Between Lost and Found

袁烨 (Yuán Yè) – 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 15, 2022

Queen’s Pawn Game A40

1. d4 e6 2. c4 b6 3. e4 Bb7 4. Bd3 Nc6 5. Nf3 Nb4 6. 0-0 Nxd3 7. Qxd3 d6 8. Nc3 Ne7 9. Bg5 h6 10. Be3 a6 11. b4 Ng6 12. Rab1 Be7 13. Nd2 0-0 14. f4 f5

15. d5 Bc8 16. exf5 Rxf5? (⌓ 16. ... exf5 17. Nb3⩲)
17. dxe6 Bxe6 18. g4 Rf6 19. Nd5 Bxd5 20. Qxd5+ Kh8 21. Ne4 Rf8 22. Qh5 Nh4 23. Bd4 Kh7 24. Ng3 Qd7 25. Rbe1 Rae8

White has a big advantage, but the difference in strength between the two may easily make it less and less big.
26. h3? And the underdog, too hesitant and shy, let her chance go by. She ought to have played 26. g5! Nf5 27. Qh3 Qc8 28. g6+! Kg8 (28. ... Kxg6?? 29. Qg4+ Kh7 30. Nxf5+−) 29. Nxf5 Qxf5 30. Qxf5 Rxf5 31. Kg2 and White stands much better.
26. ... Bf6! 27. Bxf6 Rxe1 28. Bxh4 Rxf1+ 29. Nxf1 Rxf4 30. Qd5 b5 31. Ne3 bxc4 32. Bg3 c6 33. Qd1 Re4 34. Nxc4 d5 35. Ne5 Qa7+ 36. Bf2 Qc7 37. Nd3 Qf7 38. a3 Qg6 39. Nc5 Rc4 40. Qd2 h5 41. g5 Qf5 42. Qe3 Rf4

43. g6+?? And White finally collapses, she being hard-pressed by the lack of time. 43. h4 was now called for, with still a tenable game.
43. ... Qxg6+ 44. Kh2 Qf5 45. Bg3? (45. Kg2 d4 46. Qe2 a5−+)
45. ... Rf3 46. Qe2 h4 47. Bc7 (47. Bxh4 Rxh3+−+)
47. ... Qxh3+ (47. ... Rf2+−+)
48. Kg1 Qg4+ 49. Qg2 Qd4+ 50. Kh1 Rf2 51. Qg1 Qe3 52. Qb1+ Kh8 53. Qd1 Qh3+ 0 : 1.