Once Again

侯逸凡 (Hóu Yìfán) – Levon Grigori Aronian

“Satty Zhuldyz” Rapid Tournament; time control: 15 minutes plus 10 seconds per move; Astana, April 20, 2023

Sicilian Defence B90

1. e4 c5 2. Nf3 d6 3. d4 cxd4 4. Nxd4 Nf6 5. Nc3 a6 6. a4 e5 7. Nf3 h6 8. Bc4 Be6 9. Bxe6 fxe6 10. Nh4 Nc6 11. Ng6 Rg8 12. f4 Kf7 13. Nxf8 Rxf8 14. 0-0 Kg8 15. Be3 exf4 16. Rxf4 Rc8 17. Qe2 Ne5 18. Rd1 Nc4

19. e5 Nxe5 20. Bd4 Qc7 21. Re1 Nfd7 22. Rxf8+ Nxf8 23. Bxe5 dxe5 24. Qe3 Nd7 25. Re2 Qc6 26. h3 Qc5 27. Qxc5 Rxc5 28. Ne4 Rd5 29. Kf2 Kf7 30. b3 Ke7 31. Ke3 Nf6 32. Kf3 b6 33. Nd2 Rc5 34. Ne4 Rc8 35. Rd2 Rf8 36. g3 Rc8 37. h4 a5 38. Re2 Nd5 39. Rd2 Nb4 40. c3 Nd5 41. Rd3 Nf6 42. Ke3 Rf8 43. Rd2 Rc8 44. Rd3 Rc6 45. Kf3 Nd7 46. Ke3 h5 47. Rd2 Nc5 48. Nxc5 bxc5 49. Ke4 Rd6

50. Rb2. The King and Pawn ending is lost: 50. Rxd6 Kxd6 51. c4 g6 52. Ke3 e4! 53. Kxe4 e5! and the Black King will invade on f5 (54. Kf3 Ke7 55. Ke3 Kf6 56. Ke4 Ke6−+).
50. ... Rd5 51. Rg2 Rd1 52. g4 hxg4 53. Rxg4 Kf6 54. h5 Rh1 55. Rg6+ Kf7 56. Rg5 Rh3

57. c4 Kf6 58. Rg6+ Ke7 59. Rxg7+ Kd6 60. Ra7 Rh4+ 61. Ke3 Rxh5 62. Ra6+ Kc7 63. Rxa5 Rh3+ 64. Ke4 Rxb3 65. Rxc5+ Kd6 66. Rb5 (66. Rxe5 Rb4=)
66. ... Rc3 67. c5+ ½ : ½.

Thought to thought. Photo: Maria Alekseevna Emelianova and Damir Kuzhumov for Satty Zhuldyz.