9/21/2017 – In the semifinals of the World Cup 2017 we are witnessing two extremely different kind of matches. While Wesley So and Ding Liren fought until their very last drop of blood was left, Levon Aronian and MVL have hardly sat beyond an hour in their two games combined. In the end the result of both the matches was same: two draws and the action shifts to the tiebreaks. Today, however, Ding Liren missed a clear opportunity to win the game and the match and advance to the finals. We bring you detailed coverage.
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After game one of the semifinals ended Ding Liren was a happy man. He had dodged a bullet and had somehow survived against his adversary Wesley So. Apart from having black in the next game (game two), Wesley also had to face the unpleasant feeling of going back to the room and switching on the engine (yes, he did that), and finding out that he had an advantage worth nearly four pawns. Yes, it was heartbreaking for Wesley, but he calmed himself down and got ready for a fresh new day.
On September 20th, Ding was the first to arrive to the hall with his coach Xu Jun.
Ding Liren and his coach Xu Jun come out of the elevator on the second floor where the tournament is being held in Hotel Hualing | Photo: Amruta Mokal
With the white pieces Ding has been a very dangerous opponent. He beat Wang Hao and Richard Rapport without giving them any real chance. Naturally Wesley decided to stay as solid as possible and went for the QGD against Ding's Catalan. But the Chinese player had a surprise cooked up there too:
Ding Liren played the move 6.b3!? to avoid the theoretical lines of Open catalan after 6.0-0 dxc4
Wesley tries to remember his analysis against Ding Liren's relatively rare 6.b3!? | Photo: Amruta Mokal
Wesley took his time to find the best setup for Black. Of course 6.b3 was not the most ambitious move, but Ding had more surprises in store for his opponent.
Nf3-e1! What an interesting novelty by Ding Liren. Out of 142 games that had reached the previous position, none of the white players had gone for 10.Ne1.
The idea of the move Ne1 is to put more pressure on the d5 point and at the same time reroute the knight to better squares. The best ones would be from e1 to c2 and then the knight could jump to e3 or d4. Here's a video where I try to explain the virtues of the move 10.Ne1.
I am not sure if 10.Ne1 is an earth shattering new move, but it surely caught Wesley So off guard
Note: After the move 10...Rc8 11. cxd5 Nxd5 12.Nxd5 Bxd5 13.Bxd5 exd5 I suggest that White can go Ng2. However, this is not a great move because Black can play 14...c4! with an excellent position. Hence the better continuation would be 14.dxc5 followed Ng2.
Within just few moves after the opening, Wesley So landed in a very dangerous position.
By 20th move Black was in a position where he had absolutely no counterplay
Usually when you reach a symmetrical position, the thing that is the most important is the activity of your pieces. In this position, White is extremely active and it is very difficult to neutralize his initiative. After carefully building up his position Ding found himself in a position where he had the chance of his life. If he found it, he would have reached the Candidates, if not he would have to play the tiebreaks!
Wesley was very proud of his last move 36...Nb6. He felt that it solved all of his problems. But....
White has the very powerful move 37.Rh8! as was pointed out by the FIDE press officer Anastasiya Karlovich. Black would have to reply with 37....Rc7 and after 38.Rdd8 Rxc5, White has the ultra strong 39.e5! shutting down the doors for black's king. It is only through some miraculous moves that Black is able to avoid getting mated. If you follow the line in the analysis, White reaches the following position:
Ding Liren doesn't need to calculate if this is winning for White or not. His intuition can clearly tell him that he is close to winning here than he was ever in the game.
This video explains to you in detail the excellent opportunity that Ding Liren missed
After Ding missed this opportunity, So was like a machine, making one good move after another, and without any difficulties salvaged the half point.
Liren against Wesley's chair! | Photo: Amruta Mokal
Wesley So speaks to ChessBase after his game and tells us about Ding's opening idea, where he himself went wrong and what his opponent could have done better
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1.d40Nf652.c40e603.g30d5184.Bg20Be7315.Nf300-0176.b30 This has been tried most recently by Markus Ragger. One of the players
who has played it a lot is the Chinese player Ju Wenjun. Perhaps Ding picked
up this idea from her. Of course, he avoids Wesley's preparation in Open
Catalan after 0-0 dxc4.b66:407.0-04:50Bb7278.Nc31:158.Bb2Nbd78...dxc49.bxc4c510.e3Qc711.Qe2Nc612.Nbd2Rfd8=1/2 (30)-1/2 (30) Ju,W (2535)-Tan,Z
(2483) China 20139.e3Ne410.Qe2Rc811.Rd1Bf612.Ne51-0 (55) Ju,
W (2505) -Kantorik,M (2331) Caleta 20138...Nbd714:079.Bb214c51:1110.Ne1!N1:03 Usually a
backward move like this should not be any good, but this idea by Ding Liren
turns out to be really interesting. Wesley liked this idea so much that he
urged White players to try it out in their games.10.cxd5has been the
main continuation with 142 games in the live bookNxd511.Nxd5Bxd5Black
should be happy with his position.10...cxd411:2210...Ne4!?should be Black's best option perhaps.11.cxd511.Nxe4dxe412.Qc2f513.Rd1cxd414.Bxd4Qc7would be an interesting position to play11...exd512.Nc2=/+=10...Rc811.cxd511.Rc1is also possible.11.Nc2
also looks good for White.11...Nxd512.Nxd5Bxd513.Bxd5exd514.dxc514.Ng2c4!14...Nxc515.Ng2∞11.Qxd413Bc5?!411...Nc5could have been better12.cxd5exd513.Rd1Ne614.Qe5Qc815.Qf515.Nxd5??Nxd516.Bxd5Bxd517.Rxd517.Qxd5Rd8
and the rook is lost by x-ray.17...Bf6and Black wins a piece.15...g616.Qb1Rd817.Nf3an unclear position where White can play against the IQP
but Black too will find his own means of piece activity.12.Qf40Bb43:27 This move doesn't make much sense. White just plays
Nd3 with a tempo and secures the bishop pair.12...Qe7maybe a better
option, but White keeps his edge.13.Nd310:58Bxc3014.Bxc3±2Qc824 Wesley thought this was
the move that landed him in trouble, but I think he is already quite worse.14...dxc415.Bxb7Rb816.Bb4!Suggested by Wesley after the game.Re817.Ba6cxd318.Bd6Ra819.Bb714...Qb815.Qxb8Rfxb816.cxd5Nxd517.Rac115.Rfc17:13dxc41:1916.Bxf61:21Nxf6517.Rxc43Qb8018.Qxb84:27Rfxb89:2018...Raxb819.Rc7
and the a7 pawn hangs after Bxg2. Hence Wesley took on b8 with the f-rook.19.Ne53:23Bxg24:1920.Kxg24Ne8!1:05 Yes this is passive, but it is very important to stop the rook
from entering c7.21.Nc617:21 White has many ways to strengthen
his position. This looks not at all bad.21.Rd1Rd822.Rcc1Kf823.Nc6Rxd124.Rxd1Nf6Black should be able to hold with not too much difficulty.21.b4is possible.so is21.a421...Rb7422.Rd110Kf84:2923.e41:08I also liked
the idea of fixing he knight on c6 with b4-b5.23.b4a624.a4b525.axb525.Rc5bxa426.Ra1Rb527.Rxa4Rxc528.bxc525...axb526.Rc523...Nf64:51 Wesley said that he played this move because he
wanted to meet e5 with Nd5.24.f45:33b58:0624...Ng4!This active knight move would have been the most accurate way to
maintain equality when the rooks are currently a bit tied down25.Rd325.Re1Rc7would lead to similar variations25...Rc7is preferable than Rc825...Rc826.Ne5Rxc426...Nxe5Black cannot take because of intermediate
check27.Rxc8+27.Nxc4Ke726.h326.Ne5?!Nxe527.fxe5Rxc428.bxc4Rc826...b5!27.Rc127.Rc5Nf6provoking28.e5Nd5with
the idea of winning a piece by Rac829.Nb829.Rd2??Rac830.Rdc2Ne3+-+29...Rxc530.Nd7+Ke731.Nxc5Rc8=32.Ne4Rc2+33.Rd2Rxd2+34.Nxd2=with a completely equal knight endgame27...Rac828.Rdc328.Nxa7Rxc129.Nxc8Rc2+!29...Rxc830.hxg4Rc2+31.Kf3with the
difference of white king being on an active square than on back rankRxa232.Rd8+Ke733.Rb8Rc234.Rb7+Ke835.Rxb530.Kf130.Kf3Nh2+31.Ke3Rxc830...Nh2+31.Kg1Rxc832.Kxh2Rc2+33.Kg1Rxa2=28...Ne3+29.Rxe329.Kf3Nc4!=29...Rxc6=25.Rcd434g61626.Ne57:02h6?!2:13 A pretty bad
move by Wesley.26...Rc727.Kf3Rac828.g4Ke829.g5Nh527.Rc11:53Ke84:0728.Kf32:13Nd7029.Nd33729.Nxd7Rxd730.Ke3would have been the
most simple way to put pressure on Black's position.29...a52:4130.Rc63:5630.f5!?exf531.exf5Kf831...gxf532.Rd6±32.Rd630...Ke72:4131.a34031.f5!Kf631...Rd832.fxg6Ne5+32...fxg633.Ke3±33.Nxe5Rxd434.Ra6+-32.fxe6fxe633.Rd5!?±33.Ke3±31...Raa71632.Ke31:28Nb81:5933.Rc822Nd7234.Rc61:51Nb84035.Rc80Nd7136.Nc51:20 Of course Ding Liren
plays on in this position.Nb6?31 It is very difficult to
understand why this move is weak and there is only one way that White can take
advantage of it. Ding Liren was not able to find it during the game.36...Nxc537.Rxc5White has a small edge here as well, but this should
be within the realms of a draw.37.Rc6?!4:1937.Rh8‼
This is the move that gives White a very big advantage, perhaps not winning,
but definitely big enough to cause Black enough headaches.Rc7The rook is
attack so this is forced.38.Rdd8!The two rooks have made their way to
the back rank and are planning to weave a mating net.Rxc538...Ra8?!39.Rxa8Nxa840.Rxa8Rxc541.Kd4±39.e5!Now the door is shut on the
black king. Rhe8 mate is a very big threat.f5Absolutely the only move to
stay in the game.40.Rb8!Attacking the knight and also creating the
deadly threat of Rh7#. Fortunately Black hasRc840...Rc3+41.Kd441.Kd241...Rc842.Rbxc8Nxc843.Rxc8Rd7+44.Kc5Rd5+45.Kb6Rd346.b4+-41.Rbxc8Nxc842.Rxc8This position should be enough for Ding Liren to decide
that he should go for this line. But let's try to dig deeper.a4!Black
tries to do something active.43.b4Rd744.Rh8!This move forces h5 and
reduces Black's options in this position.h545.Rb8Rd546.h4!This
fixes the pawns on the kingside and Black slowly runs out of moves.46.Rb6
It keeps an eye on e6 and b5 pawns, but at the same time has some nasty
threats like Kf7 Rd6! Black must be very careful.g5!?46...Kd747.Rb7+Kc848.Rg7Rd149.Rxg6Ra150.Rxe6Rxa3+51.Kd4±47.Rb7+Kf848.fxg5Rxe5+49.Kf3±46.Ke2h4!46...Kf746...Rd147.Rxb5Ra148.Kd4Rxa349.Rb7+Kd850.Kc5±It seems like White should win this.47.Rb7+Kf848.Ke2±is a zugzwang.Ke849.Rg7Rd850.Rxg6White should
win this.37...Rc7!1 After this Wesley doesn't give his
opponent any chances and achieves the draw.38.Rxb66Rxc5139.e541g5!4:1340.Rd30gxf4+2:1941.gxf42:41Rc2042.h32:12Ra27:1143.b442axb42:3844.axb42Rh2445.Ke42:03Rc73446.Rxb51:16Rc4+047.Rd4747.Ke3Rxh3+47...Rc7447...Rc348.Rb7+Kf8=48.Rc55:36Rxc52349.bxc51Rc2450.f534exf5+2051.Kxf53:1751.Kd5Kd7=51...Rxc5352.Rd614Rc11453.Rxh611Rf1+554.Ke45f6055.exf6+22Rxf6456.Rxf62Kxf6457.h41Kg6158.h5+2Kxh52 A great fight and excellent play by Ding
Liren. Unfortunate that he couldn't convert this position. Wesley So defended
very well after Ding missed his opportunity.½–½
The Catalan is one of the most solid openings for White. It forms part of the large and strong fianchetto family in which White builds his strategy mainly around the bishop on g2. Grandmaster Victor Bologan covers all of Black’s replies to the Catalan, some of which can even transpose to other openings such as the Tarrasch System and the Queen’s Indian. Suffice it to say that the Catalan rules!
Maxime Vachier-Lagrave vs Levon Aronian
The game between MVL and Levon Aronian was one that ended in just 15 minutes. But I wouldn't call it one of those boring dull draws. Aronian showed a relatively new and rarely played idea, and equalized without any difficulties.
Aronian's final move of the game 18...Qf6. Look at the time on his clock! He has gained eight minutes!
Both the players were in a hurry to make their moves and finish the game! | Photo: Amruta Mokal
The move Bg4 came as a complete surprise for MVL. Yes, in the past Aronian has reached this position seven times and has almost exclusively played 9...Na5
"My friend recommended this move 9...Bg4," says Aronian. "I was not too sure about it, but I think it is a very good move and decided to try it out." All of Black's moves were logical and strong. In the final position there is nothing much that MVL can do, so he offered a draw. What I find interesting is the clear logical play by Levon. All his moves were easy to understand and it's not so straightforward to find what is the improvement that White should opt for if he wants to play the 6.d3 line again.
There is always something to learn from super grandmaster battles!
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A boring 19 move grandmaster draw? Well, MVL is an ambitious player, so if he
agrees to a draw so soon, there has to be something very nice about Aronian's
preparation.1.e40e562.Nf30Nc663.Bb50a664.Ba40Nf675.0-00Be706.d322 Once the e4 pawn is defended, Black has to be
careful about his e5 pawn. The threat now is Bxc6 and Nxe5.b567.Bb38d65 Once the e5 pawn is defended,
White has to be careful about Na5, winning his important Ruy Lopez bishop.
It's small points like these that help you to remember complex long lines in
the opening.8.a3130-079.Nc30Bg4!?5 This came as a big surprise to MVL. The main
reason being Levon has reached this position seven times and six times he has
played ...Na5. On the one occasion where he didn't play Na5, he had gone for ..
.Be6. So Bg4 came as a surprise. I like this move because it is very direct
and has a clear threat - ...Nd4!?9...Na510.Ba2Be6is one of the main
lines.9...Be6!?is also possible.10.Be339Nd4411.Bxd45exd4412.Nd56Nxd5512...Nd7has been played in 50 games.13.h3Bxf314.Qxf3c615.Nxe7+15.Nf4is also possible.15...Qxe716.Qg3With f4 coming up, White can hope for a slight initiative here.12...c513.h3Be614.Nf4Bxb315.cxb3with an interesting and complex
position.13.Bxd51:0213.exd5?!Bf613...Rc80 The importance of this move will become clear very soon.13...Rb8
was also possible but White is better in that case after14.a4!?14.h3914.Bb7?!Rb815.Bxa6??And the pawn on a6 is taboo.Rb6-+14.Bc6was played by Kashlinskaya and perhaps this is where White's
hope for an opening advantage lie.Bf615.a4Rb816.axb5axb517.Ra7Rb618.Bd5c619.Bb3Qb8=Although Kaslinskaya won this game, I do not see
how and why Black should be better here.1-0 (36) Kashlinskaya,A (2433)-Guseva,
M (2352) Bilbao 201414...Bd7!5 Keeping the bishop and
controlling the important c6 square.14...Bxf315.Qxf3In this
opposite coloured bishop endgame, White would be happy to press for many moves,
thanks to his superior bishop.15.Nxd49:57c6!0 Now you can see the usefulness of having the rook on c8.16.Bb30Bf66 The bishop attacks the knight and it cannot move
as the b2 pawn hangs.17.c36Bxd4418.cxd46Qf64 There is no way d4 pawn can be defended.19.Qd23:35 Maxime made this move and offered a draw, which was
accepted by Levon. I think this was a very successful opening innovation by
Aronian and the ball is in White's court. How can he find an idea that will
keep the play interesting against the Armenian's simple and straight forward
plan.19.d5Qxb2White risks being worse here.19.Qd2Qxd4=½–½
After the game ended, both the players were in a jovial and relaxed mood | Photo: Amruta Mokal
Levon Aronian talks about his opening innovation and also what went wrong in yesterday's game
Q: How much is the pressure, now that you are just one step away from the Candidates qualification? MVL: We live for such opportunities. There is extra pressure, but at the same time it is very exciting.
Will Aronian's idea kill the 6.d3 Ruy Lopez for White? | Photo: Amruta Mokal
A lot of experienced chess players enjoying Ding Liren's rook ending versus Wesley So in the press room
Wesley's biggest support — Lotis Key, who is always within So's sight when he is playing the game. | Photo: Amruta Mokal
Lotis loves to read and had bought her new Kindle to Tbilisi with all her favourite books loaded in it. However, the anti-cheating rules do not permit any electronic devices into the tournament hall and hence she has had to pass her time with the crossword puzzles! Her patience and composure is surely something to learn from.
The Rubinstein/Keres/Korchnoi of women's chess visited the playing hall today. Do you recognize her? | Photo: Amruta Mokal
Tiebreaks:
Although the course of the two matches have been completely different, they have both come to the tiebreak stage. Levon Aronian has beaten players like Hou Yifan and Maxim Matlakov in the tiebreaks, while MVL has got the better of Alexander Grischuk and Peter Svilder. Maxime's scorecard definitely looks more impressive. It wouldn't be wrong to say he is the mild favourite going into the faster time controls. As for Ding Liren and Wesley So, they both haven't been tested enough in the tiebreaks. Ding Liren has never had to play the 10' + 10" rapids, while Wesley So had to do it only once against Bluebaum. The defensive resources and tenacity that both So and Ding have shown against each other makes me feel that this match will go all the way down to the wire. There is really nothing much to choose between them.
Will it be Levon Aronian versus Ding Liren or... | Photo: Amruta Mokal
...MVL against Wesley So? | Photo: Amruta Mokal
Or MVL against Ding or So versus Aronian! All will be revealed on the 21st of September. Stay tuned!
Additional videos
Initial moments of game two of the Semi-finals
GM Genna Sosonko speaks about MVL-Aronian and Ding-So
The second floor of the Hualing Hotel is where all the action is taking place. We take you on a short tour.
Sagar ShahSagar 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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