Kramnik Challenge

[Hans Jung]

Vincent Keymer wasted no time taking the lead and holding it but there is a close three way tie for second. Some great games to watch.

[Hans Jung]

https://www.chessbomb.com/arena/2021...rre_Jonas_Buhl Humorous game. Whose king is more compromised? The answer is evidently the black king with pawn checkmate.

[Hans Jung]

Rd 6 https://www.chessbomb.com/arena/2021...onca_Leon_Luke Some very nice endgames despite the ten minute time controls. In this game Yoo engineers a passed C pawn with the tricky 27.b5 (not easy to answer).
Awonder Liang took all his opponents pawns except for the E pawn which limited his opponent's bishop's defensive chances (clever!) and made his endgame easy.
Because of this Liang and Yoo tie for first with Keymer.

[Hans Jung]

Rd7 In this round its a battle of the leaders. Who will blink first? In Liang - Yoo White uses pawn ticklers to win a piece but apparently it was all planned and White blinked first after Rxf4+ and now Black has three connected central passed pawns. Position is fascinating and promises an interesting finish.
In Keymer - Abdusattorov the opening has gone all Keymer's way. Im still waiting for Black's tactical solution.

Yoo missed tactics and went down a rook and Liang eventually untangled his pieces and won.
Keymer was careless and Abdusattorv had patience and the two bishops and traded down to a bishops of opposite colour and wrong rook pawn to get the draw.
Result: Awonder Liang leads after round 7. Keep up the pawn ticklers Awonder!

[Hans Jung]

Rd 8 Keymer got outplayed in the endgame which was a surprise. Awonder Liang came out on the bottom of a time scramble. Abdusattorov playe it safe with a two bishops endgame and won handily.
Abdusattorov and Liang tied for first after eight.

[Hans Jung]

Rd 9 https://www.chessbomb.com/arena/2021...rieh_Sarasadat Lesson on tactics. (Nxc7) It is much harder to defend bad positions than anything else but tactical awareness is key.
Keymer and Liang win nicely. Abdusattorov gets absolutely punished by Zhu Jiner.
Awonder Liang leads by a half point.

[Hans Jung]

Rd 10 https://www.chessbomb.com/arena/2021...odar-Zhu_Jiner Susan Polgar would be proud.

https://www.chessbomb.com/arena/2021...ek-Lei_Tingjie The final position is zugzwang.

Awonder Liang takes a one point lead.

[Hans Jung]

Rd 11 https://www.chessbomb.com/arena/2021...Keymer_Vincent A version of the old knight takes rook in the corner trap.
Awonder Liang continues to lead by one point.

Im absolutely speechless at the skill level of these youngsters. They are able to play long endgames at this time control of ten minutes (admittedly also increments)
Imagine being mentored by Vlad Kramnik and Judit Polgar. I was born two generations too soon.

[Hans Jung]

https://www.chessbomb.com/arena/2021...nt-Lei_Tingjie Lovely game, reminds one of the power of the passed pawn.
After 12 Awonder Liang first a half point ahead of the persistent Vincent Keymer. Young Yoo is also doing well only a point behind.

[Hans Jung]

Rd 14 https://www.chessbomb.com/arena/2021...-Liang_Awonder Finally Vincent Keymer catches up with Awonder Liang by beating him as white.

[Hans Jung]

https://en.chessbase.com/post/kramni...nge-2021-day-4 The wrapup.