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. Click HERE to see an explanation of the symbols that I use. Click HERE to replay this game on the CG website. |
GM Joel Lautier (2672) -
GM Anatoli Vaisser (2576)
|
(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
Kramnik; The 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. Gelfand; ICT / Super-Master(s)
Dos Hermanas, ESP; 1999.)
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The line of:
11.Nb3 Qb6; 12.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 Rfc8; 13.0-0 Qd8;
14.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...Rfd8; 15.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!? axb5; 16.Bxb5!? Nb4;
17.Qa4 Qxa4; 18.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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*******************************************
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...Bf5; 20.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...Ne4; 25.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...Be6; 26.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.
*******************************************
*******************************************
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...Nb4; 31.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.
This game was analyzed with the program, ChessBase 9.0. It was prepared for my website with MS FrontPage.
Click HERE to return to my HOME Page for this site. Click HERE to go (or return) to my page for the list of games for the whole year of 2004. Click HERE to return (or go) to the page for my column ... for October, 2004. Click HERE to go to (or return to) my (main/big) GeoCities web-site. Click HERE to go (or return) to my GC page for "The Game of The Month." (Or use the "back" button on your web browser.) *** This page was first posted on: Tuesday; August 23rd, 2005. This page was last edited or updated on: 04/29/2015 12:47 PM . COPYRIGHT (c) LM A.J. Goldsby I; Copyright (©) A.J. Goldsby; 1975 - 2014. Copyright (©) A.J. Goldsby, 2015. All rights reserved. |