The Terracotta Warriors

On Saturday, December 21, 2019, the eight participants in the 1st “一带一路” (“One Belt One Road”) Women’s World Chess Summit “秦农银行杯” (“Qín Nóng Bank Cup”) — as pictured above from left to right: Nana Dzagnidze, Sarasadat Khademalsharieh, 侯逸凡 (Hóu Yìfán), 谭中怡 (Tán Zhōngyí), Anna Yuriyivna Ushenina, Antoaneta Stefanova, Alexandra Konstantinovna Kosteniuk, and 沈阳 (Shěn Yáng) — enjoyed visiting the 西安博物 (Xī’ān Museum). Photos: International Mind Sports Association.

Hard to Get

侯逸凡 (Hóu Yìfán) – Sarasadat Khademalsharieh

1st “一带一路” (“One Belt One Road”) Women’s World Chess Summit “秦农银行杯” (“Qín Nóng Bank Cup”) (25+10); 西安 (Xī’ān), December 20, 2019

Spanish Game C78

1. e4 e5 2. Nf3 Nc6 3. Bb5 a6 4. Ba4 Nf6 5. 0-0 b5 6. Bb3 Bc5 7. c3 d6 8. d3 Rb8 9. Be3. If 9. Nbd2 then 9. ... 0-0 10. Re1 Bb6 11. Nf1 Ne7 12. Bg5 Ng6 13. Ne3 h6= Stephan – Godena, 30th Mitropa Cup, Merlimont 2011. 9. ... 0-0 10. Nbd2 Bb6 11. h3 Ne7 12. d4 Ng6 13. Re1 h6 14. Bc2 Re8 15. a4 c6. The immediate 15. ... c5 might have been more expedient; for instance: 16. b4 cxb4 17. cxb4 Nh5 with approximate equality. 16. Nf1 c5 17. Ng3 Qc7 18. b4 cxb4 19. cxb4 Be6 20. Rc1 Qb7 21. axb5 axb5 22. Bd3 Bd7 23. Qd2 Rec8

24. Bxh6!? 侯逸凡 (Hóu Yìfán) offers a speculative sacrifice which might work out well, especially in a rapid game. 24. ... gxh6 25. Qxh6. Threatening Nf3-g5 followed by Ng3-h5. 25. ... Rxc1 26. Rxc1 Rc8 27. Rd1 Bd8 28. Ng5 Nf4. 28. ... Nf8 was also worth considering. 29. dxe5 dxe5 30. Bb1 Be6? 30. ... Qa7 was probably best, for if 31. Rxd7 Qxd7 32. Ba2 Black can reply 32. ... Rc4! after which White has probably nothing better than 33. Nf5 Ne6 34. Bxc4 bxc4 35. Nxe6 fxe6 36. Qg6+ drawing by perpetual check. 31. Nxe6? Here White misses her strongest continuation in 31. Ba2! Bxa2 32. Nf5 N4h5 33. g4 Be6 34. gxh5 Bxf5 35. Rxd8+! Rxd8 36. Qxf6 Rd1+ 37. Kh2 with a terrific attack. 31. ... fxe6 32. Qg5+? Now White should have contented herself with 32. Nf5! to which Black would probably have replied 32. ... Qf7= with a likely draw. 32. ... Qg7 33. Qxe5 Bc7 34. Qb2 Bb6 35. Kf1 Rf8 36. Ba2 Kh8 37. Rd2 Kh7. Also very strong was 37. ... Bxf2! (38. Kxf2? Nd3+!−+) 38. Qe5 Qc7? Khademalsharieh misses 38. ... Qh6!−+ which might have changed the course of history; for instance: 39. Rd6 Bxf2! 40. Kxf2 (or 40. Nf5 Qg5−+) 40. ... Nd3+! 41. Rxd3 Ng4++! winning by force. 39. Qxc7+ Bxc7 40. Ne2 Ra8 41. g3 Nxh3 42. Bxe6 Ng5 43. Bf5+ Kg8 44. Nc3 Be5 45. Nxb5 Rb8 46. Nd4 Ngxe4 47. Bxe4 Nxe4 48. Re2 ½ : ½.

New Extensions

侯逸凡 (Hóu Yìfán) – 沈阳 (Shěn Yáng)

1st “一带一路” (“One Belt One Road”) Women’s World Chess Summit “秦农银行杯” (“Qín Nóng Bank Cup”) (25+10); 西安 (Xī’ān), December 20, 2019

Giuoco Piano C53

1. e4 e5 2. Nf3 Nc6 3. Bc4 Bc5 4. 0-0 Nf6 5. d3 0-0 6. h3 h6 7. Re1 d6 8. c3 Bb6 9. Bb3 Be6 10. Nbd2 Re8 11. Ba4 a6 12. Nf1 Bd7 13. Ng3 Ne7 14. Bc2. 14. Bb3 Ng6 15. d4 (Flores – Arencibia Rodríguez, 12th Guillermo García in Memoriam Premier I, Santa Clara 2004) 15. ... c5 should also give Black good equalising chances. 14. ... Ng6 15. d4 c5 16. d5 Qc8 17. Be3 Bd8 18. b4 cxb4 19. cxb4 b5 20. a4 Qb7 21. a5 Be7. 21. ... Nf4 also came into consideration. 22. Bd3 Rac8 23. Nh2 Rc7 24. Ng4 Nxg4 25. hxg4 Bg5?! 25. ... Nf8 26. f3 Bg5 (or also 26. ... Bh4) was probably sounder. 26. Bxg5 hxg5 27. Nf5 Bxf5 28. gxf5 Nf8 29. Qh5. With the threat of Re1-e3-h3. 29. ... Nh7 30. Re3 g4. Black has nothing better than to give up a Pawn in order to distract White’s attack. 31. Qxg4 Qc8 32. Qd1 Rc3 33. Qd2 Re7 34. Bf1? White’s best was probably 34. g3, eventually followed by Kg1-g2 and Re3-e1-h1. 34. ... Rec7? An unfortunate inversion of moves which again puts Black into grave trouble. 34. ... Rc2 35. Qd1 Rec7 should hold the balance. 35. Rxc3 Rxc3 36. Bd3. 36. Bxb5! axb5 37. a6 was probably the most brilliant way to win the game. 36. ... Nf6 37. g3 Nd7 38. Kg2 Rc7 39. Qg5 Nf6 40. Rh1 Rc3

41. Qh4!+− Kf8 42. Qh8+ Ke7 43. Qxg7 Rxd3. Of course, it makes no sense for Black to propose the exchange of Queens due to her two Pawns deficit. 44. Rh6! Nxd5 45. Re6+ Kd7 46. Qxf7+ Kc6 47. exd5+ Rxd5 48. f6 e4 49. Rxe4 Rf5 50. Re2 1 : 0.

First Take

[Event "1st Women’s World Chess Summit “Qín Nóng Bank Cup”"]
[Site "西安 (Xī’ān) CHN"]
[Date "2019.12.20"]
[Round "4"]
[White "Dzagnidze, Nana"]
[Black "侯逸凡 (Hóu Yìfán)"]
[ECO "A37"]
[Result "0-1"]
[TimeControl "25+10"]
[PlyCount "110"]

1.c4 c5 2.Nf3 g6 3.Nc3 Bg7 4.g3 Nc6 5.Bg2 d6 6.O-O Bf5 7.d3 Qd7 8.Re1 Bh3 9.Bh1 h5 10.Rb1 h4 11.Nd5 hxg3 12.hxg3 Nf6 13.Bd2 Nxd5 14.cxd5 Ne5 15.Nxe5 Bxe5 16.Bc3 Bxc3 17.bxc3 b6 18.e4 Rh7 19.e5 dxe5 20.Rxe5 Bg4 21.Bf3 Qd6 22.d4 cxd4 23.cxd4 Bd7 24.Qd3 Kf8 25.Rbe1 Re8 26.Qa6 Qf6 27.Qa3 g5 28.Be4 Rh8 29.Qf3 Qh6 30.Bf5 Qh2+ 31.Kf1 Bb5+ 32.R1e2 Qh1+ 33.Qxh1 Bxe2+ 34.Kg1 Rxh1+ 35.Kxh1 Bf3+ 36.Kg1 Rd8 37.a3 Rxd5 38.Rxd5 Bxd5 39.f4 e6 40.Bd3 g4 41.f5 Ke7 42.Kf2 exf5 43.Bxf5 Be6 44.Bd3 Kd6 45.Ke3 a5 46.Be2 Bd7 47.Bc4 f6 48.Ke4 b5 49.Bd3 b4 50.axb4 axb4 51.d5 Kc5 52.Bc2 Kc4 53.d6 Kc5 54.Bb3 Kxd6 55.Kd4 Be6 0-1

[Event "1st Women’s World Chess Summit “Qín Nóng Bank Cup”"]
[Site "西安 (Xī’ān) CHN"]
[Date "2019.12.20"]
[Round "5"]
[White "侯逸凡 (Hóu Yìfán)"]
[Black "沈阳 (Shěn Yáng)"]
[ECO "C53"]
[Result "1-0"]
[TimeControl "25+10"]
[PlyCount "99"]

1.e4 e5 2.Nf3 Nc6 3.Bc4 Bc5 4.O-O Nf6 5.d3 O-O 6.h3 h6 7.Re1 d6 8.c3 Bb6 9.Bb3 Be6 10.Nbd2 Re8 11.Ba4 a6 12.Nf1 Bd7 13.Ng3 Ne7 14.Bc2 Ng6 15.d4 c5 16.d5 Qc8 17.Be3 Bd8 18.b4 cxb4 19.cxb4 b5 20.a4 Qb7 21.a5 Be7 22.Bd3 Rac8 23.Nh2 Rc7 24.Ng4 Nxg4 25.hxg4 Bg5 26.Bxg5 hxg5 27.Nf5 Bxf5 28.gxf5 Nf8 29.Qh5 Nh7 30.Re3 g4 31.Qxg4 Qc8 32.Qd1 Rc3 33.Qd2 Re7 34.Bf1 Rec7 35.Rxc3 Rxc3 36.Bd3 Nf6 37.g3 Nd7 38.Kg2 Rc7 39.Qg5 Nf6 40.Rh1 Rc3 41.Qh4 Kf8 42.Qh8+ Ke7 43.Qxg7 Rxd3 44.Rh6 Nxd5 45.Re6+ Kd7 46.Qxf7+ Kc6 47.exd5+ Rxd5 48.f6 e4 49.Rxe4 Rf5 50.Re2 1-0

[Event "1st Women’s World Chess Summit “Qín Nóng Bank Cup”"]
[Site "西安 (Xī’ān) CHN"]
[Date "2019.12.20"]
[Round "6"]
[White "Ushenina, Anna Yuriyivna"]
[Black "侯逸凡 (Hóu Yìfán)"]
[ECO "E16"]
[Result "1/2-1/2"]
[TimeControl "25+10"]
[PlyCount "80"]

1.d4 Nf6 2.c4 e6 3.Nf3 b6 4.g3 Bb4+ 5.Bd2 a5 6.Bg2 Bb7 7.O-O O-O 8.Bf4 Be7 9.Qc2 d5 10.cxd5 Nxd5 11.Bd2 Nd7 12.Nc3 N7f6 13.Rfd1 Nxc3 14.Bxc3 Be4 15.Qd2 Qd5 16.Ne1 Bxg2 17.Nxg2 Rfd8 18.f3 c5 19.Kh1 Qb7 20.Qe1 Nd5 21.dxc5 Nxc3 22.Qxc3 bxc5 23.Rxd8+ Rxd8 24.Nf4 Bf6 25.Qb3 Qc7 26.Rc1 Bg5 27.Rc4 Bxf4 28.Rxf4 Rd2 29.Qb5 g5 30.Re4 Qd6 31.Kg2 h6 32.Kf2 Qd5 33.a3 Rc2 34.Qxa5 Rxb2 35.Qc3 Rb1 36.Qc2 Ra1 37.a4 Qd8 38.Rc4 Qa5 39.Qc3 Rxa4 40.Rxc5 Qxc3 1/2-1/2

[Event "1st Women’s World Chess Summit “Qín Nóng Bank Cup”"]
[Site "西安 (Xī’ān) CHN"]
[Date "2019.12.20"]
[Round "7"]
[White "侯逸凡 (Hóu Yìfán)"]
[Black "Khademalsharieh, Sarasadat"]
[ECO "C78"]
[Result "1/2-1/2"]
[TimeControl "25+10"]
[PlyCount "95"]

1.e4 e5 2.Nf3 Nc6 3.Bb5 a6 4.Ba4 Nf6 5.O-O b5 6.Bb3 Bc5 7.c3 d6 8.d3 Rb8 9.Be3 O-O 10.Nbd2 Bb6 11.h3 Ne7 12.d4 Ng6 13.Re1 h6 14.Bc2 Re8 15.a4 c6 16.Nf1 c5 17.Ng3 Qc7 18.b4 cxb4 19.cxb4 Be6 20.Rc1 Qb7 21.axb5 axb5 22.Bd3 Bd7 23.Qd2 Rec8 24.Bxh6 gxh6 25.Qxh6 Rxc1 26.Rxc1 Rc8 27.Rd1 Bd8 28.Ng5 Nf4 29.dxe5 dxe5 30.Bb1 Be6 31.Nxe6 fxe6 32.Qg5+ Qg7 33.Qxe5 Bc7 34.Qb2 Bb6 35.Kf1 Rf8 36.Ba2 Kh8 37.Rd2 Kh7 38.Qe5 Qc7 39.Qxc7+ Bxc7 40.Ne2 Ra8 41.g3 Nxh3 42.Bxe6 Ng5 43.Bf5+ Kg8 44.Nc3 Be5 45.Nxb5 Rb8 46.Nd4 Ngxe4 47.Bxe4 Nxe4 48.Re2 1/2-1/2

Four-time Women’s World Chess Champion and Rhodes Scholar 侯逸凡 (Hóu Yìfán) scored two wins and two draws in today’s last four rounds of the inaugural eight-woman world summit in 西安 (Xī’ān), thus taking first prize, a half point ahead of Alexandra Konstantinovna Kosteniuk. Photo: International Mind Sports Association.

Chase the Wind

侯逸凡 (Hóu Yìfán) – 谭中怡 (Tán Zhōngyí)

1st “一带一路” (“One Belt One Road”) Women’s World Chess Summit “秦农银行杯” (“Qín Nóng Bank Cup”) (25+10); 西安 (Xī’ān), December 19, 2019

Bishop’s Opening C24

1. e4 e5 2. Bc4. Curiously enough, the Bishop’s Opening used to be a favourite repertoire of both 侯逸凡 (Hóu Yìfán) and 谭中怡 (Tán Zhōngyí). 2. ... Nf6 3. d3 c6 4. Nf3 d5 5. Bb3 a5 6. a4 Bb4+ 7. c3 Bd6 8. Nbd2. Mutatis mutandis, the slightly unnatural 8. 0-0 0-0 9. exd5 cxd5 10. Na3!? Nbd7 11. Re1 h6! 12. Nb5 Bb8 13. d4? e4 14. Nd2 Nb6 15. f3 Re8 16. Bc2 Bd7!⩱/∓ soon pushed White out of her comfort zone towards a painful defeat, 谭中怡 (Tán Zhōngyí) – 居文君 (Jū Wénjūn), 上海 (Shànghǎi) 2018, Women’s World Chess Championship match game 5. 8. ... 0-0 9. 0-0 Re8 10. Re1 Nbd7 11. Nf1 Nf8 12. exd5 Nxd5 13. Bg5 Qc7 14. Ng3 h6 15. Bd2 Ng6. 15. ... Nf6 16. Nh4⩲↑ gives White the initiative anyway. 16. Ne4 Be7 17. h3 Bd7?! It might be losing time. The immediate 17. ... f5 18. Ng3 Kh7∞ appears to be more constructive. 18. d4! f5 19. c4! Nb4 20. c5+ Kh8? This is catastrophic. Black had to sacrifice the Exchange by 20. ... Nd5 21. Nd6! e4! retaining the vague hope of getting something to live for.

21. Nd6!+− Bxd6. If now 21. ... e4 (probably best) there might follow 22. Nf7+ Kh7 23. N3g5+! Bxg5 24. Nxg5+ Kh8 25. Nf7+ (but 25. g3! followed by Qd1-h5 is probably sounder and stronger) 25. ... Kh7 26. Bxh6! with powerful attack. 22. cxd6 Qxd6 23. dxe5 Qe7. Not 23. ... Nxe5 on account of 24. Nxe5 Rxe5 25. Bxb4 winning at least a piece. 24. Bg5! Qf8. If 24. ... hxg5 then 25. Nh4!! finis (25. ... Nf4 26. Ng6+!+−). 25. Qxd7 hxg5 26. Nxg5 Qe7 27. Qxf5 1 : 0. For if 27. ... Nf8 then 28. Bf7 with the devastating threat of Re1-e4-h4+.

Three Sheets In The Wind

[Event "1st Women’s World Chess Summit “Qín Nóng Bank Cup”"]
[Site "西安 (Xī’ān) CHN"]
[Date "2019.12.19"]
[Round "1"]
[White "Stefanova, Antoaneta"]
[Black "侯逸凡 (Hóu Yìfán)"]
[ECO "D02"]
[Result "0-1"]
[TimeControl "25+10"]
[PlyCount "68"]

1.d4 Nf6 2.Bf4 d5 3.e3 c5 4.c3 Nc6 5.Nd2 e6 6.Ngf3 Be7 7.Ne5 Nd7 8.Bd3 O-O 9.h4 f6 10.Nxd7 Bxd7 11.Nf3 Be8 12.h5 cxd4 13.exd4 e5 14.dxe5 fxe5 15.Bxe5 Rxf3 16.Bxh7+ Kxh7 17.Qxf3 Nxe5 18.Qf5+ Kg8 19.Qxe5 Bf6 20.Qf5 Qe7+ 21.Kf1 Bb5+ 22.Kg1 Rd8 23.h6 Qe4 24.Rh5 Be8 25.hxg7 Bxh5 26.Qxf6 Re8 27.f3 Qe3+ 28.Kh1 Bf7 29.Rd1 Re6 30.Qd8+ Kxg7 31.Kh2 Rh6+ 32.Kg3 Rg6+ 33.Kh2 Qe2 34.Rg1 Qf2 0-1

[Event "1st Women’s World Chess Summit “Qín Nóng Bank Cup”"]
[Site "西安 (Xī’ān) CHN"]
[Date "2019.12.19"]
[Round "2"]
[White "侯逸凡 (Hóu Yìfán)"]
[Black "谭中怡 (Tán Zhōngyí)"]
[ECO "C24"]
[Result "1-0"]
[TimeControl "25+10"]
[PlyCount "53"]

1.e4 e5 2.Bc4 Nf6 3.d3 c6 4.Nf3 d5 5.Bb3 a5 6.a4 Bb4+ 7.c3 Bd6 8.Nbd2 O-O 9.O-O Re8 10.Re1 Nbd7 11.Nf1 Nf8 12.exd5 Nxd5 13.Bg5 Qc7 14.Ng3 h6 15.Bd2 Ng6 16.Ne4 Be7 17.h3 Bd7 18.d4 f5 19.c4 Nb4 20.c5+ Kh8 21.Nd6 Bxd6 22.cxd6 Qxd6 23.dxe5 Qe7 24.Bg5 Qf8 25.Qxd7 hxg5 26.Nxg5 Qe7 27.Qxf5 1-0

[Event "1st Women’s World Chess Summit “Qín Nóng Bank Cup”"]
[Site "西安 (Xī’ān) CHN"]
[Date "2019.12.19"]
[Round "3"]
[White "Kosteniuk, Alexandra Konstantinovna"]
[Black "侯逸凡 (Hóu Yìfán)"]
[ECO "B95"]
[Result "1-0"]
[TimeControl "25+10"]
[PlyCount "133"]

1.e4 c5 2.Nf3 d6 3.d4 cxd4 4.Nxd4 Nf6 5.Nc3 a6 6.Bg5 e6 7.Qf3 Nbd7 8.Be2 Qc7 9.O-O Be7 10.a4 b6 11.Qg3 Bb7 12.Be3 O-O 13.Bh6 Ne8 14.Bg5 Bxg5 15.Qxg5 Nef6 16.Qe3 Nc5 17.Bf3 Rac8 18.Rfd1 Rfd8 19.Nde2 Ncd7 20.g3 Ne5 21.Bg2 Nfg4 22.Qd4 Nc6 23.Qd2 h6 24.h3 Nf6 25.Rac1 Ne5 26.b3 d5 27.exd5 Nxd5 28.Nxd5 Bxd5 29.Qe3 Bxg2 30.Kxg2 Qb7+ 31.f3 Nc6 32.Nf4 Ne7 33.c4 Nf5 34.Qe5 Qe7 35.g4 Qg5 36.Qe4 Nh4+ 37.Kg3 Nf5+ 38.Kg2 h5 39.Kh2 hxg4 40.fxg4 Nh4 41.Kg3 g6 42.Ra1 b5 43.axb5 axb5 44.Rxd8+ Rxd8 45.Ra8 Rxa8 46.Qxa8+ Kg7 47.Qa1+ e5 48.Nd5 bxc4 49.bxc4 Nf5+ 50.Kf3 Nd4+ 51.Ke4 Qd2 52.Kxe5 Nb3 53.Qc3 Qd1 54.Kd6+ Kh6 55.Qh8+ Kg5 56.Qf6+ Kh6 57.h4 Qd4 58.Qxd4 Nxd4 59.Ke5 Nf3+ 60.Kf6 Nd2 61.Ne3 Nf3 62.c5 Nd4 63.Kxf7 Kh7 64.g5 Nc6 65.Ng4 Nd8+ 66.Ke7 Nc6+ 67.Kd7 1-0

On day one at 建国饭店 (Jiànguó Hotel) in 西安 (Xī’ān), three rounds of the eight-woman world summit were completed, with 侯逸凡 (Hóu Yìfán) scoring two wins and one loss. Photo: International Mind Sports Association.

Best by Test

沈阳 (Shěn Yáng) – Aleksandra Yuryevna Goryachkina
43rd Women’s Chess Olympiad; Batumi, October 5, 2018
1r4k1/1qb3p1/2p1nn2/p1Pp4/P2Pp3/1NQ1Pp1P/2KB1P2/5B1R b - - 1 33

Position after 33. Be2-f1

A consoling feature for the Russian women’s team may lay, however, in the great form shown by Aleksandra Yuryevna Goryachkina in her last Olympics games. Here is how she closed matters with 沈阳 (Shěn Yáng): 33. ... Nxc5! 34. dxc5 Be5! 35. Ba6 (35. Qxe5 Qxb3+ 36. Kc1 Qb1 mate) 35. ... Qxa6 36. Qxe5 Qd3+ 37. Kc1 Qxb3 38. Qa1 d4! 39. exd4 e3! 40. Bxe3 (40. fxe3 Ne4−+) 40. ... Rb4 41. Rg1 Rc4+ 0 : 1.

Aleksandra Yuryevna Goryachkina (seated, left) has all reasons to feel lucky as the newly elected FIDE President Arkady Vladimirovich Dvorkovich (standing, centre), beneath the deferential gaze of the Russian Chess Federation President Andrey Vasilievich Filatov (standing, right), makes the first move on Alexandra Konstantinovna Kosteniuk’s board. Photo: batumi2018.fide.com.

Win, Lose or Draw

沈阳 (Shěn Yáng) – 袁烨 (Yuán Yè)
6th Chinese Women’s Masters Chess Tournament; 无锡 (Wúxī), May 28, 2017
Semi-Slav Defence D45

1. d4 d5 2. Nf3 Nf6 3. c4 c6 4. Nc3 e6 5. e3 Nbd7 6. Be2 Bd6 7. 0-0 0-0 8. a4 a5 9. b3 b6 10. Qc2 Bb7 11. e4!? A variation to the theme in respect to 11. Bb2 Qe7 12. e4 dxe4 13. Nxe4 Nxe4 14. Qxe4 f5 15. Qe3 c5 16. Rad1 Rae8 17. Rfe1 Nf6 18. Ne5 Ne4 19. Bf1 Rd8 20. Nd3 Qc7 21. f4 g5 22. dxc5 bxc5 23. Ne5 Qg7 24. Ba1 gxf4 25. Qxf4 Bc7 26. h4 (what a disaster!) 26. ... Rd4 27. Rxd4 cxd4 28. Bxd4 Rd8 29. Ba1 Ng3 30. c5 Rd1 31. Qc4 Rxe1 32. Qxe6+ Kf8 33. Nd7+ Qxd7 34. Qxe1 Nxf1 35. Qxf1 Qd5 36. Kh1 Qe4 37. Bf6 Kf7 0 : 1 Pr. Nikolić – Dreev, World Rapid Chess Championship, Berlin 2015. 11. ... dxe4 12. Nxe4 Nxe4 13. Qxe4 Nf6 14. Qh4 c5 15. Bb2 Ne4 16. Qh5 cxd4 17. Bxd4 f5 18. Rad1 Qc7 19. Bb2 Bc5 20. Bd3 Qe7 21. Bd4 Bxd4 22. Nxd4 Rad8 23. Bxe4 Bxe4 24. Qe2 e5 25. Nb5 Bc6 26. Rxd8 Rxd8 27. Rd1 Bxb5 28. Rxd8+ Qxd8 29. cxb5. The Queen ending appears to be absolutely drawish, but, since Queen endings are among the most difficult to win (as well as to lose!), we may think that, given her deeper experience, 沈阳 (Shěn Yáng) will better know what to do. 29. ... h6 30. h4 Qd6 31. Qc2 f4 32. Kf1 Kf7 33. h5 Ke7 34. Ke2 Qd4 35. Qc7+ Kf6 36. Qc6+ Ke7 37. Qc2 Qd6 38. Qc4 Qd7 39. Ke1 Qd4 40. Qc2 Qa1+ 41. Ke2 Qd4 42. Qc7+ Kf6 43. Qc6+ Ke7 44. Kf3 Qd1+ 45. Ke4 Qe2+ 46. Kd5

46. ... Qd2+? A grave mistake that very precisely prepares for defeat. Correct was 46. ... Qd1+ 47. Kxe5 Qxh5+ 48. Kxf4 Qf7+ regaigning the Pawn with a draw very likely. 47. Kxe5 Qxf2 48. Kf5. Stockfish gives 48. Qe6+ Kf8 49. Kd6 which, indeed, might well be stronger. 48. ... Qe3 49. Qc7+ Ke8 50. Qe5+ Kf7 51. Qd5+ Ke7 52. Kg6 Qg3+ 53. Kh7 Qg4. 53. ... Kf6 might have been more stubborn (at least from a practical viewpoint) as after 54. Qd8+ Kf5 55. Qf8+ Ke4 56. Qxg7 Ke3 57. Qxh6 Qxg2 58. Qxb6 Ke2 59. Qc6 f3 60. b6 (Stockfish) it seems just a bit less easy for White to win. 54. Qb7+ Kf8 55. Qb8+ Kf7 56. Qc7+ Kf8 57. Qxb6 Qxh5 58. Qd8+ Kf7 59. Qd7+ Kf6 60. Qxg7+ Kf5 61. b6 Qe8 62. b7 h5 63. Kh6 Qe6+ 64. Kxh5 Qe8+ 65. Kh6 Qe6+ 66. Kh7 Qe8 67. g4+ fxg3 68. Qxg3 Qe7+ 69. Qg7 Qe8 70. Qc7 Qg6+ 71. Kh8 Qe8+ 72. Kg7 Qg6+ 73. Kf8 Qh6+ 74. Qg7 Qd6+ 75. Qe7 Qb6 76. Ke8 1 : 0.

沈阳 (Shěn Yáng)
Photo: qipai.org.cn

袁烨 (Yuán Yè)
Photo: qipai.org.cn

Broadcast Wars

沈阳 (Shěn Yáng) – 诸宸 (Zhū Chén)
Women’s Grand Prix 2009-2011; 2nd stage; 南京 (Nánjīng), October 8, 2009
Queen’s Gambit Declined D39

1. d4 d5 2. c4 e6 3. Nf3 Nf6 4. Bg5 Bb4+ 5. Nc3 dxc4 6. e4 c5 7. e5 cxd4 8. Qa4+ Nc6 9. 0-0-0 Bd7 10. Ne4 Be7 11. exf6 gxf6 12. Bh4 Rc8. An old trap is 12. ... Nb4? 13. Qxb4! Bxb4 14. Nxf6+ Kf8 15. Rxd4 Qa5 16. Nxd7+ Ke8 17. Nf6+ Kf8 18. Bxc4 Rc8 19. Kb1 h5 20. Rhd1 Be7 21. Nd7+ Ke8 22. Bg3 Rg8 23. h3 Rg7 24. a3 b5 25. Bb3 b4 26. axb4 Bxb4 27. Be5 Rxg2 28. Rxb4 Qxb4 29. Nf6+ Ke7 30. Rd7+ Kf8 31. Bd6+ Qxd6 32. Rxd6 Rxf2 33. Rd3 Ke7 34. Nxh5 Rf1+ 35. Bd1 Rg8 36. Nd4 e5 37. Nc6+ Ke6 38. Ka2 Rxd1 39. Rxd1 Rg5 40. Nf4+ exf4 41. Nd4+ Kf6 42. Rf1 Ra5+ 43. Kb1 Ra4 44. Nf3 Re4 45. Re1 Re6 46. Rxe6+ fxe6 47. Kc2 e5 48. Kd3 Kf5 49. Nd2 Kg5 50. Ke4 Kh4 51. Kxe5 Kxh3 52. Kxf4 1 : 0 Fine – Grünfeld, Amsterdam 1936. 13. Kb1 Na5 14. Qc2 e5 15. Nxd4 exd4 16. Rxd4 Qb6 17. Rd5 Be6 18. Rh5 Bg4 19. Qa4+ Nc6 20. Rb5 Qa6 21. Qxa6 bxa6 22. Rb7 Bf5 23. f3 Bc5 24. Bxf6! 沈阳 (Shěn Yáng) is in a fighting mood. In Dreev – Gustafsson, 35th Greek Team Chess Championship, Ermioni 2006 was seen 24. Bxc4 ½ : ½. 24. ... Rf8? 9th Women’s World Chess Champion 诸宸 (Zhū Chén) will immediately regret having left her King in the centre. Black should have castled. 25. Bxc4 Na5

26. Bxa6!! A surprising and very elegant refutation. 26. ... Nxb7 27. Bb5+! Bd7 28. Nd6+! 1 : 0.

沈阳 (Shěn Yáng). Photo: sina.com.cn.

Half the World

沈阳 (Shěn Yáng) – 宁凯玉 (Níng Kǎiyù)
12th Chinese Team Chess Championship; 无锡 (Wúxī), August 4, 2016
Queen’s Gambit Accepted D25

1. d4 d5 2. Nf3 Nf6 3. c4 dxc4 4. e3 a6 5. Bxc4 b5 6. Bd3 Bb7 7. 0-0 Nbd7 8. Bd2!? The immediate 8. a4 is far more common than the text, e.g. 8. ... b4 9. Qe2 e6 10. Nbd2 c5 11. Nc4 Be7 12. a5 0-0 13. Rd1 Qc7 14. Bd2 Be4 15. Bxe4 Nxe4 16. Be1 Nef6 17. dxc5 Bxc5 18. Nfd2 Qb7 19. Nb3 Qb5 20. Qf1 Be7 21. Nd4 Qb7 22. f3 Rfc8 23. Bg3 Ne8 24. Rac1 Rc5 25. Nb3 Rd5 26. e4 Rxd1 27. Rxd1 Rc8 28. Bf2 Nb8 29. Be3 g5 30. Nb6 Rc7 31. Qe2 h6 32. Bf2 Nc6 33. Rd2 Nf6 34. Qd1 Nh5 35. Nd7 Qb5 36. Bb6 Rc8 37. Qf1 Qxf1+ 38. Kxf1 Nf6 39. Nxf6+ Bxf6 40. Rc2 Ne7 41. Rxc8+ Nxc8 42. Bd4 Bxd4 43. Nxd4 Nd6 44. Nc6 Nc4 45. Nxb4 Nxb2 46. Ke2 Kf8 47. Nc6 Ke8 48. Kd2 Na4 49. Nb8 Nc5 50. Kc3 Ke7 51. Kc4 Nb7 52. Kb4 Kd6 53. Nxa6 Ke5 54. Nb8 Nxa5 55. Kxa5 Kf4 56. Nc6 Ke3 57. e5 Kf2 58. Nd8 Kxg2 59. Nxf7 Kxf3 60. Nxh6 1 : 0 Kortschnoi – Damjanović, 2nd International Tournament “Città di Colombo”, Genoa 1987. 8. ... c5 9. a4 b4 10. dxc5 Nxc5 11. Bc4 a5? Allowing the White Bishop to conquer an unexpected diagonal. Better looks 11. ... Rb8 12. Qe2 e6 and Black is fine. 12. Ne5 e6 13. Bb5+ Nfd7? Comparatively better was 13. ... Ncd7 14. e4 Ba6, even though after 15. Nxd7 Nxd7 16. Bg5! White maintains the initiative. 14. e4 Ba6

15. Qh5! Now White will enhance her advantage by means of a rational series of forcing moves. 15. ... g6 16. Qf3 f6 17. Nxd7 Nxd7 18. Rd1 Bxb5 19. axb5 Bc5 20. Bh6! Kf7 21. Qh3 Qc7 22. Nd2 Rad8 23. Nb3 Bb6 24. Be3 Bxe3. Chess engines disapprove, but 24. ... Ne5 25. Rdc1 is similarly unpleasant for Black. 25. Qxe3 Ne5 26. Rdc1 Qb8 27. Rxa5 g5 28. Qa7+ Rd7 29. Qxb8 Rxb8 30. Kf1 Rdb7. Black finally wins back her Pawn, but at the cost of allowing both White Rooks to infiltrate on the seventh rank. 31. Ke2 Rxb5 32. Rc7+ Kg6 33. Raa7 Rg8? If nothing else, 33. ... h6 (34. f3 f5) was a bit more tenacious. Now 沈阳 (Shěn Yáng) will capitalize her preponderance with relative ease. 34. Rxh7 Nc6 35. Rac7 Re5 36. f3 f5 37. h4 gxh4 38. Rxh4 Nd8 39. Kf2 fxe4 40. f4 Rf8 41. Ke3 Rd5 42. Nc5 Nf7. 42. ... Rf7 43. Rc8 is equally hopeless. 43. Nxe6 Re8 44. g4 Rd6 45. f5+ Kf6 46. Kf4 Rdxe6 47. Rh6+ 1 : 0.

沈阳 (Shěn Yáng) (left) and 居文君 (Jū Wénjūn) (right). Photo: 刘襄琳 (Liú Xiānglín).

An Aesthetic Idea through Bureaucracy

丁亦昕 (Dīng Yìxīn) – 沈阳 (Shěn Yáng)
2016 Chinese Chess League Division A; 嘉兴 (Jiāxīng), June 24, 2016
Four Knights Game C47

1. e4 e5 2. Nf3 Nc6 3. Nc3 Nf6 4. d4 exd4 5. Nxd4 Bb4 6. Nxc6 bxc6 7. Bd3 d5 8. exd5 cxd5 9. 0-0 0-0 10. h3 c6 11. Qf3 Rb8 12. Bf4 Bd6 13. b3 Rb4 14. Ne2 Bxf4 15. Nxf4 Qd6 16. Nh5 Nxh5 17. Qxh5 g6 18. Qf3. Thus she cannot cause Black any worries. More promising is 18. Qg5 Kg7 19. Rae1 Qf6 20. Qe3 with an edge for White, Alsina Leal – Dvirnyy, 39th International Open, Badalona 2013. 18. ... Qf4. 沈阳 (Shěn Yáng) plays safe and ensures herself a comfortable balance. Anyway, 18. ... Rf4 also was good. 19. Qxf4 Rxf4 20. Rfe1 Be6 21. c3 Rd8 22. Rad1

22. ... a5! 23. Ba6 Rb8! 24. Bd3 a4! 沈阳 (Shěn Yáng) is playing so well from so much time that you could well wonder why the superbosses of Chinese chess didn’t call her to join the Olympic women’s team. 25. Bc2 axb3 26. axb3 Bf5 27. Bxf5 Rxf5 28. b4 Rf4 29. Re7. White has sufficient life in her to achieve a draw. 29. ... Ra8 30. Re2 Ra3 31. b5 cxb5 32. Rxd5 Rxc3 33. Rxb5 ½ : ½.

沈阳 (Shěn Yáng)
Photo: games.sports.cn

Silence in the Library

沈阳 (Shěn Yáng) – 王珏 (Wáng Jué)
2016 Chinese Chess League Division A; 嘉兴, Jiāxīng, June 23, 2016
King’s Indian Defence E92

1. d4 Nf6 2. c4 g6 3. Nc3 Bg7 4. e4 d6 5. Be2 0-0 6. Nf3 e5 7. dxe5 dxe5 8. 0-0 Na6 9. Be3 c6 10. Qxd8 Rxd8 11. Rfd1 Re8 12. h3 Bf8 13. a3 Nc5 14. Nd2 a5 15. b3. For 15. b4 Ne6 16. c5 Nd4 see S. Ernst – van Wely, 76th Dutch Chess Championship, Eindhoven 2010. 15. ... Ne6 16. Na4 Nd7 17. Bg4 Nd4 18. Bxd4? It seems a serious error of judgement. After 18. Nf3 f5!? the game is more or less balanced. 18. ... exd4 19. Bxd7 Bxd7 20. c5 Be6 21. Rab1 f5 22. Nf3 fxe4 23. Nxd4 Bd5 24. Nc2 Rad8 25. Ne3 Bf7 26. b4

26. ... Rd3! The biting dust begins to stung under 沈阳 (Shěn Yáng)’s finger nails. 27. Rxd3. Perhaps 27. bxa5 Rxa3 would have held Black a bit more at bay. 27. ... exd3 28. bxa5 Ra8? 王珏 (Wáng Jué) misses her big chance. After 28. ... d2! (threatening ... Bf7-a2) 29. Nc3 Bxc5 Black’s position appears imposing. 29. Nb2 Bxc5 30. Nxd3 Bxe3 31. fxe3 Rxa5 32. Rxb7 Rxa3. The position is now roughly equal, but they both keep striving hand-to-hand for victory. 33. Ne5 Bd5 34. Ng4 h5 35. Nf6+ Kf8 36. e4 Be6 37. Nh7+ Ke8 38. Ng5 Bd7 39. Kf2 c5 40. Rc7 Rc3 41. e5 Bf5 42. Nf7 Rc2+ 43. Kg3 Be6 44. Nd6+ Kd8 45. Rxc5 Rd2. White’s extra Pawn is meaningless, but the two girls will agree a draw only after “theoretical” evidence. 46. Ne4 Rd4 47. Ng5 Bd5 48. e6 Ke7 49. Rc7+ Kf6 50. e7 h4+ 51. Kf2 Bf7 52. Ke3 Rd5 53. Ne4+ Ke6 54. Kf4 Rd4 55. Ke3 Rd5 56. Ra7 Rb5 57. Nd2 Re5+ 58. Kf4 g5+ 59. Kf3 Bh5+ 60. g4 hxg3+ 61. Kxg3 Re3+ 62. Kf2 Re2+ 63. Kg3 Rxd2 64. Ra5 Kf6 65. h4 gxh4+ 66. Kxh4 Be8 67. Ra7 Ke6 68. Kg3 Bd7 69. Kf4 Kxe7 70. Ke3 Rd6 71. Ke4 Ke6 72. Ke3 Bc6 73. Rh7 Kd5 74. Rh5+ Kc4 75. Rh4+ Kc5 76. Rh5+ Bd5 77. Rh8 Rg6 78. Rc8+ Kd6 79. Rc3 Ke5 80. Rd3 Be4 81. Rc3 Rg2 82. Rc5+ Bd5 83. Rc3 Ra2 84. Rd3 Bc4 85. Rc3 Kd5 86. Kf4 Kd4 87. Rf3 Bd5 88. Rf1 Rd2 89. Kf5 Bc4 90. Rf4+ Kd5 91. Kf6 Re2 92. Rf5+ Kd6 93. Rf4 Re6+ 94. Kf5 Bd3+ 95. Kg4 Be4 96. Kg3 Ke5 97. Rg4 Kd4 98. Kf4 Rf6+ 99. Kg5 Rf5+ 100. Kh6 Rf7 101. Rg7 Rf4 102. Kg5 Rf5+ 103. Kg4 Ke3 104. Re7 Rf1 105. Kg5 Rg1+ 106. Kf6 Kf4 107. Rg7 Ra1 108. Re7 Bf5 109. Rc7 Ra5 110. Rc6 Ra7 111. Rd6 Rh7 112. Rd4+ Be4 113. Rd6 Rh6+ 114. Ke7 Rh7+ 115. Kf6 Rh6+ 116. Ke7 Rxd6 ½ : ½.

沈阳 (Shěn Yáng)
Photo: slide.sports.sina.com.cn

Summer in the Winter

Valentina Evgenyevna Gunina – 沈阳 (Shěn Yáng)
10th Russia – China Friendship Match; Moscow, June 15, 2016
Grünfeld Defence D94

1. d4 d5 2. c4 c6 3. Nf3 Nf6 4. e3 g6 5. Nc3 Bg7 6. Bd3 0-0 7. h3 c5 8. 0-0 dxc4 9. Bxc4 Nbd7 10. Qe2 cxd4 11. exd4 Nb6 12. Bb3 Nbd5 13. Bg5. For 13. Nxd5 Nxd5 14. Bg5 Be6 15. Rac1 Re8 16. Rc5 h6 17. Bd2 b6 18. Rc6 Nc7 19. Bxe6 Nxe6 20. Be3 Qd5 21. Qc4 Red8 see Girya – Zakhartsov, European Blitz Chess Championship, Minsk 2015. 13. ... h6 14. Bxf6 Nxc3 15. bxc3 Bxf6 16. Rfe1 Kg7 17. Ne5 Qc7 18. Qf3 Bd7 19. Qg3. Threatening Bb3xf7. 19. ... Bf5 20. Rac1 Rad8 21. h4 h5 22. Qf4. With the threat of Ne5xg6. 22. ... Qd6 23. Re3 Bxe5 24. Rxe5 Qf6 25. Rce1 Be6? Black is eager to simplify the position for easing the effect of White’s powerful centralization, but the text implies the loss of a Pawn for no compensation. 25. ... e6 was better and sounder. 26. Qg3! Bxb3 27. axb3 e6 28. Rxh5 Rh8 29. Rxh8 Rxh8 30. Re4 Qf5 31. Qe3 b5 32. b4 a6 33. g3 Rc8 34. Rf4 Qd5 35. Kh2 Ra8 36. Rg4 f5 37. Rg5 Rh8. To stop h4-h5. 38. Qf4 Kf6 39. Kg1 Kf7 40. Kh2 Kf6 41. Rg4. Intending Qf4-g5+. 41. ... Rg8 42. Qg5+ Kf7 43. Rf4 Qc6

44. d5! Gunina finally breaks in the centre. 44. ... Qxd5. 44. ... exd5 45. h5 looks no better. 45. Rd4 Qc6 46. Qd2 Re8 47. Rd6 Qf3 48. Rxa6? Too hasty. After 48. Qd4! White would have tightened her grip on her opponent’s position without making any concessions. 48. ... Rd8! 49. Ra7+. White refuses the gift, for if 49. Qxd8 then 49. ... Qxf2+ 50. Kh3 Qf1+ and Black gives perpetual check. 49. ... Ke8 50. Qa2 Kf8 51. Rc7? Best was 51. Rh7! leaving Black no choice but to enter a Rook endgame a Pawn down. 51. ... f4! 52. g4?? A huge blunder, most likely due to serious time trouble. 52. Rh7 was still good enough to save the day. 52. ... Qxg4 Suddenly the White King is caught into a mating net. 53. Qa7. Or 53. Rh7 f3-+ (Sergey Yurevich Shipov’s analysis). 53. ... Qxh4+ 54. Kg2 f3+! Easy, but pretty. 55. Kxf3 Rd3+ 0 : 1.

沈阳 (Shěn Yáng)
Photo: Eteri Kublashvili

Life Is Not Always Work

沈阳 (Shěn Yáng) – Eateryna Aleksandrovna Lagno
10th Russia – China Friendship Match; Moscow, June 14, 2016
Grünfeld Defence D85

1. d4 Nf6 2. c4 g6 3. Nc3 d5 4. cxd5 Nxd5 5. e4 Nxc3 6. bxc3 Bg7 7. Qa4+ Qd7 8. Bb5 c6 9. Bd3 0-0 10. Ne2 c5 11. Qxd7 Nxd7 12. Be3 Rd8 13. Rd1 b6 14. f3 cxd4. A slight variation in theme from 14. ... Bb7 15. Kf2 Rac8 16. h4 e5 17. d5 c4 18. Bc2 Bf8 19. h5 Bc5 20. g3 Nf6 21. g4 g5 22. Ng3 Ne8 23. Ba4 Bxe3+ 24. Kxe3 Nd6 25. Bc6 Kf8 26. Bxb7 Nxb7 27. Rb1 Rc5 28. Rb4 Ke7 29. Nf5+ Kd7 30. a4 ½ : ½ Antón Guijarro – Gabuzyan, 17th Lake Sevan Chess Tournament, Martuni 2015. 15. cxd4 Bb7 16. Kf2 Rac8 17. h4 h6 18. Rc1 e6 19. Bb5 Nb8. Black originally solved all the demands that needed to be solved in order to reduce White’s plus to a symbolic minimum. 20. Rxc8 Rxc8 21. Rc1 Rxc1 22. Nxc1 Nc6 23. Nb3 Nb4 24. a4 Nc2 25. Bd3 Nb4 26. Bc4 Nc2

27. a5. 沈阳 (Shěn Yáng) is trying to make out something from a very balanced position. Kateryna Aleksandrovna has no difficulty in achieving a draw. 27. ... bxa5 28. Nxa5 Bc8 29. Nc6 Bd7 30. Nxa7 Nxd4 31. f4 h5 32. g3 Nc2 33. Bc5 Nd4 34. Ke3 Nc6 35. Bb5 Nb8 36. Be2 Nc6 37. Nb5 e5 38. f5 gxf5 39. exf5 Bxf5 40. Bxh5 Bh6+ ½ : ½.

沈阳 (Shěn Yáng). Photo: Eteri Kublashvili

Ekateryna Aleksandrovna Lahno. Photo: Eteri Kublashvili

One Day on Mars

Anastasia Mikhailovna Bodnaruk – 沈阳 (Shěn Yáng)
10th Russia – China Friendship Match; Moscow, June 13, 2016
Spanish Game C78

1. e4 e5 2. Nf3 Nc6 3. Bb5 a6 4. Ba4 Nf6 5. 0-0 Bc5 6. c3 b5 7. Bb3 d6 8. a4 Bb7 9. d4 Bb6 10. Re1 0-0 11. Bg5 h6 12. Bh4 exd4 13. cxd4 Re8 14. d5. The most common way is 14. axb5 axb5 15. Rxa8 Bxa8 16. d5 Na5 17. Bc2 c6 18. dxc6 Bxc6 19. Nc3 g5 20. Bg3 b4 21. Nd5 b3 22. Bxb3 Rxe4 ½ : ½ Minić – Planinc, 27th Yugoslav Chess Championship, Umag 1972. 14. ... Na5 15. Bc2 c6 16. Nc3 g5 17. Bg3 cxd5 18. Nxd5 Nxd5 19. exd5 Rxe1+ 20. Nxe1 Qf6 21. axb5 axb5 22. Qe2 b4 23. Qe4 b3 24. Bd3 Bd4. Black finally decides to cash in the b2-Pawn. On the other hand, White is quite glad to sacrifice it as her initiative fully compensates for it. 25. Nf3 Bxb2 26. Re1 Kf8? As usual 沈阳 (Shěn Yáng) doesn’t hesitate to play on the edge of the foxhole. Correct was 26. ... Qg6 27. Qe2 Qf6 effectively offering a draw by repetition.

27. h4! A terrific blow, threatening 28. hxg5 hxg5 29. Nxg5! Qxg5 30. Bxd6+ and mate in a very few moves. 沈阳 (Shěn Yáng)’s answer appears forced. 27. ... g4. In fact, on 27. ... Ba3 28. Nh2! is too strong. 28. Qxg4 Bc3 29. Re3. Not bad, but I like very much the interferential Rook sacrifice 29. Re6!! (29. ... fxe6 30. Bxd6+) with a triumphal crescendo. 29. ... Re8. And once again, a bad move will bring 沈阳 (Shěn Yáng) good luck! True indeed, also, is the fact that Stockfish’s best offer 29. ... Bc8 30. Qa4 Bb7 31. Bh7! (Δ Qa4-g4) 31. ... Kg7 32. Bb1! Kf8 33. Qg4 Bc8 34. Qe4 would have lose as well since there are too many threats for Black to face. 30. Rxe8+ Kxe8 31. Qg8+? Anastasia Mikhailovna misses her golden point! It was not too hard to find 31. h5! that would have threatened everything (among others things, Bg3-h4 and/or Qg4-g8+). 31. ... Kd7 32. Qb8 Bxd5 33. Bf5+. White wisely contents herself with perpetual check. 33. ... Qxf5 34. Qxd6+ Ke8 35. Qb8+ Kd7 36. Qc7+ Ke8 37. Qb8+ Kd7 38. Qc7+ Ke8 39. Qb8+ ½ : ½.

Anastasia Mikhailovna Bodnaruk vs. 沈阳 (Shěn Yáng)
Photo: Eteri Kublashvili

Flying roller coaster

Natalia Andreevna Pogonina – 沈阳 (Shěn Yáng)
10th Russia – China Friendship Match; Moscow, June 12, 2016
Slav Defence D10

1. d4 d5 2. c4 c6 3. e3 Bf5 4. cxd5 cxd5 5. Qb3 Qc7 6. Nc3 e6 7. e4 Bxe4 8. Bf4 Qb6 (8. ... Qxf4 9. Qxb7) 9. Nb5 Na6 10. f3 Bb4+? The Bishop seems badly placed here, causing further trouble. For 10. ... Bg6 11. Rc1 Kd8 12. h4 f6 13. Kf2 Rc8 14. Rxc8+ Kxc8 15. Be2 e5 see D. Gurevich – B. M. Kogan, 30th U.S. Chess Championship, Berkeley 1984. 11. Kd1!? Bg6 12. Rc1 Nf6? Another bad point. Both 12. ... Kd8 13. a3 Be7 and 12. ... Rd8 13. a3 Be7 offered better chances of holding on. 13. a3! e5!?? 沈阳 (Shěn Yáng) takes extreme measures returning the Pawn, as after 13. ... Ba5? 14. Nd6+ Kf8 15. Qxb6 Bxb6 16. Nxb7 Bxd4 17. Bxa6 White wins, while 13. ... Be7 14. Bc7 Nxc7 15. Nxc7+ Kd7 16. Qxb6 axb6 17. Bb5+ Kd6 18. Nxa8 Rxa8 19. Ne2 would leave Black with insufficient compensation for the Exchange. Her decision is very unsound, but will bring her good luck! 14. dxe5? The wrong way. Instead, after 14. Bxe5 Be7 15. Nc7+ Nxc7 16. Qxb6 axb6 17. Rxc7 White would have achieved a dominant position. 14. ... Qf2! Maybe Pogonina was hoping for 14. ... Nh5? 15. Be3 Bc5 16. Rxc5! Nxc5 17. Qxd5 0-0 18. Qxc5 winning easily. 15. Nd6+ Kf8 16. axb4 Qxf1+ 17. Kd2 Ne4+! 18. Nxe4 (18. fxe4? Qxf4+) 18. ... Qxg2+ 19. Nf2! Qxf2+ 20. Ne2 Qb6 21. b5 Qa5+ 22. Kd1 Nc7 23. Bd2 Qb6 24. Be3 d4!? It seems pretty forced, as 24. ... Qa5? 25. b6 would be simply too unpleasant. 25. Nxd4 Rd8 26. Ke2 Nd5

27. Qa3+? A mistake which could cause unhappy consequences. White should have played 27. Nf5! Qe6 28. Bc5+ Kg8 29. Ne7+ Nxe7 30. Qxe6 fxe6 31. Bxe7, although after 31. ... Rd5! (31. ... Re8? 32. Rc7 gives no hope at all) 32. Rc8+ Kf7 33. Rxh8 Rxe5+ 34. Kf2 Kxe7 Black should get enough compensation to hope for a draw. 27. ... Kg8 28. Qc5 h6 29. Rhd1 Kh7 30. Kf2 Rhe8 31. Qxb6 axb6 32. f4 Be4. 32. ... Bh5! 33. Nf3 (33. Rd2 g5!) 33. ... f6 seems to promise something more than the text. 33. Bd2 f6 34. Re1. Or 34. e6 f5 with a more pleasant position for Black. 34. ... Nxf4!? 沈阳 (Shěn Yáng) offers a funny solution, but it appears that 34. ... fxe5! 35. Rxe4 Nf6 followed by ... Rd8xd4! would have left White to struggle for a draw. 35. Rxe4 Nd3+ 36. Ke3 Nxc1 37. Bxc1 Rxe5 38. Rxe5 fxe5. A hard-fought battle ended up in an unbalanced equality. 39. Nf3 Rd5 40. Bd2 Rxb5 41. Bc3 Rc5 42. Nxe5 b5 43. Kd4 b6 44. h4 g5 45. hxg5 hxg5 46. Bd2 Rc2 47. Bxg5 Rxb2 48. Bd8 Rd2+ 49. Nd3 Rxd3+ 50. Kxd3 ½ : ½.

Natalia Andreevna Pogonina vs. 沈阳 (Shěn Yáng)
Photo: ruchess.ru

That’s What Friends Are For

沈阳 (Shěn Yáng) – Aleksandra Yuryevna Goryachkina
10th Russia – China Friendship Match; Moscow, June 11, 2016
Queen’s Gambit Declined D12

1. d4 d5 2. Nf3 Nf6 3. c4 c6 4. e3 Bf5 5. Nc3 e6 6. Nh4 Be4 7. f3 Bg6 8. Qb3 Qc7 9. Bd2 Be7 10. Nxg6 hxg6 11. g3 a6 12. Rc1 dxc4 13. Bxc4 Nbd7. For 13. ... c5 14. dxc5 Nc6 see Siva Mahadevan – Goryachkina, 2nd Qatar Masters Open, Doha 2015. 14. Kf2 Rd8 15. Kg2 c5 16. Be2 0-0 17. Rhd1 b5 18. a4 b4 19. Nb1 a5 20. Be1 Qa7 21. Bf2 cxd4 22. exd4 Nd5 23. Nd2 Rc8 24. Bb5 Bg5 25. f4 Bf6 26. Qd3 Rfd8 27. Nb3 N7b6 28. Qf3 Qa8 29. Kg1 Rxc1 30. Rxc1 Rc8 31. Qd1 g5 32. Rxc8+ Nxc8 33. Qc1. After long maneuvering, White has finally gained control of the c-file, which ultimately will lead her to win a symbolic Pawn. 33. ... gxf4 34. Bc6 Qb8 35. Bxd5 exd5 36. Qc5 Nb6 37. Qxa5

37. ... f3! Goryachkina hammers a nail into the enemy’s Castle, getting more than sufficient counterplay to compensate for her little deficit. 38. Qxb4 Qc8! 39. Nd2. Not 39. Qxb6?? Qh3 with unavoidable mate. 39. ... Qc1+ 40. Nf1 Nc4 41. Qc3 Qa1 42. a5 g6 43. a6. If 43. Qxf3 then 43. ... Nd2! 44. Qe2 Nxf1 45. Qxf1 Qxb2 46. Qd1 Qa2 with a draw in sight. 43. ... Qxa6 44. Qxf3 Nxb2 45. Qxd5 Qd3 46. Ne3 Qxd4 47. Qa8+ Qd8 48. Qxd8+ Bxd8 49. Nd5 Nc4 ½ : ½.

From left: Aleksandra Yuryevna Goryachkina, Anastasia Mikhailovna Bodnaruk, Valentina Evgenyevna Gunina, and Natalia Andreevna Pogonina. Photo: ruchess.ru

From left: 沈阳 (Shěn Yáng) chatting with Kateryna Aleksandrovna Lagno and Olga Alexandrovna Girya. Photo: ruchess.ru

Fading Beauty

沈阳 (Shěn Yáng) – 丁亦昕 (Dīng Yìxīn)
1st China Chess Queen; match game 2; 台州 (Tāizhōu), November 25, 2015
Grünfeld Defence D85

1. d4 Nf6 2. c4 g6 3. Nc3 d5 4. cxd5 Nxd5 5. Qb3 Nxc3 6. bxc3 Bg7 7. Ba3 b6 8. e3 0-0 9. Nf3 Nc6 10. Be2 Na5 11. Qc2. Also after 11. Qb4 c5! 12. Qb2 Be6 13. Nd2 Qc7 we’d subjectively prefer Black, Mah – Hawkins, 4NCL 2012/2013, Staverton 2013. 11. ... c5 12. dxc5? 沈阳 (Shěn Yáng) must win at any cost, and doesn’t hesitate to unbalance the position. Objectively, her move is very dubious. On the other hand, 12. 0-0 Qc7 was dead equal. 12. ... Bf5! 13. Qb2 bxc5 14. 0-0. By taking the Pawn, 沈阳 (Shěn Yáng) would have subjected herself to a very powerful initiative: 14. Bxc5? Qc7 15. Bb4 Nc4! would leave White in a very unpleasant position. 14. ... Rb8 15. Qc1 Qc7 16. Nd2 Qe5 17. Bb2 Rfd8 18. Rd1

18. ... Bd3! Black gained a strong advantage. 19. Bf3 c4 20. h3 h5 21. Nf1 Nb7 22. Rd2. A bad move in a bad position. Now White will be soon overwhelmed by Black’s huge preponderance. 22. ... Nc5 23. Qd1 Qc7 24. Rc1 Qa5. Even simpler was 24. ... Bxf1 25. Kxf1 Rxd2 26. Qxd2 Nd3 and White could well resign. 25. Ba1 Na4 26. Qe1 Rd6 27. Ng3 Rdb6 28. Ne2 Rb1 29. Rdd1 Rxc1 30. Rxc1 e5 ½ : ½. White is substantially helpless, but 丁亦昕 (Dīng Yìxīn) needed just a half point to qualify for the next round.

沈阳 (Shěn Yáng) (R.) vs. 丁亦昕 (Dīng Yìxīn) (L.)
Photo: General Administration of Sport in China

The Other Side of the Moon

丁亦昕 (Dīng Yìxīn) – 沈阳 (Shěn Yáng)
1st China Chess Queen; match game 1; 台州 (Tāizhōu), November 24, 2015
Four Knights Game C48

1. e4 e5 2. Nf3 Nc6 3. Nc3 Nf6 4. Bb5 Bd6!? A very strange move, but – I must confess – very often I don’t understand chess as it is played today. 5. d3 h6 6. a3 a6 7. Ba4 b5 8. Bb3 Bb7 9. Be3. For 9. Ne2 Bc5 10. Ng3 d6 11. Be3 0-0 12. 0-0 Nd4 13. Bxd4 Bxd4 14. Nxd4 exd4 15. Nf5 see Naiditsch – B. Tóth, 5th International Chess Festival, Basel 2015. 9. ... 0-0 10. Ne2 Re8 11. Ng3 Bf8 12. 0-0 d5 13. exd5 Nxd5 14. Nf5 Re6 15. Nd2 Rf6 16. Ng3 Nd4 17. Ba2 c5 18. Nde4 Rg6 19. Qd2 Qh4 20. f4? A very imprudent decision. She should have first played 20. Bxd5 Bxd5 and only then 21. f4. 20. ... Nxe3 21. Qxe3 Nxc2 22. Qf2 Bxe4? Not 22. ... Nxa1? on account of 23. fxe5 Kh7 (what else?) 24. Qxf7 Be7 25. Rf4 and wins. However, here 22. ... exf4 23. Qxc2 c4 looks much stronger. 23. Qxc2 Bc6 24. fxe5 Qd4+ 25. Kh1 Ra7 26. Rae1 Qd8

27. e6!? To light the Dragon’s fire. 27. ... fxe6? 沈阳 (Shěn Yáng) panics and opens up lines for White’s Bishop as well as her Rook. Correct was 27. ... Bd5 28. exf7+ Rxf7 29. Rxf7 Kxf7 30. b4 Rc6 when Black should hold her own. 28. Rxe6 Rxe6 29. Bxe6+ Kh8 30. d4! The decisive break-up of the Black’s castled position, even if it’s far (very far!) from His Majesty’s position! 30. ... c4. Clearly bad, but after 30. ... Bd6 31. Nf5 Qf6 32. d5 Black is helpless anyway. 31. Qg6. With the threat of Be6-f5. 31. ... Bd7 32. Bd5 Be7 33. Nh5 Bf6. Else 33. ... Bf8 34. Be4 mates in a few moves. 34. Nxf6 1-0.

沈阳 (Shěn Yáng)
Photo: qipai.org.cn

A Song of Ice and Fire

Natalia Andreevna Pogonina – 沈阳 (Shěn Yáng)
China – Russia Match; 宁波市 (Níngbō), July 20, 2015
Grünfeld Defence D94

1. d4 d5 2. c4 c6 3. e3 Nf6 4. Nc3 g6. Karl Schlechter’s heritage. 5. Nf3 Bg7 6. Be2 0-0 7. 0-0 dxc4 8. Bxc4 Bg4 9. Be2 Nbd7 10. e4 Ne8 11. Bg5 Nb6 12. e5. For 12. Qd2 Nc7 13. Rad1 Ne6 14. Be3 Bxf3 15. Bxf3 Nc4 see 赵雪 (Zhào Xuě) – 沈阳 (Shěn Yáng), Chinese Team Chess Championship, 江门 (Jiāngmén) 2014. 12. ... Nc7 13. h3 Be6 14. Qc1 Bd5 15. Nxd5 Nbxd5 16. Rd1 Ne6 17. Bh6 Qb6 18. Bxg7 Kxg7 19. Bc4 Rad8 20. Qd2 Rd7 21. a4 Rc8 22. a5 Qd8 23. b4 b6 24. Qb2 Rb8 25. Qa3 Ndc7 26. axb6 axb6

27. Qb3. 27. Qb2 Nd5 is passive, but might give better chances to survive. 27. ... b5 28. Be2. Pogonina decides to sacrifice a Pawn, but she will get no reliable compensation. She would perhaps have considered 28. Bxe6 Nxe6 29. Qc3 which is slightly passive but quite playable. 28. ... Nxd4 29. Nxd4 Rxd4 30. Bf3. After 30. Qc3 Ne6 31. Qxc6 h5 the game is materially balanced, but Black still keeps somewhat better chances. 30. ... Ne6 31. Qc3. If 31. Bxc6 then 31. ... Qc7 and the White e-Pawn will fall. 31. ... Qb6 32. Rac1. Obviously not 32. Bxc6?? because of 32. ... Rc8 and wins. Her last chance was 32. Qxc6 Qxc6 33. Bxc6 Rxb4 34. Rd7 Rd4 35. Rxe7 b4 36. Be8 Nd8 37. Rd7 Rxd7 38. Bxd7 Nb7! with a (much) more comfortable ending for Black. 32. ... Rbd8 33. Rxd4 Qxd4 34. Qe1 Qf4 35. Rxc6. If, instead, 35. Bxc6 then 35. ... Nd4! with devastating effect. 35. ... Rd4! The pointe is the deadly infiltration of the Rook to the fourth rank. 36. Bg4 Re4 37. Qa1. Indirectly defending the e-Pawn, but now comes the decisive blow: 37. ... Nd4! Mamma mia! 38. g3 Qxe5 39. Rc1 h5 40. Bd1. The last mistake, but even after 40. f4 Qf6 the game does not last much longer. 40. ... Re1+ 41. Kh2 Qe4 42. Bf3 Rxc1 0 : 1.

沈阳 (Shěn Yáng)
Photo: photo.sina.com.cn