Hierarchy in International Relations

丁立人 (Dīng Lìrén) – 余泱漪 (Yú Yāngyī)
8th Chess World Cup; tie-break game 2 (25+10); Khanty-Mansiysk, September 28, 2019
English Opening A21

First seed 丁立人 (Dīng Lìrén), ranked number three in the world, beat fellow Chinese 余泱漪 (Yú Yāngyī) in the second tie-break game to win the semifinal and go through to the final of the Chess World Cup 2019. 1. c4 e5 2. Nc3 Bb4 3. Nd5 a5 4. Nf3 d6 5. a3 Bc5 6. e3 Nf6 7. d4 Nxd5 8. cxd5 exd4 9. exd4 Bb6 10. Bg5 f6 11. Be3 0-0 12. Bd3 f5 13. Qc2 Nd7!? 余泱漪 (Yú Yāngyī) throws down his cards with a novelty that does imply an interesting Exchange sacrifice. A relatively recent game continued: 13. ... h6 14. 0-0 f4 15. Bd2 Bg4 with complex play and chances for both colours, Cheparinov – 李师龙 (Lǐ Shīlóng), 14th “映美杯” (“Yìngměi Cup”) Chinese Chess League, 深圳 (Shēnzhèn) 2018. 14. Bxf5 Nf6 15. Bd3 h6 16. Nh4 Nxd5 17. Bh7+ Kh8 18. Ng6+ Kxh7 19. Nxf8+ Kg8 20. Ng6 Qf6. Black’s volatile initiative compensates enough for the sacrificed Exchange. 21. Qe4 Be6 22. 0-0 Re8 23. Nh4 Bf7 24. Qg4

24. ... h5! 余泱漪 (Yú Yāngyī) is not interested in offering a draw by repetition with 24. ... Be6 (25. Qh5 Bf7=). 25. Qg3 Re4!↑ 26. Bg5!? 丁立人 (Dīng Lìrén), even though feeling uncomfortable under Black’s initiative, boldly chooses not to hide himself. 26. ... Qe6. Who knows, maybe the crude 26. ... Qxd4 would have been better. 27. h3 Bxd4 28. Nf3 Bxb2 29. Rab1 Re2 30. Bd2 Qf6 31. Bxa5 Nf4! Black keeps attacking as much as possible. 32. Bxc7 Rc2∞ 33. Kh2 h4? 余泱漪 (Yú Yāngyī) finally puts himself too much forward. After the zwischenzug 33. ... Nxg2! 34. Kxg2 Rxc7 the game would have been pretty equal. 34. Qg5± Rxc7?? “Who says A must say B”. 35. Rxb2+− Qxg5 (35. ... Qxb2 36. Qd8++−) 36. Nxg5 Bc4 37. Re1 g6 38. Re4 Nd3 39. Rc2 Rc5 40. Rcxc4 Rxg5 41. Re7 Nc5 42. Rxh4 Rf5 43. f3 1 : 0.

余泱漪 (Yú Yāngyī) made all the play, but in the end, quite unluckily, lost the “derby” with 丁立人 (Dīng Lìrén), thus avoiding any responsibility for a diplomatic “accident” in the Chinese camp. Photo: FIDE World Cup 2019.