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China beats Russia at Classical Chess

The Chinese men were in good form in Yinzhou, China as they were able to comfortably overcome their Russian rivals, Bu Xiangzhi scoring highest.
On the other hand, in the women's part of the match, the Russians were able to keep an edge over their hosts.

It's not over yet as the 7th China-Russia chess summit continues with a rapid match from the 11th to the 14th of August.

There is in fact a long history of the Russian team (and before them the Soviets) playing high level matches. In earlier years they frequently challenged Yugoslavia and there were even famous telex matches against the US and even England.

Naturally some of the USSR vs. the Rest of the World clashes were legendary.

In recent years they have found some worthy opponents in their neighbours the Chinese, who took the men's classical match after not even losing a round. The main damage was done in the second round where China overwhelmed the slightly higher-rated Russians 4.5-0.5.

The scores from the 7th Scheveningen (Classical chess) were as follows:

Overall: China 27 Russia 23

Men's: China 15.5 Russia 9.5

Women's: China 11.5 Russia 13.5

Men's results round-by-round:

Round 1 (5th of August):

Round/boardChinese team(3)RatingResultRussian team (2)Rating
1.1 GM Wang Hao 2724 ½-½ GM Malakhov Vladimir 2732
1.2 GM Wang Yue 2716 1-0 GM Potkin Vladimir 2626
1.3 GM Bu Xiangzhi 2676 ½-½ GM Rublevsky Sergei 2688
1.4 GM Zhou Jianchao 2668 ½-½ GM Vitiugov Nikita 2722
1.5 GM Ni Hua 2645 ½-½ GM Timofeev Artyom 2690

Round 2 (6th of August):

Round/boardRussian team(0.5)RatingResultChinese team (4.5)Rating
2.1 GM Vitiugov Nikita 2722 0-1 GM Wang Hao 2724
2.2 GM Malakhov Vladimir 2732 0-1 GM Wang Yue 2716
2.3 GM Timofeev Artyom 2690 0-1 GM Bu Xiangzhi 2676
2.4 GM Rublevsky Sergei 2688 0-1 GM Zhou Jianchao 2668
2.5 GM Potkin Vladimir 2626 ½-½ GM Ni Hua 2645

Round 3 (7th of August):

Round/boardChinese team(2.5)RatingResultRussian team (2.5)Rating
3.1 GM Wang Hao 2724 ½-½ GM Timofeev Artyom 2690
3.2 GM Wang Yue 2716 ½-½ GM Vitiugov Nikita 2722
3.3 GM Bu Xiangzhi 2676 1-0 GM Malakhov Vladimir 2732
3.4 GM Zhou Jianchao 2668 0-1 GM Potkin Vladimir 2626
3.5 GM Ni Hua 2645 ½-½ GM Rublevsky Sergei 2688

Round 4 (8th of August):

Round/boardRussian team(2.5)RatingResultChinese team (2.5)Rating
4.1 GM Rublevsky Sergei 2688 ½-½ GM Wang Hao 2724
4.2 GM Timofeev Artyom 2690 ½-½ GM Wang Yue 2716
4.3 GM Potkin Vladimir 2626 ½-½ GM Bu Xiangzhi 2676
4.4 GM Malakhov Vladimir 2732 ½-½ GM Zhou Jianchao 2668
4.5 GM Vitiugov Nikita 2722 ½-½ GM Ni Hua 2645

Round 5 (9th of August):

Round/boardChinese team(3)RatingResultRussian team (2)Rating
5.1 GM Wang Hao 2724 1-0 GM Potkin Vladimir 2626
5.2 GM Wang Yue 2716 ½-½ GM Rublevsky Sergei 2688
5.3 GM Bu Xiangzhi 2676 1-0 GM Vitiugov Nikita 2722
5.4 GM Zhou Jianchao 2668 0-1 GM Timofeev Artyom 2690
5.5 GM Ni Hua 2645 ½-½ GM Malakhov Vladimir 2732

Individual scores:

China (15.5):

Title/NameratingPointsrating change
GM Bu Xiangzhi 2676 4+16
GM Wang Hao 2724 3.5+8
GM Wang Yue 2716 3.5+8.5
GM Ni Hua 2645 2.5+3.5
GM Zhou Jianchao 2668 2-3.5

Russia (9.5):

Title/NameratingPointsrating change
GM Timofeev Artyom 2690 2.5-0.5
GM Rublevsky Sergei 2688 2 -5
GM Potkin Vladimir 2626 2-1
GM Malakhov Vladimir 2732 1.5-13
GM Vitiugov Nikita 2722 1.5-12.5

Rating-wise the teams were almost evenly matched, but the highest-ranked Russian duet under-perfomed, whereas the leading three chinese players were red hot.

Bu created problems for his opponents @ official site

In the women's match the Russian squad helped the overall score:

Round 1 (5th of August):

Round/boardRussian team(3.5)RatingResultChinese team (1.5)Rating
1.1 IM Kosintseva Nadezhda 2551 0-1 WGM Ju Wenjun 2496
1.2 WGM Pogonina Natalija 2501 ½-½ IM Wang Yu A 2369
1.3 WGM Gunina Valentina 2462 1-0 WFM Ding Yixin 2385
1.4 IM Bodnaruk Anastasia 2397 1-0 WGM Tan Zhongyi 2461
1.5 WGM Kashlinskaya Alina 2352 1-0 WGM Huang Qian 2447

Round 2 (6th of August):

Round/boardChinese team(2.5)RatingResultRussian team (2.5)Rating
2.1WGM Tan Zhongyi2461 ½-½IM Kosintseva Nadezhda2551
2.2WGM Ju Wenjun2496½-½WGM Pogonina Natalija2501
2.3WGM Huang Qian24471-0WGM Gunina Valentina2462
2.4WFM Ding Yixin23850-1IM Bodnaruk Anastasia2397
2.5IM Wang Yu A2369½-½WGM Kashlinskaya Alina2352

Round 3 (7th of August):

Round/boardRussian team(2.5)RatingResultChinese team (2.5)Rating
3.1IM Kosintseva Nadezhda25511-0WGM Huang Qian2447
3.2WGM Pogonina Natalija25010-1WGM Tan Zhongyi2461
3.3WGM Gunina Valentina24620-1WGM Ju Wenjun2496
3.4IM Bodnaruk Anastasia2397½-½ IM Wang Yu A2369
3.5WGM Kashlinskaya Alina23521-0WFM Ding Yixin2385

Round 4 (8th of August):

Round/boardChinese team(2)RatingResultRussian team (3)Rating
4.1WFM Ding Yixin23850-1IM Kosintseva Nadezhda2551
4.2WGM Huang Qian24470-1WGM Pogonina Natalija2501
4.3IM Wang Yu A23690-1WGM Gunina Valentina2462
4.4WGM Ju Wenjun24961-0IM Bodnaruk Anastasia2397
4.5WGM Tan Zhongyi24611-0WGM Kashlinskaya Alina2352

Round 5 (9th of August):

Round/boardRussian team(2)RatingResultChinese team (3)Rating
5.1IM Kosintseva Nadezhda2551½-½IM Wang Yu A2369
5.2WGM Pogonina Natalija25010-1WFM Ding Yixin2385
5.3WGM Gunina Valentina24621-0WGM Tan Zhongyi2461
5.4IM Bodnaruk Anastasia23970-1WGM Huang Qian2447
5.5WGM Kashlinskaya Alina2352½-½WGM Ju Wenjun2496

In terms of performances Ju Wenjun obtained the best score and gained the most rating points.

The Russians were slightly higher-rated than the Chinese and only out-performed their expected score by a small margin.

Title/NameratingPointsrating change
IM Kosintseva Nadezhda25513-3
WGM Gunina Valentina24623+3
WGM Kashlinskaya Alina23523+10.5
IM Bodnaruk Anastasia23972.5+2.5
WGM Pogonina Natalija25012-10

Ding lost her first four games, but won a confidence-regaining fifth.

Title/NameratingPointsrating change
WGM Ju Wenjun24964+12
WGM Tan Zhongyi24612.5-0.5
WGM Huang Qian24472-4.5
IM Wang Yu A23692+1
WFM Ding Yixin23851-10.5

Yinzhou can be found in North-Eastern China in Zhejiang province.

For more information see the Official site

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