Tuesday, October 3, 2023

Not Only, But Also

侯逸凡 (Hóu Yìfán) – Bibisara Erkhanovna Assaubayeva
19th Asian Games — Women’s Team Standard; 杭州 (Hángzhōu), October 3, 2023
Sicilian Defence B90

1. e4 c5 2. Nf3 d6 3. d4 cxd4 4. Nxd4 Nf6 5. Nc3 a6 6. h3 e5 7. Nde2 h5 8. Bg5 Be6 9. Ng1 Nbd7 10. Nf3 Rc8 11. Bd3 Qb6. 11. ... Be7 12. Be3 d5! is an accomplished example of Black’s most thematic strategic aim, Grischuk – Donchenko, 36th European Chess Club Cup, Struga 2021.
12. Rb1 Be7 13. 0-0 Qc7 14. Qe2 0-0 15. a4 Rfe8 16. Bd2 Bf8 (16. ... d5 17. Ng5 d4)
17. Ng5 Bc4 18. Kh1 Bxd3 19. cxd3 d5 20. Nxd5 Nxd5 21. exd5 Nf6 22. Bc3 Qd7 23. Bxe5 Qxd5 (⌓ 23. ... Qxa4 24. f4 Qb5)
24. f4 Bd6 25. Rbe1 Re7 26. d4 Rce8 27. Qc2 g6


28. f5! gxf5 (28. ... Bxe5? 29. fxg6!+−)
29. Qc3? Much stronger was 29. Rxf5 Bxe5 30. Nf3! recovering the piece with both a material and a positional advantage.
29. ... Bxe5 30. dxe5 Rxe5 31. Rd1 Qc5 32. Qg3 f4!? (32. ... Kf8 33. Qf4 Rd5)
33. Qxf4 Rxg5 34. Qxf6 Rg7 35. Rd2 Qg5 36. Qf2 Re6 37. Rc2 Reg6 38. Qf5 Qxf5 39. Rxf5 h4? An unfortunate move on the eve of time control. Comparatively better was 39. ... Rh6 40. b4 f6 with a drawable endgame.
40. Rf4 Rh6 41. Rc8+ Kh7 42. Rc7 f6 43. Rxg7+ Kxg7 44. Rb4 b5 45. axb5 axb5 46. Rxb5 Kg6 47. Kg1 Rh8 48. Rb4 f5


49. Kf2? This inaccurate move costs White almost all her advantage. After 49. Rc4 Rb8 50. b4 Black’s endgame seems quite hopeless.
49. ... Rc8 50. Kf3 Rc2 51. Rb8 Kf6 52. b4 Rc3+ 53. Kf4 Rc4+ 54. Ke3 Rc2 55. Kf3 Rc3+ 56. Kf2 Rc2+ 57. Kg1 Rc1+ 58. Kh2 Rb1 59. b5 Kg7 60. b6 Kf7 61. Rh8 Rxb6 62. Rxh4. The most 侯逸凡 (Hóu Yìfán) has got isn’t anywhere close to what she wanted, as the Rook endgame, in spite of White’s extra Pawn, is only a draw.
62. ... Kg6 63. Rh8 Kg7 64. Rc8 Kg6 65. Rc4 Rb3 66. h4 Ra3 67. g3 Ra6 68. Kh3 Rb6 69. Rc8 Ra6 70. Rg8+ Kf7 71. Rb8 Kg6 72. Rb4 Rc6 73. Kg2 Ra6 74. Kf3 Ra3+ 75. Kf4 Ra6 76. Rd4 Rb6 77. Ke5 Rb5+ 78. Rd5 Rb3 79. Rd6+ Kg7 80. Kf4


80. ... Ra3? 侯逸凡 (Hóu Yìfán)’s obstinacy eventually paid off. The only move for Black was now 80. ... Kf7! with a tablebase draw.
81. Re6!+− Kf7 82. Re3 Ra5 83. Re5 Ra3 84. Rxf5+ Kg6 85. Re5 Ra4+ 86. Re4 Ra6 87. Kg4 1 : 0.

In the end, 侯逸凡 (Hóu Yìfán)’s superior technique made the difference. Photo (detail): dalongzhouqian.

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