Through the Labyrinth

朱锦尔 (Zhū Jǐn’ěr) – 侯逸凡 (Hóu Yìfán)

3rd Tech Mahindra Global Chess League; Round-Robin; Triveni Continental Kings – SG Alpine Pipers; time control: 20 minutes plus 2 seconds per move after move 40; Mumbai, December 14, 2025

Neo-Queen’s Indian Defence A47

1. d4 Nf6 2. Nf3 e6 3. Bf4 b6 4. e3 Bb7 5. Be2 Nh5 6. Bg5 Be7 7. Bxe7 Qxe7 8. 0-0 0-0 9. c4 f5 10. Nc3 Nf6 11. d5 e5 12. Qc2 d6 13. e4 (13. Qxf5 Nxd5 14. Nxd5 Bxd5 15. Qg5 Qxg5 16. Nxg5 Bc6 17. Bg4 Bd7 18. Bf3 Bc6 19. Bg4 Bd7 20. Bf3 Bc6 21. Bg4 ½–½ Prusikin – Chernyshov, FS05 GM, Budapest 2003)
13. ... f4 14. b4 a5 15. a3 Na6 16. Rab1 Bc8 17. Rfc1 h6 18. c5 bxc5 19. Bxa6 Bxa6 20. bxc5 dxc5 21. Nb5 Rfb8 22. a4 Bxb5 23. Rxb5 Rxb5 24. axb5 a4 25. Nd2 Nd7 26. Nc4 Qg5 27. f3 Kh7 28. Ra1 Qh4 29. h3

39. ... a3! 30. Kf1 Nb6 31. Nxa3 Qe7 32. Ra2? Ra4 33. Nb1 Rxa2? (33. ... Rd4! 34. Nd2 c4∓)
34. Qxa2 c4 35. Qa3 Qd7 36. Nc3 Qd8 37. Nd1 Qd7 38. Qc5 Kg8? (38. .. Qd6!)
39. Nb2 c3 40. Qxc3 Qxb5+ 41. Kg1 Nd7 42. Kh2

42. Nd3? (42. Qxc7 Qe2 43. Qc3+−)
42. ... Qb6+ 43. Kh2 Qd6 44. Nb4 Qg6 45. Nc6 Qd6 46. Qa1 Kh7 47. Nd8 Qg6? (47. ... Nf8 48. Nc6 Ng6)
48. Ne6 c6 49. dxc6 Qxe6 50. cxd7 Qxd7 51. Qxe5 Qd2 (51. ... Qf7 52. Qf5++−)
52. Qf5+ Kh8 53. e5 Qe3 54. e6 Qe1 55. Qf8+ Kh7 56. Qf5+ (56. Qxf4 Qxe6 57. Qe4++−)
57. ... Kh8

57. Qxf4? (57. Qe4! Qxe4 58. fxe4 Kg8 59. Kg1+−)
57. ... Qxe6 58. h4 Qd5 59. Qb8+ Kh7 60. Qb1+ Kh8 61. Qe4 Qd6+ 62. f4 Qd8 63. Kh3 Qc8+ 64. Kh2 Qd8 65. Kg3 Qc8 66. Qd4 Qb8 67. Qe5 Qc8 68. h5 Kh7 69. Kf3 Kh8 70. Qd5 Qb8 71. g3 Qf8 72. Ke4 Qe8+ 73. Qe5 Qc6+ 74. Kf5 Qc2+ 75. Kg4 Qd1+ 76. Kh4 Qh1+ 77. Kg4 Qd1+ 78. Kh4 ½–½.

First up, then down, then up then down, and finally saved through the looking-glass board. Photo: Aditya Sur Roy/ChessBase India.