Malevich’s Black Square

侯逸凡 (Hóu Yìfán) – 谭中怡 (Tán Zhōngyí)

1st Tech Mahindra Global Chess League; Ganges Grandmasters – Balan Alaskan Knights; time control: 15 minutes plus 10 seconds per move; Dubai, June 24, 2023

Four Knights Game C49

1. e4 e5 2. Nf3 Nf6 3. Nc3 Nc6 4. Bb5 Bb4 5. 0-0 0-0 6. d3 Bxc3 7. bxc3 d6 8. Bg5 Ne7. A move introduced by Harry Nelson Pillsbury back in 1898. According to theoreticians, however, 8. ... Qe7 (the Metger Variation), followed by the unpinning maneuver ... Nc6-d8-e6, is Black’s soundest option.
9. Re1. It’s very dubious that White can claim any advantage after the text. Indeed, the old moves of 9. Nh4 and/or 9. Bxf6 still seem the most consistent and thematic.
9. ... Ng6 10. d4 h6 11. Bd2 Bd7 12. Bd3 Re8 13. h3!? This makes a little difference with 13. Rb1 Qc8 14. h3?! (⌓ 14. c4) 14. ... c5 with good play for Black, Sheskin – Arlinsky, Elitzur Winter 2011 IM, Petah Tikva 2011.
13. ... b6 14. Nh2 c5

15. Ng4? This Pavlovian move costs White not only a Pawn, but — what is far more grave — also a heavy price to pay in positional terms. 15. d5 was a strategic imperative here, to which might follow 15. ... b5 16. c4 b4 17. a3 a5 with a more or less equal game.
15. ... Nxg4 16. hxg4 cxd4 17. cxd4 exd4 18. Bc4?! Probably not the best idea, but 18. f3 Rc8 19. Qe2 Qh4 was not too appealing either.
18. ... Rc8 19. Bb3 Qf6 20. Qe2 Ne5 21. f3 Be6 22. Ba4 Bc4

23. Qf2?! A little better was 23. Qd1, but after 23. ... b5 24. Bb3 Qh4 Black still stands much better.
23. ... b5 24. Bb3 Bxb3 25. axb3. Sadly forced, because if 25. cxd3 then 25. ... Nd3 gaining the Exchange.
25. ... Rxc2 26. Qe2 Rec8. Now White is in a desperate situation.
27. Rxa7. To add insult to injury, 侯逸凡 (Hóu Yìfán) was dramatically short of time.
27. ... Rb2 28. f4

28. ... Ng6. 28. ... Rxd2! 29. Qxd2 Nxg4 was also very strong, but 谭中怡 (Tán Zhōngyí) prefers a more methodical mode. The rest is pure technique.
29. Qd3 Rcc2 30. e5 dxe5 31. fxe5 Qe6 32. Re2 Qxg4 33. e6 fxe6 34. Ra1 Kh7 35. Rae1 e5 36. Rf2 Qe6 37. Ree2 Qxb3 38. Qf5 Qg3 39. Be1 Rxe2 40. Rxe2 Qb3 41. Rxe5 Qc2 42. Qxc2 Rxc2 43. Rxb5 Nf4 44. Rf5 g5 45. g3 Kg6 46. Rb5 Rc1 47. gxf4 Rxe1+ 48. Kf2 Re4 49. Rb6+ Kf5 50. fxg5 hxg5 51. Kg3 Re3+ 52. Kf2 g4 53. Rd6 g3+ 54. Kg2 Ke4 55. Re6+ Kd3 56. Rd6 Kc3 57. Rc6+ Kd2 58. Ra6 d3 59. Ra2+ Kc3 60. Ra3+ Kb2 0–1.

The superstitious will notice that 侯逸凡 (Hóu Yìfán)’s unexpected defeat in the Chinese derby did not in the least affect the triumphal march of Ganges Grandmasters. Photo: Maria Alekseevna Emelianova/Global Chess League.