The Tiny Warrior

丁立人 (Dīng Lìrén) – Richárd Rapport
7th Chess World Cup; match game 2; Tbilisi, September 16, 2017
Queen’s Indian Defence E18

1. d4 Nf6 2. c4 e6 3. Nf3 b6 4. g3 Bb7 5. Bg2 Be7 6. 0-0 0-0 7. Nc3 Ne4 8. Bd2 Bf6 9. Re1!? Rapport had lost two important games in Wijk aan Zee early this year, but in both cases his opponents have chosen a different move from that of 丁立人 (Dīng Lìrén). After 9. Rc1 Nxd2 10. Qxd2 d6 11. d5 e5 12. e4 Nd7 13. h4 a5 14. Bh3 Nc5 15. Kg2 Bc8 Black could (and should) be quite content with his position, So – Rapport, 79th Tata Steel Chess Tournament, Wijk aan Zee 2017, whereas, instead, after 9. Be1 Re8 10. Qc2 d5 11. Nxe4 dxe4 12. Nd2 Bxd4 13. Rd1 Black soon found himself in a very unpleasant position, Aronian – Rapport, 79th Tata Steel Chess Tournament, Wijk aan Zee 2017. 9. ... a6!? 10. Ne5 Nxc3 11. Bxc3 Bxg2 12. Kxg2 d6 13. Ng4 Be7 14. e4 b5 15. Qe2! bxc4

16. d5! White energetically sacrifices a Pawn to put a powerful bind on Black’s centre. 16. ... Qc8. This move does not help Black’s cause, but it was not easy to find a good one. 17. e5! As suggested by Norwegian Grandmaster Johan Salomon, another pleasant way was 17. Qxc4 exd5 18. Nh6+! (18. ... Kh8 19. Qd4 Bf6 20. Qxf6! gxf6 21. Bxf6 mate) 18. ... gxh6 19. Qd4 f6 20. Qxd5+ winning the Rook. So Black should have been content with 17. ... e5 18. Ne3 which, however, would have left him in a horrible situation. 17. ... exd5 18. exd6 cxd6. Not 18. ... Bxd6? 19. Qf3! c6? 20. Nh6+! Kh8 21. Qf6! with mate in a few moves. 19. Qxe7 d4. If 19. ... Qxg4 then 20. f3! Qf5 21. g4 and Black cannot parry both threats (Qe7-b7 and Qe7-g5). 20. Qe4 Qc6 21. Bxd4 f5. Indian Grandmaster Surya Shekhar Ganguly gives a pretty variation: 21. ... Qxe4 22. Rxe4 f5 23. Re7 Nc6 24. Rxg7+ Kh8 25. Rg8++! Kxg8 26. Nh6 mate. So Black must enter an endgame which is completely hopeless. 22. Qxc6 Nxc6 23. Ne3 Nxd4 24. Rad1 f4 25. Rxd4 fxe3 26. Rxe3 Rab8 27. Re2 c3 28. bxc3 Rb6 29. Rb4! Rxb4 30. cxb4 Rb8 31. Rb2. Now – irony of fate – White is a Pawn ahead and – even most importantly – has Pawn majorities on both wings. The win is very easy. 31. ... Kf7 32. Kf3 Ke6 33. Ke4 d5+ 34. Kd3 Kd6 35. a4 Rb7 36. f4 h5 37. b5 axb5 38. axb5 Kc5 39. Rc2+ Kxb5 40. Kd4 Rf7 41. Kxd5 1 : 0.