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Lê Quang Liêm – Võ Thành Ninh
7th HDBank International Open Chess Tournament; Ho Chi Minh City, March 12, 2017
Queen’s Gambit Declined D37

“Vietnamese Lê Quang Liêm relies upon a sound positional style. He is among the favourites to gain the HDBank Cup, held in his home country. From the position shown in the diagram, how does White win?”, Grandmaster Rafael Duailibe Leitão says and asks, showing the game on his website. 1. d4 Nf6 2. c4 e6 3. Nc3 d5 4. Nf3 Be7 5. Bf4 0-0 6. e3 b6 7. Rc1 Bb7 8. cxd5 exd5 9. Be2 c6 10. Ne5 Nfd7. A novelty that won’t bring good fortune. For 10. ... Nbd7 11. 0-0 Nxe5 12. dxe5 Ne8 13. Qc2 Nc7 14. Rfd1 Ne6 15. Bg3 Rb8 16. Qb1 Ba8 17. b4 c5 see Dizdar – Pigusov, 5th International Open, Dubai 2003. 11. Nd3 a5 12. 0-0 Bg5 13. Bg3 Bh4 14. e4! Bxg3 15. hxg3 dxe4 16. Nxe4 Ra7 17. Re1± c5 18. Nd6 cxd4 19. Nf4 Nc5 20. Qxd4 Nc6 21. Qd2 Ba6 22. Bxa6 Rxa6 23. Nh5 Ra7 24. Rcd1 Rd7 25. Qc3 f6? It undoubtedly hastens the end, but also 25. ... Qg5 26. Rd5 Qg6 (on 26. ... Qg4? 27. Ne8! wins very heavy material) 27. Nf4 is totally hopeless. 26. Qc4+ Kh8

27. Nf7+! Rfxf7. 27. ... Rdxf7 is equally met by 28. Qxf7! with an immediate catastrophe. 28. Qxf7! Rxf7 29. Rxd8+ 1 : 0.

Lê Quang Liêm vs. Võ Thành Ninh
Photo: vietnamchess.vn