Throwback Thursday: Rapport beats Wei in creativity-filled match

by Carlos Alberto Colodro
5/4/2023 – Chess is not only a sport. Richard Rapport and Wei Yi are two of the most creative players in the circuit, and about six years ago they were also the two highest-rated junior players in the world. In a 4-game match organized in December 2016, Rapport defeated Wei in the Armageddon decider. The games, which took place in Yancheng, were predictably entertaining.
Winning starts with what you know
The new version 18 offers completely new possibilities for chess training and analysis: playing style analysis, search for strategic themes, access to 6 billion Lichess games, player preparation by matching Lichess games, download Chess.com games with built-in API, built-in cloud engine and much more.

The two strongest juniors in the world

Richard Rapport recently helped Ding Liren to become the 17th undisputed world chess champion. Now representing Romania, the Hungarian-born grandmaster was thus described by Ding in an interview for El País:

The main key has been my analyst, Richard Rapport. He has brought all the creativity that I was lacking with my openings.

As noted by Ding, Rapport is a creative force in the chess world. His uncompromising style did not prevent him from rising through the ranks, though. Currently the number 13 in the world ranking, Rapport was once the highest-rated junior player (under-20) in the world. In December 2016, his 2717 rating had him atop the junior ranking, only ten points ahead of China’s Wei Yi, yet another prodigious player known for his creative abilities.

Fittingly, the confluence of the two imaginative juniors was celebrated back then, when a match consisting of four classical games (plus tiebreaks if needed) was organized in Yancheng, Jiangsu province, China.

The first two games finished decisively, with the youngsters trading wins with the white pieces. Two more exciting encounters followed, albeit both finishing drawn. In the blitz tiebreaker, once again the players first traded wins (but this time with black), which meant an Armageddon encounter would decide the winner. Rapport only needed a draw with black, but managed to win to clinch overall victory.

True to his style, Rapport played the Caro-Kann Defence and the French Defence with black in the classical games (he replied by 1...g6 to 1.e4 in the blitz). His influence on Ding was made clear during the match in Astana, as the new world champion shocked the chess world by playing the French in game 7. Amid the memorable confrontation, Olimpiu Di Luppi made a noteworthy discovery on social media:

An artist indeed, one whose contribution to the royal game should not be underestimated.

Richard Rapport, Ding Liren

Richard Rapport walking next to Ding Liren soon after the latter became the new world chess champion | Photo: FIDE / Anna Shtourman

A close match

Based on ChessBase reports authored by Marco Baldauf (first report | second report)

Only ten rating points separate Richard Rapport (2717) and Wei Yi (2707), the world’s two best juniors. And the match they played on December 20-23 in Yancheng was close. A 2-2 tie after four classical games required a blitz tiebreak. After two blitz games and another 1-1 tie, an Armageddon game decided the match in favour of Rapport.

  • In game 1, Wei Yi delighted his fans with a spectacular attack.
  • In game 2, Richard Rapport countered with a convincing technical win.
  • In game 3, the young Hungarian again showed strong positional chess. With Black he tried the rarely played but interesting Tartakower Variation of the Caro-Kann and obtained a clear advantage in a queenless middlegame. But he missed a good chance and allowed Wei Yi to build a fortress in a minor-piece ending which secured the draw.
  • In game 4, Rapport repeated the Trompowsky from game 2 but this no longer caught Wei Yi by surprise. A spectacular opening led to an endgame with opposite-coloured bishops in which Wei Yi had some pressure but not enough to overcome Rapport’s defence.

After two games, the blitz tiebreak ended with another 1-1 tie and an Armageddon game was needed to decide. Rapport won the Armageddon and the match.

All in all, this win was deserved: in games 2 and 3, Rapport outplayed Wei Yi, and in the first game, which Wei Yi won, Rapport had a good position but tried too hard and lost.

Richard Rapport, Wei Yi

All games annotated by GM Marco Baldauf

New ...
Open...
Share...
Layout...
Flip Board
Settings
MoveNResultEloPlayers
Replay and check the LiveBook here
1.e4 e6 2.d4 d5 3.Nd2 b6 Rapport is well-known for his opening experiments - 3...b6!? is no exception. 4.Ngf3 Nf6 5.e5 Nfd7 6.c4!? 6.Bd3 leads to a more static game where White gains space on the kingside while Black gains space on the queenside. c5 7.c3 Ba6 8.Bxa6 Nxa6 9.0-0 Nc7 10.Re1 c4 11.Nf1 b5 12.Ng3 h6 13.h4 Nb6 14.h5 a5 15.Nh2 b4 16.f4 Qd7 17.Rf1 0-0-0 18.f5 Kb7 19.Ng4 Ra8 20.f6 Nb5 21.Qf3 gxf6 22.Nxf6 Qc6 23.Ng4 Ka6 24.Qxf7 bxc3 25.bxc3 Nxc3 26.Rf6 Re8 27.Nxh6 Re7 28.Qxf8 Rxf8 29.Rxf8 Rg7 30.Bf4 Ne4 31.Nxe4 dxe4 32.Rg8 Rxg8 33.Nxg8 Nd5 34.Bg5 Qb6 35.Rd1 c3 36.Kh1 e3 37.Nf6 c2 38.Rg1 Qb1 39.Nxd5 c1Q 40.Rxc1 Qxc1+ 41.Kh2 exd5 42.h6 Qc2 43.Bxe3 Qe4 44.Bg5 Kb7 45.Kg3 Kc6 46.Bf4 Kd7 47.Kg4 Ke6 48.g3 Kf7 49.Kg5 Qg6+ 50.Kh4 Qf5 51.Bg5 Kg6 52.Bf4 Qh5# 0-1 (52) Safarli,E (2657) -Morozevich,A (2711) Berlin 2015 6...c5 7.cxd5 exd5 8.Bd3 Nc6 9.0-0 Be7 10.Re1 After a few moves a very interesting position is on the board. The pawn constellation creates a lot of tension in the center, both sides have to reckon with the moves dxc5 or cxd4. Exchanging on d4 is good for Black if the white knight on d2 goes to f1 because White then no longer can play Nb3 followed by Nxd4. Nf8 10...0-0 is more obvious but Rapport first wants to send the knight on d7 on his way to e6. However, it is not entirely clear how White should have contined after 10...0-0. 11.Nf1 11.dxc5?! bxc5 12.b3 12.Nf1?! c4! 13.Bb1 Nc5 14.Ne3 Be6 12...a5 13.Nf1 Nb4 14.Bb1?! a4 11...Nxd4 Black can exchange on d4 when the knight on d2 leaves its post because after 12.Nxd4 cxd4 White does not have Nb3. 13.Ng3 Nc5 and Black has no problems at all. 14.Bb1 Re8 14...d3 15.Bxd3 Nxd3 16.Qxd3 in this position White can strive for a "good knight vs bad bishop" scenario which, however, is still far away - moreover, Black can prevent it with the dynamic d4!? 17.Ne4 Bf5 18.Nf6+ Bxf6 19.Qxf5 Qd5!= 15.Qxd4 g6= and with ...Ne6 and ...d4 Black will have sufficient counterplay. 11.Bb5 11.Nf1 Ne6 11...Nxd4? 12.Nxd4 cxd4 now the Nd7 is too passive and White can get a dangerous initiative with 13.f4 e.g. Ne6 14.f5 Nc5 15.f6+- 12.Ne3! a tactical trick on the diagonal h1-a8 allows White to ignore the pawn on d4. Bb7 12...Ncxd4? 13.Nxd4 Nxd4 14.Nxd5! and White regains the pawn with a good position. ∆Qxd5 15.Be4 13.dxc5 bxc5 14.Qb3! this move that is difficult to see justifies White's play. Rb8 15.Qxd5 0-0 and Black does not have enough compensation for the lost center pawn, e.g. 16.Qxd8 Rfxd8 17.Be4 Ncd4 18.Bxb7 Rxb7 19.Nxd4 cxd4 20.Nc4 11...Bd7 12.dxc5 12.Nf1 this sequence of moves would have stopped Black from later winning a tempo with ...Rb8. Ne6 12...Nxd4!? 13.Nxd4 cxd4 14.Bxd7+ Qxd7 15.Ng3 g6 and White has slight pressure but after exchanging the white-squared bishops Black should not be in danger. 13.dxc5 bxc5 14.Ne3 Rb8 15.Bf1 and White's position is more harmonious than the one he got in the game because Black is now forced to play d4 which gives White squares. d4 16.Nf5 12...bxc5 13.Nf1 13.Nb3 Qb6! 13...Rb8? 14.Bxc6 Bxc6 15.e6! Nxe6 16.Rxe6! fxe6 17.Ne5 Ba4 18.Qh5+ g6 19.Nxg6 hxg6 20.Qxh8+ Kd7 21.Qg7 14.Bxc6 Bxc6 15.Bg5 15.e6? Nxe6 16.Rxe6 fxe6 17.Ne5 0-0-+ 15...Ne6 16.Bxe7 Kxe7∞ 13...Rb8 14.Be2 Be6! Black strengthens d5 and thus considerably restricts White's knights. White has to undermine the black center quickly, otherwise his pieces will soon find no more good squares. 15.Qa4 Qb6 16.Ne3 16.b4!? would be an interesting attempt to gain control over the black squares: c4 16...cxb4? 17.Be3 Qb7 18.Ba6 Qc7 19.Rac1± 16...Nd7 17.bxc5 Nxc5 would be a partial success for White - but Black still had the initiative. 18.Qc2 0-0 17.Be3 17.a3 Nd7 18.Ne3 0-0 19.Rd1 Qb5 19...Ndxe5 20.Nxe5 Nxe5 21.Nxd5 Bxd5 22.Rxd5 Qe6 20.Qxb5 Rxb5 21.a4 Rxb4 22.Nxd5 Bxd5 23.Rxd5 Nb6 17...Qb7! 17...Qb5 18.Qxb5 Rxb5 19.a3 Ng6 20.Bd1! Ngxe5 21.Nxe5 Nxe5 22.Ba4 a6∞ 23.Bd4 Nd3 23...Nc6 24.Bxg7 Rg8 25.Bb2 d4 26.Rac1 c3 27.Bxc3 dxc3 28.Rxc3 24.Reb1 0-0 25.Bxb5 axb5 26.Ne3 18.a3 18.Nd4 Bd7 19.Nxc6 Bxc6 20.Qxa7 Qxa7 21.Bxa7 Rxb4 18...Nd7 19.Nd4 Nxd4 20.Bxd4 a5= 16...Nd7?! 16...Ng6! would allow Black to defend d5 without problems. The transfer of the white queen to the kingside would also be prevented. 17.Rd1 17.Qd1 Rd8 17...d4 18.Nc4 Qc7 17.Qf4!? brings the queen to the kingside, initiating an attack. 17.Qd1 a rather simple strategy: White exerts pressure against the most important point in Black's camp. d4 18.Nc4 Qc7 19.Bd3 0-0 20.b3 with a complex position. 17...Qb4!? Rapport wants to win material. 17...0-0 18.Nf5 Qb4! 18...Rfe8? 19.Nxg7! Kxg7 20.Qh6+ Kh8 21.Bd3 Nf8 22.Bg5± 19.Nxe7+ Nxe7 20.Qxb4 Rxb4= leads to equality. 18.Qg3 Nd4 Rapport uses the vulnerability of White's pieces tactically. 19.Bd2!? Wei Yi gives the pair of bishops and the b-pawn to get an attack. 19.Qxg7?? Nxf3+ 20.Bxf3 Qxe1+ 19.Kf1!? is the move the engine prefers - White does not lose material but runs into a dangerous attack: Nxe2 20.Qxg7 Rf8 21.Rxe2 d4 22.Nc2 Qb7 23.Na3 White is a pawn up but Black has tremendous compensation. Bd5 19...Nxe2+ 20.Rxe2 Qxb2 21.Rae1
Black's queen is now rather exposed and the natural move 0-0 fails tactically. 21...g6? 21...0-0?? 22.Nxd5 Bxd5 23.Bh6 g6 24.Rxb2 Rxb2 25.Bxf8+- 21...Kf8 gives Black more control over the black squares and White has to build up his attack more slowly. 22.Nh4 22.Nxd5? now Black gets too much material for the queen. Bxd5 23.Bh6 gxh6 24.Rxb2 Rxb2 25.Qf4 Rb6 22...Bxh4 22...g6? 23.Nxd5 23.Qxh4 d4 23...Qd4?! 24.f4! 24.Nf1
and the question will be how well Black - who controls the white squares - can hold. 24...d3 chases the rook away and forces White's knight to do his defensive duties first. 24...Qc2!? 25.f4 Qg6 26.Bc1 h6 27.Nd2 Kg8 28.Ne4 24...Qb6 25.f4 Qd8 26.Qh5 Kg8 27.Ng3 25.Re4 h6 26.f4 Kg8 27.Qf2 g6 28.Ne3 22.Ng4 Qxa2 Rapport's queen grabs another pawn but leaves Black's king to its fate. 22...Qb6 keeps an eye on the Rb8, allowing 23.Nf6+ Nxf6 24.exf6 Bxf6 but White's attack is still too dangerous: 25.Ba5! Qb7 26.Qf4! Be7 26...Bg7? 27.Rxe6+ fxe6 28.Rxe6+ Kd7 29.Qf7+ Kc8 30.Re8+ Rxe8 31.Qxe8# 27.Bc3 d4 28.Rb2! Qxb2 29.Bxb2 Rxb2 30.Qc7± 22...Qa3! pins the Nf3 and prevents a crucial idea of White. 23.Nf6+ Kd8 24.Bc1 Qa6 25.Ng5 and White still has a strong attack for the pawn. Kc8 26.Nxf7 Bxf7 27.e6 Bxf6 28.exf7 Rb1! 29.Re8+ Kb7 30.Qh3 Qa4 31.Qf3 Qc4 32.Qh3 Qa4= 23.Nf6+ Kd8 24.Ng5 Rb6 25.Bc3 Qa3? now White's attack is too powerful. 25...Qa6 defends the important square e6 once again. 26.Nxf7+ 26.Rd2 d4 27.Bxd4 cxd4 28.Rxd4 Bxf6 29.exf6 Kc8 30.Nxf7! Bxf7 31.Rxd7 Kxd7 32.Re7+ Kc6 33.Rc7+ Kb5 34.Qe5+ Kb4 35.Qc3+ Kb5 36.Qb2+ Ka4 37.Qa1+ Kb5= 26...Bxf7 27.e6 Rxe6 28.Rxe6 Bxe6 29.Nxd7 d4 30.Nb8! Qd6 30...Qc8 31.Qe5 Rf8 32.Bd2 Ke8 31.Ba5+ Kc8 32.Rxe6 Qxg3 33.hxg3 Re8 34.Nc6 Kd7 35.Rxe7+ Rxe7 36.Nxe7 Kxe7= 26.Nxf7+! Bxf7 27.e6 Bxe6 28.Rxe6 Rxe6 29.Rxe6 Qa2 29...d4 30.Nd5! dxc3 31.Qc7+ Ke8 32.Rxe7+ 29...Bxf6 30.Bxf6+ Nxf6 31.Qxa3+- 30.Nxd7 Kxd7 31.Rxe7+! Kxe7 32.Qc7+ Ke6 33.Qc6+ Ke7 34.Qxc5+ Ke6 35.Qc6+ Ke7 36.Qb7+ a check on the b-file - to control b1 - and then Wei Yi will take on h8 - therefore 1–0
  • Start an analysis engine:
  • Try maximizing the board:
  • Use the four cursor keys to replay the game. Make moves to analyse yourself.
  • Press Ctrl-B to rotate the board.
  • Drag the split bars between window panes.
  • Download&Clip PGN/GIF/FEN/QR Codes. Share the game.
  • Games viewed here will automatically be stored in your cloud clipboard (if you are logged in). Use the cloud clipboard also in ChessBase.
  • Create an account to access the games cloud.
WhiteEloWBlackEloBResYearECOEventRnd
Wei Yi2707Rapport,R27171–02016Wei Yi - Rapport Match1
Rapport,R2717Wei Yi27071–02016Wei Yi - Rapport Match2
Wei,Y2707Rapport,R2717½–½2016Wei Yi - Rapport Match3
Rapport,R2717Wei,Y2707½–½2016Wei Yi - Rapport Match4
Rapport,R2717Wei,Y27070–12016Wei Yi - Rapport Match TB1
Wei,Y2707Rapport,R27170–12016Wei Yi - Rapport Match TB2
Wei,Y2707Rapport,R27170–12016Wei Yi - Rapport Match TB3

Throwback Thursdays

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.
We use cookies and comparable technologies to provide certain functions, to improve the user experience and to offer interest-oriented content. Depending on their intended use, analysis cookies and marketing cookies may be used in addition to technically required cookies. Here you can make detailed settings or revoke your consent (if necessary partially) with effect for the future. Further information can be found in our data protection declaration.