The Way to Win

侯逸凡 (Hóu Yìfán) – 朱锦尔 (Zhū Jǐn’ěr)

3rd Tech Mahindra Global Chess League; Final | Game 2; SG Alpine Pipers – Triveni Continental Kings; time control: 20 minutes plus 2 seconds per move after move 40; Mumbai, December 23, 2025

Spanish Game C77

1. e4 e5 2. Nf3 Nc6 3. Bb5 a6 4. Ba4 Nf6 5. d3 Bc5 6. Bxc6 dxc6 7. Be3 Bd6 8. h3 h6 9. Nc3 c5 10. a4 Be6 11. Nd2 Nd7 12. b3 c6 13. 0-0 g5 14. Ne2 h5 15. Ng3 g4 16. Nf5 Bxf5 17. exf5 gxh3 18. g3 Qc7 19. Bg5 Be7 20. Bxe7 Kxe7 21. Ne4 Rag8 22. Kh2 Qd8 23. Qe2 Nf6 24. Nxf6 Kxf6 25. Rae1 Qd5 26. Kxh3

26. ... Re8. A funny variation is 26. ... Rg4! 27. f3 Rhg8! 28. fxg4 hxg4+ 29. Kh4 (not 29. Kh2? because of 29. ... Rh8+ 30. Kg1 Qh1+ 31. Kf2 Qh2+ 32. Ke3 Qxg3+ 33. Ke4 Rh2 with irresistible attack) 29. ... Rh8+ 30. Kxg4 Rg8+ 31. Kh3 Rh8+ with a draw by perpetual check.
27. Qe4 h4?! 28. g4 Rd8

29. g5+!? Kxg5 30. f4+ Kf6. Clearly not 30. ... exf4?? on account of 31. Rg1+ Kh5 (31. ... Kf6 32. Qe7+ Kxf5 33. Qg5#) 32. Qxf4 with mate in a few moves.
31. Qxe5+. 31. fxe5+! Ke7 32. Rg1! was certainly more promising, but 侯逸凡 (Hóu Yìfán) does not need to push because her team is winning.
31. ... Qxe5 32. fxe5+ Ke7 33. Re4 Rdg8 34. Rf2 Rg3+ 35. Kh2 Rg5 36. a5 Rhh5 37. Ref4 h3 38. R4f3 Kd7 39. Rf4 Ke7 40. R4f3 Kd7 41. c3 Ke7 42. d4 cxd4 43. cxd4 Rh4 44. Rf4 Rgg4 45. Rxg4 Rxg4 46. Rd2 Rf4 47. Kxh3 Rxf5 48. Kg4 Rf1 49. d5 cxd5 50. Rxd5 Ke6 51. Rd6+ Kxe5 52. Rb6 f5+ 53. Kg3 f4+ 54. Kg2 Ra1 55. Rxb7 Rxa5 56. Kf3 Rb5 57. Re7+ Kf6 58. Ra7 Kf5 59. Rxa6 Rxb3+ 60. Kf2 Kg4 61. Rg6+ Kf5 62. Ra6 Rb2+ 63. Kf3 Rb3+ 64. Kf2 Rb2+ ½–½.

In the second game, 侯逸凡 (Hóu Yìfán) did the minimum indispensable to give her team the overall victory and the big first prize. Photos: Aditya Sur Roy/ChessBase India.