Travelling Far Away

丁立人 (Dīng Lìrén) – Ian Alexandrovich Nepomniachtchi
Candidates Tournament 2022; Madrid, June 17, 2022
English Opening A20

1. c4 e5 2. g3 c6 3. Nf3 e4 4. Nd4 d5 5. cxd5 Qxd5 6. Nc2 Nf6 7. Nc3 Qe5 8. Bg2 Na6 9. 0-0 Be7 10. Ne3 0-0 11. a3 Re8 12. b4 Ng4

One might well agree with Karpov that the lack of assistance “on-site” may make 丁立人 (Dīng Lìrén)’s task more onerous than usual. Even today, for example, he opted for an opening strategy which is anything but easy, and that also recently resulted in something very unfortunate to him: 12. ... c5 13. b5 Nc7 14. a4 Ne6 15. Nc4 Qh5 16. d3 Nd4 17. dxe4 Bg4 18. f3 Be6 19. Ne3 Rad8 20. Ned5 Nxd5 21. exd5 Bxd5 22. g4 Qe5 23. f4 Nxe2+ 24. Nxe2 Qxa1 25. Bxd5 Bf6 26. Kh1 c4 27. Ng3 Bb2 28. Qc2 Bxc1 29. Qxc4 Rc8 30. Bxf7+ Kh8 31. Qd5 Red8 32. Qxb7 Qxa4 33. Be6 Rb8 34. Qe4 Qa3 35. Bc4 Bb2 36. Nf5 Qh3 37. Qe2 Bf6 38. Ng3 Re8 39. Qf3 Rbc8 40. Bf7 Red8 41. g5 Rd2 42. Ne2 Qxf3+ 43. Rxf3 Rxe2 0 : 1 丁立人 (Dīng Lìrén) – Niemann, 2nd Champions Chess Tour, 2nd stage, Charity Cup, Prelims Tournament, chess24.com, March 19, 2022 (time control: 15 minutes plus 10 seconds per move). 13. Bb2 Qh5 14. h4 Bf6 15. Qc2 Nxe3 16. dxe3 Bf5

17. Na4. Now and on the next moves, White systematically omits to play 17. b5! — which was instead his most thematic and consistent strategy. 17. ... Bxb2 18. Nxb2 Nc7 19. Nc4 Re6 20. Rfd1 Nd5 21. Rd4

21. ... h6!? 21. ... g5! at once was probably stronger here, but Nepomniachtchi too is in no hurry to unveil his teeth. 22. Qd2? After this mistake, Black’s attack develops easily and naturally. Comparatively best was 22. Rad1, for if Black plays 22. ... Rae8 — as in the game — White could well sacrifice the Exchange on d5, solving most, if not all, of his problems. 22. ... Rae8 23. Kh2 Bg4 24. Na5 Rf6 25. Kg1

25. ... g5! Finally! 26. Nxb7? Once more, White ought and had to play 26. b5! in reply to which there could follow 26. ... gxh4 27. bxc6 hxg3 28. fxg3 Qe5 with a powerful upper hand for Black. 26. ... gxh4 27. Nc5 h3! 28. Rxe4 hxg2 29. Rxe8+ Kg7 30. f4 (30. Kxg2 Rxf2+! 31. Kxf2 Qxh2+ 32. Kf1 Bh3+ 33. Ke1 Qg1#) 30. ... Qh1+ 31. Kf2 Qxa1 32. Kxg2

32. ... Bh3+! 0 : 1 For after 33. Kxh3 Qh1+ 34. Kg4 h5+ 35. Kg5 Qh3 mate follows in a very few moves.

“A win is always a win... I think that, you know, highest-rated or lowest-rated, I mean everyone is pretty strong player here”, Nepomniachtchi said afterwards. Photo: Maria Alekseevna Emelianova/chess.com.