Bonus/addendum game for October, 2004.  


This is a game that I went over from TWIC # 563.  I knew that it would make a nice additional study game to compliment my  October, 2004  column. 

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  GM Joel Lautier (2672) - GM Anatoli Vaisser (2576) 
  [D37]  
  The National Championship Tournament of France  
Chartres, FRA (Round #2)  / 16,08,2005.  

 [ A.J. Goldsby I

gotm_ad1_10-24medal.gif, 02 KB


(A bonus D/L game for September, 2005. {"Game of The Month" column.} Source: TWIC # 563.)  
 1.d4 e6;  2.c4 d5;  3.Nc3 Be7;  4.Nf3 Nf6;  5.Bf4!?,   
Korchnoi, among others, liked to use this move on occasion. 
(I think it is a regular part of GM Joel Lautier's repertoire.)   

For a complete breakdown of this opening, see my  "Game of The Month"  for October, 2004.  

     [ Standard here is:  5.Bg5, "+/=" (QGD)  [See any good reference work.] ]    

 

 5...0-0;  6.e3 c5!?;  7.dxc5! Bxc5;  8.a3!?,   
This is good enough for a small advantage for White.   

     [ For  >/=  8.cxd5! see my column ... and also the following contest:  

       Peter Leko - Vladimir KramnikThe Danneman World's Champ. / 
       Brissago, SUI / October, 2004. ]  

 

 8...Nc6;  9.Qc2 Qa5;  10.Nd2!?,  
This is probably (still) good enough for a small edge for White.   

     [ 10.0-0-0;  is the line in MCO. {Modern Chess Openings.} 
        (And most other reference books as well.) ]  

 

 10...Be7;  11.Bg3!?,   
A very restrained move ... that is also a 'book' response here.  

 

     [ The most popular is:  11.Rd1,  "+/="   when White has a small edge.   
       (GM B. Gelfand - GM B. GelfandICT / Super-Master(s)   
        Dos Hermanas, ESP; 1999.)   

     *****************************************************   

        The line of:  11.Nb3 Qb612.cxd5,  "+/="  {D?}  also looks good for White.   
        (GM S. Lputian - GM R. Vaganian ICT / Petrosian Memorial, 1994.)   

        {Both of the above games were eventually drawn.} ]   

 

 11...Bd7;  12.Rd1,  (center)   
This is (also) good enough for a solid edge for White ... the most popular move, according to the database, is 12.Be2.   

     [ Another possibility is:   (>/=) 12.Be2 Rfc813.0-0 Qd814.Rad1, "+/="   with a small edge.  
        GM J. Lautier - GM A. Beliavsky; /  Bundesliga 0102, (12) / 2001.  {This game was drawn.} ]   

 

 12...Rac8;  13.Be2 a6N;   
Apparently this simple move is a novelty, previous played was the try of: 13...Qb6.  
(There has not been a lot of experience with this particular line, there are only a handful of games in the DB,   
 at least with this particular variation ... past move ten.)   

 14.0-0,  ("+/=")   
The opening stage is pretty much over ... and White has a small edge.  

     [ Also good for White was:  14.Bf3, "+/="  with a solid edge for White. ]   

 

 14...b5!?;  (hmmm)   
A wild move ... designed to open the c-file and take advantage of the fact that the White Q remains on the c2-square.   
(I prefer ...Rfd8.)  

     [ (>/=) 14...Rfd815.Bf3, "+/="  etc. ]   

 

 15.cxd5;   
More solid chess ... Lautier seems to want to leave Black with an isolated QP to play against.   

     [ After the moves:   (</=)  15.cxb5!? axb516.Bxb5!? Nb4 17.Qa4 Qxa418.Bxa4 Nd3; "~   
       Black seems to have good play. ]  

 

The series of moves look to be nearly forced ... or all best.   
 15...exd5;  16.Nf3 b4;  {See the diagram ... just below.}   
A wild position out of the opening, there are strong and weak points for both players in this position. 

 

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gotm_add-10-04_pos01.gif, 08 KB

  *******************************************  
  2r2rk1/3bbppp/p1n2n2/q2p4/1p6/P1N1PNB1/1PQ1BPPP/3R1RK1  

 

Take a long look at the chessboard, which side do you favor here?   

 

 17.axb4 Nxb4;  18.Qb3 Qb6;  19.Be5 Rfd8;  ('!?')  hmmmm   
Black centralizes.   

     [ Or  19...Bf520.Nd4, "+/="   with an advantage for White. ]   

 

Now Fritz like Ra1 here ... but I am not real sure what the idea behind this move really is.   
 20.Nd4 a5;  21.h3!? Ra8!?;   
I am not sure what this move really does either, (aside from protecting the isolated a-pawn).  

     [ Maybe (>/=) 21...Bc5; 22.Bf3, "+/=" ]   

 

Fritz still likes Ra1 here ...   
 22.Ndb5!? Rdc8;  23.Rc1 Bc6!?;   
This could be slightly inferior, Black seems to be drifting in this position, and playing without a plan.   

     [ Probably better was:   >/=  23...Qe6!24.Bd4,  "~"  {Diagram?}   
        when  24...Ne4;  or  24...Qf5;  looks to give Black a pretty good game. ]   

 

 24.Nd4 Bd7!?;  ('?!')   
Isn't this retreat just a simple loss of time? Why did Black even go to this square, if he was planning to   
move it back on the very next move?   

     [ (>/=) 24...Ne425.Rfd1, "+/=" ]   

 

 25.Bf3 a4?;  (Ugh.)   
Black seems to have lost it here. 
(Theoretically, this is a very good idea, practically ... it turns out badly for GM Vaisser.)    

     [ >/= 25...Be626.Rfd1, "+/=" ]   

 

 26.Nxa4 Bxa4; 27.Rxc8+ Rxc8;  28.Qxa4 Nd3;   
Black must have counted on this Knight-fork to regain his material.   

 29.Nf5! Bc5;  30.Bc3 Nxb2?!;  {See the diagram, just below.}   
By regaining the pawn here, Black allows Lautier to make simplifications that lead to an easy win. 

 

  *******************************************  

gotm_add-10-04_pos02.gif, 07 KB

  *******************************************  
  2r3k1/5ppp/1q3n2/2bp1N2/Q7/2B1PB1P/1n3PP1/5RK1  

 

However ... I should point out that any endgame ... with ALL the Pawns on the same side of the board ...   
is NEVER easy, and always contains some latent drawing possibilities!!   

     [  (>/=)  30...Nb431.Ra1, '±'  ("+/-" ?) ]  

 

Now Black basically falls apart. (After Qh4!, 32...Nc4 or 32...Bf8; were probably forced.)   
 31.Qh4! d4?;  32.Bxd4 Qe6??;   
The machine shows that 32...Kf8; was probably forced ... the move that Black actually plays more than doubles the computer's "score" of White's advantage here.   

 33.Qg5,  ("+/-")  Black Resigns.   
A big-time game by GM Joel Lautier.  (He defeated a strong GM, and even made it look deceptively easy.)   

     [ >/= 33.Nxg7! Kxg7[]; Forced. 34.Qg5+ Kf8[]35.Bxf6, "+/-" ]   

 

  Copyright (c) A.J. Goldsby, 2005. All rights reserved.  

 

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This game was analyzed with the program, ChessBase 9.0.  It was prepared for my website with MS FrontPage.  


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 This page was first posted on:  Tuesday; August 23rd, 2005.      This page was last edited or updated on:  04/29/2015 12:47 PM .  


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