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Yifan Hou vs Maxime Vachier-Lagrave
GRENKE Chess Classic (2018), Karlsruhe GER, rd 3, Apr-02
Zukertort Opening: Sicilian Invitation (A04)  ·  0-1

8
7
6
5
4
3
2
a
1
b
c
d
e
f
g
h
White to move.
ANALYSIS [x]
0-1

rnbqkbnr/pppppppp/8/8/8/8/PPPPPPPP/RNBQKBNR w KQkq - 0 1
FEN COPIED

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Kibitzer's Corner
Apr-02-18  Ulhumbrus: 10 Qc3 does not threaten much because Black can always play ...Nh5 if he wishes. If White does not want to play something like 10 Qh4, one alternative to 9 Qxd4 9 Nxd4.

12 Na3 develops the knight on the rim

25 Qe3? instead of 25 Nd5 seems inexact because 25...a5 prepares to obstruct White's queen's bishop by 26...b4 in reply to 26 Nd5.

Apr-02-18
Premium Chessgames Member
  ajk68: 33. Bf1?? was the fatal mistake. MVL didn't have anything until then.
Apr-02-18  Robyn Hode: Except pressure and superior piece placement.
Apr-02-18
Premium Chessgames Member
  HeMateMe: yifan missed long term planning around the queenside pawn structure after the heavy pieces were removed. The difference between 100 chess rating points.
Apr-02-18  JPi: Agree. Indeed Hou Yifan was able to draw vs Anand and got more than decent positions against Carlsen and Maxime but somehow around move 25 she failed to find the right plan. Here 22.e4?! is going nowhere. 22.Ne3! then 23.Qa5 looking on a6 and c7 was better. On Carlsen' game 23...Bh8 with Nbd7-Nf8-Ne6 or 23...Nbd7 immediately then Ra8 and Qd8-Qf8 to keep dark squares control pressure on a bit shattered pawn structure. She seems to need this feeling that Judith Polgar haved against the very best "I can beat all of them"
Apr-03-18  catlover: <ajk68: 33. Bf1?? was the fatal mistake. MVL didn't have anything until then.>

Stockfish agrees and suggests that 33. Bf3 would have been better.

Apr-04-18  dehanne: Yifan needs to manage her time on the clock better.
Apr-06-18  cormier: 1) +0.86 (41 ply) 22.Ne3 e6 23.Qa5 Qb7 24.Nxd5 Bxd5 25.Bxd5 Qxd5 26.Qxa6 h5 27.Bb4 h4 28.Qc6 Qxc6 29.Rxc6 Ra8 30.Rc2 hxg3 31.hxg3 Bf8 32.Bxf8 Kxf8 33.e3 Ke7 34.Kg2 f5 35.Kf3 Kf6 36.e4 b4 37.Ke3 e5 38.f4 exf4+ 39.gxf4 fxe4 40.Kxe4 Ra7 41.Rg2 Rh7 42.Rd2 Rh3 43.Rd4 Rh2

15.0 minute analysis by Stockfish 9

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