San Fransisco’s Michael Lee is North America’s most fiery Xiangqi player. YuYing HUANG describes how she learned this over the board.
Mindzine analysts, YuYing HUANG and Phuc NGUYEN are enterprising players with different styles. YuYing was intensely trained in China, and follows modern theory. Phuc learned the game in the bear-pit of Saigon, and favors what he likes to call "jungle openings".
Our next two columns will showcase this difference. In the 1999 Forshang Cup, both HUANG and NGUYEN played their first ever games against San Francisco’s combative Michael Lee. Today, HUANG will tell how she followed Lee into the OK Corral and lost the shootout. In two weeks, NGUYEN will explain how he won his game by staying behind cover.
A profile of Michael Lee can be found in Vol. II Number 6 (1992) of the Xiangqi Review.
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RED
YuYing HUANG
Canada |
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BLACK
Michael Lee
United States |
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Analysis by YuYing Huang
See the game in a
Java viewer, or in a text file in
algebraic
or
WXF
notation.
1. C2=5 H8+7
2. H2+3 R9=8
3. R1=2 P7+1
4. R2+6 H2+3
The very popular Central Cannon versus Windscreen Horses.
5. P7+1 C8=9
6. R2+3 C9-1
7. H8+7 A4+5
8. C8=9 C9=7
9. R3=4 P7+1!?
Not common. Normally Black plays 9... R1=2 or 9... H7+8 (as in the second Qin LU versus the world game).
10. R9=8 R1=2
11. R8+6!?
I should take the pawn, but chose a different variation. The alternative is
(see the variation in a Java viewer) 11. P3+1 H7+8 12. R4-4. Red can’t play 12. R4=3? because of 12. ... H8-9 13. R3-1 E3+5 14. R3+2 C2=1! and after the chariot (rook) exchange, Red’s remaining chariot is in trouble.
After 12. R4-4, Black has 12... H8+9! Red can’t answer 13. H3+1?, because 13... C7+8 gives Black a fierce attack. But 13. E3+1 is OK for Red, even though a piece is lost after 13... H9+7 14. C5=3 C2+5 15. H7+6 C2=7 16. R8+9 H3-2 17. C9+4! If 17. C9=3? Red loses the piece anyway after R8+7, and lacks compensation. After 18. C9+4! Red’s attacking chances are equivalent to a piece. Both sides have chances.
But I didn’t want to play this way, and chose a move that makes the game very complicated.
11. .... P7+1
12. H3-5
The horse goes back, like in the second Qin LU versus the world game. It looks strange, but this is how modern theory works. The horse protects the elephant on Red’s third line.
12. .... H7+8
13. R4=3 H8-7
14. R3=4 E3+5
15. H7+6 R8+4
16. C9+4?
Too slow, and also contradictory. H7+6 and C9+4 are two different ways of attacking, and usually shouldn’t be played together.
Instead, Red should play
(see the variation in a Java viewer) 16. R8=7! The idea is that he can allow an exchange of chariots, and then attack on the right side: 16... R8=4 (as in the game)
17. R4-2 C2+3 18. H5+7 C2+1 19. P7+1 C2=3 20. P3=4 C3+3 21. A6+5 C3-6. Now Red has R4+4 and P6+1, and is much better. This is a very interesting variation.
16. .... C2-1
17. R8+3 H3-2
18. H6+7
This game was considered to be one of the most interesting of the first round, and was analyzed by a number of people. The consensus was that Red has no way to play for the advantage, and is already in trouble. I think Red is still OK, but Black is probably better.
18. .... C1-1
19. C9=5
Instead, 19. E3+1 might be better. The game is unlikely to be a draw. I have so many pawns that if I can solve my problems, I can win. But I have a big problem with the horse in front of my king.
19. .... R8=4!
20. H5+7
The losing move. Black wins Red’s right elephant, and gets an unstoppable attack. Stephen Fung suggested 20. C5-2!? and I think this is necessary. At first I thought it was too dangerous. I don’t know what would happen, but I don’t think it would be an immediate loss. Both 20... H2+3 21. E3+1 and 20... R4+4 21. C5=4 look playable for Red. The position is very complicated.
20. .... H7+5
21. C5+4 R4+1
22. H+-6 C7+8
23. A4+5 H2+4
24. K5=4 H4+5
25. R4=5 R4+1
26. R5=4
No better is 26. R5=8 C7=9. Despite all his pieces in the centre, Red has no way to defend. With three attacking pieces, Black has a guaranteed win. If there were only two, Red might even be better.
26. .... R4=8
27. H6+4 P7+1
28. H7+6 R8+5
29. R4=2 R8=9
30. K4=5 C7=4
31. A5-4 C4=6
32. K5+1 R9-1
33. K5+1 R9=6
34. H4+6 P7=6
35. K5=6 C1=4!
Blocking the threat of checkmate, and paralyzing Red’s pieces. 0-1
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