Royal House for Rent

In the meantime, with uncommon promptness, FIDE announced the first round pairings for the impending Women’s World Championship Knockout Tournament to be held in Tehran, Iran from 10 February to 5 March 2017:

• 居文君 (Jū Wénjūn) – Nancy L. Lane
• Amina Mezioud – Anna Muzychuk
• Alexandra Konstantinovna Kosteniuk – Sabrina Latreche
• Shamima Akter Liza – Harika Dronavalli
• Nana Dzagnidze – Khaled Mona
• Viktorija Ni – Valentina Evgenyevna Gunina
• Antoaneta Stefanova – Yaniet Marrero López
• Ayelén Martínez – 赵雪 (Zhào Xuě)
• 谭中怡 (Tán Zhōngyí) – Sabina-Francesca Foişor
• Sofio Gvetadze – Nino Batsiashvili
• Natalia Andreevna Pogonina – 周齐宇 (Zhōu Qíyǔ)
• Maritza Arribas Robaina – 沈阳 (Shěn Yáng)
• Hoàng Thanh Trang – Nataliya Buksa
• Atousa Pourkashiyan – Elisabeth Pähtz
• Aleksandra Yuryevna Goryachkina – 翟墨 (Dí Mò)
• Mitra Hejazipour – Anastasia Mikhailovna Bodnaruk
• Olga Alexandrovna Girya – Cristina Adela Foișor
• Phạm Lê Thảo Nguyên – Lela Javakhishvili
• Cramling Pia – Kateřina Němcová
• Sopiko Guramishvili – Sara Sadat Khadem-al-sharieh
• Monika Soćko – Anastasia Savina
• Daria Charochkina – 黄茜 (Huáng Qiàn)
• Natalia Zhukova – Nino Khurtsidze
• Nastassia Alyakseeўna Ziaziulkina – Anna Ushenina
• Elina Danielian – Padmini Rout
• Salome Melia – Ekaterina Atalik
• Lilit Mkrtchian – 倪诗群 (Ní Shīqún)
• Olga Zimina – Bela Khotenashvili
• Dinara Saduakassova – Marina Nechaeva
• Inna Yanovska Gaponenko – Ekaterina Valentinovna Kovalevskaya
• Deysi Estela Cori Tello – Alina Anatolyevna Kashlinskaya
• 诸宸 (Zhū Chén) – Irene Kharisma Sukandar

Not Only a Question of Faith

Argentine Woman Grandmaster María Carolina Luján gave an enlightening interview to Soledad Vallejos for Pagina12 of January 14, 2017 in which she explains her reasons for refusing to take part in the next Knockout Women’s World Chess Championship Tournament to be held in in Tehran, Iran from 10 February to 5 March 2017. She also prefers to point the issue of the mandatory Iranian dress code rather than the politically more significant instance of gender discrimination blatantly represented by the inequality of men’s and women’s World Chess Championship systems. As you should know, the knockout format is a sort of “Wild Bunch” which designates the new “World Champion” on basis of cabalistic criteria related to the guidelines of Voldemort’s Black Book if not to be negotiated by parties. Whatever it is, María Carolina doesn’t reduce everything to just “wearing the hijab”. She would have liked to know something more about Iran’s culture and its theocratic governance, but apparently the World Chess Federation didn’t answer to any of her questions, and she had to pay a visit to the Iran Embassy in Argentina for getting some information. “My family was worried, too. I think all this could have been solved otherwise, for instance by giving information”, she said. “I mean, more information about the country, its culture, the rigorous application of the law. Or if FIDE had given us guarantees of assistance and protection. But nothing. It was very like ‘It’s here. If you don’t like, you don’t play’. That was the message I perceived and I decided to renounce. Maybe my decision would have been different if the dealing had been different”, Luján said.

María Carolina Luján. Photo: Sandra Cartasso.

Route 64

• 2017女子国际象棋世锦赛参赛名单 (Participants of the Women’s World Chess Championship Knockout Tournament 2017), sports.sohu.com, January 12, 2017

On January 11, the World Chess Federation published the list of participants of the Women’s World Chess Championship Knockout Tournament 2017.

Seven Chinese players will participate in the 64-Player Knockout: 居文君 (Jū Wénjūn), 赵雪 (Zhào Xuě), 沈阳 (Shěn Yáng), 谭中怡 (Tán Zhōngyí), 翟墨 (Dí Mò), 倪诗群 (Ní Shīqún), and 黄茜 (Huáng Qiàn).

The Women’s World Chess Championship is still a knockout tournament format. It will be held in Tehran, Iran from 10 February to 5 March 2017. The winner will become the Women’s World Chess Champion. Below, it follows the list of the participating Chinese players:

It’s worth mentioning that there is a separate list of remarkable absentees from the Women’s World Chess Championship Knockout Tournament, including the current Women’s World Chess Champion 侯逸凡 (Hóu Yìfán) from China and the former Women’s World Chess Champion Mariya Muzychuk from Ukraine. In addition, the former Challenger Humpy Koneru from India, Alisa Mikhailovna Galliamova and Tatiana Anatolyevna Kosintseva from Russia, Nazí Nodarovna Paikidze and Irina Borisivna Krush from the United States refused to participate. Both Krush and Paikidze refused to comply with the mandatory Iranian dress code.

(Free translation by Dr. Winston O’Boogie)

Postage stamp

Chess-News.ru (‏@Chess__News)

Knockout Women’s World Chess Championship Tournament: who’ll play and who won’t play. After 侯逸凡 (Hóu Yìfán), Nazí Nodarovna Paikidze, Mariya Olehivna Muzychuk, Irina Borisivna Krush, also Humpy Koneru (pictured above), Tatiana Anatolyevna Kosintseva, Alisa Mikhailovna Galliamova, María Carolina Luján, Emma Guo, plus three Egyptian players decided to not participate. For the list of 64 players who will take part in the Knockout Women’s World Chess Championship Tournament to be held in Tehran, Iran from 10 February to 5 March 2017, instead, see http://chess-news.ru/node/22600.

奇爱博士

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Notes by Alina l’Ami

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Tatiana Anatolyevna Kosintseva – 侯逸凡 (Hóu Yìfán)

4th SportAccord World Mind Games; Women’s Basque Event; 北京 (Beijīng), December 16, 2014

Sicilian Defence B81

1. e4 c5 2. Nf3 e6 3. d4 cxd4 4. Nxd4 Nf6 5. Nc3 d6 6. Be3 a6 7. g4 h6 8. Bg2 Nc6 9. h3 Bd7 10. Qe2 Rc8 11. f4 Qa5 12. Qf2 Nxd4 13. Bxd4 e5 14. Bb6 Qb4 15. 0-0-0. After the first day of Basque, Hóu Yìfán is in 2nd position with 5/6. In round 3 she won both her games against Tatiana Kosintseva. Her Black game was won, using the thematic Sicilian Exchange sacrifice.

15. ... Rxc3! 16. bxc3 Qa3+ 17. Kd2 Be7. Quietly finishing development. Black has fantastic counterplay in the form of good chances against White’s King and the better pawn structure. 18. f5 0-0 19. Rb1 Rc8 20. Rb3 Qxa2 21. Rhb1 Qa4 22. Qe2 Bb5! 23. Rxb5 axb5 24. Rb4 Qa1 25. Rb3 Nd7 26. Qxb5 Bg5+. And the White King didn’t surive long. 27. Ke2 Nxb6 28. Qxb6 Qc1 29. c4 Qxc2+ 30. Kf1 Qxc4+ 31. Kg1 Qc1+ 32. Bf1 Rc2 33. Rf3 Qd2 0 : 1. (Notes by Alina l’Ami).

侯逸凡 (Hóu​ Yì​fán)
Photo: 谷笑冰 (Gǔ Xiàobīng)

第七

Tatiana Anatolyevna Kosintseva – 侯逸凡 (Hóu Yìfán)

4th SportAccord World Mind Games; Women’s Rapid Event; 北京 (Beijīng), December 12, 2014

Sicilian Defence B31

1. e4 c5 2. Nf3 Nc6 3. Bb5 g6 4. Bxc6 bxc6 5. 0-0 Bg7 6. c3 Nf6 7. Re1 0-0 8. d4 d5 9. e5 Ne4 10. Be3 cxd4 11. cxd4 f6 12. exf6 exf6 13. Nbd2 g5 14. Rc1 Bd7 15. Qc2 Re8 16. Nb3 Rc8 17. Nfd2 f5 18. f3 Nd6 19. Bf2 f4 20. Nc5 Bf5 21. Qa4 Qb6 22. b3 Nb5 23. h3 h6 24. Nf1 Kf7 25. Nh2 h5 26. Nf1 Bf6 27. Nd2 Bg6 28. Nd7 Qb7 29. Nxf6 Kxf6 30. Qb4 Qd7 31. a4 Nd6 32. Re5 Nf7 33. Rxe8 Rxe8 34. Qc3 Re6 35. b4 Qe8 36. Nb3 Bf5 37. Nc5 Re7 38. Na6 Nd8 39. Qc5 Bd3 40. Qd6+ Kg7 41. Nb8 Nf7 42. Qxc6 Qxb8 43. Qxd5 Qxb4 44. h4 g4 45. g3

45. ... Qd2 46. Ra1 fxg3 47. Bxg3 Qe3+ 48. Kh2 Qxf3 49. Qxf3 gxf3 50. Bf2 Nh6 51. Kg3 Ng4 0 : 1.

侯逸凡 (Hóu Yìfán) interviewed by reporters on December 10, 2014. Photo: 戚连民 (Qī Liánmín).

Closing Time

侯逸凡 (Hóu Yìfán) – Alina l’Ami
Sharjah; September 6, 2014
Vienna Game C26

1. e4 e5 2. Nc3 Nf6 3. g3 Nc6 4. Bg2 Bc5 5. Nge2 0-0 6. 0-0 a6 7. h3 d6. If 7. ... Nd4 then 8. Kh2 b5 9. d3 Bb7 10. f4 with an edge, Kholmov – Kurajica, Skopje 1969. 8. Kh2 Ne8 9. d3 f5 10. f4 fxe4 11. Nxe4 Bb6 12. N2c3 d5 13. Ng5 Nf6 14. fxe5 Nxe5 15. d4 Ng6

16. Rxf6! Rxf6. 16. ... gxf6 is met by 17. Nxh7! with an overwhelming attack. And also after 16. ... Qxf6 17. Nxd5 Qxd4 18. Qxd4 Bxd4 19. Nxc7 Rb8 20. Nce6 White stands much better. 17. Qh5 c6 18. Qxh7+ Kf8 19. Nf3 Bc7 20. Ne2. Clearly not 20. Bg5? since 20. ... Bxg3+! 21. Kxg3? Rxf3+! turns the tables. 20. ... Qe8 21. Bg5 Rf5 22. Re1 Qf7 23. Bd2 Rxf3?? A grave blunder. Black should have played 23. ... Qf6, although after 24. Nf4 White would have retained at least the initiative. 24. Bb4+ Ne7 25. Qh8+ 1 : 0.

侯逸凡 (Hóu Yìfán) vs. Alina l’Ami
Sharjah; September 6, 2014
Photo: Maria Alekseevna Emelianova

Tatiana Anatolyevna Kosintseva – 居文君 (Jū Wénjūn)
Sharjah; September 6, 2014
Sicilian Defence B32

1. e4 c5 2. Nf3 Nc6 3. d4 cxd4 4. Nxd4 e5 5. Nb5 d6 6. N1c3 a6 7. Na3 b5 8. Nd5 Nge7 9. c4 Nxd5 10. exd5 Nd4 11. cxb5 Be7 12. Bd3 0-0 13. 0-0 f5 14. bxa6. For 14. Kh1 Bf6 see González de la Torre – Maze, Elgoibar 2005. 14. ... f4 15. Nc2 f3 16. Nxd4 exd4 17. gxf3 Bg5 18. Kh1 Bf4 19. Bxf4 Rxf4 20. Rg1 Bxa6 21. Bxa6 Rxa6 22. Qe2 Ra8 23. a4 Qf6 24. Ra3 Kf8 25. Qe6 Rxf3 26. Qxf6+ Rxf6 27. Kg2 Rf5 28. b4 Rxd5 29. Rd1 Ke7 30. a5 Rb8 31. a6 Ra8 32. Kf3 Kd7 33. Ke4 Rb5 34. Rxd4 Ra7 35. Ra4 Rb6 36. Kd5 Rbxa6 37. Rxa6 Rxa6 38. Rf4 Rb6 39. Rf7+ Ke8 40. Rf4 Kd7 41. Kc4 Kc6 42. Rf7 d5+ 43. Kb3 Rb8 44. f4 Rg8 45. f5 Kd6 46. h4 d4 47. Kc4 Ke5 48. Re7+ Kxf5 49. Kxd4 Kg4 50. Re4+ Kf3 51. Re3+ Kg4 52. Re4+ Kf3 53. Re3+ Kg4 54. Re4+ ½ : ½.

居文君 (Jū Wénjūn)
Sharjah; September 6, 2014
Photo: Maria Alekseevna Emelianova

Boleskine House

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Expressly annotated by 尼斯湖水怪

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Alina l’Ami – Tatiana Anatolyevna Kosintseva
Sharjah; August 27, 2014
Nimzo-Indian Defence E56

1. d4 Nf6 2. c4 e6 3. Nc3 Bb4 4. e3 0-0. The most neutral development. 5. Bd3 c5 6. Nf3 d5 7. 0-0 Nc6 8. cxd5 exd5 9. dxc5 Bxc5 10. h3 Qe7 11. b3 Rd8 12. Bb2 Ne4 13. Ne2 Bd6. Tatiana tries incisive methods. Another try is 13. ... Nb4 14. Bb1 Bf5 as in the game Mkrtchian – 侯逸凡 (Hóu Yìfán), Jermuk 2012. 14. Rc1 a6 15. Bb1 Be6 16. Ned4 Bd7 17. Qe2 f5 18. Rfe1 Rf8. Seeking a more favourable field of action. 19. Bd3 Rae8. Offering a Pawn. 20. Nxc6 bxc6 21. Bxa6 f4. Partly showing her cards. 22. exf4 Bxf4 23. Rcd1 Qf7. Intending ... Bf4-d6 or ... Qf7-g6 with excellent prospects of attack. 24. Qf1. Probably safer than 24. Bd3 Nc3 (24. ... Bxh3!?). 24. ... Qh5 25. Be2

25. ... Bxh3. A break-up sacrifice. 26. gxh3 Re6. Threatening ... Re6-g6+. 27. Ne5. A lemon would be 27. Kh1? on account of 27. ... Be3! and wins. 27. ... Qg5+ 28. Qg2? The crisis. Another blunder would be 28. Ng4? Nxf2! and Black wins. In view of her adversary’s threatening position Alina should, for better or for worse, have resigned herself to 28. Bg4!, after which White may hope to hold her own. For example: 28. ... Rxe5 29. Qg2 Re7 30. Ba3 c5 31. Bf3 Rf5 with roughly equal chances. Now the sequel is dramatic: 28. ... Qxg2+. Or 28. ... Bh2+ 29. Kxh2 Rxf2 and wins. 29. Kxg2 Bxe5 30. Bxe5 Rxf2+ 31. Kg1 Rxe5 32. a4 Rf8 33. Rc1 Rg5+ 34. Kh1 Ng3+ 35. Kh2 Rf2+ 0 : 1.

Tatiana Anatolyevna Kosintseva
Photo: Maria Alekseevna Emelianova

夏日春情 (The Long, Hot Summer)

侯逸凡 (Hóu​ Yì​fán) – Tatiana Anatolyevna Kosintseva
Women’s Grand Prix 2013–2014; 4st stage; Khanty-Mansiysk, April 9, 2014
English Opening A13

1. c4 Nf6 2. Nf3 e6 3. g3 d5 4. Bg2 dxc4 5. Qa4+ Nbd7 6. Qxc4 a6 7. Qb3 c5 (7. ... b5?! 8. Ne5 Nc5 9. Bc6+ Bd7 10. Qf3!±; 7. ... Rb8 8. d4 b5 9. 0-0 Bb7 10. Bf4 Bd6 11. Rc1 Bxf4 12. gxf4 Nd5 13. e3 c5 14. dxc5 Rc8 15. c6 Bxc6 16. Qa3 Bb7 17. Nbd2 b4 18. Qd3 0-0= Ivanchuk – Naiditsch, 6th European Individual Chess Championship, Warsaw 2005) 8. d3 Be7 (8. ... b5? 9. Ne5+−; 8. ... Bd6 9. a4 Δ a4-a5) 9. Nc3 0-0 10. a4 Nb6 11. 0-0 Nbd5 12. Ne5 Qc7 13. Nc4 Bd7 14. Nxd5 Nxd5 15. Bxd5 exd5 16. Nb6 Rae8 17. Bf4 Qc6 18. Qxd5 Qxb6 19. Qxd7 Bf6 20. Bd6 Rd8 21. Bc7 Rxd7 22. Bxb6 Re8 23. Rfe1 Bxb2

24. Rab1?! Alina l’Ami writes: “On move 24 Kosintseva got her chance to get back in the game when 侯 (Hóu) played 24. Rab1?! instead of 24. Ra2!”. 24. ... Ba3 25. Rb3 Bb4 26. Rc1 h6. Again Alina l’Ami: “[...] 26. ... a5! (threatening ... Re8-c8-c6) and if 27. Bxc5 then 27. ... Rc7 28. Be3 Rxc1+ 29. Bxc1 Rxe2 with equality”. 27. e4 a5? (27. ... f5!) 28. Bxc5 Rc8 29. Be3 Rdc7 30. Rxc7 Rxc7 31. d4 Rc2 32. d5 Kf8 33. Rb1 Ra2 34. Rc1 Rxa4 35. e5 Ra3 36. Rc8+ Ke7 37. Rc7+ Ke8 38. Rxb7 Rd3 39. Rb8+ Kd7 40. Rb7+ Ke8 41. d6 f6 42. Rxg7 fxe5 43. Re7+ Kf8. If 43. ... Kd8 then 44. Bb6+ Kc8 45. Rc7+ Kb8 46. d7! finis; for instance: 46. ... a4 47. Kg2! a3 48. d8=Q+ Rxd8 49. Rc4! a2 50. Rxb4 Rd1 51. Bd4+ Kc8 52. Bxe5 a1=Q 53. Bxa1 Rxa1 54. Rb6 h5 55. h4+−. 44. Bxh6+ Kg8 45. Rg7+ Kh8. After 45. ... Kf8 46. d7 Black is in zugzwang. 46. Ra7 Rxd6 47. Bg7+ Kg8 48. Bxe5 Rd5 49. Bc7 Rc3 50. Kg2 Be1 51. h4 Rd2 52. Bb6 Ra2 53. h5 Bd2 54. g4 a4 55. Bd4 a3 56. g5 1 : 0.

侯逸凡 (Hóu​ Yì​fán) vs. Tatiana Anatolyevna Kosintseva. Photo: Anastasiya Karlovich.

毒兵變著 (Poisoned Pawn Variation)

Tatiana Anatolyevna Kosintseva – 侯逸凡 (Hóu Yìfán)
FIDE Women’s Grand Prix 2013–14; 1st stage; Geneva, May 3, 2013
Sicilian Defence B97

1. e4 c5 2. Nf3 d6 3. d4 cxd4 4. Nxd4 Nf6 5. Nc3 a6 6. Bg5 e6 7. f4 Qb6!? 8. Qd2 Qxb2 9. Rb1 Qa3 10. e5 h6 11. Bh4 dxe5 12. fxe5 Nd5 13. Nxd5 exd5 14. e6 Bxe6 15. Nxe6 fxe6 16. Bd3. The alternative is 16. Be2 Be7 17. Bh5+ Kd8 18. Bxe7+ Qxe7 19. 0-0 Nd7 20. Rxb7 [20. Rf7 Qc5+ 21. Kh1 Rf8 22. Rxg7 Rc8 23. h3 Rc6 24. Qxh6 Kc8 25. Bg4 Qxc2 26. Re1 Qc3 27. Rxe6 Rxe6 28. Bxe6 Rf1+ 29. Kh2 Qe5+ 30. Rg3 Qe1 31. Qh8+ Kc7 32. Qc3+ Qxc3 33. Rxc3+ Kd6 34. Bxd7 Kxd7 35. h4 Ke6 36. h5 Kf6 37. Rc7 Kg5 38. Rxb7 Kxh5 39. Rb6 d4 40. Rxa6 d3 41. Rd6 Ra1 42. Kg3 Rxa2 43. Rd5+ Kg6 44. Rxd3 Ra6 45. Rd4 Rb6 46. Kf4 Ra6 47. Kg3 Rb6 48. Rg4+ Kh6 49. Kh4 Ra6 50. Rg8 Kh7 51. Rg5 Kh6 52. g4 Rb6 53. Rc5 Kg6 54. Rg5+ Kh6 55. Rh5+ Kg6 56. Rg5+ Kh6 ½ : ½ N. A. Kosintseva – 侯逸凡 (Hóu Yìfán), FIDE Women’s Grand Prix 2011–12, Rostov-on-Don 2011] 20. ... Qc5+ 21. Kh1 Rb8 22. Rxb8+ Nxb8 23. Qe2 Qb5 24. Qxb5 axb5 25. Rf7 Nc6 26. Rxg7 Rf8 27. Kg1 Nb4 28. Rb7 Nxc2 29. Rxb5 Ke7 30. a4 Ra8 31. Rb2 Ne3 32. Kf2 Nc4 33. Rb7+ Kd6 34. Bd1 e5 35. Rh7 Nb2 36. Rxh6+ Kc5 37. Bc2 Nxa4 38. h4 Nc3 39. Bf5 Ra2+ 40. Kf1 Ra1+ 41. Kf2 Ra2+ 42. Kf1 Nd1 43. g4 Ne3+ 44. Ke1 Kd4 45. Bc8 Ng2+ 46. Kd1 e4 47. h5 e3 48. Ba6 Nf4 49. Rb6 Nd3 50. Bxd3 Kxd3 51. Rb3+ Ke4 52. h6 d4 53. h7 Rh2 0 : 1 Shirov – 侯逸凡 (Hóu Yìfán), 10th Tradewise Gibraltar Chess Festival, Catalan Bay 2012. 16. ... Be7 17. Bg6+ Kd8 18. Bxe7+ Qxe7 19. 0-0 Nd7! 20. Rf7. Probably better than 20. Rxb7 Qc5+ 21. Kh1 Ra7 22. Rb3 Rf8 23. Rxf8+ Nxf8 24. Rb8+ Ke7 25. Bh5 g6 26. Qxh6 Qf2 27. Qg7+ Kd6 28. Qxf8+ Qxf8 29. Rxf8 gxh5 30. Rc8 e5 31. h4 d4 32. Kg1 Rf7 33. Ra8 Kd5 34. Rxa6 Rc7 35. g4 Rxc2 36. gxh5 d3 37. Ra8 d2 38. Rd8+ Ke4 39. Kf1 Ke3 0 : 1 Motylev – Sutovsky, 39th Chess Olympiad, Khanty-Mansiysk 2010. 20. ... Qc5+ 21. Kh1 Rf8 22. Rxg7 Rf6! It seems an improvement on 22. ... Kc7 23. Qe1!↑ T. A. Kosintseva – Forsaa, 9th Tradewise Gibraltar Chess Festival, Catalan Bay 2011.

23. Bd3. If 23. Qxh6 then 23. ... Qf8 (23. ... Qb4!? might also be good for Black) 24. h4 Ne5 25. Qh7 Rf1+ 26. Rxf1 Qxf1+ 27. Kh2 Qf4+ with perpetual check. 23. ... Kc7 24. c4 d4 25. Qe2 Raf8 26. Qe4 b6 27. Qh7 Rd8 28. a4 Qe5 29. h3 Qc5 30. Ra1 Kd6 31. Rb1 Kc7 32. Kg1 Qe5 33. Kh1 ½ : ½.

Tatiana Anatolyevna Kosintseva vs. 侯逸凡 (Hóu Yìfán). Photo: Anastasiya Valeryevna Karlovich

Think Twice

Tatiana Anatolyevna Kosintseva – 侯逸凡 (Hóu Yìfán)
1st 杭州 (Hángzhōu) WGM Chess Tournament, 杭州 (Hángzhōu), July 18, 2011
Sicilian Defence B42

1. e4 c5 2. Nf3 e6 3. d4 cxd4 4. Nxd4 a6 5. Bd3 Nf6 6. 0-0 e5 7. Bg5 h6. Of course after 7. ... exd4 8. e5 White wins back the piece with interest. 8. Bxf6 Qxf6 9. Nf5 d5? Very unsound. 9. ... g6! 10. Ne3 Bc5 seems to be good. 10. Nc3 d4 11. Nd5 Qd8

12. Bc4!TN (12. Ng3 g6 13. f4 exf4 14. Nxf4 Nc6 15. Bc4 Ne5 16. Bb3 Bg7 17. Nge2 Bg4 18. h3 Bxe2 19. Qxe2 0-0 20. Rad1 Kh7 21. Nd3 ½ : ½ Vallejo Pons – Kunte, 11th Bagnkok Chess Club Thailand Open, Pattaya, April 14, 2011) 12. ... Nc6 (12. ... g6? 13. Nxd4! exd4? 14. Qxd4+−) 13. f4 Na5 14. Qd3 Bxf5 15. exf5 Rc8 16. Bb3 Nxb3 17. Qxb3 Bc5 18. fxe5 O-O 19. Kh1 Qd7

20. f6 g5 21. Qf3 Kh7 22. c4 dxc3 23. Nxc3 Rfd8 24. Rad1 Qe6 25. Qxb7. White has two Pawns ahead and also a crushing advantage. 25. ... Kg8 26. Qe4 Bf8 27. h3 Rb8 28. b3 Re8 29. Rd5 Rb4 30. Qd3 Rh4 31. Ne4 Rc8 32. Nd6 Rc3 33. Qxc3 Qxd5 34. Nf5 Re4 35. Qc8 Qb5 36. Ne7+ Kh7 37. Rg1 Bxe7 38. Qf5+ 1 : 0.

Such an outcome may suggest that perhaps it is time for 侯逸凡 (Hóu Yìfán) to rethink her theory. Photo courtesy of Chess-News.ru.

朱紅色 (Vermilion)

Tatiana Anatolyevna Kosintseva – 侯逸凡 (Hóu Yìfán)

2nd “鄞州杯” (“Yínzhōu Cup”) Women’s World Team Chess Championship; 宁波 (Níngbō), September 6, 2009

Sicilian Defence B45

1. e4 c5 2. Nf3 e6 3. d4 cxd4 4. Nxd4 Nc6 5. Nc3 d6 6. g4!? Nge7 7. Be3 a6 8. Nb3 b5 9. a3. 9. f4 Bb7 10. Qf3 g5!∞ gave rise to a complex struggle which the all-time No. 1 woman succeeded in turning into one of her most grandiose victories, Shirov – J. Polgár, Lev Abramovich Polugaevsky Chess Tournament, Buenos Aires 1994 9. ... Ng6 10. Qe2. Theoretically speaking, probably the best is 10. g5 Be7 (10. ... Bb7 11. h4 Nge5 12. f4 Nc4 13. Bxc4 bxc4 14. Nd4 d5 15. exd5 Ne7 16. Qd2 Nxd5 17. Nxd5 Bxd5 18. Rf1 Qc7 19. Qc3 h6 20. 0-0-0 hxg5 21. hxg5 Rh3 22. f5 0-0-0 23. fxe6 fxe6 24. Nxe6 Bxe6 25. Rxd8+ Qxd8 26. Qe5 Rxe3 27. Qxe3 Bg8 28. Qa7 Be7 29. Qxa6+ Kc7 30. Kb1 c3 31. Qa5+ Kc8 32. Qa8+ Kc7 33. Qa5+ Kc8 34. Qxc3+ Qc7 35. Qxg7 Qc4 36. Rf3 Qa2+ 37. Kc1 Qe6 38. Qc3+ Kb7 39. Rf6 Bxf6 40. gxf6 Qa2 41. Qd4 Be6 42. Kd2 Kc6 43. Kc3 Qa1 44. Kb4 Qc1 45. Qc5+ Kd7 46. Qe7+ 1 : 0 Gallagher – Klauser, 103rd Swiss Chess Championship, Silvaplana 2003) 11. h4 h6 12. gxh6 ½ : ½ Mrdja – A. Y. Sokolov, 4th International Open, Saint-Chély-d’Aubrac 2004. 10. ... Nge5

11. Bg2. 11. h4 Nc4 12. Bg5 f6 13. Bc1 was probably White’s last chance to claim her right to the initiative. 11. ... Bd7 12. Rd1 Be7 13. 0-0 g5 14. Nd4 Nxd4 15. Bxd4 0-0

16. f4? White quickly falls apart after this velleitary move. ⌓ 16. h3 Rc8⩱ followed by ... Ne5-c4. 16. ... gxf4 17. Rxf4 Bg5 18. Rff1 Qe7 19. Be3 Nc4 20. Bxg5 Qxg5 21. e5 d5 22. Rde1 Rac8?! Better is 22. ... Nxb2 23. Rf3 Rac8 transposing to the game. 23. Rf3? (⌓ 23. Nd1) 23. ... Nxb2 24. h4 Qxh4 25. Rh3 Qg5 26. Bxd5 Rxc3 27. Rxc3 exd5 28. Qg2 Nc4 29. Qxd5 Qxg4+ 30. Qg2 Qxg2+ 31. Kxg2 Re8 32. Rg3+ Kf8 33. Rg5 Re6 0 : 1.

Kosintseva came to the board prepared, but 侯逸凡 (Hóu Yìfán) showed up better prepared. Photo: Sina Corporation.