Blackbird

章晓雯 (Zhāng Xiǎowén) – 侯逸凡 (Hóu Yìfán)

17th Chinese Chess League Division A Regular-Standard “武陵山大裂谷杯” (“Wǔlíng Mountain Great Rift Valley Cup”); time control: 90 minutes plus 30 seconds per move; 重庆 (Chóngqìng), September 8, 2022

Sicilian Defence B51

1. e4 c5 2. Nf3 d6 3. Bb5+ Nd7 4. 0-0 a6 5. Bd3 Ngf6 6. Re1. Inadvisable is 6. c4? by reason of 6. ... g6! 7. Nc3 Bg7 8. Re1 Ng4! 9. Bf1 Nge5 10. d3 0-0 11. Be3 Nxf3+! 12. Qxf3 Ne5 13. Qd1 Nc6!⩱ M. O. Muzychuk – 侯逸凡 (Hóu Yìfán), FIDE Women’s Grand Prix 2015–16, 1st stage; Monte Carlo 2015.
6. ... Qc7 7. c3 b5 8. Bc2 Bb7 9. d4 cxd4 10. Nxd4

10. ... e6 (10. ... g6 11. a4 bxa4 12. Bg5 Bg7 13. Nd2 0-0 14. Rxa4 Nc5 15. Ra3 a5 16. N4b3 Ne6 17. Bxf6 Bxf6 18. Qa1 Nd4 19. Bd3 Nxb3 20. Nxb3 a4 21. Rxa4 Rxa4 22. Qxa4 Qb6 23. Qb5 Qxb5 24. Bxb5 Rb8 25. Bc4 Bc6 26. Re2 Ba4 27. Nc1 Bd1 28. Rd2 Ba4 29. Na2 Bg5 30. Re2 e6 31. g3 Kf8 32. Kf1 Bd1 33. Re1 Bf3 34. Nb4 Bd2 35. Ra1 Bxe4 36. Rd1 d5 37. Rxd2 dxc4 38. f4 Rb5 39. Rd7 Ra5 40. Ke2 Ra1 41. Rd4 Bf5 42. Rxc4 Rb1 43. Rc8+ Kg7 44. Nd3 Bxd3+ 45. Kxd3 Rxb2 46. c4 Rxh2 47. c5 Rg2 48. c6 Rxg3+ 49. Kd2 Rg2+ 50. Kd3 Rg1 51. Kd2 Rg2+ 52. Kd3 Rg1 53. Ke4 ½–½ Macieja – 李瑞峰 (Lǐ Ruìfēng), 4th UT Dallas Fall Open, Dallas 2017)
11. a4 bxa4 12. Nd2 Be7 13. Rxa4 0-0 14. Qe2 Rfb8 15. Ra1 a5 16. c4 Qb6 17. Nb5 Ne5 18. b3 Bc6 19. Nc3 Nfd7 20. Nf3 Bf6 21. Rb1 Nc5

22. Nd4? An obvious mistake after which White’s position literally disintegrates. Much better was 22. Bd2 leaving Black with nothing more than a comfortable and easier game.
22. ... Ned3! 23. Bxd3 Bxd4 24. Na4 Bxa4 25. bxa4 Qc6 26. Rxb8+? White is going from to bad to worse, but 26. Rb5 Nxa4 27. e5 g6 is much in Black’s favour anyway.
26. ... Rxb8 27. Bc2 Nxa4 28. Qd1 Qc5 29. Rf1 Nb2 30. Bxb2 Rxb2 31. Qd3 g6 32. g3

32. ... a4! 33. Bxa4 Bxf2+ 34. Kh1 Qh5 35. Bd1 Qh3 (Δ ... Bf2-g1)
36. Be2 (36. Bc2 Rxc2!−+)
36. ... Bxg3! 37. Qxg3 Qxg3 38. hxg3 Rxe2 0–1.

So, if only for the sake of her fans, 侯逸凡 (Hóu Yìfán) is back to her old self. Photo: 我要有耐心 (I have to be patient).