World Around

Zhansaya Daniyarovna Abdumalik – 侯逸凡 (Hóu Yìfán)

Rapid Women Teams Match “Kazakhstan vs. the World”; time control: 15 minutes plus 10 seconds per move; Astana, April 17, 2023

Sicilian Defence B43

1. e4 c5 2. Nc3 a6 3. g3 b5 4. Bg2 Bb7 5. Nge2 e6 6. a3 d6 7. d4 cxd4 8. Nxd4 Nf6 9. 0-0 Qc7 10. Re1 Be7

11. g4? A more scientific continuation is 11. a4 b4 12. Na2 0-0 13. Bg5 Nbd7 14. Qd2 a5 with chances for both sides, Topalov – Short, 25th Sparkassen Chess Meeting, Dortmund 1997.
11. ... h6 12. f4. No better is 12. h4 g6 13. g5 hxg5 14. hxg5 Nh5 15. Nde2 Nc6 16. Be3 Ne5 17. Qd4 f6 18. Nf4 Nxf4 19. Bxf4 fxg5 20. Bxe5 dxe5 21. Qd3 0-0 22. Qh3 Qb6 23. Re2 Kg7 24. Rd1 Rae8 25. Rd3 Rf4 26. Nd1 Rh8 27. Qg3 Bc6 28. Ne3 Rhh4 29. Bf3? Rxf3!−+ Ka. Müller – Bologan, 7th “Oakham School” Junior International Tournament, Oakham 1992.
12. ... Nc6 13. Nb3 h5 14. g5 Ng4 15. Qf3 Qb6+ 16. Be3 Nxe3 17. Rxe3 Rc8 18. Kh1 Na5? 18. ... 0-0 followed by ... g7-g6 seems more to the point.
19. Nxa5 Qxa5 20. Rae1 g6

21. Nd5? This ultimately loses a Pawn for no compensation. Best appears to be 21. f5! gxf5 22. g6! with very unclear play.
21. ... Rxc2 22. b4 Qd8 23. Rc3 Rxc3 24. Qxc3 0-0 25. Nf6+ Bxf6 26. gxf6 Qb6 27. Qd2

27. ... Kh7? A careless move which allows White to save the day. Black had to play 27. ... d5! 28. e5 (now 28. f5 makes no sense, for after 28. ... exf5 29. exf5 Black can play 29. ... Qxf6) 28. ... Kh7 with a Pawn ahead and the better game.
28. f5! exf5 29. exf5 Bxg2+ 30. Qxg2 g5 31. Qxg5 Qc6+ 32. Qg2 Qxg2+ 33. Kxg2 Rg8+ 34. Kf3 Rg5 35. Kf4 Rg4+ 36. Kf3 Rg5 37. Ke4 Rg2 38. Rc1 Rxh2 39. Rc7 Re2+ 40. Kf3 Ra2 41. Rxf7+ Kg8 42. Rg7+ Kf8 43. Ra7 Rxa3+ 44. Kf4 h4 45. Kg5 h3 46. Ra8+ Kf7 47. Ra7+ Kf8 48. Ra8+ ½ : ½.