Anatoly Karpov vs Hou Yifan in Sanya City, China

by ChessBase
11/7/2010 – He is the legendary 12th World Champion, 59, Russian, probably the most successful tournament player of all time. She is a phenomenally talented Chinese prodigy, 16 years old, grandmaster and already third highest ranked female in the world. They are playing a six-game match in the southernmost city of China. After the first two games Karpov has a one-point lead. Big pictorial report.

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Match Anatoly Karpov vs Hou Yifan

This encounter between the twelfth World Champion and one of China's most remarkable young talents is taking place from November 6th to 11th 2010 in Sanya City, Hainan, China. The event consists of four classical games (90 min for all moves + 30 sec increment for each move) and two rapid chess games (25 min + 10 sec.). The start of the games is 15:00h local time

Hainan Island (Hainan Dao) is located in the South China Sea, off the coast of mainland China, the southernmost province of the country. There are eight major cities, amongst them Haikou, the capital, with a population of 1.8 million, and Sanya, the second most populous city of the island (540,000 inhabitants). It is renowned for its tropical climate and has become a popular tourist destination.


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Sanya on Hainan Island is the southernmost city in China [Wikipedia]


The Guan Yin of the South Sea of Sanya is a 108-metre (354 ft) statue on an artificial island


The statue has three aspects; one side faces inland and the other two face the South China Sea, to represent blessing and protection by Guan Yin of China and the whole world.


Anatoly Karpov (left) speaking to the President of the Chinese Chess Federation and FIDE Vice President Chu Bo, with Chinese Chess Federation General Secretary Tian Hongwei translating. On the right Karpov's opponent Hou Yifan.


Before the start of the match Hou and Karpov cut the chess-set shaped cake


Anatoly Karpov givers a simultaneous exhibition...


... as does his opponent, 16-year-old GM Hou Yifan


And afterwards the two pose in together with dignitaries and young chess fans


The two players appear on the stage for the first game


... in which Karpov dominated and in the end won.

Hou,Yifan (2577) - Karpov,Anatoly (2619) [C49]
Match Sanya/Hainan/China (1), 06.11.2010
1.e4 e5 2.Nf3 Nc6 3.Bb5 Nf6 4.Nc3 Bb4 5.0-0 0-0 6.d3 d6 7.Bg5 Bxc3 8.bxc3 Qe7 9.Re1 a6 10.Bxc6 bxc6 11.d4 a5 12.Rb1 Qe6 13.a3 Nd7 14.Nh4 f6 15.Bc1 Nb6 16.Nf5 Nc4 17.Ne3 Ba6 18.f4 Nxe3 19.Bxe3 Qc4 20.Qd2 Rae8 21.fxe5 fxe5 22.Bf2 h6 23.h3 Rf7 24.Bg3 Kh7 25.Kh2 Bb5 26.Rbd1 Re6 27.Ra1 Ba4 28.dxe5 dxe5 29.Rac1 Qc5 30.Qe3 Qxe3 31.Rxe3 Rd7 32.Rd3 Rdd6 33.Kg1 Bb5 34.Rdd1 Be2 35.Re1 Rd2 36.Bf2 Bb5 37.Be3 Rd7 38.Rcd1 Red6 39.Rxd6 cxd6 40.Bb6 a4 41.Be3 c5 42.Kf2 Rf7+ 43.Kg3 Rf6 44.Bd2? Putting the bishop on a square where it can be attacked by the black rook on f2.

44...Kg8? [44...Bf1!-+] 45.Re3? Bc6? [45...Bf1!-+] 46.Re2 Rf1! At last! 47.Be1 Kf7 48.c4 Ke6 49.Bd2 Ra1 50.Re3 Ra2 51.Kf3 Rxc2 52.Bc3 Bb7 53.g3 Ba6 54.Be1 Bxc4 Black has picked off two pawns, and has the powerful bishop pair. The game is lost for White. 55.Rc3 Be2+ 56.Ke3 Ra2 57.Bd2 Bf1 58.h4 Bh3 59.Bc1 Bf1 60.Bd2 Kd7 61.Bc1 Kc6 62.Kf3 Be2+ 63.Ke3 Bh5 64.Bd2 Bg4 65.Kd3 Kb5 66.Ke3 0-1.

In game two, at around move 20, Hou Yifan improved her equalised position with black to a clear advantage, and played a series of attacking move. But in the end Karpov's resistance held and the advantage slowly trickled away. The game ended on move 42 with a draw agreement.


Wenhua Oriental Hotel in Sanya city, Hainan, China


An evening view from the hotel on the South China Sea


WGM Gu Xiaobing, who sent us many pictures. The rest are by Hai Dexin from Sina Sports


    Classic   Rapid
  Nat.
Rtng.
 Hou Yifan CHN
2577
 Anatoly Karpov RUS
2619
 
1
2
3
4
0
½
   
1
½
   
 
5
6
Tot.
   
0.5
   
1.5

Links

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