All Images Courtesy Of Derrick Bartotto
Maxime Vachier-Lagrave
There was a single decisive game in the seventh round of the 2020 Candidates Tournament. This was an important win. Playing White, Maxime Vachier-Lagrave beat the tournament leader Ian Nepomniachtchi in a French Defense. This makes it a two-way tie for first place between the two of them; a full point ahead of the rest of the field.
[Event “Candidates Chess Tournament 2020”]
[Site “?”]
[Date “2020.03.25”]
[Round “7”]
[White “Vachier-Lagrave, Maxime”]
[Black “Nepomniachtchi, Ian”]
[Result “1-0”]
[PlyCount “83”]
[EventDate “2020.03.17”]
[SourceDate “2020.03.25”]
[Site “?”]
[Date “2020.03.25”]
[Round “7”]
[White “Vachier-Lagrave, Maxime”]
[Black “Nepomniachtchi, Ian”]
[Result “1-0”]
[PlyCount “83”]
[EventDate “2020.03.17”]
[SourceDate “2020.03.25”]
1. e4 e6 2. d4 d5 3. Nc3 Bb4 4. e5 c5 5. a3 Bxc3+ 6. bxc3 Ne7 7. h4 Qc7 8. h5 h6 9. Rb1 b6 10. Qg4 Rg8 11. Bb5+ Kf8 12. Bd3 Ba6 13. dxc5 Bxd3 14. cxd3 Nd7 15. d4 bxc5 16. Qd1 Qa5 17. Bd2 Rb8 18. Ne2 c4 19. O-O Rb6 20. Qc2 Rh8 21. a4 Ke8 22. Rb4 Nc6 23. f4 Ne7 24. Rfb1 f5 25. Rb5 Qa6 26. Bc1 Kf7 27. Ba3 Rhb8 28. Bxe7 Kxe7 29. g4 Rxb5 30. axb5 Rxb5 31. gxf5 Rxb1+ 32. Qxb1 exf5 33. Ng3 Qb6 34. Nxf5+ Kf8 35. Qa1 Qe6 36. Ng3 Qg4 37. Kg2 Qxf4 38. Qxa7 Ke7 39. Qa3+ Kd8 40. Qd6 g5 41. hxg6 h5 42. g7 1-0
Final Position
Ian Nepomniachtchi is not pleased with how his daring Winawer attempt turned out. No lipreading, please. 😂 pic.twitter.com/4706N0tjt6
— Olimpiu G. Urcan (@olimpiuurcan) March 25, 2020
https://twitter.com/olimpiuurcan/status/1242826532311031808