Ding Liren and Hou Yifan in exhibition matches

by Macauley Peterson
7/25/2018 – Nikita Vitiugov defeated Hou Yifan by a 6½-3½ score in a Blitz Encounter in Russia as part of the ongoing Russia-China friendship series of events. Back in China, the injured Ding Liren seems to be making a smooth recovery and is already set to play a match with Veselin Topalov next month. Details on how he's been spending his time, and games from the Chinese League, which he had to miss. | Photo: Vladimir Barsky
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Russia-China: Friendship and blitz

The final four rounds of a traditional "Match of Friendship" between the youth teams of Russia and China (using a Scheveningen system with a time control of 5 minutes for the whole game plus 10 seconds per move) were staged at the Altai Resort in Belokurikha. The Russian schoolchildren won in all the age groups (with scores of 5:3, 6:2, 6½:1½, and 5½:2½) for a total score of 45½ : 18½. Stefan Pogosyan (FM 2356 born in 2004) showed the overall best result: 7½ points out of 8 games.

With that as a backdrop, former Woman's World Champion and current number one in the women's ranking, Hou Yifan, was invited to play a blitz match against Russian Grandmaster Nikita Vitiugov (currently number 7 in Russia and number 23 in the world). The two GMs played 10 games of blitz at a rate of 3 minutes plus 2 seconds per move, and Vitiugov won the match 6½-3½.

All games

 
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1.e4 e5 2.Nf3 Nc6 3.Bb5 a6 4.Ba4 Nf6 5.0-0 Be7 6.Re1 b5 7.Bb3 d6 8.c3 0-0 9.h3 Nb8 10.d4 Nbd7 11.Nbd2 Bb7 12.Bc2 Re8 13.Nf1 Bf8 14.Ng3 g6 15.a4 Bg7 16.Bd3 exd4 17.cxd4 c5 18.axb5 axb5 19.Rxa8 Bxa8 20.dxc5 Nxc5 21.Bxb5 Rf8 22.e5 dxe5 23.Qxd8 Rxd8 24.Nxe5 Nd5 25.Bc4 Re8 26.Nf3 Rxe1+ 27.Nxe1 Nb6 28.b3 Nxc4 29.bxc4 Bb7 30.Be3 Ne6 31.Nc2 f5 32.Bb6 Ba6 33.Na3 Bb2 34.Nb5 Nf4 35.Kf1 Nd3 36.Bc7 Bf6 37.Nd6 Nb2 38.Kg1 Nxc4 39.Nxc4 Bxc4 ½–½
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WhiteEloWBlackEloBResYearECOEventRnd
Hou,Y2658Vitiugov,N2734½–½2018Vitiugov vs. Hou Yifan1
Vitiugov,N2734Hou,Y2658½–½2018Vitiugov vs. Hou Yifan2
Hou,Y2658Vitiugov,N27340–12018Vitiugov vs. Hou Yifan3
Vitiugov,N2734Hou,Y2658½–½2018Vitiugov vs. Hou Yifan4
Hou,Y2658Vitiugov,N27341–02018Vitiugov vs. Hou Yifan5
Vitiugov,N2734Hou,Y2658½–½2018Vitiugov vs. Hou Yifan6
Hou,Y2658Vitiugov,N2734½–½2018Vitiugov vs. Hou Yifan7
Vitiugov,N2734Hou,Y26581–02018Vitiugov vs. Hou Yifan8
Hou,Y2658Vitiugov,N27340–12018Vitiugov vs. Hou Yifan9
Vitiugov,N2734Hou,Y26580–12018Vitiugov vs. Hou Yifan10
Hou,Y2658Vitiugov,N27340–12018Vitiugov vs. Hou Yifan11
Vitiugov,N2734Hou,Y2658½–½2018Vitiugov vs. Hou Yifan12
Hou,Y2658Vitiugov,N27340–12018Vitiugov vs. Hou Yifan13
Vitiugov,N2734Hou,Y26581–02018Vitiugov vs. Hou Yifan14

The event was organised by the Russian Chess Federation and the Elena and Gennady Timchenko Charitable Foundation with support from the Altai Region Administration and the Altai Region Chess Federation.

Ding Liren returns to competition

The Xinhua News Agency reports that Ding Liren will play a match against Veselin Topalov in his hometown of Wenzhou from August 10th to 14th. The Chinese number one has been on the mend since his bicycle accident in Norway on May 31st, which put him in the hospital with a hip fracture. Doctors recommended taking at least three months off from competition, which forced Ding to skip several scheduled events, but he is evidently well enough to return to the board after just ten weeks.

The two grandmasters will play four games with a time control of 90 minutes for 40 moves, and the rest of the game in 30
minutes plus 30 seconds per move starting from the first move. The winner will receive USD $20,000 while the loser earns USD $10,000.

While recovering at home, the Chinese media reports, Ding has occupied himself reading books, watching the World Cup and maintaining a training routine to stay sharp. As for the football, he calls himself a "fake fan" — he was an early supporter of Italy, then switched to Argentina, but didn't have a great stake in the elimination rounds.

Ding at home with a friend

Ding sent us this snapshot while relaxing at home with a friend in mid-July

After a strong year — including a string of 78 undefeated classical games — Ding has been flirting with 2800, and is frustrated by this forced time out, but eager to get back into the swing of things in time to compete at the 40th Chess Olympiad.

The third leg of the National Chess League recently concluded in Jiaxing. Although Ding was unable to play, he followed the progress of his team Zhejiang closely and even assisted in coaching a bit.

Chinese League games (Rounds 9-11)

 
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1.Nf3 Nf6 2.g3 g6 3.b3 Bg7 4.Bb2 0-0 5.Bg2 c5 6.0-0 d5 7.c4 d4 8.b4 Nfd7 9.bxc5 Nxc5 10.d3 Bd7 11.Nbd2 Ba4 12.Nb3 Nc6 13.Nfd2 Rc8 14.Ba3 Nd7 15.Rb1 b6 16.e4 dxe3 17.fxe3 Nce5 18.Qe2 Bc6 19.e4 b5 20.c5 b4 21.Bxb4 Bb5 22.Nc4 Nc6 23.Ba3 Nd4 24.Nxd4 Bxd4+ 25.Kh1 a6 26.Bh3 Bxc5 27.Bb2 e6 28.Na3 Bc6 29.Nc2 Qe7 30.Nd4 Ba8 31.Bg2 e5 32.Nb3 Ba3 33.Ba1 Bc6 34.Qe3 Bb5 35.Rf2 Nc5 36.d4 Nxb3 37.Qxb3 exd4 38.Bxd4 Bc5 39.Bxc5 Rxc5 40.a4 Bc6 41.Re1 Re5 42.Qc4 Bb7 43.h4 a5 44.Kh2 Rc8 45.Qb3 Ba6 46.Qb6 Bb7 47.Rb1 Rc7 48.Rb5 Rxb5 49.Qxb5 Rc5 50.Qb6 Bc6 51.Rd2 Kg7 52.Rf2 Bxa4 53.Ra2 Bc6 54.Rxa5 Rc2 55.Qd4+ Kg8 56.Kg1 Rc1+ 57.Kh2 Rc2 58.Kg1 Rc1+ 59.Kh2 Rc2 ½–½
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WhiteEloWBlackEloBResYearECOEventRnd
Malakhov,V2691Li,S2525½–½2018Chinese Chess League9.1
Dai,C2436Xu,Y2539½–½2018Chinese Chess League9.2
Wang,Y2686Zhao,C23001–02018Chinese Chess League9.3
Li,X2275Khotenashvili,B24620–12018Chinese Chess League9.4
Gong,Q2328Xiao,Y23451–02018Chinese Chess League9.5
Xu,M2317Zhang,Z2361½–½2018Chinese Chess League9.1
Lu,S2643Wan,Y24991–02018Chinese Chess League9.2
Gordievsky,D2653Peng,H23241–02018Chinese Chess League9.3
Guo,W1871Ding,Y24220–12018Chinese Chess League9.4
Zhai,M2304Zhu,J23061–02018Chinese Chess League9.5
Jakovenko,D2735Wang,Y24431–02018Chinese Chess League9.1
Ma,Q2631Yu,Y2754½–½2018Chinese Chess League9.2
Bai,J2579Li,C2724½–½2018Chinese Chess League9.3
Wang,Y2340Girya,O2465½–½2018Chinese Chess League9.4
Wang,J2366Gu,T21781–02018Chinese Chess League9.5
Liu,G2459Cheparinov,I27050–12018Chinese Chess League9.1
Vidit,S2718Liu,Q25391–02018Chinese Chess League9.2
Xu,X2569Zhou,J2624½–½2018Chinese Chess League9.3
Zhang,X2327Gunina,V25260–12018Chinese Chess League9.4
Ushenina,A2443Ren,X22821–02018Chinese Chess League9.5
Sethuraman,S2657Zou,C23611–02018Chinese Chess League9.1
Wen,Y2581Xiang,Z24201–02018Chinese Chess League9.2
Zhao,J2602Lin,Y23651–02018Chinese Chess League9.3
Zhou,Z2008Yan,T20211–02018Chinese Chess League9.4
Zhao,S2156Huang,Q24390–12018Chinese Chess League9.5
Harikrishna,P2727Zhou,W25951–02018Chinese Chess League9.1
Ni,H2673Zeng,C25400–12018Chinese Chess League9.2
Xu,Y2526Andreikin,D27020–12018Chinese Chess League9.3
Tan,Z2522Ju,W2571½–½2018Chinese Chess League9.4
Lei,T2537Ni,S2444½–½2018Chinese Chess League9.5
Li,S2525Andreikin,D27020–12018Chinese Chess League10.1
Zhao,C2300Zhou,W2595½–½2018Chinese Chess League10.2
Xu,Y2539Zeng,C2540½–½2018Chinese Chess League10.3
Lei,T2537Li,X22751–02018Chinese Chess League10.4
Tan,Z2522Gong,Q23281–02018Chinese Chess League10.5
Zou,C2361Harikrishna,P27270–12018Chinese Chess League10.1
Lin,Y2365Xu,Y2526½–½2018Chinese Chess League10.2
Xiang,Z2420Ni,H26730–12018Chinese Chess League10.3
Ni,S2444Zhao,S2156½–½2018Chinese Chess League10.4
Ju,W2571Zhou,Z2008½–½2018Chinese Chess League10.5
Cheparinov,I2705Zhao,J26021–02018Chinese Chess League10.1
Liu,Q2539Wen,Y2581½–½2018Chinese Chess League10.2
Zhou,J2624Sethuraman,S2657½–½2018Chinese Chess League10.3
Huang,Q2439Zhang,X2327½–½2018Chinese Chess League10.4
Ning,K2222Ushenina,A24430–12018Chinese Chess League10.5
Yu,Y2754Xu,X2569½–½2018Chinese Chess League10.1
Li,C2724Li,D24521–02018Chinese Chess League10.2
Fang,Y2425Vidit,S2718½–½2018Chinese Chess League10.3
Ren,X2282Wang,J2366½–½2018Chinese Chess League10.4
Gunina,V2526Wang,Y23401–02018Chinese Chess League10.5
Zhang,Z2361Ma,Q2631½–½2018Chinese Chess League10.1
Liu,Z2165Jakovenko,D27350–12018Chinese Chess League10.2
Wan,Y2499Bai,J2579½–½2018Chinese Chess League10.3
Li,R2334Yang,Y20401–02018Chinese Chess League10.4
Girya,O2465Zhai,M23041–02018Chinese Chess League10.5
Malakhov,V2691Xu,M23171–02018Chinese Chess League10.1
Wang,Y2686Lu,S2643½–½2018Chinese Chess League10.2
Dai,C2436Gordievsky,D26530–12018Chinese Chess League10.3
Ding,Y2422Khotenashvili,B2462½–½2018Chinese Chess League10.4
Zhu,J2306Chu,R22661–02018Chinese Chess League10.5
Lu,S2643Li,S25251–02018Chinese Chess League11.1
Lan,Z2343Zhao,C23000–12018Chinese Chess League11.2
Gordievsky,D2653Xu,Y2539½–½2018Chinese Chess League11.3
Gong,Q2328Ding,Y2422½–½2018Chinese Chess League11.4
Li,X2275Zhu,J23061–02018Chinese Chess League11.5
Ma,Q2631Li,Y2435½–½2018Chinese Chess League11.1
Jakovenko,D2735Wang,Y2686½–½2018Chinese Chess League11.2
Gao,R2568Malakhov,V2691½–½2018Chinese Chess League11.3
Khotenashvili,B2462Li,R23341–02018Chinese Chess League11.4
Xiao,Y2345Girya,O2465½–½2018Chinese Chess League11.5
Liu,G2459Wan,Y2499½–½2018Chinese Chess League11.1
Vidit,S2718Peng,H2324½–½2018Chinese Chess League11.2
Xu,X2569Zhang,Z23611–02018Chinese Chess League11.3
Zhai,M2304Ren,X22820–12018Chinese Chess League11.4
Yang,Y2040Gunina,V25260–12018Chinese Chess League11.5
Sethuraman,S2657Yu,Y2754½–½2018Chinese Chess League11.1
Wen,Y2581Li,C2724½–½2018Chinese Chess League11.2
Zhao,J2602Wang,Y2443½–½2018Chinese Chess League11.3
Wang,Y2340Ning,K2222½–½2018Chinese Chess League11.4
Wang,J2366Huang,Q24390–12018Chinese Chess League11.5
Harikrishna,P2727Liu,Q25391–02018Chinese Chess League11.1
Xu,Y2526Cheparinov,I27050–12018Chinese Chess League11.2
Ni,H2673Zuo,Y23311–02018Chinese Chess League11.3
Ushenina,A2443Ni,S2444½–½2018Chinese Chess League11.4
An,Z2073Ju,W25710–12018Chinese Chess League11.5
Liu,Y2474Xiang,Z2420½–½2018Chinese Chess League11.1
Andreikin,D2702Zou,C23611–02018Chinese Chess League11.2
Zhou,W2595Lin,Y23651–02018Chinese Chess League11.3
Zhou,Z2008Tan,Z25220–12018Chinese Chess League11.4
Zhao,S2156Lei,T25370–12018Chinese Chess League11.5

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Macauley served as the Editor in Chief of ChessBase News from July 2017 to March 2020. He is the producer of The Full English Breakfast chess podcast, and was an Associate Producer of the 2016 feature documentary, Magnus.

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