The Time Machine

Humpy Koneru – 侯逸凡 (Hóu Yìfán)

3rd Tech Mahindra Global Chess League; Round-Robin; upGrad Mumba Masters – SG Alpine Pipers; time control: 20 minutes plus 2 seconds per move after move 40; Mumbai, December 21, 2025

Queen’s Indian Defence E12

1. d4 Nf6 2. c4 e6 3. Nf3 b6 4. a3 Ba6 5. Qc2 Bb7 6. Nc3 c5 7. e4 cxd4 8. Nxd4 Nc6 9. Nxc6 Bxc6 10. Be2 Bd6 11. f4 Bc5! Trickier than 11. ... e5 12. f5 Bc5 13. Bg5 Bd4 14. Bd3 Rc8 15. Ne2 Bf2+ 16. Kf1 Bc5 17. Ng3 Ng4 18. Bxd8 Ne3+ 19. Ke2 Nxc2 20. Bxc2 Kxd8 21. a4 a5 22. b3 f6 23. Rad1 Ke7 24. h4 g6 25. fxg6 hxg6 26. h5 Rh6 27. hxg6 Rxg6 28. Nf5+ Kd8 29. g3 Kc7 30. Rh4 Rcg8 31. Rdh1 Rg5 32. Rh8 R8g6 33. R8h6 Rxg3 34. Nxg3 Rxg3 35. R1h2 Rc3 36. Kd1 Rf3 37. Ke2 Re3+ 38. Kd1 Rf3 39. Ke2 Re3+ 40. Kd1 Rf3 ½–½ 居文君 (Jū Wénjūn) – Krush, 1st IMSA Elite Mind Games, Women’s Basque Tournament, 淮安 (Huái’ān) 2016 (time control: 20 minutes plus 10 seconds per move).

12. Bd2 (12. Qd3 d5!)
12. ... Ng4 13. Bxg4? Giving Black the initiative. 13. g3 should now be played, on which there would follow 13. ... Bf2+ 14. Kf1 Ne3+ 15. Bxe3 Bxe3 16. Qd3 Bc5 17. Bf3 0-0 with comfortable equality for Black.
13. ... Qh4+ 14. g3 Qxg4 15. Qd3 f5 16. Rf1 0-0 17. Be3 fxe4 18. Nxe4? (18. Qe2 Qf5∓)
18. ... Bxe3 19. Qxe3

19. ... e5! 20. Nd6 exf4 21. Rxf4 Rxf4 22. Qxf4 Qe6+? The right and winning move was 22. ... Qh5! followed by ... Ra8-f8.
23. Kd2 Rf8 24. Qd4? But White does not seize her chance: after 24. Re1! Qg6 25. Qe5 there is no evident way for Black to make use of her open files.
24. ... Qh6+ 25. Kc2 Qg6+ 26. Kd2 Rf6 27. Nc8 Qh6+ 28. Kc2 Ba4+ 29. b3 Qxh2+ 30. Kc3 Qxg3+ 0–1.

侯逸凡 (Hóu Yìfán) sought and found high inspiration from her past. Photos: Aditya Sur Roy/ChessBase India.