On Move 39, Magnus Carlsen with the white pieces had just played Ba7-c5, threatening checkmate in 1-move–Qf8#!
Problem: Move 40 – Ding Liren, playing the black pieces, wins the white Queen in 2-moves or checkmates in 2 or 3-moves!
See answer below!
2019 Sinquefield Cup
At the end of Round 11 in regulation play, on August 28, Ding Liren and Magnus Carlsen found themselves UNDEFEATED and tied for First Place!
In the Tie-Break format, Ding Liren and Magnus Carlsen drew the first two Rapid Chess games. Then, Ding Liren won the next two Blitz Chess games.
See Final Standings below.
Ding Liren
Born: October 24, 1992 in Wenzhou, China
Rated 2791
Ding Liren is a Chinese chess Grandmaster. He is a three-time Chinese Chess Champion.
Ding was undefeated in Classical Chess from August 2017 to November 2018, recording 29 victories and 71 draws. This 100-game unbeaten streak was the longest in top-level chess history.
Magnus Carlsen
Born: November 30, 1990 in Tonsberg, Norway
Rated 2863
Magnus Carlsen is a Norwegian Grandmaster and the current World Chess Champion. In addition to his success in Classical Chess, he is also a two-time World Rapid Chess Champion and four-time World Blitz Chess Champion.
In the past year, he’s played 100+ Classical Chess games without a loss, breaking Ding Liren’s record of 100 games! (The losses in Blitz Chess in this tournament did not affect Carlsen’s run in breaking Liren’s record of 100 undefeated games in Classical Chess!)
In tournament and match play, Carlsen had not lost a single Play-Off since 2007, winning the last ten times he had found himself in this situation.
China’s Ding Liren is the one who ended the streak!
2019 Sinquefield Cup
Final Standings
After Tie-Break Games
Ding Liren finished in 1st Place with 9.5/15 points, and Magnus Carlsen finished in 2nd Place with 7.5/15 Points.
The Answer
Problem: Move 40 – Ding Liren, playing the black pieces, wins the white Queen in 2-moves or checkmates in 2 or 3-moves!
Answer:
40. … Ne7!
41. Qxe7?? Rh1#
or
40. … Ne7!
41. f3? Bxf3, threatens …Rh1#
or
40. … Ne7!
41. Qxc6 Nxc6, wins the white Queen for a Bishop!
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