China wins with white
Fritz has fascinated the chess world for 30 years. And the success story continues. In Vienna, the most popular chess program ever was once again able to underline its premier position: the newly developed neural engine with NNUE technology won the official Chess Software World Championship!All four decisive games in the match between China and Spain at the semifinal stage of the World Team Championship had the Chinese representative playing with the white pieces. Three out of these games were won by the Asian squad.
In the first set, Li Di got the better of Miguel Santos on board 4, but Xu Xiangyu was defeated by David Anton, keeping the score balanced before the players switched colours for the second 4-game set.
While China kept its lineup for the second mini-match, Spain fielded Daniil Yuffa on the fourth board in substitution for Santos. Wins by Lu Shanglei (over Jaime Santos) and Bai Jinshi (over Alexei Shirov) gave China overall victory and a chance to take gold medals in Friday’s final match against Uzbekistan.
Bai and Shirov entered a sharp, theoretical line out of a Slav Defence, which saw the Spaniard giving up a pawn for activity and the Chinese responding in kind right from the get go.
Shirov’s 13...Bh6 was the novelty in this double-edged position, deviating from 13...Qe7, which also attacks the weak pawn on e3 (the queen move was played in a correspondence game).
After 14.Qa3, preventing Black from castling and controlling the all-important e7-square, there followed 14...Bxe3 15.Ke2, as Bai began a creative 3-move manoeuvre to find a safer square for his king and activate one of his rooks.
A peculiar setup requires peculiar methods — the game continued with 15...Bf4 16.Re1 Be6 17.Kd1 dxc4 (17...Bd6 was better) 18.Bxc4 Qe7
For the first time in the game, Bai took a long think, as he knew he had a better position and wanted to make sure that trading queens was his best alternative to convert his advantage. After spending over 15 minutes on his decision, he went for 19.Qxe7+ Kxe7 20.g3, simplifying into a more technical position.
There are few names which, like that of Alexei Shirov, can be associated with fantastically imaginative and tactically influenced play. Now the Latvian grandmaster is presenting a DVD on precisely that element of the game of chess. And one that is completely based on his own games.Shirov did not give up easily — at some points it seemed like he had some chances of escaping — but Bai kept putting pressure on Black’s position until getting the win. It was an entertaining, hard-fought battle!
Spain facing China | Photo: Mark Livshitz
| Replay and check the LiveBook here |
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1.d4 Nf6 2.c4 e6 3.Nf3 d5 4.Nc3 dxc4 5.e4 Bb4 6.Bxc4 6.Bg5 c5 7.Bxc4 cxd4 8.Nxd4 Qa5 9.Bd2 6...Nxe4 7.0-0 Nxc3 8.bxc3 8.Qb3 Nd5 9.Bxd5 Qxd5 8...Be7 9.Qc2 Nd7 10.Re1 0-0 11.Bd3 11...g6N 11...h6 12.Qe2 Bd6 13.Bc2 Re8 14.Ne5 Nf8 15.Bf4 f6 16.Rad1 Qe7 17.Rd3 Bxe5 18.dxe5 12.Bh6 Re8 13.Rad1 Bf8 14.Bg5 14.Qc1 Qe7 15.h4 Qa3 16.Qg5 14...Be7 15.h4 Bxg5 16.hxg5 b6 17.Qd2 17.Qc1 Bb7 18.Nh2 f5 19.gxf6 Nxf6 20.Re5 17...Bb7 18.Nh2 h6 18...f5= 19.gxh6± Qh4 20.Bb5 c6 21.Nf3 21.Ba4± 21...Qg4 22.Bf1 c5 23.Ng5 Nf6 24.Qe3 Rad8 25.Qe5 Qf5 26.Bd3 Qxe5 27.dxe5 Ng4 27...Nh7± 28.Nh3 Bc6 28.Bxg6? Nxh6! 28...fxg6? 29.h7+ Kh8 30.Nf7+ Kxh7 31.Rxd8 Rxd8 32.Nxd8+- 29.Be4 Bxe4 30.Nxe4 Kg7 31.f3 31.Nf6!? Rf8 32.f4 31...Nf5 32.Kf2 Ne7 33.Nf6 Rh8 34.f4 Ng6 34...b5 35.Kf3 35.Nh5+!± Kh6 36.g4 35...Nh4+= 36.Kg3 Nf5+ 37.Kf2 Ne7 38.Kf3 Nc6 39.Ne4 Na5 40.Nd6 Kf8 40...Nc6 41.Rh1± Ke7 41...Rxh1± 42.Rxh1 Kg7 42.g4!+- Nc6 43.g5! Rdg8 43...c4 44.Ke4 44.Nxc4 Rd3+ 45.Kg4 Rxd1± 44...Rdg8 45.Nxc4 Rxh1 46.Rxh1 Kf8 44.Ne4! Rd8 45.Rxd8 Rxh1 46.Rg8 Rd1 46...Rf1+± 47.Kg3 Rd1 47.Rh8 Rd8? 47...c4 48.Nd6 Rd3+ 49.Ke4 Nd8 48.Rh7 Kf8 49.Ke2 c4 50.Nd6 Kg8 51.Rh6 51.Rxf7 Rxd6 52.Rc7 Nxe5 53.fxe5 Rd5= 51.g6!+- fxg6 52.Rc7 51...Ne7? 51...Kg7± 52.Rh8+‼ Kxh8 53.Nxf7+ Kg7 54.Nxd8 Kg6 55.Kf3! 55.Nxe6 Kf5± 55...Kf5 56.Nf7 Nd5 56...Kg6 57.Nd6+ Kg6 58.Nxc4 Nxc3 59.a3 59.Nd6!+- 59...b5!= 60.Nd6 a5 61.Ke3 b4 62.axb4 axb4 63.Kd4 Ne2+ 64.Ke3 Nc3 65.Kd4 Ne2+ 66.Ke4 ½–½ - Start an analysis engine:
- Try maximizing the board:
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| Santos Latasa,J | 2622 | Lu,S | 2627 | ½–½ | 2022 | | FIDE WTC-KO 202 | 4.1 |
| Xu,X | 2574 | Anton Guijarro,D | 2633 | 0–1 | 2022 | | FIDE WTC-KO 202 | 4.1 |
| Shirov,A | 2590 | Bai,J | 2498 | ½–½ | 2022 | | FIDE WTC-KO 202 | 4.1 |
| Li,D | 2441 | Santos Ruiz,M | 2480 | 1–0 | 2022 | | FIDE WTC-KO 202 | 4.1 |
| Lu,S | 2627 | Santos Latasa,J | 2622 | 1–0 | 2022 | | FIDE WTC-KO 202 | 5.1 |
| Anton Guijarro,D | 2633 | Xu,X | 2574 | ½–½ | 2022 | | FIDE WTC-KO 202 | 5.1 |
| Bai,J | 2498 | Shirov,A | 2590 | 1–0 | 2022 | | FIDE WTC-KO 202 | 5.1 |
| Yuffa,D | - | Li,D | 2441 | ½–½ | 2022 | | FIDE WTC-KO 202 | 5.1 |
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Uzbekistan looking to beat the odds, again
At the record-breaking Chennai Olympiad this year, Uzbekistan entered the competition as the fourteenth seeds and ended up winning the tournament convincingly. Now, at the World Team Championship, the young squad is missing its best representative — Nodirbek Abdusattorov — but has nonetheless defeated nominally stronger teams to reach the final in Jerusalem.
In this Videocourse we deal with different aspects of the middlegame which are important to study and improve your general understanding of chess structures.Following his successful showing at the Olympiad, Ivan Sokolov was once again hired to work as captain of the team in this event. The inimitable coach showcased his well-known fighting spirit in a tweet shared after his team beat India in the semifinals.
Much like in the other semi, the first set ended drawn. In the second mini-match of the day, wins by Nodirbek Yakubboev and Javokhir Sindarov gave the Uzbek team overall victory.
Sindarov played a nice final move to prompt Nihal Sarin’s resignation on board 2.
Sindarov vs. Nihal - Set #2
Black threw in the towel after 52.Qxd3 since 52...Qxd3 fails to 53.Rf7+ Nxf7 54.Rxf7 Rg7 55.Rxg7+ Kh8 56.Rd7+ (see diagram below).
A beautiful forcing sequence that was duly foreseen by the 16-year-old from Uzbekistan.
Uzbekistan’s top boards — Nodirbek Yakubboev and Javokhir Sindarov | Photo: Mark Livshitz
| Replay and check the LiveBook here |
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1.d4 Nf6 2.c4 e6 3.Nc3 Bb4 4.e3 0-0 5.Bd3 d5 6.a3 Bxc3+ 7.bxc3 dxc4 8.Bxc4 c5 9.Ne2 Qc7 10.Bd3 Nc6 11.f4 11.dxc5 Ne5 11...Rd8 12.0-0 b6 13.Ng3 Bb7 14.Bb2 Rac8 15.Qe2N 15.Nh5 Nxh5 16.Qxh5 f5 17.Bc4 Qf7 18.Qxf7+ Kxf7 19.Rac1 Na5 20.Bd3 Be4 21.Ba6 15...Rd7 16.Rad1 Qd8 16...Rcd8= 17.h3 h6 17...Qe7 18.Kh2 18.dxc5± bxc5 19.c4 18...Rcc7 18...Qf8 19.Qf2 19.dxc5± bxc5 20.c4 19...Kh8 20.Rfe1 a6 21.Bb1 Na5 22.e4 Nc4 23.Bc1 cxd4 24.cxd4 Ng8 25.Nh5 f6 25...g6! 26.d5± e5 26...Qe8± 27.Ng3 b5 27.Ng3+- Ne7 27...b5 28.Bd3 Qb8 28.fxe5 fxe5 29.Bd3 Rd6 29...b5 30.Bxc4 Rxc4 30.Rf1 b5 31.Qe1 31.Qe2+- 31...Bc8 32.a4 Ng6 33.Nh5 Kh7 34.axb5 axb5 35.Rf3 Qh4 36.Qxh4 36.Bxc4 Qxe1 37.Rxe1 bxc4 38.Ref1 36...Nxh4 37.Rf2 b4? 37...Ra6 38.Bb2? 38.Kg3!+- 38...Nxb2!= 39.Rxb2 Rb6 40.Ng3 Ng6 41.Ne2 41.Rdb1!? 41...Nf8 41...Ba6= 42.Rdb1± Rcb7 43.Nc1 Nd7 44.Rc2 Rb8 45.Nb3 45.Rc7 45...Nf6 45...Ba6= 46.Bxa6 Rxa6 46.Nc5 46.Ra1 46...Kg8 46...Bd7= 47.Kg3 Kf8 48.Kf3 48.Ra2 Ke7 49.Ra7+ Kd6 50.Nb3 48...Ke7 49.Ke3 Ne8 49...Nd7 50.Na4 50.Ra2± 50...R6b7= 51.Nc5 Rc7 52.Nb3 52...Rxc2 53.Bxc2 Nd6 54.Ra1 Nc4+ 55.Ke2 Na3 56.Bd3 Bd7 57.Kd2 Rf8 58.Rf1 Rxf1 59.Bxf1 Kd6 60.Bd3 Ba4 61.Na5 Kc7 62.Nc4 Nxc4+ 63.Bxc4 Kd6 64.Be2 Kc5 65.Bg4 Bb5 66.Bf5 Bf1 67.g3 Bb5 68.Kc2 Bc4 69.h4 g5 70.hxg5 hxg5 71.Kb2! Kd6 72.Kc2 Kc5 73.Kb2 Kd6 74.Kc2 Kc5 ½–½ - 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.
| Yakubboev,N | 2563 | Vidit,S | 2662 | ½–½ | 2022 | | FIDE WTC-KO 202 | 4.1 |
| Nihal,S | 2616 | Sindarov,J | 2554 | ½–½ | 2022 | | FIDE WTC-KO 202 | 4.1 |
| Vokhidov,S | 2471 | Narayanan,S | 2588 | 0–1 | 2022 | | FIDE WTC-KO 202 | 4.1 |
| Sethuraman,S | 2545 | Vakhidov,J | 2507 | 0–1 | 2022 | | FIDE WTC-KO 202 | 4.1 |
| Vidit,S | 2662 | Yakubboev,N | 2563 | 0–1 | 2022 | | FIDE WTC-KO 202 | 5.1 |
| Sindarov,J | 2554 | Nihal,S | 2616 | 1–0 | 2022 | | FIDE WTC-KO 202 | 5.1 |
| Narayanan,S | 2588 | Vokhidov,S | 2471 | 1–0 | 2022 | | FIDE WTC-KO 202 | 5.1 |
| Vakhidov,J | 2507 | Sasikiran,K | 2577 | ½–½ | 2022 | | FIDE WTC-KO 202 | 5.1 |
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