Vanapalli, Vishnu(2395)
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Lu, Maximillian(2459)
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1.c4e62.Nc3d53.d4Be74.cxd5exd55.Bf4c66.Qc2Nf67.e3O-O8.Bd3Nbd79.Nf3Re810.h3Nf811.Bh2Ng612.O-O...White has completed development, and the typical queenside minority attack is about to commence with Ra1-b1 preparing b2-b4-b5.12....Bd613.Bxd6Qxd614.Rab1a515.a3Be616.Rfc1...16.b4axb417.axb4b5is the classic continuation in the QGD. Even here, White is better, but Lu chooses a more measured approach, trusting his conversion skills.16....Nd717.Na4Rec818.Ng5!...Taking the bishop, and White now has a significant edge.18....b519.Nc5Nxc520.Qxc5Qxc521.Rxc5Bd722.g4f623.Nf3Kf724.Kg2Ne725.Rbc1h626.Kg3Rcb827.h4a428.Ne1b4?Under pressure for so long, Vanapalli finally shows a slight slip-up. Now the a4-pawn will be fixed on a light square, and the open file only favors White.29.Bc2bxa330.bxa3Nc831.Nd3Nd632.Nb4...A perfect outpost for the knight, while Black's c6- and a4- pawns are weak and essentially undefendable.32....Nc433.Nxc6Rc834.Be4!!...This is the justification for White's last five moves, and that's why it deserves two exclamations. Lu had seen this quite a while ago.34....Be635.Bg2Ra636.Ne5+!...Ending a perfect game.36....fxe537.Rxc8exd438.Rc7+Kf639.e4Nb640.f41-0 White wins. Lu caps off a perfect game, and an almost-perfect tournament with this nice victory to end in second place.1-0