Christopher Yoo, Alice Lee Win 2021 FIDE Online Cadets Rapid World Cup

IM Christopher Yoo and WCM Alice Lee became champions of their age division in FIDE’s 2021 Online Cadets & Youth Rapid World Cup, two of seven Americans who have qualified for successive FIDE World Championship cycle events to be held later this year.

The International Chess Federation hosted the World Cup events on its online Tornelo program over the month of August for youth players across five different age categories: Under-10, 12, 14, 16 and 18, each of them in two divisions, open and girls. The two-stage events began with 10-round Swiss tournaments, where each participating federation was permitted three players per category. Over 1600 players from 100 national federations participated.

The top-10 finishers from each Swiss were combined with six of FIDE’s top world-ranked players in each category, creating a 16-player knockout bracket. Each round featured two-game matches with a 15-minute, 10-second time control, and a 5/4 Armageddon tiebreaker if necessary.

Christopher Yoo at the 2019 Fall Classic (photo courtesy SLCC)

Yoo, the reigning US Chess Cadet Champion, became the winner of a stacked U16 Open category after beating Russian standout GM Volodar Murzin in the bracket finals, 1.5-0.5.

[pgn][Event "U16 FIDE Online Rapid World Cup | Knock"] [Site "chess24.com"] [Date "2021.08.30"] [Round "11.1"] [White "Murzin, Volodar"] [Black "Yoo, Christopher Woojin"] [Result "0-1"] [WhiteElo "2505"] [BlackElo "2466"] [Annotator "Tactical Analysis 4.1 (2s)"] [PlyCount "66"] [EventDate "2021.??.??"] [EventType "rapid"] [WhiteTeam "Russia"] [BlackTeam "United States"] [WhiteTeamCountry "RUS"] [BlackTeamCountry "USA"] {[%evp 9,66,7,7,7,11,-13,21,23,29,28,26,22,23,23,23,31,41,4,13,0,24,-12,-7,-35, -35,-35,-46,-73,-18,-33,-2,-2,4,-76,-76,-136,-138,-167,-167,-231,-231,-241, -242,-249,-249,-218,-212,-217,-213,-389,-391,-500,-500,-1538,-1707,-29984, -29984,-29984,-29985]} 1. e4 c5 2. Nf3 e6 3. g3 Nc6 4. Bg2 Nf6 5. Qe2 Be7 6. e5 {C00: French: Unusual White 2nd moves.} Nd5 7. c4 Ndb4 {aiming for ...Nc2+.} 8. d3 {The position is equal.} d6 {White must now prevent ...dxe5.} 9. a3 Na6 10. Nc3 $146 ({Predecessor:} 10. O-O dxe5 11. Nxe5 Nd4 12. Qd1 O-O 13. Nc3 Nc7 14. Nf3 Nc6 15. Bf4 g5 16. Be3 {1/2-1/2 (41) Adams,M (2727)-Vitiugov,N (2712) Paris/St Petersburg 2013}) 10... O-O 11. exd6 Bxd6 12. O-O e5 13. Be3 Bg4 14. h3 Bh5 15. g4 Bg6 16. Nd2 Nc7 17. Nde4 Ne6 18. Nd5 Nf4 {[%eval -18,15]} (18... f5 $17 {[%eval -73,14]} 19. gxf5 Ncd4 $1) 19. Qd2 Nxg2 20. Kxg2 f5 21. gxf5 { [%eval -76,14]} (21. Nxc5 $11 {[%eval 4,15] keeps the balance.} f4 22. Nxb7 fxe3 23. fxe3) 21... Bxf5 $17 22. Rh1 {[%eval -136,14]} (22. f3 $142 {[%eval -76,13]}) 22... Bxe4+ 23. dxe4 {[#]} Qh4 $1 {[%cal Rh4e4]} 24. Qd3 {[%eval -231,14]} (24. f3 $142 {[%eval -167,14]}) 24... Nd4 $19 ({Inferior is} 24... Qh5 25. Qd1 $11) 25. Bxd4 exd4 {[%csl Gf8][%cal Rh4f2]} ({Don't play} 25... cxd4 26. Raf1 $17) 26. Rhf1 Rae8 {[%cal Ba8e8,Be8e6,Be6g6][%mdl 32]} 27. Rae1 Re6 {Strongly threatening ...Rg6+.} 28. e5 Bxe5 $40 {[%mdl 128] Black wants a kill.} 29. f4 $2 {[%eval -389,15]} (29. Re4 {[%eval -213,16] is a better defense.} Qh5 30. Rg4) 29... Rg6+ 30. Kh2 Bxf4+ 31. Rxf4 {[%eval -1538,12]} ( 31. Nxf4 $142 {[%eval -500,17]} Rxf4 32. Re8+ Kf7 33. Ree1) 31... Rxf4 ({Not} 31... Qxe1 32. Rxf8+ Kxf8 33. Qf5+ Rf6 34. Nxf6 $15) 32. Re8+ Kf7 33. Re7+ Kf8 0-1 [/pgn]

Lee, a two-time World Cadet gold medalist, won the U12 Girls division with an Armageddon victory over Russian WCM Anna Shukhman in the bracket finals.

WCM Alice Lee at the 2021 US Chess Junior Girls Championship in the Saint Louis Chess Club. // photo Bryan Adams, Saint Louis Chess Club

[pgn][Event "G12 FIDE Online Rapid World Cup | Knock"] [Site "chess24.com"] [Date "2021.08.30"] [Round "12.1"] [White "Lee, Alice"] [Black "Shukhman, Anna"] [Result "1-0"] [WhiteElo "1994"] [BlackElo "1926"] [Annotator "Tactical Analysis 4.1 (2s)"] [PlyCount "173"] [EventDate "2021.??.??"] [EventType "rapid"] [WhiteTeam "United States"] [BlackTeam "Russia"] [WhiteTeamCountry "USA"] [BlackTeamCountry "RUS"] {[%evp 15,173,62,102,88,149,138,138,120,120,55,63,-66,-66,-66,-52,-57,-16,-31, -36,-87,-48,-48,-50,-71,-63,-71,-66,-133,-133,-162,-167,-167,-167,-167,-167, -177,-95,-111,-104,-104,-25,-25,-15,-46,-36,-84,-64,-80,-88,-51,-27,-54,-53, -214,-90,-315,-300,-493,-392,-401,0,-34,0,0,0,-2,17,15,16,15,16,15,17,9,13,13, 14,10,10,0,0,0,0,0,0,0,0,0,0,0,0,0,0,0,0,0,0,0,0,0,0,0,0,0,0,0,0,0,0,0,0,0,0, -11,0,0,0,0,0,0,0,0,42,42,43,43,50,50,47,45,261,115,322,311,319,329,319,318, 394,308,333,243,304,0,398,0,50,0,0,0,1262,501,466,488,510,526,1227,572,582,540] } 1. d4 f5 2. c4 Nf6 3. Nf3 g6 4. g3 Bg7 5. Bg2 O-O 6. O-O d6 7. Nc3 Qe8 8. b3 e5 9. dxe5 {A87: Dutch Defence: Leningrad System: 5 Nf3.} Ng4 {[%eval 149,12]} (9... dxe5 $142 {[%eval 88,15]} 10. Ba3 Rf7) 10. Bb2 Nxe5 11. Nxe5 {White is clearly better.} Bxe5 12. e4 $146 {[%eval 55,15]} (12. Bd5+ $16 {[%eval 120,15] } Kh8 13. f4) ({Predecessor:} 12. e3 Nc6 13. Qc2 Be6 14. Nd5 Rc8 15. Rae1 Qd7 16. Nf4 Kh8 17. Bxc6 bxc6 18. Bxe5+ dxe5 {1-0 (39) Krstulovic,A (2119)-Bauer,A (2242) Baden 2015}) 12... f4 $14 13. Na4 {[%eval -66,15]} (13. Rb1 $14 { [%eval 63,15]}) 13... Nc6 $15 14. Bxe5 Qxe5 15. Qd5+ Qxd5 {[%eval -16,14]} ( 15... Kg7 $15 {[%eval -57,16] is superior.}) 16. exd5 Ne5 17. f3 {[%eval -87, 15]} ({White should try} 17. Rfe1 $15 {[%eval -36,16]}) 17... g5 18. Nc3 Bf5 19. g4 Bg6 20. Rfe1 Rae8 21. Ne4 {[%eval -133,17]} ({White should play} 21. Nb5 $15 {[%eval -66,16]} Rf7 22. Nd4) 21... Nd3 $17 22. Red1 Bxe4 23. fxe4 Ne5 24. h3 f3 25. Bh1 Ng6 {[%eval -95,18]} (25... Rf4 $19 {[%eval -177,16]} 26. Rd2 Rxe4) 26. Rd4 Rf4 27. Kf2 Nh4 {[%eval -25,18]} (27... Ne5 $17 {[%eval -104,16] aiming for ...Ref8.} 28. Rc1 b6) 28. Re1 $11 Kg7 29. Re3 Kf6 30. Bxf3 {[%eval -84,16]} (30. Rdd3 $15 {[%eval -36,16]}) 30... Ke5 $17 31. Rdd3 Ref8 {[%mdl 1024] Black has strong compensation.} 32. Kg3 R8f6 33. a3 a6 34. b4 $2 { [%eval -214,17] [#]} (34. Kf2 $15 {[%eval -53,18]}) 34... b6 $1 $19 35. c5 $2 { [%eval -315,17]} (35. a4 $17 {[%eval -90,17]}) 35... bxc5 36. bxc5 $2 {[%eval -493,18]} (36. Bh1 {[%eval -300,20]}) 36... Nxf3 37. Rxf3 Rxe4 $2 {[%eval 0,20] } (37... Rxf3+ $19 {[%eval -401,18]} 38. Rxf3 Rxf3+ 39. Kxf3 dxc5) 38. cxd6 ( 38. Rxf6 {with more complications.} Kxf6 39. cxd6 cxd6 40. Rf3+ Kg7 41. Rb3) 38... cxd6 (38... Rxf3+ {seems wilder.} 39. Rxf3 Kxd6 40. Rf7 Re3+ 41. Kg2 Rxa3 42. Rxh7 Re3) 39. Rxf6 Kxf6 {[%mdl 4096] Endgame KR-KR} 40. Rf3+ Ke5 41. Rf5+ Kd4 42. Rxg5 Re3+ 43. Kh4 Rxa3 44. Rg7 Kxd5 45. Rxh7 Ke6 46. Rh6+ Ke5 47. Kg5 d5 48. h4 {Threatens to win with Rh8.} d4 $1 {[%cal Rd4d3]} 49. Rh8 {[#] Strongly threatening h5.} d3 50. Re8+ Kd4 51. Rd8+ Ke3 52. h5 d2 53. h6 Rd3 54. Rxd3+ Kxd3 $11 {KPP-KPP} 55. h7 d1=Q {( -> ...Qa1)} 56. h8=Q {Hoping for Qd8+. KQ-KQ} Qc1+ 57. Kg6 Qc6+ 58. Kg5 Qc5+ 59. Kf4 Qd6+ (59... Qe3+ {seems wilder.} 60. Kf5 Qc5+) 60. Kf3 (60. Kf5 {keeps more tension.} Qd5+ 61. Kg6 Qc6+) 60... Qc6+ (60... Qe7 {is interesting.} 61. Qh6 Qe4+ 62. Kg3 Qe1+ 63. Kf3) 61. Kg3 Qd6+ 62. Kg2 a5 63. Qh7+ Ke3 64. Qh3+ (64. Qf7 {looks sharper.} Qc6+ 65. Kg3 Qd6+) 64... Ke4 65. Qf3+ Kd4 66. Qd1+ (66. g5 {is more complex.} a4 67. Qd1+ Ke5 68. Qxa4 Qd2+ 69. Kf1) 66... Ke5 67. Qe1+ Kf6 68. Qxa5 Qc6+ {[%eval 42,12]} (68... Qf4 $11 {[%eval 0,11]}) 69. Kg3 $14 Qd6+ 70. Kh3 $1 Qd3+ 71. Kh4 Qh7+ 72. Qh5 Qa7 $2 {[%eval 261,12]} (72... Qe4 $14 {[%eval 45,12]}) 73. Qg5+ { [%eval 115,13]} (73. Qh8+ $18 {[%eval 261,12] is more deadly.} Ke6 74. Qe8+ Kd6 75. g5) 73... Ke6 $2 {[%eval 322,11]} (73... Kf7 $16 {[%eval 115,13] keeps fighting.}) 74. Qg6+ Ke5 {intending ...Qf2+.} 75. Qf5+ Kd6 76. Kg5 Qa2 77. Qf6+ Kd7 78. Qg7+ Kd6 79. Kh6 $2 {[%eval 0,12]} (79. Qf8+ $18 {[%eval 304,11]} Kd7 80. Qf5+ Ke8 81. Qd3) 79... Qd2+ $2 {[%eval 398,10][%mdl 8192]} (79... Qh2+ $11 {[%eval 0,12] and Black is okay.} 80. Kg6 Qc2+ 81. Kh6 Qh2+ 82. Kg6 Qc2+ 83. Kh6 Qh2+) 80. g5 $2 {[%eval 50,7]} (80. Kh7 $18 {[%eval 398,10] And now Qh6+ would win.} Qg2 81. g5) 80... Qh2+ 81. Kg6 Qc2+ 82. Kf7 {Qg6+ is the strong threat.} Qh2 $2 {[%eval 1262,7][%mdl 8192]} (82... Qc4+ $11 {[%eval 0,17]} 83. Kg6 Qe4+ 84. Kh6 Qh1+ 85. Kg6 Qe4+ 86. Kf7 Qc4+ 87. Kf8 Qc8+ 88. Kf7 Qc4+) 83. Qf6+ {[%eval 501,12]} (83. Qh6+ $142 {[%eval 1262,7]} Qxh6 84. gxh6 Kd5 85. h7 Ke4 86. h8=Q Kd3 87. Qc8 Ke3 88. Qc3+ Ke2 89. Kf6) 83... Kd5 $18 84. Qe6+ Kd4 85. g6 {Black must now prevent g7.} Kd3 86. Qf5+ {[%eval 572,11]} (86. g7 $142 {[%eval 1227,7]} Qf4+ 87. Ke8) 86... Kc3 87. g7 {Both players deserved the win here.} 1-0 [/pgn]

As World Cup winners, both Yoo and Lee qualify directly for the final stage of FIDE’s 2021 Cadets & Youth World Championship cycle, a round-robin Super Final tournament between six qualifying players scheduled for December. Also qualifying for their respective category’s Super Final is Megan Paragua, runner-up in the U10 Girls bracket; and IM Justin Wang, third place in the U18 Open.

Three additional US Chess representatives, Ellen Wang (G14), Bach Ngo (O14) and WCM Ruiyang Yan (G16), finished 4-8th in their World Cup categories and qualified for FIDE’s Online Rapid Grand Prix Series. The November pair of tournaments will advance two players into the 2021 Super Final.