One at a Time

胡聿 (Hú Yù) – 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 11, 2022

Sicilian Defence B83

1. e4 c5 2. Nf3 e6 3. d4 cxd4 4. Nxd4 Nc6 5. Nc3 d6 6. Be3 Nf6 7. Be2 Be7 8. 0-0 0-0 9. f4 Bd7 10. Kh1 Nxd4 11. Bxd4 Bc6 12. Bd3 Nd7 13. Qe2 a6 14. Rad1

14. ... e5. A long time ago, as a queen in one of her past lives, White took the upper hand after 14. ... Qa5 15. b4 Qc7 16. Nd5! exd5 17. exd5 Bf6 18. dxc6 bxc6 19. Bg1, but alas! she did not manage to keep it to the end: 19. ... Rfe8 20. Qf3 c5 21. c3 h6 22. Bb1 Nf8 23. h3 Rab8 24. bxc5 dxc5 25. Rd5 Qc6 26. Bxc5?? (26. c4) 26. ... Rb5 27. Bxf8 Qxd5 28. Qxd5 Rxd5 29. Bb4 Rd2 30. c4 Rd4 31. a3 Red8 32. Bc2 Rxc4 33. Bb3 Re4 34. Kh2 Be7 35. Ba5 Rd7 36. Rc1 Rxf4 37. Rc8+ Kh7 38. Bc2+ g6 39. Bc3 Bf6 40. Be1 Kg7 41. Bg3 Rfd4 42. Rc6 a5 43. a4 h5 44. Be1 R4d5 45. Bb3 Rd3 46. Bc2 R3d6 47. Rc4 Rd5 48. Kg1 Re7 49. Bf2 Rd2 50. Be4 Rd1+ 51. Kh2 Be5+ 52. Bg3 h4 53. Bxe5+ Rxe5 54. Bf3 Rb1 0 : 1 侯逸凡 (Hóu Yìfán) – 李师龙 (Lǐ Shīlóng), 41st Chinese Chess Championship, 兴化 (Xīnghuà) 2010.
15. Be3 (15. fxe5 dxe5 16. Be3 Bg5 17. Bc4 Bxe3 18. Qxe3 Qe7 19. Rf3 Rad8 20. Rdf1 Nf6 21. Ne2 Qb4 22. Bd3 Ne8 23. Ng3 Bb5 24. b3 f6 25. Qb6 Qd6 26. Qxb7?? Rf7 27. Qd5 Qb6 0 : 1 Gadjily – Anastasian, 11th European Team Chess Championship, Pula 1997)
15. ... b5 16. Nb1?! White apparently finds nothing better than this somewhat convoluted maneuver, thus allowing her opponent a most comfortable game. 16. fxe5 Nxe5 (16. ... dxe5?! is dubious by reason of 17. Qg4 Nf6 18. Qg3↑) 17. Bd4 appears to make more sense.
16. ... Qc7 17. Nd2 Nc5 18. fxe5 dxe5 19. Bxc5 Bxc5

No doubt Black’s game is easier to play, but there is still nothing definitive after, let’s say, 20. a3, intending b2-b4 followed by c2-c4. Instead the dare of a Kingside attack has no hope to succeed at all.
20. Qg4? g6 21. Rde1 Rad8 22. Nf3 f6 23. h4 Bd7 24. Qg3 Be6 25. h5 Qg7 26. Nh4 Rd7 27. Qh2? White’s blockhouse finally collapses. 27. Be2 at once was a little better.

27. ... Qh6! 28. Be2 Rd2 29. Nf3 (29. Bd3 Qxh5−+)
29. ... Rxc2 30. Bd3 Rxb2 31. Rc1 Be3 32. Rc6 Bf4 33. Qh4 g5 0 : 1.

In spite of her academic engagements, 侯逸凡 (Hóu Yìfán) seems to have recovered some of her best form. Photo: 我要有耐心 (I have to be patient).