By Herself

侯逸凡 (Hóu Yìfán) – 李雪怡 (Lǐ Xuěyí)

17th Chinese Chess League “泰来杯” (“Tàilái Cup”) Knockout Final; 深圳 (Shēnzhèn) – 杭州银行 (Hángzhōu Bank); Semifinal match game 2; 聊城 (Liáochéng), February 9, 2023

Sicilian Defence B51

1. e4 c5 2. Nf3 d6 3. Bb5+ Nd7 4. d4 cxd4 5. Qxd4 a6 6. Be2 Ngf6 7. c4. Happy memories come to mind: 7. 0-0 e5 8. Qe3 d5?! 9. exd5 Bc5? 10. Qd2! 0-0 11. c4 e4 12. Nd4 Ne5 13. b4! Ba7 14. Nc3 Bg4 15. c5! a5 16. a3 Nxd5 17. Nxe4 Bb8 18. f3 Nf4 19. Nd6! Bxd6 20. cxd6 Nxe2+ 21. Qxe2 Qxd6 22. Nb5 Qf6 23. fxg4 Nf3+ 24. Qxf3 Qxa1 25. Be3 Qf6 26. Qxf6 gxf6 27. Nc7 Rac8 28. Nd5 1 : 0 侯逸凡 (Hóu Yìfán) – Giri, 47th International Chess Festival “In Memoriam Hans Suri”, Biel/Bienne 2014.
7. ... g6 8. Nc3 Bg7 9. 0-0 0-0 10. Qe3 Ng4 11. Qd2 Nde5 12. Nxe5 Nxe5 13. b3 Bg4 14. f3 Bd7 15. Bb2 Bc6 16. Kh1 Rb8 17. Nd5 Bxd5 18. cxd5 Nd7 19. Bxg7 Kxg7 20. Rac1 Qb6 21. f4 Rbc8 22. Bg4 Rxc1 23. Rxc1 Nf6 24. Bf3 Rd8 25. h3 Kg8 26. Qc3 Ne8

27. Bg4!? 侯逸凡 (Hóu Yìfán) has obtained nothing special from the opening, but the team desperately needs her help — so she has to go all out for a win.
27. ... Qf2 28. e5!? The sacrifice appears quite inevitable, for if 28. Bc8 then 28. ... Nf6 29. Bxb7 Qxf4 30. Bxa6 Nxe4 31. Qb2 g5! with strong attack.
28. ... Qxf4 29. e6 f6. 27. ... f5 at once is also possible and perhaps stronger.
30. Kg1 Qe5 31. Qd2 f5 32. Bf3 Nf6 33. Rc7 Ne4 34. Bxe4 fxe4

35. Qc3? Both 35. Rxb7?? and 35. Rxe7? would be answered by 35. ... e3! with ugly consequences for White. The text, however, is a mistake that might have cost White too dear. Rather curiously, 35. Qf2 Rf8 36. Qe3 Qxd5 37. Rxe7 Qc5 might have transposed into the actual game.
35. ... Qxd5? 李雪怡 (Lǐ Xuěyí) loses her opportunity. Simply 35. ... Qxc3 36. Rxc3 Rf8! gives Black a won ending.
36. Rxe7 Qc5+ 37. Qxc5 dxc5 38. Rxb7

38. ... Rf8? The losing mistake. Black should have played 38. ... Rd1+! 39. Kf2 Kf8 40. Rxh7 Rd2+ 41. Ke3 Rxg2 42. Kxe4 Rxa2 43. Ke5 Rf2! 44. Kd6 Rd2+ 45. Kxc5 Rd3 46. b4 g5 with a draw in sight.
39. Rc7!+− e3 40. e7 Re8 41. Kf1 Kf7 42. Rxc5 Rxe7 43. Ke2 Re6 44. Rc3 Kf6 45. Rxe3 Rc6 46. Kd2 h5 47. g3 Kf5 48. a4 g5 49. b4 Rc4 50. Rb3 g4 51. Kd3 Re4 52. h4 Re8 53. Kd4 1 : 0.

侯逸凡 (Hóu Yìfán) dragged her team to the victory, thereby securing their place in the final. Photo: Sina Sports.