Time Zero

Arjun Erigaisi – 侯逸凡 (Hóu Yìfán)

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

Queen’s Pawn Game D01

1. d4 Nf6 2. Nc3 d5 3. Bf4 c5 4. e3 e6 5. Nb5 Na6 6. c3 Be7 7. a4 0-0 8. Nf3 Nh5 9. Be5 f6 10. Bg3 Bd7 11. Bd3 g6

12. Qe2 Qa5 13. 0-0 Nxg3 14. hxg3 c4 15. Bc2 Bxb5 16. axb5 Qxb5 17. e4 Rf7 18. b3 Nc7 19. bxc4 Qxc4 20. Bd3 Qc6 21. c4 a6 22. Rfc1 Qd7 23. g4 Re8 24. Rab1 b5 25. cxb5 axb5 26. e5 Rb8 27. exf6 Bxf6 28. g5 Bg7 29. Ne5 Bxe5 30. Qxe5 Rb6 31. g3 Qd6 32. Qe2 b4 33. Kg2 b3 34. Rh1

34. ... Qe7 35. Qe5 Rg7 36. Rhc1 b2 37. Rc5 Rf7 38. Rh1 Rg7 39. Ra5 Qd6 40. Qxd6 Rxd6 41. Rb1 Rb6 42. Ra2 Re7 43. f4 Kg7 44. Rbxb2 Rxb2+ 45. Rxb2 h6 46. gxh6+ Kxh6 47. Kf3 Kg7 48. Rb7 Rf7 49. Kg4 Kf6 50. Rb8 Rg7 51. Rh8

51. ... g5? Throwing away the game. Black should have played here 51. ... Re7 52. Rg8 (or 52. Rh6 Kg7=) 52. ... Kf7! 53. Rxg6 Nb5 with equality.
52. Rh6+ Ke7 53. fxg5 Ne8 54. Kf4 Nd6 55. g6 Ne8 56. g4 Nf6 57. g5 Nd7 58. Rh8 Nb6 59. Rh7 Kf8 60. Ke5 Nc4+ 1 : 0.

It’s easy to become so deeply absorbed in analysis when one has the luck to make the acquaintance of a chess legend. Photo: Aditya Sur Roy/ChessBase India.