They Said She Couldn’t, but Yes She Can!

Alice Lee – 侯逸凡 (Hóu Yìfán)

8th Online Women’s Speed Chess Championship Main Event; Final match game 2; time control: 5 minutes plus 1 second per move; chess.com, August 7, 2026

4B3/2p3p1/1p4P1/1P6/4Pk1p/6bK/8/8 w - - 13 79

Position after 78. ... Kg5-f4

The diagram speaks for itself; Black has an extra Pawn, but the Bishops of opposite colours mean that 侯逸凡 (Hóu Yìfán) will not be able to make anything of it. Yet one cannot imagine her losing such an ending!
79. Bc6 Kf3!? Uselessly tricky — although there is nothing wrong with it. Much simpler was 79. ... Kg5 80. Be8 Kf4 with a draw.
80. e5+ Kf4?? An incredible mistake, which is very difficult to understand. Black could still save herself by 80. ... Ke3 81. e6 Bd6 82. Kxh4 Kf4 with a draw soon.
81. e6 Kg5 82. e7 1–0.

Sixteen-year-old Alice Lee is the surprise winner of the 8th Online Women’s Speed Chess Championship after narrowly defeating legendary 侯逸凡 (Hóu Yìfán) in the Grand Final. Screenshot courtesy of chess.com.