Chess (August): Wang Hao sqeeks by Magnus to win Biel

[Jack Rabbit]

6. Hou Yifan - Ruan Lufei, Round 8

Reigning world women's champion Hou Yifan won the Jermuk leg of the 2011/12 Women's Grand Prix and clinched the overall championship of the Grand Prix. She will not compete in the sixth round, scheduled for November.

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[center]Hou Yifan[/center][font size="1"]Photo by karpidis (http://www.flickr.com/photos/karpidis/) modified from flickr (http://www.flickr.com/photos/8022405@N02/2750069891/) in Wikimedia Commons (http://commons.wikimedia.org/wiki/Category:Hou_Yifan) (http://creativecommons.org/licenses/by-sa/2.0/deed.en Creative Commons License, Attribution/Share Alike)
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Hou Yifan - Ruan Lufei
Women's Grand Prix 5th Leg, Round 8
Jermuk, 25 July 2012

Grand Spanish Royal Game: Neo-Classical Defense

1.e4 e5 2.Nf3 Nc6 3.Bb5 a6 4.Ba4 Nf6 5.d3 b5 6.Bb3 Bc5 7.c3 d6 8.0-0

• For moves and variations up to here, see the [font color="darkred"]maroon notes to Black's fifth move (beginning with 6...Bc5)[/font] in Van den Doel-Nikolic, Op, Leiden, 2011.

8...h6

• If [font color="red"]8...0-0[/font] then:
• If [font color="red"]9.Nbd2[/font] then:
• If [font color="red"]9...h6 10.Re1[/font] then:
• If [font color="red"]10...Re8 11.h3 Bb7 12.Nf1[/font] then:
• [font color="red"]12...d5 13.exd5 Nxd5 14.Ng3 Nf6 15.Be3 Bf8 16.Rc1 Na5[/font] gives Black a slight advantage in space (Mudongo-Mira, OlW, Torino, 2006).
• [font color="purple"]12...Bb6 13.Be3 Bxe3 14.Nxe3 Na5 15.Bc2 d5 16.exd5 Nxd5[/font] is equal (Otorbaeva-Al Ali, OlW, Khanty-Mansiysk, 2010).
• [font color="darkorange"]a) 10...Ne7 11.Nf1 Ng6 12.Ng3 Re8 13.h3 Bb7 14.Nh2[/font] is equal (McShane-Tkachiev, IT B, Wijk aan Zee, 2011).
• If [font color="purple"]b) 10...Bb6 11.Nf1 Ne7[/font] then:
• If [font color="purple"]12.Ng3 Ng6 13.h3 Re8[/font] then:
• If [font color="purple"]14.a4 Rb8 15.d4[/font] then:
• [font color="purple"]15...Bb7 16.Bc2 d5 17.Nxe5 Nxe5 18.dxe5 Nxe4 19.Nxe4 dxe4[/font] is equal (Leko-Topalov, Amber Blind, Monte Carlo, 2004).
• [font color="darkpink"]15...c5 16.Bc2 exd4 17.cxd4 Bb7 18.d5 Bc8 19.axb5 axb5 20.b4[/font] is equal (I. Agrest-Michelle Catherina, World Jr Ch Girls, 2011).
• If [font color="hotpink"]14.d4[/font] then:
• If [font color="hotpink"]14...Bb7 15.Bc2 d5 16.Nxe5 Nxe5 17.dxe5 Nxe4 18.Nxe4 dxe4[/font] then:
• If [font color="hotpink"]19.Qh5 g6 20.Qxh6 Rxe5 21.Be3 c5 22.Rad1[/font] gives White the initiative and a small advantage in space (Shadrina-T. Kosintseva, Russian ChW, Moscow, 2010).
• [font color="#C08000"]19.Qg4 Rxe5 20.Bxh6[/font] then:
• [font color="#C00080"]20...g5? 21.Bxe4! Qf6 22.Bxb7 Bxf2+ 23.Kh2[/font] leaves White in line to gain two minor pieces for a Rook (Saric-Fressinet, Ol, Torino, 2006).
• [font color="darkpink"]20...Qf6! 21.Be3 Bxe3 22.fxe3 Rd8 23.Rad1 Bd5[/font] is equal.
• [font color="burgundy"]14...c5 15.Bc2 cxd4 16.cxd4 exd4 17.b4 Ne5[/font] gives Black an extra pawn (Akopian-Kasimdzhanov, Russian ChT, Sochi, 2007).
• [font color="darkpink"]12.Be3 c5 13.h3 Ng6 14.Ng3 d5 15.exd5 Nxd5[/font] is equal (Adams-Naiditsch, Euro ChT, Crete, 2007).
• [font color="magenta"]10.h3 Bb6 11.Re1 Re8 12.Nf1 Be6 13.Bc2 d5 14.exd5 Qxd5 15.a4 Rad8[/font] draw (Dr. Nunn-Turner, IT, Oxford, 1998).
• [font color="darkred"]9.Bg5 h6 10.Bh4 g5 11.Bg3 Bg4 12.Nbd2 Rb8 13.Re1 Nh5 14.h3 Bxf3 15.Qxf3 Nxg3 16.Qxg3[/font] gives White more freedom (Akopian-I. Sololov, Masters', Gibraltar, 2007).

9.Be3

• If [font color="red"]9.a4 Rb8 10.axb5 axb5[/font] then:
• If [font color="red"]11.Na3!? 0-0 12.Nc2[/font] then:
• If [font color="red"]12...Bb6 13.Be3[/font] then:
• [font color="red"]13...d5 14.Bxb6 Rxb6 15.Re1 Re8 16.exd5 Nxd5 17.d4[/font] gives White more activity and specifically better minor pieces; Black would pay a high price for taking White's d-pawn (David-Colovic, French ChT, Le Port Marly, 2009).
• [font color="darkorange"]13...Bxe3 14.Nxe3 b4 15.Qc2 bxc3 16.bxc3[/font] gives White a small advantage in space (Akopian-Cheparinov, Grand Prix, Jermuk, 2009).
• [font color="magenta"]12...b4 13.Ne3 bxc3 14.bxc3 Re8 15.Ba4 Bd7 16.Nc4[/font] remains equal (Hracek-Kurnosov, Euro Ch, Rijeka, 2010).
• [font color="darkred"]11.d4 Bb6 12.Na3 exd4 13.cxd4 Ra8 14.Be3[/font] gives White a small advantage in space.
• If [font color="blue"]9.h3 0-0 10.Re1 Bb7 11.Nbd2 Re8[/font] transposes into the notes to Black's eighth move.

9...0-0 10.Nbd2 Re8

• If [font color="red"]10...Bxe3 11.fxe3[/font] then:
• If [font color="red"]11...Na5 12.Bc2 c5 13.Qe1 Nc6 14.Nh4[/font] then:
• [font color="red"]14...Be6 15.Nf5 Bxf5 16.Rxf5 Ne7 17.Rf3[/font] is equal (N. Kosintseva-Ruan Lufei, TM, Ningbo, 2008).
• [font color="burgundy"]14...g6 15.Qg3 Nh5 16.Qf2 Kg7 17.Bb3 Qf6 18.Bd5[/font] gives White a small advantage in space (Bojkov-Predojevic, Euro Ch, Plovdiv, 2008).
• If [font color="darkred"]11...d5 12.exd5 Nxd5 13.Qe2 Be6[/font] then:
• [font color="darkred"]14.Bc2 Qe7 15.d4 Rad8 16.Qf2 f5 17.Rfe1 e4[/font] gives Black a clear advantage in space (Van Kemenade-Coimbra, OlW, Dresden, 2008).
• [font color="magenta"]14.Bxd5 Qxd5 15.Ne4 f5 16.Nf2 Qd8 17.b3 g5[/font] is equal (Sirce-Morphy, Match, Havana, 1862).

11.h3 Rb8 (N)

• [font color="red"]11...Bb6 12.d4 Bb7 13.d5 Ne7 14.Bxb6 cxb6 15.Bc2[/font] is equal (Hou Yifan-Ruan Lufei, Chinese ChTW, Wen Zhou, 2008).

12.d4

• The game is equal.

12...Bb6 13.Bc2

• It is slightly risky to pull the Bishop back to protect the e-pawn.
• [font color="red"]13.Re1 Qe7 14.d5 Bxe3 15.Rxe3 Na5 16.Bc2 c6[/font] remains equal.

13...Bd7

• [font color="red"]13...exd4 14.cxd4 Nb4 15.Bb1 c5 16.a3[/font] remains equal.

14.Re1 Qc8 15.a3 Na5!?

• This may be a provocation. Objectively, the Knight is better c6.
• [font color="red"]15...Qb7 16.Qe2 Qa7 17.Qd3 a5 18.b3 Ra8 19.Reb1[/font] remains equal.

16.b4!

• White has a slim edge in space. This may be exactly what Black expected.

16...exd4?!

• This really is provocative. Neither side is ready to open the center.
• If [font color="red"]16...Nc6[/font] then:
• [font color="red"]17.dxe5 dxe5 18.a4 Bxe3 19.Rxe3 Rd8 20.Ne1[/font] gives White a small advantage in space.
• [font color="darkred"]17.d5!? Ne7! 18.c4 Bxe3 19.Rxe3 Ng6 20.Nb3 Nf4[/font] is equal.

[center]BLACK: Ruan Lufei[/center]

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[center]WHITE: Hou Yifan[/center][center]Position after 16...ed4:p[/center]

17.Bxd4!

• White has a better center an more space.

17...Bxd4

• Black has two reasons for exchanging Bishops. First, it's a wee bit crowded on the queenside; second, White is threatening to disfigure Black's kingside.
• Things don't get any better for Black after [font color="red"]17...Nc6?! 18.Bxf6! gxf6 19.Nf1 Ne5 20.Ng3 Kh7 21.Nh5.[/font]

18.cxd4

• White has a fair advantage in space.

18...Nc4

• Black seeks more exchanges to gain space on the queenside.

19.Nxc4 bxc4

[center]BLACK: Ruan Lufei[/center]

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[center]WHITE: Hou Yifan[/center][center]Position after 19...bc4:N[/center]

20.Nd2

• White goes to work on Black's weak pawn like a boxer goes to work on a cut over her opponent's eye.

20...Bb5

• This is the best way to cover the foremost c-pawn. Black should not try to advance her d-pawn until the White pawn is removed from e4 one way or another.
• If [font color="red"]20...d5!?[/font] (weakening the passed c-pawn) [font color="red"]21.exd5![/font] then:
• [font color="red"]21...Rxe1+ 22.Qxe1 Bb5 23.a4 Bd7 24.Nxc4 Nxd5 25.Qe4[/font] gives White a comfortable game.
• [font color="darkred"]21...Bb5?! 22.Qf3 Qb7 23.Ne4 Nxe4 24.Bxe4 Qb6 25.Qc3[/font] blockades the passer and gives White greater freedom.

21.Qf3

• If [font color="red"]21.a4!? Bd7[/font] then:
• [font color="red"]22.Qf3 Qb7 23.Rab1 d5 24.e5 Nh7 25.Qc3[/font] gives White a fair advantage in space, for which Black is compensated by the protected passed c-pawn that sucks away White's pieces from more active posts to the defense.
• If [font color="darkred"]22.Nxc4 Rxb4[/font] then:
• [font color="darkred"]23.Qd3 d5 24.exd5 Bxa4 25.Bxa4 Rxa4 26.d6[/font] is equal.
• [font color="magenta"]23.Ne3?! c5 24.dxc5 dxc5 25.Nd5 Nxd5 26.exd5 Rd4[/font] gives Black the initiative and a slight advantage in space.

21...Qe6

• [font color="red"]21...Qb7 22.d5![/font] (preventing ...d6d5 once and for all) [font color="red"]22...Qa7 23.Qc3 c5 24.bxc5 Qxc5 25.a4[/font] gives White a fair advantage in space.

22.Rab1

• If [font color="red"]22.d5?! Qe5![/font] then:
• [font color="red"]23.Qd1 Qc3 24.Re3 Qd4 25.Nf3 Qb6 26.Qe1[/font] leaves White only slightly better.
• [font color="darkred"]23.Rad1?! Qb2! 24.Rc1 Nxd5 25.exd5 Rxe1+ 26.Rxe1 Qxc2[/font] gives Black an active Queen and a passed pawn.

22...d5 23.e5 Nh7

• Black doesn't want a traffic jam on the queenside; the Knight is headed for either g5 and e4 or to f8 and (after the Queen moves) e6.
• If [font color="red"]23...Nd7?! 24.a4 Bc6 25.Bf5 Qe7 26.Nxc4![/font] (a sham sacrifice) [font color="red"]26...Rxb4 27.Rbc1 Nf8 28.Ne3 Ba8 29.Nxd5 Bxd5 30.Qxd5[/font] gives White a comfortable game.
• If [font color="darkred"]26...dxc4?[/font] then White wins after [font color="red"]27.Qxc6.[/font]

24.Nf1 Ng5

• Protecting the d-pawn while the Knight maneuvers to e6 involves too much work.
• If [font color="red"]24...Nf8?! 25.Ne3![/font] then:
• If [font color="red"]25...Rbd8 26.a4[/font] then:
• [font color="red"]26...Bc6 27.Bf5 Qe7 28.Nxc4 Ne6 29.Bxe6 fxe6 30.b5[/font] gives White an extra pawn and more acivity and space.
• [font color="magenta"]26...Bd7 27.Red1 Bc6 28.Bf5 Qe7 29.b5 axb5 30.axb5[/font] gives White the initiaative with more activity; Black still has a passed pawn.
• [font color="darkred"]25...Qd7 26.Nf5 Qd8 27.Rbd1 Ne6 28.Re3 Rb6 29.h4[/font] hems in the Knight.

25.Qc3 f5!?

• Black risks allowing White a central passer in order to mobilizes her kingside.
• [font color="red"]25...Qb6 26.Ng3 Ne6 27.Rbd1 Ra8 28.a4 Bc6 29.Nf5[/font] continues to give White a fair advantage in space.

26.h4!?

• White has the right idea, but uses the wrong pawn.
• If [font color="red"]26.f4! Ne4 27.Bxe4 fxe4 28.Ne3 Rf8 29.f5[/font] gives White a more significant advantage in space.

[center]BLACK: Ruan Lufei[/center]

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[center]WHITE: Hou Yifan[/center][center]Position after 26.h3h4[/center]

26...Ne4!

• Black has no other move.
• If [font color="red"]26...Nf7?[/font] then White wins after [font color="red"]27.Qf3 Bd7 28.Ne3 c6 29.Bxf5.[/font]

27.Qh3

• White has only a slight edge in space, if that.
• [font color="red"]27.Qe3 Rf8 28.Red1 Rbe8 29.Qe1 Qf7 30.Ne3 Bd7[/font] is equal.

27...Bd7 28.Rbc1

• [font color="red"]28.Qe3!? Rf8 29.Qf4 Qb6 30.Ne3 c6 31.f3[/font] is equal.

28...Qf7 29.Qe3 Nf6!?

• The Knight serves Black well at e4 where it makes launching an attck difficult for White.
• If [font color="red"]29...a5 30.bxa5 Ra8 31.Red1 Rxa5 32.f3 Nd6 33.Qc3[/font] continues to give White nothing more than a slim advantage.

30.Qf3!

• White has an initiative where she would not have had one otherwise.

30...Ng4?

• Black misses a chance jam the center.
• If [font color="red"]30...Ne4 31.Qf4 g5[/font] then:
• If [font color="red"]32.Qh2[/font] then:
• [font color="red"]32...g4 33.Qf4 Qg6 34.Re3 Kg7 35.Ng3 Rf8 36.Ne2[/font] gives White more freedom; Black's Knight looks imposing on e4, but it has no retreat.
• [font color="magenta"]32...Rb6 33.f3 Nc3 34.hxg5 hxg5 35.Bxf5!! Bxf5 36.Rxc3[/font] leaves White with an extra pawn and Black's King with no pawn protection.
• [font color="darkred"]32.hxg5!? hxg5 33.Qf3 Rb6 34.g4 f4[/font] is equal.

[center]BLACK: Ruan Lufei[/center]

[center][/center]

[center]WHITE: Hou Yifan[/center][center]Position after 30...Nf6g4[/center]

31.Qf4!

• White is blockading Black's most vital pawns.

31...h5 32.Ng3

• White threatens to win the f-pawn,

32...Rf8 33.f3!

• The Knight has no good square to retreat.

33...Nh6 34.Qg5 Be8

• [font color="red"]34...Rb6[/font]drops a pawn to [font color="red"]35.Nxh5 Rfb8 36.Nf4 Re8 37.Re3 Be6 38.Ba4.[/font]

35.e6 Qg6 36.Re5 c6 37.Ne2 Kh7

• If [font color="red"]37...Rf6[/font] then White wins after [font color="red"]38.Nf4 Qh7 39.Nxh5 Bxh5 40.Qxh5 g6 41.Qg5.[/font]

38.Nf4 Qxg5

• It doesn't matter a jot whether Queens are exchanged or not.
• If [font color="red"]38...Qf6[/font] then White wins after [font color="red"]39.e7 Rf7 40.Rce1 c3 41.Ne6 Qxg5 42.Nxg5+.[/font]

39.hxg5 Ng8 40.e7 1-0

• White must win a piece.

[center]BLACK: Ruan Lufei[/center]

[center][/center]

[center]WHITE: Hou Yifan[/center][center]Final Position after 40.e6e7[/center]

• Ruan Nushi resigns.