Kramnik Challenge: Liang sole leader

by Carlos Alberto Colodro
8/15/2021 – 18-year-old American grandmaster Awonder Liang collected 3½ points in Saturday’s four rounds to climb to sole first place at the Kramnik Challenge for young stars. Former co-leader Nodirbek Abdusattorov stumbled against Zhu Jhiner and now stands a full point behind, while Vincent Keymer kept up the pace and also scored 3½ points on the third day action — the German grandmaster is in clear second place with three rounds to go. | Photo: Crystal Fuller / Saint Louis Chess Club

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Keymer keeps up the pace

One of the perks of following junior tournaments is the high degree of unpredictability. Any of the young talents might suddenly show a spark of brilliance and take down one of the leaders — and this happens more frequently than in the more stable elite events. Only one player had gone through the first two days of action unbeaten, and he was defeated in the very first round of day 3 by a player who at the time stood in shared 10th place.

 
Zhu vs. Abdussatorov - Round 9

Abdusattorov was sharing the lead after eight rounds and had the black pieces against Zhu Jiner in his first game on Saturday. In the diagrammed position, Black’s pieces look rather cramped, but he does not have any weaknesses — engines actually give him a slight edge.

The way to keep that small advantage was by giving up a piece for two pawns, though, which is never an easy decision to make so early in the game. Thus, instead of going for 15...Nxe4 16.Qxe4 Qxb2, creating an imbalanced position, Abdusattorov played 15...Bc6, keeping the balance.

There followed 16.e5 dxe5 17.dxe5 Ng4 18.Nc4 Qa6 19.b3, and suddenly it is White who looks to be in the driver’s seat.

 

At this point, Black erred again, by lashing out with 19...b5. Zhu quickly found 20.Nd6 and got a clear positional advantage. The 18-year-old Chinese WIM never let go of her advantage and scored her third victory of the event against a player rated almost 200 points higher than her. 

 
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1.e4 c5 2.Nf3 e6 3.d3 Nc6 4.g3 Nf6 5.Bg2 d6 6.0-0 Be7 7.Qe2 0-0 8.c3 B40: Sicilian: 2...e6, Unusual lines. Bd7 9.Rd1 Qc7
10.Na3N White is slightly better. Predecessor: 10.Be3 b5 11.Nbd2 h6 12.Rac1 Ng4 13.d4 Nxe3 14.Qxe3 cxd4 15.cxd4 Qb6 16.Qd3 Rac8 17.a3 Rfd8 18.Bf1 a6 19.b4 Na7 20.Nb3 Qb8 21.d5 1/2-1/2 (21) Noll,H (1960)-Schenderowitsch,M (1846) Koblenz 1996 10...Rac8 11.Bf4 Ne5 12.d4 12.Bxe5!? dxe5 13.Nc4 12...Ng6 13.Bd2 cxd4 14.cxd4 Qb6 15.Be1 Bc6 16.e5 dxe5 17.dxe5 And now Nc4 would win. Ng4 18.Nc4 Qa6 19.b3 b5 19...Rc7= remains equal. 20.Nd6 White leaves nothing to chance now. Rcd8
20...Bxd6 21.exd6 Rfd8 21.a4!± Bxd6 22.exd6 Qb7 22...Qb6± is a better defense. 23.axb5+- Bxb5 24.Qa2 Ba5 is the strong threat. Qb6 24...Bc6 25.Qxa7 Rd7 26.Qxb7 Bxb7 25.Ba5 Qc5 25...Qa6 26.Qd2 Rd7 26.Rac1 Rxd6 27.Rxc5 Rxd1+ 28.Ne1 a6 29.Bf3
Double Attack 29...Rxe1+ 30.Bxe1 N4e5 31.Be2 Nd3 32.Bxd3 Bxd3 33.Qd2 Be4 34.Qc3 Ne7 35.f3 Bd5 36.Rc7 Nf5 37.Rc8 f6 38.Rxf8+ Kxf8 39.Kf2 39.Qc8+ Kf7 40.Qd7+ Ne7 41.Bb4 Kg6 42.Qe8+ Kf5 43.Qh5+ g5 44.Bxe7 39...Kf7 White is clearly winning. 40.Qd3 Ne7 41.b4 Nc6 42.Qxa6 Ne5 43.Qa7+ Kg6 44.Qe3 Bc4 45.Bc3 Nd3+ 46.Kg2 Kf7 47.Qd4 Weighted Error Value: White=0.15/Black=0.55
1–0
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Zhu,J2455Abdusattorov,N26341–02021Kramnik Challenge 20219.3

That single loss by Abdusattorov was critical for the standings, as his direct opponents, Awonder Liang and Vincent Keymer, had a great third day of action — both scored three wins and a draw on Saturday.

Liang’s day would have been perfect had he found the right manoeuvre in a sharp endgame against Abdusattorov in round 12.

 
Abdusattorov vs. Liang - Round 12

The game had been a rollercoaster, with the Uzbek GM failing to make the most of a positional advantage in the late middlegame.

By this point, however, it is Liang who has the upper hand, as 62...Bc6, defending the all-important passer on the b-file was the winning move. Surely, the American feared 63.Kc3 Na2+ 64.Kb2, as both his pieces are under attack. However, 64...Kd6 would have kept everything under control.

 
Analysis diagram

After 65.Rc2 Nb4, Black is fully in control and has kept his dangerous connected passers.

None of this happened, though, as Liang played 62...a3 in the first diagrammed position. The sharp struggle continued, as White kept pushing once the knights left the board and a rook vs bishop ending appeared on the board — with Black’s a-pawn still alive. 

Naturally, both players were in perennial time pressure for the rest of the game. The draw was only agreed after 123 moves!

 
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1.e4 e5 2.Nf3 Nc6 3.Bb5 Nf6 4.0-0 Nxe4 5.Re1 Nd6 6.Nxe5 Be7 7.Bf1 Nf5 C67: Ruy Lopez: Berlin Defence: 4 0-0 Nxe4. 8.Nf3 0-0 9.d4 d5 White is slightly better. 10.Nc3 Bf6 11.Ne2!
11...Nh4N Predecessor: 11...Re8 12.c3 g6 13.Nf4 Rxe1 14.Qxe1 Ng7 15.Ne5 Bf5 16.Nxc6 bxc6 17.Nd3 Bxd3 18.Bxd3 1/2-1/2 (72) Nepomniachtchi,I (2784)-Le,Q (2709) chess24.com INT 2020 12.Nxh4 Bxh4 13.Ng3 Be6 14.c3 Ne7 15.Bd3 g6 16.Bh6 Re8 17.Qf3 Nc6 18.Qf4 18.Ne2 is interesting. Qf6 19.Bf4 Re7 20.g3 Bg5 21.h4 18...Qf6 19.Re2 Qxf4 20.Bxf4 Rac8 21.Rae1 Nb8 22.Nf1 Nd7 23.Ne3 c6 24.Bd6 Nf8 25.g3 Be7 26.Bxe7 Rxe7 27.f4 Rce8 28.g4 Bd7 29.f5 f6 30.h4 gxf5 31.gxf5 Bc8 32.Kf2 Nd7 33.Kf3 Kf8 34.b3 b5 35.Kf4 Nb6 Black should try 35...Rg7 36.Rg2 Rg7 37.Reg1 37.Rxg7 Kxg7 38.Rg1+ Kh8 39.h5 37...Ree7 38.Ng4 Nd7 38...Ref7 39.a4 a6 39...bxa4± 40.bxa4 a5 40.axb5+- cxb5 41.Ne3 Rxg2 42.Rxg2 42.Nxg2 Rg7 42...Bb7 43.Ng4 Bc6 43...Re1± 44.b4 44.Nh6!+- and the rest is easy. Ke8 45.Rg8+ Nf8 46.Rg1 44...Bb7 44...Re1± was necessary. 45.Bc2 Better is 45.Nh6+- Rg7 46.Ng4 45...Bc6 46.Bb3 46.Nh6± Re1 47.Rg8+ Ke7 48.Rc8 46...Re4+ 47.Kf3 h5 Black should play 47...Re1! 48.Ne3± Nb6 49.Rg6! Ke7 50.Ng2 Na4 51.Bc2 Nxc3 52.Bxe4 52.Rg7++- Kd6 53.Bxe4 dxe4+ 54.Kf2 52...dxe4+ Endgame KRN-KBN 53.Ke3 Nd5+ 54.Kd2 Kf7 54...Nxb4 55.Nf4 Nd5 56.Nxd5+ Bxd5 55.Ne3 55.Rg3!± 55...Nxb4= 56.Rg1 a5 57.Rc1 Ke7 58.Ra1 58.Nf1= 58...a4 59.Rg1 Kf7 59...Nd5 60.Nxd5+ Bxd5 61.Rg7+ Kd6 60.Rc1= Ke7 next ...Kd6 is good for Black. 61.d5? 61.Rg1!= and White is okay. 61...Bxd5-+ 62.Rc5
62...a3! 63.Rxb5= Wrong is 63.Nxd5+? Nxd5 64.Rxb5 64.Rxd5? a2-+ 64...a2-+ 63.Rxd5? a2-+ 63...a2 64.Ra5! Bf7 65.Kc3 Nd3 66.Kd4 Nc1 66...Nb4= 67.Kxe4 Kd6 67.Ra7+ Kf8 68.Kxe4 68.Nc2 looks sharper. Ne2+ 69.Kxe4 Nc3+ 70.Kd3 Nb5 71.Ra5 68...Nb3 68...Bb3 69.Nc2+- Weaker is 69.Rxa2 Nc5+ 70.Kd4 Bxa2= 69...Nd2+ 69...Nc1 70.Ke3 Bc4 70.Ke3 Nc4+
71.Kf4! Nb6
72.Nb4? 72.Ke4!+- 72...Nd5+= The position is equal. 73.Nxd5 Bxd5 KR-KB 74.Ke3 Bf7 75.Kd4 Bb3 76.Kc5 76.Ra3 keeps more tension. Bf7 77.Ra7 76...Ke8 77.Kd6 Kf8 78.Ra3 Kf7 79.Kc5 Kf8 80.Kb4! Bd5 81.Kc3 81.Kb5 keeps more tension. Bf7 82.Ra7 Kg7 83.Kc5 Kf8 84.Kd4 81...Kf7 82.Ra7+ 82.Kd4 seems wilder. Bb3 83.Ra7+ Kg8 84.Ra8+ Kh7 85.Ke4 82...Kf8 83.Kb2 83.Ra4 with more complications. Ke7 84.Ra5 Kf8 85.Kd4 Bb3 86.Ra6 83...Bc4 84.Rc7 84.Kc3 is more complex. Bd5 84...Bd5 85.Rc8+ Kg7 86.Rd8 Bf7 87.Ra8 Bd5 88.Ra5 Bc4 88...Bf7 looks sharper. 89.Kc3 Kf8 90.Ra7 Kg7 91.Ra8 Kh6 89.Rc5 89.Ra3 feels hotter. Bf7 90.Ka1 Bd5 91.Ra7+ Bf7 92.Kb2 89...Bf7 90.Rc1! Kf8 91.Re1 Bd5 92.Rd1 Bc4 93.Rd4 Bf7 94.Ra4 Ke7 95.Kc3 Bd5 96.Kd4 96.Ra7+ looks sharper. Kd8 97.Kb2 Ke8 98.Ra6 Ke7 99.Ra5 96...Bb3 97.Ra8 97.Ra5 keeps more tension. Kf8 98.Ra6 Ke7 99.Ra7+ Kf8 97...Kf7 98.Kc3 Bd5 99.Ra5 99.Ra7+ feels hotter. 99...Ke7 100.Ra7+ 100.Kc2 is more complex. Kf8 101.Kb2 Bf7 102.Kc3 Kg7 103.Ra7 100...Kf8 101.Kd4 101.Kd2 feels hotter. Bg8 102.Ra6 Bf7 103.Ke3 Ke7 104.Ra7+ 101...Bb3 102.Kc5 Bf7 103.Ra6 Ke7 104.Ra3 Kf8 105.Kd6 Bb3 106.Ra7 Threatens to win with Kc5. Bc4 107.Kc5 Bb3 108.Kb4 Bd5 109.Kc3 Strongly threatening Kb2. 109.Kb5 seems wilder. Bf7 110.Kc5 Kg7 111.Ra5 Bg8 112.Kd4 109...Bf7 110.Kb2 Bd5 111.Rd7 Bf7 112.Rd1! Rd7 is the strong threat. Ke7 113.Rg1 Kf8 114.Kc3 aiming for Re1. Bd5 115.Kd4 115.Ra1 is more complex. Bf7 116.Kb2 Kg7 117.Ka3 Kf8 118.Rf1 115...Bb3 115...Bg8 with more complications. 116.Kc3 Bf7 117.Ra1 Ke7 118.Kd4 Kf8 116.Ra1 Ke7 117.Kc5 Kf8 118.Kd6 Kf7 119.Re1 Kf8 120.Rc1 Kf7 121.Rc7+ Kf8 122.Rc8+ Kf7 123.Ra8 Black must now prevent Ra7+. Bc4 Both players deserved the win here. Weighted Error Value: White=0.22/Black=0. 27
½–½
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Abdusattorov,N2634Liang,A2587½–½2021Kramnik Challenge 202112.5

Endgame specialist Karsten Müller always keeps an eye on any instructive position that might appear on elite tournaments to share his analyses with the readers (do not miss his recent ‘Endgame Magic’ episode with Abhimanyu Mishra). Looking at the games from rounds 9 to 12, he chose another game featuring Abdusattorov, who made the most of Luke Mendonca’s mistake in a rook endgame.

 
Mendonca vs. Abdusattorov - Round 11

The immediate 42.g5 was the losing error. As GM Müller explains, White needed to play 42.Kf1 first, and only after 42...Kf6 to go for 42.g5+ Kxg5 43.Rxf7, defending. Such nuances are often decisive in masters’ games!

 
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1.Nf3 c5 2.b3 Nc6 3.Bb2 d5 4.e3 Nf6 5.Bb5 Bd7 6.c4 dxc4 7.Bxc4 e6 8.0-0 Rc8 9.Be2 Be7 10.Na3 0-0 11.Nc4 Nd5 12.Rc1 b6 13.d4 cxd4 14.Nxd4 Bf6 15.Bf3 Nxd4 16.Bxd4 Bb5 17.Bxf6 Qxf6 18.Bxd5 Rfd8 19.e4 exd5 20.exd5 Rc5 21.d6 Bxc4 22.Rxc4 Rxc4 23.bxc4 Rxd6 24.Qa4 Qe7 25.g3 g6 26.Rd1 Re6 27.Qb3 Re2 28.a4 Qf6 29.Rf1 Qd4 30.Qb5 Rb2 31.Qa6 Qd7 32.Re1 Rb4 33.a5 Ra4 34.Qb5 Qxb5 35.cxb5 Rxa5 36.Re7 Kg7 37.g4 Rxb5 38.Rxa7 h5 39.h3 hxg4 40.hxg4 Rb4 41.f3 Rb2 "Every pawn move weakens squares". Pawn moves should always be considered very carefully: 42.g5? This weakens White's kingside pawns. 42.Kf1 defends and only after Kf6 42...g5 43.Re7 b5 44.Ke1 b4 45.Re5 f6 46.Re7+ Kf8 47.Re4 b3 48.Re3 Kf7 49.Kf1 f5 50.Kg1 Kf6 51.Kf1= as Black's king can not enter the play now. 43.g5+ is playable, e.g. Kxg5 43...Ke6 44.Ke1 b5 45.Ra6+ Kf5 46.Rf6+ Kxg5 47.Rxf7 b4 48.f4+ Kg4 49.Rf6 Kh5 50.f5 g5 51.Rf8 g4 52.f6 Kg6 53.Rg8+ Kxf6 54.Rxg4 b3 55.Kd1 Rc2 56.Rb4= 44.Rxf7 Kh4 45.Rf4+ Kg3 46.Rf6 g5 47.Rf5 Kh4 48.Ke1 Rg2 49.Rb5= 42...Rb5 43.f4 Rb4 44.Kg2 44.Rb7 Rxf4 45.Rxb6 Rg4+ 46.Kf2 Rxg5-+ 44...Rxf4 45.Kg3 Rf5 Now White plays without his king on the queenside. 46.Kg4 Kf8 47.Rb7 b5 48.Rc7 Ke8 49.Rc1 Kd7 50.Rb1 Kc6 51.Rc1+ Kd5 52.Rd1+ Kc4 53.Rc1+ Kd3 0–1
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Mendonca,L2537Abdusattorov,N26340–12021A06Kramnik Challenge 202111.4

Standings after round 12

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Carlos Colodro is a Hispanic Philologist from Bolivia. He works as a freelance translator and writer since 2012. A lot of his work is done in chess-related texts, as the game is one of his biggest interests, along with literature and music.

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