The catwalk

侯逸凡 (Hóu Yìfán) – Marie Antoinette San Diego

19th Asian Games — Women’s Individual Rapid Chess; time control: 25 minutes plus 10 seconds per move; 杭州 (Hángzhōu), September 24, 2023

Sicilian Defence B52

1. e4 c5 2. Nf3 d6 3. Bb5+ Bd7 4. c4 Nf6 5. Nc3 g6 6. d4 cxd4 7. Nxd4 Nc6 8. Be3 Bg7 9. h3. A most instructive alternative variation is 9. f3 0-0 10. 0-0 Nxd4 11. Bxd4 Bxb5 12. cxb5 Qa5 13. Qd3 Qb4 14. Rfd1 Rfc8 15. a3 Qb3 16. Qe2 e6 17. Rd3 Qc4 18. Rad1 Ne8 19. Qd2 Bxd4+ 20. Rxd4 Qc5 21. Kh1 Rc7 22. h3 Rac8 23. Qh6 Qe5 24. Qh4 Kg7 25. f4 Qf6 26. Qg3 Rc4 27. R4d3 Qe7 28. Qe3 b6 29. a4 Qc7 30. e5! dxe5 31. Rd7 Qc5 32. Qxc5 R8xc5 33. Rxa7 Nf6 34. Rd6 Ne4 35. Rxb6 Nxc3 36. bxc3 Rxf4 37. Rxe6 Rxc3 38. Rxe5 Rf1+ 39. Kh2 Rc2 40. b6 Rff2 41. Rg5 Kh6 42. h4 f6 43. b7 Rb2 44. Rb5 Rxg2+ 45. Kh3 Rh2+ 46. Kg3 Rbg2+ 47. Kf3 Rf2+ 48. Ke4 1 : 0 侯逸凡 (Hóu Yìfán) – Ushenina, FIDE Women’s Grand Prix 2013–2014, 4th stage, Khanty-Mansiysk 2014.
9. ... 0-0 10. 0-0 Nxd4. If 10. ... Rc8 then 12. Bxc6 Bxc6 13. Qd3 Nd7 14. b3 e6 15. Rfd1 Qe7 16. Qe2⩲ 侯逸凡 (Hóu Yìfán) – Nepomniachtchi, Eurasian Blitz Chess Cup of the President of Kazakhstan, Almaty 2016 (time control: 3 minutes plus 2 seconds per move).
11. Bxd4 Bxb5 12. cxb5 Qd7 13. Qd3 Rfc8 14. Rfd1 Qe6 15. Rac1 h5 16. b3

16. ... Nd7? The beginning of all trouble. 16. ... a6 17. b6 Rc6 seems more appropriate.
17. Bxg7. 17. Nd5! at once was much stronger, with lines similar to the game.
17. ... Kxg7 18. Nd5

18. ... Rab8? Black misses her only chance. 18. ... Qe5! 20. f4 Qb2 would have been quite unclear.
19. Qd4+ Kh7. 19. ... Nf6 20. f3 is also very unappealing for Black.
20. Rxc8 Rxc8 21. Qxa7 Qxe4 22. Qxb7 Qe2 23. Rf1 Rc5 24. Qxd7 Rxd5 25. a4

It’s not only the extra Pawn, but much the Queenside passers which make the difference.
25. ... Rg5 26. Qc6 d5 27. Qc1 Rf5 28. Qe3 Qb2 29. b6 d4 30. Qg3 d3 31. b7 d2 32. b8=Q Rd5 33. Qf3 Rf5 34. Qe2 1 : 0.

The grand return of 侯逸凡 (Hóu Yìfán) to her shrine. Photos: 新华社 (Xīnhuá News Agency).