Play It Again

侯逸凡 (Hóu Yìfán) – 谭中怡 (Tán Zhōngyí)

2nd Tech Mahindra Global Chess League; Group Stage; Alpine SG Pipers – PBG Alaskan Knights; time control: 20 minutes per player without increment; London, October 7, 2024

Russian Defence C42

1. e4 e5 2. Nf3 Nf6 3. Nxe5 d6 4. Nf3 Nxe4 5. d3 Nf6 6. d4 d5 7. Bd3 Be7 8. 0-0 0-0 9. h3 Nbd7 10. Re1. The same position can be reached by transposition after 1. e4 e6 2. d4 d5 3. exd5 exd5 4. Nf3 Nf6 5. Bd3 Be7 6. 0-0 0-0 7. h3 Nbd7 8. Re1 (French Defence, Exchange Variation C01).
10. ... c5!? 11. Nc3! a6. Better, first, 11. ... h6.
12. Bg5! h6 13. Bh4 b5?! 13. ... c4 was probably to be preferred, although no doubt 14. Bf5 is somewhat better for White.
14. dxc5 Nxc5. If 14. ... b4 then 15. c6 bxc3 16. cxd7 Bxd7 17. bxc3 followed as soon as possible by c3-c4, remaining with a Pawn to the good.

15. Nd4! The Exchange sacrifice with 15. Rxe7! Qxe7 16. Nxd5 Qd8 17. Bxf6 gxf6 18. Nh4! f5! 19. Nxf5 Bxf5 20. Bxf5 Qg5 21. a4! (Δ Ra1-a3-g3) is the engines’ preference and, of course, a very good argument, but 侯逸凡 (Hóu Yìfán)’s simple centralisation also works well.
15. ... Bd7 16. Qf3 g5? Black cannot afford such weakening moves now. The best was probably 16. ... Nxd3 17. cxd3 Kh8 18. Re5 leaving White with a manifest advantage, but not yet a win.
17. Bg3 Nxd3 18. cxd3 Bc5?!

19. Be5! After this, Black’s game falls apart very rapidly.
19. ... Nh7 20. Nxd5 f6 21. Bc7 Qc8 22. Nb3 Bb4

23. Re7! Bc6 24. Qh5 Qf5 25. Nxb4 Be8 26. Qg4 Qg6 27. Rae1 Bf7 28. Nc5 f5 29. Qd4 Nf6 30. Nc6 Nd5 31. Rxf7 Rxf7 32. Qxd5 Kh7 33. Ne5 1–0.

Revenge is a dish best served hot. Photos: Michał Walusza/Tech Mahindra Global Chess League.