Hy

侯逸凡 (Hóu Yìfán) – 任肖伊 (Rèn Xiàoyī)

19th Chinese Chess League Division A Regular; Match 深圳鹏城队 (Shēnzhèn Péngchéng Team)–成都蓓蕾队 (Chéngdū Bèilěi Team); time control: 90 minutes per 40 moves plus 30 minutes for the rest of the game plus 30 seconds per move starting on move 1; 南京 (Nánjīng), August 30, 2025

Giuoco Piano C50

1. e4 e5 2. Nf3 Nc6 3. Bc4 Bc5 4. d3 h6 5. Nc3 d6 6. a3 Be6 7. Bxe6 fxe6 8. Na4 Bb6 9. b4 Qf6 10. c4 Bd4 11. Ra2 Nge7 12. Be3 Ng6 13. 0-0 0-0 14. Nxd4 Nxd4 15. f3 Rf7 16. g3 Raf8 17. Raf2 Qe7 18. f4 Qd7 19. Bxd4 exd4 20. Nb2 Kh7 21. Qh5 c6 22. c5 d5 23. Qe2 b5 24. Re1 Rf6 25. Nd1 dxe4 26. dxe4 R6f7 27. Nb2 Ne5 28. Rg2 d3 29. Qe3

29. ... g5! 30. Rf1. Taking the Knight would not lead to any advantage; for example: 30. fxe5 Rf3 31. Qc1 Qd4+ 32. Kh1 Rf2 33. Nxd3 Qxd3 34. Qd1! Rf1+ 36. Rg1 Rxg1+ 37. Kxg1 Qc3 with fairly even chances.
30. ... g4? This is too ambitious. Black had to play 30. ... Nc4 at once, for after 31. Qxd3 Qxd3 32. Nxd3 Ne3 the win of the Exchange is sufficient for her to hold the ending: 33. Ne5 Rg7 34. Rf3 Nxg2 35. Kxg2 gxf4 36. Nxc6 e5 37. Kf2 fxg3+ 38. hxg3 Re8 39. Rf5 Re6 40. Nd8 Ree7 41. Nc6 Re6 with a draw by repetition.
31. Rd2

31. ... Nc4? Now this move causes the whole of Black’s Pawn outposts to collapse. Comparatively better was 31. ... Nf3+, but then after 32. Rxf3 gxf3 33. Rxd3 followed by the capture of the f3-Pawn White remains with two Pawns for the Exchange and a strong advantage in position.
32. Nxc4 bxc4 33. Rc1 e5 34. f5 a5 35. Rxc4 axb4 36. Rxd3 Qa7 37. axb4. White came up with two Pawns ahead and an easily won ending.
37. ... Rd7 38. Rxd7+ Qxd7 39. Qe2 Ra8 40. Kg2 Ra1 41. Rc2 h5 42. Rd2 Qa7 43. Qd3 Ra2 44. h3 Qf7 45. hxg4 hxg4 46. Qe2 Rxd2 47. Qxd2 Qa7 48. Qe2 Qg7 49. Qd1 Kh6? It is as bad a way as another to surrender.
50. Qh1+ 1–0. Mate follows after 50. ... Kg5 51. Qh4#.

The implacable 侯逸凡 (Hóu Yìfán) coasted her fourth win in a row. Photo: 新华社 (Xīnhuá News Agency).