I do not know about you but for me the first association that comes with China is the Great Wall. Build long time ago to protect against the aggressors it remains one of the world's miracles.
One might expect that the players from this country will play solid chess, build a wall in front of the enemy pieces before doing anything else. Nothing is even close to the truth. Take a look at the first game of the formidable match between Wei Yi and Ding Liren, two of the best Chinese players at the World Cup:
A game that I liked (ChessBase 13)
[Event "FIDE World Chess Cup"]
[Site "?"]
[Date "2015.09.20"]
[Round "28.8"]
[White "Ding, Liren"]
[Black "Wei, Yi"]
[Result "1-0"]
[WhiteElo "2782"]
[BlackElo "2734"]
[Annotator "Bojkov, Dejan"]
[PlyCount "77"]
[EventDate "2015.??.??"]
[WhiteClock "0:02:35"]
[BlackClock "0:00:47"]
1. Nf3 Nf6 2. c4 g6 3. Nc3 d5 4. cxd5 Nxd5 5. h4 Bg7 6. h5 Nc6 7. g3 Bg4 8. h6
Bxc3 9. dxc3 Qd6 10. Bg2 O-O-O 11. Ng5 $146 {[%csl Yf7] Diagram [#] A novelty
which Ding Liren prepared for the game in the morning. He eye-witnessed the
predecessor a couple of months ago:} (11. Qa4 Qe6 12. O-O f6 13. Qc4 Bh3 14.
Bxh3 Qxh3 15. a4 g5 {and Black was doing fine in Wang,Y (2721)-Wei,Y (2725)
Zaozhuang 2015}) 11... Ne5 12. Qa4 ({"The computer suggested"} 12. Qxd5 Qxd5
13. Bxd5 Rxd5 14. c4 {"but I did not like"} Rd7 15. b3 f6 16. Bb2 Nc6 17. f3
Nd4 {Diagram [#] "and the position seems drawish" Ding Liren.}) 12... Nb6 ({
Black's difficulties are demonstrated by the line} 12... Kb8 13. Qe4 f6 14. Bf4
$16 {(Ding Liren)}) ({Maybe} 12... f6 13. Nf7 Nxf7 14. Qxg4+ Kb8 15. O-O {
which leads to very complicated line, but I think White should be better (Ding
Liren).}) 13. Qd4 {Only move.} f6 (13... Qxd4 14. cxd4 Rxd4 15. b3 {followed
by Bc1-b2 is very strong for White (Ding Liren).}) 14. Bf4 {[%csl Yd8,Re5,Yh8]
[%cal Rf4e5,Rg5f7] Diagram [#] And Wei Yi sang into deep thought (about
half-an hour).} Qxd4 15. cxd4 Nc6 $5 {A very interesting idea. Overall, Ding
Liren felt that he has better chances as his play is not that forced. For
instance in the lines:} ({Black was probably afraid of} 15... Rxd4 16. Bxe5
fxe5 17. Rc1 {when White wants Rh1-h4 or Rc1-c5. If} Bf5 18. Rh4 {anyways.
After} Rxh4 19. gxh4 {Black has problems with the knight-} Nd7 $2 {Diagram [#]}
({And if} 19... Kb8 20. Rc5 Nd7 21. Rb5 b6 22. e4 Bg4 23. f3 Bh5 24. Rd5 {and
Ding felt White has better chances.}) 20. e4 Bg4 21. f3 Bh5 22. Bh3 $18 {(Ding
Liren)}) 16. Nf7 (16. Bxc6 $2 fxg5 {wins material for Black.}) 16... Nxd4 17.
Rc1 ({The other choice was} 17. f3 {and White liked the position after} Nc2+ ({
But Ding was not that sure about the position arising after} 17... e5 $5 18.
fxg4 (18. Nxh8 Rxh8 19. fxg4 {is a better move order.}) 18... exf4 19. Nxh8
Nc2+ 20. Kf2 fxg3+ 21. Kxg3 Nxa1 22. Nxg6 hxg6 23. Rxa1 (23. Be4 $5 {alos
looks good for White.}) 23... Rh8 24. g5 fxg5 25. Rh1 Nc4 26. Kg4 {Diagram [#]
Ding Liren calculated all the way here, but somehow was not that convinced
about that line. In the final position White should win, say} Ne3+ 27. Kxg5
Nxg2 28. h7 {and the h7 pawn will cost Black the rook.}) 18. Kf2 Nxa1 19. fxg4
Nc2 20. Rc1 {with advantage for White.}) 17... e5 18. Rh4 ({White discarded
the move} 18. Be3 {due to} Nxe2 19. f3 (19. Rb1 $1 {is strong instead when
many black pieces are hanging.}) 19... Nxc1 20. fxg4 Nd3+ {and Black wins.})
18... exf4 {"I totally overlooked this"(Ding Liren) He was worried instead
about the move} (18... Bxe2 {Diagram [#] where he could not see anything for
White. Indeed, the lines that he showed are quite convincing:} 19. Be3 (19.
Bh3+ Kb8 20. Be3 Bc4 $1) (19. Nxh8 Rxh8 (19... exf4 20. Rxf4) 20. Be3 (20. Bh3+
Kb8 21. Be3 Re8 $1 22. Bxd4 exd4) 20... Bf3 21. Bh3+ Nf5) 19... Bf3 20. Bh3+
Nf5 {in all the lines Black seems OK.}) 19. Nxd8 ({Now White saw the line} 19.
Rxg4 Nxe2 20. Kxe2 ({But it seems as they both missed the strong in-between
shot} 20. Bxb7+ $1 {Diagram [#]} Kxb7 21. Nxd8+ Rxd8 22. Kxe2 {with big
advantage for White.}) 20... Rhe8+ 21. Kf1 Rd7 {when the knight is trapped.})
19... f3 $1 {The only move as if} (19... Nxe2 20. Bxb7+ Kxd8 21. Rd1+ {wins
material for White.}) 20. exf3 Nxf3+ ({The in-between check is a bad idea due
to} 20... Re8+ 21. Kf1 Nxf3 22. Rxg4 Nh2+ 23. Kg1 Nxg4 24. Nxb7 {and White is
better.}) 21. Bxf3 Re8+ $1 {[%csl Ye1] Diagram [#] Now this is strong. In
comparison} (21... Bxf3 $6 22. Ne6 Re8 (22... c6 {is better although White
keeps extra material.}) 23. Rxc7+ Kb8 24. Rxh7 Rxe6+ 25. Kd2 {simply wins for
White.}) 22. Kd2 $1 {It is important that White has this move as in the line:}
(22. Kf1 Bxf3 23. Nf7 Re7 24. Nd6+ Kd7 {the white knight is trapped due to the
bad position of the king} 25. Nb5 (25. Nc4 Be2+) 25... Be2+ {[%csl Yb5,Rf1]
Diagram [#] (Ding Liren)}) 22... Bxf3 {Or else White saves the bishop} (22...
Rxd8+ 23. Ke3 Re8+ 24. Be4 f5 (24... Bd7 25. Kd4) 25. f3 {with advantage for
the first player.}) 23. Nf7 Bc6 24. b4 {[%csl Yf7] Diagram [#] White emerged
an exchange up in the complications. He is not worse, but since his knight is
in danger he has to play very energetically. Another interesting option was} (
24. Re1 Kd7 25. Rxe8 Kxe8 26. Nh8 g5 {with unclear position.}) 24... a6 ({The
knight is saved after} 24... Rf8 25. Nd6+ cxd6 26. b5) ({However} 24... Kd7 $1
{might have ben better, for instance} 25. Rd4+ (25. Rf4 $1 {looks stronger
instead with the idea} Ke7 26. b5 $1) 25... Bd5 26. a4 c6 27. a5 Na8 28. b5 Nc7
29. a6 Nxb5 {(Ding Liren)}) 25. a4 Nxa4 $6 {Diagram [#] This is a mistake
which White missed to punish.} 26. Re1 ({Ding Liren missed in the line} 26. Rf4
$1 Nb6 27. Rxf6 Nd5 28. Rfxc6 ({The strong} 28. Rxg6 $1 {Diagram [#]} hxg6 29.
h7 $16 {which keeps the knight alive and White will enjoy an extra exchange.})
28... bxc6 29. Ng5 Nxb4 {with unclear play.}) 26... Nb6 27. Rg4 $6 {A mistake.
The correct way to sacrifice the knight was} (27. Rd4 Rf8 28. Re7 Nd5 29. Nd6+
cxd6 30. Rxh7 f5 31. Rg7 Nf6 32. Rxg6 Kd7 33. h7 {Diagram [#] (Ding Liren).
Indeed White looks fine.}) 27... Rg8 $1 {A strong move by Wei Yi that stops
the rook sacrifice on g6.} 28. Re7 Nd5 29. Nd6+ $1 ({Or else the knight will
be surrounded slowly but surely after} 29. Re1 g5) 29... cxd6 30. Rxh7 g5 {
White also gave the line} (30... f5 31. Rg7 Rxg7 32. hxg7 Ne7 33. Rxg6 Bd5 34.
Rxd6 Bg8 {with possible draw (Ding Liren)}) 31. Re4 Rg6 32. Re6 g4 (32... Kd8
33. Rxd6+ Ke8 {might be OK for Black (Ding Liren).}) 33. Rxd6 {After a long
and tensed battle with plenty of tactical nuances Wei Yi goes wrong last.} Nxb4
$2 {Diagram [#] Instead both} (33... Kb8) (33... Nb6 {were playable.}) 34. Rh8+
Kc7 35. Rd4 $1 {The rook joins the kingside battle with decisive effect.} Nd5 (
35... f5 36. Rxb4) 36. h7 Rh6 37. Rxg4 Ne7 38. Rg7 Kd7 39. Rf8 {Diagram [#]}
1-0
Report.
One might expect that the players from this country will play solid chess, build a wall in front of the enemy pieces before doing anything else. Nothing is even close to the truth. Take a look at the first game of the formidable match between Wei Yi and Ding Liren, two of the best Chinese players at the World Cup:
[Event "FIDE World Chess Cup"]
[Site "?"]
[Date "2015.09.20"]
[Round "28.8"]
[White "Ding, Liren"]
[Black "Wei, Yi"]
[Result "1-0"]
[WhiteElo "2782"]
[BlackElo "2734"]
[Annotator "Bojkov, Dejan"]
[PlyCount "77"]
[EventDate "2015.??.??"]
[WhiteClock "0:02:35"]
[BlackClock "0:00:47"]
1. Nf3 Nf6 2. c4 g6 3. Nc3 d5 4. cxd5 Nxd5 5. h4 Bg7 6. h5 Nc6 7. g3 Bg4 8. h6
Bxc3 9. dxc3 Qd6 10. Bg2 O-O-O 11. Ng5 $146 {[%csl Yf7] Diagram [#] A novelty
which Ding Liren prepared for the game in the morning. He eye-witnessed the
predecessor a couple of months ago:} (11. Qa4 Qe6 12. O-O f6 13. Qc4 Bh3 14.
Bxh3 Qxh3 15. a4 g5 {and Black was doing fine in Wang,Y (2721)-Wei,Y (2725)
Zaozhuang 2015}) 11... Ne5 12. Qa4 ({"The computer suggested"} 12. Qxd5 Qxd5
13. Bxd5 Rxd5 14. c4 {"but I did not like"} Rd7 15. b3 f6 16. Bb2 Nc6 17. f3
Nd4 {Diagram [#] "and the position seems drawish" Ding Liren.}) 12... Nb6 ({
Black's difficulties are demonstrated by the line} 12... Kb8 13. Qe4 f6 14. Bf4
$16 {(Ding Liren)}) ({Maybe} 12... f6 13. Nf7 Nxf7 14. Qxg4+ Kb8 15. O-O {
which leads to very complicated line, but I think White should be better (Ding
Liren).}) 13. Qd4 {Only move.} f6 (13... Qxd4 14. cxd4 Rxd4 15. b3 {followed
by Bc1-b2 is very strong for White (Ding Liren).}) 14. Bf4 {[%csl Yd8,Re5,Yh8]
[%cal Rf4e5,Rg5f7] Diagram [#] And Wei Yi sang into deep thought (about
half-an hour).} Qxd4 15. cxd4 Nc6 $5 {A very interesting idea. Overall, Ding
Liren felt that he has better chances as his play is not that forced. For
instance in the lines:} ({Black was probably afraid of} 15... Rxd4 16. Bxe5
fxe5 17. Rc1 {when White wants Rh1-h4 or Rc1-c5. If} Bf5 18. Rh4 {anyways.
After} Rxh4 19. gxh4 {Black has problems with the knight-} Nd7 $2 {Diagram [#]}
({And if} 19... Kb8 20. Rc5 Nd7 21. Rb5 b6 22. e4 Bg4 23. f3 Bh5 24. Rd5 {and
Ding felt White has better chances.}) 20. e4 Bg4 21. f3 Bh5 22. Bh3 $18 {(Ding
Liren)}) 16. Nf7 (16. Bxc6 $2 fxg5 {wins material for Black.}) 16... Nxd4 17.
Rc1 ({The other choice was} 17. f3 {and White liked the position after} Nc2+ ({
But Ding was not that sure about the position arising after} 17... e5 $5 18.
fxg4 (18. Nxh8 Rxh8 19. fxg4 {is a better move order.}) 18... exf4 19. Nxh8
Nc2+ 20. Kf2 fxg3+ 21. Kxg3 Nxa1 22. Nxg6 hxg6 23. Rxa1 (23. Be4 $5 {alos
looks good for White.}) 23... Rh8 24. g5 fxg5 25. Rh1 Nc4 26. Kg4 {Diagram [#]
Ding Liren calculated all the way here, but somehow was not that convinced
about that line. In the final position White should win, say} Ne3+ 27. Kxg5
Nxg2 28. h7 {and the h7 pawn will cost Black the rook.}) 18. Kf2 Nxa1 19. fxg4
Nc2 20. Rc1 {with advantage for White.}) 17... e5 18. Rh4 ({White discarded
the move} 18. Be3 {due to} Nxe2 19. f3 (19. Rb1 $1 {is strong instead when
many black pieces are hanging.}) 19... Nxc1 20. fxg4 Nd3+ {and Black wins.})
18... exf4 {"I totally overlooked this"(Ding Liren) He was worried instead
about the move} (18... Bxe2 {Diagram [#] where he could not see anything for
White. Indeed, the lines that he showed are quite convincing:} 19. Be3 (19.
Bh3+ Kb8 20. Be3 Bc4 $1) (19. Nxh8 Rxh8 (19... exf4 20. Rxf4) 20. Be3 (20. Bh3+
Kb8 21. Be3 Re8 $1 22. Bxd4 exd4) 20... Bf3 21. Bh3+ Nf5) 19... Bf3 20. Bh3+
Nf5 {in all the lines Black seems OK.}) 19. Nxd8 ({Now White saw the line} 19.
Rxg4 Nxe2 20. Kxe2 ({But it seems as they both missed the strong in-between
shot} 20. Bxb7+ $1 {Diagram [#]} Kxb7 21. Nxd8+ Rxd8 22. Kxe2 {with big
advantage for White.}) 20... Rhe8+ 21. Kf1 Rd7 {when the knight is trapped.})
19... f3 $1 {The only move as if} (19... Nxe2 20. Bxb7+ Kxd8 21. Rd1+ {wins
material for White.}) 20. exf3 Nxf3+ ({The in-between check is a bad idea due
to} 20... Re8+ 21. Kf1 Nxf3 22. Rxg4 Nh2+ 23. Kg1 Nxg4 24. Nxb7 {and White is
better.}) 21. Bxf3 Re8+ $1 {[%csl Ye1] Diagram [#] Now this is strong. In
comparison} (21... Bxf3 $6 22. Ne6 Re8 (22... c6 {is better although White
keeps extra material.}) 23. Rxc7+ Kb8 24. Rxh7 Rxe6+ 25. Kd2 {simply wins for
White.}) 22. Kd2 $1 {It is important that White has this move as in the line:}
(22. Kf1 Bxf3 23. Nf7 Re7 24. Nd6+ Kd7 {the white knight is trapped due to the
bad position of the king} 25. Nb5 (25. Nc4 Be2+) 25... Be2+ {[%csl Yb5,Rf1]
Diagram [#] (Ding Liren)}) 22... Bxf3 {Or else White saves the bishop} (22...
Rxd8+ 23. Ke3 Re8+ 24. Be4 f5 (24... Bd7 25. Kd4) 25. f3 {with advantage for
the first player.}) 23. Nf7 Bc6 24. b4 {[%csl Yf7] Diagram [#] White emerged
an exchange up in the complications. He is not worse, but since his knight is
in danger he has to play very energetically. Another interesting option was} (
24. Re1 Kd7 25. Rxe8 Kxe8 26. Nh8 g5 {with unclear position.}) 24... a6 ({The
knight is saved after} 24... Rf8 25. Nd6+ cxd6 26. b5) ({However} 24... Kd7 $1
{might have ben better, for instance} 25. Rd4+ (25. Rf4 $1 {looks stronger
instead with the idea} Ke7 26. b5 $1) 25... Bd5 26. a4 c6 27. a5 Na8 28. b5 Nc7
29. a6 Nxb5 {(Ding Liren)}) 25. a4 Nxa4 $6 {Diagram [#] This is a mistake
which White missed to punish.} 26. Re1 ({Ding Liren missed in the line} 26. Rf4
$1 Nb6 27. Rxf6 Nd5 28. Rfxc6 ({The strong} 28. Rxg6 $1 {Diagram [#]} hxg6 29.
h7 $16 {which keeps the knight alive and White will enjoy an extra exchange.})
28... bxc6 29. Ng5 Nxb4 {with unclear play.}) 26... Nb6 27. Rg4 $6 {A mistake.
The correct way to sacrifice the knight was} (27. Rd4 Rf8 28. Re7 Nd5 29. Nd6+
cxd6 30. Rxh7 f5 31. Rg7 Nf6 32. Rxg6 Kd7 33. h7 {Diagram [#] (Ding Liren).
Indeed White looks fine.}) 27... Rg8 $1 {A strong move by Wei Yi that stops
the rook sacrifice on g6.} 28. Re7 Nd5 29. Nd6+ $1 ({Or else the knight will
be surrounded slowly but surely after} 29. Re1 g5) 29... cxd6 30. Rxh7 g5 {
White also gave the line} (30... f5 31. Rg7 Rxg7 32. hxg7 Ne7 33. Rxg6 Bd5 34.
Rxd6 Bg8 {with possible draw (Ding Liren)}) 31. Re4 Rg6 32. Re6 g4 (32... Kd8
33. Rxd6+ Ke8 {might be OK for Black (Ding Liren).}) 33. Rxd6 {After a long
and tensed battle with plenty of tactical nuances Wei Yi goes wrong last.} Nxb4
$2 {Diagram [#] Instead both} (33... Kb8) (33... Nb6 {were playable.}) 34. Rh8+
Kc7 35. Rd4 $1 {The rook joins the kingside battle with decisive effect.} Nd5 (
35... f5 36. Rxb4) 36. h7 Rh6 37. Rxg4 Ne7 38. Rg7 Kd7 39. Rf8 {Diagram [#]}
1-0
Report.
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