The Dragon Queen

侯逸凡 (Hóu Yìfán) – Sarocha Chuemsakul
19th Asian Games — Women’s Team Standard; 杭州 (Hángzhōu), October 1, 2023
Vienna Game C26

1. e4 e5 2. Nc3. First love never dies.
2. ... Nc6 3. g3 Bc5 4. Bg2 Nf6 5. h3 d6 6. Nge2 a6 7. 0-0 0-0 8. Kh2 b5 9. a3 Bb7 10. d3 Nd4 11. f4 Nd7 12. f5! More ambitious than 12. Nxd4 Bxd4 13. Ne2 Bb6 14. Ng1 Nc5 15. Qh5 f6 16. Bd2 Qe8 17. Qh4 Ne6 18. Nf3 Nd4 19. Nxd4 Bxd4 20. c3 Bb6 21. Rae1 Qd7 22. Qh5 Rae8 23. Qd1 f5 24. Be3 Bxe3 25. Rxe3 exf4 26. gxf4 Qf7 ½ : ½ Sax – Matanović, 6th European Team Chess Championship, Moscow 1977.

12. ... f6. If, instead, 12. ... h6 White would have probably continued with 13. h4 followed by Kh2-h3 and g3-g4.
13. g4 c6. Black’s plan of counterplay is too slow, while White’s attack plays itself. 13. ... g5! was a strategic imperative (14. Ng3 a5).
14. Ng3 Bb6 15. h4 a6 16. g5 b4 17. Na4 Bc7 18. c3 bxc3 19. bxc3 Nb5

20. Qh5 fxg5 21. hxg5 Qe8 22. Qh4 Bd8 23. Bf3 g6

24. Ra2 Nb6 25. Nxb6 Rxb6 26. Rb2 Ra6 27. Kh1 Qe7 28. Rh2 Qg7 29. Bg4 Bc8 30. fxg6 Rxf1+ 31. Nxf1 Bxg4 32. Qxg4 Qxg6 33. Qc8+ Kg7 34. Ng3 Nc7 35. Nf5+ Kf7 36. Qd7+ Kf8 37. Qe7+ Kg8 38. Nh6+ 1 : 0.

More than ever four-time Women’s World Chess Champion 侯逸凡 (Hóu Yìfán) is firmly seated in the driver’s seat of China’s women’s team. Photo: dalongzhouqian.