Silk and Bamboo

侯逸凡 (Hóu Yìfán) – Dronavalli Harika

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

Queen’s Pawn Game A40

1. d4 e6 2. Nc3 Nf6 3. Bf4 a6 4. e3 b5 5. Qf3 Ra7. This is not bad in itself, but it is a fact that throughout the whole game the Rook will no longer move from here.
6. Bd3 Bb7 7. Qh3 d6 8. Nf3 Nbd7

9. 0-0-0 b4 10. Nb1 d5 11. g4 Ne4 12. Bxe4 dxe4 13. Ne5 Be7 (13. ... Nxe5 14. Bxe5 f6)
14. g5 Nxe5 15. Bxe5 0-0 16. Rhg1 Re8? (16. ... Bd5 17. Nd2 Bxg5 18. Bxg7! Kxg7 19. Qh5 f6 20. h4 Qe8 21. Qxe8 Rxe8 22. hxg5⩲)

17. Rg4! (Δ Rg4-h4)
17. ... Bxg5 18. Qg3 (18. Bxg7)
18. ... f6 19. h4 Qd7 20. hxg5 fxe5 21. dxe5 Qe7 22. Rh4 Rf8

23. Rxh7! Rf5 (23. ... Kxh7 24. g6+ Kg8 25. Qh3+−)
24. g6 Qg5 25. Qxg5 Rxg5 26. Rd8# 1–0.

Think like a cat, attack like a tiger. Photo: 新华社 (Xīnhuá News Agency).