Sic Transit

Nino Batsiashvili – 侯逸凡 (Hóu Yìfán)

10th World Women’s Team Chess Championship; Pool Stage B; Georgia vs. China; time control: 45 minutes plus 30 seconds per move; Linares, November 19, 2025

Nimzo-Indian Defence E21

1. d4 Nf6 2. c4 e6 3. Nc3 Bb4 4. Nf3 Bxc3+ 5. bxc3 d6 6. Qc2 0-0 7. e4 e5 8. Bd3 Nc6 9. 0-0 exd4 10. cxd4 Bg4 11. d5 Nb4 12. Qc3 Nxd3 (12. ... Bxf3 13. Qxb4 Bxe4 14. Bxe4 Nxe4 15. Qxb7 Nc5 16. Qb4 Nd3 17. Qc3 ½–½ Makhnev – Dotzer, 15th GM Open, Fagernes 2025)
13. Qxd3 Bxf3 14. Qxf3 Nd7 15. Bb2 Re8 16. Rae1 f6 17. Re3 Re7 18. Rfe1 b6 19. h4 Qf8 20. h5 h6 21. Qf5 Ne5 22. Rg3

22. ... Kh8 23. Rc1 Qc8 24. Qf4 Qe8 25. Qf5 Qd7 26. Qf4 Qe8 27. Qf5 Qd7 28. Qf4 Qe8 ½–½.

侯逸凡 (Hóu Yìfán)’s “Grandmaster’s draw” wasn’t enough to avoid team’s defeat. Photo: Raúl Martínez.