Excitement at the World Team Championship in Khanty_Mansiysk as top-rated China narrowly defeated Russia in round 7 to take a small, but important, step forward in defending their title won back in 2015. Russia last won the title in 2013. There are 2 rounds left to play. (Official Website) All photos by Anastasia Balakhontseva.
All of the games between these two great teams were hard fought, featuring topical theoretical openings, and curiously each of them went into the ending. Only Chao Li was able to convert his advantage, winning in 54 moves.