A big upset is brewing. Wang Yue has not lost a game in a long time. He has an unbeaten streak of nearly 50 games. But he has his hands full against the ever youthful Korchnoi, one of the greatest players never to win the World Championship.
GM Kortchnoi (2602) – GM Wang Yue (2704) [D15]
29.08.2008, NH Tournament
1.d4 d5 2.c4 c6 3.Nf3 Nf6 4.Nc3 dxc4 5.Ne5 b5 6.g3 Bb7 7.Bg2 a6 8.0–0 e6 9.a4 Nd5 10.e4 Nxc3 11.bxc3 Nd7 12.Bf4 Be7 13.Qg4 g6 14.Nxd7 Qxd7 15.Bh6 f6 16.axb5 cxb5 17.Rfe1 e5 18.Qxd7+ Kxd7 19.dxe5 fxe5 20.Bg7 Rhe8 21.Bxe5 Bc5 22.Bh3+ Kc6 23.Bf6 Kb6 24.e5 Rf8 25.Red1 Rae8 26.Rd2 Be7 27.Bxe7 Rxe7 28.f4 Kc5 29.Bg2 Bxg2 30.Kxg2 Re6 31.Kf3 Rxe5 32.Rxa6 Rd5 33.Rxd5+ Kxd5 34.Ra7 h5 35.Ra6 g5 36.h3 Rf5 37.Ra5 Ke6 38.Ke4 Rc5 39.f5+ Kf6 40.g4 hxg4 41.hxg4 Re5+ 42.Kd4 Re1 +/- The best idea is Ra6 check then Rg6 43.Ra6+ Kf7 44.Rg6 Rd1+ 45.Kc5 Rc1 46.Kxb5 Rxc3 47.Rxg5 Kf6 48.Rg6+ Ke5 49.Rg8 Rc1 50.Kc5 c3 51.Re8+? (51.Kc4 would have been better) Kf6 1/2
Wow. Amazing stuff from Korchnoi.
Looks like Wang is losing
They just draw
Why? Korchnoi had winning position, hadn’t he?
Kortchnoi to Wang: When 900 years old you become, look this good you will not, Ja!
Wang: Master Kortchnoi, no!
That is a scary picture.