The Pearl Oyster

Ekaterina Aleksandrovna Lagno – 侯逸凡 (Hóu Yìfán)

1st Tech Mahindra Global Chess League; Triveni Continental Kings – Ganges Grandmasters; time control: 15 minutes plus 10 seconds per move; Dubai, July 1, 2023

Sicilian Defence B93

1. e4 c5 2. Nf3 d6 3. d4 cxd4 4. Nxd4 Nf6 5. Nc3 a6 6. f4 Qc7 7. f5 e5 8. fxe6 fxe6 9. Be2 Nc6 10. Be3 Be7 11. 0-0 Ne5 (11. ... 0-0 12. Kh1 Ne5 13. Bg1 Bd7 14. Qe1 b5 15. Bd3 Nfg4 16. Qe2 Rxf1 17. Rxf1 Rf8 18. Rxf8+ Bxf8 19. h3 Nxd3 20. cxd3 Ne5 21. Bh2 b4 22. Nd1 Qa5 23. b3 Qc5 24. Bg1 Qc1 25. Bh2 Qc5 26. Bg1 Qc1 27. Bh2 Qc5 ½ : ½ Prandstetter – Mokrý, 47th Czechoslovak Chess Championship, Prague 1986)
12. Bh5+ g6 13. Be2 0-0 14. a4 Bd7 15. a5 Nc4 16. Bxc4 Qxc4 17. h3 e5 18. Nf3 Nxe4 19. Nd5 Bd8 20. b3 Qc8 21. Kh2 Be6 22. c4 Rf7 23. Bh6 Qc6 24. Qe2 Bxd5 25. cxd5 Qxd5 26. Qe3 Nc5 27. b4 Nd7 28. Rad1 Qe6 29. Nd4 Qe7 30. Nf3 Qe6 31. Nd4 Qc4 32. Nf3 Be7 33. Rc1 Qe6 34. Rc7

34. ... e4? (34. ... d5!)
35. Nd4 Qe5+ 36. Bf4 Rxf4 37. Qxf4 Bf6 38. Rxd7 Rf8

39. Ne2? (39. g3!+−)
39. ... Qe8 40. Qg4 h5 41. Qg3 Be5 42. Nf4 Qxd7 43. Qxg6+ Qg7 44. Qxe4 h4 45. Kh1

45. ... Qf7? (45. ... Qf6!−+)
46. Qf3! Bxf4 47. Qg4+ Kh8 48. Qxh4+ Kg8 49. Qg4+ Kh8 50. Qh4+ Kg8 ½ : ½.

侯逸凡 (Hóu Yìfán) did no miracle and Ganges Grandmasters, in spite of its top ranking, failed to qualify for the grand final. Photo: Maria Alekseevna Emelianova/Global Chess League.