Bitter Sugar

Umida Omonova – 侯逸凡 (Hóu Yìfán)

19th Asian Games — Women’s Individual Rapid Chess; time control: 25 minutes plus 10 seconds per move; 杭州 (Hángzhōu), September 26, 2023

French Defence C07

1. e4 e6 2. d4 d5 3. Nd2 c5 4. exd5 Qxd5 5. Ngf3 cxd4 6. Bc4 Qd6 7. 0-0 Nf6 8. Nb3 Nc6 9. Nbxd4 Nxd4 10. Nxd4 Be7 11. Re1 0-0 12. c3 Qc7 13. Bb3 b6 14. Qf3 Bb7 15. Bf4 Bxf3 16. Bxc7 Bd5 17. Be5 Bb7 18. a4 a6 19. Rad1 Bc5? A Pavlovian reflex. 19. ... Rfe8 first was correct.

20. Nc2? It was now White’s turn to return the favour. Much stronger was 20. Bxf6 gxf6 21. Nxe6! fxe6 22. Bxe6+ Kh8 23. b4 Be7 24. Rd7 Bxb4 25. Rxb7 Bxc3 26. Rc1 Be5 27. Bf5 with great advantage.
20. ... Rfd8 21. Bd4 Nd7 22. Ne3 Rac8 23. Bc2 Bf8 24. Ng4 Bc5 25. Ne3 Kf8 26. f3 h5 27. Kf2 Be7 28. Bb3 Nc5 29. Bc2 Bc6 30. b3 Nd7 31. Nc4 Bd5 32. Ne3 Bb7 33. c4 Bb4 34. Rg1 Nc5 35. g4 hxg4 36. Rxg4 g6 37. Rh4 Nd7 38. Ng4 Bc5 39. Rh7 Bxd4+ 40. Rxd4

40. ... Nc5? Again, 侯逸凡 (Hóu Yìfán) misses her best chance: 40. ... Nf6! 41. Rxd8+ Rxd8 42. Nxf6 Rd2+ recovering the piece with good drawing possibilities.
41. Rxd8+. Very strong is also 41. Bxg6! Rxd4 42. Rxf7+ Kg8?? (42. ... Ke8 43. Rf4+ Ke7 44. Rxd4 Nxb3 45. Rf4+−) 43. Nf6+ Kh8 44. Rh7#.
41. ... Rxd8 42. Ke3 Bc6 43. Ne5 Be8

44. b4 Nd7? Black is losing material, but, any way, after 44. ... Nb7 45. Bxg6 Nd6 45. Bd3 White is a Pawn ahead with much the better game.
45. Rh8+ Kg7 46. Rxe8! Rxe8 47. Nxd7 b5 48. cxb5 axb5 49. a5 Rc8 50. Nc5 f5 51. Nxe6+ Kf6 52. Nc5 Re8+ 53. Kf2 Rh8 54. Bd3 Rxh2+ 55. Ke3 f4+ 56. Kd4 g5 57. a6 Ra2 58. Bxb5 g4 59. Ne4+ Kg6 60. fxg4 f3 61. Bc4 Ra4 62. b5 1 : 0.