Unequal Englishes

叶诗雯 (Carissa Yip) – 侯逸凡 (Hóu Yìfán)

10th World Women’s Team Chess Championship; Playoff | Quarterfinals; Match 1; United States vs. China; time control: 45 minutes plus 30 seconds per move; Linares, November 21, 2025

French Defence C10

1. e4 e6 2. d4 d5 3. Nc3 dxe4 4. Nxe4 Nd7 5. Bd3 Ngf6 6. Qe2 c5 7. Nf3 cxd4 8. Nxf6+ Nxf6 9. 0-0 Bd6 10. Rd1 0-0 11. Nxd4 e5 12. Nb5 Bg4 13. f3 Bc5+ 14. Kh1

14. ... Bd7? Consistent was 14. ... e4! 15. Bxe4 Qxd1+ 16. Qxd1 Nxe4 17. Qf1 Nf2+ with a draw by perpetual check which may be regarded as a fair outcome of 侯逸凡 (Hóu Yìfán)’s unambitious opening policy.
15. Qxe5 Bxb5 (15. ... Qb6 16. a4±)
16. Qxc5. Not 16. Bxh7+? Kxh7 17. Rxd8 Rfxd8 and White cannot take the Bishop on account of 18. ... Rd1+, Black coming out a Piece ahead.
16. ... Bxd3 17. Rxd3 Qe8 18. Bg5 Rc8

19. Qf5. The materialistic 19. Qxa7! Rxc2 20. Rd2 would leave White with a Pawn ahead and the better position, but 叶诗雯 (Carissa Yip) doesn’t need to push hard, since almost all of her teammates are winning.
19. ... Rxc2 20. Bxf6 gxf6 21. Rd4. 21. Qxf6 would also be answered by 21. ... Qc6 as after the exchange of Queens the Rook on the 2nd (7th) rank gives Black enough compensation for the Pawn.
21. ... Qc6 22. h4 Kh8 23. Rad1 Rc1 24. Qf4 Rc8 25. Rd6 Rxd1+ 26. Rxd1 Kg7 27. Qg3+ Kf8 28. h5 Qc5 29. Qg4 h6 30. b4 Qc7 31. Rd7 Qe5 32. f4 Qe4 33. a3 Re8 34. Kh2 a6 35. Rd6 Re6 36. Rd8+ Re8 37. Rd6 Re6 38. Rd8+ Re8 39. Rd6 ½–½.

侯逸凡 (Hóu Yìfán)’s resilience was not enough to prevent Chinese team’s defeat against United States team. Photos: Pavel Arkadievich Dvorkovich.