A Letter to Lady Zorro

Magnus Carlsen – Cristóbal Henríquez Villagra
5th World Rapid Chess Championship; Doha, December 26, 2016
Sicilian Defence B66

1. e4 c5 2. Nf3 d6 3. d4 cxd4 4. Nxd4 Nf6 5. Nc3 Nc6 6. Bg5 e6 7. Qd2 a6 8. 0-0-0 h6 9. Nxc6 bxc6 10. Bf4 d5 11. Qe3 Bb4 12. a3 Ba5 13. Be2 0-0 14. e5 Nh7? This looks decidedly suspect. Much better appear to be 14. ... Nd7 and if 14. g4!?? (obviously there is a reason why the sounder 14. Qg3 is usually played) there might follow 14. ... Qb6 15. Qg3 Rb8 with quite crazy girls games, T. Kosintseva – Kosteniuk, Women’s World Blitz Chess Championship, Moscow 2010. 15. h4 Rb8 16. Na4! Bc7 17. Bd3. The immediate 17. g4! may well transpose into the game after 17. ... f6 18. Bd3. 17. ... f6 18. g4! fxe5 19. Bxe5 Nf6 20. f3! Ne8 21. f4 Bxe5 22. fxe5 Qa5. Henríquez Villagra is in a valley of tears, and Carlsen dismantles his defences in the most elegant way:

23. Rhf1! Qxa4. Black is doomed, whether he captures or not the Knight. 24. Rxf8+ Kxf8 25. Qc5+ Kf7. Or 25. ... Kg8 26. Rf1 with a mating attack. 26. Rf1+ Nf6 27. exf6 gxf6 28. g5 f5 29. g6+ Kxg6 30. Qd6 1 : 0.

Magnus Carlsen vs. Cristóbal Henríquez Villagra. Photo: Maria Alekseevna Emelianova.

天佑女王 (God Save the Queen)

侯逸凡 (Hóu Yìfán) – Cristóbal Henríquez Villagra
Match game 4; Punta Arenas, February 10, 2016
Caro-Kann Defence B13

Mala tempora currunt, and thus today the show is again in Punta Arenas. 1. e4 c6 2. d4 d5 3. exd5. This apparently unpretentious variation was occasionally adopted by 11th World Chess Champion Robert James “Bobby” Fischer. 3. ... cxd5 4. c3 Qc7. In order to prevent Bc1-f4. Another continuation is 4. ... Nf6 5. Bd3 Nc6 6. Bf4 Bg4 7. Qb3 Qd7 8. Nd2 e6 9. Ngf3 Bxf3 10. Nxf3 Bd6 11. Bxd6 Qxd6 12. 0-0 0-0 13. Rae1 a6 14. Ne5 Nd7 15. f4 b5 16. Re3 g6 as played in 侯逸凡 (Hóu Yìfán) – 田甜 (Tián Tián), 3rd Arrows Cup, 济南 (Jǐnán) 2005. 5. Bd3 Nc6 6. Ne2 Bg4 7. Na3 a6 8. Nc2 e6 9. Qd2 Nf6 10. Ng3 Bh5 11. Nxh5 Nxh5 12. g3 Nf6 13. Qe2 Bd6 14. Bd2 h6. A superfluous move. 15. f4 Ne7 16. 0-0-0 g6 17. Rhf1 h5 18. Ne1. The Knight evidently heads for e5. 18. ... Nf5 19. Nf3 0-0-0 20. Kb1 Kb8 21. Rc1 Qb6 22. Ne5 Rhf8 23. Be1 Bc7 24. Rf3 Nd6 25. c4! The long-awaited break up of White. Cristóbal is in serious trouble. 25. ... dxc4. Not 25. ... Qxd4?? 26. Bf2 trapping and winning Black’s Queen. 26. Bxc4 Nxc4

27. Rb3. Even stronger seems 27. Rxc4 much more effectively threatening Rf3-b3 eventually followed by Ne5-c6+. 27. ... Qxb3. This is Black’s best practical chance. 28. axb3 Nxe5 29. Rxc7. White goes for complications. 29. dxe5 Nd5 30. b4 would have given her a stable advantage. 29. ... Nd5! Obviously not 29. ... Kxc7?? 30. Qxe5+ followed by Qe5xf6. 30. Rc5 Nd7. The situation became unclear. 31. Rc4 Rc8 32. Qf3 N5b6 33. Rc3 Nf6 34. Bd2 Nbd5 35. Rc4 Rfd8. The time scrabble has just begun and it will last till the very end of the game. 36. Qe2 Nd7 37. h3 b5 38. Rxc8+ Rxc8 39. Qf3 Rh8 40. Qf1 Kb7 41. Qe1 Nb8 42. Qe5 Rd8 43. f5. Trying hard to break through the balance. 43. ... exf5 44. Bg5 Nc6 45. Qg7 Rd7 46. Qh8 Nc7 47. Bf6 Nd5 48. Bg5 Kc7. Cristóbal is perhaps too ambitious to expect his opponent to slip. Safer was 48. ... Nc7 49. Bf6 Nd5 aiming for a draw by repetition. 49. Qe8 f6. Back slowly begins to lose the thread. 50. Bd2 g5 51. Qxh5 Nxd4 52. Ba5+ Kd6 53. Qe8 Nc6 54. Qf8+ Ke6 55. Bd2 Nde7 56. Bc3 Nd5 57. Qc8 Kd6 58. Qxa6 Rh7 59. Qxb5 Rxh3 60. b4! With the threat of Qb5-c5+. White has now a winning game, thanks to the powerful passed b-Pawn. 60. ... Nce7 61. Qc5+ Ke6 62. b5 Rh8 63. Bd4 f4 64. gxf4 gxf4 65. b6 Rb8 66. Qb5 f3 67. Bf2 Nc8 68. Qc6+ Nd6 69. Bc5 Rd8 70. b7 f2 71. Bxf2 Nb4 72. Qb6 Kd5 1 : 0. Winter is gone, after the ice has finally broken.

Prize awarding ceremony in the Antarctic Peninsula. From left: 侯逸凡 (Hóu Yìfán), Punta Arenas Mayor Emilio Boccazzi, and Cristóbal Henríquez Villagra. Photo: radiopolar.com.

北極理事會 (Arctic Council)

El cuarto y último encuentro para completar el match debiese disputarse mañana en el Continente Antártico, con salida programada a las 9,00 horas desde el aeropuerto Carlos Ibáñez del Campo, en un viaje programado a bordo de Aerolíneas DAP. radiopolar, February 10, 2016

Journey Through the Impossible

Cristóbal Henríquez Villagra – 侯逸凡 (Hóu Yìfán)
Match game 3; Punta Arenas, February 8, 2016
Queen’s Gambit Declined D32

Bad weather again today did not allow to fly to Antártica. 1. d4 Nf6 2. c4 e6 3. Nf3 c5 4. e3 a6. For 4. ... cxd4 5. exd4 d5 see Henríquez Villagra – Pérez Ponsa, 9th Continental de Ajedrez de las Américas, Praia da Pipa 2014. 5. Nc3 d5 6. dxc5 Bxc5 7. a3 0-0 8. b4 Bd6 9. Bb2 Nc6 10. Qc2 Qe7 11. Rd1 Rd8 12. cxd5 exd5 13. Be2 Be6 14. 0-0 Rac8 15. Qb1 b5 16. Qa1. Echoing Richard Réti. For 16. Rfe1 Bb8 17. e4 see Guimard – Palau, Buenos Aires 1934 16. ... Qf8 17. Nb1 Nd7 18. Nd4 Nb6 19. Nd2 Nc4. Seriously weakening her centre Pawns. 19. ... Nxd4 20. Bxd4 Nc4 seems more balanced. 20. Nxe6 fxe6 21. Nxc4 bxc4 22. Bg4. Targeting the weak centre Pawns. 22. ... Qf7? Black gives up a Pawn quite unnecessarily. 22. ... Re8 23. f4 Qf7 is ugly but much sounder.

23. Bxg7! e5!? There is nothing particularly attractive with Black’s Exchange sacrifice, but there also is nothing particularly better. If 23. ... Qxg7 then 24. Bxe6+ gaining decisive material. 24. Bxc8 Rxc8 25. Bh6 Qg6 26. Rxd5 Ne7. On 26. ... Qxh6 27. Qd1! is a pretty tactical refutation. 27. Rd2? Maybe too timid. After 27. Qd1! Nxd5 28. Qxd5+ Kh8 29. Bg5 White remains two healthy Pawns up. 27. ... Qxh6 28. Qd1 Rc6 29. Qg4+ Qg6. 侯逸凡 (Hóu Yìfán) defending at her best. 30. Qxg6+ hxg6 31. Rc1 Nc8 32. e4 Nb6 33. Rdc2 Be7 34. Kf1 Kf7 35. g3 g5 36. h3 Rh6 37. Kg2 Rd6? Giving up the c-Pawn – even if in return for it she will get the a-Pawn – doesn’t seem a good idea. After 37. ... Rc6 38. Rc3 Rc8 it is hard to see how to make progress for White. 38. a4 Nxa4 39. Rxc4 Nb2 40. Rc6 Rd2? A serious error of judgement. Correct was 40. ... Rxc6 41. Rxc6 Bxb4 42. Rxa6 Nd3 43. h4 gxh4 44. gxh4 Kg7 with good drawing chances. 41. Rxa6 Nd3 42. Rc7. The move which Black may have overlooked. 42. ... Nxf2 43. Kf3. Not 43. Raa7? Ng4+ 44. Kf3 Nh2+ 45. Ke3 Nf1+ with perpetual check. 43. ... Nd1 44. g4. Not 44. Raa7? Rf2+ 45. Kg4 Kg6! 46. Ra3 (46. Rxe7?? Ne3#e) 46. ... Rf6! (Δ ... Nd1-f2#) 47. Rf3 Rxf3 48. Kxf3 Bxb4 and Black should hold. Now it’s over. 44. ... Kf8 45. Ra8+ Bd8 46. b5 Ke8 47. b6 Rf2+ 48. Kg3 Rb2 49. b7 1 : 0.

Cristóbal Henríquez Villagra vs. 侯逸凡 (Hóu Yìfán). Photo: radiopolar.com.

The Mask of Zorro

侯逸凡 (Hóu Yìfán) – Cristóbal Henríquez Villagra
Match game 2; Punta Arenas, February 8, 2016
English Opening A32

1. c4 c5 2. Nf3 Nf6 3. Nc3 e6 4. d4 cxd4 5. Nxd4 a6 6. g3 Qc7 7. Bg2 Be7 8. 0-0 0-0 9. e4 d6 10. Be3 Nbd7 11. Rc1 Ne5 12. b3 Bd7 13. h3 Qa5? An unhappy move, instead of 13. ... Qb8 14. a4 Rd8 15. Re1 Nc6 as in Ki. Georgiev – Maze, 1st International Open, Marrakesh 2010. 14. Qd2 Rfc8? It simply worsens the situation, but after 14. ... Kh8 15. f4 Nc6 16. Qf2 stands better anyway. 15. f4. Also good was 15. Nd5 Qxd2 16. Nxe7+ Kf8 17. Bxd2 Kxe7 18. Rfd1 hitting at the weak d6-Pawn. 15. ... Nc6 16. Qf2 Bd8. In order to guard the b6-square. If 16. ... Rab8 then 17. g4 soon to be followed by g4-g5. If, instead, 16. ... Nxd4 then 17. Bxd4 Bc6 18. Rfd1 with a clear edge for White. 17. Rfd1 Ne8? 17. ... Nxd4 18. Bxd4 Bc6 was probably the last chance for trying to reduce damage.

18. Nf3! Nb8 19. e5! Black is busted, but there is still time for some pretties. 19. ... d5 20. Nd2 Qb4 21. a3! Qxa3 22. cxd5 exd5 23. Ra1 Qf8 24. Nxd5 Be6 25. Nc4 1 : 0. Black chivalrously resigns, for after 25. ... Bxd5 26. Bxd5 Nc6 27. Bc5 Be7 28. Bxe7 Qxe7 29. Nb6 White gains heavy material. Don Cristóbal was totally outplayed by Miss 侯逸凡 (Hóu Yìfán).

侯逸凡 (Hóu Yìfán) vs. Cristóbal Henríquez Villagra. Photo: radiopolar.com. Para mañana martes a las 7,15 horas se espera la salida al Continente Antártico por parte de la comitiva que protagonizará por primera vez en la historia un encuentro rankeado internacionalmente en el continente blanco, hito deportivo que cuenta con la logística de Aerovías DAP, empresa regional de vanguardia en la Antártica chilena. radiopolar.com, February 9, 2016

Catch her when she is in a good mood

En cuanto a la partida a disputarse en la Antártica, la factibilidad de vuelo y las condiciones climáticas han modificado el itinerario para el martes 9 de febrero. radiopolar.com, February 6, 2016

TRANSLATION:

As for the game scheduled to be held in Antártica, the adverse weather conditions made the planned flight infeasible, so the trip was postponed to Tuesday, February 9.

Cold Day in the Sun

Cristóbal Henríquez Villagra – 侯逸凡 (Hóu Yìfán)
Match game 1; Punta Arenas, February 5, 2016
Giuoco Piano C54

1. e4 e5 2. Nf3 Nc6 3. Bc4 Bc5 4. c3 Nf6 5. d3 a6 6. Bb3 d6 7. h3 h6 8. Nbd2 Be6 9. Bxe6? I was always told to not change — in such a position — the light-squared Bishops for not strengthening Black’s centre, and I always believed it. 9. ... fxe6 10. Qe2 0-0 11. Nb3 Ba7 12. 0-0 Nh5! Threatening ... Nh5-g3. 13. d4 Qf6 14. Be3 Nf4 15. Bxf4 Qxf4 16. Rad1 Qf6 17. Rd3 Rf7 18. a3 Raf8 19. Kh1 g5! 20. d5 exd5 21. exd5 Ne7 22. Nbd2 Qg6 23. Ne4 Rf4 24. Re1 c6 25. c4 cxd5 26. cxd5 Nf5. Black played very energetically and she has now achieved her goal of powerful Kingside initiative. Black’s obvious threat is ... g5-g4. 27. Kh2. Not 27. g4? Ne3! and White gets in bad trouble. 27. ... g4 28. hxg4 Rxg4 29. g3

29. ... Bxf2? After 29. ... Rxe4 30. Qxe4 Bxf2 Black regains the Exchange, emerging with an extra Pawn. I don’t know if it is sufficient to win, but, as a matter of fact, the text leads to a much more unclear – seemingly drawish – endgame. 30. Qxf2 Nxg3 31. Qxg3 Rxg3 32. Nh4 Rxd3 33. Nxg6 Rff3. The position is evenly unbalanced. 34. Ne7+ Kf8 35. Nc8 Rde3. 35. ... Rxd5 36. Ncxd6 Ke7 is another way towards a draw. 36. Rxe3 Rxe3 37. Ncxd6 b6 38. Nc3 b5 39. Kg2 h5 40. Nde4 Rd3 41. Kh2 Kf7 42. Kg2 Kg6 43. d6 Kf5 44. Kh2 Rd4 45. Kh3 Ke6 46. Nc5+ Kxd6 47. Nxa6 Kc6 48. Nb4+ Kc5 49. Na6+ Kb6 50. Nb4 Rd2 51. Nbd5+ Kc6 52. Nb4+ Kb6 53. Nbd5+ Kb7 54. Nb4 Rxb2 55. Nxb5 Kb6 56. Nd6 Rb3+ 57. Kh4 Kc5 58. Ne4+ Kd4 59. Nf6 Kc4 60. Nc6 Rxa3 ½ : ½. Well, if 侯逸凡 (Hóu Yìfán) survived the colder Magellan (Punta Arenas), she will hopefully be able to get accustomed to Stavanger.

Cristóbal Henríquez Villagra vs. 侯逸凡 (Hóu Yìfán). Photo: radiopolar.com

Airbnb