[Event "Hangzhou m"] [Site "Hangzhou"] [Date "2022.04.10"] [Round "6"] [White "Ding, Liren"] [Black "Wei, Yi"] [Result "1-0"] [ECO "E05"] [WhiteElo "2799"] [BlackElo "2729"] [Annotator "Monokroussos,Dennis"] [PlyCount "82"] [EventDate "2022.04.05"] [EventType "match"] [EventRounds "6"] [EventCountry "CHN"] [SourceTitle "CB15_2022"] [SourceDate "2022.04.13"] [SourceVersion "1"] [SourceVersionDate "2022.04.13"] [SourceQuality "1"] {[%evp 0,82,18,34,15,6,6,-28,-18,-18,8,14,18,8,8,5,-2,0,-2,-10,-14,-6,9,-29,-3, -2,-6,-1,2,-23,9,-6,13,26,19,19,11,20,28,20,18,25,12,21,17,14,21,11,22,5,19,10, 5,32,54,66,52,76,61,57,64,54,55,60,41,62,59,62,75,57,61,42,63,91,118,124,88,94, 106,63,175,237,192,265,279]} 1. d4 Nf6 2. c4 e6 3. g3 d5 4. Bg2 Be7 5. Nf3 O-O 6. O-O dxc4 7. Qc2 a6 8. a4 Bd7 9. Qxc4 Bc6 10. Bg5 Nbd7 (10... Bd5 {is still common and the main move historically, but it has been supplanted by the text.} ) 11. Rd1 (11. Nc3 {is way, way, way more popular. Ding in fact played that earlier in the match, but only drew.} h6 12. Bxf6 Nxf6 13. a5 Bd6 14. Rfe1 Bd5 15. Qa4 Bxf3 16. Bxf3 c6 17. Nd1 e5 18. dxe5 Bxe5 19. Qb3 Qc7 20. Ne3 Rad8 21. Red1 Bd4 22. Nc4 Bc5 23. Kg2 Rfe8 24. e3 g6 25. h4 h5 26. Rac1 Qe7 27. Rc3 Rxd1 28. Qxd1 Rd8 29. Rd3 Rxd3 30. Qxd3 Ne8 {1/2-1/2 (30) Ding,L (2799)-Wei,Y (2729) Hangzhou 2022}) 11... a5 (11... h6 {is usual, and after} 12. Bxf6 Nxf6 { White generally plays 13.Nc3, though 13.Nbd2 is an important alternative.}) 12. Nbd2 h6 13. Bxf6 Nxf6 {There aren't many games here, but some great players are included among the predecessors.} 14. Rac1 (14. Qd3 Bb4 15. e4 Qe7 16. Ne5 Bd7 17. Ndc4 Rfd8 18. Qe3 Be8 19. h4 Nd7 20. Nxd7 Bxd7 21. e5 Rab8 22. Be4 Be8 23. Qf3 f5 24. exf6 Qxf6 25. Qe3 Bg6 26. Rd3 Bf5 27. Rc1 c6 28. Rc2 Rd7 29. Ne5 Rd6 30. Nc4 Rd7 31. Ne5 Rd6 32. Kg2 Rbd8 33. f3 Bxe4 34. fxe4 Qxe5 35. dxe5 Rxd3 36. Qa7 Be1 37. Qxb7 Rxg3+ 38. Kh2 Rdd3 39. Qc8+ Kh7 40. Qxe6 Rg6 41. Qf5 Bg3+ 42. Kg2 Bxh4+ 43. Kf1 Re3 44. Rc1 c5 45. Rd1 c4 46. e6 Reg3 47. Rd7 Rg1+ 48. Ke2 R1g5 49. e7 Rxf5 50. exf5 Rg1 51. f6 Re1+ 52. Kd2 Re6 53. f7 Bxe7 54. Rxe7 Rf6 55. Kc3 Kg6 56. Kxc4 Rxf7 57. Rxf7 Kxf7 58. b4 Ke6 59. b5 Kd6 60. Kd4 h5 61. Ke4 g5 62. Kf5 h4 63. Kg4 Kc5 64. Kh3 Kd6 65. Kg4 Kc5 66. Kh3 Kd6 { 1/2-1/2 (66) Caruana,F (2800)-Shankland,S (2714) Saint Louis 2021}) (14. Ne5 Bxg2 15. Kxg2 Qd5+ 16. f3 c5 17. e4 Qxd4 18. Qxd4 cxd4 19. Nb3 Rfd8 20. Rxd4 Rxd4 21. Nxd4 Rd8 22. Nb3 g5 23. Kf1 h5 24. h3 g4 25. hxg4 hxg4 26. Nxg4 Nxg4 27. fxg4 b6 28. Ke2 Bf6 29. Rb1 Kg7 30. Nd2 Rd4 31. b3 Be7 32. Rf1 Bb4 33. Nc4 Rxe4+ 34. Kd3 Re1 35. Rxe1 Bxe1 36. Nxb6 {1/2-1/2 (36) Aronian,L (2792) -Kramnik,V (2812) Leuven 2016}) 14... Qe8 $146 (14... Bb4 15. Ne5 Bxg2 16. Kxg2 c6 17. Qd3 Qe7 18. Ndc4 Rad8 19. Qf3 Nd5 20. Nd3 Nf6 21. e3 Rfe8 22. h4 Nd7 23. Rc2 Ra8 24. Rcc1 Bd6 25. Rc3 Bc7 26. Rdc1 Rec8 27. Rb3 Rab8 28. Nd2 Nb6 29. Nc5 Bd8 30. Nc4 Nd5 31. e4 Nb4 32. e5 Bc7 33. Ne4 Rd8 34. Ncd6 Bxd6 35. Nxd6 Rxd6 36. exd6 Qxd6 37. Re3 Rd8 38. Rc4 b6 39. Rec3 Kf8 40. Rc1 Ke7 41. b3 Qd5 42. Qxd5 Rxd5 43. Rxb4 axb4 44. Rxc6 b5 45. a5 Rxd4 46. a6 Rd2 47. a7 Ra2 48. Rc7+ Kf6 49. Kf3 Ke5 50. Rxf7 Kd4 51. Rc7 e5 52. h5 e4+ 53. Kg4 Kd3 54. Rxg7 Kc3 55. Rb7 Kxb3 56. Rxb5 Rxa7 57. Kf5 Kc4 58. Rb8 Ra5+ 59. Kxe4 b3 60. g4 Rb5 61. Rc8+ Kb4 62. Rc1 b2 63. Rb1 Kc3 64. f4 Kc2 65. Rxb2+ Kxb2 66. f5 Rb4+ 67. Kf3 Kc3 68. f6 Kd4 69. Kf4 Kd5+ 70. Kf5 Rb1 71. g5 Rf1+ 72. Kg6 hxg5 73. h6 Ke6 74. h7 Rh1 75. f7 Ke7 {0-1 (75) Cheparinov,I (2686)-Nihal,S (2620) Europe Echecs INT 2020}) (14... Bd6 15. Ne5 Bxg2 16. Kxg2 c6 17. Nd3 Qb6 18. Qb3 Qxb3 19. Nxb3 Rfd8 20. Kf3 Nd5 21. Nbc5 Ra7 22. e4 Ne7 23. Ke3 b6 24. Nb3 Rad7 25. Rd2 f6 26. Rdc2 Kf7 27. Ke2 Bb8 28. Ne1 g5 29. Nf3 Bd6 30. h4 g4 31. Nfd2 Bb4 32. Nf1 c5 33. dxc5 Rd3 34. Nbd2 bxc5 35. Nc4 Nc6 36. Nfe3 h5 37. Rb1 R3d4 38. e5 fxe5 39. Kf1 Kf6 40. Rcc1 e4 41. Ng2 e5 42. Nge3 Ke6 43. Nd1 Bd2 44. Nxd2 Rxd2 45. Nc3 Kf5 46. Re1 R8d4 47. Re2 Rxe2 48. Kxe2 Rb4 49. Ke3 Rb3 50. Rd1 Nd4 51. Rd2 c4 { 0-1 (51) Cheparinov,I (2686)-Esipenko,A (2654) Caleta 2020}) 15. b3 Rc8 (15... Ba3 16. Rc2 Bb4) 16. Ne5 Bxg2 17. Kxg2 c5 {If Black's a-pawn were back on a7, then sure. This isn't bad, exactly, but it does leave some weak queenside squares in its wake.} (17... Ba3 $142 18. Rc2 c6 $11 {/+/=}) (17... c6 $142 $11 {/+/=}) 18. Ndf3 $1 $14 Bd6 19. h4 $1 cxd4 20. Qxd4 Rxc1 (20... Bb4 $142) 21. Rxc1 Qb8 22. Rc4 $1 Rd8 23. e4 $6 (23. g4 $1 $14) 23... Ne8 $6 (23... Bb4 $142 {followed by ...Rc8, with equality.}) 24. h5 $14 (24. Qb6 $142 $16) 24... Nf6 $6 25. Qb6 $16 Nxh5 $6 {Consistent, but a further inaccuracy.} 26. Qxa5 $18 { White's queenside majority is far more advantageous than Black's majority on the kingside. Before that comes into play, however, Black must first address the threat of 27.Nxf7.} Nf6 27. Nxf7 $1 {Correct all the same.} Kxf7 28. e5 Nd5 29. exd6 Qxd6 30. Qe1 $1 Kg8 31. Qe4 Re8 32. b4 {Black has three problems here: White's mobile queenside majority, his weak e-pawn, and his slightly exposed king. I don't know if the game could be saved with perfect play, but for humans - even great human players - it's unlikely.} (32. Nd4 $142) 32... Nb6 $6 (32... b6) 33. Rd4 Nd5 34. Ne5 Rf8 35. a5 $6 (35. Ng6 $142) 35... Rf5 $2 (35... Nc3 $142) 36. Nd3 $18 Qe7 37. Nc5 Kf7 38. Rd2 b6 $2 39. Nd3 $2 (39. Rxd5 $1 Rxd5 40. axb6 $18) (39. axb6 {isn't as good as the exchange sac, but it's much better than the text.} Nxb6 40. Ra2 $1 {followed by Ra6, and Black's position is on the verge of collapse.}) 39... Qb7 $2 (39... bxa5 40. bxa5 Qd6 {kept some hope alive.}) 40. Re2 $1 Rf6 41. axb6 Qa8 {I assume the time control was on move 40, and Wei Yi had time to work out how bad things were. White is winning by force - see below - so he called it quits.} (41... Qxb6 {is the obvious thing to do, but} 42. Ne5+ {is a big problem. There's a fork coming on d7 if the king doesn't go to the e-file, and if it does then being stuck in the center will cause its own fatal problems.} Ke7 (42... Ke8 43. Ng4 {Black can't play ...Nc3 because Nxf6 comes with check, and there's no way to save both the rook and the knight, because ...Rf5 allows Qxf5.}) 43. Qh7 $18) (41... Qa8 42. Ne5+ Kg8 43. Kg1 $1 Nxb6 44. Ng4 $1 {wins serious material.}) 1-0 [Event "Qualification Asian Games"] [Site "Hangzhou"] [Date "2022.04.16"] [Round "3"] [White "Wei Yi"] [Black "Ding Liren"] [Result "1/2-1/2"] [ECO "C48"] [WhiteElo "2729"] [BlackElo "2799"] [Annotator "Monokroussos,Dennis"] [PlyCount "60"] [EventDate "2022.04.05"] [EventType "match"] [EventRounds "6"] [EventCountry "CHN"] {[%evp 0,37,14,10,10,10,28,28,28,19,20,-11,-12,29,29,29,29,29,111,111,96,94,94, 94,94,94,108,108,117,123,117,119,119,0,0,0,0,0,0,0]} 1. e4 e5 2. Nf3 Nc6 3. Nc3 {Clearly Wei Yi is out for blood.} Nf6 4. Bb5 (4. d4 {isn't exactly terrifying, but at the moment it's probably the best way to play for some micro-advantage in the position after Black's third move.}) 4... Nd4 5. Bc4 (5. Nxd4 {is very drawish (in a different way), but}) (5. Ba4 {is livelier (not necessarily better).}) 5... Bc5 6. Nxe5 Qe7 7. Nf3 d5 8. Bxd5 {This was interesting at one time, but once black players worked at the exchange sac we'll see in a few moves, this line has been dead. This may not be common knowledge at the club level, but it has been known for those who follow the theory for around a decade.} (8. Nxd5 Qxe4+ 9. Ne3 Bg4 10. Be2 Nxe2 11. Qxe2 O-O-O 12. d3 {is also equal, but it's not dead.}) 8... Bg4 9. d3 O-O-O $1 10. Be3 Nxd5 11. Nxd5 Rxd5 12. exd5 Re8 {The rest is just Wei Yi checking to see if Ding did his homework. Considering that this is a very well-known line, which these two players have previously tested against each other, there's not much drama here.} 13. O-O ( 13. c3 {is the other main move, twice tested by these same players. I'd note that both of those games finished in a draw, but it would be even simpler to note that ALL 36 GAMES to reach this position finished in draws.} Nxf3+ 14. gxf3 Qh4 $1 15. Kd2 Rxe3 16. fxe3 Qf2+ 17. Kc1 Bxf3 18. Qe1 Bxe3+ 19. Kb1 Bxh1 20. Qxh1 Qe2 21. a4 Qxd3+ 22. Ka2 Qc4+ 23. Kb1 Qd3+ {etc. The games only "differ" in the number of repetitions that transpire before the handshake makes everything official.}) 13... Bxf3 14. gxf3 Bd6 (14... Qh4 15. f4 Bd6 { transposes.}) 15. f4 Qh4 16. Bxd4 {This has all happened eight times, with eight draws. Players involved include such obscure figures as Fabiano Caruana, Wesley So, and the players' countryman Wang Hao.} Bxf4 17. Kg2 Qxh2+ 18. Kf3 Qh3+ 19. Kxf4 Qh2+ 20. Kf3 Qh3+ {1/2-1/2 (20) Kravtsiv,M (2654)-Wang,H (2711) Abu Dhabi 2018} 21. Kf4 Qh2+ 22. Kf5 $1 $146 {Notwithstanding the cynical comments above, this is in fact a good try. It looks risky at first sight, but despite the king's extreme "development" it's surprisingly safe. In fact, Black has only one move that doesn't lose.} (22. Kf3 Qh3+ 23. Kf4 {(and 1/2-1/ 2) was the marathon battle McShane-So, from the Grand Swiss in 2019.}) 22... g6+ $1 {On the one hand, it's an obvious move, but Black must be sure that White's king can't go up the board and hide in the midst of Black's pawns. Ding has either worked it out, remembered it from his prep, or recognized that all the other moves clearly lose.} 23. Kg4 $1 {The right decision. Maybe in blitz it would okay to bluff with 23.Kf6 and put Black to the test, but with a classical time control that would be an unwise decision. (If you want some idea of Ding Liren's ability to calculate, look up his stupendous game with Jinshi Bai back in 2017. It's one of the great brilliancies of modern times.)} (23. Kf6 $2 Qf4+ 24. Kg7 Qxd4+ 25. Kh6 (25. Kxf7 Kd8 $1 {and it's mate in five more moves.}) 25... Qf4+ 26. Kg7 (26. Kxh7 Qf6 {and ...Rh8# can be delayed, but not stopped.}) 26... Qe5+ 27. Kh6 Rg8 28. Rg1 Kb8 $1 29. f4 Qxf4+ 30. Kxh7 Rd8 $1 31. Qf1 Qh4+ 32. Kg7 Qh8+ 33. Kxf7 Rd7+ $1 34. Ke6 Rd6+ 35. Ke7 Qh7+ 36. Qf7 Qh4+ 37. Kf8 Qh8+ 38. Qg8 (38. Ke7 Qd8#) 38... Qf6+ 39. Ke8 Rd8#) 23... Qg2+ (23... f5+ {is also possible. This too leads to a draw with correct play:} 24. Kg5 $8 Qg2+ $8 25. Kh6 (25. Kh4 Qh2+ 26. Kg5 $11 {transposes.}) (25. Kf6 $2 Qxd5 $19 {and Black threatens both the obvious (and winning) ...Qxd4+, but also ...Qd8+, which prevents White's king from backing out to safety.}) 25... Qh2+ 26. Kg5 (26. Kg7 $6 {may be worth the risk in blitz, but - again - not here, in a classical game with this opponent.} Re7+ 27. Kg8 $1 Qd6 $8 28. Bg7 $8 Qxd5+ 29. Kxh7 Qf7 30. Kh6 $8 g5 $1 31. Re1 $8 Qxg7+ 32. Kh5 Qf7+ 33. Kxg5 Qg7+ 34. Kh5 $8 Rf7 35. Qe2 Qh7+ 36. Kg5 Rg7+ 37. Kf4 Qh4+ 38. Kf3 Qg4+ 39. Ke3 Re7+ 40. Kd2 Qb4+ $1 41. Kd1 Rxe2 42. Kxe2 Qxb2 $17) 26... Qg2+ $11) 24. Kh4 Qh2+ 25. Kg4 Qg2+ 26. Kh4 Qh2+ 27. Kg4 Qg2+ 28. Kh4 Qh2+ 29. Kg4 Qg2+ 30. Kh4 Qh2+ {It seems that there was a 30-move rule in effect. Good thing, or the players might agree to draws without any real fight at all. (/sarc)} 1/2-1/2