Headlines: Vachier-Lagrave awarded Shenzen Masters win after three-way tie: As tournaments go, this was an odd one: with nine draws and one win, Maxime Vachier-Lagrave took the Shenzhen Masters with a mere 5½ points from 10 games.
🔸chess.com IoM Masters Douglas ENG 2018
🔸Round 2
⚪️Puranik,Abhimanyu (2547)
⚫️Vachier-Lagrave,Maxime (2780)
🔸0-1
🔸Round 2
⚪️Puranik,Abhimanyu (2547)
⚫️Vachier-Lagrave,Maxime (2780)
🔸0-1
33...Nd6! [A clever move. Vachier forces White to exchange off the knight on c4.]
34.Nxd6 [34.Nd2? c4 △c3 35.bxc4 Nxc4+ 36.Nxc4 Rxc4 37.Kd3 Kb5–+]
34...Rxd6 35.g3 [35.c4 bxc3 36.Rc1 Rd2! 37.Rxc3 Rb2 38.g4 g5! 39.Rd3 Kb5 40.Rc3 Ra2-/+]
35...c4! [Now, he is ready to penetrate into the opponent's camp by his king.]
36.bxc4 [36.f4 c3!-/+△Kb5]
36...Kc5 37.f4 Kxc4 38.fxe5 fxe5–+ 39.Rf1 Kc3 40.Rf7 Rc6 [The b-pawn decides the game.] 0–1
34.Nxd6 [34.Nd2? c4 △c3 35.bxc4 Nxc4+ 36.Nxc4 Rxc4 37.Kd3 Kb5–+]
34...Rxd6 35.g3 [35.c4 bxc3 36.Rc1 Rd2! 37.Rxc3 Rb2 38.g4 g5! 39.Rd3 Kb5 40.Rc3 Ra2-/+]
35...c4! [Now, he is ready to penetrate into the opponent's camp by his king.]
36.bxc4 [36.f4 c3!-/+△Kb5]
36...Kc5 37.f4 Kxc4 38.fxe5 fxe5–+ 39.Rf1 Kc3 40.Rf7 Rc6 [The b-pawn decides the game.] 0–1
22.b3!? [A typical prophylactic move in such positions.]
[22.Qc1 Rag8 23.b3!? Bf8 24.Qf1 Be7 25.Kd1!? c6 26.dxc6 Qxc6 27.Nd5 Bd8² (27...Nfxe4? 28.Qg2 Nxd2 29.Kxd2 Qe8 30.Nc7 Qc8 31.Bd5+ Kf8 32.Bxg8±) ; 22.Rg2 Rag8 23.b3 Bf8 24.Bc1 g5 (24...c6 25.dxc6 Qxc6²) 25.Rxg5 Rxg5 26.hxg5 Rxh1 27.Bxh1 Qh3 28.Bf3 Nh7 29.Ba3 Nxg5 30.Qh1 Qxh1 31.Bxh1 Be7 32.Bxc5 dxc5 33.Bf3 Kg6=]
22...Rag8 23.Bc1! Bf8 24.Ba3 Na6 25.Bg2 g5 26.hxg5 Rxh1 27.Rxh1 Qg4+ 28.Bf3 Qxg5 29.Qf1! Bg7 30.Qh3 Re8 31.Nb5 Qg6 32.Kf1 Kg8 33.Rg1 Qf7 34.Bxd6! cxd6 35.Nxd6 Qf8 36.Nf5! [36.Nxe8 Qxe8 37.Qf5 Kf8 38.Rg6+–]
36...Re7 37.Nxe7++– Qxe7 38.Qc8+ [38.Qc8+ Kf7 39.Qxa6] 1–0
[22.Qc1 Rag8 23.b3!? Bf8 24.Qf1 Be7 25.Kd1!? c6 26.dxc6 Qxc6 27.Nd5 Bd8² (27...Nfxe4? 28.Qg2 Nxd2 29.Kxd2 Qe8 30.Nc7 Qc8 31.Bd5+ Kf8 32.Bxg8±) ; 22.Rg2 Rag8 23.b3 Bf8 24.Bc1 g5 (24...c6 25.dxc6 Qxc6²) 25.Rxg5 Rxg5 26.hxg5 Rxh1 27.Bxh1 Qh3 28.Bf3 Nh7 29.Ba3 Nxg5 30.Qh1 Qxh1 31.Bxh1 Be7 32.Bxc5 dxc5 33.Bf3 Kg6=]
22...Rag8 23.Bc1! Bf8 24.Ba3 Na6 25.Bg2 g5 26.hxg5 Rxh1 27.Rxh1 Qg4+ 28.Bf3 Qxg5 29.Qf1! Bg7 30.Qh3 Re8 31.Nb5 Qg6 32.Kf1 Kg8 33.Rg1 Qf7 34.Bxd6! cxd6 35.Nxd6 Qf8 36.Nf5! [36.Nxe8 Qxe8 37.Qf5 Kf8 38.Rg6+–]
36...Re7 37.Nxe7++– Qxe7 38.Qc8+ [38.Qc8+ Kf7 39.Qxa6] 1–0