In yet more proof that real life is just a metaphor for chess, consider the FIDE Chess.com Online Nations Cup that ended Sunday.
Just as in real life these days, the event was properly socially distanced, and just as in real life, the U.S. and China ended up battling for supremacy and nobody really won.
Well, technically, China claimed the cup after Sunday’s stirring rapid-chess final ended in a 2-2 draw, based on its far better record in the preliminary heats. But the two teams could not have been more evenly matched: China won the Round 5 head-to-head match 2½-1½, only to suffer its only match loss of the event to the American in Round 10 by the same score, setting up Sunday’s drama.
On the bright side, the event was yet one more sign that our beloved game is weathering the global coronavirus pandemic far better than some other sports. Yes, popular events such as the U.S. Open and Olympiad have been scrubbed, but a number of enjoyable events have managed to migrate to the internet, serving up a rich vein of competition and plenty of fresh material for a needy chess columnist.
Strong teams from Russia, India, Europe and “The Rest of the World” also competed in the hastily organized event, which appeared to go off with a minimum of glitches.
Fittingly, the two stars of the event came from the two top squads.
U.S. GM Fabiano Caruana, the world’s No. 2-ranked player, may have come into the event with a so-so reputation in the rapid (Game/25 with a 10-second increment) format, but he scored an undefeated 7½-1½, including three wins in the three matches with China.
Caruana channeled three past world champions in his marvelous positional win over China’s GM Wang Hao in Round 5, which we pick up from today’s diagram after a boxed-in Wang has just played 34. Kf3-g2. There followed 34…Kb8! (the Black king completes a journey from the kingside ahead of the critical break, a la Petrosian) 35. Kf3 Rc6! 36. Rbb1 Rc7 37. Rh1 Rhc7 38. Rh2 Qc6 39. h5?!, and Black induces a panicky White into a rash mistake in true Karpovian style.
A classic Capablanca mini-tactic seals the win after 39…gxh5 40. Bf5 Rg7 41. g6 (on 41. Qh4, the exchange sac 41…Rhg8 42. g6 Rxg6! 43. Bxg6 Qxg6 is very strong) Rf8 42. Rxh5 Rxf5! 43. Rxf5 Qxg6, and Black’s seizure of the g-file is decisive. After 44. Qh2 Nxc2! 45. Rh1 (Qxc2 Qg3+ 46. Ke2 Qe3+ 47. Kf1 Rg1 mate) Qg4+ 46. Kf2 Nb4, White resigns facing hopeless lines such as 47. Qh3 Nxd3+! 48. Qxd3 Qg2+ 49. Ke1 Qxh1+ 50. Kd2 Rg2+.
China countered Caruana’s brilliance with that of GM Yu Yangyi, who went 7½-2½ and avenged a Round 10 loss to U.S. GM Wesley So with a Cup-clinching brilliancy against So in Sunday’s finals.
In a Queen’s Gambit Ragozin, Yu sacrifices a pawn with 17. Be3! (keeping the Black knight out of the game) Nb8 18. Rfd1! Ba6?! 19. Qe6 Bxe2 20. Rd2 Ba6 21. Nh4 for a quick kingside build-up. He brings home the win with a combination that would be impressive at any time control.
Thus: 25. h4 Rf6 26. Ng5+!! hxg5 27. hxg5 Rg6? (losing brilliantly; 27…Re6 may be tougher, but after either 28. g4 or 28. Bh3, the opening of the h-file appears fatal to Black’s long-term defensive prospects) 28. Bd5! (with the deadly threat of 29. Bg8+ Kh8 30. Kg2) f4 29. Be4! (nicely switching gears and now threatening 30. Qf7) Bxg5 30. Rd6 Bf6 31. Kh2!, clearing the back rank for the rook.
Yu can even throw a rook on the sacrificial pyre after 31…f3+ 32. Kxf3! Bg4+ 33. Kg2 Bxd1 34. Rxd1, and So resigned facing unstoppable mate; e.g. 34…Qe7 35. Bc5! Qe8 36. Rh1+ Bh4 37. Rxh4 mate.
Yu-So, FIDE Chess.com Online Nations Cup Final, May 2020
1. d4 Nf6 2. c4 e6 3. Nc3 Bb4 4. Nf3 d5 5. Qb3 c5 6. dxc5 Na6 7. cxd5 Nxd5 8. c6 Qa5 9. Bd2 bxc6 10. g3 Nxc3 11. bxc3 Be7 12. Bg2 O-O 13. O-O e5 14. Qc2 Qc7 15. Qe4 f6 16. Qc4+ Kh8 17. Be3 Nb8 18. Rfd1 Ba6 19. Qe6 Bxe2 20. Rd2 Ba6 21. Nh4 Bc8 22. Qc4 f5 23. Nf3 h6 24. Rad1 Kh7 25. h4 Rf6 26. Ng5+ hxg5 27. hxg5 Rg6 28. Bd5 f4 29. Be4 Bxg5 30. Rd6 Bf6 31. Kg2 f3+ 32. Kxf3 Bg4+ 33. Kg2 Bxd1 34. Rxd1 Black resigns.
• David R. Sands can be reached at 202/636-3178 or by email dsands@washingtontimes.com.
• David R. Sands can be reached at dsands@washingtontimes.com.
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