Synaptic Self

丁立人 (Dīng Lìrén) – 王皓 (Wáng Hào)
Candidates Tournament 2020; Yekaterinburg, March 17, 2020
English Opening A22

王皓 (Wáng Hào), who escaped in Japan in order to bypass the “double quarantine” of enforced confinement first in China and then in Russia, brilliantly won his derby against 丁立人 (Dīng Lìrén), who, instead, seemed thoroughly exhausted by his 90-day quarantine period in 温州 (Wēnzhōu) and Moscow. 1. c4 e5 2. g3 Nf6 3. Bg2 Bc5 4. d3 0-0 5. Nc3 c6 6. Nf3 d6 7. 0-0 Re8 8. Na4 Bb4 9. a3 Ba5 10. b4 Bc7 11. e4 a5 12. Bb2 Na6 13. b5 cxb5 14. cxb5 Nc5 15. Nxc5 dxc5 16. a4 Bg4 17. Ra3 Nd7 18. h3 Bh5 19. Qb1 b6 20. Nd2 Nf8 21. Bf3 Qg5 22. h4 Qg6 23. Qd1 Bxf3 24. Qxf3 h5 25. Qf5 Rad8 26. Qxg6 Nxg6 27. Kg2 f6 28. Nc4 Kf7 29. Bc1 Rd7

30. f4? “丁立人 (Dīng Lìrén)’s 30. f4 is probably his worst move over many years. It seems being quarantined here and there wasn’t the best psychological preparation”, Grandmaster Romain Édouard said. 30. ... exf4 31. Bxf4 Nxf4+ 32. gxf4 f5! 33. e5 Re6 34. Kf3. 34. Ne3 Rg6+ 35. Kf3 Ke6 directly transposes to the game. 34. ... Rg6 35. Ne3 Ke6 36. Rd1 Bd8 37. Ra2 Rd4. 37. ... Bxh4 38. Rh2 Rg4! was also very strong. 38. Nc2 Rd5 39. Ne3 Rd7? Maybe the only inaccuracy by 王皓 (Wáng Hào) on the last move before time control. 39. ... Rd4 40. Nc2 Rd7−+ was obvious and winning for Black.

40. Rdd2? With a few seconds left, however, 丁立人 (Dīng Lìrén) misses his lucky chance: 40. d4! Rxd4 (40. ... cxd4?? 41. Rc2!+−) 41. Rxd4 cxd4 42. Nc2 Kd5 43. Nxd4! Kxd4 44. Rd1+ regaining the piece with equality. 40. ... Bxh4 41. Rg2 Rg4! 42. Rh2 g6 43. Nxg4 fxg4+ 44. Ke3 Be7 45. Rac2 h4 0 : 1.

Yet once again, the cure proved worse than the disease. Photo © Maria Alekseevna Emelianova.