A Higher Calling

谭中怡 (Tán Zhōngyí) – 侯逸凡 (Hóu Yìfán)

1st Tech Mahindra Global Chess League; Balan Alaskan Knights – Ganges Grandmasters; time control: 15 minutes plus 10 seconds per move; Dubai, June 29, 2023

Queen’s Indian Defence E12

1. d4 Nf6 2. c4 e6 3. Nf3 b6 4. a3 Bb7 5. Bf4 Be7 6. Nc3 d5. Not too much time ago 侯逸凡 (Hóu Yìfán) has put 6. ... Nh5 to a test in a friendly blitz match against Fedoseev:
a) 7. Bd2 Nf6 8. g3 c5 9. dxc5 bxc5 10. Bg2 0-0 11. 0-0 d6 12. b4 Nbd7 13. Qb3 a6 14. Rfd1 Qc7 15. Bf4 h6 16. b5 a5 17. a4 Nb6 18. Ne1 Bxg2 19. Nxg2 Rfd8 20. e4 Qb7 21. f3? d5!⩱/∓ Fedoseev – 侯逸凡 (Hóu Yìfán), 6th China–Russia Junior Match of Friendship, 济南 (Jǐnán) 2019, match game 7 (time control: 3 minutes plus 2 seconds per move);
b) 7. Bc1 d5 8.cxd5 exd5 9.g3 0-0 10. Bg2 Nd7 11. 0-0 a6 12. Ne5 Nhf6 13. Bf4 Bd6 14. Qa4 b5 15. Qc2 Nb6 16. Nd3 Bxf4 17. Nxf4 Qd6 18. Nd3⩲/± Fedoseev – 侯逸凡 (Hóu Yìfán), 6th China–Russia Junior Match of Friendship, 济南 (Jǐnán) 2019, match game 9 (time control: 3 minutes plus 2 seconds per move).
7. cxd5 Nxd5 8. Nxd5 Bxd5 9. e3 0-0 10. Bd3 c5 11. dxc5

11. ... Nd7!? Black’s reply, which involves a Pawn sacrifice, may be a novelty, and probably it is a sound one. That being said, 11. ... bxc5 is also perfectly playable, after which there might follow (by transposition): 12. Rc1 Nd7 13. 0-0 Qb6 14. Qc2 h6 15. e4 Bc6 16. Nd2 Bb5 17. Bxb5 Qxb5 18. Nc4 Nb6 19. Bd6 Qd7 20. Rfd1 Nxc4 21. Qxc4 Bxd6 22. e5 Rab8 23. exd6 Rxb2 24. Qxc5 Rd8 25. Rd3 Rb5 26. Qc7 Rd5= Mamedyarov – Kasimdzhanov, FIDE Grand Prix 2012–13, 3rd stage, Zug 2013.
12. c6 Bxc6 13. Bxh7+ Kxh7 14. Qc2+ Kg8 15. Qxc6 Nc5 16. Rd1 Nd3+ 17. Kf1 Rc8 18. Qe4 Nc5 19. Qb1 Qe8

20. h4. 20. g4!? Qc6 21. Kg2 Ne4 22. h4 Rfd8 has consequences similar to those in the game.
20. ... Qb5+ 21. Kg1 Rfd8 22. Nd4 Qe8 (22. ... Qc4!?)
23. Bg3 Bf6 24. Kh2 Qa4 25. b4 Bxd4 (25. ... Nd7!?)
26. Rxd4 Rxd4 27. exd4 Nd7 28. Rc1 Rxc1 29. Qxc1 Nf6 30. f3 Qd7 31. Be5 Nd5 32. Qc4 Qd8 33. Kh3 Ne3 34. Qd3 Nf5 35. Qe4 f6

36. Bc7! A last try — if now 36. ... Qxc7?? then 37. Qxe6+ recovering the piece and emerging two Pawns ahead. But of course 侯逸凡 (Hóu Yìfán) keeps her cool and does not bite the bait:
36. ... Qd7! 37. Qa8+ Kh7 38. Bg3. Or 38. Qxa7 Qxd4 39. Bg3 Nxg3 40. Kxg3 Qe5+ with a draw by perpetual check.
38. ... Nxd4 39. Kh2 Nf5 40. Qe4 Kg8 41. Qa8+ Kf7 42. Qe4 b5 43. Bf2 Qc7+ 44. Kh3 a6 45. g4 Nd6 46. Qa8 Qb7 47. Qxb7+ Nxb7 48. Kg3 Nd6 49. Be3 Nc4 50. Bc1 f5 51. h5 e5 52. gxf5 Ke7 53. Kg4 Kf6 54. Bg5+ Kf7 55. Bc1 Kf6 56. Bg5+ Kf7 57. Bc1 ½–½.

A radiant 侯逸凡 (Hóu Yìfán) held her own today and could celebrate her team victory. Photo: Maria Alekseevna Emelianova/Global Chess League.