chessgames.com
Members · Prefs · Laboratory · Collections · Openings · Endgames · Sacrifices · History · Search Kibitzing · Kibitzer's Café · Chessforums · Tournament Index · Players · Kibitzing
Maxime Vachier-Lagrave vs Ding Liren
"These Dings Happen" (game of the day Nov-28-2018)
Alekhine Memorial (2013), Paris/St Petersburg FRA/RUS, rd 2, Apr-22
Caro-Kann Defense: Advance. Tal Variation (B12)  ·  1-0

8
7
6
5
4
3
2
a
1
b
c
d
e
f
g
h
White to move.
ANALYSIS [x]
Notes by Stockfish 9 v010218 (minimum 6s/ply)7...Qd6 was played in V Fedoseev vs M A Tabatabaei, 2018 (0-1) 8.exf7+ Kxf7 9.Nh3 Nbd7 10.g5 e5 11.Bd3 exd4 12.Bxh7 = +0.24 (16 ply) ⩱ -0.65 (17 ply)better is 10.Na4 Qa3 11.Qb1 b5 12.Nc5 Qc3+ 13.Kf2 Qxd4+ 14.Be3 Qe5 = -0.12 (22 ply) 10...Qa3 11.Qb1 b6 12.Bh3 fxe6 13.Nge2 Na6 14.Qc1 Qxc1+ ⩱ -0.67 (19 ply)= +0.27 (19 ply) 11...fxe6 12.Rb1 Qa5 13.Rxb7 Nbd7 14.Nc1 e5 15.Nb3 Qa3 = 0.00 (21 ply) ⩲ +1.03 (24 ply) after 12.exf7+ Kxf7 13.Bh3 e5 14.dxe5 d4 15.exf6 dxc3+ 16.Ke1 13.exf7+ Kxf7 14.Bh3 Nbd7 15.g5 b5 16.Qg1 Nb6 17.Kd1 Nc4 ⩲ +1.24 (24 ply)= +0.48 (23 ply) after 13...Nbd7 14.exd7+ Nxd7 15.Nc5 Nxc5 16.dxc5 e6 17.Qc1 d4 15.Bh3 fxe6 16.g5 Nbd7 17.Nxe6 Bxe6 18.Bxe6 Nh5 19.c3 ⩲ +1.45 (20 ply) ⩲ +0.58 (23 ply) 17.Ng6 Nxc5 18.dxc5 Nd7 19.Qe1 Rh7 20.Bd4 Qc7 21.Bd3 ⩲ +0.96 (22 ply)= -0.02 (22 ply) 20.Bd3 c5 21.c3 c4 22.Bc2 h5 23.Qg1 d4 24.cxd4 Qb6 25.Ke2 ⩲ +0.53 (21 ply)= -0.43 (20 ply) 22...Bxg6 23.hxg6 Rh8 24.a4 b4 25.f5 Qc7 26.fxe6 Qb6 = -0.17 (21 ply)better is 23.a4 b4 24.a5 Kb8 25.Qd3 Kc7 26.Qxa6 Qxa6 27.Bxa6 Bxg6 ± +1.54 (23 ply)better is 23...Bxg6 24.hxg6 Rh8 25.a4 b4 26.c3 Rd7 27.a5 Rb7 ⩲ +0.87 (22 ply) ± +1.57 (26 ply) 24...Qb6 25.axb5 axb5 26.Qa3 Kd7 27.c3 Bxg6 28.hxg6 Rh8 ⩲ +0.78 (25 ply) ± +1.85 (23 ply)better is 28...Bxg6 29.hxg6 Rh8 30.Kf1 Ra2 31.c3 Qa7 32.Kg2 Ra3 ± +2.17 (24 ply) ± +1.57 (24 ply) 29...Qc5 30.Nxf8 Rh8 31.Ng6 Rb8 32.Rxb8 Ra1+ 33.Bd1 Kxb8 ± +1.67 (21 ply) 30.Kf1 Rb2 31.Ra1 Bxg6 32.hxg6 Rh8 33.Qf2 Ra2 34.Rb1 Kd7 +- +3.29 (25 ply) ± +1.70 (25 ply)better is 31.f5 Rxc3 32.Qf4 Rc2 33.Qxd2 Rxd2 34.Ke3 Ra2 35.fxe6 ± +1.60 (23 ply) ± +2.27 (25 ply) 33.Kd2 Ra3 34.Ra1 Rxa1 35.Rxa1 Kb6 36.Nxf8 Rh8 37.Nd7+ ± +2.43 (29 ply) ⩲ +1.26 (23 ply)better is 34.Rb4 Bxg6 35.hxg6 Rh8 36.Rhb1 Ra2 37.Rb7+ Kd8 38.Rb8+ ± +1.52 (22 ply) 34...Rd2+ 35.Kc3 Ra2 36.Ra1 Rxa1 37.Rxa1 Kc6 38.Nxf8 Rh8 ± +2.20 (26 ply)better is 35.Nxf8 Rd2+ 36.Ke3 Rh8 37.Rb8 Rc2 38.Reb1 Rc3+ 39.Kd2 +- +5.91 (24 ply)+- +3.22 (26 ply) 39.Rc8+ Kd7 40.Rc5 Ra8 41.f5 h5 42.Bf3 hxg4 43.fxe6+ +- +13.66 (38 ply); 39...Kc7 40.Rb7+ Kd8 41.Rb8+ Kd7 42.R1b7+ Kc6 43.Rb6+ = +0.32 (11 ply)1-0

rnbqkbnr/pppppppp/8/8/8/8/PPPPPPPP/RNBQKBNR w KQkq - 0 1
FEN COPIED

Annotations by Stockfish (Computer).      [35437 more games annotated by Stockfish]

explore this opening
find similar games 52 more Vachier-Lagrave/Ding Liren games
PGN: download | view | print Help: general | java-troubleshooting

TIP: You can get computer analysis by clicking the "ENGINE" button below the game.

PGN Viewer:  What is this?
For help with this chess viewer, please see the Olga Chess Viewer Quickstart Guide.
PREMIUM MEMBERS CAN REQUEST COMPUTER ANALYSIS [more info]

THIS IS A COMPUTER ANNOTATED SCORE.   [CLICK HERE] FOR ORIGINAL.

Kibitzer's Corner
< Earlier Kibitzing  · PAGE 3 OF 3 ·  Later Kibitzing>
Apr-24-13  Eyal: Well, the fact that White can so easily get away here with something like 10.Kd2 is a good indication of how atrocious Black's prospects become once he allows White to put the pawn on e6 and can't force it away from there.
Apr-25-13  haydn20: I just got around to this, uh, "thing, and already I'm not seeing why not 7...fxe6. Oh, and why not 11...a5 to keep a6 open for the N when White tries Nc3-a4-c5? Just wondering.
Apr-25-13  haydn20: Here I am at move 22 and surely he'll continue with c5 and Oh good God, he's castled into it.
Apr-26-13  Eyal: <already I'm not seeing why not 7...fxe6> White <wants> Black to play this move - after 8.Bd3 he has similar nagging development problems; that's why, as I've mentioned, nearly all the top players who go for this line with Black play 7...Qd6 to force exf7+ (and why MVL played 8.Bf4! to prevent it once Ding went for 7...Nf6). Chessbase db features 74 games with 7...fxe6 8.Bd3, in which White scores 74%, and 55 games with 7...Qd6 8.exf7+, in which White scores 56%.
Apr-26-13
Premium Chessgames Member
  Phony Benoni: As bizaare as 10.Kd2 might seem, there are precedents. For example, from Spassky vs Seirawan, 1985:


click for larger view

<8.Kf2!>

Such moves, crazy and illogical as they seem, are likely to become more common due to influence of, all things, the utterly rational and logical machine. They are showing humans that ideas which go against all the teachings of the past can be justified by unique tactial situation on the board.

It's a future where the computer may come up with the actual novelty, but it will still be up to the human to apply the idea over the board as situations arise which could not be foreseen. I think back to the famous Pillsbury - Lasker story, as related by William Ewart Napier.

After Lasker had prevailed in Pillsbury vs Lasker, 1896, Pillsbury analyzed the opening and found a novelty. As Napier says, he spent the next eight years playing the position against Pillsbury, analyzing everything conceivable idea against it.

So came the day of Pillsbury vs Lasker, 1904, and Pillsbury sprung the novelty. He and Napier met at one point during the game, and Napier asked which variation Lasker had played.

Replied Pillsbury with a smile, "The only damn scheme you never tried!"

That sort of story is going to continue. As deeply as the opening may be analyzed, the opponent's imagination is likely to come up with some scheme not thoroughly studied beforehand, and the game will still have to be played. It's going to take more to exhaust chess than many believe.

Apr-29-13  k009ris: Very good game that Knight on g6 was worth R+B!
Jul-02-14  posoo: This is some CLEVER CHESS.

It is precisely da kind of manoevring that Mr. Posoo does NOT engage in on da blitzboard. Too many speculative wingdingings.

Posoo prefers an active, SWOSHBUKKING style that vexes people into a bit of trub trub!

Jul-16-14  pgs58: http://www.gibraltarchesscongress.c... has MVL talking through this game
Dec-26-14  Biff The Understudy: I saw this game live in Paris, it was really a lot of fun. Liren must have been so frustrated...
Apr-28-15  Imran Iskandar: The bishop and the h8 rook is worse than useless in the final stages of the game.
Feb-05-17
Premium Chessgames Member
  Rafaelvleite: I must be getting old, this is completely different and modern chess, very nice to see this new generation! Chess is not dying, is evolving!
May-24-17  Dave12: One of the best one-sided games ever played.
May-24-17  JPi: yes a great concept -Bf8 without life- and a firework of a tactics among them the last one -the quiet Reb1! (RxB R16+ k7 Kc5 for R67#)- The kind of game that all chess fans around the world enjoy,
Dec-27-17  clement41: Fantastic conception by MVL.
The root of black's evils stems from 7 e6!! aka the night attack, making the Bf8 useless and therefore the Rh8 as well. Maxime can be good when it comes to putting the Rh8 on h7: Morozevich vs M Vachier-Lagrave, 2009
Mar-10-18  cormier:


click for larger view

Analysis by Houdini 4: d 28 dpa

1. = (0.00): 11...fxe6 12.Rb1 Qd8 13.Rxb7 Nfd7 14.g5 e5 15.Bxe5 Nxe5 16.dxe5 d4 17.Ne4 Nd7 18.Kc1 Nxe5 19.Nf4 Bf5 20.Bh3 Bxh3 21.Rxh3 Qc8 22.Qxd4 Qxb7 23.Qxe5 Qb4 24.Ne6 Qe1+ 25.Kb2 Qb4+ 26.Kc1 Qe1+

2. + / = (0.33): 11...Qd8 12.Qb1 b6 13.g5 Nh5 14.exf7+ Kxf7 15.Bh3 Nxf4 16.Nxf4 Qd6 17.Nce2 Ke8 18.Qg1 Na6 19.g6 Bg8 20.Qe3 Nc7 21.a4 e6 22.a5 Rb8 23.axb6 axb6 24.Rhb1 Be7 25.Nh5 Bf8 26.Kc1 Kd8 27.Nhf4 Be7 28.h5 Bg5 29.Ra7 Ra8

Nov-28-18  andrewjsacks: The opening from Jupiter.
Nov-28-18  andrewjsacks: The word "odd" is hardly good enough for this game.
Nov-28-18
Premium Chessgames Member
  al wazir: What happens after 10...Bxc2 ?

If 11. Qe1, then 11...Be4+ 12. Ke3 Nxg4+. I suppose white has to play 11. Qc1, allowing the ♕ swap and leaving black two ♙s up.

Or is it better to play 11. Qxc2 ? If black takes the ♖ his ♕ is trapped: 11...Qxa1 12. exf7+ Kxf7 13. Bg2 e6 14. Nge2 Qxh1 15. Bxh1 g5.

White has ♕+♗ vs. ♖+♖+♙+♙.

Nov-28-18  Ironmanth: Bizarre game that I don't understand at first glimpse. Wow! Thanks, chessgames. Happy, safe, and sacred holidays to all.
Nov-28-18  catlover: <al wazir> If 11. Qxc2 Qxa1, it looks like MVL lost a rook for a bishop. But Liren's queen will have a hard time getting out of there alive: 10... Bxc2 11. Qxc2 Qxa1 12. Bg2 Na6 13. Nge2 and there's nothing better than 13...Qxh1.
Nov-28-18  catlover: <al wazir> Oops. I missed where you mentioned that same line. Sorry...I posted this morning before my first cup of coffee.
Nov-28-18
Premium Chessgames Member
  Breunor: Ok I think I need to play through that one again …., and again ….
Nov-28-18  WhiteRook48: So how could Black have defended himself better in the opening? It seems that it was already lost before the 10th move, if not even earlier.
Nov-29-18
Premium Chessgames Member
  perfidious: <WhiteRook48: So how could Black have defended himself better in the opening?>

A good place to start would have been the prudent 5....Bd7.

Oct-23-20  Messiah: Very interesting game!
Jump to page #    (enter # from 1 to 3)
search thread:   
< Earlier Kibitzing  · PAGE 3 OF 3 ·  Later Kibitzing>

NOTE: Create an account today to post replies and access other powerful features which are available only to registered users. Becoming a member is free, anonymous, and takes less than 1 minute! If you already have a username, then simply login login under your username now to join the discussion.

Please observe our posting guidelines:

  1. No obscene, racist, sexist, or profane language.
  2. No spamming, advertising, duplicate, or gibberish posts.
  3. No vitriolic or systematic personal attacks against other members.
  4. Nothing in violation of United States law.
  5. No cyberstalking or malicious posting of negative or private information (doxing/doxxing) of members.
  6. No trolling.
  7. The use of "sock puppet" accounts to circumvent disciplinary action taken by moderators, create a false impression of consensus or support, or stage conversations, is prohibited.
  8. Do not degrade Chessgames or any of it's staff/volunteers.

Please try to maintain a semblance of civility at all times.

Blow the Whistle

See something that violates our rules? Blow the whistle and inform a moderator.


NOTE: Please keep all discussion on-topic. This forum is for this specific game only. To discuss chess or this site in general, visit the Kibitzer's Café.

Messages posted by Chessgames members do not necessarily represent the views of Chessgames.com, its employees, or sponsors.
All moderator actions taken are ultimately at the sole discretion of the administration.

This game is type: CLASSICAL. Please report incorrect or missing information by submitting a correction slip to help us improve the quality of our content.

Home | About | Login | Logout | F.A.Q. | Profile | Preferences | Premium Membership | Kibitzer's Café | Biographer's Bistro | New Kibitzing | Chessforums | Tournament Index | Player Directory | Notable Games | World Chess Championships | Opening Explorer | Guess the Move | Game Collections | ChessBookie Game | Chessgames Challenge | Store | Privacy Notice | Contact Us

Copyright 2001-2025, Chessgames Services LLC