Bobby was right | Vachier-Lagrave vs Nepomniachtchi | FIDE Candidates 2020

Grandmaster Daniel King demonstrates Vachier-Lagrave vs Nepomniachtchi from the 2020 Candidates. Support on Patreon: 🔥 / powerplaychess ►Support via PayPal (💲): www.paypal.com...
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[@PowerPlayChess]

FIDE POSTPONES CANDIDATES: www.fide.com/news/462

[@andraspongracz5996]

-Nepo, when will you secure your lead in the tournament? -Winawer.

[@lazyatthedisco]

"Well, never?" "Whenever?" "Win oh, where?"

[@Uerdue]

The reason exchange sacrifices are so powerful is that you will never have to worry about split rooks afterwards!

[@ChessMasteryOfficial]

Play the opening like a book, the middlegame like a magician, and the endgame like a machine.

[@tome57a]

We should probably take a moment to attribute this quote to Rudolf Spielmann...

[@denisrozier5831]

Daniel, as a french man and correspondance chess player, I really appreciate your clever comments and also your typical english accent ! Good revision for me. I think MVL came in this tournament without pressure : he had nothing to lose !

[@danielzitnik4247]

Your tournament coverage videos are second to none. Thank you!

[@DrMo249]

My favourite game of this candidates so far, love the way MVL got coordinated & all his pieces were good. Tres bon

[@eugeniomoccia3917]

Fischer said: "I may yet be forced to admit that the Winawer is sound. But I doubt it! The defense is anti-positional and I'm weakens the K-side." Fantastic !

[@PowerPlayChess]

Exactly. Fischer-Darga from 'My 60 Memorable Games'. I managed to mangle the quote in the video :)

[@hieupham625]

@@PowerPlayChess Me. King in your opinion who do you think will win the Candidates Tournament?

[@fundhund62]

Playing over grandmaster games looks like so much fun if one understands them as well as you do! Wish I came close to that level one day.. In any case, thanks for helping us duffers understand what is going on in these wonderful games!

[@62calum]

you would be a great narrator for wildlife action.

[@YesPlease1]

I second this. When Atty retires, you gotta throw your hat in the ring, Daniel so that the whole world will hear your voice, not just us chess fanatics!

[@davidblack2970]

I can almost hear him commenting on the mating habits of crows. 'Ah, and now we see that the rooks are connected'.

[@Commanber]

That lion just RAKING across the savannah

[@amsterdam8486]

I love your way of telling the story of the game, i really miss that you're not often enough a commentator of the tournaments.

[@paulgreen7906]

MVL is doing a Denmark Euro 92!

[@beloglavisup2]

I remember that. I was 16 when it happened.

[@PowerPlayChess]

If you ❤️ my videos do *subscribe* bit.ly/powerplaysubscription and do checkout the *supporting* *options* through Patreon: bit.ly/patreondanielking or through *PayPal* (links in the description)

[@nimzotech1002]

@PowerPlayChess - Congratulations on the new and upcoming Sultan Khan book. By any chance, are you interested in doing a video on Sultan Khan for PowerPlay ;-). By the way I am reading your WINNING WITH NAJDORF book, it came highly recommended in the D. Vigorito Book - PLAYING THE NAJDORF by Quality Chess. Cheers

[@PowerPlayChess]

@@nimzotech1002 I will of course be promoting the book with another video (or two, or more!). In the meantime, it is possible to pre-order and check out sample pages here: www.newinchess.com/sultan-khan

[@TheNeonir]

Nicely analysed by Daniel King as always. Keep it up Sir!

[@proflaxis6968]

Mvl hitting top form just at the right time. Smoothest victory of his I have seen for a while. Tourney beginning to look like a 3 horse race. May the best man win.

[@MrDiscoTube]

A wonderful commentary on a splendid game!

[@louiefelipemurphy]

thanks for your breakdown. whether if it was because these positions weren't too complex, or if because you explained it very well, I was able to understand this game more than any other of the tournament so far.

[@skriabinfly]

Thank you for helping me finish my bottle of whiskey. During Lent, I only get to have a drink when Mr. King comments on the connectedness of rooks. 🥃🥃🥃🥃🥃

[@skriabinfly]

Sir, Your Christian sensibilities are commendable. However, your ability to detect a joke could be improved. ;) Stay well my friend.

[@horvathliviu2101]

Superb game and commentary, thank you, Sir!

[@oshharan1832]

Excellent analysis

[@DaanBeens]

A bit to audacious from Nepomniatchi? Thanks for the coverage, it's the highlight of my days in quarantaine!

[@eckhardrhauderwiek7748]

Who needs german commentary, you are still the best Daniel!!!

[@alframseysporndungeon8]

Thanks, Danny! Maxime played really great! By the way I did get a notification about your last hangout on my phone but didn't realise until it was too late mate! Never mind. I'll try to make it for the next one in a month or so. Stay well, stay safe. PS: I think you would be great commentating on the games on Chess24. You're the best out there in my humble opinion.

[@rageagainstthemachineragea2497]

This was a Beautiful Game! 😃👍👌👋👏👑💯💪

[@AriMakela]

Thank you for another video. I really like your witty style. By the way, have you ever considered making videos on Vasily Smyslov?

[@shauntaylor6040]

Just nice to see some different openings been played.

[@sola777al]

Who persistently dislikes these excellent analyzes :)

[@nbeqo]

A friend of mine, a 1.c4 player, used to say that if all his opponents would play the French Opening he would definitely play 1.e4!

[@crazymulgogi]

The Winawer is a bit wild, but there are lots of ways to play the French for Black that are very solid. Also check the famous win against Kasparov by Ivanchuk with Black in the French. 😋

[@alexverson4244]

Ty for video and all job, How to support u without PayPal?

[@researchexpresstitle2161]

Hi Daniel, always enjoy your analysis of games. Regarding the candidates tourney, now postponed. What do you think about this plan? Since all players were playing under “virus” cloud, FIDE should restart tournament with date TBD but add Timor and make it a 9 man double rr.

[@jamesduggan7200]

I'd have to look, but IIRC in that Fischer game it's black that gets rolling pawns in the center.

[@ΠέτροςΟικονόμου]

I have the (unfortunate) feeling that none of the tournament players can pose a serious threat to carlsen. There is something missing

[@lehatikhonov]

Rules we have now giving an advantage to Carlsen that's why he's saying that if the rules will be changed he'll retire.

[@zogzog1063]

At 10:25 I cannot for the life of me see what is wrong with N-B6. Surely the C4 square is where the Knight wants to go?

[@fixpontt]

I have always liked the second one. The MVL Strikes B(l)ack.

[@fortasbrahim8260]

at move 14 for black why he didn't take the e5 pawn with check ?

[@rickdynes]

Thank You Daniel

[@kimtaewoo3274]

Moral of the candidates: don't split rooks.

[@robinesperoza]

Bxe7 is such a difficult move to make. I always find it extremely difficult to trade one advantage I have fought for for another.

[@matchesmalone3145]

ty for the video

[@recca8969]

In move 35 is it possible for black to play Qb3?

[@michajabonski8152]

Could Nepo's apparent cold influence his form?

[@AlonsoRules]

queen and knight endgames are just like a computer

[@paulgoogol2652]

It is weird how black played Rg8 and Kf8 as if he messed up his castling and then went back to playing Rh8 and Ke8 to revert their misplacement. Then it looked like he magically solved his problems and MVL was messing up sacrifizing pawns in front of his king but he never lost control. It is just very confusing how black looked horrible then completely fine but got wiped off the board.

[@brandondaniels9471]

Didn't your mother tell you not to play with your food at the dinner table and... ... not to split your rooks!!! 😂

[@reddevilkev]

Can anybody show me the line why Qxe5 with check doesn't work?

[@Narrowcros]

I think one of these two will win the tournament, glad its someone new though to face Carlsen

[@fundhund62]

Don´t count out Fabiano just yet! These two will have to play a great couple of last rounds to get ahead of him!

[@brandonjoncas1582]

mvp is my fav modern day player i think could he ever win the chess championship for blitz or rapid?

[@Peterthemiller]

Is there something I’m missing about Qxa3 on move 17 for Nepo? It looks fine to me.

[@RangeWilson]

There's no follow-up. Black just has to waste time retreating the Queen, and White has a choice of promising plans to pursue in the meantime.

[@jrbleau]

It might be playable, but it's very risky - opens another line for White, puts the queen in harm's way and neglects Black's development which is already a problem. I don't think I'd be able to refute it with cold calculation, but on a purely positional basis, I'd reject it as Black.

[@motoputz3201]

nepo hung his family jewels for all to see playing the french against mvl ...crazy boy

[@Pacalolo04]

Grande, Daniel! Superb analysis of this beautiful game! * “I may yet BE FORCED to admit…”, the rest you got it right. As a teenager, I had to find a way to beat my father's Winawer, and Bobby's words were so encouraging. ;-D It took me quite a while though.

[@StojanOdVeles]

Why not 14...Qe5+ instead of 14...Nd7 ? That was a free pawn ?! Or perhaps not ?!

[@Andha1]

StojanOdVeles I was wondering that too

[@eyalsegal5003]

Black is not left with an extra pawn, since after 14... Qxe5+ 15.Ne2 he can't play 15...bxc5?? 16.Bf4 (winning the knight on b8); so 15...Nd7 16. cxb6 axb6 17. Qb4 and White should be better - though it's not necessarily worse for Black than what he got in the actual game.

[@SBelaya]

For me, French is just a bad opening. I am always happy when my opponent responds with 1... e6.

[@The_Angry_BeEconomist]

"well he can play Ke8 followed by short castle" Magnus Carlsen @ 12:10

[@jasongiannopoulos4168]

Jan Gustafson*

[@diddly4929]

Since Danny loves AlphaZero's h-pawn moves (woah look at that pawn on h5): 14:45 f5 pawn sacrifice! The influence of AlphaZero!!

[@RangeWilson]

Somehow your autocorrect replaced "Kasparov" with "AlphaZero".

[@stevienewm4950]

Daniel! As soon as I saw that it was a Winawer, I knew who won. Because of the reference to Bobby Fischer in the title. Please! You gave earlier games away too: Miracle defence, By the skin of teeth, White to play and win (!). I beg you!

[@nilsp9426]

I also like to sac an exchange when my opponent has a bystander rook. You are basically a piece up... Also it is funny how Nepo moved Ke8-f8-e8 and Rh8-g8-h8. Looks increadibly silly afterwards.

[@tharkanzox1493]

If Nepomniachtchi manages a comeback at this point i for one will suspect he won by nepotism.

[@prayagadakshin8911]

Lol

[@TheJayman760]

Another Bingo!

[@taljechin]

Wasn't Black's ...bxc5 just a strategic mistake? After ...Qxc5 instead he has pressure on c3 and can send one of the knights to c4 via a5 and perhaps put the other knight on c6, so the king could get off the back rank. And without an open b-file White's rooks aren't so obviously better than Black's... Anyway, a sad game from Nepo. Hope he doesn't collapse as in Zagreb where he also had +3 early on.

[@postnubilaphoebus96]

The Frenchman wins against the French and takes en passant on almost the last move. How hilarious.

[@ΝεκτάριοςΣολιδάκης]

I think I heard him announce 'Reine!' on move 30 and call 'Roi!' move 39

[@shelleyparr9990]

If that's an example of top class play then there's hope for me yet! I mean, come on, what on earth was that? King moved twice, rook moved twice, knight moved twice...more a case of shuffle board.

[@elcid451]

in the MVL game why after 35 NEPO's Qe6 why was Ng3 played when Qa3ch.. 1) ...Kf7, Nd6ch Kg8, f5 blocks black totally and wins the a pawn with massive advantage 2) ..Kg8, Ne7ch Kf7, Ng6 Qg4ch, Kf2 Qxh5, Qe7ch Kg8, Qe8ch Kh7, Nf8ch NxN, QxQ! Nobody even looked at this line.

[@eyalsegal5003]

36. Qa3+? Kg8 37. Ne7+ Kh7! (not Kf7?) and White is not winning anymore; e.g., 38.f5 Qb6! and with the threats of Nxe5 & Qb1+ Black has enough counterplay.

[@elcid451]

@@eyalsegal5003 I think black would just be lost after 39 Qc1! 1) .... Nxe5?, 40 Nxd5! Nd3 , 41 NxQ NxQ, 42 d5 wins Qd6 , 41 dxN Qxd5, 42 Qe3 Qd1ch, 43 Kf2 Qxh5, 44 Qe4... and white's winning

[@eyalsegal5003]

44.Qe4 at the end of the 2nd line is not winning, it's a draw after 44...Qh2+ (white has to allow perpetual check or lose his pawns); 43...Qc2 +(instead of Qxh5) followed by Qxf5 is also a draw. Stockfish 11 gives an evaluation of triple zeroes to both.

[@elcid451]

@@eyalsegal5003 43 Kf2 Qc2+ 44 Kg3 Qxf5 45 e6 is winning.. black can't take on h5 as white will gain e4 for his queen

[@eyalsegal5003]

First, black doesn't have to take on h5 in that line, because 45...Qd3 forces a draw. And in fact he can take - 45...Qxf5 46.e7 Qg6+ and again, the white king can't escape the checks (as for gaining the e4 square, 46.Qe4+?? Qg6+ [check] actually loses for white). And the 43...Qxh5 (instead of Qc2+) 44.Qe4 Qh2+ line is also drawing, as I already mentioned.

[@archaeopteryx7405]

10...Rg8 looks like an horrible move. Why not 10...Nf5; 11.Bd3 0-0; 12.Bxf5 exf5; 13.Qg3 Kh7 followed by 14...Be6? In my opinion this position looks quite playable for black..

[@lashabezhanishvili9034]

Seems like that c4 lost the game for Nepo. After that there was no counterplay really and it was matter of time. Strange decision from Nepo, it has been known since Greco that closing the Queenside is very risky for Black in French.

[@RangeWilson]

Yeah, that's the danger of prepping a new opening system. You can learn all the moves, but without the knowledge and experience of playing the middlegames afterwards, you can make beginner-like mistakes after the book ends. Either that, or Nepo saw something concrete that he thought demanded ...c4, but it sure didn't work out very well.

[@pronemanoldbutyoung5548]

Kasparov or AlphaZero made h4 popular, its debatable

[@fred324gigo]

👍👍👍👍👍

[@blindfoldchessabhi]

Yo

[@bekanav]

Fix your microphone! Move it or have a stand for it or put something soft material under it to block the noise. Very annoying to hear all your movements through the mic.

[@jolly_roger2]

That Nepomniachtchi pronunciation is really weird and not correct lol

[@abj136]

Rg8 Kf8 Rh8 Ke8. No wonder Nepo's position sucked!

[@MartinUToob]

Woo! MVL has put a total head fake on Preparation. Oo! Oo! He might turn the corner and do some open field running and bust it open! What an Underdog! (Heh, heh, heh). Good game. 🤒

[@jefft5854]

It is weird for such a top player as Nepo to play c4 in that kind of French position where White can redeploy the Bishop on a3. Every French defense player knows that it tends to give all the play to White.

[@myopenmind527]

I think I could have played white in this game. 😉