Thursday, October 10, 2024

A Matter of Time

侯逸凡 (Hóu Yìfán) – Rameshbabu Vaishali
2nd Tech Mahindra Global Chess League; Group Stage; Alpine SG Pipers – Ganges Grandmasters; time control: 20 minutes per player without increment; London, October 10, 2024
French Defence C11

1. e4 e6 2. d4 d5 3. Nc3 Nf6 4. e5 Nfd7 5. f4 c5 6. Nf3 Nc6 7. Be3 a6 8. a3 cxd4 9. Nxd4 Bc5 10. Qd2 g5 11. f5 Nxd4 12. Bxd4 Bxd4 13. Qxd4 Qb6 14. Qxb6 Nxb6 15. fxe6 Bxe6 16. 0-0-0 Rc8 17. Be2 Ke7 18. Rd4 Rc5 19. Rhd1 Rhc8 20. Bd3 h6 21. Rb4 R8c6 22. Re1 a5 23. Rb5 d4 24. Ne2 Bc4 25. Bxc4 Rxc4 26. Kb1


26. ... a4? As it turned out, this was the beginning of all of Vaishali’s trouble, giving White a very superior endgame which 侯逸凡 (Hóu Yìfán) has no difficulty in turning into a winning one. Much better was 26. ... R4c5 27. Nxd4 Rxb5 28. Nxb5 Rc5 29. Nd4 (29. Nd6 Nc4 30. Nf5+ Ke6 31. Nd4+ Ke7 transposes) 29. ... Nc4 30. e6 f6 31. g4 Re5 with near-equality.
27. Rd1 R4c5 28. Rb4 Rxe5 29. Nxd4 Rd6 30. g4 Kf8 31. Rd3 Kg8 32. Ka2 Kh7 33. Rf3 Kg6 34. Nf5 Rde6 35. Nd4 Rd6 36. Nf5 Rde6 37. Rh3 Kh7 38. Nxh6 Rxh6 39. Rxh6+ Kxh6 40. Rxb6+ Kg7 41. Rxb7 Re2 42. Rb4 Rxc2 43. Rxa4 Rxh2 44. Rb4 Rf2 45. a4 Rf4 46. Ka3 f5 47. Rb7+ Kf6 48. Rb6+ Kg7 49. gxf5 Rxf5 50. Rb4 Kg6 51. Rb8 g4 52. Rg8+ Kh5


53. Kb4? The no-increment time control produces its dramatic effects like in the old good days, and from here on it will be a succession of twists and turns. Let’s start with the first one — White throws all away without a moment’s thought, when instead 53. b4+− would be a technical win for her.
53. ... Kh4? 侯逸凡 (Hóu Yìfán) is lucky that her opponent missed 53. ... Rg5!= (which would have drawn the game).
54. a5! Of course the only winning move!
54. ... g3 55. a6 Rf7 56. Ka5 Rf5+ 57. Kb6? (57. Kb4+−)
57. ... Rg5!= 58. Rh8+ Kg4 59. Rh1 g2 60. Rg1


60. ... Rg6+? (60. ... Kf3!=)
61. Ka5!+− Rg5+ 62. Ka4 Kf3. His Majesty now comes too late.
63. b4!+− Rg7 64. b5 Rg8 65. Rxg2! Kxg2 66. Ka5 1–0. Vaishali reportedly flagged, but with no regret, as it was time for her to resign.

Once again, 侯逸凡 (Hóu Yìfán) made her team dream big. Photo: Michał Walusza/Tech Mahindra Global Chess League.

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