Seriously Speaking

New In Chess 2017/6 coverstory is dedicated to 侯逸凡 (Hóu Yìfán) and her historic victory in the 50th International Chess Festival in Biel/Bienne (23 July – 3 August 2017).

A Flowering Tree

侯逸凡 (Hóu Yìfán) – Nico Georgiadis
50th International Chess Festival; Biel/Bienne, August 2, 2017
Sicilian Defence B53

1. e4 c5 2. Nf3 d6 3. d4 cxd4 4. Qxd4 Nc6 5. Bb5 a6. More usual is 5. ... Bd7, which occurred quite often in the praxis of 侯逸凡 (Hóu Yìfán); for instance: 6. Bxc6 Bxc6 7. Nc3 Nf6 8. Bg5 e6 9. Qd3 Be7 10. Nd4 Qa5 11. Bd2 Qc7 12. 0-0-0 0-0 13. f4 Rab8 14. f5 Bd7 15. g4 Rfc8 16. g5 Ng4 17. Rhf1 Qc4 18. Qh3 Ne5 19. Nf3? b5? (19. ... Nd3+!!→) 20. f6 Bf8? (20. ... Ng6 21. fxe7 b4∞) 21. g6! fxg6 22. Nxe5 dxe5 23. f7+ Kh8 24. Rf3 h6 25. Bxh6! gxh6 26. Qg4 g5 27. Qh5 Kg7 28. Rh3 Kf6 29. Rxd7 b4 30. Qxh6+ Bxh6 31. Rxh6+ Kg7 32. f8=Q+ 1 : 0 侯逸凡 (Hóu Yìfán) – Sebag, 1st 杭州 (Hángzhōu) WGM Chess Tournament, 杭州 (Hángzhōu) 2011. 6. Bxc6+ bxc6 7. 0-0 e5 8. Qd3 Nf6 9. Rd1 Qc7 10. Bg5!? Nd7 11. Na3 Nc5 12. Qe2 h6 13. Bd2 a5 14. Nc4 Be7. The immediate 14. ... Ba6! 15. b3 Be7 would have given Black a very comfortable game. 15. Be3

15. ... Ba6? This now allows White to spoil Black’s Pawn formation with an obvious advantage. Correct was 15. ... Ne6 16. Nb6 Rb8 with approximate equality. 16. Bxc5 dxc5 17. Rd2± 0-0 18. Rad1 Rfd8 19. Rxd8+ Rxd8 20. Rxd8+ Bxd8 21. a4 Qb8 22. b3

22. ... Qb4? Black’s cession of the Pawn is tantamount to surrender. Georgiadis had nothing better than “sit-and-wait” with 22. ... Bc7 or 22. ... Bf6 — not a bright outlook. 23. Nfxe5 Bf6 24. Nf3 Bd4 25. Qd3 Kf8 26. Kf1 Bxc4 27. Qxc4 Qxc4+ 28. bxc4 Bb2 29. Nd2 1 : 0.

Thanks to today’s victory, 侯逸凡 (Hóu Yìfán) became the first woman to ever win first prize in the Biel Chess Festival! Photo © Biel Chess Festival.

Merciless Queen

Rafael Artemovich Vaganian – 侯逸凡 (Hóu Yìfán)
50th International Chess Festival; Biel/Bienne, August 1, 2017
Queen’s Pawn Game D05

1. d4 Nf6 2. Nf3 e6 3. e3 b6 4. Bd3 Bb7 5. 0-0 d5 6. b3 Bd6 7. Bb2 0-0 8. Ne5 c5 9. Qe2. 9. Nd2 Nc6 10. a3 is a matter that 侯逸凡 (Hóu Yìfán) had studied well during her preparation: 10. ... a5 11. f4 Ne7 12. Rf3 cxd4 13. Bxd4 Bxe5 14. fxe5 Ne4 15. Rh3 Nf5 16. Bxe4 dxe4 17. Nc4 Nxd4 18. exd4 Bc6 19. Nd6 Qg5 20. Rc3 Bd5 21. Rg3 Qf4 22. c4 Bc6 23. Qf1 Qxf1+ 24. Rxf1 Rab8 25. Rf4 b5 26. c5 a4 27. b4 Rbd8 28. Rfg4 g6 29. Rf4 Kg7 30. Rf6 Rd7 31. Kf2 Ra8 32. Ke3 Raa7 33. h4 h6 34. Rh3 Rd8 35. Rh1 Re7 36. h5 g5 37. d5 Bxd5 38. Nxb5 1 : 0 Vaganian – M. Adams, Armenia – Rest of the World Match, Moscow 2004. 9. ... Nc6 10. a3 Rc8 11. Nd2 Ne7 12. Rad1. If 12. f4 then 12. ... Ne4 with comfortable equality, Rajlich – 侯逸凡 (Hóu Yìfán), First Saturday GM July, Budapest 2008 and/or Hoàng Thị Bảo Trâm – 侯逸凡 (Hóu Yìfán), 16th Asian Women’s Team Chess Championship, 广州 (Guǎngzhōu) 2010. 12. ... Qc7 13. c4 Ne4 14. cxd5 Nxd2 15. Rxd2 Bxd5

16. Qh5. Had Vaganian only known what was to happen... he would probably have contented himself with something like 16. Nf3 cxd4 17. Nxd4! Bxh2+ 18. Kh1 Be5 19. Nb5 Qb8 20. Bxh7+ Kxh7 21. Qh5+ Kg8 22. Bxe5 Qa8 23. Kg1! Bxb3 24. Rd7 Ng6 25. Qxg6! fxg6 26. Rxg7+ drawing by perpetual check. 16. ... f5 17. Nc4 cxd4 18. Bxd4 Ng6 19. Nxd6 Qxd6 20. b4? White’s only serious error — but enough to lose the game! Probably best was 20. Ba6 Rb8 (Δ ... b6-b5) 21. Qe2 Qxa3 22. Ra1 Qe7 23. Bb2 and White may hope for some compensation by virtue of his Bishop pair.

20. ... Bxg2! 21. Kxg2 Qxd4! 22. Qxg6. Neither 22. exd4 Nf4+ 23. Kf3 Nxh5 24. Re1 Kf7 nor 22. Qxh7+ Kxh7 23. exd4 Rc3 can help White’s cause. 22. ... Qd5+ 23. e4 fxe4 24. Qxe4?! The Rook endgame after 24. Ba6 hxg6 25. Rxd5 exd5 26. Bxc8 Rxc8 27. Rd1 Rd8 28. f3 e3 is pretty hopeless for White. 24. ... Qg5+! 25. Kh1 Qxd2 26. Qxh7+ Kf7 27. Qg6+ (27. Rg1 Qh6−+) 27. ... Ke7 28. Qxg7+ Rf7 29. Qd4 Qf4! 30. Qxf4 Rxf4 31. f3 Rd4 32. Be4 Rd2 33. Rg1 Rc3 0 : 1.

侯逸凡 (Hóu Yìfán) mercilessly took advantage of Vaganian’s miscalculation. Photo © Biel Chess Festival.

Stop the Clocks

Pentala Harikrishna – 侯逸凡 (Hóu Yìfán)
50th International Chess Festival; Biel/Bienne, July 30, 2017
Sicilian Defence B36

1. c4 c5 2. Nf3 Nc6 3. d4 cxd4 4. Nxd4 g6 5. e4 Nf6 6. Nc3 d6 7. Be2 Nxd4 8. Qxd4 Bg7 9. Be3 0-0 10. Qd2 a5 11. 0-0 a4 12. Rad1 Qa5 13. Bd4 Be6 14. Qe3. In the Accelerated Dragon, the Maróczy Bind can be quite unpleasant for Black, and already three years earlier 侯逸凡 (Hóu Yìfán) had ended up drinking the bitter cup: 14. Nd5 Bxd5 15. Qxa5 Rxa5 16. exd5 Nd7 17. Bxg7 Kxg7 18. Rfe1 Nc5 19. Bd3 Re8 20. Re3 Ra6 21. Bc2 Rb6 22. b3 axb3 23. axb3 Rb4 24. Kf1 h5 25. Ke2 Ra8 26. Kd2 Kf8 27. Kc3 Rb6 28. Rde1 Ra3 29. Kb2 Ra4 30. Kc3 Ra3 31. Kb2 Ra4 32. Kc3 Rab4 33. Rxe7 Kg7 34. Rb1 1 : 0 Ruck – 侯逸凡 (Hóu Yìfán), 18th Corsican Circuit, Bastia 2014, Semifinal match game 3 (time control: 15 minutes plus 3 seconds). 14. ... Nd7 15. Nd5 Rfe8 16. h4 Bxd5 17. cxd5 Bxd4 18. Rxd4 Qb6 19. Qd2 Rec8 20. Bg4 Rc7 21. Rb4 Qa5 22. Bxd7 Rxd7 23. Rc1 Rc7 24. Rxc7 Qxc7 25. a3 Qd7 26. Qd1 b5 27. Qe2 Ra5. 27. ... Rb8 looks more natural. 28. g3 h5 29. Kg2 Kh7 30. Qf3 Kg8 31. Qc3 Ra7 32. Qd3 Ra5 33. Qf1 Kg7 34. Qd1 Qc7 35. Qd3 Qc5 36. Qe2 Kf8 37. g4 hxg4 38. Qxg4 Ra8 39. h5 Kg7! 40. hxg6 fxg6? Black takes a (not too) calculated risk. Both 40. ... Rf8! and 40... Rg8! came seriously into consideration; for instance: 40. ... Rg8! 41. Qf3 Kxg6! 42. e5 Kg7!∞ with an unclear balance.

41. Qd7! Attacking both b5 and e7. 41. ... Rf8 42. Qxe7+ Rf7 43. Qh4 g5!? Something of a bluff. 44. Qg3? And it apparently worked! Simply 44. Qxg5+ Kf8 45. Qd2 would have left White two Pawns ahead a nearly won endgame; for instance: 45. ... Rg7+ 46. Kf1 Rh7 47. Qc3! forcing the exchange of Queens. 44. ... Kg6 45. Qe3

45. ... Qc8? Heads or tails? Heads. Alas, it’s tails: 45. ... Qxe3 46. fxe3 Re7 47. Kf3 (or 47. Rxb5 Rxe4 48. Kf3 Kf5 49. Rb8 g4+ 50. Ke2 Rc4 51. Kd3 Rc1 52. e4+ Kg5 53. Rg8+ Kf4 54. Rf8+ Kg5 55. Kd2 Rc4=) 47. ... Rf7+ 48. Ke2 Rf8 49. Rxb5 g4 50. Rb6 g3 51. Rxd6+ Kg5 52. Rc6 (52. Rd7 Kg6=) 52. ... Rf2+ 53. Ke1 Rxb2 54. Rc8 g2 55. Rg8+ Kf6 56. d6 Ke6 57. e5 Ra2 58. Rg4 Rxa3 with a draw. 46. e5! Now White’s Rook enters the scene with an overwhelming effect. 46. ... dxe5 47. Qxe5 Qc2 48. Qe3 Rf6 49. Rd4 Kf7 50. Re4 Qc8 51. Qxg5 Qc5 52. Qh5+ 1 : 0. For after 52. ... Rg6+ 53. Rg4! White pins and wins!

So, let’s just call it just an unlucky day for 侯逸凡 (Hóu Yìfán). Photo © Biel Chess Festival.

Prague Chivalry

侯逸凡 (Hóu Yìfán) – David Navara
50th International Chess Festival; Biel/Bienne, July 28, 2017
Sicilian Defence B90

1. e4 c5 2. Nf3 d6 3. d4 cxd4 4. Nxd4 Nf6 5. Nc3 a6 6. Be3 Ng4 7. Bg5 h6 8. Bc1 Nc6 9. Nxc6 bxc6 10. Bc4 e5 11. b3 Be7 12. Bb2 0-0 13. Qe2 Nf6!? A very recent game went 13. ... Qb6 14. 0-0 Nf6 15. Kh1 a5 16. Na4 Qc7 17. Rae1 Nd7 18. Qd3 Bb7 19. Qg3 Bg5 20. Rd1 Nf6 21. f3 Rfe8 22. Rfe1 Rad8 23. Bf1 Nh5 24. Qf2 Re6 25. g3 Ree8 26. Qb6 Qb8 27. Bc3 Rc8 28. Bh3 d5 29. Nc5 Ba8 30. Qxb8 Rxb8 31. exd5 cxd5 32. Bxe5 d4 33. Bxb8 Rxb8 34. Rxd4 Bxf3+ 35. Bg2 Bxg2+ 36. Kxg2 Rc8 37. Rc4 Rd8 38. Nd3 1 : 0 M. Adams – Salem, Grand Prix 2017, 3rd stage, Geneva 2017. 侯逸凡 (Hóu Yìfán) should not have been caught unprepared, however, since she too was present there! 14. 0-0-0 Be6!? It may well be arguable that Black’s strategy is the most sound, but certainly it is thematic. 15. Bxe6 fxe6

16. f4! Nd7. After intensely thinking for awhile, Navara opted for the text move. If, instead, 16. ... exf4 there might follow 17. e5 Nd5 18. exd6 (18. Ne4? dxe5! 19. c4? does not gain anything for White as there is 19. ... Qc7!) 18. ... Qxd6 19. Kb1 with excellent compensation for the Pawn. 17. f5 Nb6? Black has not all this time to wrap around the centre! Imperative was 17. ... exf5 18. Qc4+ Rf7 19. Qxc6 Qc8 heading for a slightly inferior, but still defensible endgame. 18. Rhf1 Qd7?! A little better is 18. ... exf5 although now, after 19. exf5 Qc7 20. Ne4 White stands much better.

19. g4! Black’s got into a hopeless position with no prospects for counterplay. 19. ... a5 20. a4 Rab8 21. Kb1 d5. A desperate bid for freedom. 22. fxe6 Qxe6 23. Rxf8+ Bxf8 24. exd5 cxd5 25. Nb5 e4 26. Qe3 Rb7. Also after 26. ... Qxg4 27. Rg1 Qe6 28. Qc3 followed by Qc3xa5 the ending would be hopeless for Black. 27. h3 Rf7 28. Nd4 Bc5 29. Qd2. Sic et simpliciter. The a5-Pawn is lost, and with it, the game. 29. ... Bxd4 30. Bxd4 Nd7 31. Qxa5 Rf3 32. Qb5 e3 33. Re1 Rxh3 34. a5 Qxg4 35. Qxd5+ Kh7 36. a6 Rh5 37. Qd6 e2 38. a7 Ra5 39. Kb2 Qh4 (39. ... h5 40. b4 Ka4 41. Kb3+−) 40. Qxd7 1 : 0.

侯逸凡 (Hóu Yìfán) hit hard against Black’s Sicilian, with no apparent effort made to move from a powerful middlegame to a won endgame. Photo © Biel Chess Festival.

A Close Call

Ruslan Olegovich Ponomariov – 侯逸凡 (Hóu Yìfán)
50th International Chess Festival; Biel/Bienne, July 27, 2017
Vienna Game C28

1. e4 e5 2. Bc4 Nf6 3. d3 Nc6 4. Nc3 Bc5 5. f4 0-0 6. Nf3 exf4 7. Bxf4 d6 8. Qd2!? Maybe a new move, but really, nothing special. Although a blitz game can hardly be considered as a theoretical rule, the following game between two very illustrious guys, is indeed quite interesting: 8. Bg5 h6 9. Bh4 Be6 10. Bb3 Nd4 11. Rf1 Nxf3+?! (11. ... Bg4 12. Qd2? Nxe4! 13. Bxd8 Nxd2) 12. Qxf3 Bd4 13. Ne2 Bxb2 14. Rb1 Ba3 15. Nf4 Bb4+ 16. Ke2 Bg4 17. Qxg4 Nxg4 18. Bxd8 Raxd8?! (18. ... Rfxd8) 19. Ng6 (winning the Exchange) 19. ... Bc5 20. Nxf8 Rxf8 21. h3 Nf6 22. c3 Bb6 23. Rf5 Re8 24. Rbf1 c6 25. Kd2 Re7 26. g4 d5? (giving up this Pawn makes it a definite endgame win) 27. exd5 cxd5 28. Bxd5 Be3+ 29. Kd1 Bg5 30. Bb3 b6 31. Re1 Rc7 32. Kc2 g6 33. Rfe5 Kf8 34. Rf1 Kg7 35. d4 Bh4 36. Kd3 Bg3 37. Re3 Bh4 38. a4 Nh7 39. a5 Ng5 40. axb6 axb6 41. Bc4 Ra7 42. Rb1 Rb7 43. Rb5 Bf2 44. Re8 Nxh3 45. Ke2 Bh4 46. Kf3 Ng5+ 47. Kg2 Rc7 48. Rb4 Nh7 49. Kf3 Bf6 50. Ke2 Be7 51. Ra4 Nf6 52. Rb8 Nxg4 53. Rxb6 h5 54. Rba6 h4 55. Ra7 Rxa7 56. Rxa7 Kf6 57. Bd5 Nh6 58. c4 Nf5 59. Kd3 g5 60. c5 g4 61. c6 Bd6 62. Rxf7+ Kg5 63. c7 Bxc7 64. Rxc7 h3 65. Rh7 Nh4 66. Be6 Ng6 67. Rg7 h2 68. Bd5 Kf6 69. Rxg6+ 1 : 0 Kasparov – Caruana, Ultimate Blitz Challenge (5+3), Saint Louis 2016, match game 9 — annotations by Grandmaster Nick de Firmian. 8. ... Be6 9. Bg5? This makes things much difficult. After 9. Bxe6 fxe6 White could choose between 10. 0-0-0, 10. Rf1, or 10. Na4 with better prospects for equality in all cases. 9. ... Bxc4 10. dxc4 Bb4 11. Qf4 Bxc3+ 12. bxc3 Qe7 13. Bxf6 Qxf6 14. Qxf6 gxf6. After a lot of exchanges, White has certainly reasons to worry about the endgame due to the tripled Pawns on the c-file.

15. 0-0 Rae8 16. Nd2 Kg7 17. Rf4 Re5 18. Rb1 b6 19. Rb5 Rfe8 20. Kf2 h5 21. Rh4 Kg6 22. Nf3!? Quite understandably, Ponomariov goes for a clever as well as practical try, rather than waiting for worse consequences to mount up.

22. ... Rxb5?! Black’s best probably was 22. ... Rxe4 23. Rbxh5 Re2+ 24. Kf1 Rxc2 25. Rh7 Rc1+ 26. Kf2 Kf5 27. Rxf7 Rc2+ 28. Kf1 Ree2 retaining better chances to win. 23. cxb5 Ne5 24. Ke3 Nxf3 25. gxf3 Kg5. Also after 25. ... Re5! 26. c4 Re5 27. Rh3! Rxc4 28. Rg3+ Kh6 29. Kf4! Rxc2 30. Kf5 Rxh2 31. f4 White should manage to draw. 26. Rf4 Re5 27. c4 Rc5 28. h4+ Kg6 29. Kd4 Re5 30. Rf5 Rxf5 31. exf5+ Kxf5. Despite Black’s extra Pawn, the King and Pawn endgame is manifestly drawn. 32. Ke3 Ke5 33. f4+ Kf5 34. Kf3 Ke6 35. Ke4 f5+ 36. Kd4 Ke7 37. Kc3 Kd7 38. Kd3 Kc8 39. Kd4 Kd8 40. Kc3 Kd7 41. Kd3 c6 42. a4 Kc7 43. Kd4 a6 44. Kc3 cxb5 45. cxb5 axb5 46. axb5 d5 47. Kd4 Kd6 48. c3 Ke6 49. Ke3 Kd6 ½ : ½.

侯逸凡 (Hóu Yìfán) came very near winning — but not quite. Photo © Biel Chess Festival.

Tell what you cannot say

Péter Lékó – 侯逸凡 (Hóu Yìfán)
50th International Chess Festival; Biel/Bienne, July 26, 2017
Russian Defence C42

1. e4 e5 2. Nf3 Nf6 3. Nxe5 d6 4. Nf3 Nxe4 5. Nc3 Nxc3 6. dxc3 Be7 7. Be3 Nc6 8. Qd2 Be6 9. 0-0-0 Qd7 10. h4. Or 10. b3 Bf6 11. h3 0-0-0 12. g4 h6 13. Bg2 Kb8 14. Rhe1 Rhe8 15. Kb2 a6 16. Re2 Qe7 17. Rde1 Qf8 18. Nd4 Nxd4 19. Bxd4 Bxd4 20. Qxd4 Bd7 22. f4 Rxe2 22. Rxe2 Re8 23. Rxe8+ Bxe8= Carlsen – 侯逸凡 (Hóu Yìfán), 78th Tata Steel Chess Tournament, Wijk aan Zee 2016. 10. ... h6 11. c4. So far, so near: 11. a3 Rg8 12. Nd4 Nxd4 13. Qxd4 c5 14. Qf4 d5 15. Qg3 0-0-0 16. Be2 g5 17. hxg5 hxg5 18. Rh7 Qa4 19. Kb1 Rd7 20. Bc1 Bd6 21. Qd3 Bf4 22. Be3 Bxe3 23. Qxe3 Qe4 24. Qxe4 dxe4 25. Kc1 Rxd1+ 26. Kxd1 Kd7 27. Kd2 Kd6 28. Bh5 Ke7 29. Ke3 Kf6 30. Be2 Kg6 31. Rh1 f5 32. g3 Rd8 33. a4 Kf6 34. a5 Ke5 35. Rh5 Rg8 36. f4+ exf3 37. Bxf3 Rg7 38. Rh8 Re7 39. Ra8 a6 40. Rd8 f4+ 41. gxf4+ gxf4+ 42. Kf2 Rc7 43. Rb8 Bc8 44. c4 Kd6 45. c3 Ke5 46. Bd5 Kf6 47. Kf3 Kf5 48. b3 Ke5 49. b4 cxb4 50. cxb4 Kf5 51. Ke2 Ke5 52. Kd3 Bf5+ 53. Kd2 Kd4 54. Rf8 Ke5 55. Kc3 Re7 56. Rh8 Be4 57. Rh5+ Kd6 58. Kd4 Bxd5 59. Rxd5+ Kc6 60. Rc5+ Kd6 61. Rf5 Rh7 62. Rf6+ Kc7 63. Rxf4 Rh5 64. Rf7+ Kc6 65. Rf6+ Kc7 66. Re6 Rg5 67. Re5 Rg6 68. b5 axb5 69. cxb5 Rg1 70. Re7+ Kb8 71. b6 Rd1+ 72. Kc5 Rc1+ 73. Kd6 Rd1+ 74. Ke6 Re1+ 75. Kd7 Rxe7+ 76. Kxe7 Ka8 77. Kd7 Kb8 78. Kd8 Ka8 79. a6 Kb8 ½ : ½ Caruana – 侯逸凡 (Hóu Yìfán), 78th Tata Steel Chess Tournament, Wijk aan Zee 2016. 11. ... 0-0 12. Bd3 f5 13. Nd4 Ne5 14. b3 Bf6 15. Nxe6 Qxe6 16. Be2 Ng4 17. Bxg4 fxg4 18. Qd5 Qxd5 19. Rxd5 Rae8 20. Kd2 b6 21. g3 Be5 22. Re1 a5 23. a4

23. ... Rf3 24. Re2 (24. Ke2?? Bxg3!−+) 24. ... Kf7 25. Rd3 Re6 26. c3 Bf6 27. Kc2 Re4 28. Kd2 Re6 29. Kc2 Re4 30. Kd2 Re6 ½ : ½.

And so, once again, 侯逸凡 (Hóu Yìfán) resorted to the Russian Defence. Photo © Biel Chess Festival.

Down to Earth

侯逸凡 (Hóu Yìfán) – Noël Oliver Studer
50th International Chess Festival; Biel/Bienne, July, 25, 2017
French Defence C11

1. e4 e6 2. d4 d5 3. Nc3 Nf6 4. Bg5 dxe4 5. Nxe4 Nbd7 6. Nf3 h6 7. Nxf6+ Nxf6 8. Bh4 c5 9. c3 Bd7 10. Bd3 cxd4 11. Nxd4 Bd6. The alternative was 11. ... Bc5 12. Nf3 Bd6 13. Qe2 Qc7 14. 0-0-0 0-0-0 with a balanced position. 12. Qe2 Qa5 13. Nf5 Bf8. 13. ... Be5 looks more appropriate; for instance: 14. f4 exf5 15. 0-0 Ne4 with roughly even chances. 14. Ne3. 14. 0-0(!) looks simpler and more promising. 14. ... Bc6 15. Nc4 Qh5 16. Qxh5 Nxh5 17. f3 g5 18. Bf2 Nf4 19. Bf1 g4. A pseudo-aggressive move that gives White the Bishop pair. 20. Ne5 gxf3 21. gxf3 Bd6 22. Nxc6 bxc6 23. 0-0-0 Nd5 24. Kc2. If 24. c4 Black replies with 24. ... Bf4+ 25. Kb1 Ne3 26. Rd4 Rd8! saving everything. 24. ... Bf4 25. Re1. 25. Ba6 would ultimately lead to the gain of Black’s a-Pawn, but, most likely, at the price of an endgame with opposite coloured Bishops. 侯逸凡 (Hóu Yìfán) aims for more. 25. ... a5 26. a3 Rg8 27. c4 Ne7 28. Bb6 Nf5 29. Re4 e5 30. Bh3 Nd6

31. Rxf4. White prefers to sacrifice the Exchange rather than a Pawn, and, indeed, her assessment proves correct, as the Bishop pair offers more than enough compensation. 31. ... exf4 32. Kc3 Rg5 33. Re1+ Kf8 34. Bd7 c5 35. h4 Rh5 36. Bc7 Nf5

37. Bxf4? 侯逸凡 (Hóu Yìfán)’s too hasty. Very strong was 37 Re5! Ng3 (if 37. ... Ra7 then 38. Rxf5!+−) 38. Bd6+ Kg7 39. Rxh5 Nxh5 40. Bxc5 with a telling White’s Queenside Pawn majority eager to roll. 37. ... Rd8 38. Ba4 Rxh4 39. Be5? 39. Bc7! Rc8 40. Bb6 draws. 39. ... Rh3 40. Bc6 Nd4. Black, too, was short of time. Best was 40. ... f6!−+ and even without considering 41. Bxf6?? Rd6 (blundering a piece), White’s Bishop has no good squares. 41. Bxd4 cxd4+ 42. Kd3 Rh2 43. Rb1 h5 44. Bd5 a4 45. b3 h4. With 45. ... Rh4! 46. bxa4 Re8 Black would have retained excellent winning chances. 46. bxa4 h3 47. Kxd4 Rg2 48. Rh1 h2 49. a5 Rd6 50. f4 Ra2 51. Kc5 Rg6? 51. ... Rh6(!) was Black’s very last try to keep playing for a win. 52. Bc6 Rxa3 53. Rxh2 Rxa5+ 54. Bb5 Ra1 55. Rf2 Rgg1 56. Kb6 Raf1 57. Rxf1 Rxf1 ½ : ½.

Today 侯逸凡 (Hóu Yìfán) did not succeed in accomplishing what she was striving for. Photo © Biel Chess Festival.