Peace at Last

Jahongir Tahirovich Vakhidov – 侯逸凡 (Hóu Yìfán)

“Satty Zhuldyz” Rapid Tournament; time control: 15 minutes plus 10 seconds per move; Astana, April 21, 2023

Semi-Tarrasch Defence D41

1. c4 e6 2. Nc3 d5 3. d4 Nf6 4. cxd5 Nxd5 5. e4 Nxc3 6. bxc3 c5 7. Nf3 cxd4 8. cxd4 Bb4+ 9. Bd2 Bxd2+ 10. Qxd2 0-0 11. Rd1 b6 12. Bd3 Ba6 13. Bb1 Nd7 14. h4 Rc8 15. Rh3 Qc7 16. e5 Qc4 17. Nh2 Rfd8 18. Bd3 Qa4

19. Ng4 Bxd3 20. Rxd3 h5 21. Ne3 (21. Nh6+ Kf8)
21. ... Nb8 22. f4 Nc6 23. d5 exd5 24. Nxd5 Qe4+ 25. Kf1 Kf8 26. Qb2 Ne7 27. Qa3 Rc5 28. Rd4 Qc2 29. Nxe7 Rxd4 30. Rxd4 Qc1+ 31. Qxc1 Rxc1+ 32. Kf2 Kxe7 33. a4 Ke6 34. g3 Rc2+ 35. Kf3 Rc3+ 36. Ke4 Rxg3 37. Rd6+ Ke7 38. a5 Rb3 39. axb6 Rxb6 40. Rd5 Rb4+ 41. Kf5 g6+ 42. Kg5 Ra4 43. Rb5 Ra1 44. Kh6 Rf1 45. Rb4 Ke6 46. Kg7 a5

47. Rb6+ Kd5? A mistake which should lose. The right move was 47. ... Ke7 48. Rf6 (or by transposition 48. Rb7+ Ke8 49. Rxf7 a4 50. Kxg6 a3 51. Ra7 Rxf4=) 48. ... a4 49. Rxf7+ Ke8 50. Kxg6 a3 51. Ra7 Rxf4= with a draw in view.

48. Rd6+? Returning the favour. Now White could win by 48. Rf6! a4 49. Kxf7 a3 50. e6 a2 51. e7 a1=Q 52. e8=Q Qa7+ 53. Kg8 with a position where Black, despite material equality, is helpless against White’s mating attack.
48. ... Ke4 49. e6 fxe6 50. Rxe6+ Kf5 51. Rxg6 Rxf4 52. Rg5+ Ke6 ½ : ½.

侯逸凡 (Hóu Yìfán) took a draw at last. Photo: Aditya Sur Roy/ChessBase India.