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The Chinese Championships are played from 7 to 15 May in Xinghua and the Open Championship and the Women's Championship are played in parallel. This time the Open Championship is indeed an open championship because Ju Wenjun, the reigning Women's World Champion, is taking part in it.
In the Open the fight for the title came down to a duel between Yu Yangyi and Wei Yi. But in round 10, which was played on Friday morning local time, Yu managed to defeat Wei Yi in their direct encounter and now needs only a draw in the final round to become Chinese Champion 2021.
17.Be4 Qb4?! 17...Bxf3 18.Bxf3 (18.gxf3!?) 18...Nd4; 17...Rxd1+ 18.Rxd1 Bxf3 looks okay for Black. 18.Kb1 Better than 18.b3 Qa3+
18...Rxd1+ 19.Rxd1 Qxc4 20.Rc1 That was White's idea. Black now has to live with an exposed king and shattered pawn structure.
20...Qa6 21.Bxc6 bxc6 22.Nxe5 Be6 23.b3 Bd5 24.Qf4 Another idea was 24.Nd3!? Rd8 25.Nc5
24...Re8 25.f3 Kb7?! Invites the white knight to settle down on c5 with check – and a possible fork. 25...Qb5!? with the idea Bxb3 offered better chances.
26.Nd7 Qd3+ 27.Rc2 27.Ka1?! Kc8 28.Nc5 Qe3=
27...Qb5 27...Qd1+ 28.Kb2 a5 29.Nc5+ Kb8 was a better try.
28.Nc5+ Kb8 29.a4 Re1+ 30.Kb2 Qf1
31.Qf6 Stronger was 31.Qb4+ Kc8 32.Qb7+ Kd8 33.Qxa7 e.g.: 33...Rb1+ 34.Ka3 Ra1+ 35.Kb4 Qe1+ 36.Rc3 Rc1 37.Qb8+ Ke7 38.Qxc7+ Ke8 39.Qd7+ Kf8 40.Qd8+ Kg7 41.Qf6++–
31...Re8 31...Rb1+? 32.Ka2–+; 31...Be6!? 32.Nxe6 fxe6
32.Qc3 Ka8 33.Qd2 33.Nd3!? with the idea Nb4
33...Qe1 34.Qxe1 Rxe1 35.a5 Kb8 36.Kc3 Kc8 37.Kd3 Kd8 38.Re2 Rd1+ 39.Kc3 Rc1+ 40.Kd4 Ra1 40...Rd1+!? 41.Ke5 Rc1 42.b4 Rb1 43.Nd3 Bc4
41.a6 Rd1+ More stubborn was 41...Rc1
42.Ke5 Ke7 43.Kf5+ Be6+ 44.Nxe6 Rd5+ 45.Kg4 fxe6 46.g3 Kf7 47.f4 Ra5 48.Rh2 Kg7 49.Rh6 Black resigned. He will lose e6 or h7, and then White's passed pawn will decide the issue. 1–0
Women's World Champion Ju Wenjun had some trouble in the Open. With two losses and eight draws she finds herself at the end of the table, and currently shares places 10 to 12 with Bai Jinshi and Xu Yi.
| Rk. | Name | Elo | 1 | 2 | 3 | 4 | 5 | 6 | 7 | 8 | 9 | 10 | 11 | 12 | Pts. | |
| 1 | GM | Yu Yangyi | 2709 | * | 1 | ½ | ½ | ½ | 0 | 1 | 1 | 1 | ½ | 1 | 7,0 | |
| 2 | GM | Wei Yi | 2732 | 0 | * | 1 | ½ | 1 | ½ | ½ | ½ | ½ | ½ | 1 | 6,0 | |
| 3 | GM | Li Di | 2561 | ½ | 0 | * | 1 | 0 | ½ | 1 | ½ | 1 | 1 | ½ | 6,0 | |
| 4 | GM | Lu Shanglei | 2615 | ½ | ½ | 0 | * | 1 | 1 | ½ | ½ | ½ | ½ | ½ | 5,5 | |
| 5 | IM | Xu Zhihang | 2506 | ½ | 1 | 0 | * | ½ | ½ | 0 | ½ | ½ | 1 | ½ | 5,0 | |
| 6 | GM | Zhao Jun | 2638 | 1 | 0 | 0 | ½ | * | 0 | ½ | 1 | 1 | ½ | ½ | 5,0 | |
| 7 | GM | Xu Yinglun | 2554 | 0 | ½ | ½ | ½ | ½ | 1 | * | ½ | ½ | 0 | ½ | 4,5 | |
| 8 | GM | Liu Yan | 2524 | 0 | ½ | 0 | ½ | 1 | ½ | * | 0 | ½ | ½ | 1 | 4,5 | |
| 9 | GM | Xu Xiangyu | 2573 | 0 | ½ | ½ | ½ | 0 | ½ | 1 | * | ½ | ½ | ½ | 4,5 | |
| 10 | GM | Bai Jinshi | 2618 | ½ | ½ | 0 | ½ | ½ | 0 | ½ | ½ | ½ | * | ½ | 4,0 | |
| 11 | GM | Xu Yi | 2527 | 0 | ½ | 0 | ½ | 0 | ½ | 1 | ½ | ½ | * | ½ | 4,0 | |
| 12 | GM | Ju Wenjun | 2560 | 0 | ½ | ½ | ½ | ½ | ½ | 0 | ½ | ½ | ½ | * | 4,0 |
In the women's tournament, former Women's World Champion Tan Zhongyi and Zhu Jiner are the only players who are better known outside of China, and they were also the Elo favourites. After the tenth round, Tan Zhongyi leads the field with an impressive of 8.5/10 and secured the title with one round to go.
| Rk. | Name | Elo | 1 | 2 | 3 | 4 | 5 | 6 | 7 | 8 | 9 | 10 | 11 | 12 | Pts. | |
| 1 | GM | Tan Zhongyi | 2510 | * | 1 | 1 | 1 | 1 | 1 | ½ | 1 | 1 | 1 | 0 | 8,5 | |
| 2 | WIM | Ning Kaiyu | 2327 | 0 | * | 1 | 1 | 1 | ½ | ½ | 1 | 1 | 1 | 0 | 7,0 | |
| 3 | WGM | Zhu Jiner | 2459 | 0 | * | 0 | 1 | 1 | ½ | ½ | 1 | 1 | 1 | 1 | 7,0 | |
| 4 | WIM | Song Yuxin | 2290 | 0 | 0 | 1 | * | ½ | 1 | ½ | ½ | ½ | 1 | 1 | 6,0 | |
| 5 | WGM | Xiao Yiyi | 2301 | 0 | 0 | 0 | ½ | * | ½ | 1 | 1 | 1 | 1 | 1 | 6,0 | |
| 6 | WGM | Zhai Mo | 2366 | 0 | ½ | 0 | 0 | ½ | * | ½ | ½ | 1 | 1 | 1 | 5,0 | |
| 7 | WIM | Gu Tianlu | 2267 | 0 | ½ | ½ | ½ | 0 | ½ | * | ½ | ½ | ½ | 1 | 4,5 | |
| 8 | IM | Wang Yu A. | 2294 | ½ | 0 | ½ | 0 | ½ | ½ | * | 0 | 0 | 1 | 1 | 4,0 | |
| 9 | Yuan Ye | 2081 | 0 | 0 | 0 | ½ | 0 | ½ | 1 | * | ½ | 1 | 0 | 3,5 | ||
| 10 | WGM | Li Xueyi | 2328 | 0 | 0 | 0 | ½ | 0 | 0 | 1 | ½ | * | 1 | ½ | 3,5 | |
| 11 | WIM | Ren Xiaoyi | 2267 | 0 | 1 | 0 | 0 | 0 | ½ | 0 | 0 | 0 | * | 1 | 2,5 | |
| 12 | WGM | Gu Xiaobing | 2263 | 1 | 0 | 0 | 0 | 0 | 0 | 0 | 1 | ½ | 0 | * | 2,5 |
