[Event "MVL VS NEPO: MVL VS NEPO"] [Site "https://lichess.org/study/ap91Bnw0/vo5ZoCC4"] [Result "*"] [Variant "Standard"] [ECO "C19"] [Opening "French Defense: Winawer Variation, Advance Variation"] [Annotator "https://lichess.org/@/SoftwareChess"] [UTCDate "2020.04.09"] [UTCTime "17:09:08"] [Source "https://lichess.org/study/ap91Bnw0/vo5ZoCC4"] [Orientation "white"] 1. e4 e6 2. d4 d5 3. Nc3 Bb4 { Here it is, the French Winawer! } 4. e5 c5 5. a3 Bxc3+ 6. bxc3 Ne7 7. h4 (7. Qg4 { Most commonly seen }) 7... Qc7 8. h5 { In Magnus Carlsen's words: "In chess it is only logical to push h5 after you play h4" } 8... h6 9. Rb1 b6 10. Qg4 $10 Rg8?! { Why not 10...Kf8 if you are going to play it the next move? } 11. Bb5+ Kf8 12. Bd3 Ba6 (12... c4 13. Be2 Bd7 14. Rh3 Nbc6 15. Kf1 Rh8 16. Nf3 Kg8 17. a4 Kh7 18. Kg1 Rae8 19. Ba3 $16) 13. dxc5 Bxd3 14. cxd3 Nd7 15. d4 bxc5 16. Qd1 { [%csl Ga4] } 16... Qa5 17. Bd2 Rb8 18. Ne2 $10 c4? { Even though pushing c5-c4 in the French is common, in this particular case it made little sense. As we will see, Black would have benefited if it had traded some pieces before closing the position. This way, white would not have play on both sides of the board. As the Frenchman put it, "I don't think this was the right plan. Closing the center makes sense, but I do not think he is in time" (Vachier-Lagrave) } (18... Rxb1 19. Qxb1 Qa6 20. a4 Qxa4 (20... Ke8 21. Qb5 $14) 21. O-O Qa6 22. Re1 c4 23. Qb4 Ke8 24. Qb2 Nc6 25. Ra1 Qb6 26. Qa2 Ke7 27. Qa3+ Kd8 28. f4 Re8 29. g4 Kc8 30. Kf2 Kb7 31. Be3 a6 $10 { The Black King has successfully been able to reach the queenside in time, meaning, before the f4-f5 pawn break. }) 19. O-O Rb6 20. Qc2 Rh8? (20... Ra6!? 21. Bc1 Qa4 22. Qd2 Qc6! (22... Rb6 23. Rb4 Qa6 24. Bb2 Rh8 25. a4 Rxb4 26. cxb4 Kg8 27. Ra1 Qb6 28. b5 Nf5 29. Ra3 Qd8 30. Rh3 $18) 23. a4 Rxa4 24. Bb2 f6 25. exf6 Nxf6 26. Nf4 Kf7 27. Rfe1 Ne4 28. Qc2 Re8 29. Nxe6 Ra2) 21. a4 Ke8 22. Rb4! Nc6? 23. f4 { Because white knows black will not accomplish anything in getting the exchange, Rb4 imposes a sealed queenside and centre, making room for a launch on the } 23... Ne7! (23... Nxb4? 24. cxb4 Qa6 25. b5 Qc8 26. f5 Nf8 27. Bb4 Rb7 28. Nf4 a6 29. Bxf8 Rxf8 30. bxa6 Ra7 31. fxe6 Rxa6 32. Nxd5 Rxe6 33. a5 f5 34. Nb6) 24. Rfb1 f5?! (24... Rg8! 25. Rxb6 axb6 26. Kf2 g6 27. hxg6 Rxg6 28. Ng3 f5 29. Nf1 Qa8 (29... Rg8 30. Ne3 h5 31. Rh1 Ng6 (31... Rh8 32. g4)) 30. Ne3 h5 31. Rh1 Rh6 32. g4 fxg4 33. Nxg4 Rh8 34. Bc1 Kf7 (34... Nf8) 35. Ne3 $16) 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! { [%csl Ge4,Gf5] } 36... Qg4? 37. Kg2 Qxf4 { [%csl Ge4,Gf5] } 38. Qxa7 Ke7 39. Qa3+ Kd8 40. Qd6 g5 41. hxg6 h5 42. g7 *