Silk Road

The Chinese prodigy 侯逸凡 (Hóu Yìfán) won the ’İş Bankası Atatürk International Women Masters Chess Tournament in Istanbul, Turkey with 7 points out of 9, a clear point ahead of Sweden’s Pia Cramling. Leonard Barden, in his The Guardian column, enthusiastically wrote: “侯逸凡 (Hóu Yìfán), 14, has become the flag-bearer and promises to rival Hungary’s Judit Polgár as the best ever female player”.

侯逸凡 (Hóu Yìfán) – Irina Borisivna Krush

’İş Bankası — Atatürk International Women Masters Chess Tournament; Istanbul, March 17, 2008

Sicilian Defence B33

1. e4 c5 2. Nf3 Nc6 3. d4 cxd4 4. Nxd4 Nf6 5. Nc3 e5 6. Ndb5 d6 7. Bg5 a6 8. Na3 b5 9. Bxf6 gxf6 10. Nd5 f5 11. Bd3 Be6 12. c4!? fxe4 13. Bxe4 Rc8 14. 0-0! This is much sharper than 14. cxb5 Nd4 15. bxa6? (Arndt – Gudaci, Ruhrgebiet 1999) and now 15. ... f5! would cause White insurmountable problems; for instance: 16. Bf3 Qa5+ 17. Nc3 Rxc3!−+ (Kavalek’s analysis). 14. ... Bg7 15. f4 Nd4 16. Qh5 b4? Krush does not hesitate to sacrifice a Pawn for the chimera of a discovered check. After 16. ... bxc4 17. f5 Bxd5 18. Bxd5 Qf6 19. Nxc4 White keeps an edge (Kavalek’s analysis). 17. Nxb4 Qb6 18. Nd5 Qxb2? An indigestible Pawn! Anyway, after 18. ... Bxd5 19. Bxd5 0-0 20. Kh1 White would have maintained a powerful initiative (20. ... Qxb2 21. f5+−), as usual enhanced by the presence of Bishops of opposite colours.

19. f5!+− Bxd5 If 19. ... Bd7 then 20. Qg5! Bf8 21. Rab1! Qxa3 22. Rb7 Rxc4 23. Nf6+ Kd8 24. Rxd7+ Kc8 25. Bb7+ Kb8 26. Nd5+− (Kavalek’s analysis). 20. Bxd5 0-0 21. f6! Naturally! 21. ... Bxf6 (20. ... Rf8 21. f6 Bxf6 22. Qh3 Rc7 23. Rab1 Qc3 24. Rxf6+−) 22. Be4! Rfd8 23. Qxh7+ Kf8 24. Qh6+ 1 : 0. For if 24. ... Bg7 then 25. Rxf7+! Ke8 (or 25. ... Kxf7 26. Bd5+ Kf8 27. Rf1+ Ke7 28. Qxg7+ Ke8 29. Qf7#) 26. Re7+! Kxe7 27. Qxg7+ Ke6 (27. ... Ke8 28. Bg6#) 28. Bd5+ Kf5 29. Rf1+ and mate in two moves.

侯逸凡 (Hóu Yìfán) vs. Irina Borisivna Krush. Photo: awm2008.tsf.org.tr.

侯逸凡 (Hóu Yìfán) at the awarding ceremony. Photo: awm2008.tsf.org.tr.

A Month in Manila with Bobby

On Thursday, October 4, 1973, The New York Times announced Bobby Fischer’s imminent trip (his first since he became World Chess Champion) to Manila, hired for $20,000 by the then President of the Philippines Ferdinand Emmanuel Edralin Marcos to open the ceremonies of the 1st Philippines International Chess Tournamen. As survivors recall, “The first Philippine International chess tournament in 1973 marked the true take-off of Philippine chess. President Ferdinand E. Marcos and then world champion Bobby Fischer opened the event at the Araneta coliseum before a crowd of 25,000. The full 5 hours of each round was covered by national television”. Fischer then crossed swords (for the audience’s sake) with Marcos himself and the then President of the Philippines Chess Federation Florencio Campomanes. It was at that time that Fischer first knew Eugene Torre, as he himself recalled in a telephone interview from his Japanese detention cell in the summer of 2004.
For further insights on Fischer’s holiday trip in the Philippines, see the article by Casto Abundo, entitled “A Month In Manila with Bobby Fischer”, published on the FIDE website on Thursday, March 6, 2008.

Near to

侯逸凡 (Hóu Yìfán) – Ivan Cheparinov
70th Corus Chess Tournament (B Group); Wijk aan Zee, January 26, 2008
Spanish Game C89

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 d5 9. exd5 Nxd5 10. Nxe5 Nxe5 11. Rxe5 c6 12. Re1 Bd6 13. g3 Bf5 14. d4 Qd7 15. Be3 Rae8 16. Nd2 Bg4 17. Qc2 Bf5 18. Qd1 Bg4 19. Qc2 Re7 20. Bg5 Rxe1+ 21. Rxe1 h6 22. Be3 Re8 23. c4 Bf5 24. Qd1 Nb4 25. Nf1 Bg4. 25. ... Bf8! 26. c5 a5! seems to offer better opportunities for equality.
26. f3 Bf5 27. a3 bxc4 28. Bxc4 Nc2 29. Re2 Nxe3 30. Nxe3 Bg6

31. Bd3. Here White omits the most obvious move 31. Bxa6 which after, let’s say, 31. ... Bb8 32. Kg2 Ba7 33. Nc2 Rxe2+ 34. Qxe2 Bxc2 35. Qxc2 Qxd4 36. a4 would have yielded her a healthy extra Pawn with excellent winning chances.
31. ... Bxd3 32. Qxd3 Bc5 33. Nc2 Rxe2 34. Qxe2 Bxd4+ 35. Nxd4 Qxd4+ 36. Kg2 c5 37. b3 Kh7 38. a4 g6 39. Qc4 Qxc4 40. bxc4 g5 41. f4 gxf4 ½ : ½.

“Dear Prudence, won’t you come out to play”... Photo: ChessVibes.

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.

Großmeister-Remis

11th World Chess Champion Bobby Fischer (right) and Philippine President Ferdinand Marcos (left) play a ceremonial game of chess during the opening of the 1st Philippines International Chess Tournament in Manila, October 16, 1973. In background, Marcos’s wife, Imelda Marcos, and Christina Ford. Others are unidentified. Photo: AP Photo.

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.

La Princesse

侯逸凡 (Hóu Yìfán) – Nicholas Pert
800th Anniversary Summit Chess Match UK–China; Liverpool, September 6, 2007
French Defence C18

1. e4 e6 2. d4 d5 3. Nc3 Bb4 4. e5 c5 5. a3 Bxc3+ 6. bxc3 Ne7 7. Qg4 cxd4 8. cxd4 Qc7 9. Ra2 Nf5 10. Nf3 Nc6 11. Bd3 h5 12. Qf4 (12. Ng5 Ncxd4!) 12. ... Ncxd4 13. 0-0 Nxf3+ 14. Qxf3 Qxe5 15. Bb2 d4 16. Raa1 Nh4 17. Qh3 Qf4 18. Rae1 Qg4 19. Qxg4 hxg4 20. Bxd4

20. ... f6? (20. ... Kf8) 21. f3! Now Black’s Knight is in trouble (21. ... gxf3 22. g3+−). 21. ... Bd7. Likewise, after 21. ... e5 22. Bxe5 fxe5 23. Rxe5+ Kd8 24. fxg4 Bxg4 25. Rf4 Bd7 26. g3± White regains the piece with a Pawn ahead. 22. fxg4 0-0-0 23. Bxa7 Bc6 24. Rxe6 Bxg2 25. Rf2 Bd5 26. Re3 Rde8

27. Kf1? (27. Rh3) 27. ... Kc7 (27. ... Rxe3 28. Bxe3 Nf3) 28. Rfe2 Rxe3 29. Bxe3 g5 (29. ... Nf3 30. Bf4+ Kb6 31. Bg3 Bc6) 30. Bf2 Bg2+? (30. ... Nf3) 31. Kg1 Bc6 32. Bg3+ Kd7 33. Kf2 Ra8 34. Re3 Ra4 35. h3 Rd4 36. Ke2 Ng2 37. Bf5+ Kd8 38. Re6 Nf4+ 39. Bxf4 Rxf4 40. Rxf6 Bf3+ 41. Kd2 Bg2 42. Rg6 Bxh3 43. Rxg5 Ra4 44. Rg7 Bg2 45. Rd7+ Ke8 46. Rd3 Kf7 47. g5 Rf4 48. g6+ Kf6 49. Rg3 Rxf5 50. Rxg2 Kg7 51. Kc3 Rf1 52. Kb4 Rb1+ 53. Kc5 b6+ 54. Kc6 b5 55. Kb6 Rb2 56. Kc5 Rb1 57. c4 bxc4 58. Kxc4 Rc1+ 59. Kb5 Rb1+ 60. Ka5 Rb8 61. a4 Ra8+ 62. Kb5 Rb8+ 63. Kc6 Rc8+ 64. Kb7 Re8 65. a5 Re7+ 66. Kc6 Re6+ 67. Kd7 Rf6 68. Rg5 Rf1 69. Kc6 Ra1 70. Kb6 Re1 71. a6 Re6+ 72. Kb7 Re7+ 73. Kc8 Re8+ 74. Kd7 1 : 0.

Il Codice da Vinci

Interessantissimo articolo del Grande Maestro Raymond Keene dedicato all’arte (anche scacchistica) di Leonardo: “Renaissance chess master and the Da Vinci decode mystery”, Timesonline.co.uk, 10 marzo 2008.

Reunion

In the introduction that Albert Einstein wrote for Jacques Hannak’s posthumous biography of Emanuel Lasker, “Emanuel Lasker, The Life of a Chess Master” (Berlin, 1952), the Nobel Prize in Physics briefly sketched some of the composite and multifaceted personality of the “philosopher” Lasker and also replied, for the first time, to his objections to the theory of relativity. As Piergiorgio Odifreddi writes in his article “The Ideal Chessplayer”:

As might be expected of a man of such breadth of mind, Lasker’s interests extended as far as philosophy, with which even his chess books are imbued. In a critical essay aimed at refuting the relativity of time, he objected that it could not be excluded that the velocity of light in a complete vacuum was infinite, since no experiments could be done in a really complete vacuum. Einstein replied that, albeit sensible, the objection forced us to assume that the velocity of light was infinite in a vacuum, but finite and constant in the presence of any (even minimal) traces of matter. And he concluded, in his usual oracular way: a strong mind cannot take place of delicate fingers. Idem to say: speculative theories cannot be separated from practical experiments. Thus spoke the greatest physicist in the history.

The original hand-written text (in German language) of Einstein’s introduction is kept in the Albert Einstein Archives:

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.

Introspezione

The Steamroller and the Violin

侯逸凡 (Hóu Yìfán) – Maria Alexandrovna Butuk
18th World Youth Chess Championship Girls U-10; Kallithea, October 25, 2003
Caro-Kann Defence B13

1. e4 c6 2. d4 d5 3. exd5 cxd5 4. Bd3 Nc6 5. c3 Qc7 6. h3 e6 7. Nf3 Bd6 8. 0-0 Nge7 9. b3!?TN Ng6 10. Na3 a6 11. c4 dxc4 12. bxc4

12. ... 0-0? 12. ... b6! was called for, with reasonable chances for equality.
13. c5± Be7 14. Nc4 Rd8 15. Be3 Nf4 16. Be4 Ng6 (16. ... Bxc5 17. Bxh7+ Kxh7 18. Qc2+ Kg8 19. dxc5±)
17. Qb3 Bf8 18. Rab1 Rb8 19. Rfd1 Na5 20. Nxa5 Qxa5 21. Rdc1 Qc7 22. Qb6 Qxb6 23. Rxb6 f5 24. Bd3. Black ended up totally crushed, and practically helpless against the threat of c5-c6.

24. ... e5? Black gets rid of the weakness on e6, but at too dear price. On the other hand, also 24. ... Ra8 25. Bc4 does not give any hope for recovery.
25. Bc4+ Kh8 26. Ng5 Rd7 27. c6 Rc7 28. Nf7+ Rxf7 29. Bxf7 exd4 30. Bxd4 Be7 31. Bxg6 hxg6 32. Be5 Ra8 33. cxb7 Bxb7 34. Rxb7 Bf6 35. Bxf6 gxf6 36. Rcc7 g5 37. Rh7+ Kg8 38. Rbg7+ Kf8 39. Rg6 Rb8 40. Rh8+ Kf7 41. Rxf6+ Kxf6 42. Rxb8 1 : 0.

That Little Something

侯逸凡 (Hóu Yìfán) – Viorel Iordăchescu
7th Aeroflot Open; Moscow, February 19, 2008
Caro-Kann Defence B19

1. e4 c6 2. d4 d5 3. Nc3 dxe4 4. Nxe4 Bf5 5. Ng3 Bg6 6. h4 h6 7. Nf3 Nd7 8. h5 Bh7 9. Bd3 Bxd3 10. Qxd3 e6 11. Bf4 Qa5+ 12. Bd2 Bb4 13. c3 Be7 14. c4 Qc7 15. 0-0-0 Ngf6 16. Kb1 0-0 17. Rhe1 Rfd8 18. Qc2!?TN a5 19. a3 a4 20. Ne2 Ng4 21. Nf4 Ndf6 22. Bc1 Ra5 23. Qe2 Bf8⇆

24. Nh4 (24. g3 c5) 24. ... e5 25. dxe5 (25. Ne6?! fxe6 26. f3 e4! 27. fxg4 Qg3) 25. ... Rxe5 26. Qc2 Rxe1 27. Rxe1 Qa5 28. Re2 Nxh5 29. Nd3 Rd4 30. Nf3 Rd8 31. Nfe1

31. ... b5 32. c5 Ngf6? (32. ... Qa7! 33. f3 Ng3 34. fxg4 Nxe2 35. Qxe2 Bxc5) 33. Ne5 Rd5 (33. ... Qc7 34. g4 Rd5 35. N1d3 Nd7 36. Nxc6!) 34. N1d3 Nd7 35. Nxc6 Qc7 36. Ne7+ Bxe7 37. Rxe7 Qd8 38. Re1 Nhf6 39. c6 Nb6 40. Nb4 Rd4 41. Be3 Rc4 42. Rd1 Qb8 43. Qf5 Na8 44. Bxh6 1 : 0.

Touch of Enchantment

Sergey Viktorovich Volkov – 侯逸凡 (Hóu Yìfán)
7th Aeroflot Open; Moscow, February 22, 2008
4k3/p1P5/P1r5/3N1p1p/7P/6B1/6PK/8 w - - 0 61

Position after 60. ... Kf7xe8

In the diagram, there is no doubt that White will win, but the way Volkov does it, it is literally breathtaking: 61. Nb6!! 1 : 0. A delightful finish.

Transformation geometry

侯逸凡 (Hóu Yìfán) – Nicholas Pert
800th Anniversary Summit Chess Match UK–China; Liverpool, September 7, 2007
r1b1k2r/ppq2pp1/2n1p3/3pPn1p/3P1Q2/P2B1N2/R1P2PPP/2B1K2R b Kkq - 1 12

Position after 12. Qg4-f4

Notes by Errol Tiwari, Stabroek News, No. 258, Sunday, September 16, 2007, p. 12A.

Black now snatches a Pawn by 12. ... Ncxd4 13. 0-0! White castles. 13. ... Nxf3+ 14. Qxf3 Qxe5. Black has two extra Pawns, but his development is lagging and his dark squares are very weak. Play continues as follows: 15. Bb2 d4 16. Raa1 Nh4 17. Qh3 Qf4 18. Rae1 Qg4 19. Qxg4 hxg4 20. Bxd4 f6 21. f3! Bd7 22. fxg4 0-0-0 23. Bxa7... White goes from two Pawns down to one Pawn up. Black cannot save the ending. Pert resigned on the 47th move. 1–0.

中英关系 (China–United Kingdom relations)

侯逸凡 (Hóu Yìfán) – Nigel Short
800th Anniversary Summit Chess Match UK–China; Liverpool, September 7, 2007
Spanish Game C60

1. e4 e5 2. Nf3 Nc6 3. Bb5 Nge7 4. 0-0 Ng6 5. c3 a6 6. Ba4 d5 7. exd5 Qxd5 8. Bb3 Qd3 9. Bc2 Qd6 10. d4 exd4 11. cxd4 Bg4 12. Be3 Nh4 13. Nbd2 Nxf3+ 14. Nxf3 Qd5 15. Bb3 Qh5 16. Ba4 b5 17. Bc2 Bd6 18. h3 Bxf3 19. Qxf3 Qxf3 20. gxf3 Ne7 21. a4 Kd7 22. Bb3 f6 23. d5 Rhe8 24. Rfd1 Nf5 25. Rd3 Rab8 26. Bc2 g6 27. axb5 axb5

28. Rb3? This precipitates White into very bad trouble. Here 28. f4! was almost an imperative.
28. ... Nxe3 29. fxe3 Bc5 30. Kf2 Re5 31. Ke2. Rather than defending with 31. Rd1, which after, say, 31. ... Rbe8 32. Rdd3 Kd6 would leave White with too many weaknesses, 侯逸凡 (Hóu Yìfán) prefers to abandon the Pawn at once, just hoping for a bit of luck.
31. ... Rxd5 32. Bd3 c6 33. Be4 Re5 34. Ra6 Bb6 35. Rc3 c5 36. b3 Rh5 37. Bd3 Kc6 38. Be4+ Kc7 39. Bd3 b4 40. Rc4 Re8 41. Rf4 f5 42. h4 Kb7 43. Ra1 Bd8 44. Rd1 Kb6 45. Rc4 Bf6 46. Bc2

46. ... Bd4? Short makes it too easy for himself, falling into the trap set by the Chinese wunderkind. Simply 46. ... Kc6−+ leaves Black with an easy winning game.
47. Rdxd4! The Exchange sacrifice Short apparently overlooked on his previous move — which in fact guarantees Black a draw.
47. ... cxd4 48. Rxb4+ Kc7 49. Rc4+ Kd6 50. Rxd4+ Ke7 51. b4 Rd8 52. Rc4 Rd6 53. b5 Rb6 54. Rb4 Kd6 55. Bd3 Kc5 56. Rf4 Rd6 57. Kd2 Kb6 58. Kc3 Rd5 59. Ra4 Rc5+ 60. Kd2 Rc8 61. Ra6+ Kb7 62. Ra4 Ra8 63. Rd4 Ra2+ 64. Kc3 Rh2 65. Rd7+ Kc8 66. Ra7 R5xh4 67. b6 Kb8 68. Ba6 Ra4 69. Rb7+ Ka8 70. Ra7+ Kb8 ½–½.

East Asian Monsoon

侯逸凡 (Hóu Yìfán) – 王瑜 (Wáng Yú)
Women’s Zonal 3.3 Tournament; 北京 (Běijīng), October 23, 2005
Spanish Game C88

1. e4 e5 2. Nf3 Nc6 3. Bb5 a6 4. Ba4 Nf6 5. 0-0 Be7 6. Re1 b5 7. Bb3 d6 8. a4 b4 9. a5 0-0 10. d3 Be6 11. Nbd2 Qc8 12. Bc4 h6 13. Nf1 Re8 14. Ne3 Bf8 15. b3 Nd8!?TN (15. ... g6 16. Bb2 Bg7 17. Qd2 Rb8 18. h3 Nd8= Hráček – Bacrot, 23rd German Schach Bundesliga, Bremen 2003) 16. Bd2 Rb8 17. Nh4 c6 18. Bxe6 Qxe6 19. Nc4 Nd7 20. Qf3 g6 21. Qg3 Bg7

22. f4! White claims the initiative with a bold break on f4 which also implies the sacrifice of the Exchange. 22. ... exf4 23. Bxf4 Ne5. After 23. ... Bxa1 24. Rxa1 White’s domination of the dark squares more than compensates for the Exchange. 24. Nxe5. Also very tempting was 24. Nf5! with great play for White. 24. ... dxe5 25. Be3 Rb5 26. Nf3 c5 27. Qf2 Qe7 28. Nd2 Nc6 29. Nc4 Kh7 30. Rf1 Rf8 31. Qd2 h5 32. Rf3 Kg8 33. Nb6. Alea iacta est! 33. ... Rxa5? Too greedy. Best was 33. ... Nd4! 34. Bxd4 cxd4 with the intention of sacrificing the Exchange soon as the White Knight jumps to d5. 34. Rxa5 Nxa5 35. Nd5 Qd6 36. Qf2 Nb7 37. Nf6+ Kh8

38. g4! The coup de grâce. 38. ... Ra8 39. gxh5 Qe6 40. Qh4 g5 41. Qxg5 a5 42. Kh1 Ra6 43. Ng4 Kh7 44. Rg3 a4 45. h6 1 : 0.

Youth and the City

Michał Vladimirovich Krasenkow – 侯逸凡 (Hóu Yìfán)
70th Corus Chess Tournament (B Group); Wijk aan Zee, January 27, 2008
English Opening A14

1. Nf3 Nf6 2. c4 e6 3. g3 d5 4. Bg2 Be7 5. 0-0 0-0 6. b3 b6 7. Bb2 Bb7 8. e3 c5 9. Nc3 dxc4 10. bxc4 Nc6 11. Qe2 a6 12. Rfd1 Qc7 13. d3 Rab8 (13. ... Na5 14. Rab1 Rab8 15. Ba1 Nd7 16. Nd2 Bxg2 17. Kxg2 b5 ½ : ½ L. Schmid – T. V. Petrosian, 5th European Team Chess Championship, Bath 1973)
14. Rac1 Rfd8 15. Ba1 Na5 16. Na4 Bc6 17. Bxf6 Bxf6 18. Nc3

18. ... b5! 19. cxb5 axb5 20. Nd2 Bxg2 21. Kxg2 Be7 22. Nb3 h6 23. Ne4 Nxb3 24. axb3 Qb7 25. Kg1 Rd5 26. Nc3 Rd7 27. Ne4 Rd5 28. Nc3 Rd7 ½ : ½.

Not the easiest of draws for White. Photo: Harry Gielen.

L’ospite esotico

Nell’estate del 1857 Serafino Dubois si confrontò in un match “alternato” – all’italiana e con le regole internazionali – con il conte – nonché presidente del Circolo Scacchistico di Lipsia – Conrad Woldemar von Ekstädt Vitzthum (1802-1875) e si impose nella proporzione di 4 a 1. Nel nostro libretto “Serafino Dubois il Professionista”, Messaggerie Scacchistiche, Brescia, 2000, pp. 40-45, presentammo cinque partite del match (un Gambetto di Donna, una Francese e tre Gambetti di Re). Georges Bertola ne produsse poi una sesta (un Gambetto Scozzese: cfr. Georges Bertola, “Serafino Dubois e l’arrocco all’italiana”, Torre & Cavallo Scacco!, n. 11, novembre 2004, pp. 25-28). Eccone allora anche una settima, riposta e dimenticata nelle back pages della rivista olandese Sissa, 1859, pp. 342-343:

S. Dubois – C. W. von E. Vitzthum
Roma, 1857
Francese C01

1. e4 e6 2. d4 d5 3. exd5 exd5 4. Ad3 Ae6 5. Cf3 Ad6 6. Cc3 In un’altra partita Serafino preferì, sulla scia di Paul Morphy, 6. 0-0 h6 7. Ae3 Cf6 8. Cc3 c6 9. Ce5 (Dubois – Vitzthum, Roma, I giugno 1857); cfr. Alessandra Innocenti & Lorenzo Barsi, op. cit., pp. 41-42. 6. ... Cf6 7. 0-0 Cbd7 8. Te1 0-0 L’anonimo commentatore di Sissa (Jean Dufresne?) accenna a 8. ... h6, ma allora 9. Af5 è per il Nero una pillola amara. 9. Ag5 c6 10. Ce5 Dc7 11. Cxd7 Cxd7 12. Dh5 g6 13. Dh6 Tfe8 14. Te3 f5 Se 14. ... Af8 (Δ Af8-g7) allora 15. Dh4. La risposta del testo è più compromettente. 15. Tae1 Cf8 16. f4 a6 Prepara c6-c5. 17. h4? Dubois apre il fuoco... Quasi chiunque oggigiorno preferirebbe la più posizionale 17. Ca4. 17. ... Df7 Vale lo stesso per il Nero: perché non 17. ... Dg7!, onde neutralizzare radicalmente l’attacco avversario? 18. h5 Tac8 19. hxg6 Cxg6 20. g4! fxg4? Un esempio di collaborazionismo autolesionista. L’imperativo era 20. ... Ad7! ove se 21. Cd1 allora 21. ... Tf8 con approssimativo equilibrio. 21. f5! Axf5 22. Txe8+ Txe8 23. Tf1 Dg7? Più resiliente 23. ... Af8!, benché dopo 24. Dh2! (24. Dh5 Dc7!) 24. ... Ag7 25. Txf5 Axd4+ 26. Rg2 il Bianco serbi prospettive gratificanti. 24. Axf5 I Maestri dell’epoca disdegnavano spesso la tecnica (24. Dxg7+), anche contro la propria convenienza! 24. ... Dxd4+ 25. Rh1 Af8 26. Dh5 Dg7? Dopo la stupefacente 26. ... Te1!! 27. Txe1 Df2 il Nero arranca, ma combatte ancora. 27. Dxg4 Ae7 28. Ae6+ Rh8 29. Tf7 De5

30. Txh7+! Il sigillo romantico! 30. ... Rxh7 31. Dh5+ Rg7 32. Dh6 matto 1 : 0.

Ride the Wild Tiger

侯逸凡 (Hóu Yìfán) – Nikita Kirillovich Vitiugov
6th Aeroflot Open; Moscow, February 14, 2007
Sicilian Defence B42

Comments in quotation marks by Grandmaster Jan Timman, New In Chess, 6/2011, pp. 98–99.

1. e4 c5 2. Nf3 e6 3. d4 cxd4 4. Nxd4 a6 5. Bd3 Bc5 6. Nb3 Be7 7. 0-0 d6 8. c4 Nf6 9. Nc3 Nbd7 10. f4 b6 11. Bd2 Bb7 12. Qf3 Qc7 13. Rae1 g6. If 13. ... 0-0 14. Qh3 g6? then 15. f5! with strong initiative for White, 侯逸凡 (Hóu Yìfán) – Sharevich, 37th Women’s Chess Olympiad, Turin 2006.
14. Qh3 h5

“Black has just advanced his h-Pawn, a well-known strategical move in these kinds of Sicilian positions that entails a certain amount of risk: on the one hand, Black gains territory, on the other, he will have problems finding a safe spot for his King later on”.
15. Nd1! “An excellent plan. White regroups her Knight and vacates square c3 for her Queen’s Bishop”.
It must also be said that White’s was at the time a novelty, and an improvement upon 15. Qg3 h4 16. Qh3 0-0-0 17. Nd4 Kb8 18. b4 (Markzon – Kriventsov, 48th U.S. Chess Championship, Seattle 2003) to which Black’s best reply seems to be 18. ... d5!⇄ with a messy fight.
15. ... b5. “A principled advance, but right up White’s street. Better was 15. ... Nc5”.
16. Ba5! “Before putting the Bishop on c3, White forces the Black Queen to go to a worse square”.
16. ... Qb8 17. Bc3 b4 18. Bxb4 Bxe4 19. Bc3. “The Bishop returns to its post. White is exerting strong pressure on the enemy position”
19. ... Bxd3 20. Qxd3 h4

“The start of an erroneous plan. Black is going to take his Rook to h5, but this does nothing to improve the coordination in his camp. He should have castled, although his slightly weakened King position is not an attractive prospect”.
21. Nf2 Rh5 22. Nd4! “Making optimum use of the lack of coordination in the Black camp”.
22. ... Nc5 23. Qc2 Qb7

24. b4! “White is steadily gaining space”.
24. ... h3 25. Nxh3 Nce4 26. Ng5 d5 27. c5 Kf8. “His only chance of counterplay was 27. ... a5”.
28. a3 Kg8 29. Ndf3

“Decisive regrouping. 侯逸凡 (Hóu Yìfán) rounded off the game excellently”.
29. ... Nxc3 30. Qxc3 Nh7 31. Nxh7 Rxh7 32. Qd4 Rh5 33. h3 Bf8 34. Qd3 Bg7 35. Nd4 Rh4 36. Kh1 Qc7 37. Qe3 Bf6 38. Nb3 Kg7 39. Qd2 Qd7 40. Nd4 Rah8 41. Nf3 R4h5 42. Ne5 Qa4 43. Rf3 Rb8 44. Ng4 Bd8 45. Qd4+ Kf8 46. Rc1 Rc8 47. Ne5 Qb5 48. c6 Rc7 49. Nd7+ Kg8 50. Qb6 d4 51. Nf6+ 1 : 0.

Aeroflot Bonus

侯逸凡 (Hóu Yìfán) – Emil Davidovich Sutovsky
6th Aeroflot Open; Moscow, February 15, 2007
Sicilian Defence B93

“China’s 12-year-old prodigy 侯逸凡 (Hóu Yìfán) beat 2600-rated grandmasters in the first two rounds. Below, Israel's No 4 Emil Sutovsky concedes the Bishop pair against the 6. f4 Najdorf and his later 25. ... Rxc3 sacrifice is overoptimistic”, Leonard Barden wrote in his The Guardian chess column of February 24, 2007.

1. e4 c5 2. Nf3 d6 3. d4 cxd4 4. Nxd4 Nf6 5. Nc3 a6 6. f4 Nc6 7. Nf3 Bg4. In his book “How to Beat Bobby Fischer”, Dover Publications, New York, 1997, p. 241, Grandmaster Edmar Mednis wrote: “The questionable idea. Together with the following KB fianchetto Black hopes to exert pressure on White’s Q4 square. But the concept has no sound strategic basis nor any practical significance. White obtains the two Bishops and a freer position while Black has nothing”.
8. Be3 g6 9. h3 Bxf3 10. Qxf3 Bg7 11. Bc4! “Much better than the routine 11. Bd3. The Bishop not only has some realistic possibilities against Black’s KB2 but the QR will be well placed on the half-open Queen’s file”, Mednis writes (op.cit., p. 242).
11. ... 0-0 12. 0-0 Nd7. An old game by Bobby Fischer instead continued: 12. ... Qc7 13. Bb3 b5 14. g4?! b4 15. Na4 Nd7 16. Rad1 Na5 17. e5! Nxb3 18. exd6 exd6 19. cxb3 Rae8 20. Rc1 Qb8 21. Rfd1 Re6 22. Bf2 Rfe8 23. g5 h6 24. h4 R8e7?! (Mednis recommends 24. ... Re4! 25. Rc4 f5∞) 25. Qd5! Qe8 26. Rc2! Re4! 27. Qxd6 Bf8! 28. Qxa6 Qb8! 29. Qd6 Re1+! 30. Kg2 Rxd1 31. Qxd1 Qxf4 32. Qf3! hxg5 33. Qxf4 gxf4 34. Rc8 f6 35. Nb6 Kf7 36. Nd5 Re5? (correct was 36. ... Re2 37. Rc7 Ke8 38. Rc8+ with a draw by repetition) 37. Nxf4 g5? (37. ... Rf5! made it harder for White to take advantage of his extra Pawn) 38. Rc7! Ke8 39. Ng6 Re2 40. Nxf8! Nxf8 41. h5! Rxb2 42. Kg3 f5 43. Bc5 Nd7 44. h6! f4+ 45. Kh3 Rxa2 46. Bd4! g4+ 47. Kxg4 Rd2 48. Bg7 Nb6 49. Rb7 Nd5 50. Rb5 Ne7 51. Rxb4 Ng6 52. Rb6 Rg2+ 53. Kf3 Rg3+ 54. Ke4 Re3+ 55. Kd4 Kf7 56. Rf6+ Kg8 57. b4 Kh7 58. b5 Rb3 59. Kc4 Rb1 60. Rf7 Kg8 61. Rb7 Rc1+ 62. Kd3 Rf1 63. b6 f3 64. Ke3 Nh4 65. Rb8+ Kh7 66. b7 Re1+ 67. Kf2 Re2+ 68. Kg3 f2 69. Rf8 1–0 Janošević – R. J. Fischer, 1st “Solidarity” International Tournament, Skopje 1967.
13. Rad1 Na5 14. Bb3 Rc8 15. e5! Nxb3. 15. ... dxe5?? 16. Qg4 (16. ... e6 17. Bxe6!) is disastrous enough.
16. axb3 Rc6 17. exd6 exd6 18. Bd4. 18. f5! at once seems stronger.
18. ... Bxd4+ 19. Rxd4 Nf6 20. Kh1 d5! 21. Rfd1 Qe7 22. Qf2 Rfc8 23. f5 Ne4 24. Qe3

24. ... Rxc3? A velleitary Exchange sacrifice which quickly leads Black to defeat. Correct was 24. ... gxf5 in order to answer both 25. Rxd5 and 25. Nxd5 by 25. ... Qh4 with a playable game.
25. bxc3 Rxc3 26. R1d3 Rxc2 27. Rxd5 Re2. Sutovsky tries a last-ditch, desperate, hat with no rabbit. White, of course, doesn’t bite the bait:
28. Qd4 Nf6 29. Rd8+ Kg7 30. fxg6 hxg6 31. Qd6 Qxd6 32. R3xd6 Ne4 33. Rb6 Ng3+ 34. Kh2 Nf1+ 35. Kh1 Ne3 36. Rxb7 g5 37. Rdd7 Nxg2 38. Rxf7+ Kg6 39. Rg7+ Kh6 40. Rge7! 1–0.

She has a big surprise for him. Photo: Mikhail Savinov.

Thunder from the Sea

Evgenija Viktorovna Ovod – 侯逸凡 (Hóu Yìfán)
8th Russian Women’s Team Chess Championship; Dagomys, May 7, 2007
Nimzo-Indian Defence E58

1. d4 Nf6 2. c4 e6 3. Nc3 Bb4 4. e3 0-0 5. Bd3 d5 6. Nf3 c5 7. 0-0 Nc6 8. a3 Bxc3 9. bxc3 Qc7 10. Bb2 Na5 11. cxd5 exd5 12. Ne5 c4 13. Bc2 Ne4 14. f3 Nd6 15. h3 (15. e4 f6!) 15. ... Re8 (15. ... Bf5 16. a4 f6 17. Ng4 Rfe8 18. Ba3 Bxg4 19. hxg4 Rxe3 20. Qd2 Rae8 21. Rae1 Rxe1 22. Rxe1 g6 23. Kf2 Rxe1 24. Qxe1 Kf7 25. Qe3 Nc6 26. Qh6 Ke6 27. Qe3+ Kf7 28. Qh6 Ke6 29. f4 Qf7 30. f5+ gxf5 31. Qf4 Qc7 32. Bxf5+ Ke7 33. g5 fxg5 34. Qxg5+ Kf7 35. Qh5+ Kf6 36. Bxh7 Qf7 37. Qf3+ Kg7 38. Bxd6 Qxf3+ 39. Kxf3 Kxh7 40. Kf4 Kg6 41. g4 a6 42. g5 ½ : ½ Piket – Aleksandrov, 34th Chess Olympiad, Istanbul 2000) 16. Qe1 (16. Re1 f6 17. Ng4 Bf5 ½ : ½ del Río de Angelis – Arizmendi Martínez, 49th Spanish Team Chess Championship, Sant Lluís 2005) 16. ... f6 17. Ng4 Bf5

18. Rc1? This loses a Pawn without any return. Instead 18. e4! may well illustrate the difference between two ways of giving up a Pawn, as after 18. ... dxe4 19. Qg3 White can at least claim compensation. 18. ... Bxc2 19. Rxc2 Nf5 20. Bc1 Nb3 21. Rff2 h5 22. Nh2 Nxc1 23. Qxc1 Rxe3 24. Nf1 Re7. Black has gained a Pawn and dominates the e-file.

25. g4? White could do little to prevent her opponent consolidating her advantage (by ... Ra8-e8 followed by ... h5-h4), but certainly the text just makes things even worse. 25. ... Nh4−+ 26. gxh5 Rae8 27. f4 Re1 28. Qb2 (28. Qd2 Qd7−+) 28. ... Qd7 29. Kh2 (29. Rce2 Qxh3−+)

29. ... R8e3! 30. Nxe3 Rxe3 31. Rce2 Qxh3+ 32. Kg1 Rg3+ 33. Rg2 Nf3+ 34. Kf1 Qh1+ 35. Kf2 Qxg2+ 0 : 1. Because of 36. Ke3 Ng1+ 37. Kd2 Qxe2+ 38. Kc1 Qe1+ 39. Kc2 Rg2 mate.

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.

Linosa Island