Hainan Danzhou and Wei Yi’s immortal game

by Sagar Shah
7/4/2015 – The 6th Hainan Danzhou tournament is being held in Danzhou, with top Chinese players. The event will be remembered for a game that is already being labelled "Game of the Decade" and was played by a 16-year-old youngster rated 2724. We asked Garry Kasparov to comment for us, and he did so with one word: "Impressive!" We have annotated it for you in somewhat greater detail.
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6th Hainan Danzhou and Wei Yi’s immortal game

The 6th Hainan Danzhou tournament is being held from the 2nd to 11th of July 2015 in Danzhou. Located on an island on the southern-most region of China, this tournament requires special attention from chess fans because all the super-strong Chinese players who have been splashing chess news pages with their fantastic performances in the past year or so are playing here.

The major attractions of the tournament are the top rated Chinese player and the guy who has worked with Magnus Carlsen Ding Liren; the winner of the Capablanca Memorial and the strongest open tournament ever held, the Qatar Masters Yu Yangyi; and the youngest person in the world to break into 2700 Wei Yi.

Apart from these three big stars, the tournament also features: the first Chinese player ever to cross 2700, Wang Yue; a member of the Gold winning Chinese Olympiad team and back into 2700, Ni Hua; the youngest grandmaster in the world at the age of 13 in 1998, Bu Xiangzhi; and the two promising and upcoming youngsters Wang Chen, who is still an IM, and the reigning World Junior Champion Lu Shanglei. These eight Chinese players have been joined by Cuba’s number two Batista Bruzon, and India’s number five Krishnan Sasikiran.

The opening ceremony was well attended

The participants of the 6th Danzhou Hainan: Yu Yangyi, Wei Yi, Wang Yue, Ni Hua, Bu Xiangzhi,
Batista Bruzon, Krishnan Sasikiran, Lu Shanglei and Wang Chen (Ding Liren is missing)

The vice mayor of the Danzhou Zhang, who made this event possible

The drawing of lots ceremony

The tournament has a total prize fund of 320,000 Yuans (approximately US $51,560) and a first prize of 100,000 Yuans (US $16100). After two rounds this is how things stand.

Three players lead the event with a score of 1.5/2: Wei Yi, Wang Yue and Yu Yangyi

While there have been only three decisive games out of the ten that have taken place, the talk of the town is definitely Wei Yi’s win over Batista Bruzon in round two. The game was so well played by 16-year-old youngster that people have started calling it the game of the century or the game of the decade – or as the Indian GM Vishnu Prasanna puts it: “the longest combination he has ever seen.”

Wei Yi who is only 16 years one month and two days old, already
has a live rating of 2728 and is 27th on the live world rankings

I could just show you Wei Yi’s brilliancy along with the analysis. I am sure you will be awestruck by the Chinese GM’s tactical abilities. But if you want to learn something from this game you should try putting yourself in the shoes of the Chinese grandmaster. Hence, I have selected five positions from the game and posed questions to you. If you look at the game after trying to solve them you will be in a much better position to appreciate Wei Yi’s play.

Wei,Yi (2724) - Bruzon Batista,Lazaro (2669) [B40]
6th Hainan Danzhou GM Danzhou CHN (2.4), 03.07.2015

Position after 21…Nxd5

This is where it all began. Black has just taken the knight on d5.
What should White play? (thinking time: two minutes)

Click for the solution

Position after 23…Kxf6 (variation from the game)

The black king looks exposed and weak. How should you finish him off?
(thinking time: three minutes)

Click for the solution

Position after 24…Kxd5

The black king is running away! How do you stop him?
(thinking time: two minutes)

Click for the solution

Position after 25…Kxe4

The king has been lured forward. There are two moves that win now, both them related to the control of a crucial square. Wei Yi found one of them. Can you find both? (thinking time: five minutes)

Click for the solution

Position after 28...Ke4

White can give a discovered check over here. But unfortunately his own queen
is also attacked. What did Wei Yi come up with? (thinking time: two minutes)

Click for the solution

The above answers are not comprehensive. If you have any doubts, please go over the game on our JavaScript board below or download the PGN file and look at it on your ChessBase software. You can find all the detailed analysis in it.

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MoveNResultEloPlayers
1.e41,180,95054%2421---
1.d4956,91055%2434---
1.Nf3285,50956%2441---
1.c4184,27056%2442---
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1.h446554%2381---
1.c343851%2425---
1.h328956%2420---
1.a411860%2461---
1.f310047%2427---
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There is something about the way this young Chinese kid plays. He doesn't just beat his opponents, he crushes them. And his combinations are so crisp that you are left with this simple question in your head: "How does he do it against the best in the world?" Have a look at this game against Bruzon Batista which many say is the "Modern day Immortal Game." 1.e4 c5 2.Nf3 e6 3.Nc3 a6 4.Be2 Nc6 5.d4 cxd4 6.Nxd4 Qc7 The game has now transposed into a Sicilian Taimanov. 7.0-0 Nf6 8.Be3 Be7 This move transposes into the Sicilian Scheveningen. An opening which has a rich tradition and always leads to interesting positions. 8...Bb4 Pure Taimanov players prefer this move. 9.f4 d6 10.Kh1 0-0 11.Qe1!? This idea of putting your queen on g3 is common in the Scheveningen – thousands of games have been played in the past. Nxd4 12.Bxd4 b5 13.Qg3 Bb7 14.a3 Usually a move like a3 is a waste of time in the Sicilian. But here it is totally justified as it is important to keep the knight on c3. Rad8 15.Rae1 Rd7 It might seem funny to think about why exactly Black placed his rook on d7. But in doing so, he vacated the d8 square for his queen. This setup of Rd7-Qd8 is very effective against a e4-e5 break. 16.Bd3 Qd8 16...Re8 is what you see in more games. 17.Qh3 g6 17...h6 is the computer's move. But as Scheveningen experts already know, this is a very dangerous move and any sacrifice later on h6 would be almost decisive. 18.Re3 18.f5! A strong attacking move. Something has gone horribly wrong for Bruzon right out of the opening. e5 19.Be3 Re8 Little did Bruzon know that leaving the f7 point undefended would lead to a beautiful combination. 20.fxg6 hxg6 21.Nd5!? Nxd5
It is here that Wei Yi's brilliant combination begins. 21...Bxd5 is the lesser of the evils but after 22.exd5± Black's position is pretty bad. 22.Rxf7‼ The term bolt from the blue looks pretty clichéd here. Bruzon, a 2669 rated player, must definitely have anticipated this move, right? It is a very common pattern of dragging the black king out. What exactly did he have in mind against Rxf7 is unclear, because even a minute's glance is enough to convince you that the attack is very dangerous, even though it cannot be calculated to the end. Kxf7 22...Nf6 is met with 23.Qe6! Kh8 24.Bg5+- When Black is absolutely busted. 23.Qh7+ Ke6 23...Kf8 24.Bh6# is easy to calculate. 23...Kf6 The computer thinks that this is the easiest move to refute, but I disagree. Rf1+ is very tempting and it leads to a draw. The correct move here is to take the knight. 24.exd5! 24.Rf1+? is incorrect due to Nf4 25.Rxf4+ exf4 26.Bd4+ Ke6 26...Kg5? 27.h4+ Kg4 28.Qxg6+ with mate to follow in short order. 27.Qh3+ 27.Qxg6+ Bf6-+ 27...Kf7 28.Qh7+ Ke6= and White has nothing more than a draw at this point. 24...e4 25.Rf1+ Ke5 26.Qxg6 exd3 27.Qf5# 24.exd5+ Kxd5 Once again we reach a critical crossroad. Black is threatening to run away with Kc6-c7. White must stop him at any cost. 24...Bxd5 White has only one way to win at this point. 25.Bxg6! 25.Qxg6+ Bf6 26.Bf5+ Ke7 27.Qh7+ Bf7-+ And the black king has been nicely cordoned off. 25...Rf8 26.Qh3+ Kf6 27.Rf1+! Kxg6 28.Qh6# 25.Be4+‼ 25.Qf7+? Kc6-+ 25...Kxe4
25...Ke6 26.Qxg6+ Bf6 27.Qf5+ Ke7 28.Qh7+ Ke6 28...Kf8 29.Bh6+ Rg7 29...Bg7 30.Rf1++- 30.Bxg7+ Bxg7 31.Rf1++- 29.Bf5+ Kd5 30.Bxd7+- Pawn up with the opponent's king on d5. Things couldn't get better! 26.Qf7‼ An extremely difficult move to foresee. Such moves are reminiscent of Tal who used to sacrifice material without care and then make a quiet move taking control of the important squares. Here the d5 square was the most important. Even though a piece and rook down Wei Yi takes control of that square. 26.c4‼ The engine points out this fascinating move which helps to get the c4 square later on also wins. bxc4 27.Qxg6+ Kd5 28.Qf7+ Kc6 28...Ke4 29.Qxc4+ Kf5 30.Rf1+ Kg6 31.Qf7# 29.Qxc4# Now we see why c4 was such an amazing move! 26...Bf6 27.Bd2+ 27.Bb6+ Kf5 28.Rf1+ Kg5 29.Be3+ Kh5 It might seem that Qh7 would end the game here, but unfortunately the rook on d7 wouldn't allow that. In fact the black king is pretty safe on the h5 square. 27...Kd4 28.Be3+ No harm in repeating the position to gain some time. But it just shows that things were not so easy for Wei Yi on the board. He had not yet found the exact way to win the game. Ke4 29.Qb3‼ Once again fantastic control shown by the young lad. Qd3 is a mate and something must be done about it. 29.Qxg6+? Kd5-+ losing control over the d5 square is unforgivable. 29...Kf5 30.Rf1+ Kg4 What to do next? The black king looks like a ripe juicy target, but is there a way to finish him off? 31.Qd3‼ Isn't this unbelievable? Black has so many pieces, but none of them can come to the rescue of their king. And by the way this is the only winning move. 31.Bh6? Kh5 32.Qh3+ Bh4-+ and White falls short of ammunition. 31.Bd2 Kh5 32.Qh3+ Bh4 is similar. 31.c4 trying to get the queen into the game from d1 Bxg2+ 32.Kxg2 Qa8+ 33.Kg1 Qe4= and once the black queen enters the defence, things become very complicated. 31...Bxg2+ Unable to find anything Bruzon gives up his bishop in desperation. 31...Rg7 32.Qe2+ Kh4 33.h3 Qd7 34.Kh2 Bxg2 35.Qxg2 Bd8 36.Qf2+ Kh5 37.Qf3+ Kh4 38.Rg1+- 32.Kxg2 Qa8+ The queen finally enters the game, but it's too late. 33.Kg1 Unfortunately the black queen has no squares in the centre from where she can join in the battle. Bg5 33...e4 34.Qe2+ Kh4 35.Rf4+ Kg5 36.Rxe4+ Kf5 37.Qf3# 34.Qe2+ Kh4 34...Kh3 35.Bxg5+- 35.Bf2+ Kh3 36.Be1! There is just no way to prevent the mate with Rf3 or Qd3. What a mind Wei Yi must have to see all these mating patterns in this king hunt, and that too with the clock ticking on! 36.Be1 Bf4 37.Qd3+ Kg4 38.Qxg6+ Bg5 39.h3+ Kxh3 40.Qf5# 1–0
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WhiteEloWBlackEloBResYearECOEventRnd
Wei,Y2724Bruzon Batista,L26691–02015B406th Hainan Danzhou GM2.4

Magnus Carlsen, here I come!

We sent the game to Garry Kasparov in Skype and received a one-word commentary from him: “Impressive!" Garry, who chooses his words carefully when it comes to appreciating someone’s play, surely liked what he saw! Incidentally the game reminds us of the following historic classic, known as "The Immortal King Walk":

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1.d4 e6 2.Nf3 f5 3.Nc3 Nf6 4.Bg5 Be7 5.Bxf6 Bxf6 6.e4 fxe4 7.Nxe4 b6 8.Ne5 0-0 9.Bd3 Bb7 10.Qh5 Qe7
11.Qxh7+ Kxh7 12.Nxf6+ Kh6 13.Neg4+ Kg5 14.h4+ Kf4 15.g3+ Kf3 16.Be2+ Kg2 17.Rh2+ Kg1 18.Kd2# Instead of the once-in-a-lifetime move: 18.0-0-0# 1–0
  • Start an analysis engine:
  • Try maximizing the board:
  • Use the four cursor keys to replay the game. Make moves to analyse yourself.
  • Press Ctrl-B to rotate the board.
  • Drag the split bars between window panes.
  • Download&Clip PGN/GIF/FEN/QR Codes. Share the game.
  • Games viewed here will automatically be stored in your cloud clipboard (if you are logged in). Use the cloud clipboard also in ChessBase.
  • Create an account to access the games cloud.
WhiteEloWBlackEloBResYearECOEventRnd
Lasker,E-Thomas,G-1–01912A83London casual

If you haven't had enough of the Wei Yi game, here is an this 18-minute video by ChessBase author Simon Williams, whose enthusiasm and especially metaphors reach historical heights (really, Simon, weasel poo on a doorknob?):

And here is half an hour of analysis by Tryfon Gavriel:

Also you may want to listen to Domnic Lawson speaking about the game on BBC4 (starting at 1:49:55)

The tournament is extremely interesting from the point of view of predicting the winner. With Wei Yi’s scintillating form he looks like a favourite here, but players like Yu Yangyi and Ding Liren will surely give him a tough fight. What do you think? Write your opinions and predictions in the comments section below.

Pictures taken from the official website

Links

The games are being broadcast live on the official web site and on the chess server Playchess.com. If you are not a member you can download a free Playchess client and get immediate access. You can also use ChessBase 12 or any of our Fritz compatible chess programs.
Sagar is an International Master from India with two GM norms. He loves to cover chess tournaments, as that helps him understand and improve at the game he loves so much. He is the co-founder and CEO of ChessBase India, the biggest chess news portal in the country. His YouTube channel has over a million subscribers, and to date close to a billion views. ChessBase India is the sole distributor of ChessBase products in India and seven adjoining countries, where the software is available at a 60% discount. compared to International prices.

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