The Evanescence of the Ineffable

Maxime Vachier-Lagrave – Levon Grigori Aronian
Grand Prix 2017; 4th stage; Palma de Mallorca, November 18, 2017
Spanish Game C84

1. e4 e5 2. Nf3 Nc6 3. Bb5 a6 4. Ba4 Nf6 5. 0-0 Be7 6. d3 b5 7. Bb3 d6 8. a3 0-0 9. Nc3 Na5 10. Ba2 Be6 11. b4 Bxa2 12. Rxa2 Nc6 13. Bg5 Nd7. At least from a theoretical viewpoint, this makes more sense than 13. ... Qd7 14. Bxf6 Bxf6 15. Nd5 a5 16. c4 Ne7 17. Rc2 Nxd5 18. cxd5 axb4 19. axb4 Ra4 20. Qd2 Rfa8 21. Rfc1 Bd8 22. h3 Ra1 23. Rxa1 Rxa1+ 24. Rc1 Ra4 25. d4 exd4 (25. ... f6 is probably more solid) 26. Nxd4 Bf6 27. Nc6± Carlsen – 丁立人 (Dīng Lìrén), Champions Showdown, Saint Louis 2017, match game 9 (20 minutes). 14 Bd2 Nf6 15. Re1 Qd7 16. Nd5!? This novelty might have been suggested to Vachier-Lagrave by Étienne Bacrot as a result of a review of his own summer games: 16. Qb1 Rab8 17. Nd5 Nxd5 18. exd5 Nd4 19. Nxd4 exd4 20. a4 Rfe8 21. axb5 axb5 22. Ra7 Ra8 23. Ra5 Rac8 24. h3 Bh4 25. Rxe8+ Rxe8 26. Qa1 Bf6 27. Ra8 h5 28. Kf1 g6 29. Rxe8+ Qxe8 30. Qa7 Qc8 31. Bc1 c6 32. dxc6 Qxc6 33. Qa2 Kg7 34. Bd2 Be5 35. Qb1 Bf6 36. Qa2 Be5 37. Qb1 Bf6 ½ : ½ Bacrot – Lékó, 50th International Chess Festival, Biel 2017. 16. ... Nxd5 17. exd5 Nd8. I think it would have been advisable for Black to play 17. ... Nd4, similarly to what done by Péter Lékó in the abovementioned game. 18. a4! Rb8 19. c4! Now White seizes a distinct initiative on the Queenside which will soon result in a favourable endgame. 19. ... bxc4 20. dxc4 f5 21. b5 Ra8 22. Bc3 Nb7 23. Qc2 Bf6 24. Nd2 axb5 25. cxb5 Qf7 26. Qxf5 Qxd5 27. Qc2 Nc5 28. Ne4 Bh4 29. g3 Nxe4 30. Rxe4 Bd8 31. Bb4 Rf3 32. Ra3 Rf7 33. Qc4 Qxc4 34. Rxc4 d5 35. Rc2 d4

36. Rc5. This allows Black to exchange Bishops, finally simplifying into a drawish four-Rook ending. Maybe 36. Rc4 Rd7 37. Kf1 (Stockfish) would have offered better chances of playing for the win. 36. ... Be7 37. Rc4 Bxb4 38. Rxb4 Rd7 39. Kg2 d3 40. Ra1 d2 41. Rd1 Rd4 42. Rxd4 exd4 43. Rxd2 Rxa4 44. Rc2 Ra5 45. Rxc7 Rxb5 46. Rc8+ Kf7 ½ : ½.