The British Chess Magazine
c6 13 ×c6 ×c6 14 0–0 g4 15 h×g4
×g4 16 d2 d7
XIIIIIIIIY
9r+-+k+-tr0
9+p+nzppvl-0
9p+qzp-+-zp0
9+-+-+-+-0
9-+-+P+l+0
9+LsN-+-vL-0
9PzPPwQ-zPP+0
9tR-+-+RmK-0
xiiiiiiiiy
527
20 e5 c5 21 h4 d×e5 22 f×e5 e6 23
×e7 ×b3 24 c×b3 b6+ 25 h1 d8
26 e1 d4 27 f6 ×f6 28 e×f6 d7 29
d1 d8 30 g3 e8 31 g8+ d7 32
g3 e8 33 g8+ d7 34 g3 ½–½
Carlsen, making his last public appearance
before the World Championship in November, emerged undefeated. Newsreels
show a relatively relaxed Magnus in play.
Whether he was ‘keeping something back’
in the realms of opening research is difficult
to know. We – and this includes the World
Champion – will not have long to wait and
see.
17 d5! ×b2 18 ab1 e5 19 f4 g7
Guest Columnist
This month: IM Yang-Fan Zhou
At the FIDE World Cup, Maxime Vachier-Lagrave didn’t
manage to obtain any advantage in the first game with
White and as a result a quick
draw was agreed. It was never in any doubt
that Kramnik was going to try to make full
use of the White pieces.
G VB Kramnik
O M Vachier-Lagrave
FIDE World Cup, Tromso, 2013
QP, Slav D17
[Zhou]
1 f3 d5 2 d4 f6 3 c4 c6 4 c3 d×c4 5
a4 f5 6 e5 bd7 7 ×c4 b6 8 e5
a5 9 e3
9 f3 wins the fight for the e4 square, but in return Black can exchange a pair of knights, after
which White’s space advantage won’t be as
critical since Black is less cramped: 9…fd7!
10 ×d7 ×d7 11 e4 g6.
9…bd7 10 c4 b8!?
A novelty preparing …e5 with the subtle point
that the queen is protected on b8 as opposed
to being tactically vulnerable on c7 (see below). It’s not easy for White to find an advantage after this new move.
10…e6 is the normal move, after which 11
f3 b4 12 e4 g6 13 e2 gives White a space
advantage.
10…c7 11 f3 g6?! (11…e6 12 d2
×c4 13 ×c4(!) has been played) runs into 12
e4 e5 13 d×e5 ×e5 14 g3 and Black runs
into trouble due to the pin, as the queen is unprotected on c7.
11 d3
A logical reaction as…e5 is coming. 11 f3 g6