Wondering and Wandering

侯逸凡 (Hóu Yìfán) – Vassily Mykhaylovych Ivanchuk

“尚街杯” (“MEWE Cup”) 2017 World Champion Summit Chess Match; match game 4; 深圳 (Shēnzhèn), April 8, 2017

Giuoco Piano C54

1. e4 e5 2. Nf3 Nc6 3. Bc4 Nf6 4. d3 Bc5 5. 0-0 d6 6. c3 0-0 7. a4 a5 8. Bg5 Ne7!? A novelty – at least formally. 9. Nh4. Seeking desperately for a quick initiative, but Ivanchuk’s strong and thematic rejoinder is not a welcome sign: 9. ... d5! 10. Bb3. 10. exd5 followed by Nb1-d2 seems much sounder. 10. ... dxe4 11. Bxf6 gxf6 12. Nd2 Ng6 13. Nxe4 Be7 14. Nxg6 hxg6. Black stands better already, thanks to the Bishop pair and the initiative. Now White must worry about ... f7-f5. 15. Qd2. Dazzled by the shimmering “oasis” of a mirage... 15. ... f5 16. Qh6? She kindly asked for mercy offering her Knight: 16 ... fxe4 17. Qxg6+ and draw by perpetual check.

16. ... Ra6! But the merciless Chucky did not resist the temptation to catch the Queen’s eye. If now Knight moves then would follow ... Be7-g5. Now there’s nothing White can do but resign. 17. f4 fxe4 18. dxe4 Bc5+ 19. Kh1 Be3 20. Rad1 Qe7 0 : 1.

侯逸凡 (Hóu Yìfán) vs. Vassily Mykhaylovych Ivanchuk
Photo: qipai.people.com.cn