Chess (October/November): Magnus wins Grand Slam Final in São Paulo and Bilbao

[Jack Rabbit]

8. Hou Yifan - T. Kosintseva, Round 6

Reigning world women's champion Hou Yifan won a gold medal for her performance on board 1.

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[center]Hou Yifan[/center][font size="1"]Photo by Federació d'Escacs Valls d'Andorra (http://www.flickr.com/people/9472417@N03) on Wikimedia Commons (http://en.wikipedia.org/wiki/File:Hou_Yifan_4_September_2012.jpg) via [link:http://www.flickr.com/photos/feva/7930695086/|flickr
(http://creativecommons.org/licenses/by-sa/2.0/deed.en Creative Commons License, Attribution/Share Alike)
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Hou Yifan (China) - Tatiana Kosintseva (Russia)
40th Chess Olympiad, Women's Group, Round 6/Board 1
Istanbul, 3 September 2012

Grand Spanish Royal Game: Marshall Gambit

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.d4 Bd6 13.Re1 Qh4 14.g3 Qh3 15.Bxd5!?

• Hou Nushi varies from her game against Anna Muzychuk at the Rostov-on-Don Grand Prix in 2011 where she played 15.Qe2. For that an other alternatives to the text, see Hou Yifan-A. Muzychuk, Grand Prix W, Rostov-on-Don, 2011.

15...cxd5

• White's remaining Bishop is bad, but on the plus side she has exchanged pieces to relieve the discomfort she was getting from her spatial deficit.

16.Qf3

• If [font color="red"]16.Be3 Bg4 17.Qd3[/font] then:
• If [font color="red"]17...f5 18.f4 Rae8 19.Nd2 g5 20.Qf1[/font] then:
• [font color="red"]20...Bxf4! 21.Bxf4 Qxf1+ 22.Kxf1 gxf4 23.gxf4 Kf7 24.Kf2[/font] gives White an extra pawn (Matulovic-Durão, IT, Netanya, Israel, 1961).
• [font color="magenta"]20...Qh5 21.fxg5 Rxe3 22.Rxe3 f4 23.Rf3 Bxf3 24.Qxf3[/font] is equal (Xu Jun-Zhang Ying, Chinese ChTW, Suzhou, 2001).
• [font color="darkred"]17...Rae8? 18.Nd2 Re6 19.Qf1 Qh5 20.f3 Rf6 21.Qe2[/font] gives White a slight adavantage in space (Milos-Slipak, IT, Villa Gesell, Argentina, 1996).

16...Bf5?!

• If [font color="red"]16...Be6 17.Be3 Rae8 18.Nd2 h6[/font] then:
• [font color="red"]19.Qg2?! Qh5! 20.f4 b4 21.cxb4 Bxb4 22.a3[/font] gives White an extra pawn against Black's small advantage in space (Pulkis-Olofsson, Corres, 2002).
• [font color="darkred"]19.Nb3 b4 20.Bd2 bxc3 21.Bxc3 f5 22.Qg2[/font] gives White a comfortable game with an extra pawn.

[center]BLACK: Tatiana Kosintseva[/center]

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[center]WHITE: Hou Yifan[/center][center]Position after 16...Bc8f5[/center]

17.Qxd5!

• [font color="red"]17.Qg2 Qh5 18.Qxd5 Rfe8 19.Bd2 Rxe1+ 20.Bxe1[/font] gives White the initiative (Donchev-Topalov, Bulgarian Ch, 1992).

17...Rad8 (N)

• If [font color="red"]17...Rae8 18.Bd2 Qg4[/font] then:
• If [font color="red"]19.Qxd6?[/font] then after [font color="red"]Rxe1+! 20.Bxe1 Qd1![/font] (Black now wins quickly) [font color="red"]21.Qe7 Be6[/font] then:
• [font color="red"]22.Na3 Qxa1 23.Kf1 Bh3+ 24.Ke2 Qxb2+[/font] White resigns (Szekely-Adorjan, Hungarian Ch, Budapest, 1968).
• [font color="magenta"]22.Nd2 Qxa1 23.Nf3 Qxb2 24.a3 Qb1 25.h4 Qe4[/font] is giving White an awful pounding.
• [font color="darkred"]19.Na3 Bxa3 20.Rxe8 Rxe8 21.f3 Qh3 22.bxa3[/font] gives White a small advantage in space.

18.Qg2

• White has two extra pawns and Black has more space and superior development.

18...Qh5 19.f3 Bh3

• [font color="red"]19...Rfe8!? 20.Be3! Qg5 21.Qf2 Qh5 22.Nd2 Bd3 23.Qg2[/font] continues to give White two extra pawns and her pieces are developed; Black still has more space.

20.Qf2 f5 21.Nd2

• [font color="red"]21.a4 Rfe8 22.Rxe8+ Rxe8 23.Nd2 Re6 24.Nf1[/font] gives Black two extra pawns and Black more than enough space in compensation.

21...g5?

• Black wants to get in ...f5f4 while she can.
• If [font color="red"]21...Rfe8 22.Rxe8+ Rxe8 23.Nf1[/font] then:
• [font color="red"]23...Qf7 24.Bd2 f4 25.Bxf4 Bxf4 26.gxf4 Qxf4 27.Qg3[/font] still gives White two extra pawns; Black should not exchange Queens as that would diminish the value of her extra space.
• [font color="darkred"]23...Re6 24.Bd2 Qf7 25.f4 Qb7 26.b3 Qc6 27.Rd1[/font] continues to give White two extra pawns and Black a substantial advantage in space.
• If [font color="blue"]21...f4? 22.g4![/font] then:
• [font color="blue"]22...Qh6 23.Ne4 Be7 24.Qc2 Bh4 25.Re2 Qb6 26.Bd2[/font] leaves Black's light-bound Bishop entombed.
• [font color="darkblue"]22...Qg6[/font] is just a waste of time and White wins quickly after [font color="darkblue"]23.Qh4 Qh6 24.Qxh6 gxh6 25.Ne4.[/font]

22.a4!?

• White prepares to sweep away Black's queenside pawns.
• Stronger is [font color="red"]22.b3! Qg6 23.a4 Rfe8 24.Bb2[/font] when:
• [font color="red"]24...bxa4 25.bxa4 Rb8 26.Nc4 Bc7 27.Ba3 f4 28.Bb4[/font] turns White's two extra pawns into connected passers.
• [font color="darkred"]24...Ra8 25.c4 bxc4 26.Nxc4 f4 27.d5 Bb4 28.Rec1[/font] gives White a passed pawn and domination of the board.

22...f4?

• This only makes things worse.
• If [font color="red"]22...Rfe8![/font] then:
• If [font color="red"]23.axb5 Rxe1+ 24.Qxe1[/font] then:
• [font color="red"]24...Re8 25.Qd1 axb5 26.Ra6 Qg6 27.Rb6 g4 28.f4[/font] leaves White with two extra pawn and Black is virtually without her light-bound Bishop.
• [font color="burgundy"]24...Qf7[/font] then White wins after [font color="burgundy"]25.Bxa6! Bb8 26.Nc4 Re8 27.Ne5.[/font]
• If [font color="darkred"]23.Rxe8+ Rxe8[/font] then:
• If [font color="darkred"]24.axb5 axb5 25.b3[/font] then:
• If [font color="darkred"]25...Qg6[/font] then:
• [font color="darkred"]26.Ba3
• If [font color="magenta"]a) 26.c4 Bb4![/font] then:
• If [font color="magenta"]27.Bb2 bxc4 28.bxc4 Qe6 29.d5[/font] gives White a small advantage with two extra pawn against Black's immoble Bishop.
• [font color="darkorange"]27.cxb5!? Bc3! 28.Ra6 Qg7 29.Ra4 Qc7 30.Ba3[/font] is equal.
• If [font color="magenta"]b) 26.Bb2[/font] then:
• If [font color="magenta"]26...Qe6 27.c4 bxc4[/font] then:
• If [font color="magenta"]28.Nxc4 Bb4 29.Qc2 Qd5 30.Qd3 g4 31.Kf2[/font] leaves White with only a slight advantage in space.
; 26...Ra8 27.Bb2 Rxa1+ 28.Bxa1 f4 29.Ne4
[/font] gives White two extra pawns and virtually an extra piece.
• [font color="purple"]28.bxc4 Bb4 29.d5 Qe3 30.Qxe3 Rxe3 31.Nf1[/font] is equal.
• [font color="darkorange"]26...g4 27.c4 gxf3 28.Nxf3 bxc4 29.bxc4 f4 30.Ne5[/font] gives White two extra pawns, but Black's Bishop is free.
• [font color="darkpink"]25...Qf7 26.c4 Bb4 27.Bb2 bxc4 28.bxc4 Qe6 29.Rc1[/font] leaves White two pawns up and Black's Bishop immoble.
• [font color="darkorchid"]24.Nf1 Qg6 25.axb5 axb5 26.Ra5 b4 27.c4[/font] gives White two extra pawns and Black a problem Bishop.

[font color="blue"]22...g4?[/font] proves no better than the text after [font color="blue"]23.f4 Rfe8 24.Nf1 Bxf1 25.Qxf1 Rxe1 26.Qxe1.[/font]

[center]BLACK: Tatiana Kosintseva[/center]

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[center]WHITE: Hou Yifan[/center][center]Position after 22...f5f4[/center]

23.g4!

• The light-bound Bishop is effectively out of the game.

23...Qg6 24.axb5!

• Black sweeps away White's queenside pawns.
• If [font color="red"]24.Ne4 b4 25.Qe2[/font] then:
• If [font color="red"]25...h5[/font] then:
• If [font color="red"]26.Nf2! hxg4 27.fxg4 Rfe8[/font] then:
• [font color="red"]28.Qc4+ Kg7 29.Rxe8 Rxe8 30.Nxh3 Re1+ 31.Kf2[/font] gives White a significant material advantage.
• [font color="burgundy"]28.Qd1?! Rxe1+! 29.Qxe1 Re8 30.Qd1 f3 31.Nxh3[/font] is equal.
• If [font color="darkred"]26.gxh5 Qxh5 27.Qxa6[/font] then:
• [font color="darkred"]27...Qxf3 28.Qe2 Qxe2 29.Rxe2 g4 30.Re1 bxc3 31.bxc3[/font] gives White an extra pawn and the initiative; Black's light-bound Bishop is still immoble.
• [font color="magenta"]27...bxc3 28.bxc3 Qxf3 29.Qe2 Qxe2 30.Rxe2 f3 31.Re1[/font] gives White an extra pawn.
• [font color="darkorchid"]25...bxc3 26.bxc3 Rfe8 27.Rb1 Re6 28.Rb6[/font] gives White two extra pawn; Black's Bishop is in a terrible position.

24...axb5 25.Ne4

• Better is [font color="red"]25.Ra5![/font] when:
• [font color="red"]25...h5 26.gxh5 Qxh5 27.Rxb5 Rf5 28.Rxf5 Bxf5 29.Ne4[/font] gives Black three connected passers.
• [font color="darkred"]25...Rb8 26.Ra6 Ra8 27.Rxa8 Rxa8 28.Qe2 Kf8 29.Qe4[/font] dares Black to exchange Quens and give White two connected passers.

25...h5 26.b3?!

• Instead of exchanging on h5, White uses her time to advance on the queenside. Black's light-bound Bishop is still entombed.
• [font color="red"]26.Qe2 hxg4 27.Qxb5[/font] then:
• If [font color="red"]27...gxf3 28.Qxg5 Qxg5+ 29.Nxg5[/font] then:
• [font color="red"]29...Bf5 30.Kf2 Rd7 31.Kxf3 Rg7 32.h4[/font] gives White three extra pawns, all connected passers.
• If [font color="magenta"]29...Bc8[/font] then White wins after [font color="magenta"]30.Kf2 Bb7 31.Re6 Rd7 32.Rg6+.[/font]
• If [font color="darkred"]27...Rf5[/font] then White wins after [font color="darkred"]28.Qc4+ Qf7 29.Qxf7+ Kxf7 30.Ra7+ Kf8 31.Nf2.[/font]

26...Bc7?

• Black should now lose.
• If [font color="red"]26...hxg4! 27.fxg4[/font] then:
• [font color="red"]27...Rde8 28.Qf3 Bxg4 29.Qxg4 Rxe4 30.Rxe4 Qxe4 31.Qxg5+[/font] gives White only a small advantage; she will be able to run the Black King out to e6, after which Black has counterplay.
• If [font color="darkred"]27...Bxg4? 28.Nxd6[/font] then:
• [font color="darkred"]28...Qxd6 29.Ba3 Qg6 30.Bxf8 Rxf8 31.Re5 f3 32.Qg3[/font] leaves White two pawns to the good and Black with hardly a hint of potential counterplay.
• [font color="magenta"]28...Rxd6 29.Ba3 f3 30.Bxd6 Qxd6 31.Re5 Qg6 32.Qg3[/font] leaves White with two extra pawns and the initiative.

[center]BLACK: Tatiana Kosintseva[/center]

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[center]WHITE: Hou Yifan[/center][center]Position after 26...Bd6e7[/center]

27.Ba3!

• White nearly lets Black off the hook.
• If [font color="red"]27.gxh5![/font] then:
• [font color="red"]27...Qh6 28.Kh1 Kh8 29.Rg1 Rf5 30.c4 bxc4 31.bxc4[/font] gives White three extra pawns and a better center; she should win easily.
• If [font color="darkred"]27...Qxh5[/font] then White wins after [font color="darkred"]28.Ba3 Rf5 29.Be7 Rc8 30.Ra6 b4 31.c4.[/font]

27...Rf7

• If [font color="red"]27...hxg4 28.Bxf8 Rxf8 29.Qe2 gxf3[/font] then:
• White wins after [font color="red"]30.Qxb5! Bd8 31.Nf2 Be6 32.Qa6 Bf7 33.Qxg6+ Bxg6 34.Ng4.[/font]
• [font color="darkred"]30.Qxf3? g4! 31.Qf2 g3 32.hxg3 fxg3 33.Qe3[/font] still gives White an extra pawn, but Black has a healthy kingside attack in compensation.

28.gxh5 Qf5

• [font color="red"]28...Qh6 29.Kh1 Rg7 30.c4 bxc4 31.bxc4 Rb8 32.Bb2[/font] gives White three extra pawns (the pawn at h6 is safe for the moment thanks to the threat of 33.Nf6+), two of which are connected passers.

29.Bc5

• If [font color="red"]29.Bb4 g4 30.Qh4 gxf3 31.Kf2[/font] then:
• If [font color="red"]31...Rc8 32.Qg5+ Kh8 33.Be7 Bb6 34.Ra2 Qxg5 35.Nxg5[/font] gives White two extra pawns, more freedom and the initiative.
• If [font color="darkred"]31...Rg7 32.h6 Rg2+ 33.Kxf3[/font] then:
• If [font color="darkred"]33...Rxh2 34.Rg1+ Bg2+ 35.Rxg2+ Rxg2 36.Nf6+[/font] then:
• [font color="darkred"]36...Kf7 37.Kxg2 Qxf6 38.Qxf6+ Kxf6 39.Kf3 Kg6 40.Ra6+[/font] gives White two extra pawns, those being passers separated by three files.
• If [font color="darkorange"]36...Kh8[/font] then White wins after [font color="darkorange"]37.Kxg2 f3+ 38.Kf2 Qc2+ 39.Kxf3 Qf5+ 40.Ke3.[/font]
• [font color="magenta"]33...Rc8 34.h7+ Kh8 35.Be7 Qxh7 36.Qxh7+ Kxh7 37.Ng5+[/font] leaves White two extra pawns as it is and she wil win even more material.

29...Kh7 30.Ra6 Rg8 31.Be7 g4

• If [font color="red"]31...Rxe7[/font] then White wins after [font color="red"]32.Nf6+ Kh8 33.Nxg8 Kxg8 34.Ra8+.[/font]

32.Qh4 gxf3+

[center]BLACK: Tatiana Kosintseva[/center]

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[center]WHITE: Hou Yifan[/center][center]Position after 32...gf3:p+[/center]

33.Rg6

• White wins quicker after [font color="red"]33.Bg5[/font] when:
• [font color="red"]33...Re8 34.Rf6 Rxe4 35.Rxf5 Bxf5 36.Rxe4 Bxe4 37.Qe1[/font] gives White a Queen against an uncordinated Rook and Bishop,
• If [font color="darkred"]33...Rgg7 34.Kf2 Qd7 35.Rg6 Qf5 36.Rf6[/font] then:
• If [font color="darkred"]36...Qg4[/font] then White wins after [font color="darkred"]37.Rh6+ Kg8 38.Qxg4 Bxg4 39.Nf6+.[/font]
• If [font color="magenta"]36...Qd7[/font] then White wins after [font color="magenta"]37.Rxf7 Rxf7 38.Nf6+ Rxf6 39.Bxf6.[/font]

33...Rxg6+

• If [font color="red"]33...Kh8[/font] then White wins after [font color="red"]34.Bf6+ Rgg7 35.Bxg7+ Rxg7 36.Nf6 Be5 37.Rxe5.[/font]

34.hxg6+ Kxg6

• If [font color="red"]34...Kg8 35.Nf6+[/font] then:
• [font color="red"]35...Qxf6 36.Bxf6 f2+ 37.Kxf2 Rxf6 38.Re8+ Kg7 39.Qh7#.[/font]
• If [font color="darkred"]35...Rxf6[/font] then [font color="darkred"]36.Qh7#.[/font]

35.Qg5+ Qxg5+ 36.Nxg5 Rxe7

• If [font color="red"]36...f2+[/font] then White wins after [font color="red"]37.Kxf2 Ba5 38.Nxf7 Kxf7 39.b4 Bc7 40.Bg5.[/font]

37.Rxe7 Bd8 38.Nxh3

• White also wins after [font color="red"]38.Rg7+! Kxg7 39.Nxh3 Bh4 40.Kf1 Kg6 41.Ng1.[/font]
• White still wins after [font color="blue"]38.Rh7,[/font] but after [font color="blue"]38...Bf5 39.Nf7 Bf6 40.Nd6 b4 41.Rc7[/font] it's more difficult than it needs to be.

38...Bxe7 39.Kf2 Kf5 40.Kxf3 Bd6

• If [font color="red"]40...Bd8[/font] then White wins after [font color="red"]41.Nxf4 Ba5 42.c4 bxc4 43.bxc4 Bc3 44.Ne2.[/font]
• If [font color="blue"]40...Bf6[/font] then White wins after [font color="blue"]41.Nxf4 b4 42.cxb4 Bxd4 43.h4 Be5 44.Nd5.[/font]

41.Nf2 Be7 42.Nd3 Bg5 43.c4 1-0

• [font color="red"]43...bxc4 44.bxc4 Bf6 45.d5[/font] gives White three pawns agains Black one, which is blockaded whil all three of White's pawn are moble.
• Tatiana Anatolyevna resigns.