From Earth to Sky

Pavel Eljanov – 李超 (Lǐ Chāo)
4th Altibox Norway Chess; Stavanger, April 28, 2016
Queen’s Pawn Game D02

And, finally, our hero 李超 (Lǐ Chāo) has the honour to be challenged to duel by Pavel Eljanov. 1. d4 d5 2. Nf3 Nf6 3. Bf4 Bf5 4. e3 e6 5. Bd3 Ne4 6. Nbd2 Bd6 7. Bxe4 dxe4 8. Ne5 f6 9. g4 fxe5 10. dxe5 Be7 11. gxf5 exf5 12. Rg1 g6 13. Qe2 Qd5 14. 0-0-0 Nc6 15. Nb3 Qe6 16. Qb5 0-0 17. Kb1 a5 18. Nd4 Nxd4 19. exd4 c6 20. Qb6 Rfd8 21. a4 Rd7 22. d5 Rxd5 23. Rxd5 Qxd5 24. Qxb7 Re8 25. b3 Ba3 26. h4 Qd4 27. Bc1 Bxc1 28. Rxc1 f4 29. h5 g5 30. h6 Qxe5 31. Rd1 Re7 32. Qxc6

Forget about computers as now 李超 (Lǐ Chāo)’s technique in the conduct of the ending is worth a study composer! 32. ... e3!! 33. fxe3 fxe3 34. Rd5. It is very natural, from a human point of view. After a whole night’s struggling and deep computer questioning, “they” say 34. Qc4+ would have won for White... Their main analysis runs: 34. Qc4+ Re6 35. Rd5 Qf6 36. Qc7 Re7 37. Qc8+ Kf7 38. Rf5 e2 39. Rxf6+ Kxf6 40. Qc3+ Kf5 (on 40. ... Kf7 41. Qe1 wins) 41. Qxa5+ Kf4 42. Qe1 g4± “is an engine-proposal to improve White’s play in the game”, writes André Schulz, but 41. ... Re5! (instead than 41. ... Kf4) 42. Qe1 g4 is an improvement that suggests itself, after which Black certainly cannot lose. Maybe he could not win, since unlike the actual game there is no Black Pawn at a5, but surely he won’t lose. It is quite evident, however paradoxical it may appear, that only Black can win this game – from a human point of view, of course. 34. ... e2!! The pointe. 35. Rxe5 Rxe5 36. Qa8+ Kf7 37. Qa7+ Re7 38. Qf2+ Ke8 39. Qe1 g4 40. Kc1 g3 41. Kd2 g2 42. c3 Re6!! Fantastic! A waiting move, and the only move which wins. 43. b4 Kd7 44. b5 Rd6+ 45. Kc2 Rg6 46. Qd2+ Kc8 47. Qxe2 g1=Q 48. Qe8+ Kb7 49. Qe7+ Kb6 50. Qd8+ Kc5 51. Qf8+ Kd5 52. Qf5+ Kd6 53. Qf4+ Ke7 54. Qe4+ Re6 55. Qxh7+ Ke8 56. Qh8+ Kd7 57. Qh7+ Kc8 0 : 1. 李超 (Lǐ Chāo) painted his own masterpiece, the same day when Garry Kimovich Kasparov came back to chessboard!

Jonathan David Tisdall (‏@GMjtis)

Pavel Eljanov vs. 李超 (Lǐ Chāo)
Photo: Fiona Steil-Antoni