Asian Continental Rd.7-9: China and Vietnam dominate in Chengdu
All Photos by Lennart Ootes
The Asian Continental Championship 2017 came to an end at Chengdu in China with the host country dominating the proceedings in the Open. Although the Chinese started with Yu Yangyi and Wei Yi as the top two seeds, the Gold and Silver was won by...
Wang Hao (2680) who scored 7.0/9, and...
...and Bu Xiangzhi (2697), also with the same score.
Vidit Gujrathi (2687) came back strongly after a stuttering first-half to take the bronze with 6.5/9. Here is one of his masterful games:
[Event "Asian Continental-ch Open 2017"] [Site "Chengdu"] [Date "2017.05.19"] [Round "8"] [White "Vidit, Santosh Gujrathi"] [Black "Bai, Jinshi"] [Result "1-0"] [ECO "E80"] [WhiteElo "2687"] [BlackElo "2586"] [PlyCount "79"] [EventDate "2017.??.??"] [SourceDate "2003.06.08"] 1. d4 Nf6 2. c4 g6 3. f3 c5 4. d5 d6 5. e4 Bg7 6. Nc3 e6 {E80: King's Indian: Sämisch: Lines without early ...0-0} (6... O-O 7. Bg5 h6 8. Be3 e6 9. Qd2 exd5 10. cxd5 Nh7 11. Bd3 Nd7 12. Nh3 Ne5 13. Nf2 f5 14. Be2 g5 15. exf5 Bxf5 16. h4 b5 17. hxg5 hxg5 18. Nxb5 Rb8 {0-1 (33) Najer,E (2682)-Mamedyarov,S (2772) Sochi 2017}) 7. Nge2 exd5 8. cxd5 a6 {White has an edge.} 9. a4 Nbd7 10. Ng3 h5 11. Be2 Nh7 12. Be3 O-O 13. Qd2 h4 14. Nf1 f5 $146 (14... Re8 $11) ({ Predecessor:} 14... Re8 15. h3 f5 {1-0 (56) Askin,D (1942)-Winslow,E (2314) San Francisco 2016}) 15. exf5 $14 gxf5 {[#]} 16. Bh6 $1 Re8 17. Bxg7 Kxg7 18. Ne3 Qf6 19. g4 hxg3 (19... Ng5 $16 {was called for.}) 20. hxg3 $18 Ndf8 21. Nc4 Bd7 22. Nb6 Rad8 23. O-O-O Re7 24. Nxd7 Rdxd7 25. Rh5 b5 26. axb5 axb5 27. Bxb5 Ra7 28. Bd3 Ra1+ 29. Kc2 Rxd1 30. Nxd1 Qd4 31. Rh4 Qe5 32. Rf4 Qxd5 (32... Ng6 {keeps fighting.}) 33. Rxf5 Qe6 $2 {[#]} (33... Qd4 34. Rf4 Qe5) 34. Qc3+ Nf6 35. g4 c4 36. Bxc4 d5 37. Rxd5 Rc7 38. g5 Qxd5 39. gxf6+ Kg6 40. Bxd5 { Precision: White = 77%, Black = 43%.} 1-0
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All three sealed their World Cup slots. But there were five of these slots up for grabs. Joining them are...
Yu Yangyi played some spectacular chess for his 6.5/9. Have a look at this masterpiece:
[Event "Asian Continental-ch Open 2017"] [Site "Chengdu"] [Date "2017.05.17"] [Round "6"] [White "Sengupta, Deep"] [Black "Yu, Yangyi"] [Result "0-1"] [ECO "D03"] [WhiteElo "2586"] [BlackElo "2743"] [Annotator ""] [PlyCount "70"] [EventDate "2017.??.??"] [SourceDate "2003.06.08"] 1. d4 Nf6 2. Nf3 g6 3. Bg5 d5 4. e3 Bg7 5. Nbd2 h6 {LiveBook: 7 Games} 6. Bf4 { D03:1 d4 d5 2 Nf3 Nf6 3 Bg5, including Torre Attack with early ...d5} (6. Bh4 O-O 7. Be2 c5 8. c3 Nc6 9. dxc5 a5 10. a4 e5 11. O-O Qe7 12. Nb3 Rd8 13. Bxf6 Bxf6 {1-0 (49) Yatzenko,A (2361)-Abdumalik,Z (2430) chess.com INT 2017}) 6... O-O 7. Bd3 c5 $146 ({Predecessor:} 7... Nc6 8. c3 Nd7 9. Bb5 e5 10. Bxc6 exf4 11. Bxd5 fxe3 12. fxe3 Ne5 13. Bb3 Ng4 {0-1 (51) Ivanov,S (2200)-Golubenko,V (2200) Yerevan 1983}) 8. c3 {The position is equal.} Nc6 9. Ne5 (9. O-O $11) 9... cxd4 10. exd4 Nh5 11. Nxc6 bxc6 12. Be3 c5 $36 {Black has some pressure.} (12... e5 $5 13. Nb3 Nf4 14. Bxf4 exf4 $11) 13. dxc5 e5 {Strongly threatening . ..d4.} 14. Nb3 $1 d4 15. cxd4 exd4 16. Bd2 Re8+ 17. Kf1 a5 18. Qf3 Ba6 19. Bxa6 Rxa6 20. c6 Qb6 {And now ...a4 would win.} 21. Nxa5 {[#]} (21. a4 $15) 21... Qb5+ $1 $17 22. Kg1 {b4 is the strong threat.} Qxb2 ({Don't play} 22... Rxa5 23. Bxa5 Qxa5 24. g3 $15) 23. Qd1 $2 (23. Nb3 $17 Rxa2 24. Rd1) 23... d3 $19 24. Rc1 (24. Rb1 $142 Qxa2 25. g3) 24... Rxa5 25. Bxa5 {aiming for c7.} Nf4 26. Rb1 Qc2 27. Bd2 Ne2+ 28. Kf1 {Black must now prevent Qxc2.} Qxc6 29. h4 { [#] Threatening Rh3.} Ng3+ $1 30. Kg1 $2 (30. fxg3 Re2 31. Qxe2 dxe2+ 32. Kf2) 30... Nxh1 31. Kxh1 (31. Be3 $142 Ng3 32. Qxd3) 31... Re2 32. Be3 Qe4 33. Kg1 Be5 34. h5 d2 (34... Rxe3 $142 35. hxg6 Re2 36. gxf7+ Kxf7 37. Qb3+ Kf6) 35. Qf1 {[#]} Qxb1 $1 {Precision: White = 28%, Black = 74%.} 0-1
In this very important game, the defending champion S.P. Sethuraman (2633) had an upper hand against Yangyi, until an unfortunate series of events left his position in tatters. Sethuraman does not need to worry too much as he already has a spot sealed in the coming World Cup thanks to his win in the 2016 edition of the Asians.
[Event "Asian Continental-ch Open 2017"] [Site "Chengdu"] [Date "2017.05.19"] [Round "8"] [White "Sethuraman, S P."] [Black "Yu, Yangyi"] [Result "0-1"] [ECO "B81"] [WhiteElo "2633"] [BlackElo "2743"] [PlyCount "86"] [EventDate "2017.??.??"] [SourceDate "2003.06.08"] 1. e4 c5 2. Nf3 d6 3. d4 cxd4 4. Nxd4 Nf6 5. Nc3 a6 6. h3 e6 7. g4 Nfd7 { B81: Sicilian Scheveningen: Keres Attack} 8. g5 b5 9. a3 Bb7 {White is slightly better.} 10. Be3 Nc6 11. h4 Be7 12. Qe2 Nde5 $146 ({Better is} 12... Rc8 $11) ({Predecessor:} 12... Rc8 13. Bh3 Nxd4 14. Bxd4 e5 15. Be3 {1-0 (38) Anand,V (2779)-Bologan,V (2640) Doha 2016}) 13. O-O-O Nc4 14. Nxc6 Bxc6 15. Bd4 O-O (15... e5 $5 16. Be3 Rb8 $11) 16. Rg1 Rb8 17. f4 e5 18. Bf2 exf4 19. Qf3 ( 19. Bd4 $11) 19... Ne5 $1 $15 20. Qxf4 b4 21. axb4 Rxb4 {Threatens to win with ...Qa5.} 22. Nd5 (22. Bc5 $5) 22... Bxd5 23. Rxd5 f5 ({Black should play} 23... Qc7 $15 24. Bd4 f6) 24. Bd4 $1 $14 Qc8 25. Be2 Qc6 26. Rg3 Ng6 (26... Qb7 $14) 27. Qd2 $16 Ra4 $2 (27... Rfb8 $16) 28. b3 $18 fxe4 29. Be3 (29. Bxg7 $18 { has better winning chances.} Rf2 30. bxa4) 29... Ra1+ $16 30. Kb2 Rh1 31. h5 { White has strong compensation.} Ne5 {[#]} 32. h6 (32. Ra5 $1 $16) 32... g6 $2 { [#]} (32... Rf5 $1 $14) 33. Ra5 $1 $18 Rh2 34. Bg1 {[#]} (34. Rxa6 $18 Rxe2 35. Qxe2) 34... Rxe2 $1 $16 35. Qxe2 Nf3 36. Qd1 ({Reject} 36. Rxa6 $6 Qd5 $14) ({ White should try} 36. Bf2 $16) 36... Rc8 (36... Rf5 $14 37. Rxf5 gxf5) 37. Bd4 $2 (37. c4 $16) 37... Nxd4 $15 38. c4 $2 ({White must play} 38. Qxd4 $15 Qxc2+ 39. Ka3 d5+ 40. b4 Bxb4+ 41. Qxb4) 38... Nf3 {Black is clearly winning.} 39. Rg4 Ne5 40. Rg3 {[#]} (40. Qd4 $142) 40... Nxc4+ $1 $19 41. bxc4 Qb6+ 42. Rb5 Qf2+ 43. Kb1 axb5 {Precision: White = 43%, Black = 49%.} 0-1
Tsegmed Bathuluun (2525, left) was the surprise of the tournament. Although he was only 3.0/6 at one point, the Mongolian champion rallied with three wins in the end to take the fifth place and the last WC slot.
Julio Sadorra had been playing solidly and had won all of his four games with white. He had scored 6.0/8 and was on his way to drawing his final round game and a spot in the World Cup. But a tragic blunder towards the end meant he finished on 6.0/9, at the sixth spot.
[Event "Asian Continental-ch Open 2017"] [Site "Chengdu"] [Date "2017.05.20"] [Round "9"] [White "Sadorra, Julio Catalino"] [Black "Wang, Hao"] [Result "0-1"] [ECO "E20"] [WhiteElo "2575"] [BlackElo "2680"] [Annotator ""] [PlyCount "66"] [EventDate "2017.??.??"] [SourceDate "2003.06.08"] 1. d4 Nf6 2. c4 e6 3. Nc3 Bb4 4. g3 O-O 5. Bg2 d5 6. a3 {4 E20: Nimzo-Indian: g3 and 4 f3} Bxc3+ 7. bxc3 dxc4 8. Qa4 {The position is equal.} Bd7 9. Qxc4 Bc6 10. f3 Qd5 11. Qxd5 (11. Qb4 {seems wilder.} Bb5 12. e4 Qc6 13. Kf2 e5 14. Nh3) 11... Nxd5 12. Bd2 Nb6 13. Nh3 $146 ({Predecessor:} 13. e4 N8d7 {1/2-1/2 (53) Mamedyarov,S (2766) -Szabo,B (2378) chess.com INT 2017}) 13... N8d7 14. Nf2 e5 15. e4 Nc4 16. Bc1 Ndb6 17. Nd3 Rfd8 18. Nxe5 Nxe5 19. dxe5 Rd3 20. O-O Nc4 21. f4 (21. Bf4 $11 {remains equal.}) 21... Rad8 $17 22. Rf3 Rxf3 23. Bxf3 Rd3 24. Be2 Rxc3 25. Bxc4 Rxc4 {Endgame KRB-KRB} 26. Be3 b6 27. Rd1 {[#] White threatens Rd8+ and mate.} Kf8 28. Rd8+ (28. f5 $142) 28... Ke7 29. Rg8 (29. Rd4 $17 {was called for.} Rxd4 30. Bxd4) 29... Bxe4 $19 ({Don't take} 29... Rxe4 30. Kf2 $17) 30. Rxg7 Rc3 31. Kf2 Rc2+ 32. Ke1 $2 {[#]} (32. Kf1 {is a better chance.}) 32... Kf8 $1 33. Rg5 h6 {Precision: White = 44%, Black = 80%.} 0-1
Final Ranking after 9 Rounds
| 1 |
6 |
GM |
Wang Hao |
|
|
2680 |
7,0 |
0,5 |
5,0 |
2598 |
47,5 |
40,5 |
| 2 |
4 |
GM |
Bu Xiangzhi |
|
|
2697 |
7,0 |
0,5 |
5,0 |
2568 |
42,0 |
35,0 |
| 3 |
5 |
GM |
Vidit Santosh Gujrathi |
|
|
2687 |
6,5 |
0,5 |
5,0 |
2541 |
44,0 |
37,0 |
| 4 |
1 |
GM |
Yu Yangyi |
|
|
2743 |
6,5 |
0,5 |
4,0 |
2570 |
44,0 |
37,0 |
| 5 |
26 |
GM |
Batchuluun Tsegmed |
|
|
2525 |
6,0 |
0,0 |
5,0 |
2563 |
42,5 |
35,5 |
| 6 |
20 |
GM |
Sadorra Julio Catalino |
|
|
2575 |
6,0 |
0,0 |
4,0 |
2570 |
44,5 |
37,5 |
| 7 |
2 |
GM |
Wei Yi |
|
|
2732 |
6,0 |
0,0 |
4,0 |
2542 |
40,5 |
35,0 |
| 8 |
7 |
GM |
Adhiban B. |
|
|
2672 |
6,0 |
0,0 |
4,0 |
2518 |
40,0 |
34,0 |
| 9 |
8 |
GM |
Ganguly Surya Shekhar |
|
|
2653 |
6,0 |
0,0 |
3,0 |
2568 |
42,0 |
36,0 |
| 10 |
19 |
GM |
Maghsoodloo Parham |
|
|
2577 |
5,5 |
0,0 |
4,0 |
2543 |
43,0 |
36,0 |
Complete Standings
WIM Vo Thi Kim Phung (2323) of Vietnam took Gold with 7.5/9 to become the Asian Women's Champion. She had earlier won the Asian Junior Girls title twice in her career.
WGM Guliskhan Nakhbayeva (2321) was Silver with 7.0/9.
WIM Vaishali R. (2272) was Bronze with 6.5/9. The 15-year-old Indian also took the Gold in the Women's Blitz
The prize winners
Standings in Open
Complete Standings
Wei Yi did not have the most memorable tournament but he took a consolatoin Gold in the Asian Blitz
Calculations
All Games for Open
All Games in Women's Section
