Out of Line

Daniil Dmitrievich Dubov – 丁立人 (Dīng Lìrén)

Champions Chess Tour 2021; 3rd stage; Opera Euro Rapid; Prelims Tournament; time control: 15 minutes plus 10 seconds per move; chess24.com, February 8, 2021

Catalan Opening E01

丁立人 (Dīng Lìrén) ended up being excluded from the quarterfinals of the Opera Euro Rapid, and can hardly console himself with the honour of having been one of the testers for Dubov’s opening secrets. 1. d4 Nf6 2. Nf3 d5 3. c4 e6 4. g3 Bb4+ 5. Nbd2 dxc4 6. Bg2 a5 7. a3 Bxd2+ 8. Bxd2 0-0 9. Qc2 b5 10. a4 c6 11. h4 Nbd7. Dubov’s coming attack might have been inspired by the following game: 11. ... Ba6 12. h5 h6 13. g4 Nxg4 14. Rg1 f5 15. Bh3 Qe8 16. Bxg4 fxg4 17. Ne5 Qxh5 18. Nxg4 Kh8 19. 0-0-0 Qf5 20. e4 Qh5 21. Nxh6 gxh6 22. Rh1 Qe2 23. Rxh6+ Kg7 24. Rg1+ Kf7 25. Rf6+ Kxf6 26. Bg5+ Kf7 27. Qxe2 Ke8 28. Qh5+ Kd7 29. Bf4 Kc8 30. Qe5 Rf7 31. Rg8+ 1 : 0 Sadzikowski – Sonis, 4th PRO Chess League Group Stage, chess.com, January 15, 2020 (time control: 15 minutes plus 2 seconds per move). Black has no reason to feel happy about 11. ... Na6 (apart from the final result): 12. Ne5 Nb4 13. Bxb4 axb4 14. Nxc6 Qd6 15. Ne7+ Qxe7 16. Bxa8 b3 17. Qc3 Qa7 18. Bf3 Nd5 19. Qc1 Qxd4 20. axb5 c3 21. bxc3 Nxc3 22. Qd2 Nxb5 23. Qxd4 (23. Ra8 first is also strong) 23. ... Nxd4 24. 0-0-0? (24. Be4 f5 25. Bd3 Bb7 26. f3 Rd8 27. Kd2±) 24. ... Nxf3 25. exf3 Bb7 26. Rd3 Bd5 27. Kb2 h6 28. Ra1 Rc8 29. Rc3 Rxc3 30. Kxc3 g5 31. hxg5 hxg5 ½ : ½ 许翔宇 (Xǔ Xiángyǔ) – 韦奕 (Wéi Yì), 14th “映美杯” (“Yìng Měi Cup”) Chinese Chess League, 杭州 (Hángzhōu) 2018. 12. h5 h6

13. g4!↑ Nxg4. Otherwise g4-g5 follows. 14. axb5 Bb7? Thus 丁立人 (Dīng Lìrén) gets caught into one of Dubov’s (many?) homemade opening traps, with an inevitable débâcle. 14. ... Qb6 15. bxc6 Ndf6 was probably the best he could do at the moment.

15. Nh2!+− Nxf2 16. Kxf2 Qh4+ 17. Kf1 Qf6+ 18. Bf3 1 : 0.