Rapport undefeated with two wins
We last looked at Danzhou heading into the rest day. Richard Rapport had the momentum after beating Bassem Amin in the fourth round. From the looks of it, the "off" day was a fairly busy one as players were invited on a trip to the sights of Hainan Island.

More chess, even on the 'rest day'

A travelling chess tournament
When the tournament in resumed with round five, Rapport followed up with a win over Ernesto Inarkiev.
Inarkiev had defended a bad position for a long time, when the duo reached the time control.
1.e4 | 1,162,869 | 54% | 2421 | --- |
1.d4 | 944,726 | 55% | 2434 | --- |
1.Nf3 | 280,651 | 56% | 2441 | --- |
1.c4 | 181,586 | 56% | 2442 | --- |
1.g3 | 19,663 | 56% | 2427 | --- |
1.b3 | 14,175 | 54% | 2427 | --- |
1.f4 | 5,871 | 48% | 2376 | --- |
1.Nc3 | 3,767 | 51% | 2384 | --- |
1.b4 | 1,737 | 48% | 2378 | --- |
1.a3 | 1,193 | 54% | 2403 | --- |
1.e3 | 1,064 | 48% | 2408 | --- |
1.d3 | 945 | 50% | 2378 | --- |
1.g4 | 658 | 46% | 2359 | --- |
1.h4 | 444 | 53% | 2373 | --- |
1.c3 | 422 | 51% | 2422 | --- |
1.h3 | 278 | 56% | 2416 | --- |
1.a4 | 108 | 60% | 2468 | --- |
1.Nh3 | 88 | 66% | 2510 | --- |
1.f3 | 87 | 45% | 2429 | --- |
1.Na3 | 40 | 63% | 2477 | --- |
Please, wait...
43.Kd3 Qf3? 43...Re5 44.Rc3 Rd5+ 45.Kc2 Qe4+ 46.Kc1 Rxd7 47.Rxd7 Kg8 48.Rxa7 Bf6 44.Rdc1? 44.Kd2 44...Rd4+ 45.Qxd4 Bxd4 46.Kxd4 Rd8+ 47.Kc4 Rc8+ 48.Kd3 Rd8+ 49.Kc4 Rc8+ 50.Kd3! Rxc2 51.Rxc2 g5 52.Kd2 h4 53.Rc7+ Kg6 54.Rc8 h3 55.Bd4 55...Qe4 0–1 - Start an analysis engine:
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Inarkiev,E | 2693 | Rapport,R | 2735 | 0–1 | 2019 | E12 | 10th Hainan Danzhou GM 2019 | 5.3 |
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Results of Round 5
| Name | Rtg. | Nt. | Pts. | | Pts. | | Name | Rtg | Nt. |
---|
| | 2738 | | 2½ | ½-½ | 2 | | | 2761 | |
| | 2693 | | 2 | 0-1 | 2½ | | | 2735 | |
| | 2707 | | 1½ | ½-½ | 2½ | | | 2741 | |
| | 2707 | | ½ | ½-½ | 2½ | | | 2737 | |
All in all, there were more "controlled" draws in the sixth round. One exception was the duel between the Chinese Yu Yangyi and his Egyptian opponent Bassem Amin. The two grandmasters delivered an exciting exchange of blows. Amin had the better game, but its hard to judge whether he missed any clear winning chances:
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1.c4 Nf6 2.Nc3 g6 3.d4 Bg7 4.e4 d6 5.Bd3 0-0 6.Nge2 Nc6 7.0-0 e5 8.d5 Nd4 9.Nxd4 exd4 10.Ne2 Re8 11.f3 c5 12.Bg5 a6 13.Qd2 Qc7 14.b3 14.Bxf6 14...Nd7 15.f4 Nf6 16.Bxf6 16.Rae1 Nxe4 17.Ng3 f5 18.Nxe4 fxe4 19.Bxe4 16...Bxf6 17.Kh1 17.b4 17...b5 18.Ng1 bxc4 19.bxc4 Rb8 20.Rae1 Bh4 21.Re2 Bg4 22.Nf3 Bf6 23.h3 Bxf3 24.Rxf3 Rb7 25.Qe1 Bg7 25...Reb8 26.e5 26.g4 Qb8 27.g5 Rb2 28.Rff2 Rb4 29.h4 Qc8 30.f5 Be5 31.Rf3 Qb7 32.Kg2 Rb2 33.Rff2 Qb4 34.Qxb4 Rxb4 35.Kh3 35.Rb2! Reb8 36.Rxb4 Rxb4 35...Reb8 36.Kg4 Ra4 36...a5 37.h5 37.Rb2! 37...Ra3 38.Rf3 Rc3 38...gxh5+ 39.Kxh5 f6 39.hxg6 hxg6 40.Ref2 Rc1 41.Rf1 Rxf1 42.Bxf1 42.Rxf1 Rb2 43.Rb1 42...Rb1 43.a3 Re1 44.fxg6 fxg6 45.Bd3 45...Kg7 45...Rg1+! 46.Kh4 Kg7 47.Rf1? Rg3 48.Rd1 Bf4 46.Rf1! Rxf1 47.Bxf1 Kf7 48.Kf3 Ke7 49.Bh3 Bh2 50.Bc8 a5 51.a4 Bg1 52.Bh3 Be3 53.Kg4 Bd2 54.Bf1 Be3 55.Bd3 Kf7 56.Bc2 Bg1 57.Bd3 Bh2 58.Bc2 Be5 59.Bd3 Kg7 60.Bc2 Kf7 61.Bd3 Kg7 62.Bc2 Kf7 63.Bd3 ½–½ - Start an analysis engine:
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Yu,Y | 2738 | Amin,B | 2707 | ½–½ | 2019 | E70 | 10th Hainan Danzhou GM 2019 | 6.4 |
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King's Indian: A modern approach
Bologan: "If you study this DVD carefully and solve the interactive exercises you will also enrich your chess vocabulary, your King's Indian vocabulary, build up confidence in the King's Indian and your chess and win more games."
Results of Round 6
| Name | Rtg. | Nt. | Pts. | | Pts. | | Name | Rtg | Nt. |
---|
| | 2761 | | 2½ | ½-½ | 3 | | | 2741 | |
| | 2735 | | 3½ | ½-½ | 2 | | | 2707 | |
| | 2737 | | 3 | ½-½ | 2 | | | 2693 | |
| | 2738 | | 3 | ½-½ | 1 | | | 2707 | |
With a half point lead, Rapport was in the driver's seat, but he had his work cut out for him defending in the Berlin against Wei Yi:
Replay and check the LiveBook here |
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1.e4 e5 2.Nf3 Nc6 3.Bb5 Nf6 4.0-0 Nxe4 5.d4 Be7 6.Qe2 Nd6 7.Bxc6 bxc6 8.dxe5 Nb7 9.Nc3 0-0 10.Nd4 Bc5 11.Rd1 Re8 12.Qh5 Qe7 12...Bxd4 13.Rxd4 d5 14.Bd2 Qd7 15.Rf4 Qe6 16.Re1 Qg6 17.Qxg6 13.Bf4 Bxd4 14.Rxd4 d5 15.Re1 Nc5 16.Bd2N 16.Bg5 Qe6 17.b4 Nd7 18.Bd2 Nb6 19.f4 Nc4 16...Qe6 17.b4 17.Na4!? Ne4 18.c4= 17...Nd7! 18.b5 c5 19.Nxd5 19.Rxd5? Nf6-+ 19...cxd4 20.Nxc7 20...Qe7! 21.e6! Nf6! 21...g6? 22.exf7+ Qxf7 23.Rxe8+ Qxe8 24.Qd5+ Qf7 25.Qxa8+- 22.exf7+ Qxf7 23.Qxf7+ Kxf7 24.Nxa8 Nd5! 25.Rxe8 Kxe8 26.Ba5 Kd7! 27.b6! Kc6 28.Nc7 28.bxa7 Bb7 28...Nxb6 29.Bxb6 axb6 29...Kxb6 30.Ne8 Kc5 30.Ne8= g5 31.Kf1 Bf5 32.Ng7 Bxc2 33.Ne6! Bd3+ 34.Ke1 h6 35.Kd2 Bb1 36.Nxd4+ Kc5! 37.Kc3 Bxa2 38.Nf5 h5 39.Ng3 Bd5 40.Nxh5 Bxg2 41.Nf6 Kd6 42.Nh7 g4 43.Nf6 Bf3 44.Kb4 Ke6 45.Nxg4 Bxg4 46.f3! Kf5 46...Bh5!? 47.Kb5 Bxf3= 46...Bxf3 47.Kb5 47.fxg4+ Kxg4 48.Kb5 Kh3 49.Kxb6 Kxh2 ½–½ - Start an analysis engine:
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Wei,Y | 2741 | Rapport,R | 2735 | ½–½ | 2019 | | 10th Hainan Danzhou GM 2019 | 7.4 |
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Wang Hao could have caught up with Rapport by defeating his Indian opponent Vidit, but in his zeal, he ultimately allowed Vidit to score his second win and end an otherwise disappointing tournament on a high note.
Pawn moves can open up holes in one's position, which the opponent can then occupy with his pieces, as Wang re-learned first hand.
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1.d4 Nf6 2.c4 e6 3.g3 d5 4.Bg2 Be7 5.Nf3 0-0 6.0-0 dxc4 7.Qc2 a6 8.Qxc4 b5 9.Qc2 Bb7 10.Bd2 Be4 11.Qc1 c6 12.a4 Nbd7 13.Nc3 Bg6 14.Nh4 Bh5 15.h3 Nd5 16.axb5 axb5 17.Nxd5 cxd5 18.Bf3 Bxf3 19.Nxf3 Qb6 20.Qc2 Rac8 21.Qd3 Ra8 22.Rxa8 Rxa8 23.Rc1 h6 24.Bf4 24...g5 24...Nf6 25.Ne5 Nxe5 25...Nf6 26.Bxe5 b4? 27.Qf3! Qd8 28.Qh5 Bf8 29.Rc7 Qe8 30.h4?! 30.Kg2 f5 31.Qf3 30...f5 31.Qf3 g4? 31...gxh4! 32.gxh4 Qg6+= 32.Qe3 Rc8 33.Ra7 Qc6 34.Bf4! Qb6 35.Qe5! h5 35...Qxa7 36.Qxe6+ Qf7 37.Qxc8 36.Qf6 Rc1+ 37.Bxc1 Qxa7 38.Qxe6+ Qf7 39.Qc8 Kh7 40.Bf4 Kg6 41.Be5 Be7 42.Qc6+ Kh7 43.e3 Bf8 44.Bd6 Bxd6 45.Qxd6 b3 46.Qb6 1–0 - Start an analysis engine:
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Vidit,S | 2707 | Wang,H | 2737 | 1–0 | 2019 | E05 | 10th Hainan Danzhou GM 2019 | 7.3 |
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The Catalan: A complete repertoire for White!

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!

Wang Hao (right) self-destructed in his loss to Vidit
Results of Round 7
| Name | Rtg. | Nt. | Pts. | | Pts. | | Name | Rtg | Nt. |
---|
| | 2741 | | 3½ | ½-½ | 4 | | | 2735 | |
| | 2693 | | 2½ | ½-½ | 3½ | | | 2738 | |
| | 2707 | | 2½ | 1-0 | 3½ | | | 2737 | |
| | 2707 | | 1½ | ½-½ | 3 | | | 2761 | |
Final standings
Rk. | | Name | Rtg. | Nt. | Pts. | n | | | | | | | | | TB | Perf. |
---|
1 | | | 2735 | | 4.5 | 7 | | | | | | | | | 14.25 | 2828 |
2 | | | 2738 | | 4.0 | 7 | | | | | | | | | 13.75 | 2776 |
3 | | | 2741 | | 4.0 | 7 | | | | | | | | | 13.00 | 2775 |
4 | | | 2761 | | 3.5 | 7 | | | | | | | | | 12.25 | 2723 |
5 | | | 2737 | | 3.5 | 7 | | | | | | | | | 12.25 | 2726 |
6 | | | 2707 | | 3.5 | 7 | | | | | | | | | 11.75 | 2730 |
7 | | | 2693 | | 3.0 | 7 | | | | | | | | | 9.50 | 2682 |
8 | | | 2707 | | 2.0 | 7 | | | | | | | | | 7.25 | 2572 |
TBs: Sonneborn-Berger |
All games
Replay and check the LiveBook here |
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1.Nf3 Nf6 2.c4 c6 3.d4 d5 4.Qb3 e6 5.Bg5 Nbd7 6.Nc3 Qa5 7.Bd2 7.cxd5 exd5 8.e3 Ne4 9.Bd3 Nxg5 10.Nxg5 Be7 11.Nf3 0-0 12.0-0 Qd8 13.Qc2 g6 14.a3 a5 15.Rab1 Bd6 16.b4 axb4 17.axb4 7...Qb6 8.Qc2 Be7 9.e3 0-0 10.Rc1 Qd8 11.Be2N 11.Bd3 dxc4 12.Bxc4 h6 13.0-0 Bd6 14.Ne4 Nxe4 15.Qxe4 Qe7 11...b6 12.0-0 Bb7 13.cxd5 cxd5 14.Bd3 Rc8 15.Qb1 a6 16.a4 Bd6 17.Ne2 Ne4 18.Rxc8 Qxc8 19.Rc1 Qb8 20.Be1 h6 21.h3 Rc8 22.b4 Be7 23.b5 a5 24.Rc2 Bd6 25.Rxc8+ Qxc8 26.Nd2 Nxd2 26...Nef6 27.Qc2 Qf8 28.f4 Qb8 29.g4 Bb4 27.Bxd2 Kf8 28.Bc3 Qc7 29.Qa1 Nf6 30.Bb2 Bb4 31.Bc3 Be7 32.Bb2 Bb4 33.Bc3 Be7 34.Bb2 Bb4 35.Bc3 ½–½ - Start an analysis engine:
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Rapport,R | 2735 | Artemiev,V | 2761 | ½–½ | 2019 | D43 | 10th Hainan Danzhou GM 2019 | 1.1 |
Wang,H | 2737 | Wei,Y | 2741 | ½–½ | 2019 | E32 | 10th Hainan Danzhou GM 2019 | 1.2 |
Yu,Y | 2738 | Vidit,S | 2707 | 1–0 | 2019 | C50 | 10th Hainan Danzhou GM 2019 | 1.3 |
Amin,B | 2707 | Inarkiev,E | 2693 | 0–1 | 2019 | A08 | 10th Hainan Danzhou GM 2019 | 1.4 |
Artemiev,V | 2761 | Inarkiev,E | 2693 | ½–½ | 2019 | A13 | 10th Hainan Danzhou GM 2019 | 2.1 |
Vidit,S | 2707 | Amin,B | 2707 | ½–½ | 2019 | E84 | 10th Hainan Danzhou GM 2019 | 2.2 |
Wei,Y | 2741 | Yu,Y | 2738 | ½–½ | 2019 | C42 | 10th Hainan Danzhou GM 2019 | 2.3 |
Rapport,R | 2735 | Wang,H | 2737 | ½–½ | 2019 | E05 | 10th Hainan Danzhou GM 2019 | 2.4 |
Wang,H | 2737 | Artemiev,V | 2761 | 1–0 | 2019 | D12 | 10th Hainan Danzhou GM 2019 | 3.1 |
Yu,Y | 2738 | Rapport,R | 2735 | ½–½ | 2019 | E39 | 10th Hainan Danzhou GM 2019 | 3.2 |
Amin,B | 2707 | Wei,Y | 2741 | 0–1 | 2019 | D78 | 10th Hainan Danzhou GM 2019 | 3.3 |
Inarkiev,E | 2693 | Vidit,S | 2707 | 0–1 | 2019 | B90 | 10th Hainan Danzhou GM 2019 | 3.4 |
Artemiev,V | 2761 | Vidit,S | 2707 | 1–0 | 2019 | A37 | 10th Hainan Danzhou GM 2019 | 4.1 |
Wei,Y | 2741 | Inarkiev,E | 2693 | ½–½ | 2019 | E20 | 10th Hainan Danzhou GM 2019 | 4.2 |
Rapport,R | 2735 | Amin,B | 2707 | 1–0 | 2019 | D78 | 10th Hainan Danzhou GM 2019 | 4.3 |
Wang,H | 2737 | Yu,Y | 2738 | ½–½ | 2019 | E04 | 10th Hainan Danzhou GM 2019 | 4.4 |
Yu,Y | 2738 | Artemiev,V | 2761 | ½–½ | 2019 | D15 | 10th Hainan Danzhou GM 2019 | 5.1 |
Amin,B | 2707 | Wang,H | 2737 | ½–½ | 2019 | B31 | 10th Hainan Danzhou GM 2019 | 5.2 |
Inarkiev,E | 2693 | Rapport,R | 2735 | 0–1 | 2019 | E12 | 10th Hainan Danzhou GM 2019 | 5.3 |
Vidit,S | 2707 | Wei,Y | 2741 | ½–½ | 2019 | D34 | 10th Hainan Danzhou GM 2019 | 5.4 |
Artemiev,V | 2761 | Wei,Y | 2741 | ½–½ | 2019 | A05 | 10th Hainan Danzhou GM 2019 | 6.1 |
Rapport,R | 2735 | Vidit,S | 2707 | ½–½ | 2019 | A08 | 10th Hainan Danzhou GM 2019 | 6.2 |
Wang,H | 2737 | Inarkiev,E | 2693 | ½–½ | 2019 | C54 | 10th Hainan Danzhou GM 2019 | 6.3 |
Yu,Y | 2738 | Amin,B | 2707 | ½–½ | 2019 | E70 | 10th Hainan Danzhou GM 2019 | 6.4 |
Amin,B | 2707 | Artemiev,V | 2761 | ½–½ | 2019 | B51 | 10th Hainan Danzhou GM 2019 | 7.1 |
Inarkiev,E | 2693 | Yu,Y | 2738 | ½–½ | 2019 | A27 | 10th Hainan Danzhou GM 2019 | 7.2 |
Vidit,S | 2707 | Wang,H | 2737 | 1–0 | 2019 | E05 | 10th Hainan Danzhou GM 2019 | 7.3 |
Wei,Y | 2741 | Rapport,R | 2735 | ½–½ | 2019 | C67 | 10th Hainan Danzhou GM 2019 | 7.4 |
Please, wait...
Andre Schulz contributed reporting
Translation from German: Macauley Peterson
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