Monday, November 23, 2009

Melburnian Bags World Title

Ex-Kiwi Bobby Cheng has just become a world champ. Cheng, who now plays under the Aussie flag, scored 9 points and topped outright the field of 142 players in the U12 section of the World Youth Chess Championships. Among his wins were these two nice ones.

WORLD YOUTH CHESS CHAMPIONSHIP 2009 U12
Cheng, Bobby
Mousavi, Seyed Khalil
A70

1. d4 Nf6 2. c4 c5 3. d5 d6 4. Nc3 g6 5. e4 Bg7 6. h3 O-O 7. Bd3 e6 8. Nf3 exd5 9. cxd5 b5 10. Bxb5 Nxe4 11. Nxe4 Qa5+ 12. Nfd2 Qxb5 13. Nxd6 Qa6 14. N2c4 Rd8 15. Bf4 Bf8 16. Qe2 Bb7 opting to follow Schandorff - Berg, 0-1, Politiken Cup 2007. 17. Nxb7 Qxb7 18. O-O Here, Schandorff castled long and his king quickly came under pressure. 18...Rxd5 19. Rad1 Rxd1 20. Rxd1 Nc6 21. Qf3 Rd8 22. Rxd8 Nxd8 23. Qxb7 Nxb7 24. Kf1 f6 25. Ke2 Kf7 26. Kd3 Ke6 27. b3 g5 28. Bd2 Be7 29. g4 f5 30. Ne3 fxg4 31. hxg4 Nd6 32. Nc4 Ne8 33. Bc3 Bd8 34. Be5 Kd5 35. Bc3 Ke6 36. Be5 Kd5 37. Bb8 a6 38. Ne3+ Kc6 39. Ke4 Be7 40. Be5 Bd8 41. Kf5 Nd6+ 42. Bxd6 Kxd6 43. Nc4+ Kd5 44. Ne5 Be7 45. Nf7 Kd4 46. Nxg5 h6 47. Nf7 Kc3 48. Ke4 Kb2 49. Kd3 Kxa2 50. Kc2 Bf8 51. f4 Ka3 52. Kc3 Bg7+ 53. Kc4 Kb2 54. Ne5 Kc2 55. Nd7 Kd2 56. f5 Ke3 57. f6 Bh8 58. f7 Bg7 59. Nxc5 Bf8 60. Ne6 Be7 61. g5 hxg5 62. Nxg5 Kd2 63. Ne6 Kc2 64. f8=Q Bxf8 65. Nxf8 Kb2 66. Kb4 a5+ 67. Ka4 1-0

The next is from the eleventh round and how fitting that Cheng should front up against the top seed, the 2344-rated, Suri Vaibhav of India.

WORLD YOUTH CHESS CHAMPIONSHIP 2009 U12
Vaibhav, Suri
Cheng, Bobby
C05

1. e4 e6 2. d4 d5 3. Nd2 Nf6 4. e5 Nfd7 5. f4 c5 6. c3 Nc6 7. Ndf3 cxd4 8. cxd4 a5 9. Bd3 a4 10. a3 Nb6 11. Ne2 Na5 12. O-O g6 13. Qc2 Nb3 14. Rb1 Bd7 15. g4 Rc8 16. Nc3 Nc4 17. f5 Nxd4? What is this? This is just bluff I reckon. 18. Nxd4 Bc5

Position after 18...Bc5

19. fxg6?
Why not 19. Qf2? 19...Bxd4+ 20. Kh1 hxg6 21. Bxg6 Nxe5 22. Bh5 Bc6 23. Qe2 Bxc3 24. bxc3 d4+ 25. Kg1 Qd5 26. cxd4 Rxh5 27. gxh5 Nd3 0-1

6 comments:

Jon said...

Congrats certainly to Bobby, but also to young Anton Smirnov also - who came =2nd (4th on tiebreak) in the U8!

A photo of the Ozzie can be found here: http://www.chessvibes.com/reports/winners-and-controversy-at-world-youth-ch/

Anonymous said...

howcome when the likes of david smerdon arianne caoili yuan olivers and the likes played the world youth the standard was much stronger? when i look at the rating averages in turkey its so significantly lower than back a few years ago.

not meaning to be critical of bobbys success, just an insight. maybe its because nowadays, the strong youth people cant be bothered with the world youth anymore.

Anonymous said...

Congrats to young Bobby! Talent will always shine through no matter from where. That is the point of the World Youth Championships. Kudos also to Darryl too. Now Oz chess will have the challenge to help him build on this success and ensure he fulfils his potential.

Anonymous said...

Typical aussies laying claim to all that is New Zealand - Phar Lap, Crowded House, Russell Crowe, and now chess players. Fair dinkum.

Simon said...

I have news for you Mr Anon. Bobby chose to change federations,which isn't cheap,because he lives in Australia. The top Australian players he has had a chance to play regularly against in the last couple of years have definitely helped him to improve as a chess player. If you think they have not given him invaluable experience then you are just bitter and deluded.

Anon Mr Anon to you said...

Hey Simon, you seem a little upset over what was a tongue in cheek comment. Too close to home perhaps. Bobby Cheng is undoubtedly a talented player and at 12 years of age, would have improved in NZ or Australia. Now where did i put my Midnight Oil CD.