Clair de Lune

Ekaterina Aleksandrovna Lagno – 侯逸凡 (Hóu Yìfán)

1st FIDE World Rapid Team Chess Championship; ASV AlphaEchecs Linz – WR Chess; time control: 15 minutes plus 10 seconds per move; Düsseldorf, August 28, 2023

French Defence C02

1. e4 e6 2. d4 d5 3. e5 c5 4. c3 Nc6 5. Nf3 Bd7 6. Be2 Nge7 7. 0-0 Ng6 8. Be3 Be7 9. Nbd2 0-0 10. a3 c4 11. g3 f6 12. exf6 Bxf6 13. b3 b5 14. a4 a6 15. Re1 h6 16. Bf1 e5 17. axb5 axb5 18. Rxa8 Qxa8 19. dxe5 Ngxe5 20. bxc4 bxc4 21. Nxe5 Nxe5 22. Bd4 Ng4

23. Nf3? It is difficult to believe that, however precarious her situation, White has still sufficient strength to hold on; for example: 23. Bxf6 Nxf6 (or 23. ... Rxf6!? 24. Nf3 d4! 25. Bxc4+ Kh8 26. Be2 Bc6 with even play) 24. Nf3 Bg4 25. h3 Bxf3 26. Qxf3 Ne4 27. Qe3 Nxf2 28. Qd4 Ne4 29. Bxc4 with equality.
23. ... Bxd4. Gives little for much: Black secures a clear advantage by virtue of her strong passed c-Pawn.
24. cxd4 Bf5 25. h3 Be4 26. hxg4 Bxf3 27. Be2 Be4 28. Qd2 Qc6 29. Rc1 Qf6 30. Qe3 Bf3 31. Re1 Bxe2? Black should have recognised the futility of 30. ... Bf3 and moved the Bishop back to e4, to be possibly followed by ... Rf8-e8.
32. Rxe2 Rb8

33. Rc2? An oversight that seals White’s fate. There are several reasonable moves for White, one of the most convincing being 33. Qe5! Qxe5 34. Rxe5 c3 35. Re2! with a draw in view.
33. ... Qg6 34. Rc3 Qxg4 35. Qe5 Rd8 36. Re3 Qd7 37. Kg2 Rc8 38. Rc3 Re8 39. Qf4 Re4 40. Qb8+ Re8 41. Qf4

41. ... Qf7! 侯逸凡 (Hóu Yìfán)’s superb technique leaves no escape to her opponent.
42. Qg4 Qe6! 43. Qh5 Qe4+ 44. Kg1 Rf8 45. Qd1 Rb8 46. Rc1 Rf8 47. Qd2 Re8 48. Kh2 Qe2 0 : 1.