Simply One Move at a Time

Anastasia Mikhailovna Bodnaruk – 侯逸凡 (Hóu Yìfán)

6th Online Women’s Speed Chess Championship “Julius Bär” Main Event; Round of 16 match game 6; time control: 3 minutes plus 1 second per move; chess.com, August 26, 2024

Sicilian Defence B50

1. e4 c5 2. Nf3 e6 3. b3 d6 4. Bb2 e5 5. Bc4 Nc6 6. 0-0 Be7 7. d3 a6 8. a4 Nf6 9. Nc3 0-0 10. h3 Rb8 11.Nd5 b5 12. axb5 axb5 13. Nxf6+ Bxf6 14. Bd5 Nb4 15. Nd2 Nxd5 16. exd5 Be7 17. f4 exf4 18. Rxf4 Bg5 19. Rf1 Be3+ 20. Kh2 Qg5 21. Ne4 Qh6

22. Qf3 f5 23. Ng3 Rb7 24. Nh5 Rbf7 25. Nf4 Bxf4+ 26. Qxf4 Qxf4+ 27. Rxf4 b4 28. d4 Bb7 29. dxc5 dxc5 30. d6 Be4 31.Ra5 Rc8 32.Rf2 Rd7 33.Rd2 Kf7 34. Be5 g5 35. Kg1 Ke6 36. Bh2 f4 37. Re2 Kf5 38. Ra6 Rcd8

39. g4+? Losing control of herself and her position. She ought to play 39. Rd2 Ke6 (or 39. ... Ke5 40. g3! Rxd6 41. gxf4+ gxf4 42. Bxf4+ Kxf4 43. Raxd6 Rxd6 44. Rxd6 Ke3 45. Re6 Kd4 with a dynamic equilibrium) 40. Re2 Ke5 41. Ra5 Rxd6 42. Rxc5+ Rd5 with equality.
39. ... Ke5 40. Ra5 Rc8 41. c3? The losing mistake. After 41. Ra6 Kd4 Black stands much better, but the game is not yet lost.
41. ... bxc3 42. Ra4

42. ... c4! 43. bxc4 c2 44. Ra1 Rxd6 45. Kf2 Rxc4 46. Rc1 Rd1 47. Re1 Rd2+ 48. Re2 Rd1 49. Re1 Rxc1 50. Rxc1 Rb4 51. Ke2 Rb3 52. Bg1 Rxh3 53. Bb6 Rg3 54. Bc7+ Kd5 0–1.