Chess Piece
Bobby Ang

World Junior Chess Championship
Kocaeli, Turkey
Sept. 13-26, 2013

Final Top Standings

1. GM Yu Yangyi CHN 2662, 11.0/13

2. GM Alexander Ipatov TUR 2601, 10.5/13

3-4. GM Santosh Gujrathi Vidit IND 2565, GM Jorge Cori PER 2587, 9.5/13

5-7. GM SP Sethuraman IND 2553, IM Jahongir Vakhidov UZB 2385, GM Wei Yi CHN 2551, 9.0/13

8-17. IM Jan-Krzysztof Duda POL 2534, IM Aleksandar Indjic SRB 2549, Wang Yiye CHN 2258, GM AR Saleh Salem UAE 2570, IM Das Debashis IND 2489, IM Vladislav Kovalev BLR 2568, GM Samvel Ter-Sahakyan ARM 2575, IM Radoslav Dimitrov BUL 2437, IM Cemil Can Ali Marandi TUR 2403, IM Felix Jose Ynojosa VEN 2439, 8.5/13

Total of 118 participants

The top seed, Chinese GM Yu Yangyi, outraced defending champion Alexander Ipatov and crowned himself as the World Junior Chess Champion. This title is for players 20 years old and below. Yangyi won nine and drew four for a performance rating of 2813. His 11/13 is the highest score ever in the history of the World Junior Championship.

Ipatov wanted to retain his title and put up a very good fight. The Ukrainian-turned-Turk had eight wins and five draws to finish half a point behind his Chinese rival. Ipatov’s 10.5/13 is equivalent to a very high performance of 2765 and was actually half a point more than he scored last year to win the title.

Here are the winning scores of the last five champions:

2008 Abhijeet Gupta in Gaziantep, 10.0/13

2009 Maxime Vachier-Lagrave in Puerto Madryn, 10.5/13

2010 Dmitry Andreikin held at Chotowa, 10.0/13

2011 Dariusz Swiercz in Chennai, 10.5/13

2012 Alexander Ipatov in Athens, 10.0/13

GM Yu Yangyi’s style is controlled aggression but always in accordance with sound positional considerations. In other words a “sound” attacking player. Let me show you a representative game. * * * Yu Yangyi (2662) -- Salem, AR Saleh (2570) [C45]
52nd World Juniors Kocaeli TUR (4.1), 16.09.2013

1.e4 e5 2.Nf3 Nc6 3.d4 exd4 4.Nxd4

The Scotch Game, against which the main lines are 4...Nf6, 4...Bc5 and, once in a while, 4...Bb4+.

4...Bb4+

So we are now in the “once in a while.” The usual continuations are:

1) 4...Bc5 5.Nxc6 (5.Be3 Qf6 6.c3 Nge7 is the older line) 5...Qf6 6.Qd2 dxc6 7.Nc3 Be6; and

2) 4...Nf6 5.Nxc6 (5.Nc3 Bb4 is the boring way of playing this) 5...bxc6 6.e5 Qe7 7.Qe2 Nd5 8.c4 and now either 8...Ba6 or 8...Nb6 result in a complicated fight.

5.c3 Bc5 6.Be3 Bb6 7.Nf5

The Vachier-Lagrave vs Kramnik game from the just-concluded Tromso World Cup continued with the rare 7.Bd3!? Nf6 8.0-0 0-0 9.Nxc6 bxc6 10.e5 Nd5 11.Bd2 d6 12.c4 Ne7 13.Qc2 Ng6 14.exd6 cxd6 15.Nc3 Qh4!? we have a position with equal chances. Vachier-Lagrave though went horribly wrong with 16.Rae1? (16.Ne4 d5 17.Nd6! was better) 16...Ne5 17.Re4? Qh5 (threatening ...Nxd3 followed by ...Bf5) 18.Be2? Qg6 and now White is in big trouble. Vachier Lagrave, M. (2719)-Kramnik, V. (2784) Tromso NOR 2013 0-1 (22).

7...g6! 8.Bxb6 axb6 9.Ne3 Nf6

Black is completely ok at this stage. If he can get in ...d7-d5 he might even be better.

10.f3 Qe7!

Puts his queen in the same file as the enemy King. If now 11.Bc4 Ne5 12.Bb3 Black will reply 12...d5! breaking open the center while white has not yet castled.

11.c4!

Yangyi shows an understanding on the opposition and sets up a Maroczy Bind to prevent Black’s ...d7-d5.

11...Qb4+ 12.Qd2 Qxd2+ 13.Kxd2 d6 14.Nc3 Kd8 15.Be2 Re8 16.Rac1 Nd4 17.Rhd1 c6 18.Bf1

With the idea of 19.Ke1 with awkward pressure on the d-file.

18...Kc7 19.Ke1 Ne6

[19...c5? 20.Nc2! Nxc2+ 21.Rxc2 and now White will double rooks on the d-file and his knight has the powerful b5 and d5 holes to terrorize]

20.b4 Nd7 21.Kf2 Ng7 22.Rd4

If Black does not do anything quick then White will double on the d-file then play g2-g3, Bh3 with the pleasant choice of deciding whether to play on the queenside or the kingside.

22...f5 23.a4 Nf6 24.Rcd1 Re6 25.g3 fxe4 26.Bh3 Re7 27.Rxd6 Nge8

[27...Bxh3 28.Rxf6

Black cannot trap the rook with 28...Nd7 because of 29.Bxd7 Kxd8 30.Bxc6+ Bd7 (30...Kc7? 31.Ned5+) 31.Bxb7 Ra7 32.Bxe4 White is going to win this ending.

29.b5 Rb8 <D>

Position after 29...Rb8

Black is obviously trying to trap the white rook on d8 by ...Nd7. Should white just retreat it?

30.a5! Nd7?

Not 30...Bxh3 31.axb6+ Kxb6 32.Rxb8.

The best continuation for Black is 30...bxa5 31.b6+ Kxb6 32.Rxc8 when he loses a piece but the queenside pawns give him some chances.

31.Rxc8+! Kxc8 32.Ned5! cxd5 33.Nxd5 Rg7 34.Nxb6+ Kc7 35.Nxd7 Ra8 36.b6+ Kc6 37.Rd5

Threatening Ne5 checkmate.

There must be something in the water in Peru. Their top player Julio Granda Zuniga is recognized as among the top natural talents in the world. The Cori brother and sister team is also making surprisingly quick progress in chess. Jorge Cori was doing very well in the Tromso World Cup but showed up a few seconds late for his tie-break game with Radjabov and was forfeited. Here in Kocaeli he was able to play in a (relatively) more relaxed atmosphere and managed to give some displays of his tactical skill. * * *
Kathmale, Sameer (2339) -- Cori Tello, Jorge (2587) [C04] 52nd World Juniors Kocaeli TUR (3.22), 15.09.2013

1.e4 e6 2.d4 d5 3.Nd2 Nc6 4.Ngf3

[4.c3 e5! Black takes the opportunity to prevent White from setting up a cramping pawn chain with e4-e5. 5.exd5 Qxd5 6.Ngf3 exd4 7.Bc4 Qh5 8.0-0 Nf6! Black ignores the gambit pawn and just develops in natural style. Vajda, L-Bauer, C/World Juniors, Zagan POL 1997]

4...Nf6 5.e5 Nd7

This is known as the Tarrasch French, Guimard Variation. I presume Kathmale was prepared for this as the Guimard is a regular weapon in Cori’s armory.

6.Bd3 f6 7.exf6

It would be very naive to think that Cori was not prepared for 7.Ng5!? As the famous French specialist IM John Watson says, the evidence suggests that White is in at least as much danger as Black. Black is active after 7...Ndxe5! (7...fxg5?! 8.Qh5+ Ke7 9.Nf3 is very dangerous) 8.dxe5 fxg5 9.Qh5+ g6! 10.Bxg6+ Kd7 11.Bd3!? Nxe5 12.h4!? Nxd3+ 13.cxd3 . The result of the game had nothing to do with the opening. Adhiban, B (2481)-Zaragatski, I (2472) Vlissingen 2009 1-0 66.

7...Qxf6 8.0-0 Bd6

The extremely risky 8...Nxd4? might actually be playable although 9.Nxd4 Qxd4 10.Re1 Nf6 11.Ne4! with the threat of 12.Bb5+ winning the black queen seems to leave the upper hand with White. Zlatic, M-Sebestyen, B/Paks HUN 2003 0-1 17.

9.Re1 0-0 10.c3 Kh8 11.Nf1 e5! 12.Ne3 Nb6 13.dxe5 Nxe5 14.Nxe5 Bxe5 15.Kh1 Bd6 16.f3 Bd7 17.Nf1 Rae8 18.Be3 Bf5 19.Bd4 Qg6 20.Bxf5 Qxf5 21.Qd2 c5 22.Bg1 Nc4 23.Qf2 Ne5

With the idea of 24...Nd3.

24.Ne3 Qg6 25.Red1 Nd3 26.Qf1 c4 27.b3 Bxh2! 28.Kxh2

[28.Bxh2 Rxe3]

28...Qh6+ 29.Kg3 g5 0-1

• Rookie of the Year -- NM Jerad Docena, DLSU

• Gold Medalists:

bd 1 -- IM Jan Emmanuel Garcia ADMU 12.5/14

bd 2 -- NM Jerad Docena DLSU, 12.5/14

bd 3 -- Kevin Labog AdU, 11.5/14

bd 4 -- Christian Anthony Flores UST, 10.5/14

bd 5 -- Nigel Galan DLSU, 5.0/7

bd 6 -- Justin David Corpin UP, 3/7

The Philippines’ newest chess sensation Jerad Docena heralded his entry into the collegiate chess circuit with a bang.

Fourteen years ago, the spouses Crispin and Sabiniana of Tagbilaran, Bohol, spoke to their six children to give the bad news: their business had gone bankrupt and they would all have to help out to make ends meet. Jerad Docena was only three years old at that time, and he listened to his father telling them all that they have to study very hard and also choose a sport and excel in it, for it is only through scholarships, either academic or athletic, that they would be able to finish their schooling.

It appears that the Docena children took the advice to heart, especially for Jedara, Jerad and Jesca, for soon the three of them starting taking home medals and trophies in chess competitions.

Jerad graduated second honor in elementary and up to now continues to be on top of his classes. In chess he also did really well. At age seven (Grade 1) he became the youngest chess player to compete in the Palarong Pambansa and at eight years of age he won his first national championship in the under-10 years old category.

He continued to excel in regional and national competitions and was accepted as a High School scholar in the Wesleyan College of Manila of Bohol. At 15 years of age, Jerad won the Philippine National Junior Championship, a competition for 20-years-old and under players.

Last year, Jerad graduated from high school and enrolled in De la Salle University in Taft. The chess team of DLSU immediately recruited him into the school team. As a rookie he was assigned to second board and in the UAAP Chess Team competition played in every round, scoring 12 wins 1 draw and 1 loss for 12.5/14. This, together with the stellar performances of Franz Robert Grafil, Giovanni Mejia (another highly regarded rookie from La Salle Greenhills), Aglipay Oberio and Nigel Galan, powered Dela Salle University to dethrone defending champion FEU as the top dog of Philippine collegiate chess.

Jerad Docena was also awarded the Most Valuable Player (MVP) award, the Rookie of the Year Award and also another gold medal as the best in Board 2. In other words he won them all in his first year in college.

1.d4 Nf6 2.c4 c5 3.d5 e6 4.Nc3 exd5 5.cxd5 d6 6.Nf3 g6 7.h3

This little move introduces the Modern Variation, nowadays one of White’s most popular ways of meeting the Modern Benoni. The main point is that Black is not allowed to play ...Bg4 and swap off his “problem” piece.

7...Bg7

The trendy line here now is 8.e4 0-0 9.Bd3 b5!? with no less than former world champion Veselin Topalov and the late Vugar Gashimov as its disciples. I guess Louell wanted to avoid any such nonsense -- his next move, although rare, completely obliterates the ...b7-b5 possibility.

8.Qa4+ Nbd7 9.Bf4 0-0 10.e3

[10.Bxd6? Nb6 wins the wayward bishop]

10...a6 11.Qb3 Qe7 12.a4 Nh5 13.Bh2 f5 14.Be2 f4 15.exf4?

For better or worse 15.0-0 had to be played. After 15...fxe3 16.fxe3 b5! (Not 16...Qxe3+ 17.Kh1 Bxc3 which seems to win the bishop on e2, but 18.Qxc3 Qxe2 19. Rae1 the queen is lost) 17.axb5? (17.Rae1 is best) 17...Qxe3+ 18.Kh1 Bxc3 19.Qxc3 Qxe2 20. Rae1 Black’s queen can now escape with 20...Qxb5.

15...Nxf4 16.Bxf4 Rxf4 17.0-0 Ne5 18. Rae1 <D>

POSITION AFTER 18.Rae1

And now the final assault.

18...Bxh3! 19.Bd1

[19.gxh3 Rxf3]

19...Bxg2 20.Rxe5

[20.Kxg2 Rxf3 21.Rxe5 Bxe5 22.Kxf3 (22.Bxf3 Qg5+ 23.Kh3 Qf4 with forced mate) 22...Rf8+ 23.Ke4 Bxc3+ is a rout]

20...Bxe5 21.Kxg2 Rxf3 22.Rh1 Rxf2+ 23.Kxf2 Rf8+ 24.Ke2 Bf4+ 25.Kd3 Qe3+ 26.Kc2 Qc1+ 27.Kd3 Qd2+ 28.Kc4 Qd4# 0-1 Docena, Jerad -- Mansanero, Jefferson [B52]
2014-15 UAAP Chess (MEN) Henry Sy Sr. Hall, DLSU (5.2), 31.01.2015

1.e4 c5 2.Nf3 d6 3.Bb5+ Bd7 4.Bxd7+ Qxd7 5.0-0 Nc6 6.c3 Nf6 7.Qe2 e6 8.d3 Be7 9.a3 0-0 10.b4 cxb4 11.axb4 a6 12.Nbd2 Qc7 13.Nb3 d5 14.e5 Nd7 15.d4 Na7 16.Nc5 Nb5 17.Qd3 Rfc8 18.Bg5 Nf8 19.Bxe7 Qxe7 20.c4!

At this point Jerad must have intended to give up his rook for the knight and two queenside pawns already, as now there is no turning back.

20...dxc4 21.Qxc4 b6 22.Rxa6! Rxa6 23.Qxb5 Raa8 24.Qxb6 Rab8 25.Qa6 Qd8

[25...Rxb4?? 26.Qxc8]

26.Rb1 Rb6 27.Qc4 Rcb8 28.h4 Qd5 29.Qxd5 exd5 30.Nd3 Ne6 31.Rc1 h6 32.Kf1 Ra8 33.Rc3 Ra2 34.g3 Kh7 35.h5 g6 36.hxg6+ Kxg6 37.Nh4+ Kg5 38.Rc8!

Suddenly there are mating threats.

38...Ra3?

[38...h5 is probably best, although he might still be lost]

39.Rg8+ Kh5 40.Nf5!

Threatening 41.g2-g4 mate.

40...Ng5 41.f3

Threatening both g2-g4 and Nf4 mate and this time there is no defense.