Ding Liren wins match against Wesley So

by Johannes Fischer
5/11/2016 – Ding Liren, China's number one and currently number nine on the FIDE Elo-list from 1st May, wants to establish himself firmly among the world's best. To gain more experience against top players, from 4th to 8th May the Chinese grandmaster played a four game match against Wesley So, currently number ten in the world. Ding Liren won the match 2.5-1.5.
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Ding Liren pressed from the very start. In the first game, in which Ding Liren had White, he obtained a slight plus after the opening but under pressure So found a tactical resource to force the draw with a perpetual.

 
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1.e41,172,27354%2421---
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1.d4 Nf6 2.c4 e6 3.Nf3 d5 4.Nc3 c6 5.e3 Nbd7 6.Be2 Bd6 7.0-0 0-0 8.a4 a5 9.Qc2 b6 10.e4 Nxe4 11.Nxe4 dxe4 12.Qxe4 Bb7 13.Rd1 Qe7 14.Bf4 Rad8 15.Bxd6 Qxd6 16.Ne5 Nxe5 17.dxe5 Qb4 18.b3 Qe7 19.Bf3 Ba8 20.Qe3 c5 21.Bxa8 Rxd1+ 22.Rxd1 Rxa8 23.Qd3 h5 24.f4 Qh4 25.Qg3 Qe7 26.Qd3 Qh4 27.g3 Qh3 28.Qf1 Qf5 29.Qd3 Qh3 30.Qf1 Qf5 31.h4 Kh7 32.Rd6 Rb8 33.Qd1 Kg6 34.Kf2 f6 35.exf6 gxf6 36.Kg2 Qe4+ 37.Kh2 Re8 38.Rxb6 Rd8 39.Qxd8 Qe2+ 40.Kg1 Qe1+ ½–½
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WhiteEloWBlackEloBResYearECOEventRnd
Ding,L2778So,W2775½–½2016D45Ding vs So Match 20161

In game two So came up with a novelty in the Open Spanish but this attempt to avoid well-known lines almost backfired. Ding Liren had no trouble to equalize and even had the better chances - which, however, he again failed to use.

 
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1.e4 e5 2.Nf3 Nc6 3.Bb5 a6 4.Ba4 Nf6 5.0-0 Nxe4 Apart from Maxime Vachier-Lagrave Ding Liren is the only top ten player who does not play the Berlin as main weapon against. But he often plays the Open Spanish. So also has experience with this opening - this year he played it twice at the Tata Steel tournament in Wijk aan Zee. 6.d4 b5 7.Bb3 d5 8.dxe5 Be6 9.c3 9.Nbd2 Nc5 10.c3 Be7 11.Bc2 d4 12.Nb3 d3 is the absolute main line. White now has the choice between the solid 13.Nxc5 with a very slight plus in the endgame or the more ambitious 13.Bb1 with an unclear position. 13.Nxc5 13.Bb1 Nxb3 14.axb3 Bf5 15.Re1 0-0 1/2-1/2 (70) Wei Yi (2706)-So,W (2773) Wijk aan Zee NED 2016 13...dxc2 14.Qxd8+ Rxd8 15.Nxe6 fxe6 16.Be3 Rd5 17.Rfc1 Nxe5 18.Nxe5 Rxe5 19.Bd4 Rg5 20.Rxc2 Kf7 21.Be3 Re5 1/2-1/2 (99) Carlsen, M (2844)-Ding Liren (2766) Wijk aan Zee NED 2016 9...Be7 10.Be3 0-0 10...Nc5!? is a sharper alternative. 11.Bc2 Nd7 12.Re1 Ndxe5 13.Nxe5 Nxe5 14.Bd4 Nc6 15.Bxg7 Rg8 16.Bh6 Bc5 17.Qf3 Qh4∞ 0-1 (65) Acs,P (2525) -Kortschnoj,V (2619) Paks 2005 11.Nbd2 Nxd2 gives White a slight advantage but Ding Liren shows how Black might neutralize this slight plus. 11...Qd7 leaves the knight on e4 and is more ambitious. 12.Re1 Rad8 13.Bc2 f5 14.exf6 Nxf6 with a slight plus for White but unclear play. 15.a4 Ng4 16.axb5 axb5 17.Bd4 Nxd4 18.Nxd4 Qd6 19.N2f3 Bd7 20.h3 Nxf2 21.Kxf2 Bh4+ 22.Kg1 Bxe1 23.Qxe1 c5 24.Nb3 Bxh3 25.Ng5 Bf5 26.Bxf5 Rxf5 27.Qe6+ Qxe6 28.Nxe6 Re8 29.Nbxc5 Re5 30.Ra6 Re2 31.b4 Rc2 32.Ra7 Rxc3 33.Rxg7+ Kh8 34.Rd7 Rc4 35.Ng5 Rxb4 36.Nce6 Rh4 37.g3 Rh5 38.Kg2 b4 39.Nf7+ Kg8 40.Nf4 1-0 (40) Kasparov,G (2813)-Shirov,A (2726) Izmir 2004 CBM 104 [Postny,E] 12.Bxd2!?N This novelty is directed against Black's standard maneuver but d2 is not the most natural square for the white bishop. 12.Qxd2 is the usual continuation. But then Black can make progress with Na5 13.Bc2 13.Nd4 c5 14.Nxe6 fxe6 15.Bc2 Nc4 16.Qd3 g6 17.Bh6 Rf7∞ 0-1 (31) Becker, A-Bogoljubow,E Karlsruhe 1938 13...Nc4 14.Qd3 g6 15.Bh6 Nxb2 16.Qe3 Nc4 17.Qf4 f6 17...Re8N Black shows no fear - White has compensation but one might have doubts whether it is big enough. 18.Bxf8 Qxf8 19.Nd4 1-0 (47) Psakhis,L (2545)-Zaitsev,I (2465) Yerevan 1982 12...Qd7! Apparently unimpressed by So's novelty Ding Liren opts for a logical plan and prepares the typical central breakthrough ...d4. 12...Na5 13.Bc2 Nc4 14.Bc1 c5 15.Qe2 is White's idea. The position is double-edged but offers White more chances. 13.Re1 Rad8 14.Bg5? 14.Qe2 d4 15.cxd4 Nxd4 16.Nxd4 Qxd4 17.Ba5! Qa7! followed by Bc5-Bb6 neutralizes White's pressure and leads to equality. 18.Rac1 Bc5 14...Bg4 15.Bxe7 Qxe7 I fail to understand why So went for this position. His pawn on e5 might become weak, his knight is in an annoying pin and Black always threatens to break through with d4. 16.Bc2
16...d4?! aiming for a major-piece endgame in which Black is slight better. 16...g6! would have kept the tension. Right now Black threatens to cash in on e5. 17.a4 17.h3?! Bxf3 18.Qxf3 Nxe5 19.Qg3 19.Qe3 Rfe8 20.f4 Nc6 19...Rde8 20.f4 Qc5+ 17...d4 17...Bxf3 18.Qxf3 Nxe5 19.Qe3 Rfe8 20.axb5 axb5 21.f4 Nc6 22.Qxe7 Rxe7 23.Rxe7 Nxe7 24.Ra7 16...Bxf3?! 17.Qxf3 Nxe5?? 18.Qf5 17.Qd3 g6 18.Nxd4 Nxd4 19.cxd4 Bf5 20.Qb3 Bxc2 21.Qxc2 Rxd4 The dust has almost settled and Black's initiative is not too dangerous. So has no problem to secure the draw. 22.Qc6 Qe6 23.Qxc7 23.Qxe6 was an alternative - but Black still has a slight edge. fxe6 24.Rad1 Rfd8 25.Rxd4 Rxd4 26.Kf1 c5 26...Rd2?! 27.Re2 Rd1+ 28.Re1 Rxe1+ 29.Kxe1 c5 30.Ke2 Kf7 31.Kd3 and Black has no more than a draw. 27.Rc1 Rd5 28.f4 g5 29.fxg5 Rxe5 23...Rc8 24.Qa7 Rd2 25.b4 Rcc2 26.h3
Black's initiative seems threatening but So has things under control - e6 always gives White enough counterplay. 26...Qf5 26...Rxa2 27.Rxa2 Rxa2 28.Qd4= 27.e6 Qxf2+ 28.Qxf2 Rxf2 29.e7 Rxg2+ 30.Kh1 Rh2+ 31.Kg1 ½–½
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WhiteEloWBlackEloBResYearECOEventRnd
So,W2775Ding,L2778½–½2016C83Ding Liren vs Wesley So Match2

But in game three Ding Liren finally was more lucky. He proved to be very well prepared and emerged with a better position from the opening. This time, So failed to withstand the pressure and Ding Liren managed to convert his advantage to a full point.

 
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1.d4 Nf6 2.c4 e6 3.Nf3 d5 4.Nc3 c6 5.g3 with ...c6 Black threatened to take on c4.5.g3 ignores this threat for the sake of quick development and the initiative. In the first game Ding tried 5.e3 but did not get much: Nbd7 6.Be2 Bd6 7.0-0 0-0 8.a4!? such ideas usually last only one game. a5 9.Qc2 b6 10.e4 Nxe4 11.Nxe4 dxe4 12.Qxe4 Bb7 13.Rd1= and Black is definitely more happy about the insertion of a4-a5. Qe7 14.Bf4 Rad8 15.Bxd6 Qxd6 16.Ne5 Nxe5 17.dxe5 Qb4 18.b3 Qe7 19.Bf3 Ba8 20.Qe3 c5 21.Bxa8 Rxd1+ 22.Rxd1 Rxa8 23.Qd3 h5 24.f4 Qh4 25.Qg3 Qe7 26.Qd3 Qh4 27.g3 Qh3 28.Qf1 Qf5 29.Qd3 Qh3 30.Qf1 Qf5 31.h4 Kh7 32.Rd6 Rb8 33.Qd1 Kg6 34.Kf2 f6 35.exf6 gxf6 36.Kg2 Qe4+ 37.Kh2 Re8 38.Rxb6 Rd8 39.Qxd8 Qe2+ 40.Kg1 Qe1+ 1/ 2-1/2 (40) Ding,L (2778)-So,W (2775) Shanghai CHN 2016 5...dxc4 6.Bg2 b5 7.Ne5 a6 7...Bb7? 8.Nxb5± 8.0-0 8.Nxc6 only helps Black to develop quickly. Qb6 9.Ne5 Bb7 10.e4 Bb4 11.0-0 0-0∞ 0-1 (73) Vachier Lagrave, M (2721)-Smeets,J (2669) Germany 2010 - White's centre is a bit shaky. 8...Bb7 9.b3 9.a4 is the alternative - but the text move scores better. After 9.a4 Black can humbly give back the pawn with ...Be7 or try to strive for more with ...Qc8 or ... Nd5. Qc8 9...Be7 10.axb5 axb5 11.Rxa8 Bxa8 12.Nxb5 cxb5 13.Bxa8 0-0 14.Bg2 Qc7 15.Bd2 Rd8= 1/2-1/2 (46) Kamsky,G (2678) -Robson, R (2663) Saint Louis USA 2016 10.e4 10.b3? When White played a4 this is often bad because Black can often advance to b4 and c3: b4 11.Na2 c3 12.a5 c5 0-1 (30) Chu Wei Chao (2331)-Ma Qun (2613) China CHN 2016 10...Be7 11.g4 Nfd7 12.Nf3 0-0∞ led in Grischuk,A (2747)-Aronian, L (2808), Monte Carlo 2011, 1/2-1/2 (31) to an unclear position with chances for both sides. It is not easy to unwind Black's queenside but Black is a pawn up and has no concrete weaknesses. 9...b4 9...cxb3 10.axb3 Be7 11.Bb2 0-0 12.Ne4 Nxe4 13.Bxe4 a5 14.Qd3 and White has an annoying initiative and pressure for the pawn. h6 15.f4?! 15.Qe3!? Bd6 16.Rfc1 Nd7 17.Bxc6 Bxc6 18.Nxc6 Qb6 19.Qf3± 15...Bd6 16.Qe3 Nd7 17.Rac1 17.Nxc6 Qb6 18.Ne5 Nf6 17...Nxe5 18.fxe5 Be7 0-1 (54) Ipatov,A (2625)-Eljanov,P (2717) Baku 2015 10.Ne4 10.Na4 played recently by Chinese talent Bai Jinshi. c3 11.Nc4 a5 12.a3 Na6 13.axb4 axb4 14.Nab6 Ra7 15.e4 1-0 (62) Bai,J (2507)-Siva,M (2370) Caleta ENG 2016 10...Nxe4 11.Bxe4 c3 Black managed to put his pawns on b4 and c3 but White's lead in development guarantees him enough compensation. 12.a3 a5 13.axb4 axb4 14.Bf4
14...Nd7 After thinking for 23 minutes So decides to give back his extra pawn to reduce White's pressure. Ding still played quickly which indicates that he had analysed the only previous game with this line in some detail. 14...Bd6 15.Rxa8 Bxa8 16.Qa1 Bb7 16...Nd7 17.Nxf7! Kxf7 18.Bxd6 17.Qa7 Qc7 18.Nxf7! 18.Nd3!? Bxf4 19.gxf4 0-0 20.Nc5 wins a piece but gives Black counterplay. Qxf4 21.Qxb7 c2! 22.Bxc2 Qg4+ 23.Kh1 Qxe2∞ 18...Kxf7 19.Bxd6 Qxd6 20.Qxb7+ Qe7 21.Qb6∞ 14...f6 15.Rxa8 Bxa8 16.Nc4 Be7 17.Qd3 15.Bxc6 Bxc6 16.Nxc6 Qc8 17.Rxa8 17.Na5?! looks artifical and loses time. After all, the knight on c6 makes a rather good impression! Be7 18.d5 0-0 19.e4 exd5 20.exd5 Bc5 21.Qd3 Nf6 22.Qc4 Qh3 23.Qxc5 Ng4 24.Rfe1 Rfe8 25.Rxe8+ Rxe8 26.Be3 Nxh2 27.f3 Qxg3+ 28.Kh1 Nxf3 0-1 (28) Baron,T (2524)-Shirov,A (2702) Riga 2015 17...Qxa8 18.d5 Bc5 18...exd5? 19.Qxd5+- and Black's king is caught in the centre. 18...Nf6 19.e4 19.Qd3 threatening Qc4 or Qe4 and forcing Black to castle. 19.dxe6? Qxc6 20.exd7+ Qxd7 19...0-0 But now White's d-pawn advances to d7. 20.dxe6 Qxc6 21.exd7 Rd8 22.Rd1
White regained his pawn with interest and now has a proud passed pawn on d7. But the proud pawn needs to be supported by White's rook and queen and it is not easy to see how Ding can make progress. It is noteworthy that Ding up to this point had hardly used any time which indicates that he had reached this position in his preparations and considered it as good for White. 22...Bb6 23.e4 h6 24.h4
24...Qe6 24...Bc7!? would have been a concrete solution for Black's problems but it is difficult to calculate the arising complications: 25.Be3! 25.Bxc7?! Qxc7 26.Kf1 26.Qd5? c2 27.Rc1 Rxd7 26...Qc6 27.Qd5 is not enough for White to win. 27.Ke2 Rxd7! 28.Qxd7 Qxe4+ 29.Kf1 Qh1+ 30.Ke2 Qe4+= 27...Qxd5 28.Rxd5 c2 29.Rc5 Rxd7 30.Ke2! Rd1! 30...Rd4 31.Rxc2 Rxe4+ 32.Kd3 Re8 33.Rc4 31.Rxc2 Rb1 32.Rc8+ Kh7 33.Rb8 Rxb3 34.h5 and White does not reach a rook ending with 4 against 3 on the kingside and the position is drawn. 25...Bb6!? otherwise ...Bc7 rather worsened Black's position. 26.Qa6 26.Bxb6!? Qxb6 27.Qd5 Qe6! 27...Qc7 28.e5 c2 29.Rc1 Rxd7 30.Qa8+ Rd8 31.Rxc2 Rxa8 32.Rxc7 Ra3 33.Rc8+ Kh7 34.Rf8 28.Qxe6 fxe6 29.Kf1 c2 30.Rc1 Rxd7 31.Rxc2 Rd3 32.Rc7 Rxb3 with a draw. 26...c2! 26...Rxd7 27.Rxd7 Qxd7 28.Qxb6 Qd1+ 29.Kg2 Qxb3 30.Qd4± and Black cannot advance the passed pawns. White will try to expose the black king gradually and then play for mate. 27.Rf1! Rxd7 28.Qxb6 Qxb6 29.Bxb6 Rd3 30.Kg2! 30.Be3? shows how dangerous the pawns can be: Rxb3 31.Rc1 Rxe3 31...Rb1 32.Kf1 b3 33.Ke2 Ra1‼ 34.Rxa1 b2 35.Rc1 b1Q 36.Kd2 Qb4+ 37.Kd3 Qb3+ 38.Kd2 Qc4 39.Rxc2 Qxe4 Black can play for a win but White should probably hold. 32.Rxc2 Rxe4 30...Rxb3 31.Rc1 Rc3 32.Bd4 Rc4 33.Bb2 b3 34.Kf3 Ra4 35.Ke3 Ra2 36.Bd4 b2 37.Bxb2 Rxb2 38.Kd3 and White gets a 4-3 rook endgame - but after h5 the endgame is a draw. 25.Qd5 Qg4 25...c2 also suffices and is concrete and simpler. 26.Rc1 Qxd5 27.exd5 Rxd7 28.Rxc2 28.d6 g5 29.hxg5 hxg5 30.Bxg5 Rxd6 31.Rxc2 Rd3= 28...Rxd5 29.Rc4 Bc5 and White can still try to make some winning attempts. 26.Kg2 c2! 27.Rc1 Now Black has to play very precisely. Qe2? 27...Rxd7 28.Qc4 28.Qc6 Rd3! 29.Qxb6? Qf3+ 30.Kh2 Rd1-+ 28...g5! 29.Qc8+ Kg7 30.Be5+ f6 and Black holds. 28.Rf1 With this move White defends everything and threatens Qc6. Bc7 29.e5 Qg4 Black finally manages to eliminate the pawn on d7 but White in turn wins c2 and remains with an extra pawn and the initiative. 30.Rc1 Rxd7 31.Qa8+ Rd8 32.Qc6 g5 32...Bb8 33.Rxc2± 33.e6! Precise play. 33.Qxc7? allows the in-between move Rc8 33...gxf4 33...Bxf4 34.e7!+- 34.Qxc7 f3+ 35.Kh2 Rd2 36.Rxc2 Rxc2 37.exf7+ Kg7 38.Qxc2 1–0
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WhiteEloWBlackEloBResYearECOEventRnd
Ding,L2778So,W27751–02016E04Ding Liren vs Wesley So Match3

Now So had to win the fourth and last game to equalize the match and to force a tie-break. But with colors reversed this game followed the same pattern as the first two games: So got an advantage but Ding Liren defended stubbornly and finally managed to hold the draw and to win the match.

 
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1.e4 e5 2.Nf3 Nc6 3.Bb5 a6 4.Ba4 Nf6 5.0-0 Nxe4 6.d4 b5 7.Bb3 d5 8.dxe5 Be6 9.Nbd2 Nc5 10.c3 Be7 11.Bc2 d4 12.Nxd4 Nxd4 13.cxd4 Qxd4 14.Nf3 Qxd1 15.Rxd1 0-0 16.Be3 Rfd8 17.Rdc1 h6 18.Nd4 Bd5 19.f4 Ne6 20.Nxe6 fxe6 21.Bg6 Rac8 22.Bc5 Kf8 23.Kf2 Bb7 24.Bxe7+ Kxe7 25.Rc2 c5 26.Ke3 c4 27.a4 Bd5 28.axb5 axb5 29.g4 b4 30.Ra4 Rb8 31.Be4 b3 32.Rc3 Bxe4 33.Kxe4 Rb7 34.Ke3 Rd1 35.Rcxc4 Rb1 36.Ra6 Rxb2 37.Rcc6 Rb1 38.Rxe6+ Kf7 39.Reb6 Rxb6 40.Rxb6 b2 41.Kd3 Rf1 42.Rxb2 Rxf4 43.Rb7+ Ke6 44.Rxg7 Kxe5 45.Ke3 Ra4 46.Rg6 Ra3+ 47.Kf2 Kf4 48.Kg2 Rb3 49.h3 Rb2+ 50.Kf1 Rb1+ 51.Ke2 Rb2+ 52.Ke1 h5 53.gxh5 Rb5 54.Rg4+ Kf3 ½–½
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WhiteEloWBlackEloBResYearECOEventRnd
So,W2775Ding,L2778½–½2016C80Ding vs So Match 20164

 

Ding Liren receiving a trophy and a big check. However, the sum on the check
seems to be exaggerated. The winner of the match received "only" 20,000 US-Dollars.

Wesley So lost the match and had to content himself with 10,000 Dollars.

Organisers and players

In the Live-Rating list Ding Liren is now number seven in the world, ahead of Anish Giri and Sergey Karjakin.

Photos: Tournament page...

Qipai.org...

Johannes Fischer was born in 1963 in Hamburg and studied English and German literature in Frankfurt. He now lives as a writer and translator in Nürnberg. He is a FIDE-Master and regularly writes for KARL, a German chess magazine focusing on the links between culture and chess. On his own blog he regularly publishes notes on "Film, Literature and Chess".

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