Rapport, Richard – Vachier-Lagrave, Maxime

This mustn’t have come as a big surprise to MVL

Rapport, Richard (2692)
Vachier-Lagrave, Maxime (2796)
Result: 0-1

Metadata »

Date: February 19, 2017
Location: Sharjah UAE
Tournament: Sharjah Grand Prix 2017
Round: 2.1
Opening: A01 Larsen's Opening
Submitted by:
Published on: June 11, 2023

[Event "Sharjah Grand Prix 2017"]
[Site "Sharjah UAE"]
[Date "2017.02.19"]
[Round "2.1"]
[White "Rapport, Richard"]
[Black "Vachier-Lagrave, Maxime"]
[Result "0-1"]
[ECO "A01"]
[WhiteElo "2692"]
[BlackElo "2796"]
[PlyCount "108"]
[EventDate "2017.02.18"]

1. b3 {This mustn't have come as a big surprise to MVL} d5 2. Bb2 Bg4 $5 {Too be honest, I haven't seen this variation against b3 before. Which probably says more about my chess education, I guess} 3. h3 (3. Nf3 Bxf3 {Is the point of Black's idea, going for some sort of Trompovsky structure}) 3... Bh5 4. d3 Nd7 {Preparing e5} 5. g4 Bg6 6. f4 {[pgndiagram] And this is why we love Richard Rapport.} e6 (6... e5 {Is amazing possibility suggested by my computer} 7. f5 Bxf5 8. gxf5 Qh4+ 9. Kd2 Ne7 {[pgndiagram] And it claims that Black has decent compensation for the piece} 10. Nf3 Qh6+ 11. e3 Nxf5 12. Qe1 Bc5 {And that may well be so}) 7. Nf3 h5 $1 {Typical procedure against early advance of the g pawn.} 8. g5 Ne7 9. Nh4 Nf5 $1 {Great judgement} 10. Nxf5 (10. Nxg6 {Is worse for White actually} fxg6 11. e4 dxe4 12. dxe4 Ng3 13. Rg1 h4 {And concrete chess triumphs over general positional guidances (bishop pair, doubled pawns)}) 10... Bxf5 {[pgndiagram] Pretty natural. White is probably slightly better in this position, but Black has normal development} (10... exf5 {Is actually not as stupid as it looks, since it stops the move e4 forever}) 11. Bg2 (11. Nd2 $5 {Was very strong, stopping e5 for the moment} e5 12. e4) 11... e5 12. Qd2 (12. e4 {Now doesn't have much point, since Black has a tempo on the g2 bishop} dxe4 13. dxe4 Bg6 14. f5 Qxg5) 12... exf4 13. Qxf4 Be6 14. Nd2 Bd6 15. Qh4 Ne5 {[pgndiagram] Up to this point Richard has played excellently and gained nice prospects with his creative play} 16. Nf3 (16. O-O-O {Was interesting} Ng6 (16... a5 17. c4) 17. Qa4+ Qd7 18. Qxd7+ Kxd7 19. e4 {And White has the initiative}) 16... Ng6 17. Qa4+ {[pgndiagram]} (17. Qf2 { Doesn't present much problems. White has to play more concretely} O-O 18. O-O-O c5) 17... Bd7 (17... c6 18. Bxg7 Rg8 19. Bf6 Qc7 {Is probably playable, but why give up a pawn for nothing}) 18. Qd4 c5 19. Qe3+ {[pgndiagram]} (19. Qxg7 { Is now an inferior version of a "I win a pawn scenario", since Black managed to play d4} d4 20. O-O-O Be6) 19... Kf8 $1 {Now long castling is unavailable to Black due to Bf4} 20. O-O $2 {And this seems to be a mistake. White's king is too exposed on the kingside} (20. Ne5 {Blocking the dark squared bishop, seems necessary now} Bxe5 (20... d4 21. Nxg6+ fxg6 22. Qf3+ Kg8 23. Qd5+) 21. Bxe5 d4 22. Bd6+ Kg8 23. Qf2 Qa5+ 24. Kd1 {And the position is balanced}) 20... Qc7 {[pgndiagram] Now every black piece is pointing toward the king, and White' pieces look disorganized} 21. Qd2 Re8 $2 {Giving some breathing space} ( 21... d4 {Was very strong} 22. e3 dxe3 23. Qxe3 Re8 24. Qd2 Nf4 {And Black is better}) 22. e3 Kg8 23. d4 $6 (23. c4 {Is better than d4 for reasons that aren't immediately apparent} Qc8 24. Qf2 Bxh3 25. Nh4 Rf8 (25... Be6 $4 26. cxd5) 26. Bxg7 $1 {This is the point. White's dark squared bishop plays a crucial role in the drawing combination} Kxg7 27. Qf6+ Kh7 28. Nxg6 fxg6 29. Qxd6 Bxg2 30. Qe7+ Kg8 31. Kxg2 {And it ends with perpetual check}) 23... Qc8 24. h4 $2 {[pgndiagram] It was probably very unnerving for Rapport to have his pawn on h3 hanging, but this move is a decisive mistake} (24. Qf2 {Was still better than what was plaed in the game} Bxh3 25. Nh4 Be6 {And this is possible here. Black is far ahead, but it is still not completely over probably.}) 24... Bh3 {It is the weakness of the square that matters, not the square itself} 25. Ne5 $6 {This move doesn't help much, but it is hard to suggest what White should do instead} (25. Bxh3 Qxh3 26. Qg2 Qd7 {Looks horrible for White, with so many weaknesses}) 25... Bxe5 26. dxe5 Bxg2 27. Qxg2 Qg4 {[pgndiagram] Not bad. MVL choses a technical continuation, resulting in a winning endgame} ( 27... Nxh4 {He could have taken on h4 immediately, but it requires tactical precision. It is instructive to see how strong players choose more practical moves.} 28. Qxd5 Qg4+ 29. Kh2 Re7 {But this is of course somewhat messy}) 28. Rad1 Nxh4 29. Qxg4 hxg4 30. Rxd5 Nf3+ {This endgame is close to winning for Black though. Those pawns on g5,e5 and e3 really make a sad impression} 31. Kg2 Rh2+ 32. Kg3 Rxc2 33. Rf2 Rxf2 34. Kxf2 Nxg5 {[pgndiagram] Now only precision from Black is required. The remainder requires only brief commentary.} 35. Kg3 Ne6 36. Rd7 (36. Kxg4 Rd8 {Is hopeless}) 36... Rd8 {[pgndiagram] MVL keeps being active} (36... Rb8 {Is ugly, but apparently the strongest} 37. Kxg4 Kf8 { And the king on e8 will dislodge the rook}) 37. Rxb7 Rd2 38. Ba3 Rxa2 39. Rxa7 Re2 40. Bc1 Rc2 41. Ra1 (41. Ba3 Rc3) 41... Rc3 42. Kxg4 Rxb3 {Now Black is a clear pawn up, has a better minor piece and a better pawn structure} 43. Kf5 Rd3 44. Ra8+ Kh7 45. Ra7 Rd1 46. Rxf7 {Desperation} Nd8 47. Rc7 Rf1+ $1 {A good check, moving the king away from the action} (47... Rxc1 {Is less precise} 48. e6 Rf1+ 49. Ke5 Kg6 50. e4 {And still some precision is required for Black} ) 48. Ke4 Rxc1 49. Rc8 Nf7 50. Rc6 Nh6 51. e6 Ng8 52. Rc7 Nf6+ 53. Ke5 Kg6 54. e7 Re1 {A very interesting and tense game. Unfortunately for Rapport, I think that it is in this kind of tactical positions that MVL excels, and this time he hit the rock with his approach. But kudos for bravery and entertaining us all nevertheless.} 0-1

Rapport, Richard – Vachier-Lagrave, Maxime

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