Yu Ying HUANG describes how a chess grandmaster demolished one of Asia’s top
Xiangqi players with a prize on the line.
GM Rong Guang YE finished ninth in Shenyang in grand style, by
beating one of Vietnam’s top players in the last round. Minh A
TRUONG was the 1997 Vietnamese champion, and regularly scores well in
international events. He outplayed YE in the opening, but YE kept his head, and
demonstrated great power when his chance came.
| RED |
Rong Guang YE |
Vancouver |
| BLACK |
Minh A TRUONG |
Holland |
Analysis by YuYing HUANG, with help from Stephen Fung.
See the game in a
Java viewer,
or in a text file in
algebraic
or
WXF
notation.
1. P7+1 C8=4
2. C8=5 H8+7
3. C2=4
Black is deploying his pieces rapidly on the left, so Red adopts a good
counter-formation. If Red plays for H2+3, placing the horse (knight) between
the two cannons, his position will be slightly awkward after Black plays R9=8.
If Red plays 3. H2+3? immediately, he loses a piece after 3... C4+5.
3. .... R9=8
4. H2+1 R8+5
Black tries to get the upper hand. There’s nothing wrong with that. Both sides
continue with natural moves.
5. E7+9 H2+3
6. H8+7 C2+4
7. R1+1 A4+5
8. R1=6 R1=2
9. R9=8 E3+5
10. R6+5
10. R6+3, trading the chariot (rook), might be better. After 10... R8=4 11. H7+6,
Red threatens P7+1. He will free his right horse with P1+1, and be very happy
with the opening.
10. .... P7+1!
Good! He doesn’t care about losing the pawn.
11. R6=7 R2+2
This is necessary. If 11... C2=3? 12. R8+9 H3-2 13. R7=9, Black is two pawns
down, and his horse is under attack.
12. A6+5
Red has nothing more active than this.
12. .... C4-2
13. C4+1 C4=3
14. R7=6
Forced. If 14. R7=9?, (see the variation in a
Java viewer)
Black wins a piece with 14... R2-2! This threatens both
H3+1 and C2=6. Then comes 15. R9+1 H3+2! 16. R9-2 C2=6 17. R9=8 R2+4 18. R8+5
C3+7.
14. .... H7+6
Good. But...
15. R6-5 C2-2?
...this is no good. Black should eat! His position would be much better after
(see the variation in a Java viewer)
15... R8=3. If 16. R8+3? R2+4 17. C4=8 R3+2, he threatens R3=1, and Red’s
pieces are poorly placed.
Red should probably play 16. R6+1 (better this than the clumsy 16. A5+6 H6+5),
and Black’s best response is 16... C3=2 with a clear advantage. Red’s elephant
on his ninth line and horse on his first line would be poorly placed.
16. C5=4 R8+2
By not playing 15... R8=3! Black has given Red relief in maneuvering. Black’s
chariot on his eighth line is now poorly placed, and the pawn on Red’s seventh
line is protected.
17. C++1 R2-2
18. R6+7 R8-2
This is not very useful. More aggressive would be
(see the variation in a Java viewer)
18... C2+3! It looks like Red
can win a piece with 19. H7+8, but the move is still good. After 19. H7+8 R8-2
20. R8+2 R8=6, the pinned horse is awkward for Red. Also, 19. C4+3 R8=3 is
obviously to Black’s advantage.
Red can try a counter-attack, but Black will come out on top:
(see the variation in a Java viewer)
19. R8+2 R2+7
20. C4=8 R8=3 21. C8+5 R3=1 22. R6=7 H3+4 23. C4=5 H6+5 24. P7+1 R1=3, and Red
has no attack.
19. C+-1 H6-7
20. R6-4 R8+2
21. P1+1 C2=5
Black shows his plan: to use the cannon pin to exploit Red’s weaknesses on the
third rank.
22. R8+9 H3+2
23. R6-2
The only move.
23. .... H2+3
24. P7+1!
Red uses the pawn sacrifices to free his pieces, and now maneuvers very well.
Black’s chariot has nowhere to go.
24. .... C3+4
25. H7+8 C3=2
26. P5+1 C5=6
27. C+=7 C6-2
28. C7-1! R8-4
29. E9+7 H7+8
30. C4+1 C6=7
31. C4=7 H3-1
32. E7-5!
Red’s position is very good. He has completed his defense and moved his cannons
to the left, where they are more dangerous. Black’s pieces are too spread out.
32. .... R8=6
33. R6+4!
A natural move, but very good! It opens a path for Red’s victory. The threat of
P5+1 is very strong.
33. .... C7+1?
Black sets a trap, threatening R6+6 and C7=4, but only traps himself.
34. R6-1 C2-2
35. C++3 P5+1
36. C3-3 P5+1?
In a difficult position, Black sacrifices a piece, but it would be better to
recapture the cannon. He might not be able to draw, but his chances would be
better.
37. R6+3 H1-3
38. C3=9
Black is finished! The rest needs little comment.
38. .... C2+2
39. C7=9 H3+2
40. R6=7 A5+4
41. P9+1 R6-2
42. R7-4 R2=5
43. R7+3 R5=2
44. H8+6 C2=3
45. R7=6 H8-7
46. H6+5!
Red returns the piece to destroy Black’s defenses. He doesn’t worry too much
about his own defenses, and kills Black very quickly, and very well.
 |
|
Toronto’s Stephen Fung reads
a story about Rong Guang YE
in a publicly posted Shanghai newspaper
|
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Photo: Bill Brydon
|
46. .... E7+5
47. R6=5 H7-5
48. R5-3 K5=4
49. H1+2 R2+6
50. A5-6 R2=4
51. K5+1 H5+6
52. R5+2 H6+8
53. H2+4 C3+3
54. E5+7!
Keeping control of the third rank. As long as he does, Black can’t hurt him.
54. .... H8+9
55. R5+3 K4+1
56. H4+3 H2+4
57. H3-5 K4+1
58. H5+4 A6+5
59. R5=6#
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