[Event "Candidates Tournament 2020: Round 6 Gam"] [Site "https://lichess.org/study/1sG"] [Date "2020.03.23"] [Result "*"] [Annotator "https://lichess.org/@/BlueRepublik"] [Variant "Standard"] [ECO "D87"] [Opening "Grünfeld Defense: Exchange Variation, Spassky Variation"] [StudyName "2020-21 Candidates Tournament Analysis - by GM Marian Petrov"] [ChapterName "Wang Hao- MVL 1/2"] [ChapterURL "https://lichess.org/study/ldhgOlvJ/opsdkqfu"] [Orientation "white"] 1. d4 Nf6 2. c4 g6 3. Nc3 d5 4. cxd5 Nxd5 5. e4 Nxc3 6. bxc3 { The Grünfeld on the board, without any surprise to the audience } 6... Bg7 7. Bc4 c5 8. Ne2 { a quick point of note for players unfamiliar with the Grünfeld, the Knight being on e2 means Bg4 comes with no real threat, as f3 can be played. With the Knight on f3, there's considerable pressure on the d4 pawn } (8. Nf3 Nc6 9. Be3 O-O 10. O-O Bg4 { a common line i've seen in my own games from the white side of things, when i was lower rated. It's important to avoid this pin at all costs, if you wish to keep your center }) 8... O-O 9. O-O Nc6 (9... Bg4 10. f3 { as previously mentioned }) 10. Be3 b6 { notice also here that White can take twice on c5, but gives Black's position a lot more freedom } 11. h4!? { once again, the push of the h-pawn is seen on the board } 11... e6 12. h5 Qh4 13. hxg6 hxg6 14. f3 Bb7 { Maxime took about 6 minutes to figure out a plan, the position is having pressure slowly applied to it, as the center builds up tension, but there are also threats coming along the h-file } 15. Qd2 { Wang Hao played this move instantly, demonstrating he's well within his prep. Maxime also blitzed out a few moves then stopped to think for a few more minutes. Given he's a specialist in the Grünfeld, it's hard to believe he's unfamiliar with such structures, but perhaps due to his limited prep time, is taking extra time to remember his lines. } 15... cxd4 16. cxd4 Rfd8 17. Rac1 { the computer throws out a lot of different options here, Qh8 setting up a battery, Be5, maneuvering and exploiting the pin on the d-file, but on deeper analysis, Qe7 is indeed one of the top choices. Maxime plays this after some thought } 17... Qe7 18. Rfd1 Rac8 19. Bg5 Bf6 20. Bxf6 Qxf6 21. Qe3 Kg7 { Wang Hao has played almost instantly for every move, while Maxime has used about 20 minutes. I suspect we're almost out of MVL's prep, and after some trades on the h-file, Wang Hao pauses to think, and we're into over the board calculation } 22. Kf2 Rh8 23. Rh1 Rxh1 24. Rxh1 Rh8 25. Rxh8 Kxh8 26. Qc3 Kg8 27. d5 { Wang Hao offers a queen trade, which MVL accepts } 27... Qxc3 28. Nxc3 Na5 29. Bd3 exd5 30. exd5 { The computer doesn't like this decision by MVL, although perhaps he felt the chances to hold with the kingside pawns being symmetrical would be easier than if they were isolated from his side. In any case, Wang Hao has a passed pawn, and plenty of pressure } 30... Kf8 31. Ke3 Ke7 32. Kd4 { the immediate Kd6 loses a pawn: } 32... Bc8 (32... Kd6 33. Nb5+ Ke7 34. Nxa7) 33. Nb5 a6 34. Nc7 Kd6 35. Nxa6 Nb7 36. g4?! g5 37. Nb4 { 2562 The idea for Maxime to hold is fairly simple: trade off the light square bishop for White's knight, and hold on the dark squares. It's far easier said than done, especially when you're down a pawn. } 37... Bd7 38. Nc2 Ke7 39. Ne3 Nd6 40. Nd1 Ba4 41. Nf2 f6 { Maxime has his structure, but he doesn't have the correct material. } 42. Be2 Be8 43. Nd1 Ba4 44. Nb2 Be8 45. Bd1? { and this move allows Maxime to bring his king into a better square, as the knight can jump with check } 45... Nb5+ 46. Kc4 Nc7 47. Bb3 Kd6 48. Kd4 Nb5+ 49. Kd3 Nc7 { and now there's a formidable blockade. Wang Hao tries to contest this: } 50. Nc4+ Kc5 { but } 51. Nd2 { Maxime comes in even further } 51... Bb5+ 52. Ke4 Bd7 { cutting off key entry squares } 53. Nf1 Nb5 54. Ng3 Nd6+ { pushing the king back } 55. Ke3 { and MVL tries to consolidate on material. if he can get all the pawns off except for one of white's, and then sacrifice a piece for it, the game is dead drawn. the fewer pawns, the easier the draw, is the logic here } 55... f5 56. gxf5 Bxf5 { offering the bishop, in order to hold on the dark squares. but interestingly, with fewer pawns, now Wang Hao has more entry points. But Maxime seems to have it all worked out } 57. Nxf5 Nxf5+ 58. Ke4 Nh4 { the one holding move, keeping an eye on the pawn, while Black's king can remain active } 59. Ba4 Kd6 60. Be8 Ng2 61. Bf7 Ne1 62. a4 Nc2 63. Be8 Ne1 64. Bb5 Ng2 65. Bc4 Nh4 66. Bf1 Kc5 67. Bh3 Kd6 68. Be6 Ng6 69. Bf7 Nh4 70. Be8 Ng2 71. Bb5 Nh4 72. Bd3 Kc5 73. Bf1 Kd6 74. Bh3 Ng6 { in this position, MVL has 9 minutes, while Wang Hao has 50 minutes. This is not a comfortable position under time pressure, but the frenchman is defending well } 75. Be6 Nh4 76. Bf7 Ke7 77. Bh5 Kd6 78. Bg4 Ng2 79. Kf5 Kxd5 80. Kxg5 Ke5 81. Kg6 Nf4+ 82. Kf7 Nd3 83. Ke7 Kd5 { draw } *