Straight from the Heart

韦奕 (Wéi Yì) – Pier Luigi Basso
2nd Qatar Masters Open; Doha, December 21, 2015
Caro-Kann B19

1. e4 c6 2. d4 d5 3. Nd2 dxe4 4. Nxe4 Bf5 5. Ng3 Bg6 6. h4 h6 7. Nf3 e6 8. Ne5 Bh7 9. Bd3 Bxd3 10. Qxd3 Nd7 11. f4 c5 12. Be3 Nxe5 13. fxe5 cxd4 14. 0-0-0 Qd5 15. Bxd4 Ne7 16. Ne2!? A paradoxical novelty. For 16. Kb1 Nc6 17. Bc3 Qxd3 18. Rxd3 Be7 see Zwahr – Basso, PokerStars IoM Masters, Douglas 2015. 16. ... Nf5 17. Nc3 Qd7 18. Bf2 Qxd3 19. Rxd3 a6 20. Ne4 h5 21. Rhd1 Be7 22. g3 0-0 23. Bb6. Maybe a bit too sophisticated. More straightforward looks 23. Rd7 and if 23. ... b5 then 24. Nd6 squeezing Black’s position. 23. ... Rfc8 24. Rd7 Rc4 25. Nd6 Bxd6 26. exd6 Rc6 27. Bf2

27. ... b5? A gift from Pier Luigi. After 27. ... Rac8! Black’s chances are at least equal. 28. b4 a5. Now 28. ... Rac8 is effectively met by 29. Bc5. 29. Bc5. The rest is easy for 韦奕 (Wéi Yì). 29. ... Rac8 30. a3 axb4 31. axb4 Nxg3. A temporary satisfaction. 32. Rb7 Nf5 33. d7 Rd8 34. Bb6 Rxb6. Sadly forced. 35. Rxb6 Kf8 36. Rxb5 Ke7 37. Rc5 g5 38. b5 gxh4 39. b6 Nd6 40. Rc7 h3 41. b7 h2 42. Rh1 f5 43. Rxh2 f4 44. Rxh5 Kf6 45. c4 1 : 0.

韦奕 (Wéi Yì) (a little time ago)
Photo: sports.sina.com.cn