Grace, Space and Pace

侯逸凡 (Hóu Yìfán) – 白雪 (Bái Xuě)

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 14, 2022

Spanish Game C92

1. e4 e5 2. Nf3 Nc6 3. Bb5 a6 4. Ba4 Nf6 5. 0-0 Be7 6. Re1 b5 7. Bb3 d6 8. c3 0-0 9. h3 Bb7 10. d4 Re8 11. Nbd2 Bf8 12. Bc2 g6 13. b3 Bg7 14. Bb2. 14. d5 Nb8 15. Nf1 c6 16. c4⩲ is theoretically more scientific, Karpov – Balashov, 44th USSR Chess Championship, Moscow 1976.
14. ... Nh5 (14. ... d5!?)
15. Nf1 Qe7. Preferable seems 15. ... exd4 16. cxd4 Nb4 17. Bb1 c5 with comfortable equality for Black — and maybe even something more.
16. a3. White could also play 16. d5 at once, with consequences similar to those of the game.
16. ... Nb8 17. Ne3 Nd7 18. d5. But in the end, here she is!
18. ... c6 19. c4 Nc5 20. b4 Nd7 21. Bb3

21. ... bxc4? A grave mistake, which should cost Black the game. Better was 21. ... cxd5 22. Nxd5 Bxd5 23. cxd5 Bh6 with a tenable defence.
22. dxc6 Bxc6 23. Nxc4 Bf8 24. Na5 Rac8 25. Nxc6 Rxc6 26. Qd5 Rc7 27. Qa5 Nb8 28. Rac1 Rec8 29. Rxc7 Qxc7 30. Qxc7 Rxc7

31. Ng5 Bh6 32. Nxf7 Rxf7 33. Rd1 (33. Bc1! Bf8 34. Bg5 Nc6 35. Rc1+−)
33. ... Bf8 34. Rc1 Nf6 35. Rc8 Nbd7

36. Bxf7+? Too hasty. Consistent was 36. Bc1! placing Black in a sort of zugzwang.
36. ... Kxf7 37. f3 d5 38. exd5 a5? (⌓ 38. ... Nxd5 39. Bc1±)
39. bxa5+− Nxd5 40. a6 Bc5+ 41. Kf1 Bb6 42. a4 Ne3+ 43. Ke2 Nxg2 44. a5 Nf4+ (44. ... Bxa5 45. a7+−)
45. Kf1 Be3 46. Bc1 Bd4 47. Bxf4 1 : 0.