An Evening Pastiche

王楚乔 (Wáng Chǔqiáo) – 侯逸凡 (Hóu Yìfán)

17th Chinese Chess League Division A Regular-Rapid “武陵山大裂谷杯” (“Wǔlíng Mountain Great Rift Valley Cup”); time control: 25 minutes plus 10 seconds per move; 重庆 (Chóngqìng), September 6, 2022

Queen’s Indian Accelerated Defence A50

1. d4 Nf6 2. c4 b6 3. Nc3 Bb7 4. f3 d5 5. cxd5 Nxd5 6. e4 Nxc3 7. bxc3 e6

8. Be3. A vintage reference is 8. Bb5+ Nd7 9. Ne2 Be7 10. 0-0 a6 11. Bd3 c5 12. Bb2?! (Alekhine argued that the Bishop should have been developed on e3 or f4) 12. ... Qc7 13. f4?! (ill-timed) 13. ... Nf6 14. Ng3 h5!⩱↑ Bogoljubov – Alekhine, Wiesbaden 1929, World Chess Championship match game 8.
8. ... Be7 9. Bc4 0-0 10. Ne2 Nc6 11. 0-0 Na5 12. Bd3 c5 (12. ... c5 11. 0-0 cxd4 12. cxd4 Nc6 13. Rc1 Rc8 14. Qd3 Qd6 15. Rfd1 Na5 16. Bb5 Qa3= Giulian – Barle, 12th European Senior Chess Championship, Kaunas 2012)
13. Rc1 Qd7 14. Qd2 Rac8 15. Qb2 h6 16. Rfd1 Bg5 17. Bxg5 hxg5 18. Qd2 Qe7 19. e5 Nc6 20. Be4 Rc7 21. Qe3 Na5 22. Bxb7 Rxb7 23. d5 exd5 24. Rxd5 Re8

25. f4? (⌓ 25. Ng3! Nc4 26. Qe4 Nxe5 27. Nf5 Qe6! Δ 28. Nd6 Rd8=)
25. ... gxf4 26. Qxf4 Rd7 27. Rxd7 Qxd7 28. Ng3 Nc6 29. Re1 Qd5 30. Nf5 Rxe5. Taking with the Knight was the best answer.

31. Rf1. There is little doubt that the Knight endgame a Pawn down after 31. Rxe5 Qxe5 32. Qxe5 Nxe5 may be lost as well, but perhaps might have presented Black with more technical difficulties.
31. ... Ne7 32. Nxe7+ Rxe7 33. h3 Qe5 34. Qh4 Qe4 35. Qf2 Qe3 36. Rd1 g6 37. c4 Kg7 38. Kf1 Qc3 39. Qf4 Re5 40. Kg1 Qe3+ 41. Qf2 Re4 42. Rd7 Qxf2+ 43. Kxf2 Rxc4 44. Rxa7 Rc2+ 45. Kf3 b5 46. a3

46. ... Ra2? (46. ... c4 47. Ra5 Rb2−+)
47. Ra5 Rb2 48. a4! bxa4 49. Rxc5 a3 50. Ra5 a2 51. h4? 51. g4! was the move and would have secured a draw.
51. ... f5! 52. Kf4 Rxg2 53. Ra7+ Kh6 54. Ra8 Rg4+ 55. Kf3 Rxh4 0 : 1.

Naturally all eyes turn on the gorgeous spectacle, as 侯逸凡 (Hóu Yìfán) makes her grand entrée onto the stage. Photo: 我要有耐心 (I have to be patient).