Nearer by Far

居文君 (Jū Wénjūn) – 温阳 (Wēn Yáng)
51st Chinese Chess Championship; 兴化 (Xīnghuà), December 24, 2020
Semi-Slav Defence D45

In round six, 居文君 (Jū Wénjūn) finally scored her first win, beating 温阳 (Wēn Yáng) in quite a brilliant manner. 1. d4 d5 2. c4 e6 3. Nf3 Nf6 4. Nc3 c6 5. e3 Nbd7 6. Qc2 b6 7. Be2 Bb7 8. 0-0 Bd6 9. Rd1 0-0 10. e4 Nxe4 11. Nxe4 dxe4 12. Qxe4 Qc7 13. Bd3 g6 14. Qh4 Rfe8. Much better seems 14. ... c5, as recently played in Mamedyarov – Duda, Grand Prix 2019, 2nd stage, Riga 2019, tie-break game 1 (time control: 25 minutes plus 10 seconds per move). 15. Ng5 Nf6!? Definitely an improvement on 15. ... Nf8 16. Ne4 Be7 17. Bg5 Bxg5 (17. ... c5 18. dxc5 bxc5 19. Bxe7 Qxe7 20. Qxe7 Rxe7 21. Nxc5 Rc8 22. b4 Rxc5 23. bxc5 Nd7 24. Be2 Nxc5 25. Rab1 Ba6 26. Kf1 h5 27. Rd6 Rc7 28. Rb8+ Kg7 29. Ke1 Kf6 30. Rb4 Ke7 31. Rd2 Ne4 32. Rc2 Nc5 33. h4 Rd7 34. Rd2 Rc7 35. f3 Rc8 36. a3 f5 37. Kf2 Rc7 38. Ke3 Kf6 39. g3 Ke5 40. Rd8 Rg7 41. f4+ Kf6 42. Rf8+ Ke7 43. Rbb8 1 : 0 Myć – De Wachter, 36th World Junior Chess Championship, Żagań 1997) 18. Qxg5 Red8 19. Nf6+ Kh8 20. Be4 Nd7 21. h4 Qd6 22. c5 Qf8 23. Bf3 Nxf6 24. Qxf6+ Qg7 25. Qf4 Rd7 26. Rd2 Kg8 27. Rc1 Rc8 28. b4 b5 29. Re1 Rcd8 30. Re5 Qf8 31. h5 Qg7 32. Bd1 Bc8 33. Bc2 Rb7 34. h6 Qf8 35. Bb3 Rbd7 36. g4 Rb7 37. g5 Rbd7 38. Re4 Bb7 39. Qf6 Re8 40. Rde2 Bc8 41. a4 Bb7 42. Rf4 Rde7 43. Re5 a6 44. a5 Bc8 45. Re3 Bd7 46. Qe5 Rc8 47. Bc2 Rce8 48. Bxg6 hxg6 1 : 0 Kasparov – De Poi, 20-board simultaneous exhibition, Asiago 1991.

16. c5!? White gives up a Pawn for the initiative. 16. ... bxc5 17. dxc5 Bxc5 18. Bf4 e5 (18. ... Qb6!? 19. Bc4 Rad8) 19. Be3 Bxe3?? An incomprehensible mistake which opens the f-file for White’s Rook, thus making her attack irresistible. 19. ... Be7! 20. Bc4 Rf8 was a tougher defence, although after 21. b4!↑ White retains the upper hand. 20. fxe3+− Qb6 21. Bc4 Qxe3+ 22. Kh1 Kg7 23. Rf1 Qd4

24. Ne4! Qxe4. Likewise, if 24. ... Qxc4 then 25. Qxf6+ Kg8 (25. ... Kh6 26. Nd6+−) 26. Qh4 with overwhelming attack. 25. Qxf6+ Kh6 26. Bxf7 Rf8 27. Rae1 Qg4 28. Re3 c5 29. Rg3 Qh5 30. Kg1. Sic et simpliciter. 30. ... Bc8 31. Rff3 e4 32. Rh3 Bxh3 33. Rxh3 Qxh3 34. gxh3 Rad8 35. Qe7 Rd1+ 36. Kf2 Rfd8 37. Bc4 R8d2+ 38. Ke3 1 : 0.

There’s a first time for everything

Two first-time winners were crowned this year at the 49th Chinese Open Chess Championship and 42nd Chinese Women’s Chess Championship, which took place from 18–29 April in 兴化 (Xīnghuà), 江苏省 (Jiāngsū province), China. Pictured, from left, are 温阳 (Wēn Yáng) and 翟墨 (Zhái Mò) being awarded by the member of Standing Committee of 兴化 (Xīnghuà) Municipal Party Committee and Propaganda Minister 刘春龙 (Liú Chūnlóng). Photo: qipai.org.cn.

Strictly Come Dancing

温阳 (Wēn Yáng) – Vladislav Mikhailovich Artemiev
14th Aeroflot Open; Moscow, March 2, 2016
Sicilian Defence B23

1. e4 c5 2. Nc3 a6 3. g3 b5 4. Bg2 Bb7 5. d3 e6 6. Nh3 d6 7. 0-0 Nf6 8. f4 Nc6 9. Be3. For 9. f5 b4 10. Nb1 e5 11. Nd2 see Y. Bernstein – Aloni, Netanya 1968. 9. ... Be7 10. e5! dxe5 11. fxe5 Nd7 12. Qg4 g6? If he had known what was expected, Artemiev would certainly have sacrificed the Exchange by 12. ... 0-0 13. Bh6 g6.

13. Rxf7!! A terrific blow which is designed to catch His Majesty out. 13. ... Kxf7. Or 13. ... Ncxe5 14. Qxe6 Bxg2 15. Kxg2 Nxf7 16. Nd5 and wins. 14. Rf1+ Ke8. If 14. ... Kg7 then 15. Nf4 Nf8 16. Nh5+ Kg8 17. Qf4 Qe8 18. Nf6+ Bxf6 19. exf6 and Black’s defence will fall pretty soon. 15. Qxe6 Ndxe5 16. Ne4. After 17 minutes of thinking. 16. ... Qc7 17. Nf4. 17. Nhg5! was even stronger. 17. ... Bc8. Probably not best move, but the situation was already exceedingly difficult for Black. 18. Nf6+ Kd8 19. Qd5+ Qd6 20. Bxc5 1 : 0. For if 20. ... Qxd5 then 21. Bb6 mate.

Child King

韦奕 (Wéi Yì) – 温阳 (Wēn Yáng)
64th Chinese Chess Championship; 兴化 (Xīnghuà), May 26, 2015
Spanish C88

1. e4 e5 2. Nf3 Nc6 3. Bb5 a6 4. Ba4 Nf6 5. 0-0 Be7 6. Re1 b5 7. Bb3 0-0 8. a4 Bb7 9. d3 d6 10. Nbd2 Nb8 11. axb5 axb5 12. Rxa8 Bxa8 13. Nf1 Nbd7 14. Ng3 Nc5. Departing from 14. ... Re8 15. Nf5 Nc5 16. Nxe7+ Qxe7 17. Ba2 Bb7 18. Ng5 Rf8 19. b4 Na4 20. Bd2 Bc8 21. c4 c6 22. Bb3 h6 23. Nf3 Nb6 24. cxb5 cxb5 25. Be3 Qb7 26. h3 Be6 27. Bxe6 fxe6 28. Qb3 Re8 29. Rc1 Nfd7 30. Nd2 Kh7 31. Nb1 d5 32. Na3 Rc8 33. Nxb5 d4 34. Nd6 Rxc1+ 35. Bxc1 Qc6 36. Nc4 Nxc4 37. Qxc4 Qa4 38. Kh2 Qd1 39. Ba3 Nb6 40. Qxe6 Qxd3 41. Qxb6 Qxa3 42. Qe6 Qxb4 43. Qf5+ Kh8 44. Qxe5 d3 45. Qd5 Qd2 46. e5 Qf4+ 47. Kg1 Qc1+ 48. Kh2 Qf4+ ½ : ½ Stefansson – Plachetka, 21st International Open; Cappelle la Grande 2005. 15. Ba2 Bb7 16. Bd2 Qd7 17. Nf5 Ra8 18. Qb1 Ne6 19. Nxe7+ Qxe7 20. b4 h6 21. Bb3 Nf8 22. Qb2 Ng6 23. Ra1 Qe8 24. Ne1 Rxa1 25. Qxa1 Bc6 26. Qa6 Nf8 27. f3 Ng6 28. c4 Bd7 29. Qb7 bxc4 30. dxc4 Qd8 31. Nd3 Be6 32. Be3 Nf8 33. Kf1 N6d7 34. Ke2 Nf6 35. Kd2 Ne8 36. Kc3 Nf6 37. Ba4 Bd7 38. Bb3 Be6 39. Ba7 N6d7 40. b5 h5 41. g3 Kh7 42. Nb4 Nc5 43. Qb8 Qf6 44. Bd1 Qg5 45. Bxc5 dxc5 46. Nc2 Qe7 47. Be2 Qd6

Now 韦奕 (Wéi Yì) demonstrates that the initiative may be switched on even in apparently dull positions: 48. b6! Nd7 49. Qxc7 Qxb6 50. Qxb6 Nxb6 51. f4. The black King is far away from the hot spots. 51. ... g6 52. Ne3 f6? “One of very few moments when one can point to a mistake by Black. It was better not to waste time: 52. ... Kg7! (53. fxe5? Nd7) with drawing chances”, the staff of Chess-News.ru said. 53. f5 Bf7 54. fxg6+ Bxg6 55. Nd5 Nd7 56. Bf3 Kg7 57. Kb3. White’s King penetrates into the enemy camp. 57. ... Nb8 58. Ne7 Kf7 59. Nxg6 Kxg6 60. Ka4 Nc6 61. Bd1 Nd4 62. Ka5 h4 63. Kb6 hxg3 64. hxg3 f5! The only surrealistic chance of survival. 65. exf5+ Nxf5? “Better was the calm 65. ... Kxf5 66. Kxc5 Kf6! counting on the Knight: 67. g4 (67. Kd5? Nf5; 67. Kb6 e4 68. c5 Kd5 69. g5 Ke6) 67. ... Ke6 68. Ba4 Kf6 etc. Now White calculated a 13 move forcing variation and wins”, the staff of Chess-News.ru observed. 66. Bc2! Kf6 67. Bxf5! Kxf5 68. Kxc5 Ke4 69. Kd6 Kd4 70. c5 e4 71. c6 e3 72. c7 e2 73. c8=Q e1=Q 74. Qc5+ Kd3 75. Qd5+! 1 : 0. For after 75. ... Kc2 76. Qa2+ Kd3 77. Qb3+ Kd4 78. Qd5+ White forces the exchange of Queens. And thus 韦奕 (Wéi Yì) is the youngest Chinese Chess Champion of all time!

韦奕 (Wéi Yì)
Photo: qipai.org.cn

广角镜 (Wide-angle lens)

兴化 (Xīnghuà), 11 marzo 2014
温阳 (Wēn Yáng) vs. 侯逸凡 (Hóu Yìfán)
Foto: tznews.cn

穿越时空的少女 (The Girl Who Leapt Through Time)

首轮侯逸凡的对手是山东棋手温阳，由于小时候曾在一起学棋，彼此非常熟悉。“不过真正在比赛中交手的次数并不多。今天这盘棋开局走的是英国式，比较平稳的变化，也没有太多的强制性变招。”侯逸凡说：“中局阶段对手在计算上出现一些失误，当时那个局面比较复杂，面临一些强制性的招法。后来他出现失误，就只能弃半子，局面就比较差一些。”随后侯逸凡在多半子的情况下，逐渐扩大优势，而白方子力位置不佳，最终没能抵挡住黑棋的攻势。
刘襄琳 (Liú Xiāng Lín), 全国个人赛兴化开赛 侯逸凡出战男子组获开门红, games.sports.cn, 12 marzo 2014

温阳 (Wēn Yáng) – 侯逸凡 (Hóu Yìfán)

兴化 (Xīnghuà), 11 marzo 2014

Inglese A36

1. c4 c5 2. g3 g6 3. Ag2 Ag7 4. e3 Cc6 5. Ce2 e5 6. Cbc3 Cge7 7. a3 d6 8. Tb1 a5 9. d3 0-0 10. 0-0 Tb8 11. Cb5?! Una strategia artificiosa. Se tuttavia 11. e4 allora 11. ... Ag4 12. f3 Ae6 13. Ad2 f5 14. Ah3 h6 15. Cb5 Rh7 16. Cec3 Ag8 17. Cd5 b6 18. Rh1 Dd7 19. b3 Rh8 20. De2 Ah7 21. Tbe1 Cxd5 22. cxd5 Cd4 23. Cxd4 cxd4 24. Tc1 Tfc8= Spasskij – 诸宸 (Zhū Chén), Roquebrune/Cap Martin 1998. 11. ... Ae6 12. Cec3 d5 13. Db3? Un faux pas. Dopo 13. De2 Dd7 la posizione del Bianco – sebbene più contratta – è ancora sostenibile. 13. ... dxc4 14. dxc4 Dd3! Un tè a casa di Morphy!

15. Ad5. Chissà che non fosse meno oneroso rinunciare al Pedone... 15. ... Cxd5 16. cxd5. Se 16. Td1 allora 16. ... Cxc3 17. Txd3 Cxb5! 18. Dxb5? Af5-+. 16. ... Ah3 17. Dd1. Il Bianco decide (a malincuore) di sacrificare una Qualità, perché se 17. Te1 allora 17. ... Cd4! 18. Dd1 (ma non 18. exd4?? Df3 e matto alla prossima) 18. ... Dxd1 19. Txd1 Cf3+ 20. Rh1 Ag4 con manifesto vantaggio per il Nero, mentre se 17. Td1 allora 17. ... Df5 sempre con vantaggio nero. 17. ... Axf1 18. Dxf1 e4! Dopodiché è per 侯逸凡 (Hóu Yìfán) un inebriante diletto tecnico. 19. Dxd3 exd3 20. f4 f5 21. Ad2 Ce7 22. d6 Cc8 23. e4 Axc3 24. Axc3 fxe4 25. Axa5 b6 26. Ac3 Td8 27. Af6 Td7 28. Ae5 Ta8! 29. Cc7 Ta4 30. Cd5 Rf7 31. Rf2 Tc4 32. Cc3. Dopo 32. Ce3 il Nero può anche permettersi l’appariscente sacrificio 32. ... Td4! con effetti disgreganti. 32. ... Cxd6 33. b3 Txc3. Sic et simpliciter. 34. Axc3 Re6 35. Re3 Rd5 36. g4 Cb5 37. Ah8. Oppure 37. Ab2 Cd4-+. 37. ... Cxa3 0 : 1.

兴化 (Xīnghuà), 11 marzo 2014
侯逸凡 (Hóu Yìfán)
Foto: games.sports.cn