ODT080520

=**Chinese year (of the rat)**=


 * Problem:** White to play and mate in 3.

The gradual encroachment of chinese players on the world elite took another step forward this month at the first FIDE Grand Prix in Baku, Azerbaijan. Starting as one of the underdogs, young chinese GM Wang Yue (21) score three wins and 10 draws to finish tied for first ahead of the evenly matched field with Vugar Gashimov (Azerbaijan) and Magnus Carlsen (Norway).

Wang's result is the best yet by a chinese player, and looks to propel him above the 2700 rating points barrier that separates the so-called supergrandmasters from the rest. That would make him the third chinese player to move over 2700 this year, joining his countrymen Bu Xiangzhi (23) and Ni Hua (25). China are relative newcomers to the international chess scene, with the local form of the game, Xiangqi, far more popular domestically. But a concertated effort to train top men and women players in international chess over the last two decades is showing results. All this bodes well for the Dresden Olympiad later in the year when the Chinese men's team hope to improve on their second place at Turin two years ago.

Todays' game if from the final round in Baku, featuring a spectacular finish by Russian Peter Svidler, playing White against his countryman, Ernesto Inarkiev. media type="custom" key="26590510" The Panno variation of the King's Indian Defence – Black delays centre action in favour of preaparing the advance b7-b5. The tempting 14 dxe6 fxe6 15 Bg5 only frees Black after 15 ... Ne5! 16 Nxe5 Qxg5. Obviously 17 Rxb3? c4 loses the exchange. Less obvious is that the white passed pawn will cause great problems for Black, as his cramped pieces cannot get easily across to the queenside. Aiming to gang up of the b5 pawn, but possibly here the thematic King's Indian break 22 ... f5!? held more promise. The g7 bishop remains out of play. The blockade on b6 can't be maintained due to the remoteness of the black dark-squared bishop and the pawn is set to advance. Is it a draw by repetition? No, White has just been gaining time on the clock and checking his calculations... Taking the wrong piece. The best defence was to accept the queen sacrifice with 36 ... Rxa7! but after 37 bxa7 Black had to find 37 ... Qa5! 38 Be3 Bh3! 39 Bb5 Qa3! and now if 40 Bc6? Qd3! mating, while 40 Rc1 Bh6! 41 Bxh6 Qxa7 is slightly better for Black. Or 38 ... Rc7 39 b7! Rxc7 40 dxc7 Qxc7 41 b8=Q winning. Giving back the piece. 41 ... Be7 loses to 42 Bd5! with the unstoppable threat of Rb1-a1-a8 winning too much material. Winning the bishop.
 * 1. d4 Nf6**
 * 2. Nf3 g6**
 * 3. c4 Bg7**
 * 4. g3 O-O**
 * 5. Bg2 d6**
 * 6. O-O Nc6**
 * 7. Nc3 a6**
 * 8. Re1 Rb8**
 * 9. Rb1 Re8**
 * 10. d5 Na5**
 * 11. Qd3 c5**
 * 12. e4 Nd7**
 * 13. b3 e5**
 * 14. a3 ---**
 * 14. --- Qc7**
 * 15. Be3 b5**
 * 16. cxb5 Nxb3**
 * 17. a4! ---**
 * 17. --- Nd4**
 * 18. Nd2 axb5**
 * 19. Nxb5 Nxb5**
 * 20. axb5 Nb6**
 * 21. Bf1 Bd7**
 * 22. Ra1 Rb7**
 * 23. Reb1 Reb8**
 * 24. Ra6 Qd8**
 * 25. Qa3 Nc8**
 * 26. Ra8 Bf8**
 * 27. Rxb8 Rxb8**
 * 28. Qa6 Nb6**
 * 29. Nc4 Nxc4**
 * 30. Bxc4 Ra8**
 * 31. Qb7 f6**
 * 32. b6 Rb8**
 * 33. Qa7 Ra8**
 * 34. Qb7 Rb8**
 * 35. Qa7 Ra8**
 * 36. Bxc5!? dxc5?**
 * 37. d6+! Kh8**
 * 38. Qc7 Rb8**
 * 39. b7 Be7**
 * 40. Qxc5 Bf8**
 * 41. Qc7 Bb5**
 * 42. Qxd8 Rxd8**
 * 43. Rxb5 Bxd6**
 * 44. Rd5!**


 * 1-0**


 * Solution:** 1 Bd4+ cxd4 2 cxd4+ Kf4 3 Ne6#.