Chenyi in Brazil

My youngest student Chenyi Zhao from USA has just completed her first World Championship in Brazil. Chenyi does not yet know what the word draw means (which is great), and the finished on (+6-3) score, and tied for the sixth place at the under 8 age group. It is not bad at all for a first appearance on such a chess forum, and I hope that better performances are waiting for her.
I consider the following game her best effort from the event, as it was not decided by any huge blunder. Chenyi simply outplayed her opponent in the positional maneuvering:
Nadia Esmeralda Schmidt (RSA) - Chenyi Zhao (USA) [A04]
World Youth Chess Championship (girls U8 Caldas Novas, Brazil (4), 20.11.2011
[Bojkov,Dejan]
1.Nf3 c5 2.g3 g6 3.Bg2 Bg7 4.d3 d6 5.0–0 Nf6 6.Nbd2 0–0 7.e4 Nc6 8.c3 Ne8 Chenyi memorized this idea from an earlier session of ours, and eventhough the white pawn does not stand on c4, and the d4 square is covered, the idea is still good. 9.Qc2 Nc7 10.Re1 e6 11.Nb3 b6 12.Bg5 Qd7 13.Bf4 Bb7 14.Nbd2 Rfe8


[14...e5 immediately was also possible, but Chenyi wants to have everything ready before advancing the central pawns.] 15.Nc4 e5 16.Be3 d5! Black is already better. The central pawns came into motion, and freed te pieces from behind. 17.Ncd2? d4 18.Bg5 Ne6 Consistently playing in the center, although she could have paid attention to the limited bishop instead: [18...h6 19.Bh4 g5 and trap it :) Next time I am pretty sure she will not miss this opportunity.] 19.Bh3 Qd6 20.Nc4 Qc7 21.a3 Nxg5 22.Nxg5 h6 23.Nf3 dxc3 24.bxc3 Rad8 25.Bg2 Rd7 26.Bh3 Rdd8 27.Bg2 Re7


As she does not yet know the meaning of the word "draw"and she is better, Chenyi decided to play further for a win. 28.Bh3 b5 29.Ncd2 Bc8 Freeing the d7 square for the rook, to double them, and attack the backward pawn. From now on many grandmasters would not be shy choosing the way in which my young student handled the position. 30.Bg2 Red7 31.Bf1 a5! 32.Nb3 Qb6 33.Nc1 b4!


Black is playing for the d4 square! We have never studied this idea before, nor does Chenyi play the Open games as Black, but she intuitively found the best plan! 34.Rd1 bxc3 35.Qxc3 Nd4 36.Ne1 Rb7 Seizes the open file. 37.Nc2 Nxc2 38.Qxc2 Qb2 39.Qxb2 Rxb2 The "pig"is on the second rank, and is really hungry. 40.Na2 Ba6 41.Nc1 c4 42.Kg2 c3 43.Kg1 Once more, Chenyi has a chance to show excellent understanding of the position: 43...Bf8!


and improve her last sleeping piece. It is not everyday that you will see an seven-year-old girl to step backwards in order to attack! The rest was easy for her. 44.Re1 Bc5 45.Rd1 Bxf2+ 46.Kh1 Bb5 47.Ra2 Ba4 48.Rxb2 cxb2 49.Na2 Bxd1 50.Nc3 Bf3+ 51.Bg2 Bxg2+ 52.Kxg2 Bd4 53.Nb1 Rc8 54.Kf3 Rc1 55.Nd2 b1Q 56.Nxb1 Rxb1 57.Kg4 h5+ 58.Kg5 Be3+ 59.Kf6 Bd4 60.h3 Ra1 61.g4 hxg4 62.hxg4 Rxa3 63.g5 Rc3 64.Ke7 a4 65.Kf6 a3 66.Ke7 a2 67.Kf6 a1Q 68.Ke7 Qa6 69.Ke8 Rc7 70.Kd8 Qc8# 0–1
Thank you, Cathy for the picture of Chenyi below: