[Event "FIDE Chess Grand Prix 2 2022 | Knockout"] [Site "Chess.com"] [Date "2022.03.10"] [Round "1"] [White "Vachier-Lagrave, Maxime"] [Black "Rapport, Richard"] [Result "1/2-1/2"] [ECO "C72"] [WhiteElo "2761"] [BlackElo "2762"] [Annotator "Bojkov,Dejan"] [PlyCount "131"] [EventDate "2022.??.??"] {[%evp 0,131,19,38,25,7,17,8,16,-2,35,18,31,37,64,8,40,36,208,188,188,214,102, 48,100,97,118,55,139,50,50,-19,-21,-21,-13,-22,8,-24,7,-41,-36,-38,-16,-16,-18, -18,-13,-13,0,-15,-7,0,0,12,33,34,72,21,100,72,91,72,99,107,104,126,125,123, 129,125,131,125,130,66,159,159,158,130,152,159,158,150,137,165,162,169,174,163, 163,192,165,186,189,197,150,142,143,138,138,162,157,80,82,25,0,0,17,22,-22,-20, -20,23,21,36,0,0,0,43,31,0,0,0,0,0,0,0,0,0,0,0,0,0,0,0]} 1. e4 e5 2. Nf3 Nc6 3. Bb5 {In a must-win situation Vachier-Lagrave chooses the most complex opening, the Ruy Lopez.} a6 4. Ba4 d6 5. O-O Bg4 {Rapport's choice, on the other hand can be called anything but solid. The Improved Stenitz could not have been expected by him, as the Hungarian GM tries for the first time, at least according to Megabase!} 6. h3 h5 7. d4 {After some hesitation, White opts for the main line. The pawn is offered in return for the control over the -g5 square.} b5 8. Bb3 Nxd4 9. hxg4 {Now White can grab the piece as he can block the black queen access towards his king.} hxg4 {The older line.} ({The Guru of the line, GM Yandemirov preferred instead} 9... Nxb3 10. axb3 hxg4) 10. Ng5 Nh6 {All of this was blitzed by Rapport, and his opponent sank into deep thought.} ({The position is razor-sharp and any of the sides might easily err, for example} 10... Nxb3 $4 {loses to} 11. Qd5 $1 Nh6 12. Qc6+ Ke7 13. Nc3 $1) 11. g3 {After more than half-an-hour on his clock, Vachier-Lagrave deviates from the main theory.} ({A few years back Short won a complex game thanks to:} 11. f4 c6 12. g3 Nxb3 13. cxb3 exf4 14. gxf4 Qd7 15. f5 d5 16. Bf4 O-O-O 17. Nc3 Bd6 18. Qd4 {Short,N (2675)-Timman,J (2650) Pamplona 2000}) 11... Be7 12. f4 { [#]} Qd7 $146 {But Rapport was not taken by surprise and quickly fired a novelty.} ({The predecessor saw:} 12... c6 13. Be3 Nxb3 14. cxb3 d5 15. Qc1 Rc8 16. fxe5 d4 17. Rd1 dxe3 18. Rxd8+ Rxd8 19. Qxc6+ Kf8 20. Nc3 Bxg5 21. e6 Kg8 { Kindermann,S (2565)-Jussupow,A (2680) Germany 1996 GER-chT}) ({Another direction might be} 12... gxf3 13. Nxf3 Qd7 14. Kg2 O-O-O) 13. f5 {Only now did Black start to think.} ({Rapport likely concentrated his preparation on the move} 13. Qd3 {when White does not fear} f6 {due to} 14. Ne6 $1 {anyway and Black is left empty-handed in the line} Nxe6 15. Qd5) 13... c6 {More than half-an-our thought for Black too.} ({There was also} 13... Qd8 $5 14. Qd2 a5 ( 14... c6)) 14. Nc3 ({Maybe} 14. Kg2 {makes more sense as White can eventually exploit the h-file. The game would be unclear then after say} d5 15. Nc3 O-O-O) ({The importance of the h-file is demonstrated by the line} 14. c3 Nxb3 15. axb3 Qd8 $1 16. Qd2 Ng8 $3 {with inevitable Rh8-h5!}) 14... Qd8 ({It also made sense to throw-in} 14... a5 $5 15. a3 Qd8 16. Nxf7 Nxf7 17. Qxg4 Nxb3 18. cxb3 {slightly hampering White's pawn structure.}) 15. Nxf7 {More or less forced.} ( {As seen from above, White cannot defend his knight any more} 15. Qd2 Nxb3 16. axb3 Ng8 $1) 15... Nxf7 16. Qxg4 Nxb3 17. axb3 Bg5 $1 {The opening was a big success for Rapport, he equalized in full.} 18. Kg2 Qf6 {However, this is a slight inaccuracy.} ({Safer looked the instant queen swap attempt with} 18... Bxc1 19. Rfxc1 Qg5 20. Qf3 Ke7 {which is still even.}) 19. Nd1 $1 {A pretty move! The knight lands on the optimal f2-square from where it will guard the white king forever.} Bxc1 (19... Qh6 $6 20. Nf2 Qh2+ $2 21. Kf3 {only works for White.}) 20. Rxc1 Qg5 {There is nothing better.} 21. Nf2 Qxg4 22. Nxg4 Ng5 {The beginning of a poor plan.} ({The black king stood well in the center and accurate play like} 22... a5 $5 23. Ra1 Ke7 24. Ra3 Ng5 {would have kep the balance, for example} 25. Rfa1 Nxe4 26. Rxa5 Rxa5 27. Rxa5 Rh5 28. Ra7+ Kf8 { and White has a perpetual, but does he have anything more?}) 23. Nf2 O-O-O 24. c4 $1 {Now Vachier-Lagrave skillfully starts to create problems.} Kc7 25. Rh1 bxc4 ({It is curious that the machine suggests the ugly} 25... Rh6 26. Rxh6 gxh6 27. Rh1 Nf7) 26. bxc4 a5 27. Ra1 Kb6 {An automatic move, and a mistake. Rapport created a weakness on the queenside, and now allows a maneuver that would highlight the weakness.} (27... Rxh1 $1 {was caled for and after} 28. Rxh1 Kd7 {Black seems to be in time to defend both sides.}) 28. Rhd1 $3 { A move of a great master!} Rh7 29. Rd3 $1 Rdh8 30. Rb3+ {This is why this rook should have been traded earlier. The white major pieces do whatever they want on the queenside, whereas the black rooks are easily stopped by the white only knight.} Ka6 31. Rba3 Rh2+ 32. Kf1 Kb6 33. Rxa5 Nf3 34. c5+ $1 {One more excellent decision in the time-trouble. Vachier-Lagrave is almost winning.} ( 34. Ra6+ Kc5 35. R1a5+ Kd4 {lets the black king slip away.}) 34... dxc5 35. Ra6+ Kb5 {Now after a few checks in the zeitnot} 36. R1a5+ Kb4 37. Ra4+ Kb5 38. R6a5+ Kb6 39. Ra6+ Kb5 40. R4a5+ Kb4 {White finds} 41. Ra3 $1 {which not only attacks the knight, but sets a mating net around the black king.} Nd2+ { The knight rushes to the resque.} (41... Nd4 $5) ({Or else Black may get checkmated after say} 41... Ng5 $2 42. Rb6+ Kc4 43. Ra4#) 42. Kg1 $1 (42. Ke2 { does not create a threat instead and Black can still go for} Nc4 ({Or may choose} 42... c4)) 42... Nc4 (42... c4 $2 43. Rxc6) 43. Rd3 $1 {The proper square for the rook, b2-b3 is a major threat.} R2h6 44. Ra7 {But that is a step in the wrong direction.} ({Both players definitely studied the critical line} 44. b3 $1 {when the knight is forced to step on a poor square} Nb2 { Then, after few changes of the angle of the attack} 45. Rd7 Kc3 46. Ra1 $1 Kc2 47. Ra5 $1 {White would have unbalanced the opponent's defense} c4 48. bxc4 Nxc4 49. Rc5 Kc3 {And the study-like} 50. Kg2 $3 {A pretty position! Black lack a good move, e.g:} ({Certainly not} 50. Rxg7 $2 Kd4 {which traps the white rook.}) ({Nor} 50. Ng4 Kb4 51. Nxh6 Kxc5 52. Nf7 Rg8 {would make as much of a progress as the calm king move.}) 50... Rg8 ({Or} 50... Kb4 51. Nd3+ Kb3 52. Rb7+ Kc3 53. Nxe5 Kd4 54. Rxc4+ Kxe5 55. Kf3 {and White should win in both cases.}) 51. Ng4) 44... Rb8 $1 {Yet another piece comes to the resque.} 45. b3 {Missing one more chance.} (45. Rxg7 Nxb2 {yield White nothing.}) ({However, the immediate} 45. Ng4 $1 {might have worked better, as in the line} Nxb2 46. Rdd7 Rhh8 47. Nxe5 {white pieces are too strong.}) 45... Na5 46. Ng4 Nxb3 { The culmination of the game, and the match. Rapport managed to organize his defense and is now looking for a speedy promotion. His previously iffy king is leading the army. And still, Black was not yet out of the woods.} 47. Rxg7 { Only this finally lets Black off the hook.} ({The last chance was} 47. Nxh6 $1 c4 48. Rd6 gxh6 49. Rxc6 Nd4 50. Rxh6 c3 51. Rc7 Nb5 52. Rcc6 Nd4 53. Kf2 $1 { is it a win, or not would be proved by further, extensive analyzes, but that was all the Vachier-Lagrave was left with.}) 47... c4 $1 {This passer will cost White deerly.} 48. Rd1 Rhh8 49. Nxe5 Rhc8 50. Rg6 c5 $1 {The passer's speed is worth the exchange.} 51. Nc6+ Rxc6 52. Rxc6 c3 53. f6 c2 54. Rf1 c1=Q 55. Rxc1 Nxc1 {One rook taken, one more passer available.} 56. e5 Ne2+ 57. Kf2 Nd4 58. Rd6 Nb5 59. Rd7 c4 60. e6 {White is just as fast as the opponent and that leads to a perpetual.} c3 61. e7 c2 62. f7 c1=Q 63. e8=Q Qc5+ 64. Kg2 Qc6+ 65. Kh3 Qh6+ 66. Kg2 {PLAY CHESS, NOT WAR.} 1/2-1/2 [Event "Belgrade SRB"] [Site "Belgrade SRB"] [Date "2022.03.10"] [Round "1.2"] [White "Andreikin, Dmitry"] [Black "Giri, Anish"] [Result "1/2-1/2"] [ECO "A48"] [Annotator "cahan"] [PlyCount "64"] [EventDate "2022.03.09"] {[%evp 0,64,30,30,30,29,54,10,10,10,31,31,28,37,28,28,34,21,21,12,12,12,0,4, -16,-24,-29,-23,-20,-13,-2,-2,4,6,0,-11,-4,-9,6,-13,16,6,28,21,18,3,0,0,0,2,2, 4,-1,9,14,0,0,0,-2,-2,5,-9,-2,-2,0,-11,-2]} 1. d4 Nf6 2. Nf3 g6 3. b3 Bg7 4. Bb2 c5 5. dxc5 ({Caruana played the main line move} 5. e3 {, but Giri found a path to a comfortable position without problems after} cxd4 6. exd4 O-O 7. Nbd2 d5 8. Bd3 Nc6 9. a3 Bf5 (9... Nh5 $1 10. O-O Nf4 11. Bb5 Bg4 12. h3 Bh5 { with a clear advantage for Black in Mamedyarov,S (2808)-Aronian,L (2764) Leuven 2018}) 10. Bxf5 gxf5 11. O-O e6 12. Ne1 $6 Ne4 $1 {and Black had a clear advantage in Caruana,F (2792)-Giri,A (2772) Chess.com INT 2022.}) 5... Qa5+ 6. Nbd2 Qxc5 7. e3 O-O 8. c4 b6 (8... d6 9. Be2 Qc7 10. O-O Nc6 11. Rc1 e5 $6 12. Nb1 Ne4 13. Nfd2 Nc5 14. Nc3 Qd8 $2 15. Nde4 {(White is already clearly better)} Nd4 $2 16. exd4 exd4 17. Nxc5 dxc3 18. Nxb7 Bxb7 19. Bxc3 Bxc3 20. Rxc3 {(White has an extra pawn and is clearly winning)} Qa5 21. Qd2 Rfe8 22. Rd3 Qe5 23. Bf3 Bxf3 24. Rxf3 Re6 25. Re3 Qg5 26. Rfe1 Rae8 27. g3 Qf5 28. Rxe6 Rxe6 29. Rxe6 Qxe6 30. Qe3 Qd7 31. h4 h5 32. Qd4 Qe7 33. Kg2 Qb7+ 34. Qd5 Qe7 35. b4 Qc7 36. c5 dxc5 37. bxc5 Kf8 38. Kf3 Ke7 39. Ke4 Qa5 40. Qd6+ Ke8 41. Qe5+ Kd8 42. Qd4+ Ke7 43. Qd6+ Ke8 44. Qe5+ Kd8 45. Qf6+ Ke8 46. Qc6+ Ke7 47. Qb7+ Ke6 48. Qb3+ Ke7 49. Qc2 Kd7 50. Qc4 Ke7 51. Kf3 Kd8 52. Qxf7 {1-0 (52) Andreikin,D (2724)-Salem,A (2675) Moscow 2019}) 9. Be2 Bb7 10. O-O d6 (10... Qc7 11. Rc1 d6 12. Nb1 Nbd7 13. Nc3 Rac8 14. Rc2 Qb8 15. Qa1 a6 16. Rd2 Rfe8 17. Rfd1 {with a marginal plus for White and later 1-0 (48) Kramnik,V (2800) -Grischuk,A (2767) Berlin 2018.}) 11. Rc1 ({Or} 11. Nd4 Nbd7 12. Bf3 Qc7 13. Nb5 Qb8 14. Nd4 Qc7 15. Nb5 Qb8 16. Nd4 Qc7 {and draw agreed, ½-½, in Wei,Y (2737)-Cheparinov,I (2666) Changsha 2019.}) 11... Nbd7 12. Nb1 Ne4 ({Two alternatives for Black are:} 12... Rad8 13. Nc3 Ne4 14. Nxe4 Bxe4 15. Bxg7 Kxg7 16. Qd2 Nf6 17. Rfd1 Bb7 18. Qb2 Qc8 (18... Rd7 $5) 19. Nd4 Kg8 20. Nb5 { and White has more space and pressure, Swapnil,S (2488)-Gupta,A (2606) New Delhi 2019.}) (12... Rac8 13. Nc3 Ne4 14. Nxe4 Bxe4 15. Qd2 Bxb2 16. Qxb2 Bxf3 17. Bxf3 Qe5 18. Qa3 Qa5 19. Qb2 Qe5 {with equal chances, Blohberger, F (2434) -Triapishko,A (2502) Moscow 2019.}) 13. Bxg7 Kxg7 14. Nfd2 ({Only here, Andreikin departed known paths. Previously, White had tried:} 14. Qc2 Ndf6 15. Nc3 Rac8 16. Nxe4 Nxe4 17. Rfd1 e5 (17... Nf6 $5) 18. Nd2 Nf6 19. Bf3 Bxf3 20. Nxf3 {as played in Pogonina,N (2457)-Bodnaruk,A (2429) Izhevsk 2019, when} Qa3 {is about equal.}) (14. Nd4 Qg5 15. g3 h5 16. Nd2 Ndf6 17. Nxe4 Nxe4 18. Bf3 h4 {and Black had the initiative in Ankit,R (2454)-Huber,M (2337) Vienna 2019.}) 14... Nxd2 15. Qxd2 Qg5 $1 {I like this move a lot, more or less forcing White to play 16.f3, which will make it necessary for White to play e3-e4 later, weakening the dark squares.} 16. f3 ({If} 16. g3 {then} h5 {would give Black all the counterplay he could dream about.}) 16... Nf6 17. e4 Qxd2 18. Nxd2 Rac8 {White has more space but objectively Black has no problems.} 19. Nb1 Rc5 20. Nc3 Rfc8 21. Kf2 a6 {Preparing ...b6-b5.} 22. Na4 {This move does not stop Black from ...b6-b5 in the long run, it just allows White more ways to recapture on c4.} R5c6 23. Nb2 b5 {The first pawn break has been accomplished.} 24. Ra1 bxc4 25. Nxc4 Rc5 26. Rfd1 a5 27. Ne3 d5 {The second pawn break accomplished.} 28. exd5 Nxd5 29. Bc4 Nb6 {An invitation to repeat the moves.} 30. Bf1 Nd5 31. Bc4 Nb6 32. Bf1 Nd5 1/2-1/2