Cycles and recycles

Her Majesty 侯逸凡 (Hóu Yìfán) today handed over the stage to her young heirs, who proved her trust to be well founded.

Liya Kurmangaliyeva – 鹿妙夷 (Lù Miàoyí)

10th World Women’s Team Chess Championship; Playoff | Small Final & Final; Match 2; China vs. Kazakhstan; time control: 45 minutes plus 30 seconds per move; Linares, November 23, 2025

6k1/5p2/4pP2/3br2P/pb3Bp1/3B2P1/1P6/2K4R b - - 7 54

Position after 54. Bh6-f4

54. ... a3! A little bit trickier move order than 54. ... Bxh1 55. Bxe5 a3 with somewhat similar outcomes.
55. Bxe5 a2 56. b3 Ba3+ 57. Kc2 Bxh1 58. h6? A useless illusion as the Pawn will go nowhere. Salvation was within reach by 58. b4! (intending Kc2-b3) 58. ... Bxb4 59. Kb2 with a draw in view.

58. ... Bd6! 59. h7+ Kh8 60. Bd4 Bxg3 61. b4. Also after 61. Kb2 Bd6 62. Kxa2 g3 the ending is hopeless for White (63. Bg6? e5−+).
61. ... Bf2 62. Ba1 (62. Be5 g3 63. Kb2 Bd5−+)
62. ... g3 63. Bf1 g2 64. Bxg2 Bxg2 0–1.

Unus pro omnibus, omnes pro uno. Photo: Pavel Arkadievich Dvorkovich.

Aesthetics in Performance

Aleksandra Yuryevna Goryachkina – Julianna Terbe
7th World Women’s Team Chess Championship; Astana, March 13, 2019
Slav Defence D19

1. d4 d5 2. c4 c6 3. Nf3 Nf6 4. Nc3 dxc4 5. a4 Bf5 6. e3 e6 7. Bxc4 Bb4 8. 0-0 Nbd7 9. Qe2 Bg6 10. e4 0-0 11. Bd3 Bh5 12. e5 Nd5 13. Nxd5 cxd5 14. Qe3 Re8 15. Ng5 Bg6 16. Bxg6 fxg6 17. a5 h6. Other continuations can (and probably should) be tried here; for instance: 17. ... Rc8 18. a6 Qb6∞ Nyžnyk – Mirzoev, 19th Türkiye İş Bankası Chess League, Denizli 2013. 18. Qb3 Bf8 19. Nf3. The alternative 19. Nh3 Qc8 20. Qg3 Qc2 21. Nf4 Kh7 22. Qh3 Qf5 23. Qb3 also gives White a clear edge, Yankelevich – Keller, 4th Spring Open, Hofheim 2016. 19. ... Rb8 20. Bd2 Be7 21. Rfc1 Nf8 22. Rc2 Qd7 23. Rac1 Rec8 24. h4 Rxc2 25. Qxc2 Qb5 26. g3 Kf7 27. Ne1 b6 28. b4 Rb7? The Pawn was obviously untouchable: 28. ... Bxb4?? 29. Bxb4 Qxb4?? 30. Qc7+ and finis. But since after the text Goryachkina ended up winning in study-like fashion, Black should have played 28. ... Bd8, though after 29. Qd1 White still stands better.

29. a6! Rd7. If 29. ... Qxa6 then 30. Qc8! and, due to the threat of b4-b5, White wins material. 30. Qd3 Qxd3 31. Nxd3 Ke8 32. b5 Kd8 33. Nb4 Nh7 34. Nc6+ Ke8 35. Nxe7 Kxe7 36. Rc8 Rd8 37. Rc7+ Rd7 38. Rb7 g5 39. Ba5! Goryachkina poses her final touch to a very well-played game. 39. ... bxa5 40. b6 axb6 41. Rxd7+ 1 : 0.

Aleksandra Yuryevna Goryachkina (left) vs. Julianna Terbe (right). Photo: Eteri Kublashvili/Russian Chess Federation.

The Checkered Blouse

雷挺婕 (Léi Tǐngjié) – Sabina-Francesca Foişor
7th World Women’s Team Chess Championship; Astana, March 13, 2019
Spanish Game C95

1. e4 e5 2. Nf3 Nc6 3. Bb5 a6 4. Ba4 Nf6 5. 0-0 Be7 6. Re1 b5 7. Bb3 0-0 8. c3 d6 9. h3 Nb8 10. d4 Nbd7 11. Nbd2 Bb7 12. Bc2 Re8 13. Nf1 Bf8 14. Ng3 g6 15. d5. By closing the centre now, White gets little or nothing. More advisable is 15. Bg5 h6 16. Bd2 Bg7 17. a4 Nb6 18. axb5 axb5 19. b3 Nfd7 20. Bd3 b4 21. Rxa8 Bxa8 22. dxe5 Nxe5 23. Nxe5 dxe5 24. Qc2 bxc3 25. Bxc3⩲ Karpov – Kortschnoi, Leningrad 1971, match game 1. 15. ... c6 16. dxc6 Bxc6 17. Bg5. Indeed, it makes more sense than 17. Be3 Nc5 18. Nd2 d5! 19. Qf3? (19. Bg5 was called for) 19. ... Nfxe4 20. Ndxe4 dxe4 21. Nxe4? f5−+ E. P. Geller – Ibragimov, 48th Russian Chess Championship, Elista 1995. 17. ... Nc5. Black should have played 17. ... h6(!), questioning White’s Bishop. 18. Qd2 Bb7 19. Rad1 Ne6 20. Bh6 Bxh6 21. Qxh6 Qe7 22. a4 Red8 23. Qe3. If 23. Ng5 Black can reply with 23. ... Nxg5 24. Qxg5 Nd5! getting close to equality. 23. ... Nc5 24. a5 Rac8 25. Rd2 Rc7 26. Red1 Rcd7 27. b4 Ne6 28. Bb3 Nf4 29. c4 bxc4 30. Bxc4 d5?? The idea may be right but the timing is totally wrong! Black should have played something like 30. ... Rc8 31. Bf1 Rdd8 with a tenable game. Now it’s quickly over: 31. exd5 N4xd5 32. Qxe5 Qxb4 33. Bxd5 Rxd5. On 33. ... Nxd5 34. Ne4! is crushing. 34. Qxf6 Rxd2 35. Nxd2 Rxd2 36. Re1 Qf8

37. Nf5! Threatening both Nf5-e7+ and Re1-e8. 37. ... gxf5 38. Qg5+ Kh8 39. Qxd2 f6 40. Qd7 Be4 41. Rc1 1 : 0.

雷挺婕 (Léi Tǐngjié) (with checkered dress) vs. Sabina-Francesca Foişor. Photo © David Llada.

The Eighth Seal

谭中怡 (Tán Zhōngyí) – Tatev Abrahamyan
7th World Women’s Team Chess Championship; Astana, March 13, 2019
Modern Benoni A62

Thus, in the end, mostly (but not only) thanks to its Board 1, China won the 7th World Women’s Team Chess Championship a round in advance. 1. d4 Nf6 2. c4 e6 3. g3 c5 4. d5 exd5 5. cxd5 g6 6. Nc3 Bg7 7. Bg2 0-0 8. Nf3 d6 9. 0-0 a6 10. a4 Re8 11. Bf4 Nh5 12. Bg5 Qc7 13. Re1 Nd7 14. e4 Rb8 15. g4! Nhf6

16. e5! A new move by 谭中怡 (Tán Zhōngyí), which apparently allows White to save a tempo in comparison with 16. h3 h5 17. e5 dxe5 18. d6 Qa5 19. Bxf6 Nxf6 20. gxh5 gxh5 21. Ng5 Bf5 22. Nd5 Nxd5 23. Bxd5 Bg6 24. Kh1 Rbd8 25. Rg1 Rd7 26. Ra3 Qb4 27. Rag3 Qd4 28. Qb3 e4 29. Ne6 Be5 30. Rxg6+ fxg6 31. Nxd4+ 1 : 0 Georgiadis – Megalios, 54th World Junior Chess Championship, Khanty-Mansiysk 2015. 16. ... dxe5. If 16. ... Nxg4 then 17. e6!± with a powerful advantage. 17. d6! Qd8 18. Nd5 h6 19. Bh4 g5 20. Ne7+ Kf8? This loses very quickly. Black had nothing better than giving up the Exchange by 20. ... Rxe7 21. dxe7 Qxe7, though after 22. Bg3 Ne8 23. h3 White, besides her opponent’s material compensation, would have remained with a clear positional advantage. 21. Bg3 Ng8 22. Nd5! Re6. Or 22. ... e4 23. Nc7 with an easy win. 23. Nc7 Rg6 24. Qd3. With the big threat of Qd3xg6. 24. ... Nb6 25. Nxe5 Bxe5 26. Rxe5 Bd7 27. Rae1 Nf6 28. Re7 Bxg4 29. Qb3 1 : 0.

谭中怡 (Tán Zhōngyí) (right) vs. Tatev Abrahamyan (left). Photo © David Llada.

Far and Near

Mariya Olehivna Muzychuk – Ekaterina Aleksandrovna Lagno
7th World Women’s Team Chess Championship; Astana, March 12, 2019
Spanish Game C67

1. e4 e5 2. Nf3 Nc6 3. Bb5 Nf6 4. 0-0 Nxe4 5. Re1 Nd6 6. Nxe5 Be7 7. Bf1 Nxe5 8. Rxe5 0-0 9. d4 Bf6 10. Re1 Re8 11. Bf4. Vintage theory gives 11. c3 Rxe1 12. Qxe1 Nf5 13. Bf4 d6 14. Nd2 Be6 15. Bd3 Nh4 16. Ne4 Ng6 17. Bd2 d5 18. Nc5 Bc8 19. Qe3 b6 20. Nb3 Qd6 21. Qe8+ Nf8 22. Re1 with a slight edge for White, Steinitz – Zukertort, New York 1886, World Chess Championship match game 4. 11. ... Rxe1 12. Qxe1 Ne8 13. Nc3 Bxd4 14. Nd5 d6 15. Bg5 f6 16. Bh4 Bxb2 17. Rb1 Be5 18. f4 c6 19. fxe5 cxd5 20. exf6 Nxf6 21. Bd3 Bd7 22. Qg3!? An interesting novelty in place of the previously played 22. h3 b5 23. Bxb5 Qe8 24. Qxe8+ Bxe8 25. Ba6 Bg6 26. Bxf6 gxf6 27. Bb7 Re8 28. Bxd5+ Bf7 29. Bxf7+ Kxf7 30. Rb7+ Kg6 31. Rxa7 Rc8 32. Rd7 Rxc2 33. Rxd6 Rxa2 ½ : ½ Karjakin – Anand, 5th Norway Chess, Stavanger 2017, and 22. Rxb7 Qc8 23. Rb1 Ne4 24. Bxe4 dxe4 25. Qxe4 Qc6 26. Qxc6 Bxc6 27. Rd1 Be4 28. Rxd6 Rc8 29. Rd8+ Rxd8 30. Bxd8 Bxc2 ½ : ½ Halkias – Balogh, 45th Greek Team Chess Championship, Patras 2017. 22. ... Bc6. In order to meet 23. Rf1? with 23. ... Qb6+ 24. Kh1 Ne4! with Black on top. 23. Bf5 Kh8 24. Qh3. With the obvious threat of Bh4xf6.

24. ... Qe7?? A huge mistake which loses right off. Correct was 24. ... Qc7! (25. Bxf6 gxf6) with a perfectly playable, though somewhat unclear, game. 25. Bxh7!+− d4. If 25. ... Bd7 then 26. Bxf6 winning a clear piece. 26. Re1. Clearly not 26. Bxf6?? on account of 26. ... Qe3+ saving everything. 26. ... Qxe1+ 27. Bxe1 Nxh7 28. Bf2. But now it’s not only a matter of material, since White can easily mount a decisive attack against Black’s castle. 28. ... Re8 29. Bxd4 Kg8 30. Qg3 Re7 31. h4 Nf8 32. h5 Ne6 33. Qxd6 Kf7 34. Qg3 Nxd4 35. Qf4+ Kg8 36. Qxd4 Re4 37. Qd8+ Kf7 38. Qg5 Re2 39. g4 Re6 40. Qf4+ Kg8. Black didn’t want to deprive herself of the satisfaction of making the time control, but after White’s next move she could resign without regret. 41. g5 a6 42. Qc4 Kf7 43. g6+ Ke7 44. Qc5+ Ke8 45. Qf5 Kd7 46. h6 1 : 0.

Mariya Olehivna Muzychuk (right) and Ekaterina Aleksandrovna Lagno (left) shake hands before the game. Photo: Eteri Kublashvili/Russian Chess Federation.

The Clock and the Arrow

Alexandra Knostantinovna Kosteniuk – Anna Olehivna Muzychuk
7th World Women’s Team Chess Championship; Astana, March 11, 2019
Giuoco Piano C54

1. e4 e5 2. Nf3 Nc6 3. Bc4 Bc5 4. c3 Nf6 5. d4 exd4 6. e5 d5 7. Bb5 Ne4 8. cxd4 Bb6 9. Nc3 0-0 10. Be3 Bg4 11. h3 Bh5 12. Qc2 Bg6 13. Qb3 Ne7 14. 0-0 c6 15. Bd3 Nd2 16. Nxd2 Bxd3 17. Rfe1 Bg6 18. Nf3 Nf5 19. Na4 Rb8!? Finally a new course, though not too different from 19. ... Re8 20. Rac1 Nxe3 21. Rxe3 Be4 22. Qc3 Bxf3 23. Rxf3 Re6 24. Qb4 Rb8 25. Nxb6 axb6 26. a4 Ra8 27. Rb3 f6 28. f4 fxe5 29. fxe5 c5 30. dxc5 Rxe5 31. cxb6 Re4 32. Qc5 Rexa4 33. Qc7 Rc4 34. Rxc4 dxc4 35. Qxc4+ Kh8 36. Qb4 h6 37. Kh2 Qf6 38. Qc5 Rd8 39. Rg3 Qxb2 40. Qc7 Rd1 41. Rg4 Kh7 42. Qe7 Rf1 43. Qe4+ Kh8 44. Qe8+ Kh7 45. Qg6+ Kh8 46. Re4 Rf8 47. Re7 Qf6 48. Qxf6 Rxf6 49. Rxb7 g5 50. Kg3 Kg8 51. Kg4 Kh8 52. h4 gxh4 53. Kxh4 Kg8 54. g4 Kf8 55. g5 hxg5+ 56. Kxg5 Rc6 57. Rb8+ Kg7 58. Kf5 1 : 0 Vocaturo – Kaidanov, 16th Tradewise Gibraltar Chess Festival, Catalan Bay 2018. 20. Nxb6 Nxe3 21. Rxe3 axb6 22. a4 Ra8 23. Rae1 Bf5 24. Nd2 Re8 25. Nf1 c5 26. Qd1 Qd7 27. Ra3 c4 28. Ne3 Bd3 29. Qf3 Red8 30. Qg3 Kh8 31. Qh4 Re8. Now “I sacrificed a Pawn in time trouble: I’m not sure it was the strongest continuation, but I felt it was the most critical one”, Kosteniuk said. 32. f4. “I could have kept the Pawn with 32. Rea1, but I was aiming to create concrete threats in time trouble. Similar ideas often arise in the French Defence, with White giving up a Queenside Pawn. Frankly speaking, here the opening of the a-line is only to my benefit. The d5-Pawn is weak, so at least I have not to worry too much about material“, Kosteniuk said. 32. ... Rxa4? It may be that Black should have disdained the Pawn by 32. ... b5(!) 33. axb5 (now 33. f5!? bxa4! 34. f6 Rg8 doesn’t seem to lead anywhere for White) 33. ... Rxa3 34. bxa3 Qxb5 35. f5 Be4 36. f6 Qc6∞ with very unclear play. Nothing is forced, though. 33. Rxa4 Qxa4 34. f5 Qc6 35. f6! Rg8. If 35. ... gxf6 then 36. Ng4! with devastating effect (36. ... fxe5 37. Nxe5). “I don’t know where exactly my opponent went wrong: whether 34. ... Qc6 or 35. ... Rg8”, Kosteniuk says. “It seems to me that Black’s last moves were not too good. Such a game generally, and here particularly, it’s much harder to play for Black; she should play with extreme accuracy, which is very unlikely in time trouble”. 36. fxg7+. 36. Ng4 was also very strong. 36. ... Rxg7 37. Ra1 Rg8? This allows a perfidious tactic which in fact dismantles Black’s frail equilibrium. 37. ... Be4 was almost mandatory, though after 38. Ng4 Qg6 39. Ra7 White secures a likely winning advantage.

38. Nxd5! h6. The Knight is taboo, for if 38. ... Qxd5 then 39. Qf6+ Rg7 40. Ra8+ and mate next move. 39. Qf6+ Qxf6 40. Nxf6 Rc8 41. Ra7 Kg7 42. Rxb7 b5 43. d5 Kg6 44. d6 Kf5. Or 44. ... b4 45. Nd5 winning easily. 45. Re7 1 : 0.

Alexandra Knostantinovna Kosteniuk. Photo: Eteri Kublashvili/Russian Chess Federation.

Anna Olehivna Muzychuk. Photo: Eteri Kublashvili/Russian Chess Federation.

Runaway

Aleksandra Yuryevna Goryachkina – 叶诗雯 (Carissa Yip)
7th World Women’s Team Chess Championship; Astana, March 11, 2019
Grünfeld Defence D70

The Russian women’s team has not always won its matches, but no one can blame Aleksandra Yuryevna Goryachkina for that as she today scored her sixth win in a row. 1. d4 Nf6 2. c4 g6 3. f3!? e6!? 4. e4 d5 5. cxd5 exd5 6. Nc3 dxe4 7. fxe4 Bb4 8. Bd3 Nxe4 9. Qe2 0-0. After 9. ... f5 10. Nf3 Qe7 11. 0-0 Nxc3 12. Qxe7+ Kxe7 13. Bg5+ Kf7 14. bxc3 Bxc3 15. Rac1 Ba5 16. Bf4 White’s huge development advantage is much more worth than two Pawns. 10. Bxe4 Re8 11. Nf3 Bf5 12. Bg5 Qd6!? This is a new try but not a clear improvement on 12. ... Bxc3+ 13. bxc3 f6 14. Nd2 fxg5 15. 0-0 Nd7 16. Qc4+ Be6 17. Bd5 Bxd5 18. Qxd5+ Kh8 19. Rae1 c6 20. Qb3 Nb6 21. Nf3 Rxe1 22. Rxe1 Qf6 23. Qe6 Qxe6 24. Rxe6 g4 25. Ne5 Nd5 (it was probably better to give back the Pawn by 25. ... Rf8!?) 26. c4 Nf4 27. Re7 Ne2+ 28. Kf2 Nxd4 29. Rxb7 where, in spite of his minus Pawn, White has a much better ending, Giri – Vachier-Lagrave, 47th International Chess Festival “In Memoriam Hans Suri”, Biel/Bienne 2014. 13. Nd2 Nd7? After this Black’s position quickly breaks apart. 13. ... Qa6 is probably Black’s best, although after 14. Rb1! White still keeps the upper hand. 14. 0-0 Bxc3 15. bxc3 Bxe4 16. Nxe4 Qd5

17. Be7! White intends to amass her heavy guns behind the Bishop on the e-file. 17. ... f5. 17. ... Rxe7 18. Nf6+ gives up the Exchange for no compensation. 18. Ng5 Nb6 19. Rae1 Nc8 20. Qf2! The beginning of the end. 20. ... Rxe7 21. Rxe7 Nxe7 22. Qh4 h5 23. Re1 Qd7 24. Re6. With the threat of Qh4-e1-e5. 24. ... Kg7 25. Qg3 Kh6. On 25. ... Nc6 26. d5 simply wins material by force (26. ... Re8 27. dxc6 Qd1+ 28. Kf2 Qd2+ 29. Kf1 Qd1+ 30. Qe1+−). 26. Qe3 Nd5 27. Nf7++ Kg7 28. Qh6+! Kxf7 29. Rxg6 1 : 0.

Aleksandra Yuryevna Goryachkina. Photo: Eteri Kublashvili/Russian Chess Federation.

Tales from the Round Table

谭中怡 (Tán Zhōngyí) – Ekaterina Aleksandrovna Lagno
7th World Women’s Team Chess Championship; Astana, March 9, 2019
Queen’s Gambit Accepted D20

Although the conspicuous absences of 侯逸凡 (Hóu Yìfán) and 居文君 (Jū Wénjūn), China beat Russia 2½ – 1½ on Saturday for its fifth victory in a row at the 7th World Women’s Team Chess Championship which is taking place in Astana, Kazakhstan. 1. d4 d5 2. c4 dxc4 3. e4 Nf6 4. e5 Nd5 5. Bxc4 Nb6 6. Bd3 Nc6 7. Ne2 Bg4 8. Be3 Qd7 9. Nbc3 0-0-0 10. 0-0 Nxe5 11. Bb5 Nc6 12. Rc1 e5!? A new continuation of Lagno. In the game Wojtaszek – Láznička, 37th SchachBundesliga, Baden-Baden 2017 followed 12. ... a6 13. Bxc6 Qxc6 14. f3 Bf5 15. Bf4 Rd7 with unclear but dynamically balanced play. 13. f3 Be6 14. Na4 Nd5? More consistent seems 14. ... Kb8(!) with good equalising chances for Black. 15. Bxc6 bxc6 16. Bf2 Nb6 17. b4!? 谭中怡 (Tán Zhōngyí), maybe overestimating a little bit her own chances, embarks on a violent attack that also includes material sacrifice. Simply 17. Nc5 Bxc5 18. Rxc5± would have ensured White a powerful advantage easily and without complications. 17. ... Bxb4 18. Qd3 Kb7? Black doesn’t dare to verify the truth of White’s story, which apparently after 18. ... Nxa4! 19. Qa6+ Kb8∞ (20. Qxa4 c5) would not have ended so successfully as it did in the game. 19. Qb1! Nxa4. If 19. ... Be7 then 20. Nc5+ Bxc5 21. dxc5 Qd3 22. Qb2! Qb5 23. Qxe5 Nd7 24. Qe3 with overwhelming threats. 20. Qxb4+ Nb6 21. a4!? Very natural, but not as strong as 21. dxe5! which prepares for Ne2-d4 as well as a2-a4-a5. 21. ... a5! 22. Qxa5 Ra8 23. Qe1!? After 23. Qc5 Rxa4 24. Nc3 Rc4 25. Qxe5 f5 26. Rb1 Re8 (but not 26. ... Rxc3?? on account of 27. d5!+−) Black’s defence is hard to crack as well. 23. ... Rxa4? It is Black who finally commits the last mistake. Correct was 23. ... Bc4! 24. Rxc4 Nxc4 25. Qb4+ Nb6 26. a5 Qd6! 27. Qxd6 cxd6 28. axb6 exd4∞ with an unbalanced position which White can hardly hope to win. 24. Nc3 Rxd4. If at once 24. ... Rc4 then 25. Ne4 similarly to the game. 25. Qxe5 Rc4 26. Ne4! Qd5 27. Qxg7 Rd8 28. Nc5+ Kc8 28. ... Kb8 29. Qxh7 is also completely hopeless. 29. Qa1 Kb8 30. Na6+ Kb7

31. Nxc7! Rxc1. If 31. ... Kxc7 then 32. Qa7+ winning as in the game. If, instead, 31. ... Ra4 then 32. Qb1 again winning easily. 32. Rxc1 Kxc7 33. Qa7+ Kc8 (33. ... Kd6 34. Bg3++−) 34. Bxb6 1 : 0.

谭中怡 (Tán Zhōngyí) (right) vs. Ekaterina Aleksandrovna Lahno (left). Photo: 孙隽楠 (Sūn Juànnán).

Empty Seats

谭中怡 (Tán Zhōngyí) – Hoàng Thanh Trang
7th World Women’s Team Chess Championship; Astana, March 5, 2019
Dutch Defence A81

China, Russia, Ukraine and United States are among the favourite teams to win the 7th World Women’s Team Chess Championship, which is taking place in Astana, Kazakhstan from 4–16 March. For China, indeed, it might be just a little difficult to get to, due to the absences of the world No 1 and No 2 women 侯逸凡 (Hóu Yìfán) and 居文君 (Jū Wénjūn), the first being in her first year at Oxford on her Rhodes Scholarship, and the latter playing the Challengers Tournament of the 1st Prague International Chess Festival as the only woman in the cast. 1. d4 f5 2. g3 Nf6 3. Bg2 g6 4. Nf3 Bg7 5. 0-0 0-0 6. Nbd2!? Nc6! 7. c4 e6!? 8. Re1 d5 9. b3 Ne4 10. Bb2 b6 11. a3 Bb7 12. e3 Na5!? A new move. 12. ... g5 13. Nxe4 dxe4 14. Nd2 g4 15. b4 Qd7 16. b5 Nd8 17. a4 a6 produced an unclear but quite balanced position, Marjanović – Nakamura, 43rd Chess Olympiad 2018, Batumi 2018. 13. Qc2 Nxd2 14. Nxd2 dxc4 15. bxc4 Bxg2 16. Kxg2 Qd7 17. Nf3 c5 18. dxc5 Bxb2 19. Qxb2 Nxc4 20. Qd4 Qxd4 21. exd4 bxc5 22. dxc5!? Objectively better seems 22. Rec1(!) Na5 23. Rab1 winning back the Pawn with interest. 22. ... Rac8 23. Ng5 e5 24. Rac1 Nb2 25. Rc3 e4 26. Rb1 Nd3 27. c6

27. ... h6? Undoubtedly this is the losing move. Correct was 27. ... Rfe8! followed by ... h7-h6 with a still tenable position. 28. Ne6 Rf6 29. Nd4 Rd6. On other replies White equally continues c6-c7. If, instead, 29. ... Rf7 then 30. Rb7! winning easily. 30. c7! Rb6 31. Rxb6 axb6 32. Rc6 Ne5 33. Re6 Nf7. 33. ... Rxc7 34. Rxe5 just leads to a lost ending. 34. Nb5 Kf8 35. Rxg6 Ke8 36. Rg8+ Kd7 37. Rg7 Rf8 38. Rxf7+! 1 : 0. For after 38. ... Rxf7 39. c8=Q+! Kxc8 40. Nd6+ it’s all over.

China’s Board 1 谭中怡 (Tán Zhōngyí). Photo: sohu.com.

斑胸草雀 (Zebra Finch)

侯逸凡 (Hóu Yìfán) – Yelena Dembo
3rd World Women’s Team Chess Championship; Mardin, December 24, 2011
Sicilian Defence B51

Notes by Grandmaster Evgeny Vitalievich Miroshnichenko.

1. e4 c5 2. Nf3 d6 3. Bb5+ Nc6. I still consider 3. ... Bd7 to be the most solid. 4. 0-0 Bd7 5. Re1 Nf6 6. c3 a6 7. Bxc6 Bxc6 8. d4 cxd4. La 8. ... Bxe4 with complicated game is played a bit more often. One of the recent games went 9. Bg5 Bg6!? 10. d5 Qd7 11. Nbd2 0-0-0 12. Nc4 Kb8 13. b4 Ne4 14. bxc5 Nxg5 15. Nxg5 Qb5 16. Qd4 Rc8 17. c6 e5 18. Qg4 Rc7 19. Ne3 Be7 20. h4 Rf8 21. c4 ½ : ½ Ghaem Maghami – Motylev, 29th SchachBundesliga, Katernberg 2010. 9. cxd4 Bxe4 10. Nc3. 10. Bg5!? d5 [10. ... Bxf3 11. Qxf3 Qa5 12. Nc3 Qxg5 13. Qxb7 Rd8 14. Qc6+ Rd7 (14. ... Nd7?? 15. Ne4 Qh4 16. Nxd6#) 15. d5 e6 16. dxe6 fxe6 17. Rxe6+ Be7 18. Rae1 0-0 19. h4 Qxh4 20. g3 Qh3 21. Rxe7 Ng4 22. Qd5+ Kh8 23. Qh1 Qxh1+ 24. Kxh1 Nxf2+ 25. Kg2 Rxe7 26. Rxe7 h6 27. Rd7 Ng4 28. Rxd6 Ne3+ 29. Kh3 Rf1 30. Rd2 g5 31. Kh2 Ng4+ ½ : ½ Borisenko – Shabanov, Yaroslavl 1995] 11. Nc3 e6 12. Nxe4 dxe4 13. Rxe4 Be7 14. Bxf6 gxf6 (14. ... Bxf6 15. d5 0-0 16. dxe6 fxe6) 15. d5 Qxd5 16. Qxd5 exd5 17. Rd4 Rd8 18. Rad1 Kd7 19. Rxd5+ Kc6 20. R5d4 Kb6 21. Kf1 Rxd4 22. Rxd4 Rc8 23. Rd7 Rc7 24. Rxc7 ½ : ½ Amonatov – Timofeev, 60th Russian Chess Championship (Higher League), Krasnoyarsk 2007. 10. ... Bxf3 11. Qxf3 e6 12. Qxb7 Qc8 13. Qf3 Be7 14. d5 e5 15. Bg5 Qd7. 15. ... 0-0 looks more flexible. White didn’t got anything special after 16. Ne4 Nxd5 17. Nxd6 Qe6 18. Bxe7 Nxe7 19. Ne4 Rac8= A. O. Muzychuk – Sebag, 6th North Urals Cup, Krasnoturinsk 2008. 16. Bxf6 Bxf6 17. Ne4 Be7 18. Rac1 0-0

19. Rc6! White’s chances are better. 19. ... f5 20. Nd2 e4 21. Qe2 Qa7?! Not the best idea, which nevertheless could work just fine in the game. 21. ... Rfc8 22. Rec1 Bg5 23. R1c2 Bxd2 24. Qxd2±. 22. Nc4 Qd4 23. Qd2? After 23. Rd1! Qf6 24. b4! Black’s position is nearly lost – it’s hard to suggest any counterplay for her. 23. ... Qf6? 23. ... Qxd2! 24. Nxd2 Rfc8 25. Rec1 Rxc6 26. Rxc6 (26. dxc6 Rc8 and Black has at least even chances) 26. ... Rb8 27. Nc4 Rb5 and I’m not sure white is better here. 24. Qc3 Qf7. Now it’s too late to change Queens – 24. ... Qxc3 25. bxc3 Rac8 26. Nb6 TìRcd8 (26. ... Rxc6? 27. dxc6 Bd8 28. Nd5 is completely hopeless) 27. f3 with clear advantage for White. 25. Rc7! Rad8 26. Na5 Qe8 27. Nc6 Rd7 28. Rxd7 Qxd7 29. Qa3 Bf6. 29. ... Qb7!? objectively being not better than the game, after 30. Nxe7+ Qxe7 31. Qxa6 Qe5 32. Qb5 f4 would offer some counterplay against White’s King. 30. Qxa6! Bxb2 31. a4?! I would prefer 31. Rb1, not giving the Bishop a chance to go to c5. 31. ... Bc3?! This one is just a waste of time! Black should have tried 31. ... Ba3 32. Rb1 f4 33. Qb7 Qe8! 34. Qe7 Qxe7 35. Nxe7+ Kf7 36. Nc6 Bc5 with some chances to survive. 32. Rb1 Qf7 33. Qc4! Bf6 34. a5. There is no chance to stop this Pawn! 34. ... Qg6 35. a6 f4 36. a7 f3 37. g3 e3 38. Rb8 Bd8. 38. ... e2 39. Rxf8+ Kxf8 40. a8=Q+ Kf7 41. Ne5+! Bxe5 (41. ... dxe5 42. d6#) 42. Qc7+ Kf6 43. Qad8+ Kf5 44. Qc2+ Kg4 45. Qh4#. 39. a8=Q e2 40. Qa1 1 : 0. Powerful play from the World Champion!

侯逸凡 (Hóu Yìfán) (right) with her coach 余少腾 (Yú Shǎoténg). Photo: Turkish Chess Federation.