Last week, I had learnt that Malaysia's top chess player, Yeoh Li Tian, would be competing in the Belt and Road open chess tournament in Hunan, China. He would be playing in the Category A event with several top grandmasters that included Le Quang Liem (Vietnam), Amin Bassem (Eqypt), Maxim Matlakov (Russia), Francisco Vallejo Pons (Spain), Arkadij Naiditsch 9Azerbaijan) and Ivan Cheparinov (Georgia) among others. But there was also a whole list of grandmasters from the host country. If ever Li Tian wanted to achieve his third and final grandmaster norm, this would be the chance.
However from the word Go, his chances were wrecked. A loss in the first round against a Chinese international master who was rated so much lower than him was the unexpected result. Although Li Tian managed to even up his score by winning the second round game, his supporters back home felt that achieving his target in this tournament could be quite an uphill task. Very few people have managed to come back after losing their game in the first round.
More bad news were to emerge in the third round. Another loss for Li Tian against a Chinese grandmaster who was rated at least 60 points below him. And from there, things got worse: a draw followed by a third loss. Also, he was facing one Chinese player after another. According to Fide regulations, a player who had faced six or more players from one and the same nation could not use the results from that tournament to qualify for a title norm.
With Li Tian lingering in the bottom half of the table, there was very little chance for him not to play with yet more Chinese players. In fact, he faced seven of them by the end of the tournament. The only consolation for him was that he managed to haul himself out of the bottom half of the standings but by then, his title norm had vanished. Nevertheless, here are his games from the Hunan tournament.
[Event "Hunan Belt and Road Open 2019"]
[Site "Hunan, China"]
[Date "2019.07.29"]
[Round "1"]
[White "Chu, Wei Chao IM"]
[Black "Yeoh, Li Tian IM"]
[Result "1-0"]
[WhiteElo "2406"]
[BlackElo "2528"]
1 d4 Nf6 2 c4 c5 3 d5 e6 4 Nc3 exd5 5 cxd5 d6 6 Nf3 g6 7 Bf4 a6 8 a4 Bg7 9 e3 O-O 10 h3 Ne8 11 Be2 Nd7 12 O-O Qe7 13 Nd2 Ne5 14 Bh2 f5 15 Re1 Nf6 16 f4 Nf7 17 Bf3 Rb8 18 Kh1 b5 19 axb5 axb5 20 e4 fxe4 21 Ndxe4 Nxe4 22 Nxe4 Qd8 23 Qd2 Bf5 24 g4 Bxe4 25 Bxe4 Qf6 26 Re2 Ra8 27 Rxa8 Rxa8 28 b3 c4 29 bxc4 bxc4 30 Kg2 Qa1 31 Bg1 Bc3 32 Qe3 Bg7 33 Bf2 Ra3 34 Qb6 Rb3 35 Qc6 Qc3 36 Qc8+ Bf8 37 g5 Qc1 38 Qg4 Rb2 39 Rxb2 Qxb2 40 h4 c3 41 Qd1 Bg7 42 h5 gxh5 43 Qxh5 Bd4 44 Qxh7+ Kf8 45 Bc2 Bg7 46 Qf5 Ke8 47 Ba4+ 1-0
[Event "Hunan Belt and Road Open 2019"]
[Site "Hunan, China"]
[Date "2019.07.29"]
[Round "2"]
[White "Yeoh, Li Tian IM"]
[Black "Liu, Guanchu IM"]
[Result "1-0"]
[WhiteElo "2528"]
[BlackElo "2449"]
1 e4 c5 2 c3 Nf6 3 e5 Nd5 4 Nf3 e6 5 Bc4 d6 6 d4 cxd4 7 cxd4 Be7 8 O-O O-O 9 Qe2 Nc6 10 Nc3 Nxc3 11 bxc3 dxe5 12 dxe5 b6 13 Qe4 Qc7 14 Bg5 Bb7 15 Bd3 g6 16 Qh4 Rfe8 17 Rae1 Bf8 18 Re3 Ne7 19 Nd4 Nf5 20 Bxf5 exf5 21 Bf6 h5 22 Rfe1 Bh6 23 Nxf5 Bxe3 24 Rxe3 Qc6 25 f3 1-0
[Event "Hunan Belt and Road Open 2019"]
[Site "Hunan, China"]
[Date "2019.07.29"]
[Round "3"]
[White "Yu, Ruiyuan GM"]
[Black "Yeoh, Li Tian IM"]
[Result "1-0"]
[WhiteElo "2464"]
[BlackElo "2528"]
1 e4 c6 2 d4 d5 3 Nc3 dxe4 4 Nxe4 Bf5 5 Ng3 Bg6 6 h4 h6 7 Nf3 Nd7 8 h5 Bh7 9 Bd3 Bxd3 10 Qxd3 e6 11 Bd2 Ngf6 12 O-O-O Be7 13 Kb1 O-O 14 Ne4 Nxe4 15 Qxe4 Nf6 16 Qe2 Qd5 17 Be3 a5 18 Ne5 a4 19 f3 Rad8 20 g4 Nd7 21 c4 Qa5 22 Nd3 Nb6 23 Nc5 Bxc5 24 dxc5 Nc8 25 g5 Rxd1+ 26 Rxd1 Ne7 27 gxh6 Nf5 28 Rg1 Kh7 29 hxg7 Nxg7 30 Bd4 Nf5 31 Qe5 Qd2 32 Rg7+ Kh6 33 Qf6+ Kxh5 34 Rg1 Ng3 35 Qe5+ Nf5 36 Qf6 Ng3 37 Qg7 Qd3+ 38 Ka1 Qxf3 39 Qxf8 1-0
[Event "Hunan Belt and Road Open 2019"]
[Site "Hunan, China"]
[Date "2019.07.29"]
[Round "4"]
[White "Yeoh, Li Tian IM"]
[Black "Wang, Yiye IM"]
[Result "1/2-1/2"]
[WhiteElo "2528"]
[BlackElo "2440"]
1 g3 d5 2 Nf3 c6 3 Bg2 Bg4 4 d3 Nd7 5 h3 Bxf3 6 Bxf3 g6 7 O-O Bg7 8 c3 e6 9 Nd2 Ne7 10 Bg2 O-O 11 Nf3 a5 12 Bd2 Nf5 13 Qc2 Qb6 14 Kh1 Nd6 15 Rad1 a4 16 Bc1 Qa5 17 c4 Qb6 18 e4 Qc5 19 b3 axb3 20 axb3 d4 21 Bd2 Qa3 22 Rb1 Ra6 23 Rfc1 Rfa8 24 Ne1 Qc5 25 Qd1 Ra2 26 Nc2 Qb6 27 Qe2 Qd8 28 Nb4 R2a3 29 Nc2 Ra2 30 f4 e5 31 Nb4 R2a3 32 Nc2 Ra2 33 b4 Qe7 34 Ra1 Qe8 35 Qd1 R8a7 36 c5 Nb5 37 Rxa2 Rxa2 38 Ra1 Qa8 39 Qb1 Ra4 40 h4 Nf6 41 Bh3 Nh5 42 Kg2 exf4 43 gxf4 Bh6 44 Kf3 Nc3 45 Rxa4 Qxa4 46 Qb2 Nd1 47 Qc1 Qb3 48 Bf1 Nb2 49 Nxd4 Qa2 50 Nc2 Qb3 51 Nd4 Qa2 52 Be2 Bg7 53 Nc2 Qe6 54 Qh1 Qb3 55 Na1 Qa2 56 Qc1 Qe6 57 Qh1 Qa2 58 Qc1 Qe6 1/2-1/2
[Event "Hunan Belt and Road Open 2019"]
[Site "Hunan, China"]
[Date "2019.07.29"]
[Round "5"]
[White "Zou, Chen FM"]
[Black "Yeoh, Li Tian IM"]
[Result "1-0"]
[WhiteElo "2440"]
[BlackElo "2528"]
1 e4 e5 2 Nf3 Nc6 3 Bb5 g6 4 c3 Bg7 5 d4 exd4 6 cxd4 a6 7 Ba4 b5 8 Bb3 Nge7 9 d5 Na5 10 Bc2 O-O 11 O-O d6 12 Nc3 c5 13 dxc6 Nexc6 14 Nd5 Bg4 15 h3 Bxf3 16 Qxf3 Nd4 17 Qd1 Nxc2 18 Qxc2 Nc4 19 a4 Rc8 20 axb5 axb5 21 Qb3 Qh4 22 Bf4 Rfe8 23 Qxb5 Nxb2 24 Ra7 Bd4 25 g3 Qh5 26 Qb7 g5 27 g4 Qg6 28 Ne7+ Rxe7 29 Qxc8+ Kg7 30 Rxe7 gxf4 31 Re8 Kh6 32 Rg8 Bg7 1-0
[Event "Hunan Belt and Road Open 2019"]
[Site "Hunan, China"]
[Date "2019.07.29"]
[Round "6"]
[White "Xie, Jianjun FM"]
[Black "Yeoh, Li Tian IM"]
[Result "0-1"]
[WhiteElo "2417"]
[BlackElo "2528"]
1 e4 d6 2 d4 Nf6 3 Nc3 g6 4 Nf3 Bg7 5 h3 O-O 6 Be3 a6 7 a4 Nc6 8 d5 Nb4 9 Bc4 a5 10 O-O c6 11 Re1 Qc7 12 Bb3 e5 13 dxe6 Bxe6 14 Bxe6 fxe6 15 e5 dxe5 16 Ng5 Rfe8 17 Nce4 Nfd5 18 Bc5 Rad8 19 Qe2 b6 20 Bxb4 axb4 21 Qg4 Qe7 22 a5 b5 23 g3 h6 24 Nf3 Qf8 25 Kg2 Qf5 26 Nh4 Qxg4 27 hxg4 g5 28 Nf3 Ra8 29 Nfd2 Bf8 30 Nb3 Kf7 31 Nec5 Bg7 32 Nd3 Ke7 33 Nbc5 Kd6 34 f3 Ra7 35 Ne4+ Kc7 36 Nec5 Kd6 37 a6 Kc7 38 Nb7 Kb6 39 Ndc5 Re7 40 Re4 Nc7 41 b3 Nxa6 42 Rxa6+ Rxa6 43 Nxa6 Kxa6 44 Nc5+ Kb6 45 Nd3 c5 46 Nxe5 Kc7 47 Ng6 Re8 48 f4 Kd6 49 f5 Kd5 50 Kf3 Bf6 51 Re1 c4 52 Rd1+ Kc5 53 Re1 Kd4 54 fxe6 Kc3 55 Re4 Kxc2 56 bxc4 b3 57 Re2+ Kd1 58 cxb5 b2 59 Rxb2 Bxb2 60 e7 Bf6 0-1
[Event "Hunan Belt and Road Open 2019"]
[Site "Hunan, China"]
[Date "2019.07.29"]
[Round "7"]
[White "Yeoh, Li Tian IM"]
[Black "Batsiashvili, Nino GM"]
[Result "1-0"]
[WhiteElo "2528"]
[BlackElo "2433"]
1 Nf3 d5 2 g3 c5 3 c4 d4 4 e3 Nc6 5 exd4 cxd4 6 Bg2 e5 7 O-O Bd6 8 Re1 Nge7 9 d3 Ng6 10 a3 a5 11 Qc2 Bg4 12 Nbd2 O-O 13 c5 Be7 14 Nc4 Bxf3 15 Bxf3 Bxc5 16 Qb3 Qe7 17 Bd2 a4 18 Qb5 Ra6 19 Rac1 Rb8 20 Na5 Nxa5 21 Bxa5 Bd6 22 Bb6 Raa8 23 Rc4 Qg5 24 Kf1 h5 25 h4 Qf5 26 Be4 Qh3+ 27 Kg1 Qg4 28 Qd5 Be7 29 Bf3 Qf5 30 Rec1 Re8 31 Qe4 Qe6 32 Bc7 Ra7 33 Bxh5 f5 34 Qg2 Kh7 35 Bd1 Bf6 36 Qf3 Nf8 37 Rxa4 Rea8 38 Rb4 g6 39 Rb6 Qe7 40 Bd6 Qd8 41 Rc7+ Kh6 42 Qd5 Ra5 43 Qf7 1-0
[Event "Hunan Belt and Road Open 2019"]
[Site "Hunan, China"]
[Date "2019.07.29"]
[Round "8"]
[White "Yeoh, Li Tian IM"]
[Black "Chen, Qi IM"]
[Result "1-0"]
[WhiteElo "2528"]
[BlackElo "2414"]
1 e4 c5 2 Nc3 d6 3 d4 cxd4 4 Qxd4 Nf6 5 b3 e5 6 Qd2 Be7 7 Bb2 O-O 8 O-O-O Be6 9 f4 exf4 10 Nge2 Nc6 11 Nxf4 a6 12 Kb1 Ne5 13 h3 Rc8 14 g4 Nfd7 15 Bg2 Nb6 16 Ncd5 Bxd5 17 Nxd5 Nxd5 18 exd5 Bg5 19 Qb4 Qc7 20 Be4 Bf6 21 Bf5 Rcd8 22 h4 g6 23 g5 Bg7 24 Bh3 Rfe8 25 Qf4 b5 26 Bg2 a5 27 h5 a4 28 Rh3 Rc8 29 Qd2 Qb6 30 Bd4 Qa6 31 hxg6 hxg6 32 Rdh1 axb3 33 cxb3 Rc7 34 Be4 Rec8 35 Bb2 Qa7 36 Qf4 Ra8 37 a3 f5 38 gxf6 Rf8 39 Bxg6 Rxf6 40 Bh7+ Kf7 41 Bf5 Kf8 42 Qg5 Rcf7 43 Be6 Qf2 44 Bxf7 Nxf7 45 Qc1 Ne5 46 Rc3 Qf5+ 47 Ka2 Ke8 1-0
[Event "Hunan Belt and Road Open 2019"]
[Site "Hunan, China"]
[Date "2019.07.29"]
[Round "9"]
[White "Oleksiyenko, Mykhaylo GM"]
[Black "Yeoh, Li Tian IM"]
[Result "1/2-1/2"]
[WhiteElo "2600"]
[BlackElo "2528"]
1 d4 d5 2 c4 c6 3 Nf3 Nf6 4 e3 g6 5 Nc3 Bg7 6 Be2 O-O 7 O-O a6 8 a4 a5 9 b3 Bg4 10 h3 Bxf3 11 Bxf3 e6 12 Ne2 Nbd7 13 Bb2 Re8 14 Nf4 dxc4 15 bxc4 e5 16 dxe5 Nxe5 17 Bxe5 Rxe5 18 Rb1 Qc7 19 Qb3 Rb8 20 Nd3 Ree8 21 Qb6 Qxb6 22 Rxb6 Ne4 23 Bxe4 Rxe4 24 Rc1 Bf8 25 Kf1 Bd6 26 Ke2 Bc7 27 Rb3 b6 28 f3 Re7 29 Nf2 f5 30 Rcb1 Rbe8 31 Rd3 Kf7 1/2-1/2
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