A Queen’s Revenge

Polina Sergeevna Shuvalova – 侯逸凡 (Hóu Yìfán)

3rd Tech Mahindra Global Chess League; Round-Robin; Ganges Grandmasters – SG Alpine Pipers; time control: 20 minutes plus 2 seconds per move after move 40; Mumbai, December 20, 2025

Sicilian Defence B51

1. e4 c5 2. Nf3 d6 3. Bb5+ Nd7 4. 0-0 a6 5. Be2 Ngf6 6. d3 e6 7. a4 b6 8. c4 Bb7 9. Nc3 Be7 10. Re1 0-0 11. Bf1 Ne5 12. Nxe5 dxe5 13. a5 b5 14. cxb5 axb5 15. Nxb5 Rxa5 16. Na3 Nd7 17. Be3 Qc7 18. Qc2 Rfa8 19. Rac1 Qd8 20. Qc3 Qb8 21. h3 h6 22. Qd2 Kh7 23. Rc3 Bc6 24. Rec1 Ra4 25. Rc4 Rxc4 26. dxc4 f5 27. exf5 exf5 28. f3 Nf6 29. Nb5 e4 30. f4 Qb7 31. Qf2 Rc8 32. Kh2 Bxb5 33. cxb5 Nd5 34. Bc4 Nxe3 35. Qxe3 Bd6 36. Rd1 Qb8 37. g3 Rf8? Black should not have left the d-file in her opponent’s hands. Therefore, better was 37. ... Rd8! 38. h4 Be7 with a playable position.
38. h4 Qc7 39. h5 Be7 40. Rd5 Qc8 41. Qd2 Bf6 42. b6 Qb8 43. Rxf5 Qxb6 44. b3 Re8 45. Rd5 Kh8 46. Rd6 Qc7 47. Rd7 e3 48. Qd3 Qc6 49. Rd6 Qc7 50. Rd7 Qc8

51. Qd1?? White overlooks here an easy winning move: 51. Qf5! and due to the threat of Bc4-d3, Black is in Zugzwang, as both 51. ... e2 and 51. ... Re4 would be met by 52. Bd3 with mating attack. To add insult to injury, White’s error is so serious that loses decisive material and the game.
51. ... e2! 52. Bxe2 Rxe2+ 53. Qxe2 Qxd7 54. Qe4 Bd4 55. Qa8+ Kh7 56. Qe4+ Kg8 57. Qa8+ Kf7 58. Qe4 Qe6 59. Qb7+ Qe7 60. Qd5+ Qe6 61. Qb7+ Kf6 62. Kg2 Qe2+ 63. Kh3 Qxh5+ 64. Kg2 Qe2+ 65. Kh3 Qe6+ 66. Kg2 Kf5 67. Qf3 Kg6 68. Qd3+ Qf5 69. Qa6+ Kh7 70. Qb7 h5 71. Qe7 Qc2+ 72. Kh3 Qf5+ 73. Kh2 Bf6 74. Qe2 h4 75. gxh4 Qxf4+ 76. Kg2 Qxh4 77. Qc2+ Kh6 78. Qc1+ Qg5+ 0–1.

侯逸凡 (Hóu Yìfán) scored a fortunate win for her team, fired by a spirit of revanche. Photos: Aditya Sur Roy/ChessBase India.