Aronian vs Ding in World Cup finals
CHESS PIECE
The FIDE World Cup started with 128 players four Saturdays ago. All the players were linked up according to their FIDE rating and the topranked player was matched against no. 128, no. 2 against no. 127 and so on and so forth, making a total of 64 matchups. They each played 2 games against each other (with possible tie-break if after the second game the score is tied). Each match has to produce a winner and this winner proceeded to Round 2. And on and on it goes until in round 6, the semifinals, there were 4 players left.
Results of the Semifinals:
Maxime Vachier-Lagrave FRA 2804 vs Levon Aronian ARM 2802, 4.0-5.0
Wesley So USA 2792 vs Ding Liren CHN 2771, 2.5-3.5
The two winners, Levon Aronian and Ding Liren, will now play a four-game finals match to determine the 2017 World Cup Champion. For me though the exciting part is over, even though there is still the matter of the prize money (winner gets $120,000 while the loser has to content himself with $80,000) both of them have already won - the two finalists are automatically seeded into the 8-man Candidates Tournament which will take place in March 2018 from which will emerge the next challenger to Magnus Carlsen for the world title.
The Vachier-Lagrave vs Aronian battle went all the way through to the Armageddon game where White has 5 minutes to Black’s 4 but a draw qualifies Black for the next round. There is an increment of 3 seconds/move starting from move 61 Aronian had White and managed to win. Aronian, Levon (2802) — VachierLagrave, Maxime (2804) [A48] FIDE World Cup 2017 Tbilisi GEO
(6.9), 21.09.2017 1.d4 Nf6 2.Nf3 g6 3.Bf4 Bg7 4.Nc3 d5 5.Nb5 Na6 6.e3 0–0 7.h3 c6 8.Nc3 Nc7 9.Be2 b6 10.0–0 Bb7 11.Bh2 c5 12.a4 a5 13.Ne5 Nd7 14.Nxd7 Qxd7 15. Bg4 e6 16. Qd2 Bc6 17. b3 Rfc8 18. Ne2 cxd4 19. Nxd4 b5 20. axb5 Nxb5 21.c3 Nxd4 22.exd4 a4 23.b4 Bb5 24.Rfc1 a3 25.Be2 Qc6 26.Bxb5 Qxb5 27.Bd6 Rc6 28.Bc5 Rca6 29.Ra2 Qc4 30.Qe2 Qxe2 31.Rxe2 a2 32.Ra1 Ra3 33.Rc2 Bf8 34.Kf1 e5 35.Bxf8 Kxf8 36.dxe5 Ke7 37.Ke2 Ke6 38.f4 d4 39.cxd4 Kd5 40.Rd2 Kc4 41.d5 Kxb4 42.d6 Kb3 43.Kf3 Kc3 44.Rf2 h5 45.Kg3 Kd4+ 46.Kh4 Kd5 47.Kg5 Ke6 48.g4 hxg4 49.hxg4 R3a5 50.Re2 f6+ 51.Kxg6 Rg8+ 52.Kh6 Rxg4 53.f5+ Kxf5 54.e6 Ra8 55.Rf1+ Rf4 56.Rxf4+ Kxf4 57.Rxa2 Rxa2 58.e7 Rd2 59.e8Q Rxd6 60. Qe7 Rd4 61. Qxf6+ Ke3 62.Kg5 Rd5+ 63.Kg4 Rd4+ 64.Kg3 Rd3 65.Qe5+ Kd2+ 66.Kf2 Kc2 67.Qc5+ Rc3 68. Qf5+ Kb2 69. Ke2 Rc2+ 70.Kd3 Rc3+ 71.Kd2 Rb3 72.Qe5+ Kb1 73.Qd4 Rh3 74.Qb6+ Ka1 75.Qf6+ Ka2 76.Qe6+ Rb3 77.Kc2 Ka1 78.Qa6+ 1–0
In the other matchup, Wesley So vs Ding Liren the American GM was considered a 3-1 favorite, but I knew it was not going to be easy — don’t forget that Ding Liren is ranked 9th in the world — he is no pushover! Besides, early last year the two of them played a 4-game match in Shanghai which Ding won. The close 1-win 3-draw score included two draws where Wesley was under pressure.
Anyway, back to the World Cup Semi-Finals. Wesley was pushing for a win in game 1 but couldn’t bring it home. Then the momentum shifted to the Chinese GM who tortured Wesley in game 2 and then, in game 3 (25 minutes + 10 seconds increment) had a completely winning game but allowed his opponent to escape. You have to see it to appreciate just how slippery Wesley is.
So, Wesley (2792) — Ding, Liren (2771) [A13] FIDE World Cup 2017 Tbilisi GEO (6.3), 21.09.2017
IM Sagar Shah interviewed the winner after the game. I have incorporated some of his comments here. 1.c4 Nf6 2.Nf3 e6 3.g3 d5 4.Bg2 dxc4 5.0–0 a6 6.a4
Ding made a revealing comment here. 6. a4 and 6. Qc2 are played frequently here, but he feels 6.a4 is not so good. We will see for ourselves how Black’s position immediately swings into action. 6...Nc6 7.Qc2 Na5 8.Na3 Qd5 9.Rd1 Bd7
I looked this up in the database — out of the 14 games where this position has occurred White has scored 2 wins 2 draws and 10 losses. 10.d4 Qf5
Ding: This move is not so good. Better is 10...Bc6.
1.Bd2 Qxc2 12.Nxc2 Nb3 13.Ra2 Bc6 14.Ne5 Bd5 15.Bc3 c5 16.a5 Rc8 17. Ra4 cxd4 18. Nxd4 Nc5 19. Raa1 Nce4 20. Bxe4 Nxe4 21. f3 Nxc3 22.bxc3 f6 23.Ng4 Bc5
As you can see Black has the two bishops and is a pawn up. Obviously his opening has been a huge success.
24.Kf1 Ke7 25.Rab1 Rhd8 26.e4 Bxd4 27.cxd4 Bc6 28.Rb4 Bb5 29.Ne3 c3+ 30.Kf2 Rc6 31.Nc2 Rdc8 32.Na3? c2 33.Rc1 Bd3 34.Rxb7+ R6c7 35.Rb2 Rc3 36.Ra2 f5 37.e5 g5 38.Ke1 f4 39.Kd2 Bf5 40.gxf4 gxf4 41.Nxc2 R8c4?!
Ding said that after the game it struck him that he could play 41...Kd8 (so that there will be no checks on the 7th rank) followed by simply taking the pawn on f3. 42.Rb2! Rxf3?
He should have first prevented Rb7+ with 42...Rc7. 43.Rb7+! Ke8 44.Nb4!
Completely unexpected. At this point Ding confessed that for a moment he couldn’t think of what to do. 44... Rxd4+ 45. Ke2 Re3+ 46. Kf1 Be4 47.Rg7
Threatening Rc8+ and it is White who wins.
47...Kf8 48.Ra7 Rd8 49.Nxa6 Bd3+ 50.Kg1 Rxe5 51.Rd1 Rxa5
Finally everything is back in order and Ding thought he was winning again. But then came... 52.Nc7!
Only move. 52...Rxa7 53.Nxe6+ Ke7 54.Nxd8
To his horror Ding discovered that it was already no more than a draw.
54...Bb5 55.Rb1 Bd7 56.Nb7 Ra2 57.Nc5 Bc6 58.Nd3 Rg2+ 59.Kf1 f3 60.Rb6 Bd5 61.Rb4 Rxh2 62.Ne1 Ke6 63.Rf4 Rh1+ 64.Kf2 Rh2+ 65.Kg3 Re2 66.Nxf3 Re3 67.Kf2 Rxf3+ 68.Rxf3 Ke5 ½–½
Ding was very frustrated that he missed the win and in the next game, found himself caught in an unfamiliar opening. Deeply worried that he had no preparation in that line he offered a draw after only 9 moves. Wesley, who was playing Black, accepted the draw — this is where I think he erred — any sign of weakness from the opponent you should pounce! Anyway, it is quite possible that the Filipino-American GM agreed to the quick cessation of hostilities as he was eager to press with White in the next game.
In game 5 (10 minutes + 10 second increment) Wesley did get an opening advantage but some inexact play and Ding quickly grabbed the initiative – this time Liren did not ease on the gas pedal and brought home the point. This proved to be the decisive game.
*** So, Wesley (2792) — Ding, Liren
(2771) [D78] FIDE World Cup 2017 Tbilisi
(6.5), 21.09.2017 1.Nf3 d5 2.g3 g6 3.Bg2 Bg7 4.d4 Nf6 5.c4 c6 6.0–0 0–0 7.Nbd2 a5 8.b3 a4 9.Bb2 Bf5 10.e3 Nbd7 11.Qe2 Ne4 12.Nxe4 Bxe4 13.cxd5 cxd5 14.Qb5
White goes for a pawn grab. Ding revealed that he was unfamiliar with the position but decided to allow it. 14...Ra5 15.Qxb7 Nc5 16.Qb4 Nd3 17.Qd2 Rb5?!
Afterwards, upon checking with the computer, Ding determined that 17...axb3! 18.axb3 first before 18...Rb5 was stronger. He actually saw this during the game but didn’t like that White could play Ra3. 18.Bc3! axb3 19.Ng5!
A very impressive move, missed by Ding. The idea is to close off the defender of the d3–knight with f2–f3 and g3–g4. 19...b2
After 19...Bxg2 20.Kxg2 the knight is trapped. 20.Rab1 <D>
POSITION AFTER 20.RAB1
Both players thought that Black was going to lose material, but then Ding found a way out. 20...Nxf2! 21.Qxf2 Bxb1 22.Rxb1 e5 23.Nh3?!
A mistake, after 23.Nf3 White is still doing fine. Wesley must have realized the error as he now offered a draw. Ding
BOBBY ANG
noted that he still had 8 minutes left at this point while Wesley had only 2 — remember what I said earlier about what to do if your opponent shows a weakness? The Chinese GM decides to play on.
23... exd4 24. exd4 Qc7 25. Qd2 Rfb8 26. Nf4 Qc4 27. Bxd5 Rxd5 28.Nxd5 Qxd5 29.Rxb2 Rc8!
Ding has strong compensation for the pawn. At the moment he is threatening ...Rxc3! 30.Rb3 h5 31.Bb2 Kh7 32.h3 Qe4 33.Qd3?
Wesley was very short of time and commits a blunder.
33...Qe1+ 34.Qf1 Qd2
Intending to follow-up with ...Rc2. 35. Qf2 Qd1+ 36. Qf1 Bxd4+ 37.Bxd4 Qxd4+ 38.Kh1 Qd5+ 39.Rf3 Rc3 40.Kg2 Qc6 41.h4 Kg8 42.a4 f6 43. a5 Kg7 44. a6 Rc2+ 45. Kg1 Rc1 [ and wins] 46. Rxf6 Rxf1+ 47. Rxf1 Qxa6 48. Kg2 Qe2+ 49. Rf2 Qe4+ 50.Kh2 g5 51.hxg5 h4 52.Rf4 Qe2+ 53. Kh3 hxg3 54. Kxg3 Kg6 55. Rf2 Qe3+ 56.Kg2 Kxg5
Queen vs Rook is not so simple — remember Svidler vs Gelfand from the 1999 World Chess Championship where Svidler could not win it within the required 50 moves? But in this case Black’s king is in a good position and Ding reeled in the point without too much trouble.
57.Rf3 Qe2+ 58.Kg3 Qe1+ 59.Kg2 Kg4 60.Rf2 Qe4+ 61.Kh2 Kh4 62.Ra2 Qe5+ 63. Kg1 Qd4+ 64. Kh2 Qd6+ 65. Kg1 Qc5+ 66. Kh2 Qc7+ 67. Kg1 Qb6+ 68.Kg2 Qb7+ 69.Kh2 Qb8+ 0–1
Next move Ding will check on b1 and win the rook.
GM Wesley said a few days ago that if he loses his match with Ding Liren it will not be the end of the world and he will not quit chess or anything. Don’t worry, Wesley, Filipino chessplayers all over the world will continue to support you no matter what. But for the next few days, please allow us to grieve.