The Woman King

侯逸凡 (Hóu Yìfán) – 雷挺婕 (Léi Tǐngjié)

15th National Games | Chess Finals; Knockout Women; Finals Game 2; time control: 25 minutes plus 10 seconds per move; 深圳 (Shēnzhèn), September 28, 2025

Richter–Veresov Attack D01

1. d4 Nf6 2. Nc3 d5 3. Bf4 e6 4. Nb5 Na6 5. e3 Be7 6. Nf3 Nh5 7. Be5 f6

8. g4 fxe5 9. Nxe5 c6? (9. ... Nf6 10. g5 Ne4 11. Qh5+ g6 12. Nxg6 hxg6 13. Qxh8+ Kd7 14. Qxd8+ Kxd8 15. h4⩲)
10. gxh5 Qb6 11. h6 g6 12. a4! 0-0 13. a5 Qd8 14. Nc3 Nb4 15. Bd3 Nxd3+ 16. Qxd3 Bf6 17. h4 c5 18. h5 g5 19. Rg1 cxd4 20. exd4 Bxe5 21. dxe5 Rf5 22. 0-0-0 Qf8 23. Qe3 Qxh6 24. Ne2 Kh8 25. Rg4 Bd7 26. Rdg1 Qxh5 27. Nd4 Rf7 28. Rxg5 Qh4

29. Nf5! Qh2 (29. ... exf5 30. e6+−)
30. Nh6! Rff8? (30. ... Qxh6 31. Rg8+ Rxg8 32. Rxg8+ Kxg8 33. Qxh6+−)
31. Rg8+! 1–0. Mate follows after 31. ... Rxg8 32. Nf7#.

Once upon a g-Pawn on g4. Photo: 羊城晚報 (Yángchéng Evening News).