Tiny Details

侯逸凡 (Hóu Yìfán) – Alexander Igorevich Grischuk

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

Spanish Game C70

1. e4 e5 2. Nf3 Nc6 3. Bb5 a6 4. Ba4 Bc5 5. 0-0 d6 6. c3 Bg4 7. d4 exd4 8. cxd4 Ba7 9. Bxc6+ bxc6 10. Be3 Ne7 11. h3 Bh5 12. Nbd2 0-0 13. Qc2 Qd7 14. Nh4 d5 15. Nf5 Rae8 16. Rac1 dxe4 17. Nxe7+ Rxe7 18. Qxc6 Bxd4 19. Qxd7 Rxd7 20. Bxd4 Rxd4 21. Nb3 Rd7 22. Nc5 Rd2

23. g4?! (23. Rfe1=)
23. ... Bg6 24. Nxa6? (24. b4 Rxa2 25. Ra1 Rb2 26. Nxa6 c6⩱)
24. ... e3! With the threat of ... Bg6-d3.
25. Nc5

25. ... Rxb2? Perhaps a bit too materialistic. 25. ... e2! 26. Rfe1 Rfd8 seems to offer better prospects for Black.
26. fxe3 Rxa2 27. Nd7 Re8 28. Rxc7 f6 29. Rf2 Ra1+ 30. Rf1 Rxf1+ 31. Kxf1 Rxe3 32. Kg2 Be4+ 33. Kh2 Bd5 34. Rc2 Kf7 35. Nb6 Bb3 36. Rd2 Be6 37. Nd5 Re4 38. Kg3 g5 39. Kf3 Ra4 40. Ne3 h5 41. Rb2 Ra3 42. Rb7+ Kg6 43. gxh5+ Kxh5 44. Rb6 f5 45. Rxe6 f4

46. Rb6?? This loses irrevocably. Instead, 46. h4!= draws in all lines, for Black cannot play 46. ... Kxh4?? on account of 47. Rh6#.
46. ... Rxe3+ 47. Kg2 Re2+ 48. Kg1 (48. Kf3 Rh2−+)
48. ... Kh4 49. Rh6+ (49. Rb3 Re3−+)
49. ... Kg3 50. Kf1 Rf2+ 51. Kg1 Ra2 52. Kf1 f3 0 : 1.

Looking far and wide. Photo: Maria Alekseevna Emelianova and Damir Kuzhumov for Satty Zhuldyz.