 11. Nf1 Be6 12. Bxe6 Rxe6 13. Be3 Bxe3 14. Nxe3 d5 15. Qc2 Qd7 16. Rad1 Rd8= M. O. Muzychuk – 侯逸凡 (Hóu Yìfán), Lviv 2016, Women’s World Chess Championship match game 1. 9. a4 Be6 10. Bxe6. It’s not the easiest decision to make, but perhaps 侯逸凡 (Hóu Yìfán) still had bad memories about 10. Na3 Bxa3 11. Bxe6 Bxb2 12. Bxf7+ Rxf7 13. Bxb2 Qd7 14. c4 Raf8 15. Nh4 Kh7 16. f4!? exf4 17. d4 Re8 18. Qb1 Kg8 19. Nf3 Rfe7 20. d5 Ne5 21. Bxe5 Rxe5! 22. Nxe5 Rxe5 23. Qxb7 f3! 24. Qb3 fxg2 25. Qf3 Qe8 26. Ra2 Nxe4 27. Rae2 Ng5 28. Qg4? (28. Qxg2 Nxh3+ 29. Kh2 Ng5∞) 28. ... Rxe2! 29. Rxe2 Qxe2! 30. Qxe2 Nxh3+ 31. Kh2 g1=Q+ 32. Kxh3 Kh7 33. Qd2 h5 34. Qxa5 Qh1+ 35. Kg3 h4+ 36. Kf4 Qh2+ 37. Kf5 Qe5+ 38. Kg4 Qg3+ 39. Kf5 h3 0 : 1 侯逸凡 (Hóu Yìfán) – Caruana, 3rd Isle of Man International Chess Tournament, Douglas 2016. 10. ... fxe6 11. Be3 Bxe3 12. Rxe3 Qe8 13. Nbd2 b6!? A safe novelty, by means of which Black thinks to elude the theoretical preparation of his opponent. After 13. ... Nh5 14. g3 Qf7 15. Qe2 Rad8 16. Nh4 d5 17. Rf1 Nf6 18. Qd1 d4 19. cxd4 exd4 20. Ree1 g5 21. Ng2 Qh5 22. Qxh5 Nxh5 forces are formally balanced but Black has the easier game, Praggnanandhaa – So, 31st Torneo Magistral de Ajedrez Ciudad de León, León 2018, Semifinal match game 4 (time control: 20 minutes plus 10 seconds per move). 14. d4 exd4 15. cxd4 Nb4 16. Rc1 Rc8 17. Qb3 Kh8 18. Rce1 Qf7 19. Nc4 Nd7 20. R1e2 Qh5. 20. ... e5!? 21. dxe5 Nc5 is also interesting. 21. Qd1 Rf4 22. Ne1 d5 23. exd5 Qxd5

24. Ne5 Nxe5. 24. ... Rxd4 was also possible, whereupon there might follow 25. Qb1 Nxe5 26. Rxe5 Rd1 27. Qg6 Qd3 28. Qxe6 Rf8= with equality. But Black apparently aims at more than that. 25. Rxe5 Qxd4 26. Qxd4 Rxd4 27. Rxe6 Na6 28. Nf3! A brilliant way of keeping control over her situation. White gives up a Pawn on the Queenside to mount an attack on the Kingside, which proves to be enough for equality. 28. ... Rxa4 29. Rg6 Kh7 30. Rg3 Rg8 31. Re7 Ra1+ 32. Kh2 Rf1

33. Nd4 Rxf2 34. Ne6 Kh8. 34. ... Nb4 35. Rxc7 Kh8 36. Nxg7 Nd5 merely transposes to the game. 35. Nxg7 Nb4 36. Rxc7 Nd5 37. Rd7! Nf4. Not 37. ... Rxb2? because of 38. Nh5! winning the Knight, since otherwise White plays 39. Rh7+! Kxh7 40. Nf6+ followed by mate. 38. b3 Rb2

39. Rf7? 39. Kh1!! was White’s very last chance of saving the game, for now if 39. ... Nxg2 there follows 40. Nh5 Rf2 (40. ... Rxg3?? 41. Nf6!! mates by force) 41. Rxg8+ Kxg8 42. Rg7+ Kf8 43. Rxg2 Rf5! 44. Ng3 Rf3 with a draw being very likely. 39. ... Nxg2!−+ 40. Kh1. Of course the Pawn ending would be lost, while in case of 40. Kg1 Black replies with 40. ... Nh4−+ anyway. 40. ... Nh4 41. Rg4 Rxb3 42. Rb7 (42. Rxh4 Rxg7−+) 42. ... Rxh3+ 43. Kg1 h5 0 : 1.

侯逸凡 (Hóu Yìfán) has (very undeservedly) lost the first two games in her first physical classical match over two years, thus confirming what Anderssen said after his match with Morphy, that excellence, even the highest excellence, cannot be conserved in a glass casket, like a jewel, to be worn when desired, but on the contrary it can be cultivated only by a constant practice. On the other hand Morphy in a solemn speech said that “Chess has never been and never can be aught but a recreation. It should not be indulged it to the detriment of other and more serious avocations” — just such as her academic career. That being said, and the sin being expiated, there are still two games left, and the woman in the coat may still be able to flaunt her crown jewel, considering her physique du rôle and the great talent she possesses. Photo: 郑志鹏 (Zhèng Zhìpéng)/深圳晚报 (Shēnzhèn Evening News).