Dynamics and Control

Rameshbabu Vaishali – 侯逸凡 (Hóu Yìfán)

2nd Tech Mahindra Global Chess League; Group Stage; Ganges Grandmasters – Alpine SG Pipers; time control: 20 minutes per player without increment; London, October 3, 2024

French Defence C07

1. e4 e6 2. d4 d5 3. Nd2 c5 4. exd5 Qxd5 5. Ngf3 cxd4 6. Bc4 Qd7 7. 0-0 Nf6 8. Nb3 Nc6 9. Qe2 a6 10. a4 Bd6 11. Rd1 Qc7 12. Nbxd4 Nxd4 13. Rxd4 Bd7 14. Bg5 0-0-0?! Provocative play. Worth noting here is 14. ... Bc6 15. Bxe6 Bxf3 16. gxf3 Bxh2+ 17. Kg2 0-0 18. Bxf6 fxe6 19. Qxe6+ Qf7 20. Qxf7+ Rxf7 21. Rd8+ Rxd8 22. Bxd8 Be5 23. c3 Rd7 24. Bg5 Kf7 25. Ra3 Ke6 26. Rb3 Kf5 27. Be3 h5 28. c4 Rc7 29. c5 Bf6? (29. ... Bf4!) 30. Rb6 Be7 31. c6 Rxc6 32. Rxb7 Ke6 33. b4 Bf6 34. b5 axb5 35. axb5 Rc4 36. b6 Rb4 37. Rc7 Be5 38. Rc6+ Kd7 39. Rc5 Kd6 40. Rc8 Kd7 41. Rc5 Kd6 42. Ra5 Ke6 43. f4 Bf6 44. Rxh5 Bd8 45. Ra5 Bf6 46. Kf3 Kd7 47. Ra7+ Kc8 48. Rc7+ Kb8 49. Bc5 Rb5 50. Ke4 Bc3 51. Kd5 1–0 Estrin – Vaisser, Masters vs. Candidate Masters, Leningrad 1965.

15. Bxa6!? White picks up the gauntlet!
15. ... Bc6! Clearly not 15. ... bxa6?? because of 16. Qxa6+ Qb7 17. Qxd6 with devastating effect.
16. Rc4! A theoretical novelty which costed Vaishali about ten minutes of thinking, with at least the consolation that it no doubt constitutes an improvement on 16. Rad1 bxa6 17. Qxa6+ Bb7 18. Qe2 Bc5 19. Rxd8+ Rxd8 20. Rxd8+ Kxd8 21. c3 h6 22. Bxf6+ gxf6 23. b4 Ba7 24. Qd2+ Ke7 25. Nd4 Bb8 26. g3 Ba7 27. Qe3 Bxd4 28. Qxd4 Qc6 0–1 Nisipeanu – Istrăţescu, 12th ROMGAZ Kings Rapid Tournament, Bucharest 2018 (time control: 15 minutes plus 10 seconds per move).
16. ... bxa6

17. g3? This is probably the losing move! If 17. Nd4 then 17. ... Bxh2+ 18. Kh1 Rxd4! 19. Rxd4 Be5 20. Rc4 Nd5 with the upper hand for Black, but much better was now 17. Be3! e5 (or 17. ... Kb8 18. Rd1 e5∞) 18. b4 Qb7∞ with complex play.
17. ... e5! Prevents Nf3-d4.
18. b4

18. ... Kb8! With the threat of ... Bc6xf3.
19. Rc3 Rc8 20. Bxf6 gxf6 21. Qxa6. Not much better is 21. b5 Bxf3 22. Rxf3 Qxc2 with a clear piece to the good.
21. ... Qb7 22. Qe2 Be4 23. Re3. Or 23. Rxc8+ Rxc8 24. Nd2 Rxc2 and Black must win.
23. ... Rxc2 24. Qd1 Bc7 25. Ne1 Rd8 26. Qh5 Rcd2 27. Qxf7 Bb6 28. Qxf6 Bxe3 29. Qxe5+. 29. fxe3 is also met by 29. ... Qc7 with Black winning.
29. ... Qc7 30. Qxe4 Bxf2+ 31. Kf1 Bxe1 0–1.

侯逸凡 (Hóu Yìfán) showed herself ready to labour for the good of her team. Photos: Shahid Ahmed/ChessBase India.