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).

Le roi s’amuse

Maxime Vachier-Lagrave – Richárd Rapport
48th International Chess Festival; Biel/Bienne, July 30, 2015
Philidor Defence C41

1. e4 e5 2. Nf3 d6. Philidor’s dogma. 3. d4 exd4 4. Nxd4 Nf6 5. Nc3 Be7 6. g3 0-0 7. Bg2 Re8 8. 0-0 Bf8 9. Bf4 Nbd7 10. Qd2 Ne5 11. Rad1 c6 12. h3 b5. For 12. ... Nc4 13. Qc1 Qa5 see Brady – Wall, e2e4 Dublin International Easter Congress Masters, Dublin 2012. 13. b3 b4 14. Na4 c5 15. Nb5

15. ... d5? This pseudo-freeing counter-move is a serious error of judgment, leading to the loss of a Pawn without any compensation. Here 15. ... Ba6 16. c4 Bxb5 17. axb5 Qa5 would seem a quite reasonable continuation. 16. exd5 Bxh3 17. Bxe5 Rxe5 18. Bxh3 a6 19. Nbc3 bxc3 20. Nxc3. White is not only a Pawn ahead, but has a powerful passed Pawn. Such an advantage is more than enough for Maxime to convert to a win. 20. ... Bd6 21. Rfe1 Rxe1+ 22. Rxe1 Qc7 23. Ne4 Nxe4 24. Rxe4 Qb6 25. Qe3 g6 26. Bd7 Rd8 27. Be8 Qc7 28. Kg2 Rb8 29. Rh4 h5 30. Re4 Rb4 31. c4 Rb8 32. Qf3 Bf8 33. Qf6 a5 34. d6! Qb7. After 34. ... Bxd6 35. Bxf7+! Qxd7 36. Qxd6 Black is busted. 35. f3 Bg7 36. Qe7. Without further thought, Maxime forces the exchange of Queens as to ensure the win of the second Pawn. 36. ... Qxe7 37. Rxe7 Bf8 38. Bxf7+ Kg7 39. Ra7 Bxd6 40. Bd5+ Kf6 41. Rxa5 Rb6 42. f4 g5 43. Kf3 h4 44. fxg5+ Kxg5 45. gxh4+ Kxh4 46. Ke4 Kg5 47. Rb5 Rb8 48. Rxb8 1 : 0.

Maxime Vachier-Lagrave vs. Richárd Rapport
Photo: Biel International Chess Festival

Touchscreen

David Navara – Maxime Vachier-Lagrave
48th International Chess Festival; Biel/Bienne, July 29, 2015
English Opening A37

1. Nf3 c5 2. c4 Nc6 3. Nc3 e5 4. g3 g6 5. Bg2 Bg7 6. 0-0 Nge7 7. Ne1 a6 8. d3 Rb8 9. a4 d6 10. Nc2 0-0 11. Rb1 a5 12. Bg5 f6 13. Bd2 f5 14. f4 Be6 15. Nd5 Nb4!? Theoretical novelty. The older reference was 15. ... b6 16. Na3 Nb4 17. Qb3 Qd7 18. Rbe1 Kh8 19. Nb5 Bg8 20. Kh1 h6 21. fxe5 dxe5 22. e4 Nec6 23. Bh3 Be6 24. Bxb4 axb4 25. Qd1 Rb7 26. Rf2 Qd8 27. Ref1 Rbf7 28. Kg1 Ne7 29. Nbc7 Bxd5 30. Nxd5 Nxd5 31. exd5 f4 32. Be6 Rf6 33. Qg4 fxg3 34. hxg3 Rxf2 35. Rxf2 Rxf2 36. Kxf2 Qf6+ 37. Ke2 h5 38. Qf3 Qxf3+ 39. Kxf3 Bf8 40. Ke2 Kg7 41. Kd2 Kf6 42. Kc2 Ke7 43. Kb3 g5 44. Kc2 Kd6 45. Bf7 h4 46. gxh4 gxh4 47. Be6 Kc7 48. Bh3 Bd6 ½ : ½ Botvinnik – Bobotsov, 16th Chess Olympiad, Tel Aviv 1964. 16. fxe5?! We guess Mikhail Moiseyevich Botvinnik would never have played such a move! After 16. Ncxb4 axb4 17. fxe5 Bxe5 18. Bh6 Bxd5 19. cxd5 Rf7 the position appears quite even. 16. ... Nbxd5 17. cxd5 Nxd5 18. exd6 Qxd6

19. Bxa5? White should not have taken this Pawn, since thus he allows Black a terrific attack. 19. ... f4! 20. Qe1. Also 20. Be1 can be answered by 20. ... Be5. 20. ... Be5 21. e4 fxe3 22. Bc3 Rxf1+ 23. Bxf1 Re8 24. Na3 Nxc3 25. bxc3 Bd5. White’s position is a nightmare. 26. Nc4 Bxc4 27. dxc4 Qd2 28. Qe2 Rf8 29. Rxb7 Bxc3 30. Rb1 Qxe2 31. Bxe2 Rf2 32. Bd3 Rd2 33. Be4 e2 34. Kf2 Ra2! 0 : 1. Maxime’s finishing touch is very elegant.

David Navara vs. Maxime Vachier-Lagrave
Photo: Biel International Chess Festival

Aida

David Navara – Radosław Wojtaszek
48th International Chess Festival; Biel/Bienne, July 23, 2015
Sicilian Defence B90

1. e4 c5 2. Nf3 d6 3. d4 cxd4 4. Nxd4 Nf6 5. Nc3 a6 6. Be3 e5 7. Nb3 Be6 8. h3 Be7 9. g4. For 9. f4 exf4 10. Bxf4 Nc6 11. Qe2 Nd7 12. 0-0-0 Nce5 see Navara – So, Prague 2015, match game 1. 9. ... d5 10. exd5 Nxd5 11. Bg2 Nxe3 12. Qxd8+ Bxd8 13. fxe3 Bh4+ 14. Kf1 Nc6 15. Nc5. “I decided to play this line of the Najdorf, because previously I had only used it in training games with Pentala Harikrishna”, then Navara said. 15. ... Bc4+ 16. Kg1 0-0-0 17. b3 Bg5 18. Re1 Bh4 19. Rb1 Bg5 20. Kf2. “I did not want to repeat moves, so I decided to advance my King. Analysis with the computer showed that White is not worse, although he does have to find some only moves”, Navara said. 20. ... Bh4+ 21. Kf3 e4+ 22. Kf4 g5+ 23. Kf5 Rhe8 24. Rhd1 Re5+ 25. Kf6. “Up to here was all preparation...”, Navara said. 25. ... Rg8. “During preparation, I joked that if the game ended in a quick draw, I would be disqualified for pre-arranging it, and if it was not drawm I’d be disqualified for following computer help ...”, Navara said. 26. bxc4 Rg6+ 27. Kxf7 Re7+ 28. Kf8 Rf6+ 29. Kg8 Rg6+ 30. Kh8!! “Who says ‘the Chinese Immortal’? No, it’s Navara – Wojtaszek that will remain in history of chess forever. Phenomenal!”, Grandmaster Andrey Deviatkin jubilated.

30. ... Rf6. If 30. ... Bg3? (with a direct threat of mate) then 31. Rd5! Be5+ 32. Rxe5 Nxe5 33. Rxb7! and White wins! 31. Rf1 Bf2 32. Rxf2 Rxf2 33. Rf1 Rxg2. Black should first have played 33. ... Re8+ and only then (after 34. Kxh7) 34. ... Rxg2 avoiding the Rook’s penetration. 34. Rf8+! Kc7 35. Nd5+. All chess engines quite rightly recommend 35. N5xe4(!), but it is understandable that Navara wants to win back the Exchange. 35. ... Kd6 36. Nxe7 Kxc5 37. Rf5+ Kxc4 38. Nxc6 bxc6 39. Rxg5 Rg3. “After 39. ... Rxc2 I did not see anything convincing at the board, although there are many ideas. Yesterday I had dinner with the Poles and pointed out that previously, I had only beaten Radoslaw twice, both in drawn Rook endings. So, that means today is the third...”, Navara said. Indeed 39. ... Rxc2 40. Kxh7 Kd3 looks like a draw. 40. h4 h6? A fatal faux pas. The artificial line 40. ... Rxe3 41. Kxh7 Rg3 42. h5 e3 43. h6 Kc3 44. Kg6 e2 45. h7 e1=Q 46. h8=Q+ Kxc2 would lead to a very drawish position. 41. Rg6 Rxe3 42. Kg7 Rg3 43. Kxh6 e3 44. Kg5? Navara relaxes in accuracy. After 44. g5 Rg4 45. h5 White’s two united passed Pawns apparently run faster than Black’s e-Pawn, e.g. 45. ... Re4 46. Rxc6+ Kd5 47. Rb6 Re6+ 48. Rxe6 Kxe6 49. g6 e2 50. g7 e1=Q 51. g8=Q+ and White should win. 44. ... Kd5? The decisive mistake. Correct was 44. ... Kc3! 45. Rxc6+ Kd2 46. Rd6+ Kxc2 47. Re6 Kd2 leading to a drawn game. 45. Kf4 Rh3 46. h5 c5 47. Rg5+! Kd4 48. Re5! 1 : 0. “After losing, Radek behaved impeccably and even took part in a post-mortem”, Navara said.

David Navara
Photo: Biel International Chess Festival

Nigel David Short (@nigelshortchess)

Le Roi Soleil

Michael Adams – Maxime Vachier-Lagrave
48th International Chess Festival; Biel/Bienne, July 22, 2015
Sicilian Defence B51

1. e4 c5 2. Nf3 d6 3. Bb5+ Nd7 4. c3 Ngf6 5. Qe2 a6 6. Ba4 e5. Transposing from Sicilian into Spanish. 7. 0-0 Be7 8. d4 b5 9. Bc2 0-0 10. Rd1 Qc7 11. a4 Rb8 12. Na3 c4!? A theoretical novelty. For 12. ... cxd4 13. cxd4 bxa4 14. Bxa4 exd4 15. Nxd4 Nc5 16. Bc2 Re8 see Cs. Balogh – Babula, Austrian Team Chess Championship, Hohenems 2012. 13. Bd2 Re8 14. axb5 axb5 15. h3 d5! With excellent sense of timing! 16. dxe5 Nxe5 17. Nxe5? This is a serious error from White as it gives his opponent definite tactical targets. Correct was 17. exd5 Ng6 18. Be3 Bc5 with fairly even chances. 17. ... Qxe5 18. f4 Bc5+ 19. Be3. There is nothing better: if 19. Kh1 there follows 19. ... Nxe4!, whilst 19. Kh2 Qe7 20. e5? is refuted by 20. ... Ng4+! 21. Kg3 Bf2+ 22. Kf3 Qh4.

19. ... Qh5! A fresh surprise! 20. Rd2. Similarly, 20. Qf2 Bxe3 21. Qxe3 dxe4 loses a Pawn. 20. ... dxe4. Sic et simpliciter. 21. Re1 Qxe2 22. Rdxe2 Bxe3+ 23. Rxe3 Rb6. Black is a clear Pawn ahead, but the war is not yet won. 24. Kf2 Bf5! 25. Rd1. 25. g4? is refuted by 25. ... Bxg4! and Black disintegrates. 25. ... h5 26. Kg3 g6 27. Rd4 Kg7 28. Kh4. As they say, “the King is a strong piece”. 28. ... Be6 29. Re2. Not 29. Bxe4? Bf5 and White gains material. 29. ... Rbb8 30. Bd1. Comparatively best was 30. Bxe4, though after 30. ... Bd5 31. Bf3 Rxe2 32. Bxe2 Bxg2 Black stands much better. 30. ... Bf5 31. Bc2 Rec8 32. Re1 Rc5. White’s position is almost desperate. 33. Bd1? From now on, White cooperates with Black to create the shortest mate on the board! 33. ... Nd5 34. g3. Or 34. g4 Nxf4 and wins. 34. ... Rh8 35. Nc2 Ne7! With the deadly threat of 36. ... g5+! 37. Kxg5 (37. fxg5 Ng6 mate) 37. ... f6+ 38. Kh4 Ng6 mate. 36. Rd6 Be6! 0 : 1.

Michael Adams vs. Maxime Vachier-Lagrave
Photo: Biel International Chess Festival

大开眼戒

侯逸凡 (Hóu Yìfán)
Biel/Bienne, 24 luglio 2014

• 比尔大师赛侯逸凡第五表现分超2700 逼近小波尔加, sports.sina.com.cn, 25 luglio 2014
• Carlos García Hernández, Chinesin Lichtjahre voraus, neues deutschland, 26 luglio 2014

Abridgement

• Alejandro Tadeo Ramírez Alvarez, Biel: MVL clinches, Wojtaszek second, Chess News, 25 luglio 2014

炼狱 (Purgatory)

Pentala Harikrishna – 侯逸凡 (Hóu Yìfán)
47th International Chess Festival “In Memoriam Hans Suri”; Biel/Bienne, July 24, 2014
Sicilian Defence B88

1. e4 c5 2. Nf3 d6 3. d4 cxd4 4. Nxd4 Nf6 5. Nc3 a6 6. Bc4 e6 7. 0-0 Nc6 8. Nxc6!? bxc6 9. Qe2 d5 10. Bb3. More natural than 10. Bd3 Be7 11. e5 Nd7 12. Na4 Qc7 13. f4 Nb6 14. Nxb6 Qxb6+ 15. Kh1 a5 and White has obtained nothing special from the opening, Emms – Degraeve, Zonal Tournament, Mondariz 2000. 10. ... Be7. Black’s strategy looks like a fiction version of some games from the 1834 McDonnell – de la Bourdonnais match, namely 57th match game and 62th match game. 11. Ba4 Bd7 12. e5 Ng8 13. Qg4 g6 14. Ne2 h5 15. Qf3 Nh6 16. Bxh6 Rxh6

17. c4 Kf8 18. Nd4 Rc8 19. Rac1 c5 20. Bxd7 Qxd7 21. Ne2 d4 22. b4 h4 23. bxc5 Rh5. Breaking news: Black is tremendously short of time! 24. Rfd1 Rxe5. Tameless! It looks more balanced 24. ... Bxc5 25. Nf4 Rf5. 25. Nxd4 Qe8 26. Qf4 Rcxc5 27. Nb3 Rf5. After 27. ... Bg5 28. Qd4 Bf6 29. Nxc5 Re1+ 30. Rxe1 Bxd4 31. Nb3 the ensuing two Rooks plus Knight plus passed c-Pawn vs. Queen plus Bishop endgame would be very unpleasant for Black. 28. Qh6+ Kg8 29. Nxc5 Bxc5. Objectively speaking, after 29. ... Bg5 30. Qxg5 Rxg5 31. Ne4 Qe7 32. Nxg5 Qxg5 the two Rooks plus passed c-Pawn vs. Queen endgame is a little less dangerous than that one previously analyzed, since after 33. Rc3 or 33. h3 (on 33. c5 h3 34. g3 Qg4 White can hardly avoid the perpetual check) Her Majesty may block the Pawn by 33. ... Qc5. 30. Rc2. Black has no evidential compensation for the sacrificed Exchange. 30. ... Be7 31. Qe3 Qc6 32. Kh1 Kh7 33. Rd4 Kg7 34. Qe4 Qb6 35. Rd1 Bf6 36. Qe3 Qc6 37. c5 Kh7 38. h3 Be7 39. Rd4 Kg8 40. Rdc4 a5 41. Qc3 Rd5 42. Qf3 Qd7 43. Rc1 Rf5 44. c6. The intermediate check 44. Qa8+ is stronger yet, e.g. 44. ... Kg7 45. c6 Qc7 46. Qb7 with a winning game for White. 44. ... Rxf3 45. cxd7 Rd3 46. Rc7 Bd8 47. Rb7 Kf8 48. Kg1 Ke7 49. Kf1 Rd2 50. Rc8 g5 51. Ke1 Rd5 52. Ke2 f5 53. Ke3 Rd1 54. Ke2 Rd4 55. Rbb8 Rxd7 56. Rc3 Rd4 57. Rd3 Re4+ 58. Kd2 Rf4. Inspired despair! The alternative 58. ... Bc7 59. Rb7 Rc4 60. Rc3 transposes to the text endgame, so Miss 侯逸凡 (Hóu Yìfán) hopes for a miracle after 59. Rdxd8 Rxf2+ 60. Ke1 Rxg2. 59. f3. White denies any illusion. 59. ... Bc7 60. Rb7 Rc4 61. Rc3 Rxc3 62. Kxc3 Kd6 63. Kc4 Kc6 64. Ra7 Bb6 65. Ra8 Bc7 66. Ra7 Kb6 67. Ra8 Kc6 68. a4 Kd7 69. Ra6 Bd8 70. Kb5 Bc7 71. Kc5 Bd8 72. Ra7+ Bc7 73. Rb7 1 : 0.

Pentala Harikrishna vs. 侯逸凡 (Hóu Yìfán)
Biel/Bienne, July 24, 2014
Photos: bielchessfestival.ch

顯微鏡

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Notes by Dennis Monokroussos

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侯逸凡 (Hóu Yìfán) – Radoslaw Wojtaszek
Biel/Bienne, July 21, 2014
5rk1/5ppp/1rNq1b2/1P1b4/Q2PB3/4R1P1/2p2P1P/4R1K1 w - - 2 29

Hóu Yìfán had an excellent chance to take over solo second, but spoiled a winning position against Wojtaszek. Her 29. Qxc2 was very natural, eliminating a dangerous passed Pawn and consolidating her material advantage, but after a long series of exchanges her winning chances were minimal. Instead 29. Bxd5 Qxd5 30. Re8 (threatening 31. Qa4-a3!/Qa3-b4!) would have won. After 30. ... g5 (30. ... g6 31. Qa3! mates) 31. R8e5! (not 31. Qa3 this time, because after 31. ... Rxe8 32. Rxe8+ Kg7 33. Qf8 isn’t mate; here Black is even winning) 31. ... Qf3 (not 31. ... Bxe5?? 32. Ne7+) 32. Rc5 and now White will be two Pawns up, not just one, and will win. (Dennis Monokroussos, The Chess Mind, July 21, 2014).

舍不得

Maxime Vachier-Lagrave – 侯逸凡 (Hóu Yìfán)
47th International Chess Festival “In Memoriam Hans Suri”; Biel/Bienne, July 22, 2014
Queen’s Gambit Declined D38

1. Nf3 Nf6 2. c4 e6 3. d4 d5 4. Nc3 Bb4 5. Bg5 h6 6. Bxf6 Qxf6 7. e3 0-0 8. Rc1 dxc4 9. Bxc4 c5 10. 0-0 cxd4 11. exd4 Rd8 12. Qe2 Nc6 13. Ne4 Qe7 14. Rfd1 Ba5 15. Nc3. For 15. Bb5 Bd7 16. Ne5 Rac8 see Cebalo – Dizdar, Vukovar 2005. 15. ... Bd7 16. Bd3 Be8 17. Qe4 f5 18. Qe3 Bh5 19. Ne2 Bxf3 20. Qxf3 Nxd4 21. Nxd4 Rxd4

22. Bxf5 Rxd1+ 23. Qxd1 Rf8. An active defence! On 23. ... exf5 24. Qd5+ equalizes. 24. Be4 Bb6 25. Bf3 Qf6 26. Qe2 Bd4 27. b3 Kh8 28. h3 b6 29. Rc6 Be5 30. Qe4 Qf5 31. Kf1 Rd8 32. h4 Kg8 33. Qxf5 exf5 34. Bh5 Bf6 35. Rc7 Bxh4 36. Rxa7 Kh7 37. Ra6 Rd6 38. a4 Be7 39. Be2 Kg6 40. a5 bxa5 41. Rxa5 ½ : ½.

侯逸凡 (Hóu Yìfán)

Maxime Vachier-Lagrave vs. 侯逸凡 (Hóu Yìfán)
Biel/Bienne, July 22, 2014

Photos: bielchessfestival.ch

Moviola

• Alejandro Tadeo Ramírez Alvarez, Miraculous MVL, Chess News, 21 luglio 2014

月食 (Lunar eclipse)

侯逸凡 (Hóu Yìfán) – Radoslaw Wojtaszek
47th International Chess Festival “In Memoriam Hans Suri”; Biel/Bienne, July 21, 2014
Réti Opening A09

1. Nf3 d5 2. g3 c5 3. c4 d4 4. e3 Nc6 5. exd4 cxd4 6. Bg2 e5 7. 0-0 Nf6. For 7. ... Bd6 8. d3 Nge7 see Tomashevsky – Khalifman, 58th Russian Chess Championship, Moscow 2005. 8. d3 Nd7 9. Na3 Be7 10. Nc2 0-0 11. Rb1 a5 12. b3 Rb8 13. Re1 Re8 14. a3 Qc7 15. b4 axb4 16. axb4 b5

17. Nfxd4!! A deeply conceived sacrifice. 17. ... exd4. On 17. ... Nxd4 may follow 18. Nxd4 exd4 19. Bf4 Qd8 20. c5! and White has ample compensation for the sacrificed Knight. 18. Bf4 Nce5 19. Nxd4 bxc4 20. Nc6. The position has become much complicated as a result of White’s Knight sacrifice. Black has various ways of allowing her opponent to regain the piece, none of which seem to be good. 20. ... c3. A little too ambitious. Nolens volens, Black should play 20. ... Bxb4, although after 21. Rxb4 (or 21. Nxb4) 21. ... Rxb4 22. Nxb4 White keeps an edge. 21. Qa4. Possibly still winning, but now Miss 侯逸凡 (Hóu Yìfán) is starting to lose the thread. Probably stronger – and perhaps winning – was the computer move 21. d4, and also after 21. Rxe5 Nxe5 22. Bxe5 Bd6 23. Bxd6 Qxd6 24. Nxb8 Qxb8 25. Qc2 Qe5 26. Bc6 Re7 27. d4! Qxd4 28. Rd1 Qb6 29. Qxc3 h6 30. b5 White has much the better ending. 21. ... Rb6 22. Bxe5 Nxe5 23. Rxe5. Slowly but surely White – with an extra Pawn – has made progress. 23. ... Be6 24. Rbe1 Bf6 25. R5e3 Rf8 26. b5 Qd6 27. d4 c2 28. Be4 Bd5. Unsatisfactory, but what else to make it easier? 29. Qxc2. In serious time trouble, Miss 侯逸凡 (Hóu Yìfán) fears to play 29. Bxd5 Qxd5 30. Re5! (or 30. Re8 g5 31. R8e5!) 30. ... Qd7 (of course not 30. ... Bxe5?? because of 31. Ne7+, whilst 30. ... Qd6 31. R5e2 implies similar consequences to the text) 31. Rc5 with a huge advantage to White. 29. ... Bxe4 30. Rxe4 Rxb5 31. Re8 g6 32. Qc4 Qd5 33. Rxf8+ Kxf8 34. Rc1 Qxc4 35. Rxc4 h5 36. Kg2 Rb3 37. Nb4 Kg7 38. Nc2. I would have preferred 38. h4, since after 38. ... Bd8 39. Nc6 Bb6 40. Rc2 White’s extra Pawn is not so symbolic as in the game. 38. ... h4 39. Kf1 Rb1+ 40. Kg2 Rd1. Black is now safe. 41. Kf3 Rd2 42. h3 Rd3+ 43. Kg4 Rd2 44. Kf3 Rd3+ 45. Kg2 hxg3 46. fxg3 Kg8 47. h4 Kg7 48. Kh3 Be7 49. Ne1 Rb3 50. Rc6 Bf6 51. Rd6 Re3 52. Nc2 Rd3 53. Kg4 ½ : ½.

侯逸凡 (Hóu Yìfán)

侯逸凡 (Hóu Yìfán) vs. Radoslaw Wojtaszek
Biel/Bienne, July 21, 2014
Photos: bielchessfestival.ch

花语

• Alejandro Tadeo Ramírez Alvarez, Three draws in Biel, Chess News, 20 luglio 2014

Quaestio

• Alejandro Tadeo Ramírez Alvarez, MVL one point ahead in Biel, Chess News, 18 luglio 2014

Steinitz exchange lemma

Alexander Anatolyevich Motylev – 侯逸凡 (Hóu Yìfán)
47th International Chess Festival “In Memoriam Hans Suri”; Biel/Bienne, July 18, 2014
Sicilian Defence B48

1. e4 c5 2. Nf3 e6 3. d4 cxd4 4. Nxd4 Nc6 5. Nc3 Qc7 6. Be3 a6 7. Qd2 Nf6 8. 0-0-0 Be7 9. f3 b5 10. g4 Nxd4 11. Bxd4 Bb7 12. g5 Nh5 13. Be5 Qxe5 14. Qxd7+ Kf8 15. Qxb7 Bxg5+. Another try is 15. ... Qb8 16. Rd7 Qxb7 17. Rxb7 g6 18. a4 b4 19. Na2 Bxg5+ 20. Kb1 a5 21. Bc4 Nf4 22. Rd1 Rd8 23. Rxd8+ Bxd8 24. Nc1 h5 25. Nd3 Nxd3 26. cxd3 g5 27. d4 g4 28. Be2 Bf6 29. e5 Bh4 30. fxg4 hxg4 31. Rb8+ Kg7 32. Rxh8 Kxh8 33. Bxg4 Bf2 34. d5 exd5 35. e6 fxe6 36. Bxe6 d4 37. Kc2 Kg7 38. Kd3 Kf6 39. Bg4 Ke5 40. b3 Bh4 41. h3 ½ : ½ Khairullin – Jumabayev, Moscow 2014. 16. Kb1 Qb8 17. Rd7 Qxb7 18. Rxb7 Bf6 19. a4 Bxc3 20. bxc3 bxa4

21. Bc4. “Theory” contemplates 21. Bxa6 g5 22. Bb5 Kg7 23. Rd1 Rhb8 24. Rxb8 Rxb8 25. c4 Nf4 26. Kb2 Ng6 27. Ka3 Ne5 28. Kxa4 Nxf3 29. c5 Ne5 30. c6 Rc8 31. Rd6 Kf6 32. Kb4 g4 33. Kc5 Ke7 34. Rd1 h5 35. Kb6 Rb8+ 36. Kc5 Rc8 37. Kb6 Rb8+ 38. Ka6 Nxc6 39. Bxc6 Rb2 40. Ba4 Rb4 41. Bb5 Rxe4 42. Rc1 h4 43. c4 Re2 44. c5 Rxh2 45. c6 Rd2 46. c7 Rd8 47. cxd8=Q+ Kxd8 48. Be2 f5 49. Rc4 Kd7 50. Bxg4 fxg4 51. Rxg4 Kc6 52. Ka5 Kd5 1 : 0 Ter-Sahakyan – J. Polgár, Yerevan 2014. 21. ... g6 22. Rd1 Rc8 23. Ba2. On 23. Bxa6 Rxc3 24. Rdd7 Rxf3 25. Bc4 Kg7 26. Bxe6 Rf8 with roughly even play. 23. ... Rg8 24. Rd6 g5 25. Rxa6 Rg6 26. Raa7 Rf6 27. e5. If 27. Bxe6 then 27. ... Rxe6! 28. Rxf7+ Kg8 29. Rxh7 Ra6! with equality. 27. ... Rxf3 28. Bxe6 Rf1+ 29. Ka2 fxe6 30. Rxh7 Kg8 31. Rxh5 Rf5 32. Rxa4 Rxc3 33. Rg4 Rxc2+ 34. Kb3 Re2 35. Rgxg5+ Rxg5 36. Rxg5+ 36. Rxg5+ Kh7 37. h4 Re4 38. h5 Kh6 39. Rg6+ Kxh5 40. Rxe6 Kg5 41. Re8 ½ : ½. A fierce defence by Miss 侯逸凡 (Hóu Yìfán).

Alexander Anatolyevich Motylev vs. 侯逸凡 (Hóu Yìfán)
Biel/Bienne, July 18, 2014
Photo: bielchessfestival.ch

Go a long way

侯逸凡 (Hóu Yìfán) – Pentala Harikrishna
47th International Chess Festival “In Memoriam Hans Suri”; Biel/Bienne, July 17, 2014
Caro-Kann Defence B19

1. e4 c6 2. d4 d5 3. Nc3 dxe4 4. Nxe4 Bf5 5. Ng3 Bg6 6. h4 h6 7. Nf3 Nd7 8. h5 Bh7 9. Bd3 Bxd3 10. Qxd3 e6 11. Bd2 Ngf6 12. 0-0-0 Be7 13. Rde1 Qc7 14. Ne4 0-0-0 15. g3 Nc5 16. Nxc5 Bxc5 17. Rh4 Bd6 18. Qe2 Kb8 19. Ne5 Ka8 20. a3 Rhf8 21. Qf3 Be7 22. Rf4 Qb6 23. Rd1 Qc7 24. Nd3 Nh7

25. Rxf7 Ng5 26. Qf4 e5 27. Rxe7 Qxe7 28. Qxe5 Qf7 29. Bxg5 Rd5 30. Qe7 Rxg5 31. Qxf7 Rxf7 32. Re1 Kb8 33. Re5 Kc7 34. Kd2 Kd6 35. c4 Re7 36. c5+ Kd7 37. b4 Ke8 38. Rxe7+ Kxe7 39. Nf4 Kd7 40. Ke3 Rf5 41. g4 Rf8 42. Ng6 Ra8 43. Ne5+ Ke6 44. Nc4 b5 45. Ne5 Kd5 46. f4 a5 47. Nd7 axb4 48. Nb6+ Ke6 49. axb4 Ra1 50. d5+ cxd5 51. f5+ Ke7 52. Nxd5+ Kd7 53. Nf4 Re1+ 54. Kf3 Rf1+ 55. Ke3 Re1+ 56. Kd4 Rg1 57. Kd5 Rd1+ 58. Ke5 Re1+ 59. Kd4 Rg1 60. Ne6 Rxg4+ 61. Kd5 Rxb4 62. c6+ Ke7 63. Nxg7 Rc4 64. Ne6 Rxc6 65. Kxc6 Kf6 66. Nd4 b4 67. Kd5 b3 68. Nxb3 Kxf5 69. Nd4+ ½ : ½.

侯逸凡 (Hóu Yìfán) vs. Pentala Harikrishna
Biel/Bienne, July 17, 2014
Photos: bielchessfestival.ch

Aedicula

• 比尔国象大师赛前两轮 侯逸凡一胜一和暂时领先, sports.sina.com.cn, 16 luglio 2014

芝士火鍋

侯逸凡 (Hóu Yìfán)

侯逸凡 (Hóu Yìfán) vs. Maxime Vachier-Lagrave
Biel/Bienne, July 16, 2014

Photos: bielchessfestival.ch

• Alejandro Tadeo Ramírez Álvarez, Bloody Biel!, Chess News, July 17, 2014

共時性

Moka pot

Radoslaw Wojtaszek – 侯逸凡 (Hóu Yìfán)
47th International Chess Festival “In Memoriam Hans Suri”; Biel/Bienne, July 15, 2014
Queen’s Gambit Declined D38

1. d4 e6 2. c4 Nf6 3. Nf3 d5 4. Nc3 Bb4 5. cxd5 exd5 6. Bg5 Qd6!? 7. Nd2. Another try is 7. Bxf6, e.g. 7. ... Qxf6 8. Qb3 Qd6!? 9. a3 Ba5 10. Qa4+! Nc6 11. e3 0-0 12. Bd3 Bg4 13. Nd2 Rad8 14. 0-0 and White stands slightly better, Riazantsev – V. Gaprindashvili, Alushta 2000. 7. ... Bf5 8. e3 Nbd7 9. Bf4. For 9. Qb3 c5 10. Bxf6 Nxf6 11. Bb5+ Ke7 12. 0-0 cxd4 13. exd4 Rhc8 14. Rfe1+ Kf8 15. Re5 see 修德顺 (Xiū Déshùn) – 韦奕 (Wéi Yì), 兴化 (Xīnghuà) 2013. 9. ... Qb6 10. Be2 c5 11. dxc5 Nxc5 12. Be5 0-0 13. 0-0. Of course 13. Bxf6 Qxf6 14. Nxd5 Qxb2 doesn’t bother Black. 13. ... Rad8 14. Bd4 Bxc3 15. bxc3!? This looks a little contrived. 15. ... Qc6 16. Qc1

19. ... Nfe4 17. Nxe4 Nxe4 18. f3. And not 18. Bxa7? on account of 18. ... b6. 18. ... Nd6 19. Qa3 a6 20. Qc5 Rc8 21. Qxc6 Rxc6 22. a4 h5 23. Ra2 Re8 24. Kf2 Re7 25. Rb2 Nc4 26. Bxc4 Rxc4 27. Ra1 f6 28. h4 Bg6 29. Rb4 Rec7 30. Rxc4 Rxc4 31. a5 Be8 32. Ra2 Ra4. Forcing an endgame with opposite-colored Bishops. 33. Rxa4 Bxa4 34. g4 hxg4 35. fxg4 Kf7 36. g5 fxg5 37. hxg5 Kg6 38. Kg3 Kxg5 39. Bxg7 Kf5 40. Kf3 Bd1+ ½ : ½.

侯逸凡 (Hóu Yìfán) before sunset. Photo: @ChessBase