The Wei Yi – Richard Rapport Match

[Wayne Komer]

The Wei Yi – Richard Rapport Match

December 20, 2016

There is a 4-game friendly match taking place in Yancheng, China between Wei Yi and Richard Rapport from 20-23 December, 2016.

If the match is tied, there will be two 5+4 blitz games, followed by Armageddon.

The official site is:

http://cca.imsa.cn/archives/43121

The Google translation is quite delightful. Wei Yi is translated as Wheatley! It says that he was born in June 1999 in Yancheng and got his GM title in February 2013.

His opponent, Richard Laporte (sic), Hungarian chess player, was born in March 1996 and got his GM title in March 2010.

With an ELO of 2717, Richard is No. 30 on the December FIDE list and Wei Yi is 38 with 2707. They are the top two Juniors.

It is interesting to look at the Top Fifteen Juniors (birth year given in square brackets).

1. Rapport, Richard 2717 [1996]
2. Wei, Yi 2707 [1999]
3. Duda, Jan-Krzysztof 2684 [1998]
4. Xiong, Jeffery 2666 [2000]
5. Dubov, Daniil 2653 [1996]
6. Artemiev, Vladislav 2653 [1998]
7. Bluebaum, Matthias 2640 [1997]
8. Oparin, Grigoriy 2616 [1997]
9. Nyzhnyk, Illya 2616 [1996]
10. Van Foreest, Jorden 2605 [1999]
11. Sevian, Samuel 2603 [2000]
12. Vavulin, Maksim 2596 [1998]
13. Maghsoodloo, Parham 2584 [2000]
14. Tari, Aryan 2584 [1999]
15. Gledura, Benjamin 2584 [1999]

https://ratings.fide.com/top.phtml?list=juniors

Xiong, Dubov, Van Foreest, Sevian and Maghsoodloo have all been prominent in the chess news this year.
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The first game of the match is in:

Wei Yi – Rapport Match
Yancheng, China
Game 1, Dec. 20, 2016
Wei Yi – Rapport, Richard
C03 French, Tarrasch

1.e4 e6 2.d4 d5 3.Nd2 b6 4.Ngf3 Nf6 5.e5 Nfd7 6.c4 c5 7.cxd5 exd5 8.Bd3 Nc6 9.O-O Be7 10.Re1 Nf8 11.Bb5 Bd7 12.dxc5 bxc5 13.Nf1 Rb8 14.Be2 Be6 15.Qa4 Qb6 16.Ne3 Nd7 17.Qf4 Qb4 18.Qg3 Nd4 19.Bd2 Nxe2+ 20.Rxe2 Qxb2 21.Rae1 g6 22.Ng4 Qxa2 23.Nf6+ Kd8 24.Ng5 Rb6 25.Bc3 Qa3 26.Nxf7+ Bxf7 27.e6 Bxe6 28.Rxe6 Rxe6 29.Rxe6 Qa2 30.Nxd7 Kxd7 31.Rxe7+ Kxe7 32.Qc7+ Ke6 33.Qc6+ Ke7 34.Qxc5+ Ke6 35.Qc6+ Ke7 36.Qb7+ 1-0

25…Qa3?, better is Qa6

[Adam Cormier]

Re: The Wei Yi – Richard Rapport Match

Isn't 21...g6 also dubious, Kf8 I prefer just because it seems to create far less holes and opportunities for white's pieces.

I really like black's position after 14...Be6, a hard one to lose.

[Wayne Komer]

Re: The Wei Yi – Richard Rapport Match

The Wei Yi – Richard Rapport Match

December 21, 2016

Game Two

Wei Yi – Rapport Match
Yancheng, China
Game 2, Dec. 21, 2016
Rapport, Richard – Wei Yi
A45 Trompovsky Attack

1.d4 Nf6 2.Bg5 d5 3.e3 c5 4.c3 Nc6 5.Nd2 e5 6.dxe5 Nxe5 7.Ngf3 Nxf3+ 8.Nxf3 Be7 9.Bb5+ Bd7 10.Bxd7+ Qxd7 11.Ne5 Qf5 12.Qa4+ Kf8 13.Bxf6 gxf6 14.Nf3 Rg8 15.Nh4 Qe6 16.Qc2 d4 17.g3 Qd5 18.e4 Qc4 19.b3 Qxc3+ 20.Qxc3 dxc3 21.O-O-O f5 22.Nxf5 Rg6 23.Rd7 Re6 24.Rxe7 Rxe7 25.Nxe7 Kxe7 26.Kc2 Rd8 27.Kxc3 b5 28.Kc2 Rd6 29.Rd1 Rh6 30.h4 Rf6 31.Rd2 Ra6 32.Kd3 Ke6 33.Rc2 Kd6 34.g4 c4+ 35.bxc4 bxc4+ 36.Kd4 Ra4 37.Rxc4 Rxa2 38.e5+ Kd7 39.f3 Ra6 40.Rb4 Kc7 41.g5 Re6 42.Ra4 Kb6 43.f4 a5 44.f5 Re8 45.e6 fxe6 46.f6 1-0

After two games the score is 1-1.
________

In Game One, it has been asked why 19…Nxf3+ wasn’t played, winning a piece. But stockfish gives this: 20. Bxf3 Qxd2 21. Qxg7 Rf8 22. Rad1 Qxb2 23. Nxd5 Rb4 24. Nxe7 Kxe7 25. Rxd7+ Kxd7 26. Qxf8 Qxe5 27. Rd1+ Rd4 28. Rb1 Rb4 29. Rf1 Bxa2 30. Qa8 Qc7 as being good for White.

[Wayne Komer]

Re: The Wei Yi – Richard Rapport Match

The Wei Yi – Richard Rapport Match

December 22, 2016

Game Three

Wei Yi – Rapport Match
Yancheng, China
Game 3, Dec. 22, 2016
Wei Yi – Rapport, Richard
B15 Caro-Kann, Tartakower Variation

1.e4 c6 2.d4 d5 3.Nd2 dxe4 4.Nxe4 Nf6 5.Nxf6+ exf6 6.c3 Bf5 7.Bd3 Bxd3 8.Qxd3 Bd6 9.Qe3+ Qe7 10.Nf3 Nd7 11.Qxe7+ Kxe7 12.Be3 Nb6 13.O-O-O Kd7 14.Rhe1 Nd5 15.Kc2 b5 16.Bc1 a5 17.g3 a4 18.a3 h5 19.h4 Rhe8 20.Rxe8 Rxe8 21.Re1 f5 22.Rxe8 Kxe8 23.b3 Nb6 24.bxa4 Nxa4 25.Kd3 Nb6 26.Nd2 Bc7 27.f4 Kd7 28.Nf1 Nc8 29.c4 Nd6 30.cxb5 cxb5 31.Bd2 Ne4 32.Be1 g6 33.Ne3 Bd6 34.Nc2 Ke6 35.Ke3 f6 36.Kd3 g5 37.hxg5 fxg5 38.fxg5 Nxg5 39.d5+ Kxd5 40.Nd4 Bxa3 41.Nxf5 Bb2 42.Ne3+ Kc6 43.Ke2 Bd4 44.g4 Bxe3 45.Kxe3 hxg4 46.Kf4 Nf3 47.Bb4 Ne5 48.Kxe5 g3 49.Be1 b4 50.Kd4 1/2-1/2

The discussion among the kibitzers on chessbomb.com was that after 41.Nxf5 that Nf3 is a tablebase win for Black. But Richard, not being a computer, played 41….Bb2.

It took a couple of minutes for my engine to find Nf3. The Stockfish line is: (41... Nf3 42. Bc3 Bf8 43. Bg7 Ke6 44. Bxf8 Kxf5 45. Be7 Kg4 46. Bd6 Ng5 47. Bc7 Ne6 48. Be5 Kf5 49. Bd6 Ng5 50. Be7 Ne4 51. Bh4 b4 52. Kc4 Kg4 53. Kb3 Nxg3 54. Be7 Ne4)

[Wayne Komer]

Re: The Wei Yi – Richard Rapport Match

The Wei Yi – Richard Rapport Match

December 22, 2016

Game Four and Playoff

Wei Yi-Rapport Match
Yancheng, China
Game 4, Dec. 23, 2016
Rapport, Richard – Wei Yi
A45 Trompovsky Attack

1.d4 Nf6 2.Bg5 d5 3.e3 c5 4.c3 Qb6 5.Qc2 Ne4 6.Bf4 Nc6 7.Nd2 Bf5 8.Bd3 cxd4 9.exd4 e5 10.Bxe4 dxe4 11.Nc4 Qa6 12.Nxe5 Nxd4 13.cxd4 f6 14.Ne2 fxe5 15.Bxe5 Bb4+ 16.Nc3 Rc8 17.Rc1 Qxa2 18.O-O Bxc3 19.bxc3 Qxc2 20.Rxc2 O-O 21.Ra1 e3 22.Rcc1 exf2+ 23.Kxf2 a6 24.Ke3 Be6 25.Ra5 Rfd8 26.Kd2 Rc6 27.Rf1 Bc4 28.Rf3 b6 29.Ra1 a5 30.h4 Ra8 31.h5 a4 32.Rg3 Ra7 33.Bb8 Rb7 34.Be5 b5 35.Kc2 Bd5 36.Kb2 b4 37.Rxa4 bxc3+ 38.Kc1 h6 39.Ra8+ Kh7 40.Rb8 Ra7 41.Ra8 Rcc7 42.Rxa7 Rxa7 43.Rxc3 Bxg2 44.Kd2 Bd5 45.Ke3 Bf7 46.Rc7 Rxc7 47.Bxc7 Bxh5 48.Kf4 Kg6 49.d5 Be2 50.Be5 Bc4 51.d6 Be6 52.Kg3 Kh7 53.d7 Bxd7 54.Bd4 g5 55.Bf6 Kg6 56.Be7 h5 57.Bd8 h4+ 58.Kf2 Kh5 59.Be7 g4 60.Bd6 g3+ 61.Bxg3 hxg3+ 62.Kxg3 1/2-1/2

Playoff Blitz

Game 5, Dec. 23, 2016
Rapport, Richard – Wei Yi
A45 Queen’s Pawn Game

1.d4 Nf6 2.Nc3 d5 3.Bf4 e6 4.Nb5 Na6 5.e3 c6 6.Nc3 Bb4 7.Ne2 O-O 8.a3 Bd6 9.Ng3 Nc7 10.Bd3 Re8 11.Bxd6 Qxd6 12.f4 c5 13.O-O c4 14.Be2 b5 15.e4 dxe4 16.Ncxe4 Nxe4 17.Nxe4 Qb6 18.c3 Bb7 19.Bf3 Rad8 20.Ng5 h6 21.Bxb7 hxg5 22.fxg5 Qxb7 23.Qh5 Nd5 24.Rf3 f5 25.g6 Nf6 26.Qh4 Qe4 27.Rf4 Qe2 28.Re1 Qh5 29.Qg3 Ne4 30.Qh4 Qxh4 31.Rxh4 Kf8 32.Rh7 Nf6 33.Rh3 Ke7 34.Re5 Rd5 35.Re1 Ne4 36.Rf3 Rh8 37.g4 Rh6 38.h4 Rxh4 39.Rf4 Rh6 40.Rexe4 fxe4 41.Rf7+ Kd6 42.Rxg7 Rg5 0-1

Game 6, Dec. 23, 206
Wei Yi – Rapport, Richard
B09 Pirc, Austrian Attack, Dragon Formation

1.e4 g6 2.d4 Bg7 3.Nc3 d6 4.f4 Nf6 5.Nf3 c5 6.Bb5+ Nc6 7.e5 Nd7 8.d5 Nd4 9.Nxd4 cxd4 10.Qxd4 O-O 11.Bxd7 Qxd7 12.O-O Qf5 13.Qd1 dxe5 14.fxe5 Qxe5 15.Kh1 Qd6 16.Bf4 Qb6 17.Rb1 Bf5 18.Qe2 Rfe8 19.Be3 Qa6 20.Qd2 Rad8 21.Qf2 e6 22.Bxa7 exd5 23.Bd4 Bxd4 24.Qxd4 Qc4 25.Rbd1 Bxc2 26.Nxd5 Qxd4 27.Rxd4 Kg7 28.Nc7 Rxd4 29.Nxe8+ Kf8 30.Nc7 Rd2 31.Ne6+ Kg8 32.Ng5 Bd3 33.Re1 h6 34.Nf3 Rxb2 35.h3 Rxa2 36.Re8+ Kg7 37.Re7 Bf1 38.Nh4 g5 39.Kg1 Ra1 40.Nf3 Be2+ 41.Kf2 Bxf3 42.Kxf3 Rb1 43.Re8 b5 44.Rb8 Rb3+ 45.Kg4 Rb4+ 46.Kf3 Rf4+ 47.Ke3 b4 48.Rb6 h5 49.Kd3 Rf2 50.g4 Rf3+ 51.Ke4 hxg4 52.hxg4 Rf4+ 53.Ke5 f6+ 54.Ke6 Re4+ 0-1

Armageddon Tiebreak

Game 7, Dec. 23, 2016
We Yi – Rapport, Richard
B06 Robatsch Defence

1.e4 g6 2.d4 Bg7 3.Nc3 a6 4.f4 d5 5.Nxd5 e6 6.Nc3 Qxd4 7.Qxd4 Bxd4 8.Nf3 Ba7 9.Bd2 Nc6 10.h4 Nf6 11.e5 Ng4 12.Ne4 h5 13.c3 Ne3 14.Bxe3 Bxe3 15.g3 Bd7 16.Nf6+ Ke7 17.Ng5 Rhd8 18.Ke2 Ba7 19.Bg2 Na5 20.b3 Bb5+ 21.c4 Nxc4 22.bxc4 Bxc4+ 23.Ke1 Bb6 24.Rd1 Ba5+ 25.Kf2 Bb6+ 26.Ke1 Ba5+ 27.Kf2 Bb6+ 28.Kf3 Bxa2 29.g4 hxg4+ 30.Kxg4 a5 31.Bxb7 Rab8 32.Bc6 Bb3 33.Rb1 a4 34.h5 gxh5+ 35.Nxh5 Bc2 36.Ra1 Bf5+ 37.Kg3 Rd3+ 38.Bf3 a3 39.Nf6 Bd4 40.Rac1 c5 41.Rc4 Ra8 42.Ra4 Rxa4 43.Rh8 Bxe5 44.fxe5 Rd8 45.Ng8+ Kd7 46.Nxf7 Rxg8+ 47.Rxg8 a2 0-1

So, the results of the classical four games were 2-2, the two blitz games 1-1 and Rapport wins the Armageddon game to take the match.

(Peter Doggers) - Thus, we may conclude that Rapport is the world's best junior by 10 Elo points, and by the tiny difference of an Armageddon win.

Photos from an earlier round at:

http://en.chessbase.com/post/wei-yi-against-rapport
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Comments online:

- Guys, I used stockfish to analyse the game. They were accurate to an extent of 80% in the last game! How is that even possible?
- Awesome match. Both of these players are very exciting.
- both players have a very bright future and I love their creative + aggressive style!
- But while deciding a match with blitz seems inevitable, the armageddon final game is a real joke!
Who remembers the last time white won that way? Why don't they toss a coin to decide the game, instead of the color of the armageddon?
- Agon would have had three rest days for this event. These are two of my favorite players, so def a good read. I often play Qxb2 and am nonplussed as a result. Thanks, and have a very Merry Christmas Peter!