[Event "Labor Day Wrap-Up 2026: Batsaikhan – Baker-Nager"] [Date "2026.09.11"] [Round "5"] [White "Orgil Batsaikhan"] [Black "Sikander Baker-Nager"] [Result "1-0"] [Variant "Standard"] [ECO "C12"] [Opening "French Defense: McCutcheon Variation, Chigorin Variation"] [StudyName "Labor Day Wrap-Up 2026"] [ChapterName "Batsaikhan – Baker-Nager"] [ChapterURL "https://lichess.org/study/4umbGLPz/3eUuWPOf"] [Annotator "https://lichess.org/@/ChessLifeOnline"] [UTCDate "2026.09.11"] [UTCTime "19:53:22"] [Orientation "white"] { For timestamps, see the original broadcast: https://view.livechesscloud.com/#acfa2add-c053-46b8-9cb4-7d9164e8534d } 1. e4 e6 2. d4 d5 3. Nc3 Nf6 4. Bg5 Bb4 5. e5 h6 6. exf6 (6. Bd2 { is the main line of the McCutcheon Variation of the French Defense. }) 6... hxg5 7. fxg7 Rg8 8. Qh5?! { This move has been tried occasionally, but is considered inaccurate. } (8. h4 gxh4 9. Qg4 { is typical. Now, } 9... Qf6 10. Rxh4 Qxg7 11. Qxg7 Rxg7 12. Rh8+ Bf8 13. O-O-O $10 { is thought to be equal. }) 8... Qf6 9. Nf3 { Defending the d-pawn is too slow. } (9. Qh7 Qxg7 10. Qxg7 Rxg7 { Now there's no need to defend the d-pawn, and } 11. h4 { gives White either a passed pawn or an active rook. Still, } { [%cal Gh1h4,Gh4h7] } 11... gxh4 12. Rxh4 Rg8 13. O-O-O Nd7 $15 { gives Black the easier game to play with decent pieces and better structure. }) 9... Qxg7 10. O-O-O Nd7 11. h4!? g4 12. Ne5 { With the e5-square guarded, this is less of an accomplishment. } 12... Bxc3? { But this unprovoked capture backfires. } (12... Bd6 { , fighting for the e5-square, is best. } 13. f4 (13. Nxd7 Bxd7 14. Be2 O-O-O { forces } 15. Qg5 { lest the queen get trapped. } 15... Qxg5+ 16. hxg5 Rxg5 17. Rh7 Rf8 $19 { White lacks targets and is simply down a pawn against a bishop pair. }) 13... Nf6 14. Qg5 Qh8 15. Bd3 Nh5!! $19 { Do not hurry! Now Black is winning. } (15... Rxg5? 16. hxg5 Nh5 17. Ne2 { is very unclear. } { [%cal Ge2g3] })) 13. bxc3 Nf6 14. Qg5 Qxg5+ 15. hxg5 Ne4?! (15... Rxg5 16. Rh8+ Rg8 17. Rxg8+ Nxg8 $10) 16. Nxg4 Rxg5 17. Rh8+ Ke7 18. f3 { White's rook on h8 would be less dangerous if Black's knight were still in position on f6, preparing ... Rg5-g8. But now, things are messier. } 18... Nxc3 { This underestimates the power of White's rooks! } 19. Re1! { Black's king feels misplaced now. } 19... Nxa2+ { Consistency is a virtue, but greed will still be punished. } (19... Rg7 { might be more prudent. }) 20. Kb2 Nb4 21. Be2 (21. c3 Nc6 22. Nh6 $14 { [%cal Gh8h7] }) 21... Nc6 22. f4 Rg6 23. c3 Rb8 24. Bf3 Bd7 { Black finally completes development and the position is roughly balanced despite Black's two extra pawns. } 25. Rh7 Rf8 26. f5?! { This sort of initiative is the reason why White still has the easier game to play. However, the engine doesn't love this move right away. } (26. Nh6 { is an important inclusion, further pacifying Black's pieces. } 26... Kf6 27. Ng4+ Ke7 28. Nh6 { Down two pawns, White perhaps should be happy with a repetition. }) 26... Rg5 27. f6+?! (27. Nh6 Kf6 28. Ng4+ Rxg4! { is much better now: } 29. Bxg4 exf5 $17 { thanks to Black's winning a third pawn for the Exchange. }) 27... Kd6 28. Nh6 Be8 { Everything is defended and Black has retained the material advantage. Plus, that f6-pawn might not be so easy to defend. } 29. Bg4 (29. Rg7 Rg6! { targets the f6-pawn, provoking } 30. Ng4 { when } 30... Na5 { helps Black improve their pieces before either launching pawns on the queenside of freeing up the c } { [%cal Ga5c4] }) 29... Na5?? { But Black misses White's last threat! } (29... Rg6 { immediately is a way to anticipate Rh7-g7. }) 30. Rg7 Nc4+ (30... Rg6 { now loses to } 31. Rxg6 fxg6 32. Rxe6+ Kd7 33. Ra6+ $18 { e.g. }) 31. Kc1 Rxg4 { Black has nothing else. } 32. Nxg4 Rh8!? (32... c5 33. Ne5 cxd4 34. cxd4 Nxe5 35. dxe5+ Kc5 $16 { Black is still worse, but at least the queenside pawns are passers? }) 33. Ne5 Nxe5 34. dxe5+ Kc5 { With c-pawns still on the board, Black only has one passed pawn instead of two, making White's job easier. } 35. g4 Rh2?! (35... d4! { creating connected passers is Black's best hope. }) 36. g5 Kc4 37. g6 $18 { White's pawns are too fast. The rest of the game is entertaining, but all under White's control. } 37... Ba4 38. gxf7 Rc2+ 39. Kb1 Kb3 40. f8=Q Rb2+ 41. Kc1 Ka2 42. Qb4! Rc2+ 43. Kd1 Bb3 44. Re2 c5 45. Qxb3+ 1-0