Waking Sleeping Beauty

居文君 (Jū Wénjūn) – 侯逸凡 (Hóu Yìfán)

7th Online Women’s Speed Chess Championship Main Event; Final match game 3; time control: 5 minutes plus 1 second per move; chess.com, August 22, 2025

English Opening A14

1. Nf3 Nf6 2. c4 e6 3. b3 b6 4. Bb2 Bb7 5. g3 d5 6. Bg2 Be7 7. 0-0 0-0 8. d4 Nbd7 9. Nc3 a6 10. e3 Bd6 11. Nd2 Qe7 12. a3 c5 13. cxd5 exd5 14. Nc4 Bc7 15. dxc5 Nxc5 16. Nxd5 Nxd5 17. Bxd5 Bxd5 18. Qxd5 Rad8 19. Qf5 b5 (19. ... Nxb3 20. Rad1 b5)
20. Ne5 Bxe5 21. Bxe5?! 21. Qxe5 Qxe5 22. Bxe5 Nxb3 23. Rad1 f6 seems more appropriate for White to stay in her comfort zone.
21. ... Nxb3

22. Bc3! But not 22. Rad1? on account of 22. ... Nd2! actually winning the Exchange, for if 23. Rfe1? then 23. ... Qxe5! 24. Qxe5 Nf3+ gaining a piece.
22. ... Nxa1 23. Bb4 Qd7 24. Qxd7 Rxd7 25. Bxf8 Nc2!? Simpler and better would be 25. ... Kxf8 26. Rxa1 Ke7 with a promising endgame for Black.
26. Bc5 Rd5 27. Be7 Rd7 28. Rc1 Rxe7 29. Rxc2 g6 30. h4 Kg7 31. Kg2 Re6 32. Kf3 Kf6 33. g4 h6 34. Rc7 Rd6 35. Ra7 Ke6 36. Kf4 Kf6 37. g5+ hxg5+ 38. hxg5+ Ke6 39. f3 Rc6 40. e4 Rb6 41. Kg4

41. ... f6?? A gross blunder which loses the game right off. After 41. ... b4! 42. axb4 Rxb4 43. Rxa6+ Ke7 Black shouldn’t have any difficult drawing the same-side, Pawn down Rook ending.
42. Rg7 f5+. Or 42. ... a5 43. Rxg6 Kf7 44. Kf5! b4 45. gxf6 b3 46. Rg7+ Kf8 47. Rg1 b2 48. Rb1 Kf7 49. e5 a4 50. e6+! Rxe6 51. Rxb2 Rxf6+ 52. Kg4 with a book win for White..
43. Kf4 1–0.

Screenshot from the live stream.