WWCC R02: Humpy on the attack, Hou Yifan holds

by ChessBase
11/15/2011 – After being surprised in the opening, Hou Yifan forced simplifications into a drawish endgame. However, Humpy would have none of that! She pressed hard trying to create something out of nothing, and almost achieved it. However in the end it was impossible to take advantage of her opponent's weak king, and the game ended in another hard fought draw. Updated report with GM analysis.
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The FIDE Women’s World Chess Championship Match between the current World Champion Hou Yifan of China and her challenger, Koneru Humpy of India, is being staged in the Triana International Hotel from November 14 to 30. The time control is 90 minutes for the first 40 moves, followed by 30 minutes for the rest of the game, with an increment of 30 seconds per move starting from move one. The winner of the ten-game match is the first player to reach 5.5 points or more. The prize fund is 200,000 Euro, with 60% going to the winner. The games start at 15:00h local time, which is also Central European Time = 17:00 Moscow, 19:30 New Delhi, 22:00h Beijing and 09:00 New York. You can find the starting time for other locations here.

Game two

After being surprised in the opening, Hou Yifan decided to not take any risks and forced simplifications into a drawish endgame. However, Humpy would have none of that! She pressed hard trying to create something out of nothing, and almost achieved it. However at the end, for all the nagging pressure she was able to exert, it was impossible to take advantage of her opponent's weak king – which was her only weakness. The game ended in another hard fought draw. We bring you analysis by GM Alejandro Ramirez.

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MoveNResultEloPlayers
1.e41,166,62354%2421---
1.d4947,29855%2434---
1.Nf3281,60256%2441---
1.c4182,10256%2442---
1.g319,70256%2427---
1.b314,26554%2427---
1.f45,89748%2377---
1.Nc33,80151%2384---
1.b41,75648%2380---
1.a31,20654%2404---
1.e31,06848%2408---
1.d395450%2378---
1.g466446%2360---
1.h444653%2374---
1.c343351%2426---
1.h328056%2418---
1.a411060%2466---
1.f39246%2436---
1.Nh38966%2508---
1.Na34262%2482---
1.e4 e5 2.Nf3 Nf6 3.Nxe5 d6 4.Nf3 Nxe4 5.Nc3 Nxc3 6.dxc3 Be7 7.Be3 0-0 8.Qd2 Qe8!? Humpy for a second game in a row manages to surprise the Chinese prodigy. This strange looking move is an interesting alternative to the more usual Nd7 and Nc6. Humpy herself had tried Nd7 previously and suffered a defeat to Zhu Chen. 9.0-0-0 After another eighteen minute think, Yifan chooses what is the most logical move. She removes herself from the pin and castles queenside, already indicating the typical kingside aggression that characterizes this Nc3 system. 9.Bd3 Might be worth considering, as the queen sortie to a4 lacks strength in this particular instance. 9...Qa4 10.Kb1 10.Qd5 is the Let's Check suggestion, which means it is the move recommended by the combined power of many computers, but it hardly seems like a move any human would consider over the board. Nd7 11.Bd3 Nf6 and Black is fine anyways. 10...Nc6 11.h4 Be6 12.b3 Qa5 13.Nd4 It's possible that Yifan already did not like her position. The psychological power of this strange queen maneouvre might have gotten to her. She decides to simplify to a position that must surely be very equal, preparing to strike another day. 13.h5 Bf6 was quite unpleasant, however 13.Bd3 Bf6 14.Ng5 h6 14...Qxc3 15.Qxc3 Bxc3 16.Bxh7+ Kh8 17.Be4± 14...Bxc3? 15.Bxh7+ Kh8 16.Qe2+- 15.Ne4 was a world of interesting. White might be forced to sacrifice on h6 to create something though, and it is unclear how good that sacrifice would be. 13...Nxd4 14.cxd4 Qxd2 15.Rxd2 d5 The symmetrical pawn structure surely makes this position equal, but equal does not mean drawn. 16.h5 h6 17.Bd3 a5 18.a4 Bb4 19.Rdd1 Bc3 20.Rh4 c6 21.Bc1 Bd7 22.Bb2 Bb4 23.Ka2 Rfe8 24.Rhh1 b5 25.c3 Bf8 26.axb5?! Although it's impossible to say this hands the advantage to the opponent, it's hard to recommend such an exchange. The king will become somewhat uncomfortable in the next few moves, Ba3 would've retained the balance in a simpler way. cxb5 27.Rde1 Bd6 28.Ba3 Rxe1 29.Rxe1 b4 30.Bb2 a4 31.bxa4 31.cxb4? would already be fatal... axb3+ 32.Kxb3 Ba4+ 33.Kc3 Rc8+ and white must give up a lot of material. 31...Bxa4 32.Kb1 White's king is a little exposed, but with precise play White should still be ok. bxc3 33.Bxc3 Rb8+ 34.Ka2 Ra8 35.Kb2 Kf8 36.Ra1 Rb8+ 37.Kc1 Bf4+ 38.Bd2 Rc8+ 39.Kb2 Rb8+ 40.Kc1 Rc8+ 41.Kb2 Rb8+ 42.Kc1 Rc8+ Black has nothing better than to repeat moves. She could exchange bishops, the opposite colored nature of them almost guarantees the draw. Another hard fought game by these two players. ½–½
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WhiteEloWBlackEloBResYearECOEventRnd
Hou,Y2578Koneru,H2600½–½2011C42Womens World Championship 20112

Pictorial impressions of game two

By Frederic Friedel


These are such nice girls! When I photograph them they look into the camera and smile


Yifan (her "first name"), the 17-year-old women's world champion


5D MK2 (and WGM) Nastja Karlovich in action


Arbiter Carol Jarecki with a modern chess arbiting tool: the Garrett Super Scanner


Only for the players, please! Arbiter Panagiotis Nikolopoulos guards Hou Yifans snack table


Camera lady Li Jin Yu from CCTV


Arbiter NIkolopoulos starts the clocks for round two


Yifan thought for over a minute after Humpy's 2...Nf6 in the Petroff...


... before playing 3.Ne5 and launching into a popular line 3...d6 4.Nf3 Nxe4 5.Nc3


The stare: Humpy sizes up her opponent


It soon becomes clear that Black wants more than the usual Petroff draw


What the Arbiter sees: Panagiotis Nikolopoulos with his "surveillance monitor"


With repetition looming before move 42...


... Humpy waits for her opponent to return from a bathroom break


At the press conference after the game (with Nastja Karlovich in the middle)


The reigning World Champion takes questions from the public...


... and then is interviewed by two Chinese channels


After that it is the turn of her (sole) trainer GM Ye Jiangchuan


Ye Jiangchuan and Li Jin Yu, reporter from CCTV China

Remaining schedule

Wednesday    16 November 2011 Rest day
Thursday 17 November 2011 Game three
Friday 18 November 2011 Game four
Saturday 19 November 2011 Rest day
Sunday 20 November 2011 Game five
Monday 21 November 2011 Game six
Tuesday 22 November 2011 Rest day
Wednesday 23 November 2011 Game seven
Thursday 24 November 2011 Game eight
Friday 25 November 2011 Rest day
Saturday 26 November 2011 Game nine
Sunday 27 November 2011 Rest day
Monday 28 November 2011 Game ten
Tuesday 29 November 2011 Rest day
Wednesday 30 November 2011 Tie-break, closing   

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