Shenzhen: Ding Leads, Svidler Bounces Back

After six rounds it's GM Ding Liren who leads the Shenzhen Longgang Chess Masters in Shenzhen, China. GM Anish Giri, who missed a win vs GM Peter Svidler, is in second place.

Three more rounds have been played in Shenzhen since the first report. Today was the sixth round, after a rest day on Tuesday.

On both Sunday and Monday the tournament saw draws only, but there was some action at the start of the new week. The biggest story on Monday was Giri missing a clear (but still not very easy) win against Svidler.

Somehow Black's pieces on the queenside got misplaced, and with simple moves Giri got a big advantage. The Dutchman invested time on the clock but kept finding strong moves. However, it seems he got tricked by Svidler in timetrouble. 

Maybe it's not for nothing that Google Translate translates Svidler's name ("斯维德勒" on the Chinese Chess Association's website) as "Swindler!" 

Svidler, to Chess.com: "That's what my first ever Tilburg board ID card said. I'm used to it."

That was a great chance for Giri to move to plus two. | Photo Chinese Chess Association.

In the same round GM Pentala Harikrishna showed how important it is to know basic endgames. He defended against GM Yu Yangyi using knowledge of an opposite-colored bishop endgame, and then the R vs RB ending.

The game might have cost Hari some energy though. The next day he was soundly outplayed by Svidler, who thus got back to 50 percent.

The game saw an exchange sac that was very similar to what is considered to be the archetype of the positional exchange sacrifice:

Tigran Petrosian in 1959. | Photo: Dutch National Archive, CC.

In today's game, Svidler maintained his advantage by declining the sacrifice:

Svidler obviously knows his classics! | Photo Chinese Chess Association.

Ding Liren today grabbed the sole lead with a wonderful victory over his compatriot Yu Yangyi. From a modest Réti setup, recently tried by e.g. Vladimir Kramnik and other top GMs, he maintained an edge throughout the game, playing on both sides of the board. It was a great strategic win, finished off with a petite combinaison.

Ding Liren leads with four rounds to go.

The Shenzhen Masters is a six-player, double round robin held in Shenzhen, Guangdong in southeast China. The prize fund is $90,000 with a first prize of $20,000. 

Shenzhen Longgang Chess Masters | Round 6 Standings

Games from TWIC.

Previous report:

• Ding, Giri Lead In Shenzen, Where Bishops Rule