ODT080311

=**Australia's youngest grandmaster**=


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

Zong-Yuan Zhao of New South Wales achieved the coveted grandmaster title in January, at the age of 21 – a record in Australasia. Following his trip to Russia to compete in the World Cup in November last year, Zhao stayed on in Europe to strive for grandmaster norms – part qualifications for the title which are hard to achieve on this side of the world. After winning tournaments in Hungary and Spain he completed the title requirements with a high placing at the very strong Gibtelecom Open in Gibraltar.

New Zealand chess fans' hopes are that GM Zhao's success can be emulated by 17 year old IM Puchen Wang of Auckland, who has embarked on a year of full-time chess in an effort to become New Zealand's second grandmaster. This column will cover his progress from time to time.

Today's game is the fifth-round win that set up Zhao's final GM norm in Gibraltar. He is playing White against USA number two, Hikaru Nakamura, who won the event with 8/10. media type="custom" key="26628648" Alekine's Defence is a provocative choice by Black, hoping that White's extended centre will become a weakness in the long run. Allowing White to keep his 'bad' light squared bishop. 15 ... Nxd3+ first would have left fewer winning chances for either side. Black's knights and rooks lack manouvring space to challenge control of the e-file, so Black aims to exchange queens before White can double rooks and build an attack.
 * 1. e4 Nf6**
 * 2. e5 Nd5**
 * 3. d4 d6**
 * 4. c4 Nb6**
 * 5. exd6 exd6**
 * 6. Nc3 Be7**
 * 7. Bd3 Nc6**
 * 8. Nge2 Bg4**
 * 9. h3 Bh5**
 * 10. Be3 O-O**
 * 11. d5 Ne5**
 * 12. b3 Bf6**
 * 13. Rc1 Bg5**
 * 14. f4 Bh4+**
 * 15. Bf2 Bxe2?!**
 * 16. Bxe2! Bxf2+**
 * 17. Kxf2 Qf6**
 * 18. g3 Rae8**
 * 19. Re1 Ned7**
 * 20. Bf3 Nc5**
 * 21. Qd2 a6**
 * 22. Kg2 Qf5**

After 30 ... Re8 31 Kf3, Black's knights are still very cramped, so instead he retains rooks and looks for queenside counterplay. Missing the chance to activate his rook and regain the pawn with 41 ... Rc8! 42 Nb5 Nxb3 43 Rxb3 Rxc4+ with better drawing chances. Sacrificing a piece to obtain two connected passed pawns. Once the pawns are united on the sixth rank it is all over – but if 51 ... Kc7 then 52 Rf3 Nh8 53 Kc5 with 54 d6+ to follow. Black resigned here as mate can only be postponed by sacrifices. However, on his last move White missed a pretty mate-in-three featuring a rare underpromotion combination – given as the solution to this weeks diagram.
 * 23. Re3 Rxe3**
 * 24. Qxe3 Qd3**
 * 25. Qxd3 Nxd3**
 * 26. Rd1 Nc5**
 * 27. Re1 Rd8**
 * 28. Re7 Ncd7**
 * 29. Be2 Kf8**
 * 30. Re3 Nb8**
 * 31. Bd3 h6**
 * 32. g4 a5**
 * 33. Nb5 Na6**
 * 34. a3 g5**
 * 35. Kf3 Nc5**
 * 36. Bc2 Na6**
 * 37. Bd3 Nc5**
 * 38. Bc2 gxf4**
 * 39. Kxf4 a4**
 * 40. Nxc7 axb3**
 * 41. Bxb3 Nbd7?**
 * 42. Nb5 Ne5**
 * 43. Ba2 Ncd3+**
 * 44. Kf5 Nc1**
 * 45. Nxd6! ---**
 * 45 --- Ng6**
 * 46. Nxb7 Rb8**
 * 47. c5 Rxb7**
 * 48. Bc4 Rb2**
 * 49. Ke4 Ke7**
 * 50. Kd4+ Kd8**
 * 51. c6 Nf4**
 * 52. d6 Rd2+**
 * 53. Kc5 Ncd3+**
 * 54. Kb6 Rc2**
 * 55. Bxf7**


 * 1-0**


 * Solution:** 1 c7+ Kd7 ( 1 ... Kc8 2 Re8+ Kd7 3 Rd8#) 2 Re7+! Kxd6 3 c8=N#!