U+00BD

居文君 (Jū Wénjūn) – 卢尚磊 (Lú Shànglěi)
51st Chinese Chess Championship; 兴化 (Xīnghuà), December 20, 2020
Queen’s Gambit Declined D35

1. d4 Nf6 2. c4 e6 3. Nc3 d5 4. cxd5 exd5 5. Bg5 c6 6. e3 h6 7. Bh4 Be6 8. Bd3 Nbd7 9. Nge2 Bd6 10. Bg3 Qe7 (10. ... Qc7 11. b4 0-0 12. 0-0 Rfc8 13. Qd2 Bxg3 14. Nxg3 Qd6 15. Na4 a5 16. a3 b6 17. f4 axb4 18. axb4 Bg4 19. h3 Be6 20. Qf2 Rc7 21. f5 Rca7 22. fxe6 fxe6 23. Nxb6 Rxa1 24. Nxa8 Rxa8 25. e4 dxe4 26. Nxe4 Qxb4 27. Nxf6+ Nxf6 28. Bg6 Rd8 29. Rb1 Qd6 30. Re1 Qd5 31. Re5 Qb3 32. Qe2 Rd6 33. Kh2 Kf8 34. Ra5 Ke7 35. Qe5 Qb4 36. Be4 Qxd4 37. Qxd4 Rxd4 38. Bxc6 e5 39. Ra7+ Kd6 40. Bb5 Rb4 41. Be2 Rb2 42. Bd1 Rd2 43. Bg4 h5 44. Bc8 e4 45. Rxg7 e3 46. Ba6 e2 47. Bxe2 Rxe2 48. Kg3 Re4 49. Kf3 Rh4 50. g4 Ke6 ½ : ½ Gordievsky – Savchenko, 10th Ugra Governor’s Cup, Khanty-Mansiysk 2014) 11. 0-0 Bxg3 12. Nxg3 0-0 13. Rc1 Nb6 14. a3 Rfc8 15. h3 Rc7

16. Qf3 (16. Nce2!? Ne8 17. Nf4 Nd6 18. Qc2⩲) 16. ... Re8 17. Rfe1 Qd8 18. Qf4 Rce7 19. h4 Nc8 20. f3 Kf8 21. Na4 Qd6 22. Qxd6 Nxd6 23. Kf2 h5 24. Nc5 g6 25. a4 Bc8 26. a5 a6 27. e4 dxe4 28. fxe4 Ng4+ 29. Kg1 Kg7 30. Rf1 Rd8 31. Be2 Nb5 32. Bxb5 axb5 33. Rfd1 Ne3 34. Rd3 Nc4 35. b4 Bg4 36. Rf1 Nb2 37. Rd2 Nc4 38. Rd3 ½ : ½.

In round two, 居文君 (Jū Wénjūn) added another half point to her score. Photo: Chinese Chess Association.

Going in Style

Ian Aleksandrovich Nepomniachtchi – 卢尚磊 (Lú Shànglěi)
10th Russia – China Friendship Match; Moscow, June 13, 2016
Sicilian Defence B90

1. e4 c5 2. Nf3 d6 3. d4 cxd4 4. Nxd4 Nf6 5. Nc3 a6 6. h3 e6 7. g4 Nfd7 8. Be3 b5 9. a3 Bb7 10. g5 Nc6 11. h4 Be7 12. Qd2 0-0 13. 0-0-0 Rc8 14. Nxc6. For 14. Kb1 Nde5 15. Nxc6 Nxc6 16. h5 see 侯逸凡 (Hóu Yìfán) – Esen, 2nd Qatar Masters Open, Doha 2015. 14. ... Rxc6 15. Kb1. For 15. h5 Qa5 16. Kb1 Rxc3 17. Qxc3 Qxc3 18. bxc3 Bxe4 see Bromberger – Cheparinov, 31st International Chess Open, Reykjavík 2016. 15. ... Ne5 16. Rh3 Nc4 17. Qe1 Qa5. 卢尚磊 (Lú Shànglěi)’s novelty. For 17. ... Nxe3 18. Rxe3 Qc8 19. f4 Bd8 20. f5 Ba5 21. b4 Bb6 22. Red3 exf5 23. exf5 Re8 24. Qd2 Rc4 25. g6! see Nepomniachtchi – Grischuk, 23rd Russian Team Chess Championship, Sochi 2016. 18. Bxc4 Rxc4

19. Nd5! “19. Nd5! spoils Black’s game. If Black is going to look for an improvement before this point, one way is to try to avoid this move”, Ulhumbrus wisely said. 19. ... Qd8 20. Bb6! Qd7 21. Nxe7+ Qxe7 22. Re3± Qd7 23. Ba5 Qc6 24. f3 Rc8. If 24. ... Rxc2 then 25. Bb4 Rd8 26. Bxd6± (Leitão’s analysis) 25. Bc3 Qc5 26. Rdd3. Grandmaster Rafael Duailibe Leitão rightly prefers 26. Bb4! Rxb4 27. axb4 Qxc2+ 28. Ka1+-. 26. ... d5 27. exd5 Bxd5 28. h5 a5 29. b3 Rf4 30. Qd2. Leitão recommends 30. Be5! Qxc2+ 31. Ka1 Rxf3 32. Rxf3 Bxf3 33. Rxf3 Rd8 34. Rf1 Qxb3 35. Bb2 with advantage to White. 30. ... Rh4. If, instead, 30. ... Qxa3 (Leitão) there might follow 31. Qh2 Rf5 32. Re5 still retaining the upper hand. 31. h6 b4 32. Bb2 Rh1+ 33. Bc1 bxa3? No doubt the losing move! 33. ... Qd6 (to be followed by ... a5-a4 as soon as possible) was clearly called for. 34. Rc3! Qf8 35. Rxc8 Qxc8 36. Rc3 Qf8 37. Rc7! The End. 37. ... a4 38. Qc3 axb3 39. cxb3 Bb7 40. Rxb7 a2+ 41. Ka1! But not 41. Kb2? a1=Q+! 42. Kxa1 Rxc1+ 43. Qxc1 Qa8+ and the saga continues. 1 : 0.

Ian Aleksandrovich Nepomniachtchi vs. 卢尚磊 (Lú Shànglěi)
Photo: ruchess.ru

A Woman in the Middle East

侯逸凡 (Hóu Yìfán) – 卢尚磊 (Lú Shànglěi)
2nd Qatar Masters Open; Doha, December 28, 2015
Giuoco Piano C54

1. e4 e5 2. Nf3 Nc6 3. Bc4 Bc5 4. d3 Nf6 5. Nbd2 d6 6. c3 0-0 7. h3 Bb6 8. Bb3 Ne7 9. Nf1 Ng6 10. Ng3 h6 11. 0-0 Re8. If 11. ... Nh7 then 12. d4 c6 13. Be3 Ng5 14. Kh1 Qf6 15. Nh2 Re8 16. Ng4 Qd8 17. f4 exf4 18. Bxf4 d5 19. e5 Nxf4 20. Rxf4 c5 21. Qf1 cxd4 22. cxd4 Be6 23. Bc2 Rc8 24. Ne3 Qd7 25. Bd3 a6 26. Nh5 Rc6 27. Nf5 Bxf5 28. Bxf5 Qe7 29. h4 Nh7 30. Nxg7 Kxg7 31. Bxh7 Bxd4 32. Rxd4 Kxh7 33. Qf5+ Kh8 34. Rf1 Qxe5 35. Qxf7 Rce6 36. Rdf4 Qxb2 37. Qh5 Qg7 38. Qxd5 Re1 39. Rxe1 Rxe1+ 40. Kh2 Qc7 41. Qd4+ Kg8 42. g3 Re2+ 43. Kh3 Re7 44. Qd5+ Kh7 45. Qf5+ Kh8 46. Qf8+ Kh7 47. Qf5+ Kh8 48. Qg6 Qc8+ 49. Kg2 Re6 50. Qd3 Qc6+ 51. Kh2 Qe8 52. Qc3+ Kh7 53. Qc2+ Kh8 54. Qb2+ Kh7 55. Qxb7+ Kh8 56. Qb2+ Kh7 57. Qc2+ Kh8 58. Qc3+ Kh7 59. Qd3+ Kh8 60. Rf2 h5 61. Qf3 Kh7 62. Qf5+ Kh8 63. Kh3 Re1 64. Qf6+ Kh7 65. Qf5+ Kh8 66. Qd5 Re5 67. Rf8+ Qxf8 68. Qxe5+ Kg8 69. Qg5+ Kh7 70. Qxh5+ Kg7 71. Qe5+ Kh7 72. Kg4 Qg8+ 73. Kf5 Qxa2 74. Qe7+ Kh8 75. Qf6+ Kh7 76. Qg6+ Kh8 77. Qh6+ Kg8 78. Qe6+ 1 : 0 侯逸凡 (Hóu Yìfán) – Stefanova, Women’s Grand Prix 2009–2011, 1st stage, Instanbul 2009. 12. Re1 Be6 13. a4 a5 14. d4 Bxb3 15. Qxb3 d5 16. exd5 exd4 17. Rxe8+ Qxe8. International Master Georgios Souleidis also considers 17. ... Nxe8 18. c4 Nd6 (18. ... Nf6 19. Nf5⩲) 19. Qc2 Qf6 20. Nh5 Qf5 21. Qxf5 Nxf5 22. Kf1⩲ with a slightly favourable endgame.

18. Bd2. The most promising is probably Souleidis’ suggestion: 18. c4! Qd8 19. Nf5 c6 20. d6 (20. Bxh6!? gxh6 21. Nxh6+ Kg7 22. Nxf7 Kxf7 23. Ng5+ Kg8 24. Ne6 Qe7 25. Qxb6 cxd5 26. Nc7 Rf8 27. Nxd5=) 20. ... Nd7 21. g4! Nc5 22. Qc2 Ne6 23. h4 Bc5 24. h5 Ngf4 25. Bxf4 Nxf4 26. Ne7+ Kh8 27. Ne5 Nh3+ 28. Kg2 Ng5 29. Qf5 Bxd6 30. Qxg5 Qxe7 (or 30. ... Qe8 31. Qf4 Bxe7 32. Qxf7⩲) 31. Qxe7 Bxe7 32. Nxf7+ Kh7 33. Ne5⩲ with a little better ending for White. 18. ... dxc3 19. Bxc3 Ne4 20. Nxe4 Qxe4 21. Re1 Qf4 22. Bd2 Qd6 23. Qb5 Kh7 24. b4 axb4 25. Bxb4 c5 26. dxc6 Qxc6 27. Qxc6 bxc6 28. a5 Bc7 29. Kf1 Nf4 30. Ra1 Ra6 31. Bd2 Kg6 32. Nd4 c5 33. Nb5 Be5 34. Ra4 Ne6 35. Ke2 Kf6 36. Kd3 Ke7 37. g3 Kd7 38. f4 Kc6 39. Kc4 Bf6 40. Ra3 Nd8 41. Nc3 Nb7 42. Ne4 Bd8 43. f5 Nxa5+ ½ : ½.

Tip-Toes

卢尚磊 (Lú Shànglěi) – Daniil Dimitriyevich Dubov
China – Russia Match; 宁波市 (Níngbō), July 17, 2015
Spanish C85

1. e4 e5 2. Nf3 Nc6 3. Bb5 a6 4. Ba4 Nf6 5. 0-0 Be7 6. Bxc6 dxc6 7. Qe1 Nd7 8. d4 Bf6 9. Be3 exd4 10. Bxd4 Bxd4 11. Nxd4 Nb6. For 11. ... Nc5 12. Qe3 Qe7 13. Nc3 0-0 14. Rad1 a5 15. Rfe1 Re8 16. Qg3 Be6 see Ermenkov – Pesantes, 12th Capablanca Memorial, Cienfuegos 1975. 12. Qc3 0-0 13. a4 a5 14. Nd2 Qe7 15. Rfe1 Be6 16. N2b3 Bxb3. Cutting the Gordian Knot. 17. Nxb3 Qb4 18. Qxb4 axb4 19. Nc5 Nc4 20. b3 Na3 21. Rec1 b6 22. Nd3 c5 23. c3 Rfd8 24. Nf4 b5 25. cxb4 cxb4

26. a5! The most practical try, whereas 26. axb5 Nxb5 would lead nowhere. 26. ... Rd2! After 26. ... Rxa5? 27. Nd5! Black falls into very serious trouble. 27. Nd5. Possibly better is the immediate 27. Rxc7 h6 28. g3 Rxa5 29. e5 with a very strong position for White. 27. ... Rb2. Black could also play 27. ... Rxa5 28. Rxc7 h6 with a tenable position (it should be noted that 29. Nxb4?? loses to 29. ... Nc2!). 28. Rxc7 Rxb3? A fatal oversight. Black ought to play 28. ... h6 as after 29. Nxb4 (but here White might possibly have something better) 29. ... Rxa5 30. Nc6 Nc2 31. Rf1 Ra1 32. Rxa1 Nxa1 33. f4 Nxb3 34. e5 White’s initiative is most likely not exploitable. 29. a6! h6. Black’s back rank weakness is fatal. If 29. ... Rd3 there follows 30. a7 b3 31. Rb7 and White wins. 30. a7 Kh7 31. Nb6 Rxa7 32. Rxa7. A Rook down, Black could well resign here. 32. ... Nc2 33. Rc1 Nd4 34. Kf1 Ra3 35. Rxa3 bxa3 36. Nd5 Nb3 37. Rc2 1 : 0.

卢尚磊 (Lú Shànglěi)
Photo: qipai.org.cn

Stopp’t-Clock Yard

卢尚磊 (Lú Shànglěi) – 韦奕 (Wéi Yì)
64th Chinese Chess Championship; 兴化 (Xīnghuà), May 29, 2015
Sicilian Defence B30

1. Nc3 c5 2. e4 Nc6 3. Nf3 g6 4. Bc4 Bg7 5. d3 d6 6. a3 e6 7. h4!? Naïve. The “book” line is 7. 0-0 Nge7 8. Ba2 0-0 9. Be3 Nd4 as in the game Zander – Schlage, 22nd DSB Kongress, Bad Oeynhausen 1922. 7. ... Nf6 8. Ba2 a6 9. Ne2 b5 10. Ng3 h6 11. c3 Bb7 12. d4 Qb6 13. 0-0 0-0-0? 韦奕 (Wéi Yì) imprudently castles on the opposite wing, when Black’s Kingside Pawns are a sitting target as well as His Majesty on the Queenside! It would have been safer to castle on the Kingside: 13. ... 0-0 as 14. h5 g5 15. d5!? leads to interesting complications. 14. a4 d5 15. axb5 axb5 16. e5 Ne4 17. Be3 Nxg3 18. fxg3 c4 19. Qd2 Kc7 20. Nh2 Rd7 21. Rae1 b4 22. Bb1 Kc8 23. Rf3 b3. Black’s King is now quite safe. 卢尚磊 (Lú Shànglěi) thus will break up Black’s Kingside. It should be noted that White’s Bishop pair is immensely stronger than Black’s one. 24. Ref1 Nd8 25. R3f2 Bc6 26. Ng4 h5 27. Bh6! A timely solution! 27. ... Bxh6 28. Nxh6 Rh7 29. Qg5 Ra7

30. g4! hxg4 31. h5! White plays the termination very energetically. 31. ... g3 32. Rf6 Be8 33. hxg6 fxg6 34. Rf8 Qc6 35. Ng8 Rhg7 36. Nf6 Rae7 37. Qh6! 1 : 0. 韦奕 (Wéi Yì) has been literally squeezed up!

卢尚磊 (Lú Shànglěi)
Photo: qipai.org.cn