[Event "Biel GM 42nd"]
[Site "Biel"]
[Date "2009.07.28"]
[Round "8"]
[White "Morozevich, Alexander"]
[Black "Vachier Lagrave, Maxime"]
[Result "0-1"]
[ECO "B80"]
[WhiteElo "2751"]
[BlackElo "2703"]
[Annotator "Vachier-Lagrave"]
[PlyCount "152"]
[EventDate "2009.07.19"]
[EventType "tourn"]
[EventRounds "10"]
[EventCountry "SUI"]
[EventCategory "19"]
[Source "ChessBase"]
[SourceDate "2009.09.16"]

{A lot has already been said about this game, but fortunately there still
remain many tricky moves to explain!} 1. e4 c5 2. Nf3 d6 3. d4 cxd4 4. Nxd4 Nf6
5. Nc3 a6 6. f3 e6 7. Be3 b5 8. Qd2 Nbd7 9. g4 h6 10. O-O-O b4 {I decided to
play a different variation from the one I chose against Nakamura recently in
San Sebastian.} (10... Bb7 11. h4 b4 12. Na4 Qa5 13. b3 Nc5 14. a3 Rc8) 11.
Nce2 Qc7 12. h4 d5 {Up until this point there has been absolutely nothing new,
though at that moment Morozevich began to think for 25 minutes. Nevertheless,
I thought it was probably some kind of bluff because I had already played this
variation and coming into this variation unprepared would be tantamount to
suicide...} 13. Nf4 $1 $146 {Proving that I was right. Though this strong
novelty doesn't seem to deliver a crushing blow to a variation in which Black
anyway doesn't seem to be in trouble, it is really unpleasant to face it over
the board.} e5 $1 {Clearly the best practical choice. I thought about it for a
while to check that at every turn I could have a back-up variation, in case my
calculations were wrong at some point.} ({I think I had planned to play} 13...
dxe4 14. Nfxe6 fxe6 15. Nxe6 Qc6 16. Nxf8 Nxf8 (16... Rxf8 $6 17. g5 $1 Nh5 18.
gxh6 gxh6 19. Bxh6 $40) 17. Qxb4 exf3 {if he had played 13.Nf4, but I didn't
take this move seriously enough and so I didn't check the variation thoroughly.
It was over the board that I realised that this position was extremely
dangerous, e.g :} 18. Bf2 $5 Be6 (18... Nd5 19. Qd4 Ne7 20. Qxg7 Rg8 21. Qe5
Rxg4 22. Bd3 $40) 19. Rd6 Qe4 20. Rd4 Qe5 21. Bd3 $40 {All the white pieces
are converging on Black's king which is unsafe everywhere. Furthermore, some
pawns can fall at anytime, and so the position is very difficult to play, even
though it is probably OK if Black plays well.}) 14. Nfe6 {The obvious
continuation of the novelty.} fxe6 15. Nxe6 Qa5 16. exd5 Qxa2 17. Qd3 {Here I
got lost in thought, seeing that my first idea was losing by force... Except
that it didn't lose !} Kf7 $2 ({I was not keen on} 17... e4 {because of} 18.
Qd4 $1 (18. fxe4 $2 Ne5 $17) 18... Bd6 19. Bc4 b3 $1 20. f4 Qa1+ 21. Kd2 Qa5+
22. c3 Qa2 23. Ke2 $1 $40 {Here one can feel that something is wrong: my queen
is out of play and my king unsafe. The kingside pawns are going to roll
forward with crushing effect (beginning with g5).}) (17... Ke7 $2 18. d6+ $1
Kxe6 (18... Kf7 19. Qc4 $1 Qxc4 20. Bxc4 Kg6 (20... Rb8 21. Ng5+ Ke8 22. Bf7+
Kd8 23. Ne6#) 21. h5+ Kh7 22. g5 $18) 19. Qc4+ Qxc4 20. Bxc4+ Nd5 21. Bxd5+
Kxd6 22. Bxa8+ $18) (17... Bb7 $1 {was probably the strongest, but I thought
that after} 18. Qg6+ (18. g5 $5 {is a very interesting idea which offers the
opportunity to keep on playing, even though after} e4 $1 19. Nc7+ $5 (19. Qc4
Qxc4 20. Bxc4 hxg5 21. hxg5 Rxh1 22. Rxh1 Nxd5 23. Bxd5 Bxd5 24. Nc7+ Kf7 25.
Nxd5 exf3 $11) 19... Kd8 20. Ne6+ Ke8 21. Qd4 $5 hxg5 22. Nxf8 Nxf8 23. Bc4 Qa5
24. Bxg5 N8d7 25. fxe4 Qa1+ $1 (25... Qc5 $2 26. e5 $1 Qxd4 27. Rxd4 Nh7 28.
Bd2 $16 {is clearly bad: soon there will be 3 pawns all threatening to queen.})
26. Kd2 Qa5 {probably holds; I don't see a better idea (even if it's still
possible to play on a piece down with some compensation) than to take a draw
with} 27. Kc1 Qa1+ 28. Kd2 Qa5 $11) 18... Ke7 19. d6+ $1 Kxe6 20. Bh3 $1 {I
was just lost, but after the very cool} (20. g5 $2 Qa1+ 21. Kd2 Qxd1+ $1 22.
Kxd1 Bxf3+ 23. Kc1 Bxh1 $19) 20... Qa1+ $1 (20... Bd5 $2 21. g5+ Kxd6 22. gxf6
Nxf6 23. Rxd5+ $1 Qxd5 (23... Kxd5 $2 24. Qf7+ $18) 24. Rd1 $18) 21. Kd2 Qa5 $1
{White has no other choice but to repeat moves.} 22. Kc1 (22. Ke2 $2 Qb5+ 23.
Kf2 Bd5 $1 24. g5+ Kxd6 25. Bxd7 Kxd7 26. gxf6 gxf6 $19 {And Black just
remains a piece up...}) 22... Qa1+ $11) 18. g5 (18. Nd8+ $2 {didn't work, and
I had even seen the best continuation for Black :} Ke7 $1 19. Nc6+ Kd6 $1 20.
Nxb4 $2 (20. Nd8 $1 Ke7 $11 {And Black gets at least a draw.}) 20... Qa1+ 21.
Kd2 Qxb2 22. Qc4 Bb7 23. Ke1 Rc8 24. Nc6 Kc7 $1 $17) 18... Nxd5 19. Bh3 $1 {
Here I saw that my problems were anything but over!} Nxe3 {Probably the best
practical choice, even though this move loses by force.} (19... N7f6 {was my
idea when playing 17...Kf7, but after} 20. Nd8+ Kg8 (20... Ke8 $2 21. Qg6+ Kxd8
22. Bb6+ Ke7 23. gxf6+ gxf6 24. Bc5+ Kd8 25. Qxf6+) 21. gxf6 Nxf6 {I had
rightly thought} 22. Bf1 $1 {was the only move. The only problem was when I
understood it was winning because of the threat 23.Qc4+, e.g :} Bf5 (22... Be7
23. Nc6 $1 $18) (22... e4 23. Qc4+ Qxc4 24. Bxc4+ Kh7 25. Nf7 Rg8 (25... exf3
26. Ng5+ $1 hxg5 27. hxg5+ Kg6 28. Rxh8 Ng4 29. Rxf8 $18) 26. Ng5+ Kh8 27. Bxg8
Kxg8 28. Nxe4 $18) 23. Qxf5 Qa1+ 24. Kd2 Rxd8+ 25. Bd3 $18 {with a winning
attack.}) 20. Nd8+ Ke7 $1 (20... Ke8 {was the best choice according to the
computer, but only at the beginning. In fact il loses automatically after} 21.
Bxd7+ Kxd8 22. Bxc8+ $1 {First the computer thinks this leads to draw.} (22.
Be6+ Nd5 23. Bxd5 Qa1+ 24. Kd2 Qxb2 25. Bxa8+ $16 {leaves some hope for Black.}
) 22... Kxc8 (22... Nd5 23. Be6 Rb8 24. Qe4 $1 Qa1+ (24... Rb5 25. Qxe5 $1 $18)
25. Kd2 Qxb2 26. Ke2 $1 $18 {with a winning attack.}) 23. Qd8+ Kb7 24. Rd7+ Kc6
25. Rc7+ Kb6 26. Rc8+ Kb5 27. Rxa8 (27. Qd7+ Ka5 28. Qc7+ Kb5 29. Qb7+ Ka5 30.
Rxa8 $18 {is probably simpler.}) 27... Qa1+ 28. Kd2 Nc4+ 29. Ke2 Qxh1 30. Qd7+
$1 Kb6 31. Rb8+ $1 Kc5 (31... Ka5 32. Rb5+ $3 axb5 33. Qa7#) 32. Rc8+ Kb6 33.
Rc6+ Ka5 34. Qc7+ $18) 21. Nc6+ Kf7 22. g6+ $1 {The simplest, and perhaps the
most powerful, although there was a well-hidden spectacular win.} (22. Be6+ $3
Kxe6 (22... Qxe6 23. Nd8+ Ke7 24. Nxe6 Kxe6 (24... Nxd1 25. Rxd1 $1 $18) 25.
Qxe3 $18 {and the lack of coordination among Black's pieces leaves him no hope
of saving the game.}) 23. Qg6+ Nf6 24. gxf6 gxf6 25. Qe8+ Kf5 26. Nd4+ $1 Kf4
27. Ne2+ Kf5 {Here I had thought this was a draw, but...} (27... Kxf3 28. Qc6+
$1 $18) 28. Rd4 $3 $18 {The move we probably had both missed. Both threats (29.
Ng3# and 29.Rf4+ exf4 30.Qe4#) are simply too strong.}) 22... Kg8 (22... Kf6 $2
23. Qd6+ $1 Bxd6 24. Rxd6+ Qe6 25. Rxe6#) 23. Qxe3 Bc5 24. Qe4 $1 {The
simplest, and what I was expecting.} (24. Be6+ $1 Qxe6 25. Qxc5 Bb7 (25... Qxg6
26. Rxd7 $1 Kh7 27. Nxe5 $18) 26. Ne7+ Kf8 27. Rxd7 Qxd7 28. Nc6+ Kg8 29. Qc4+
Kf8 30. Rd1 $1 Qc7 31. Qc5+ Ke8 32. Rd6 $18 {is another brilliant win, but is
as tough to foresee as 22.Be6+.}) (24. Qxc5 $2 Qa1+ 25. Kd2 Qxd1+ 26. Rxd1 Nxc5
27. Bxc8 $16 {is still better for White, but 24.Qe4 is just much stronger.})
24... Nf8 25. Rd8 Bb7 {Losing on the spot, but there was no other choice.} (
25... Bxh3 26. Rxa8 Be6 27. Qxe5 $1 Qd5 28. Re1 $1 Qxc6 29. Qxe6+ Qxe6 30. Rxe6
$18 {is totally hopeless.}) 26. Rxa8 $2 {Here Morozevich misses probably the
simplest shot for a win, even though it is not completely obvious. I had also
missed it.} (26. Rxf8+ $1 Bxf8 (26... Kxf8 27. Qf5+ $1 Kg8 28. Qxe5 $18) (26...
Rxf8 27. Qxe5 Bc8 28. Bxc8 Rxc8 29. Qxc5 $18) 27. Qxe5 Bc8 28. Qe8 $18) 26...
Bxa8 27. h5 $1 {The logical follow-up, my pieces are all tangled up, and so
I'm still lost !} (27. Rd1 $4 Bxc6 28. Qxc6 Be3+ 29. Rd2 Qa1#) (27. Bf1 $5 Bxc6
28. Bc4+ Ne6 $1 29. Qf5 $1 Be3+ 30. Kd1 Bxf3+ 31. Qxf3 Qb1+ 32. Ke2 Qxc2+ 33.
Kxe3 Qxg6 34. Rf1 $18 {and despite being 3 pawns down, the Ne6 is going to be
lost, leaving a winning ending for White because Black's pawns are going to
fall.}) 27... Rh7 $1 {A strong defensive move, played because of the necessity
of giving up the h8-square for the king; otherwise I'm just going to be mated
one way or another.} 28. Re1 Bxc6 {Unfortunately the only move...} (28... Kh8
29. Qxe5 $1 $18) 29. Qxc6 Bd4 30. Kd2 $6 (30. Kd1 $1 Bxb2 31. Bf5 Bc3 32. Ke2
$1 Bxe1 33. Qc8 $1 {wins on the spot :} Kh8 (33... Bc3 34. gxh7+ $18) 34. Qxf8+
Qg8 35. Qxg8+ Kxg8 36. gxh7+ Kh8 37. Kxe1 $18) 30... Qxb2 31. Qc4+ Kh8 {
Black's Rh7 is buried alive. And it will remain there for a while. Indeed why
would White take the rook instead of continuing to have mating threats?} 32.
Kd3 $1 a5 {An interesting try, but best was} (32... Qa3+ $1 33. Ke4 Qa5 {with
some counterplay with the queen coming back into play.}) 33. Qc8 $2 {After
this move, I'm not worse anymore !} (33. f4 $1 Bf2 (33... Qc3+ 34. Qxc3 Bxc3
35. Re4 $1 Kg8 36. Rc4 $18) 34. Ke2 $1 Qa3 35. Kxf2 Qxh3 36. Rxe5 Qh4+ 37. Ke2
Qd8 38. Qf7 Qc8 39. Re8 $18) 33... Qa3+ 34. Ke4 b3 35. cxb3 a4 $1 {Maybe the
move in the game of which I'm the most proud... and it was found in big time
trouble.} (35... Qb4 $2 36. Rc1 Bc5+ 37. Rc4 $1 Qe1+ 38. Kd5 $16) 36. Rb1 {A
very dangerous move.} (36. bxa4 Qb4 $1 (36... Bf2 $1 $11 {is also a draw
because 35...a4 opened the third rank!}) 37. Rc1 Bc5+ $1 {and 38.Rc4 is no
longer possible.} 38. Kd5 Qd4+ 39. Kc6 Qd6+ 40. Kb5 Qb6+ $11) 36... Qb4 (36...
Qd6 $5 {is an interesting try for the win, but it is not enough :} 37. bxa4 Bc5
38. Rd1 $1 Qxd1 39. Qxc5 Qe2+ 40. Kd5 $1 Qxf3+ 41. Kc4 e4 42. Bf5 $1 $11) 37.
Qc4 $1 Qb7+ 38. Qd5 Qb4 (38... Qxd5+ $4 39. Kxd5 a3 40. Rc1 $1 a2 41. Rc8 $18)
39. Qc4 Qd2 $5 40. Bg4 $2 {The decisive mistake, on move forty.} (40. Qc8 $1
Qe2+ 41. Kd5 Qb5+ 42. Ke4 $11 {And the best choice is to get the draw.}) 40...
a3 $1 $19 41. Qf7 Qc2+ 42. Kd5 Qc5+ 43. Ke4 a2 44. Rc1 a1=Q $1 45. Rxc5 Bxc5 {
Now I'm a rook and a knight up. So, it's all over, even if Black loses the
rook, isn't it?} 46. Qd5 $5 Qe1+ 47. Kd3 Qd1+ 48. Kc4 Qxd5+ 49. Kxd5 Ba3 $6 {
The following endgame is still winning, but I had a simple tactical shot:} (
49... Nxg6 $1 50. hxg6 h5 51. Bh3 Rh6 52. Kxc5 Rxg6 53. b4 Rg3 $19 {wins
easily, because even if the rook has to be sacrificed for the b-pawn, the 3
remaining pawns helped by the king will win as White's king will be far from
the kingside.}) 50. Bf5 $1 (50. Kxe5 $2 Nxg6+ $1 51. hxg6 h5 $19) 50... Kg8 51.
Kxe5 {Obviously White doesn't take the rook, or else the win is easy with a
knight up and all the pieces back in play.} Rh8 {Finally the rook remains
alive after having been en prise for 24 moves. It will even deliver the final
blow!} 52. Kd5 $1 {Here I understood that I couldn't free my rook and my king
without leaving White with a strong passed pawn on h7.} Nh7 $1 (52... Nxg6 $4
53. Bxg6 Kf8 54. Ke6 $11 {Even without the b3- and f3-pawns, White would draw
easily!}) 53. gxh7+ Kf7 54. Bg6+ Kf6 {Here I was still 90% sure that the
position was winning, as the winning idea is easy to find: stalemate White's
king to force the Bg6 to move, when g5 wins because the rook is freed from the
protection of the h8-square. In fact it's even easier to apply than I thought
it was during the game.} 55. f4 Bc1 $1 {I want to get the e5-square for the
king.} 56. f5 (56. b4 $5 {To push the b-pawn was maybe the most interesting,
but after} Bxf4 57. b5 Rb8 $1 58. Kc6 Ke7 59. b6 Bh2 60. b7 Rh8 $22 {White
will be in zugzwang: either Black's king comes to the queenside, or Black can
play g5...} 61. Kb6 (61. Bb1 g5 $1 62. hxg6 Kf6 $19) 61... Kd6 62. Bf5 g5 $1
63. hxg6 Be5 64. Bc8 (64. Ka7 Kc7 $19) 64... Bd4+ $1 $19) 56... Bd2 57. Kd6 Be1
58. Kd7 Bb4 $1 {Cuts White's king off from the kingside before taking the pawn
on b3, leaving White no counterplay.} 59. Kc7 Ke5 60. Kd7 Ba3 61. Kc6 Kd4 62.
Kc7 Kc3 63. Kd7 Kb4 {The first zugzwang of the game; I prevent unnecessary
counterplay.} (63... Kxb3 64. Bf7+ Kc3 65. Bg8 Kd4 66. Ke6 Ke4 67. f6 gxf6 68.
Kxf6 Kf4 $1 69. Kg6 Bb2 $19 {was also winning anyway.}) 64. Kd6 Kxb3+ 65. Kd5
Bb2 66. Kd6 ({Going to the kingside didn't change anything:} 66. Ke4 Bf6 67.
Bf7+ Kc3 68. Bg6 (68. Bg8 Kd2 69. Kf4 Kd3 70. Kf3 Kd4 71. Kf4 Be7 $19) 68...
Kd2 69. Kf3 Kd3 70. Kf2 Ke4 71. Ke2 Rd8 $1 72. Kf2 Rd2+ 73. Ke1 Bc3 $1 74. f6+
Kf3 $19) 66... Bf6 67. Kc5 Kc3 68. Kd6 Kd4 69. Kc6 (69. Ke6 Kc5 70. Kf7 {with
stalemate ideas, doesn't work:} Kc6 $1 71. Ke6 Rd8 $1 72. Kf7 (72. Bf7 Rd6#)
72... Kd6 73. h8=Q Rxh8 74. Bh7 Rxh7 $19) 69... Rd8 $1 70. Kb6 (70. Kb5 Kd5 71.
Bf7+ Kd6 72. Bg6 Rc8 $1 73. Kb4 Kd5 74. Bf7+ Kd4 75. Bg8 Rb8+ $19) 70... Kd5 $1
{Zugzwang!} 71. Kc7 (71. Bf7+ Kd6 72. Bg6 Rb8+ $19) 71... Kc5 72. Bf7 g5 73.
fxg6 Rd6 74. Be8 Be5 75. Kb7 Rb6+ 76. Kc8 Kd6 {A very exciting game, but also
quite frightening! I experienced all sorts of states of mind during this game,
and even if I think I got quite lucky, I also found all the moves to remain
alive in the game.} 0-1

