In a previous article Previewing The Sinquefield Cup (5): Can Topalov Beat Carlsen?, I discussed the likelyhood of Topalov beating Carlsen during the upcoming Sinquefield Cup. In this follow-up I want to take a look at the number six on the starting list, Maxime Vachier-Lagrave, or “MVL” for friends.

Statistics

In the database I found only 5 encounters in classical chess between Magnus Carlsen and Maxime Vachier-Lagrave. In the overall head to head Vachier-Lagrave is behind with 40%, but with so little data, there is no real pattern yet. With two draws he has beaten Carlsen once, whereas Carlsen has beaten him twice.

Last Encounter

The last encounter in a classical game between the two is from a while back. It was played in 2011 in Biel. I will annotate the game below.
Click on the moves below to start playing and show a chess board:

[pgn_compat]
[Event “Biel Accentus”]
[Site “Biel”]
[Date “2011.07.28”]
[Round “9”]
[White “Carlsen, Magnus”]
[Black “Vachier Lagrave, Maxime”]
[Result “1/2-1/2”]
[ECO “D79”]
[WhiteElo “2821”]
[BlackElo “2722”]
[Annotator “Waldemar Moes, Better Your Chess”]
[PlyCount “97”]
[EventDate “2011.07.18”]
[EventType “tourn”]
[EventRounds “10”]
[EventCountry “SUI”]
[EventCategory “19”]
[Source “ChessBase”]
[SourceDate “2011.09.16”]

1. d4 Nf6 2. c4 g6 3. g3 Bg7 4. Bg2 O-O 5. Nf3 c6 6. Nc3 d5 7. cxd5 cxd5 8. Ne5
{We have entered the realms of the Neo-Grunfeld Variation, a system much
favored by Karpov. I recall a magnificent game that Karpov won against Kamsky
back in 1992, a game that he analyzes together with GM Henley in a very
interesting video that I will post at the bottom of this post. Truly one of
the greatest positional masterpieces in the history of chess!} e6 9. O-O Nfd7
10. f4 Nc6 11. Be3 Nb6 12. Bf2 Bd7 13. e4 Ne7 14. Nxd7 $5 {Throughout the
years, theory has evolved enormously and the players are still following the
main book line. In 2011 Carlsen was clearly less inclined to leave the well
trodden paths quickly. By now (2014) there are no less then 43 games in the
database with this exchange! The text move has it’s pros and cons. It does
exchange the well-placed Ne5 for the technically bad Bd7, but aims to gain
space and attacking chances on the king side, similar as to the Karpov game.
The bishop pair is also gained, but that is of rather academic value in this
closed position.} Qxd7 15. e5 {The space gaining follow-up which also renders
Bg7 quite passive.} Rac8 {Black is first on the c-file, but White is happy to
have his knight on c3 (instead of d2 or b3) from where it firmly blockades the
c-file. This is something we already learn from Capablanca and the likes.} 16.
Qe2 Rc4 17. Rfc1 Rfc8 18. Bf1 {Due to the closed nature of the position the
bishops need a lot of rerouting.} R4c7 19. Qe1 {possibly intending Nb5-d6} a6 {
Black puts a stop to that.} 20. b3 {Another point of Qe1 is that now Nb6 can
be denied the c4 outpost.} Bf8 $10 {Black also reroutes, the position is equal.
} 21. Qd2 Nc6 22. a3 f5 $6 {A remarkable move, it seems that White is the only
one who can hope to gain from opening it up a bit.} 23. Kg2 $6 {But Carlsen
says “No, thank you”.} (23. exf6 Qf7 24. Qe3 Qxf6 25. Bh3 {and the weakness of
the e6-pawn gives White something to nibble on.}) 23… Qg7 {I always teach my
students to ask themselves after the opponents move: What has changed in the
position? Well, what do you think has changed in the position after this move?}
24. Be3 Be7 {And after this move?} 25. Bd3 Na5 {And after this move?} 26. Qb2
g5 $6 {Again Vachier-Lagrave plays ambitiously.} 27. Ne2 $1 {Overprotecting f4
and preparing to “vacuum-clean” the c-file.} g4 28. Rh1 $6 {It seemed Carlsen
was building up to something, but now he switches plans.} ({I like} 28. Rxc7 {
Starting to pave the way into Black’s queen side.} Rxc7 29. Rc1 Nc6 (29… Rxc1
$2 30. Bxc1 $14 {when White can try to make use of the three observations you
could make by answering the three change-questions: 1) Qg7 is away from the
queen side 2) Be7 blocks the queens influence on the queen side 3) Na5 is
loose. White is threatening Qc3!} Nc6 (30… Bd8 31. Qc3 Nd7 (31… Qc7 32.
Qxa5) 32. b4 $14) 31. Qc3 $14) 30. b4 {and White is for preference, especially
since now he has the aggressive stance on the c-file and queen side and not
Black.}) 28… h5 29. h3 Kf7 $2 30. Rh2 $6 (30. Bd2 $1 $14 {forcing Black to
block the c-file} Nc6 31. hxg4 Qxg4 32. Ng1 $1 {so as to attack more safely on
the king side!}) 30… h4 31. Bd2 Nc6 32. Rah1 {Funny looking rooks, but what
is White threatening?} Rh8 $6 (32… Rg8) 33. hxg4 Qxg4 (33… fxg4 $4 34. gxh4
$18) 34. Rh3 Rcc8 35. Ng1 $1 $14 {it seems as if White has managed to get some
initiative. he is threatening to step up the pressure with Nf3 or Be2.} Qg7 36.
Nf3 $6 ({More precise is:} 36. Be2 hxg3 $2 37. Bh5+ $16) 36… hxg3 37. b4 $6 {
This plan does not achieve much.} (37. Be2) 37… Rxh3 38. Rxh3 Rh8 39. Rxh8
Qxh8 40. b5 axb5 41. Bxb5 (41. Qxb5 $4 {Maybe this was Carlsen original
intention when he played b3-b4.} Nc4 $1 42. Bxc4 Nxd4 $1 43. Qd7 (43. Nxd4 $4
Qh2+ 44. Kf3 Qf2#) 43… Nxf3 44. Kxf3 Qh2 45. Be3 dxc4 $19) 41… Qc8 $10 {
The position is equal again and a draw is reached soon.} 42. a4 Nc4 43. Bxc4
dxc4 44. Qc1 $5 {A last inventive try to mix it up.} (44. Kxg3) 44… Nb4 45.
Bxb4 Bxb4 46. d5 $5 {The pointe of Qc1.} ({Not the immediate} 46. Qh1 $2 Qc6
$17) 46… Qc5 {No funny business.} (46… exd5 47. Qh1 {would be the other
pointe:} c3 48. Qh5+ Ke7 49. Nd4 c2 50. Qh7+ Kd8 51. Qg8+ Kc7 52. Qxc8+ Kxc8
53. Nxc2 $10) 47. dxe6+ Kxe6 48. Kxg3 Qd5 49. Qb1 1/2-1/2

[/pgn_compat]

Considering the small number of games and the fact that both contenders have not played in over three years, I find it hard so say anything useful about how these two players will compete.

Later today the fun starts.
Let the strongest man win the tournament (and I don’t necessarily mean Carlsen)!

By the way, enjoy the Karpov game: