World in Turmoil

侯逸凡 (Hóu Yìfán) – Bibisara Erkhanovna Assaubayeva

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

Sicilian Defence B35

1. e4 c5 2. Ne2 Nc6 3. Nbc3 g6 4. d4 cxd4 5. Nxd4 Bg7 6. Be3 Nf6 7. Bc4 0-0 8. Bb3 Re8 9. h3 d6 10. 0-0 Na5 11. Qd2 a6 12. Bh6 Bh8 13. Rad1 Nxb3 14. axb3 Bd7 15. Rfe1 Qa5 16. Ra1 Qc7 17. Bg5 Bc6 18. Nxc6 bxc6 19. Qe2 a5 20. Qc4 Qb7 21. e5 dxe5 22. Rxe5 Nd5 23. Re4 Nxc3 24. bxc3 Qb5 25. Bd2 Qd5 26. Qe2 Bf6 27. Be1 Red8 28. Rea4 Qc5 29. Qf3 Qd6 30. b4 c5

31. b5 c4 32. Rxc4 Rab8 33. Rc6 Qe5 34. b6 a4 35. Qe3 Qb5 36. Rc5 Qxb6 37. Rxa4 Qb1 38. Kh2 Rd1 39. Re4 Qxc2

侯逸凡 (Hóu Yìfán) had for long the upper hand, but facing the strong defence of Assaubayeva, she first let it slip away and then ended up losing the thread of what was left:
40. Rb4? Here she missed a hidden way out towards a honourable peace: 40. c4! Rbb1 41. Rc8+ Kg7 42. Rxe7!! Rxe1 (42. ... Bxe7? 43. Qxe7 Rxe1 44. Qf8+ Kf6 45. Qh8+ Ke6 46. Rc6+ Kf5 47. Qf6+ Ke4 48. Rd6!+−) 43. Rxf7+! Kxf7 44. Rc7+ with a draw by perpetual check.
40. ... Rbd8 41. f3 Ra1

42. Qf2?? The losing move. White should have given up the Exchange by 42. Rd4! with still some chances left.
42. ... Qc1 43. Re4 Rd1 44. Rc8+ Kg7 45. Qb6 Rxe1 46. Qd8 Rh1+ 47. Kg3 Qg5+ 48. Rg4 Qe5+ 0 : 1. Mate follows after 49. Rf4 (49. f4 Qe3#) 49. ... Qe1+ 50. Kg4 Qh4#.

Youths in a generational challenge. Photo: DKNews.kz.