Nuts and Bolts

Hristos Alexiadis – Luca Moroni
32nd World Youth Chess Championship Under-18; Porto Carras, October 30, 2018
Giuoco Piano C54

In the end, despite his last round victory, Luca Moroni missed a podium medal by a hair’s breadth, thus having to be content with tying for third place — which, however, may be regarded as a historical result. 1. e4 e5 2. Nf3 Nc6 3. Bc4 Bc5 4. c3 Nf6 5. d3 d6 6. Nbd2 a6 7. Bb3 Be6 8. 0-0 0-0 9. Re1. Two days earlier the game Gumularz – Moroni, 32nd World Youth Chess Championship Under-18; Porto Carras 2018 continued: 9. h3 h6 10. Re1 Re8 11. Bxe6 Rxe6 12. b4 Ba7 13. Qc2 Nh5. 9. ... Re8 10. Nc4 h6 11. a3!? No better than 11. Be3 Bxe3 12. Nxe3 Qd7 13. Nh4 Bxb3 14. Qxb3 Ne7 15. a4 b5 16. Qd1 Qe6 17. Nhf5 Nxf5 18. Nxf5 g6 19. Ne3 Kg7 20. Qf3 c6 21. Ra3 d5= Antipov – Lékó, Nutcracker Generation Tournament 2015, Moscow 2015. 11. ... b5 12. Ne3 d5! 13. exd5 Nxd5 14. Bxd5 Bxd5 15. b4 Bb6 16. Bb2 a5 17. c4 Bxf3 18. Qxf3 Bd4 19. Qxc6 Bxb2 20. Rab1 Bc3 21. Red1 axb4 22. axb4 Bd4 23. Nf5. 23. cxb5 is also answered by 23. ... Re6. 23. ... Re6 24. Qd5 c6 25. Qxd8+ Rxd8 26. cxb5 cxb5 27. Nxd4 Rxd4. White did nothing, and slowly lapsed into a slightly uncomfortable endgame. 28. Kf1 Ra6 29. Rb3 Ra4 30. Re1 f6 31. Re4 Kf7 32. Ke2 Ke6 33. Ke3. White could simplify a little by exchanging a pair of Rooks with 33. Rxd4 exd4, but after 34. Kf3 Kd5 the ending, though still latently drawish, appears to be easier for Black to play. 33. ... Rd5 34. d4 Ra2

35. dxe5? This precipitates White into a hopeless ending. Something like 35. g3 appears to help White maintain some drawing prospects. 35. ... f5! 36. Rd4 Rxd4 37. Kxd4 Rxf2 38. Rg3 g5 39. Ra3 Rd2+ 40. Ke3 Rxg2 41. Ra5 f4+ 42. Kf3 Rxh2 43. Rxb5 Kf5 44. e6+ Kxe6 45. Rb6+ Kf5 46. Rb5+ Kg6 0 : 1.

Pictured from left to right are European Chess Union (ECU) President Zurab Alekseyevich Azmaiparashvili, Viktor Gažík, Igor Janik, Szymon Gumularz, Luca Moroni, Ashot Parvanyan, and Zhandos Agmanov. Photo © Niki Riga.

The Fleeting Moment

Désirée Di Benedetto – Polina Sergeevna Shuvalova
32nd World Youth Chess Championship Girls Under-18; Porto Carras, October 29, 2018
Semi-Tarrasch Defence D41

1. d4 Nf6 2. Nf3 d5 3. c4 e6 4. Nc3 c5 5. cxd5 Nxd5 6. e4 Nxc3 7. bxc3 cxd4 8. cxd4 Bb4+ 9. Bd2 Bxd2+ 10. Qxd2 0-0 11. Bc4 b6 12. 0-0 Nd7 13. Rad1 Bb7 14. Rfe1 Rc8 15. Bb3 Re8 16. h3 Nf6 17. Qf4 Nh5 18. Qh2 Nf6? Better to trust the man who never loses: 18. ... h6 19. Ne5 Nf6 20. Qf4 b5 21. Re3 Rc7 22. Nd3 Rc3 23. Nc5 Rxe3 24. Qxe3 Bc6 25. Rc1 Qb6= Mamedyarov – 丁立人 (Dīng Lìrén), Candidates Tournament, Berlin 2018. 19. d5! Di Benedetto bravely plays all out to accomplish her “mission impossible”. 19. ... exd5 20. e5 Nd7 21. Nd4 Rc5!? A novelty that is neither better nor worse than 21. ... f6 22. e6 Nc5 23. Nf5 Nxb3 24. axb3 Rc6 25. Qg3 with a powerful initiative, Mulyar – Burke, 12th Philadelphia Open, Philadelphia 2018. 22. Ba4!? Ra5 23. Bc6! Qc8. Now engines advocate 24. Bb5! which leaves White with a powerful bind and serious threats such as e5-e6 or Rd1-c1. Di Benedetto plays more naturally: 24. Bxd7! Qxd7 25. f4! Rxa2 26. f5 Ra4? Black goes straight into her opponent’s hands, but there weren’t particularly good moves. For instance, if 26. ... Kh8 then 27. e6! with vehement attack. Comparatively best was perhaps 26. ... Qe7, though after 27. f6 Qf8 28. Qg3 White keeps the upper hand. 27. f6! Kh8. Not 27. ... gxf6? because of 28. exf6 Kh8 29. Qc7!! and finis. 28. Qf4 Rg8 29. fxg7+ Rxg7. Di Benedetto has played a fantastic game and is now about to take Shuvalova off the crown:

30. Re3?? But she incredibly misses 30. Qf6! with the double threat of Nd4-f5 and Rd1-d3-g3, against which Black has no decent defence (30. ... Qxh3?? 31. Qxg7+!). 30. ... Qe7! 31. Qf6. Just too late. 31. ... Qxf6 32. exf6 Rg8 33. Re7 Bc8 34. Rxf7. Not surprisingly, after missing her big chance, White disintegrates. The rest does not require comment. 34. ... Bxh3 35. Rd2 Bg4 36. Nc6 Bh5 37. Re7 Rf4 38. Re5 Rxf6 39. Ne7 Re8 40. Rdxd5 Bf7 41. Rd7 a5 42. Rb5 a4 43. Nc6 Re1+ 44. Kh2 Be8 0 : 1.

Through the Storm

Luca Moroni – Milton Pantzar
32nd World Youth Chess Championship Under-18; Porto Carras, October 29, 2018
Queen’s Pawn Game D02

1. d4 Nf6 2. Bf4 d5 3. e3 e6 4. Nf3 c5 5. Nbd2 Nc6 6. c3 cxd4 7. exd4 Nh5 8. Be3 Bd6 9. Ne5 g6 10. g4. Moroni is quite familiar with the so-called London System, which is much in vogue among young people. One Christmas ago the Italian Chess Champion preferred instead 10. Nd3 f6 11. Be2 Ng7 12. f4 Qc7 13. g3 Bd7 14. a4 0-0 15. 0-0 Na5 16. Nc5 Be8 17. Bg4 Bf7 18. Qe2 b6 19. Na6 Qb7 20. b4 Nc6 21. a5 e5 22. fxe5 fxe5 23. axb6 axb6 24. b5 Na5 25. Rf6 Qe7 26. Raf1 h5 27. Rxd6 Qxd6 28. dxe5 Qxe5 29. Bxb6 Qxc3 30. Bd7 Nc4 31. Nxc4 Qxc4 32. Qe7 Qe4 33. Bc5 Qxe7 34. Bxe7 Rfe8 35. Bxe8 Rxe8 36. Bf6 d4 37. Bxd4 Bc4 38. Rc1 Bd3 39. Nc7 Rb8 40. Rc3 Be4 41. Re3 Bc2 42. Ba7 Rb7 43. b6 Nf5 44. Rc3 Be4 45. Ne6 Bd5 46. Rc8+ Kh7 47. Nc5 Re7 48. Rd8 Bc6 49. Bb8 Re2 50. Bf4 Rc2 51. b7 Rg2+ 52. Kf1 Bxb7 53. Nxb7 Rxh2 54. g4 Rh3 55. Be5 Ng7 56. Rd7 Rf3+ 57. Kg2 hxg4 58. Nd8 Kh6 59. Bxg7+ Kh5 60. Ne6 Kh4 61. Bf6+ 1 : 0 Moroni – Curien, 41st Zürich Christmas Open, Zürich 2017. 10. g4 Ng7 11. h4 f6. From a theoretical standpoint, the most influential line is 11. ... Nxe5 12. dxe5 Bxe5 13. Nf3 Bf6 14. h5 0-0 15. Qd2 d4! 16. cxd4 b6 17. hxg6 fxg6 18. Ne5 Bb7 19. Rh3 Rc8= Kamsky – Nakamura, 61st U.S. Chess Championship, Saint Louis 2017. 12. Nxc6 bxc6 13. h5 gxh5 14. Bd3!? White seeks something new, as 14. gxh5 Nf5 doesn’t seem to offer much of an advantage, Gaede – Buhmann, 89th Deutsche Meisterschaft, Dresden 2018. 14. ... Qe7 15. gxh5 e5 16. Qa4 Bd7 17. 0-0-0. The interpolation of 17. dxe5(!) fxe5 18. 0-0-0 is nevertheless interesting, for now 18. ... e4? would be met by 19. Bxe4! with a decisive breakthrough for White. 17. ... e4 18. Be2 Ne6 19. Bg4 Nf4 20. Bxf4 Bxf4 21. Bxd7+ Qxd7 22. Kb1 Bxd2 23. Rxd2 Kf7 24. Rc2 Rab8 25. c4 Rb7 26. Rhc1! Rhb8 27. cxd5! cxd5? However ugly it might appear, 27. ... Qxd5 was probably Black’s best chance.

28. Qa5? 28. Qa6! was much more accurate here, as well as much stronger, for in that case Black couldn’t play 28. ... Qb5?? because of 29. Rc7+! winning decisive material. 28. ... Qb5! 29. Qd2 Qd3! Most of White’s advantage has vanished by now. 30. Qxd3 exd3 31. Rc7+ Ke6 32. Rxb7 Rxb7 33. Rd1 Kf5. The better King obviously gives Black enough compensation for the Pawn. 34. Rxd3 Ke4 35. Rg3 Kxd4. Nothing’s wrong, of course, but there was not too much hurry, and also 35. ... f5 should likewise lead to a draw (for if 36. h6 then 36. ... Rb6). 36. h6! f5. 36. ... Re7(!) 37. Rg7 Re1+ 38. Kc2 Re2+ 39. Kb3 Rxf2 40. Rxa7 f5 41. Rxh7 f4 was probably a simpler draw for Black. 37. Rg7 Rb6 38. Rxh7 Kd3 39. a4 a6 40. a5 Rd6 41. Rh8 d4 42. h7 Rd7 43. Ra8 Rxh7 44. Rxa6 Kc4? This seems to be Pantzar’s losing move. After 44. ... Kd2! followed by ... d4-d3 it’s hard to imagine that White will make any progress. 45. Rc6+! Kb5 46. Rd6! Kxa5. 46. ... Kc4 47. a6 may well lead to the same ending. 47. Rxd4 Kb6 48. Rd5 f4 49. Rd4 Rf7 50. Kc2 Kc5 51. Kd3 f3 52. b4+ 1 : 0.

Sidereal Time

Szymon Gumularz – Luca Moroni
32nd World Youth Chess Championship Under-18; Porto Carras, October 28, 2018
Giuoco Piano C54

1. e4 e5 2. Nf3 Nc6 3. Bc4 Bc5 4. d3 Nf6 5. Bb3 d6 6. c3 a6 7. Nbd2 Be6 8. 0-0 0-0 9. h3 h6!? In absolute terms, this seems quite inconsistent with 7. ... Be6. 10. Re1 Re8 11. Bxe6 Rxe6 12. b4 Ba7 13. Qc2 Nh5 14. Nc4!? Something similar had happened already, and, regardless of the result, it should be the last thing Black should desire to experience again: 14. Nf1 Rg6 15. Kh2 Qe7 16. g3 Qd7 17. Be3 Re6 18. a4 Nf6 19. b5 Ne7 20. c4 Bxe3 21. Nxe3 c6 22. bxc6 bxc6 23. Rab1 a5 24. c5 d5 25. Rb2 Rd8 26. Rb3 Qe8 27. Rb7 Nd7 28. Kg2 Qf8 29. Ra7 f5 30. exf5 Nxf5 31. Ng4 Qe7 32. Rxe5 h5 33. Rxf5 hxg4 34. hxg4 Re2 35. Qd1 Rxf2+ 36. Kxf2 Qxc5+ 37. d4 Qxa7 38. Rh5 Nf6 39. Rh4 Ne4+ 40. Kg2 Qb8 41. Qe1 Rf8 42. Nd2 Qb2 0 : 1 Padmini – Amin, 18th Dubai Open Chess Tournament, Dubai 2016. 14. ... Rg6!? 15. a4 Qf6!? The crude threat of ... Qf6xf3 hardly justifies Black’s clumsy assembling of troops on the Kingside. 15. ... Qd7 looks more natural, in order to reply both 16. Kh2 and 16. Nh4 with 16. ... Rf6. 16. Kh1! Nd8? Very obviously intending ... Nd8-e6-f4, but, alas for Black, there’s not time to jump so far. It’s likely that Black should have gotten back to his basic strategy by 16. ... Qe6 (or also Stockfish’s 16. ... Qd8) to be soon followed by ... Rg6-f6.

17. d4! White breaks through the centre quickly gaining an overwhelming initiative. 17. ... exd4. If 17. ... Qe6 then 18. d5 with an inexorable squeeze. 18. e5! Qe6 19. cxd4 Nc6 20. exd6. The game ended up in a catastrophe for Black, but the last word has not yet been said. 20. ... Qd5 21. Ne3 Qxd6 22. Nf5 Qd7 23. b5 Nb4 24. Qb1 Nd5 25. Ne5 Qe6 26. g4 Rf6 27. Bd2 Nhf4 28. Nd3? This could be the only good thing that happened to Moroni today. Even worse, 28. Ng6? Ne2! was all bad news for White, who, on the other hand, may be forgiven for overlooking the engine-based 28. Ra3! (Δ Ra3-f3), which would have left Black helpless. 28. ... Ne2? Maybe 28. ... Nxd3(!) 29. Rxe6 Nxf2+ 30. Kg2 fxe6 wouldn’t have saved Black either (as 31. bxa6 bxa6 32. Qb7 appears to be very strong), but certainly it would have complicated White’s way to victory. Now it’s all very easy: 29. Nc1 Ndf4 30. Bxf4 Ng3+ 31. Bxg3 Qxe1+ 32. Kg2 Re8 33. Qd3 Rfe6 34. Nb3 Qb4 35. Bxc7 Rc8 36. Ba5 Qf8 37. d5 Re5 38. d6 b6 39. Bb4 Rd8 40. Nbd4 g6 41. Ne7+ Kh7 42. Ndc6 1 : 0.

Under an Autumn Sun

Luca Moroni – Viktor Gažík
32nd World Youth Chess Championship Under-18; Porto Carras, October 27, 2018
King’s Indian Defence E64

1. d4 Nf6 2. Nf3 g6 3. g3 Bg7 4. Bg2 0-0 5. 0-0 d6 6. b3 c5 7. c4 e5 8. e3. 8. dxe5 dxe5 does not lead to anything special for White. 8. ... Nc6 9. Bb2 e4 10. Ne1 Re8. If I were his scapegoat, I’d advise Moroni to carefully study an “old” game from the 80s: Webb – Kasparov, 7th European Team Chess Championship, Skara 1980. 11. Nc3 Bf5 12. Qd2. And, as a corollary, he should also take a look at 12. Nc2 h5! 13. Qd2 h4 14. Ba3 b6 15. Rfd1 Bg4 16. Rdc1 Qd7 17. b4 Qf5 18. Bb2 Rad8 19. Nb5 Bf3 20. d5 Ne5 21. Bxe5 Rxe5 22. Ne1 hxg3 23. fxg3 (23. hxg3 Ng4!−+) 23. ... Bh6 24. Rab1 Kg7 25. Rb3 Qh5 26. h3 Nh7! 27. g4 Bxg4! 28. hxg4 Qxg4 29. Qd1 Qg3! 30. Qe2 Ng5 31. Kh1 Rh8 32. Nxd6 Kg8 33. bxc5 Bf8+ 34. Kg1 Nh3+ 35. Kf1 Bxd6 36. cxd6 Rf5+ 37. Nf3 Rxf3+ 0 : 1 Caruana – Kasparov, Ultimate Blitz Challenge, Saint Louis 2016, match game 6. 12. ... Qd7 13. Rd1 Rad8 14. Nd5 cxd4 15. Nxf6+ Bxf6 16. exd4 d5 17. cxd5 Ne7 18. d6 Qxd6 19. Nc2 Nd5 20. Ne3. In the end, Moroni was lucky enough to hold the position and have time on his side. 20. ... Bc8 21. Qa5 a6 22. Rc1 Qb4 23. Qc5 Qxc5 24. Rxc5 Nb4

25. Bc3! Moroni defends brilliantly, temporarily sacrificing a Pawn in order to keep dynamic equilibrium. 25. ... Nxa2 26. Ba5 b6. Clearly not 26. ... Rxd4?? because of 27. Rc2 and the Black Knight has no way out. 27. Bxb6 Bxd4 28. Rxc8 Bxb6 29. Rxd8 Bxd8 30. Ra1 Nb4 31. Ra4 a5 32. Nc4 Nd3 33. Nd6 Re6 34. Nxe4. Moroni has finally regained his Pawn, but, subjectively speaking, the game appears to be easier for Black than for White. 34. ... Bb6 35. Ra2 f5 36. Ng5 Re1+ 37. Bf1 Rb1 38. Rd2? Moroni plays too quickly just to take advantage of his opponent’s dramatic shortage of time, and, as often happens, it is he who ends up being tricked in the bet. Instead, 38. Kg2 Rxb3 39. Rd2 would have almost certainly ensured him realistic prospects for a draw. 38. ... Nxf2! 39. Rxf2? 39. Kg2 Ng4 looks hardly better, but indeed it has the merit not to lose immediately. 39. ... h6!? It’s not an irreparable omission, but 39. ... Kg7! followed by ... Rb1xb3 and ... Bb6xf2+ (or vice versa) would have won right off. 40. Kg2 hxg5!? Finally Gažík makes his 40th move. Engines make it easier with 40. ... Bxf2 41. Bc4+ Kf8 42. Ne6+ Ke7 43. Kxf2 a4! 44. bxa4 Rb4 45. Bd5 Kd6 46. Nf4 g5 47. Be6 gxf4 48. Bxf5 Rxa4, but, quite understandably, Black contents himself with a zero risk Rook and Bishop of opposite colour ending a Pawn up, which he succeeded in winning after a long work afternoon. 41. Rd2 Kg7 42. Bc4 Rg1+ 43. Kf3 g4+ 44. Ke2 Rg2+ 45. Ke1 Rg1+ 46. Ke2 Rh1 47. Kd3 Kh6 48. Bd5 Rc1 49. Bc4 Kg5 50. Re2 Bg1 51. Kd2 Ra1 52. Kd3 Rd1+ 53. Kc2 Rd8 54. Rg2 Bc5 55. Re2 Rh8 56. Rg2 Bd6 57. Rd2 Be5 58. Re2 Kf6 59. Rg2 Rc8 60. Kd3 Rc7 61. Re2 Rd7+ 62. Kc2 Rd4 63. Bd3 Rb4 64. Rd2 Bd4 65. Re2 Rb8 66. Bc4 Rh8 67. Rg2 Bc5 68. Kd3 Rh7 69. Kc3 Bb4+ 70. Kd3 Rd7+ 71. Kc2 Ke5 72. Re2+ Kd4 73. Be6 Re7 74. Kd1 Kc3 75. Rc2+ Kd3 76. Re2 Kd4 77. Kc2 Rc7+ 78. Kd1 Ba3 79. Ra2 Bb4 80. Re2 Rc3 81. Bf7 Rf3 82. Kc2 g5 83. Be6 Rf1 84. Kb2 f4 85. gxf4 gxf4 86. Bxg4 Kd3 87. Rg2 Bc3+ 88. Ka3 f3 89. Ra2 Ke3 90. Ka4 f2 91. Kb5 Re1 92. Bh3 f1=Q+ 93. Bxf1 Rxf1 94. Rg2 Bb4 95. Rg3+ Kf4 96. Rg2 Rf3 97. Ka4 Rh3 98. Re2 Kf3 99. Rc2 Rh4 100. Kb5 Rd4 101. Rc4 Rd3 102. Ka4 Kg2 103. h4 Rh3 104. Rd4 Kg3 105. h5! In a last ditch show of resistance, Moroni invents a stalemate ordeal which would have deserved better luck. 105. ... Rxh5 106. Rg4+! Kf2 107. Rf4+ Ke2 108. Rf2+ Kd3 109. Rf3+ Kc2 110. Rf2+ Bd2 111. Rg2 Rh4+ 112. Ka3 Rb4 113. Rg3 Bc1+ 114. Ka2 a4 115. Rg2+ Bd2 116. Ka3 axb3 0 : 1.

Mediterraneano

Lucas van Foreest – Luca Moroni
32nd World Youth Chess Championship Under-18; Porto Carras, October 26, 2018
Scotch Game C45

If the answer, my friend, was blowing in the wind, a Greek island must be the perfect place in which to enjoy the breeze. 1. e4 e5 2. Nf3 Nc6 3. d4 exd4 4. Nxd4 Bc5 5. Nxc6 bxc6 6. Bd3 Qh4 7. Qe2 Nf6. The alternative is 7. ... Ne7 8. Nc3 0-0 9. Be3 Bb6 10. 0-0 d5 11. exd5 Nxd5 12. Bd2 Bd4 13. Rae1 Nb4 14. Qe4 Qxe4 15. Bxe4 Ba6 16. Ne2 Bc5 17. a3 Nd5 18. b4 Bd6 19. Nd4!? Bxf1 20. Kxf1 (Carlsen – Caruana, 44th Biel International Chess Festival, Biel/Bienne 2011) and now Grandmaster Ľubomír Ftáčnik recommends 20. ... Rae8 21. Nxc6 Nf6 22. Bf3 Rxe1+ 23. Bxe1 a6 with equality. 8. h3 d5 9. exd5+!? Presumably a surprise to Moroni, who could have expected 9. g3 Qh5 10. Qxh5 Nxh5 11. Nc3 Nf6 12. Bf4 Bb4 13. exd5 Nxd5 14. Bd2 Nxc3 (Ivanchuk – Malakhov, 9th MetLife Amplico European Rapid Championship, Warsaw 2009) where now White’s best appears to be 15. a3! Ba5 16. b4 with an edge. 9. ... Kd8 10. g3!? And here is van Foreest’s novelty, which undoubtedly constitutes an interesting field for further analysis. An earlier game continued 10. 0-0 Bxh3!∞ with a wild mess of lines, Nataf – Istratescu, French Team Chess Championship Top 12, Saint-Quentin 2014. 10. ... Qd4 11. c4 Re8 12. Be3 Qe5

13. Bxc5! White sacrifices the Exchange in order to bring annoyances to the exposed Black King. 13. ... Qxb2 14. Be3 Qxa1 15. dxc6 Re7 16. g4 Qe5 17. 0-0 h5??!! From an objective standpoint, Moroni ought probably to have played for a dynamic balance by ... Kd8-e8-f8, so it’s admirable, if not commendable, that he throws himself with vehemence into attack. 18. g5 Bxh3 19. gxf6 gxf6 20. Qf3? The bet works as van Foreest overlooks 20. Rc1! (intending Nb1-c3) 20. ... Re8 (threatening ... Re8-g8+) 21. Bh7! with a nearly decisive advantage in all variations. 20. ... Bxf1 21. Kxf1 Rb8! The game is still in high seas. 22. Nd2 Rb2 23. Ne4. If 23. Nb3 then 23. ... Rxa2 24. Bd4 Qh2 25. Bxf6 Rxf2+! 26. Qxf2 Qh1+ 27. Qg1 Qf3+ and Black has at least perpetual check. 23. ... Rxa2. Now one might have expected 24. Qd1 Ke8 which leads to something between unclarity and parity, instead Moroni gets his reward for his audacity: 24. Nxf6?? A dramatic oversight which loses a piece right off. 24. ... Qa1+ 25. Kg2 Rxe3! That’s all, after which White might as well resign. 26. Qd5+ Ke7 27. Qc5+ Kxf6 28. Qxe3 Qe5 29. Qf3+ Kg7 30. Bf5 Ra5 31. Bb1 Qd4 32. Be4 Rg5+ 33. Kf1 a5 34. Bd5 Qa1+ 35. Ke2 Qb2+ 0 : 1.

The Board Chair

Luca Moroni – Paulius Pultinevičius
32nd World Youth Chess Championship Under-18; Porto Carras, October 24, 2018
English Opening A34

1. c4 Nf6 2. Nc3 c5 3. Nf3 d5 4. cxd5 Nxd5 5. e3 Nxc3 6. bxc3 g6 7. h4!? The most à la page. 7. ... Bg7 8. h5 Nc6 9. Qb3. Intending Nf3-g5. The alternative 9. Ba3!? Qa5 10. Rh4!? really brought Aronian good luck in one of his American-based games: 10. ... Bd7 11. Qb3 0-0? (but 11. ... Nd8 was certainly best) 12. hxg6 hxg6 13. Qxb7! Rfd8 14. Qa6 Bxc3 15. Qxa5 Bxa5 16. Bxc5 and White found himself a clear Pawn up, Aronian – Nepomniachtchi, 5th Sinquefield Cup, Saint Louis 2017. 9. ... Qd6!? Apparently a novelty. The “book” gave 9. ... Qc7 10. Ba3 b6 11. Ng5 e6 12. d4 Bb7 13. h6 (13. Rd1!? 0-0-0∞) 13. ... Bf8 14. dxc5 Bxc5 15. Bxc5 bxc5 16. Rb1 Rb8 17. Nxe6!? fxe6 18. Qxe6+ Qe7 19. Qxc6+ Bxc6 20. Rxb8+ Kd7 21. Rxh8 Qe5 22. Rxh7+ Kd6∞ Inđić – Baron, 42nd Chess Olympiad, Baku 2016 10. Ng5 0-0 11. hxg6 hxg6? This proves to be fatal for Black. 11. ... Qxg6(!) would have made sense with 9. ... Qd6 and offered Black quite a safe chair to sit. 12. Ba3? It might be a careless inversion of moves. Much stronger seems the immediate 12. Qc4! with ideas such as Rh1-h8+ or Rh1-h7 in prospect; so there would have probably followed 12. ... Qf6 13. Qh4 with an attack similar to the one carried on in the actual game. 12. ... b6? Black, however, misses his only — and major — chance to re-enter a virtuous cycle by 12. ... Na5(!) 13. Qa4 Rd8 with more sustainable consequences.

13. Qc4! Now the game is virtually won: all White has to do is look for mate! 13. ... Qe5? 13. ... Bf5 14. Qh4 Rfd8 15. d4 is probably a bit better, but hardly different in result. 14. Qh4 Rd8 15. Bc4 e6 16. d4 Qc7 17. Rd1 Rb8 18. 0-0. What to do when almost everything scores the goal it’s just a matter of taste. Here, for instance, the Rook lift Rh1-h3-f3 would have lead to another powerful finish. 18. ... Qe7 19. d5 exd5 20. Bxd5 Ne5. Black could have surrendered more prosaically by sacrificing the Exchange, but chivalrously prefers mate over the board. 21. c4 Bb7 22. e4 Bxd5 23. exd5! The e-file is a myth to which nobody can be indifferent! 23. ... Nxc4 24. Bc1! Nd6 25. Rfe1 Qd7 26. Bf4 Qf5 27. Re7 Rbc8 28. Rde1 Kf8 29. Bxd6! 1 : 0. For if 29. ... Rxd6 then 30. Re8+! Rxe8 31. Nh7+ Kg8 32. Rxe8+ Bf8 33. Qh6 and mate in three moves.

Off Season

Agnieszka Buchta – Désirée Di Benedetto
32nd World Youth Chess Championship Girls Under-18; Porto Carras, October 23, 2018
2r1b3/1p4p1/pP1kp1p1/P2pN3/3B1K1P/2P3P1/5P2/8 b - - 6 35

Position after 35. Kf3-f4

Black is the Exchange ahead, but, in return, she’s wholly tied up to the defence of the g6-Pawn, which gives White — who’s also threatening Kf4-g5 — enough compensation, despite of material unbalance. Di Benedetto then clings to her significant time advantage (she has more than 16 minutes left, while her opponent is down to 50 seconds), and goes all out by speculatively returning the Exchange so as to attack White’s Queenside Pawns: 35. ... Rc5!? 36. Kg5?? Buchta has not time to think, and moves on as nothing were happened. Instead, she ought to have played 36. Bxc5+ Kxc5 37. Ke3! d4+! 38. Kd3 dxc3 39. Kxc3 Kd5 (not 39. ... Kb5? on account of 40. Kd4! Kxa5? 41. Kc5 and Black is in zugzwang) 40. Nd3 e5 with a likely draw in prospect. 36. ... Rxa5. Now the ending is easily won. 37. Nxg6 Bxg6 38. Kxg6 e5 39. Be3 Ra1 40. h5 Rh1 41. Bg5 d4! 42. cxd4 exd4 43. Bd2 Kc5 44. g4 Kb5 45. Kxg7 a5 46. h6 a4 47. h7 Rxh7+ 48. Kxh7 a3 49. g5 a2 50. g6 a1=Q 51. g7 Qb1+ 52. Kh6 Qh1+ 53. Kg6 Qe4+ 54. Kh6 Qe6+ 55. Kh7 Qf5+ 56. Kh6 Qf7 57. Kh7 Kxb6 58. Bh6 Kc5 59. Bd2 b5 60. f4 b4 61. Kh8 Qh5+ 62. Kg8 b3 63. Kf8 Qf5+ 64. Ke7 Qg6 65. Kf8 Qf6+ 0 : 1.

Contemporary Youth

Luca Moroni – Leon Livaić
32nd World Youth Chess Championship Under-18; Porto Carras, October 22, 2018
Queen’s Indian Defence E14

1. d4 Nf6 2. c4 e6 3. Nf3 Bb4+ 4. Nbd2 b6 5. e3 Bb7 6. Bd3 0-0 7. 0-0 d5 8. b3 Nbd7 9. Bb2 Ne4 10. Qc2 f5 11. cxd5 exd5 12. Nc4 Ndf6 13. Nce5 Bd6. The alternative is 13. ... Nd6 14. Rac1 c5 15. Qe2 a6 16. Rc2 Qe7 17. Qd1 Qe6 18. Be2 Rae8 19. a4 cxd4 20. Bxd4 Ng4 21. Nd3 Rb8 ½ : ½ Hellsten – Pétursson, 18th Politiken Cup, Copenhagen 1996. 14. Ne1 g6 15. f3 Ng5 16. Be2!? Theoretical novelty? The vintage “book” was 16. Bb5 c5 17. Qf2 Ne6 18. Qh4 cxd4 19. exd4 a6 20. Be2 (Kurr – Dermann, 15th SchachBundesliga, Neuss 1986) and now 20. ... Nh5 would have offered Black excellent prospects for equality. 16. ... Qe8 17. N1d3 Rc8 18. b4 c6 19. a4 Ba6 20. Qd2 Bxd3 21. Bxd3 Nf7 22. f4 Ne4 23. Bxe4 fxe4 24. Rac1 Bxe5 25. dxe5 Qe6 26. h3 h5 27. a5 Nh6 28. axb6 axb6 29. Rfd1 Nf5 30. b5 cxb5 31. Qxd5 Qxd5 32. Rxd5 Rxc1+. Or 32. ... Nxe3 33. Rxb5 Rxc1+ 34. Bxc1 Nc4 35. Rb4 b5! 36. Rxb5 e3 with a dynamic balance. 33. Bxc1 Rc8 34. Bd2 Kf7? Under time pressure, Black misses the chance to solve most of his problems by fixing the g-Pawn by 34. ... h4! with equality.

35. g4! hxg4 36. hxg4 Nh4? With less three minutes remaining, Livaić understandably goes for a perpetual chimera. Strangely, Moroni loses for a moment his hold on reality: 37. Kf2? 37. Bb4! at once would have put Black unsurmontable problems; for instance: 37. ... Rc2 38. Rd7+ Ke8 39. Rh7 Nf3+ 40. Kh1 and finis. 37. ... Nf3! 38. Bb4 Rc2+? But in the end, all’s well that ends well. By now Back had no longer time to guess his lucky number: 38. ... Nh2! 39. g5 Ng4+ 40. Ke2 Rh8! with excellent drawing chances. 39. Kg3 Rb2 40. Rxb5 Nd2 41. Rxb6 Nc4 42. e6+ 1 : 0.

Conducting Her Destiny

Chess-News.ru (‏@Chess__News)

Interview with the new World Youth Chess Champion Girls Under-12 Bibisara Assaubayeva: “StarStruck destiny of the weak. I will not suffer the same fate”. For further details, see http://chess-news.ru/node/22283.

Silver plating

Haik M. Martirosyan – Luca Moroni
35th World Youth Chess Championship Under-16; Porto Carras, November 5, 2015
Queen’s Gambit Declined D36

1. d4 d5 2. c4 e6 3. Nc3 Nf6 4. cxd5 exd5 5. Bg5 c6 6. e3 Be7 7. Bd3 0-0 8. Nf3 Nbd7 9. Qc2 Re8 10. 0-0 h6 11. Bf4 Bf8 12. h3 Nb6 13. Ne5. For 13. Bh2 Bd7 14. Kh1 Nc8 15. Ne5 Nd6 16. Rae1 Qc8 17. f3 see C. Cruz – Gardela Batlle, 17th International Open, Montcada i Reixac 2009. 13. ... Be6 14. Bh2 Nc8 15. Na4 Nd6 16. Nc5 Nfe4 17. Bxe4 dxe4 18. Nxe6 Rxe6 19. f3 Qe8 20. Qb3 Kh7 21. fxe4 f6 22. Rae1 Qe7 23. Nd3 Nxe4 24. Qc2 Qe8 25. Ne5 fxe5 26. Qxe4+ Kg8 27. dxe5 Bd6. Now Black’s position is not a bed of roses, and if White plays the best moves Luca can only expect suffering. 27. ... Rd8 seems a little better. 28. Rf5 Qg6 29. Qf3 Bc7 30. Rf1 Rd8 31. h4 a5 32. h5 Qe8 33. Bg3? Much stronger looks 33. Qg4 (with the threat of Rf5-f8+) 33. ... Qd7 34. Bg3 Rde8 35. Rf6 with a powerful bind. 33. ... Bxe5 34. Qg4 Bd6 35. Bh4? Martirosyan falls into trouble. Correct was 35. Rf7 Qxf7 36. Rxf7 Kxf7 tending towards a draw. 35. ... Re4 36. Qh3 Rxe3 37. Qg4 Re4 38. Qh3 Rd7 39. Rxa5

39. ... Re2? Being in serious time trouble, Moroni misses his golden opportunity: 39. ... b5! (cutting off the White Rook) with apparently irresistible threats such as, for instance, 40. ... Bc5+ 41. Kh1 Rd3!!-+. 40. Ra8! A pretty resource that turns out to be a saving clause for White. 40. ... Bc5+ 41. Kh1 Qxa8 42. Qxd7 Re4 43. Qf7+ Kh8 44. Bf6 Qf8 45. Qxf8+ Bxf8 46. Bd8 Kg8 47. Rf3 Re1+ 48. Kh2 Re5 49. Rh3 Bc5 50. Bc7 Rd5 51. Bf4 Bd4 52. b3 Be5 53. Bxe5 Rxe5 54. Rh4 Kf7 55. Kg3 Rc5 56. Rf4+ Ke6 57. Rg4 Kf6 58. Rf4+ Ke6 59. Rg4 Kf6 ½ : ½. Congratulations anyway to Luca Moroni for taking second place in such a contest!

Luca Moroni. Photo: Luca Moroni (Facebook).

Flying Leathernecks

Mihnea Costachi – Sebastian Mihajlov
35th World Youth Chess Championship Under-16; Porto Carras, November 2, 2015
King’s Indian Defence E70

1. d4 Nf6 2. c4 g6 3. Nc3 Bg7 4. e4 d6 5. Nge2 0-0 6. Ng3 a6 7. Be2 Nbd7 8. h4 c5 9. d5 b5!? 9. ... h5 10. Bg5 b5!? transposes into the game Rapport – 丁立人 (Dīng Lìrén), Olivier Breisacher Memorial, Biel 2013. 10. cxb5 axb5 11. Nxb5 Ba6 12. a4 Ne8 13. 0-0 Nc7 14. Ra3 Bxb5 15. axb5 Rb8 16. Ra7 Ra8 17. Ra3 Rb8 18. Qb3 Bf6 19. Bg5 e6 20. Bxf6 Qxf6 21. Ra7 Qd8 22. h5 Nb6 23. hxg6 hxg6 24. Rd1 Nc8 25. Ra3 Nb6? Black should have played 25. ... exd5 immediately, in order to answer 26. Qe3 by 26. ... Qf6 and 26. exd5 by 26. ... f5!? keeping cool. 26. Qe3 exd5

27. Qh6! 27. Nf5! Qf6 28. Qh6 leads to a mere transposition of moves. 27. ... Qf6. Alternatively, 27. ... Ne6 28. Nf5 (threat: Ra3-h3) 28. ... Qg5 29. exd5 is a more prosaic win. 28. Nf5! Rfe8 29. Rh3 1 : 0. In fact, mate follows in three moves at most.

The World Made Easy

侯逸凡 (Hóu Yìfán) – Christopher Heung
19th World Youth Chess Championship Under-10; Heraklion, November 12, 2004
Sicilian Defence B31

1. e4 c5 2. Nf3 Nc6 3. Bb5 g6 4. Bxc6 dxc6 5. d3 Bg7 6. h3 e5 7. Be3 b6 8. Nbd2 Ne7 9. 0-0 0-0 10. a3 f5 11. exf5!?TN (11. Nc4⩲ Baklan – Shaw, 28th International Open, Cappelle-la-Grande 2002) 11. ... gxf5 12. Bg5 Qe8 13. Bxe7 Qxe7 14. Re1

14. ... Ba6? This costs Black a Pawn or more. Better was 14. ... Qc7 15. Nc4 Re8 (15. ... e4!? 16. dxe4 Ba6 17. Nd6 fxe4 18. Nxe4 Bxb2 19. Nfg5!⩲↑) 16. c3⩲ limiting White’s edge to acceptable proportions. 15. Nxe5 Bxe5? After 15. ... Qd6 16. Nec4 Qc7 17. Qe2 White comes out a Pawn ahead and much the better game. The text leads to a quick end. 16. Nf3 Qg7 17. Nxe5 f4 18. Qg4 Rf6 19. Re4 Bc8 20. Qxg7+ Kxg7 21. Rae1 Rb8 22. Nc4 Rb7 23. Re7+ Rxe7 24. Rxe7+ Rf7 25. Rxf7+ Kxf7 26. Nd6+ 1 : 0.

High Stakes

侯逸凡 (Hóu Yìfán) – Mariam Danelia
18th World Youth Chess Championship Girls U-10; Kallithea, November 1, 2003
Sicilian Defence B52

1. e4 c5 2. Nf3 d6 3. Bb5+ Bd7 4. Bxd7+ Qxd7 5. 0-0 Nc6 6. c3 Nf6 7. Re1 e6 8. d4 cxd4 9. cxd4 d5 10. e5 Ne4 11. Re2 Be7 12. Ne1 h6 13. f3 Ng5 14. Nc3 0-0 15. f4 Nh7 16. Be3 Rac8 17. Nd3 Na5 18. f5 exf5 19. Nf4 Bg5. Very interesting is 19. ... Rxc3! 20. bxc3 Ng5 with more than enough compensation for the Exchange. 20. Nfxd5 Bxe3+ 21. Nxe3

21. ... Nc4? (21. ... Rfd8!=) 22. Nxc4 Rxc4 23. d5 Ng5 24. Qd3 Rfc8 25. Rd1 b5 26. d6± Kh8

27. h4? Too precipitate. Maybe 27. Rf2 is best, and if 27. ... f4 then 28. h4 Ne6 29. Nd5 with White still having the better of it. 27. ... Rxh4 28. Qxb5 Qxb5? This, quite inexplicably, simplifies into a hopeless ending. Black might have maintained the balance by 28. ... Qd8! (29. Qb7 f4⇄). 29. Nxb5+− a5 (29. ... Ne6 30. Nxa7 Ra8 31. Nb5 Rxa2? 32. d7 Ra8 33. Nc7!+−) 30. Na7 (30. d7 Rd8 31. Rc2+−) 30. ... Rd8 31. Rc2 Ne6 32. d7 Rg8 33. Nc6 g5 34. d8=Q Nxd8 35. Nxd8 Rg7 36. Rc7 Kg8 37. Rdd7 Re4 38. Ne6 Rxe5 39. Nxg7 Kxg7 40. Rxf7+ Kg6 41. Rg7+ Kh5 42. Rc6 Re1+ 43. Kf2 Rb1 44. Rb7 Rd1 45. Rbb6 Rd2+ 46. Kg3 f4+ 47. Kf3 Rd3+ 48. Ke2 Re3+ 49. Kf2 Rd3 50. Rxh6+ Kg4 51. Rhd6 Re3 52. Rb5 Kh5 53. Rxa5 Rg3 54. b4 Rc3 55. Rdd5 Rc2+ 56. Kg1 Rc1+ 57. Kh2 Rc2 58. Rxg5+ Kh6 59. Rgf5 Rf2 60. Ra6+ Kg7 61. Rc5 1 : 0.

Homeric Rhythm

Arielle Le Bail – 侯逸凡 (Hóu Yìfán)
18th World Youth Chess Championship Girls U-10; Kallithea, October 24, 2003
Sicilian Defence B80

1. e4 c5 2. Nf3 d6 3. d4 cxd4 4. Nxd4 Nf6 5. Nc3 Nc6 6. f3 e6 7. Be3 a6 8. Qd2 Be7 9. 0-0-0 Qc7 10. g4 b5 11. h4 Bb7 12. h5 Nd7 13. g5 Rc8 14. Bd3. Almost a week later, Noémi Szabó had no better luck with 14. Bh3 Nxd4 15. Qxd4 Ne5 16. f4 Nc4 17. Rh2 b4 18. Nb1 Qc5 19. Bg1 Qxd4 20. Rxd4 h6 21. b3 Na5 22. gxh6? (22. g6!) 22. ... Rxh6 23. Rxb4 Rxh5 24. Bxe6? Rxh2 25. Bxc8 Rh1 26. Bxb7 Rxg1+ 27. Kb2 d5−+ 28. Rb6 Nxb7 29. Rxb7 dxe4 30. Nc3 e3 31. Nd5 Bf6+ 32. Nxf6+ gxf6 33. Rb4 f5 34. Rb8+ Ke7 35. Rb7+ Kd6 0 : 1 N. Szabó – 侯逸凡 (Hóu Yìfán), 18th World Youth Chess Championship Girls U-10, Kallithea 2003. 14. ... Nxd4 15. Bxd4 b4

16. Nb1? Here White misses here her opportunity: 16. h6! bxc3 17. Bxc3 Rg8 18. hxg7 Ne5 19. Bxe5 dxe5 20. Rxh7 with three Pawns for the Bishop and plenty of great ideas. 16. ... Ne5 17. Qe2? Now Black loses a Pawn for nothing. 17. Bxe5 dxe5 18. g6 0-0! was unappealing but not disastrous. 17. ... Bxg5+ 18. Be3 Nxd3+ 19. Qxd3?? Blundering a piece. However, Black stands much better after 19. Rxd3 Bxe3+ (or 19. ... Bf6) 20. Rxd3 a5 — White can barely hope to hold it long. 19. ... Bxe3+ 20. Nd2

20. ... Qc4! 21. Qxc4 Rxc4 22. Rde1 Bf4 23. Rhg1 0-0 24. Rg4 Bxd2+ 25. Kxd2 Rfc8 26. e5 Rxc2+ 27. Kd3 Bxf3 28. Rd4 dxe5 29. Rxe5 Rxb2 30. Rc5 Re8 31. Rdc4 Be2+ 32. Kd4 Bxc4 33. Kxc4 Rc2+ 34. Kxb4 Rb8+ 35. Ka3 Rxc5 36. Ka4 Rc3 37. Ka5 Ra3 mate.

Autumn in Summer

Gundala Madanasri – 侯逸凡 (Hóu Yìfán)
18th World Youth Chess Championship Girls U-10; Kallithea, October 27, 2003
English Opening A36

1. e4 c5 2. c4 Nc6 3. Nc3 g6 4. g3 Bg7 5. Bg2 e6 6. Nge2 Nge7 7. 0-0 0-0 8. d3 d6 9. Be3 Nd4 10. f4 Nec6 11. Rb1 Rb8 12. Bf2. Usually White continues with 12. a3 followed by b2-b4. Now, as it goes on, Black shall soon get a very comfortable game. 12. ... a6 13. Nxd4 Nxd4 14. Ne2 b5 15. Nxd4 cxd4 16. b3 Bd7 17. Qd2 Qb6 18. Rfd1 bxc4 19. dxc4 e5 20. fxe5 dxe5 21. b4 Be6 22. Rdc1 Rfc8 23. c5 Qb5 24. Qc2 Bh6 25. Bf1 Qc6 26. Rd1 a5 27. a3 Ra8 28. Ra1 Bf8 29. Rdc1 Ra7 30. Be1

30. ... f5 (30. ... Qa8!∓) 31. Bc4 fxe4? (31. ... Rf7∞) 32. b5 Qe8 33. b6? White pushes the wrong Pawn. After 33. c6 Rf7 34. Bxa5 d3 35. Qb3 Bc5+ 36. Kg2 Bxc4 37. Qxc4 Bd4 38. Rab1 e3 39. Rf1 Black’s mass of centre Pawns is disarmed, while White’s Queenside Pawns roll on; for instance: 39. ... e2 40. Rf3 e4 41. Rf4 g5 42. Rf5 Be3 43. Qd5 d2 (43. ... h6 44. b6+−) 44. Rxg5+!+− and finis. 33. ... d3 34. Qb3 Bxc5+ 35. Kg2 Bxc4 36. Qxc4+ Rf7

37. Bxa5? Thus, White ends up losing the game. Correct was 37. b7 Rc7 38. Rab1 Qb8 39. Qxe4 Rxb7! 40. Rxb7 Qxb7 41. Qxb7 Rxb7 42. Rxc5 Rb2+ 43. Kh3 d2 liquidating to a book draw. 37. ... Qc6−+ 38. Rf1 (38. Bb4 e3+−+) 38. ... e3+ 39. Kh3 Qd7+ 40. g4 Kg7 41. Rxf7+ Qxf7 42. Qxf7+ Kxf7 43. Rb1 d2 44. Kg2 Bxb6 45. Rf1+ Ke6 46. Bxb6 e2 0 : 1.

From the Island

Alina Anatolyevna Kashlinskaya – 侯逸凡 (Hóu Yìfán)
18th World Youth Chess Championship Girls U-10; Kallithea, October 29, 2003
Torre Attack A46

1. d4 Nf6 2. Nf3 e6 3. Bg5 c5 4. c3. No better is 4. Bxf6 Qxf6 5. e4 cxd4 6. Qxd4 Nc6 7. Qxf6 gxf6 8. c3 b6 9. Nbd2 Bb7 10. Bd3 Rc8 11. Nc4 Rg8 12. g3 Nd8 13. Ke2 h6 14. Rhe1? (14. Ne3) 14. ... Bxe4 15. Bxe4 Rxc4 16. Kd3 Rc7 17. Nd4 a6 18. f4 Bc5 19. Nc2 d5−+ Wahltuch – Capablanca, International Chess Congress, London 1922 4. ... Nc6 5. Bxf6 Qxf6 6. e4. The strategic alternative is 6. c3 Be7 7. Bd3 d5 8. Nbd2 0-0 9. Qe2 e5 10. dxe5 Nxe5 11. Nxe5 Qxe5 12. 0-0-0? (in his book of the tournament, Géza Maróczy recommended 12. Nf3 followed by 0-0) 12. ... b5!→ 13. Nf3 Qc7 14. Bxb5 Rb8 15. Bd3 Qa5 16. Bb1 Bf6 17. Rd2 Ba6 18. Qd1 Bxc3 19. Bxh7+ Kh8 20. Qc2 Rxb2 21. Rxd5 Qxa2 22. Rh5 Qa1+ 23. Qb1 Rxb1+ 0 : 1 Wahltuch – A. K. Rubinstein, International Chess Congress, London 1922. 6. ... cxd4 7. cxd4

7. ... d5! 8. exd5 (8. e5 Qd8) 8. ... exd5 9. Be2?! 9. Nc3 Be6 10. Bb5 Bd6 11. 0-0 0-0 is very comfortable for Black, but at least on the short run it saves time and material. 9. ... Bd6 10. 0-0 0-0 11. Nc3 Be6 12. a3?! a6 13. Bd3 (13. h3 g5!→) 13. ... Qh6 14. Ne2 Bg4 15. Ng3 Qf6 16. Re1 Bxf3 17. Qxf3 Qxf3 18. gxf3 Nxd4. The Pawn has fallen, and Black encounters no particular difficulties in converting into a win. 19. Kg2 Ne6 20. Rad1 g6 21. h4 Rfe8 22. Bb1 h5 23. Ba2 Nf4+ 24. Kf1 Rxe1+ 25. Rxe1 Rc8 26. Bb3 Rc5 27. Re8+ Kg7 28. Ne2 Nxe2 29. Kxe2 Rb5 30. Rd8 Rxb3 31. Rxd6 Rxb2+ 32. Ke3 Rb3+ 33. Kf4 Rxa3 34. Rxd5 b5 35. Rd6 a5 36. Ke4 Ra4+ 37. Ke3 Rxh4 38. Rd5 Rb4 39. Kd3 h4 0 : 1.

China’s rising star 侯逸凡 (Hóu Yìfán). Photo: Sina Sports.

Draw the Line

侯逸凡 (Hóu Yìfán) – Mitra Hejazipour
18th World Youth Chess Championship Girls U-10; Kallithea, October 28, 2003
Spanish Game C96

1. e4 e5 2. Nf3 Nc6 3. Bb5 a6 4. Ba4 Nf6 5. 0-0 Be7 6. Re1 b5 7. Bb3 d6 8. c3 0-0 9. h3 Na5 10. Bc2 c5 11. d3 Nc6 12. Nbd2 Re8 13. Nf1 Bf8 14. d4 Qc7 15. Bg5 Be7 (15. ... Nd7 16. Ne3⩲ Vujošević – Le Bellac, First Saturday IM November 1993, Budapest 1993) 16. dxc5 dxc5 17. Ne3 Be6 18. Nd5 Bxd5 19. exd5 Rad8 20. c4

20. ... Nd4 (20. ... bxc4 21. Bxf6 Bxf6 22. Ba4 Re6!∞) 21. Nxd4 exd4 22. cxb5 axb5 23. Qd3 c4! 24. Qxd4 Nxd5 25. Qh4 g6 26. Be4? 侯逸凡 (Hóu Yìfán) plays with fire. She had nothing better than 26. Bxe7 Rxe7 with approximate equality. 26. ... Bxg5 27. Qxg5 Re5 28. Qh4 Rde8 29. f3 Qc5+ (29. ... Rh5 30. Qf2 Nf4−+) 30. Qf2 Qb4 31. a3 Qa5 32. Qh4 Kg7 33. Rad1 f5 34. f4

34. ... Rxe4? What may seem an innocent inversion of moves is instead cause for immediate regret, as after 34. ... Qa7+! 35. Kh2 (the crucial difference is that now the White King can’t go to f1: 35. Kf1? fxe4 36. fxe5 Rf8+−+) 35. ... Rxe4 36. Rxe4 fxe4 37. Rxd5 e3−+ White could resign. 35. Rxe4 Rxe4. Or, even better (but not enough), 35. ... fxe4 36. Rxd5 Qa7+ 37. Kf1! e3 38. Re5! Rxe5 39. fxe5 Qd7 40. Kg1! e2 41. Kf2 Qd1 42. Qe7+ drawing by perpetual check. 36. Rxd5 Qa7+ (36. ... Qe1+ 37. Qxe1 Rxe1+ 38. Kh2 Rb1 39. Rxb5 c3=) 37. Kh2 Qc7 38. Rxb5 Rxf4 39. Qg3 Qc6? (39. ... Kf7) 40. Ra5? 40. Re5! Re4 41. Rxf5 wins a valuable Pawn. 40. ... Re4? (40. ... Qe4!=) 41. Ra7+? 41. Rxf5 goes into the line mentioned in the note after 40. Ra5. 41. ... Kg8 42. Qb8+ Re8 43. Qc7 Qxc7+ 44. Rxc7 Rb8 45. Rxc4 Rxb2 46. Rc7 Ra2 47. Ra7 f4 48. Kg1 h6 49. a4 Kh8 50. a5 Kg8 51. a6 Kh8 ½ : ½.

A Byzantine Iliad

侯逸凡 (Hóu Yìfán) – Nazí Nodarovna Paikidze
18th World Youth Chess Championship Girls U-10; Kallithea, October 31, 2003
Sicilian Defence B92

1. e4 c5 2. Nf3 d6 3. d4 cxd4 4. Nxd4 Nf6 5. Nc3 a6 6. Be2 e5 7. Nb3 Be7 8. 0-0 Be6 9. Be3 0-0 10. Nd5 Bxd5 11. exd5 Nbd7 12. Qd3 Nc5 13. Bxc5. Critical is 13. Qd2!? Nfe4 14. Qb4 a5 15. Qb5 Qc7 16. Rfd1 b6 17. Qc4 f5 18. Bd3 Qd8 19. Nxc5 Nxc5 20. a3 Rc8 21. Qb5 e4 22. Bf1 Bf6 23. Rab1 Be5 24. b4 axb4 25. Rxb4 Nd7 26. Rc4 Rxc4 27. Qxc4 Qe8 28. Re1 Nf6 29. h3 Nd7 30. Qc7 f4 31. Bc1? (31 Bxb6 Nxb6 32. Qxb6 e3!? 33. fxe3 f3 34. gxf3 Qg6+ 35. Bg2 Qg3 36. Kf1 Rxf3+ 37. Bxf3 Qxf3+ ends with a draw by perpetual check) 31. ... e3! 32. Bb5 (32. fxe3 f3!−+) 32. ... exf2+ 33. Kxf2 f3! 0 : 1 Svidler – J. Polgár, 10th Torneo Ciudad de Dos Hermanas, Dos Hermanas 1999. On the other hand, American Grandmaster Yasser Seirawan very rightly regards 13. Nxc5 as a strategic imperative for White. 13. ... dxc5 14. Rad1 e4 15. Qe3 Qc7 16. Nd2 Bd6 17. Nxe4 Bxh2+ 18. Kh1 Nxe4 19. Qxe4 Rfe8 20. Qf3 Be5 21. b3 Qe7 22. Bd3 Rad8 23. g3 Rd6 24. Kg2 g6 25. Rfe1 Qd7 26. Qe2 Re7 27. c4 b6 28. Qd2 Rf6 29. f4 Bd4 30. Rxe7 Qxe7 31. Re1 Qd7 32. Qe2 Kg7 33. Qe7 Qg4 34. Be2 Qf5 35. d6 Re6 36. Bd3

36. ... Rxe7. Much simpler was 36. ... Qf6! forcing a liquidation to a drawish opposite-coloured Bishops endgame. By the text move Black gives up the Exchange for uncertain returns, probably overestimating his Queen-Bishop battery. 37. dxe7 Qxd3 38. e8=Q Qc2+ 39. Qe2 Qf5 40. Qe4 Qg4. Apparently safer was 40. ... Qc8 keeping a presence on the back rank. 41. Qb7. 41. Qd5 Bf6 42. Re8 was probably White’s best, threatening to mount an attack with Qd5-d6-f8+. 41. ... h5 (Δ ... h5-h4) 42. Qe7 Bf6 43. Qe2 Qd7 44. Rd1 Qc6+ 45. Rd5 Qc8

46. Rd6. 46. f5! was White’s last serious attempt at playing for the win. 46. ... Qc7 47. Rd5 h4 48. Qe4 hxg3 49. Kxg3 Qc8 50. Rd6 Qc7 51. Rc6 Qd8 52. Qd5 Qe7 53. Rxb6 Qe1+ 54. Kg2 Qe2+ 55. Kg3 Qe1+ 56. Kg2 Qe2+ 57. Kg3 ½ : ½.