Chess: How does Black win?

FOUR years ago, when Nigel Short was destroyed in just 23 moves by then 13-year-old Hou Yifan, he commented that it was “especially embarrassing to lose to an opponent who is three years younger than my daughter.”

Now aged 17, and already a two-time women’s world champion, China’s golden girl is showing that there’s more “embarrassments” to come for the world’s elite, as she mounts a serious challenge on Judit Polgar’s title of being the strongest female player of all time.

At the Tradewise Gwibraltar Masters, Hou is setting a stunning pace with the best performance for a female player since Polgar in her pomp. She leads the pack on 7.5/9, and goes into the final round a half point ahead of top male stars in the game, such as Michael Adams, Shakhriyar Mamedyarov, Nigel Short, Krishnan Sasikiran and Peter Svidler. Along the way, Hou has beaten four 2700 elite grandmasters, including Polgar (her first defeat to a player of her own sex in 20 years), Zoltan Almasi, Le Quang Liem, and now Alexei Shirov! And she not only leads the race for the top female prize of £10,000, she stands a great chance of winning the additional overall top prize of £20,000!

A Shirov - Hou Yifan

Tradewise Gibraltar Masters, (9)

Sicilian Najdorf, Poisoned Pawn

1 e4 c5 2 Nf3 d6 3 d4 cxd4 4 Nxd4 Nf6 5 Nc3 a6 6 Bg5 e6 7 f4 Qb6 8 Qd2 Qxb2 9 Rb1 Qa3 10 e5 h6 11 Bh4 dxe5 12 fxe5 Nd5 13 Nxd5 exd5 14 e6 Bxe6 15 Nxe6 fxe6 16 Be2 Be7 17 Bh5+ Kd8 18 Bxe7+ Qxe7 19 0–0 Nd7 20 Rxb7 Qc5+ 21 Kh1 Rb8 22 Rxb8+ Nxb8 23 Qe2 Qb5 24 Qxb5 axb5 25 Rf7 Nc6! 26 Rxg7 Rf8 27 Kg1 Nb4 28 Rb7 Nxc2 29 Rxb5 Ke7 30 a4 Ra8 31 Rb2 Ne3 32 Kf2 Nc4 33 Rb7+ Kd6 34 Bd1 e5 35 Rh7 Nb2 36 Rxh6+ Kc5 37 Bc2 Nxa4 38 h4 Nc3 39 Bf5 Ra2+ 40 Kf1 Ra1+ 41 Kf2 Ra2+ 42 Kf1 Nd1 43 g4 Ne3+ 44 Ke1 Kd4 45 Bc8 Ng2+ 46 Kd1 e4 47 h5 e3 48 Ba6 Nf4 49 Rb6 Nd3 50 Bxd3 Kxd3 51 Rb3+ Ke4 52 h6 d4 53 h7 Rh2 0–1