Sunday, August 4, 2024

A Will and a Way

Nurgyul Salimova – 侯逸凡 (Hóu Yìfán)
2nd FIDE World Rapid Team Chess Championship; GMHans.com – WR Chess Team; time control: 15 minutes plus 10 seconds per move; Astana, August 4, 2024
Queen’s Pawn Game A47

1. d4 e6 2. Nf3 Nf6 3. Bf4 b6 4. e3 Be7 5. h3 c5 6. Nbd2 0-0 7. c3 cxd4 8. exd4 Ba6 9. Bxb8 Bxf1 10. Kxf1 Rxb8 11. a4 d5 12. Qe2 Bd6 13. g3 Qc7 14. Kg2 Rfc8 15. Ne1 h6 16. Nd3 a6 17. Rhc1 Re8 18. Ra2 h5 19. Ne5 Bxe5 20. dxe5 Ne4 21. Nxe4 Qxe5 22. Re1 dxe4 23. Qxe4 Qxe4+ 24. Rxe4 Red8 25. Ra3 Rbc8 26. Rb3 Rc6 27. Rbb4 Kf8 28. Re5 g6 29. g4 hxg4 30. hxg4 f6 31. Re3 Rd5 32. Rbe4 Kf7 33. Rh3 Kg7 34. Rhe3 Kf7 35. Rh3 Kg7 36. Re1. White refuses to repeat moves, although her position is not better at all.
36. ... f5 37. gxf5 gxf5 38. Reh1 Kf6 39. Rh6+ Ke7 40. Rh7+ Kd6 41. Rh8 Kc5 42. R1h4 b5 43. a5 Rd2 44. b4+ Kd5 45. Rd8+ Rd6 46. Rxd6+ Kxd6 47. Rh7 Ke5 48. Ra7 Rd6 49. Kf3 Rc6 50. Ke2


50. ... Rxc3. This liquidates into a Rook ending with an extra Pawn which, with correct play, should be drawn, but White has to play some exact moves to save the day.
51. Rxa6 Rb3 52. Rb6 Rxb4 53. a6 Rb2+ 54. Kf3 Rb3+ 55. Ke2 Rb2+ 56. Kf3 Kf6 57. a7 Ra2 58. Rxb5 Rxa7 59. Kg3 Rg7+ 60. Kf3 Rg4 61. Ra5 Rd4 62. Rb5 Rd3+ 63. Ke2 Rd4 64. f3 Ra4 65. Ke3 Ra3+ 66. Kf2 Kg5 67. Rb4 e5 68. Rc4 Ra2+ 69. Kf1 Rd2 70. Ra4 Rd4 71. Ra2 Kf4 72. Kf2 Rb4 73. Rc2 Rb3 74. Rc4+ Kg5 75. Ra4 Rb2+ 76. Kf1 Rh2 77. Rb4 Rh4 78. Rb3 Kf4 79. Kg2 Rh8 80. Rb4+ Ke3 81. Rb3+ Kd4 82. Rb4+ Ke3 83. Rb3+ Kf4 84. Rb4+ Kg5 85. Rb5 Re8 86. Kg3 Kf6 87. Rb6+ Re6 88. Rb8 Ra6 89. Rf8+ Ke6 90. Re8+ Kd5 91. Rf8 f4+ 92. Kg4 Kd4


93. Rd8+? 侯逸凡 (Hóu Yìfán)’s persistence paid off, as Salimova finally broke. As strange as it may seem, there was only one move to save the game: 93. Rb8! with a draw in view; for example: 93. ... Rg6+ 94. Kf5 Rg1 95. Rb3 and there’s no way for Black to make progress.
93. ... Ke3 94. Rd5 Rg6+ 95. Kf5 Rg8 96. Ra5 Kxf3 97. Ra3+ Kg2 98. Ra2+ Kg3 99. Ke4 f3 100. Ra3 Rg4+ 101. Ke3 f2 102. Ke2+ Kg2 0–1. With her win, 侯逸凡 (Hóu Yìfán) secured her team the bronze medal at 2nd FIDE World Rapid Team Chess Championship.

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