| Jan-17-08 | | cade: Bacrots third win with black at Corus B 2008 to put his black score at 3/3. The 2 games he has been white so far have both ended in draws. Interesting strategy. |
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| Jan-17-08 | | ayotzinco: Good preparation, beautiful game. Etienne loves the dynamic marshall. |
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| Jan-17-08 | | pink gorilla: can someone explain 27 Bc1? |
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| Jan-17-08 | | biscuitneilston: I think, if Smeets captures the bishop then Bacrot can then play Qg5+ and win the rook. |
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| Jan-17-08 | | ganstaman: <biscuitneilston: I think, if Smeets captures the bishop then Bacrot can then play Qg5+ and win the rook.> It's better than that.
27...Bc1 28. Rxc1 Qg5+ (29. Qg2 Qxg2#) 29. Kh1 Qxc1+ 30. Re1 Qxe1# And if the threat is ignored, then 28...Qd1+ 29. Re1 Qxe1# |
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| Jan-17-08 | | Illogic: Bc1! What a move. This is a classic Marshall game. Spectacular tactics happening on almost every move. |
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| Jan-17-08 | | Shams: I wondered how long white could get away with taking twice on d5, allowing black the bishop pair. Shirov has played it to good effect lately-- I'd like to see him take on Bacrot in this line. |
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| Jan-18-08 | | Ezzy: Fantastic game by Bacrot!! I think I will pop over to the Corus website and give it my vote for 'best game of the day.' |
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| Jan-18-08 | | kaligula: 27.. Bc1 ! wow nice tactics !!!!! good for Bacrot u are returning your old shape !!!!! interesting game!!!! with uniteresting mate !!! i think the endgame whould be difficult for black to win!!!! after 38. Qg2 well it's just my opinion |
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| Jan-18-08 | | Confuse: it is a nice tactic, but its sad to think that once bacrot rises up to group A again he'll be near the bottom of the table and receive many negative comments. With that said, well played Bacrot. |
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| Jan-18-08 | | DiWally: Am I mad?
After 27.- Bc1 White can play 28.Bxg7+ Rg7: 29.Qb8+ Rg8 30.Qe5+ Rg7 31.Qxg7 and checkmate. ??? |
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| Jan-18-08 | | Miacat: <DiWally> You can't play that sequence as after 28 Rxg7+ white is in check... which leads to mate e.g. 29 Rxg7 Qd1++ or 29Kh1 Qd1++ |
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| Jan-18-08 | | DiWally: <Miacat> Thanks Miacat, how stupid I was. |
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Jan-25-08
 | | Mateo: A very entertaining game and a very good one too. It desearves a brilliancy prize. 1. e4 e5 2. Nf3 Nc6 3. Bb5 a6 4. Ba4 Nf6 5. O-O Be7 6. Re1 b5 7. Bb3 O-O 8. c3 d5 9. exd5 Nxd5 10. Nxe5 Nxe5 11. Rxe5 c6 12. d3 Bd6 13. Re1 Bf5 14. Qf3 Qh4 15. g3 Qh3 16. Bxd5 cxd5 17. Qxd5 Rad8 Qh5 19. Be3
Bh3!? <Novelty instead of 19...Bxd3 played 3 times last year.> 20. Qh1 <Strange at first sight but the White Queen has to stay on the long diagonal and h1 is the only square where Black cannot attack her majesty. If 20.Qc6 Rc8! 21.Qb7 Rc7.> f5 <Black threatens f4 followed by f3 and Bg2.> 21. Bb6 Rd7 <This move looks simple but it is the beginning of a sound sacrifice.> 22. Qd5+ Kh8 23. Nd2 Bxg3! 24. Qxd7 Bf4 <White cannot save the Knight. For instance, 25.Nf1? Qf3.> 25. Qb7 Bxd2 26. Bd4 Rg8 27. Re7 <White is a pawn up, won the exchange and attacks g7 but...> Bc1! <threatens 28...Qd1+ 29. Re1 Qxe1 mate.> 28. Re1 <28. Rxc1 Qg5+ (29. Qg2 Qxg2 mate) 29. Kh1 Qxc1+ 30. Re1 Qxe1 mate. 28.Bxg7+? Rxg7+.> Bf4 29. Re3 <29.Re7 Bxh2+! 30.Kxh2 Bg4+ 31.Kg3 f4+ 32.Kxf4 Rf8+ 33.Rf7 (33.Ke3? Qg5+ and mate) Rxf7+ 34.Qxf7 Qxf7+ 35.Kxg4, Black looks fine.> Bxe3 30. Bxe3?! <30.fxe3 Qe2 is equal. Black wins back the d-pawn.> Re8! <there are tactical themes. White’s 1st rank is weak.> 31. Bd4 Qg4+ 32. Kh1 h6 <32...Re7?? 33.Qa8+ Re8 34.Qxe8 mate.> 33. f4 <33.Rg1?? Qxg1+! 34.Kxg1 Re1 mate. Smeets prepares Be5.> Re7! 34. Qa8+? <Better 34.Qc6! Qxf4 (34...Qe2 35.Qxh6+ Kg8 36.Qxh3, White wins), although Black has a big edge.> Kh7 35. Be5 Qe2 36. Rg1 Bg4 37. Rxg4 fxg4 38. d4?? <Better was 38.Qe4+ Qxe4 39.dxe4, but Black wins slowly after 39...g5.> Qf1+ Mate 0-1 |
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Aug-01-08
| | Mateo: Bacrot analysed this game here http://www.lachainedesjeux.com/. It's very instructive. One point should be noticed. His home preparation ended on move 30. |
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| Jun-05-12 | | chessking11: What happened to (newer) games in this variation? Are GM's afraid of it? The only games here are from '08. |
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Aug-19-14
 | | eternaloptimist: White as a Smeets |
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Aug-19-14
| | eternaloptimist: Bacrot played a brilliant game, & as <Mateo> pointed out, it deserved a brilliancy prize. <Mateo> made some good points in his annotations, & they are worth reading & playing over. I wish I could've seen the look on Smeets' face after 23...♗xg3!. Moves like that move & 27...♗c1! didn't help the coloration of Smeets' face any. |
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| Feb-14-24 | | SeanAzarin: A brilliant Bacrot mate! Well played, Etienne. |
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| Feb-14-24 | | Cecco: The engine considers 31. Bd4 the decisive mistake. And, before, it claims that 30. Bxe3 was a mistake too. That bishop didn't get one right. |
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| Feb-14-24 | | goodevans: A great game for sure.
Here's my favorite moment. I reckon it would make a good puzzle. <27...? Black to move>. 
click for larger viewBlack can win back some of the sac'd material with 27...Qg5+ 28.Kh1 Bd2+ 29.Qxg2 Qxe7 but he'd still be a pawn down and with 30.Qd5 White would be dominating the board. 27...Bc1!, threatening 28...Qd1#, forces the R's retreat and completely diffuses White's attack. SF is calling it even but White's K is the more vulnerable so Black's chances are much the better. |
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Feb-14-24
| | eternaloptimist: Yes it’s a great game & <27...? Black to move> would make a good puzzle. Bacrot did really well in this tournament & tied for 2nd place. He played 13 games & he didn't lose any of them |
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Kibitzing
sac: 23...Bxg3