[Event "Hoogeveen Unive Crown 16th"] [White "Hou,Yifan"] [Black "Giri,Anish"] [Site "Hoogeveen"] [Round "2"] [Annotator "Safarli,E"] [Result "1/2-1/2"] [Date "2012.10.22"] [WhiteElo "2623"] [BlackElo "2693"] [PlyCount "115"] 1. e4 c5 2. Nf3 d6 3. d4 cxd4 4. Nxd4 Nf6 5. Nc3 a6 6. f4 {I think that by selecting this variation, White simply wished to play without much preparation - he just wanted to create problems for Black over the board. Let's see what happens...} e5 7. Nf3 Nbd7 8. a4 Qc7 {Black doesn't allow White to develop his bishop on c4.} ({The main line is} 8... Be7 9. Bc4 ({or} 9. Bd3 O-O 10. O-O exf4 (10... Nc5 ))O-O 10. O-O exf4 11. Bxf4 Qb6+ )9. Bd3 Be7 10. O-O O-O 11. Kh1 Nc5 (11... b6 {This was another setup for Black which is also interesting} )12. Qe2 Bd7 13. fxe5 dxe5 14. Bg5 Be6 15. Nh4 Nxd3 16. cxd3 Ne8 $1 {After this typical manoeuvre Black doesn't have any problems.} 17. Bxe7 Qxe7 18. Nf3 ({Black is also okay after} 18. Nf5 Bxf5 19. Rxf5 (19. exf5 Nf6 )Nc7 )f6 (18... Qd6 $5 )19. d4 Rc8 20. Rac1 ({Of course} 20. d5 { here would be a mistake because after} Bg4 {even though White has a well protected passed pawn, Black's position is still much better, taking into account the strong knight on d6 and White's weaknesses on the queenside.} 21. h3 Bxf3 22. Rxf3 Nd6 $15 )exd4 21. Nd5 Qd6 22. Rxc8 Bxc8 23. Qc4 Be6 24. Nxd4 Rf7 25. h3 $6 (25. Re1 $5 )(25. Rd1 $5 )Bxd5 {Anish was playing too fast.} ({I think after} 25... Qe5 $1 $15 {Black would have a slightly better position without any risk.} )26. exd5 Nc7 27. Nf5 $1 Qxd5 28. Qg4 h5 $2 { Another mistake.} ({Black should have played} 28... Rd7 $1 29. Nxg7 Rxg7 30. Qc8+ Kf7 31. Qxc7+ Kg6 32. Qf4 Qe5 $11 {with equality.} )29. Qxh5 Rd7 30. Re1 $1 Kf8 $1 (30... Qf7 31. Qg4 )31. Qh8+ Qg8 32. Qh4 a5 33. Qg4 (33. Re3 Qd5 $1 )(33. b4 Qd5 $1 )Qf7 ({Now} 33... Qd5 $2 {is wrong because of} 34. Nxg7 $1 Rxg7 35. Qc8+ Kf7 36. Qxc7+ Kg6 37. Qc2+ f5 38. b3 $16 )34. Nh4 (34. Qf3 $1 { was also possible and probably even better. White's attack might be strong here } b6 35. Qa3+ Kg8 36. Qe3 Qh5 (36... Nd5 $2 37. Qg3 $1 {and White is almost winning in this spectacular line} Qh5 38. Qb8+ Kh7 39. Re4 $1 $18 Qxf5 40. Rh4+ Kg6 41. Qe8+ Rf7 (41... Kg5 42. Qh5# )42. Rg4+ $1 $18 )37. Ne7+ Kf8 38. Nc8 (38. Qxb6 $2 Qe8 $1 )b5 39. axb5 Qxb5 40. Nd6 Qb8 $8 41. Qe4 $40 )g5 $6 {Black did not necessarily have to weaken his pawns on the queenside} ({ Better was} 34... Qd5 $1 {and it seems after} 35. Ng6+ Kf7 {Black has nothing to worry about} )35. Nf5 Qd5 36. Rf1 Qd3 37. Ng3 Ne8 38. Rf3 $6 ({After} 38. Kh2 $16 {Black was supposed to defend in an unpleasant position.} )Qd1+ 39. Kh2 Rd3 $1 {Nice trick, after which the position gets simplified and most probably the game is going to end in a draw.} 40. Qxg5 Rxf3 41. Qc5+ Qd6 $5 (41... Kg8 {is possible as well} 42. gxf3 Qxf3 43. h4 Qb3 $11 )42. Qxd6+ Nxd6 43. gxf3 Nc4 44. Ne4 Nxb2 45. Nc5 Kf7 46. Nxb7 Nxa4 47. Nxa5 Kg6 48. Kg3 Nc3 49. Nb3 Ne2+ 50. Kg4 f5+ 51. Kh4 Kh6 52. Nd2 Nd4 53. Kg3 Kg5 54. Nf1 f4+ 55. Kg2 Kh4 56. Nd2 Nc2 57. Nc4 Ne1+ 58. Kf2 1/2-1/2