After The Opera

Humpy Koneru – 侯逸凡 (Hóu Yìfán)

1st Tech Mahindra Global Chess League; upGrad Mumba Masters – Ganges Grandmasters; time control: 15 minutes plus 10 seconds per move; Dubai, June 30, 2023

English Opening A30

1. Nf3 c5 2. c4 b6 3. b3 Bb7 4. Bb2 d6 5. e3 Nf6 6. Be2 e6 7. 0-0 Be7 8. d4 0-0 9. Nc3 cxd4 10. Nxd4 Nbd7 11. Bf3 Bxf3 12. Qxf3 Ne5 13. Qe2 Qc7 14. Rfd1. There is no scientific way of deciding which of the two Rooks is the “right” one. A recent game continued 14. Rad1 Rfe8? (⌓ 14. ... Rfd8) 15. f4 Ned7 16. Qf3 a6 17. g4 g6 18. Nc6 Bf8 19. f5 gxf5 20. gxf5 e5 21. Nd5! with a powerful upper hand, Sharan – Lodici, 26th HIT Open, Nova Gorica 2022.
14. ... a6 15. Rac1 Rfd8 16. h3 Rac8 17. f4 Nc6 18. Nf3 Qb7 19. e4 Nh5

20. f5!? Koneru sets the powder on fire.
20. ... exf5 21. exf5 Re8. 21. ... d5! at once seems more effective, with the likely continuation 22. Nxd5 Bc5+ 23. Kh2 (23. Nd4? Rxd5!−+) 23. ... Bd6+ 24. Ne5 g6 25. Kg1 Bc5+ drawing by repetition.
22. Qf2. 22. Nd2!? Nf6 23. Nce4 appears to offer better chances for White.

22. ... d5! 23. Nxd5 Bc5 24. Nd4 Re4? This was the move upon which 侯逸凡 (Hóu Yìfán) relied, and which — alas for her — will meet an unexpected refutation. Black’s best was probably 24. ... Qb8! 25. f6 Ng3 (Δ ... Re8-e2) 26. Rc2 Ne4 27. Qe3 (27. Qf3 Qe5!) 27. ... Ng3 28. Qf2 Ne4 with a draw.

25. b4! Nxb4 26. Qf3! Ng3? Better is 26. ... Rce8, though after 27. Nxb4 Nf4 28. Nd5 Ne2+ 29. Kf1 Nxc1 30. f6! White should emerge from the complications with a winning game.
27. Qxg3 Nxd5 28. cxd5 Qxd5 29. Kh1 Qxa2 30. Ba1 g6 31. fxg6 hxg6 32. Nf5 Rce8 33. Qc3 R4e5 34. Nh6+ Kf8 35. Ng4 Re4. Saves the Rook, but at the cost of being mated.
36. Qg7+ (36. Qh8+ Ke7 37. Qh4+ Kf8 38. Bg7+! Kxg7 39. Qh6+ Kg8 40. Nf6#)
36. ... Ke7 37. Qf6+ Kf8 38. Qg7+ Ke7 39. Nf6 Re2 40. Rd7+ Ke6 41. Qxf7+ Kf5 42. Nd5+ 1 : 0. For mate follows after 42. ... Kg5 43. Qf4+ Kh5 44. Rh7#.

Today 侯逸凡 (Hóu Yìfán) had to bow to a defeat that hurts. Photo: Maria Alekseevna Emelianova/Global Chess League.