1.d4d52.c4e63.Nf3a6This strange-looking move is actually common theory. The idea is that Black wants to prepare a... b7-b5 that can prove to be very useful.4.Bg5...4.Nc3After this, for example, the intent behind 3.
... a6 becomes clear:dxc45.a4Nc66.e3Na54.cxd5exd55.Nc3Nf66.Bg5Be77.e3is probably the main line at this point.4....Be75.Bxe7Qxe76.Nbd2...Now with the bishops off the board, White can usually press a bit trying to take control of the center and with a favorable structure.6....Nf67.g3O-O8.Bg2b69.O-OBb710.Rc1...So far, we're still following previous games, and Black wants to get in a ... c7-c5 break or simply stay solid, while White will simply develop and maybe look to push e2-e4.10....Rc810...c511.cxd5exd512.Qb3Qc713.dxc5bxc514.Qa3looks fairly unpleasant for Black.11.Qb3Nbd712.Ne5!...An important move to prevent Black from breaking out.12.Rfd1Playing slowly would relinquish White's hold on the position.c5!13.cxd5Bxd514.Qa3Qe8and Black has solved his problems.12....Nxe5?!The position was already getting quite unpleasant, but Black had to stay solid.12...a5!is the computer's suggestion. Now,13.cxd5a414.Qd3exd5and Black has at least gained some counterplay.13.dxe5Nd713...Ne4?!might have been Tin's original plan, but after14.Nxe4dxe415.c5!, White is better due to shutting down Black's pawns and fixing them on weak squares.Bd516.Qe3bxc517.b3Black is temporarily up a pawn but both c5 and e4 will soon fall.14.cxd5Nc515.Qa3exd516.Nb3!...An important
move to keep control of the initiative.16.f4!was also strong with the plan of Nd2-b3 next.Re817.Nb3Nxb318.Qxb3Rad819.a4and it's clear White will subject Black to a long grind.16....Qxe517.Nxc5bxc518.Qxc5Qxe2Now Black has taken a pawn in exchange for his positional woes, and Li must be precise to keep his advantage.19.Rfe1Qh519...Qd2might have offered more resistance:20.Rcd1Qh621.Re7Qf622.b3g623.Rxc7Kg7and Black lives to fight another day.20.Re7h6!The back rank is an issue for Tin, and this move is one of the only ways to survive.20...a5?for example, would fail to21.Qb5Ba622.Qc6h623.Bxd521.Rce1!...Correctly resisting the temptation to go pawn-grabbing.21.Rxc7Rxc722.Qxc7Rc823.Qf4Qe2and Black has completely equalized.21....Rab822.Rxc7Rf823.Qd4a524.h4!...Slow moves like these are the things that separate good games from perfect ones. Black simply has no useful moves.24....Ba825.a3?...Li finally slips after a perfect game up to now, rushing to prevent ... Rb8-b4.25.Ra7Rb4looks like Black is gaining counterplay, but after26.Qc5Rxb227.Qxf8+!ends the game immediately.25....Qg6!Tin recognizes that his only chance is to bring back the queen. The tempo was vital.26.Ra7Qb6!?As is common for objectively worse positions, Tin is now nearing time pressure and opts to simplify.26...Qc2!was more
accurate27.Rxa5Qxb228.Qxb2Rxb229.Bxd5Bxd530.Rxd5Rfb8!and the a3-pawn is stopped dead in its tracks.27.Qxb6Rxb628.Rxa5?...Getting too greedy.28.Re2!Keeping as many pawns as possible is important when
you're trying to win an endgame.Rb529.Rc2Bb730.h5!Again, Black is running out of useful moves.28....Rxb229.Bxd5Bxd530.Rxd5Ra831.Re7g632.Rdd7Rf833.a4Rb634.Ra7Rf635.Re2Rc836.Ra2Rfc637.a5Rc238.Ra4R8c439.Rxc4Rxc440.Kg2Ra4Now we've reached the classic drawn endgame, but as this will show, it's not as easy to hold as it seems.41.Kf3Kg742.a6Ra3+?42...g5!is the strongest, but also quite hard to find. Trading the pawns allows Tin to start his counter-push on the kingside as soon as possible, once the white king travels to assist the a-pawn.43.Ke4Ra244.f4Ra345.Kd5!...Li correctly leaves behind the pawns, assessing that he's fast enough.45....h546.Kc6Kf646...Rxg347.Rc7Ra348.Kb7doesn't help.47.Kb5Rb3+48.Ka4Rxg349.Rc7Rg150.Rc3Ra1+51.Ra3!...The game is all but over.51....Rd152.a7Rd853.Kb5Ra854.Kc6Kf555.Kb7Re856.a8=QRxa857.Rxa8Kg458.Ra5!...Everything was winning, but this makes it as easy as possible.58....f658...Kxh459.Rg5and the black pawns are stopped in their tracks.59.Ra6Kxh460.Rxf6Kg461.Kc6h462.Kd5h363.Ke5g564.Rg6h265.Rxg5+Kh466.Rg8Black resigned.1-0