World Cup into final stretch
The Players are Fighting!
Definitely this World Cup ranks as one of the most interesting in recent times. Of the remaining 8 mini-matches, yesterday’s play saw no less than 4 decisive games. Duda, Vachier-Lagrave, Grischuk and Vitiugov downed, respectively, Xiong, Svidler, Dominguez and So.
Today the second game of each mini-match will be played and fireworks are expected. These pairings are given below:
The Vachier Lagrave versus Svidler game was quite intense. Two of the world’s leading experts on the Spanish variation faceoff. Both are obviously well prepared, but it is Svidler who forces the play, exchanging pieces before the Frenchman can take the initiative.
Svidler then sacrifices a pawn to keep things going and the game seems to be heading to a deadlock when Svidler in explicably mixes up his move order, allowing Vachier Lagrave to keep his pawn advantage. Rather than wait by and see how the Frenchman nurses his advantage, Svidler then sacrifices a piece to open up the White Kingside. It fails miserably as White killed all of Black’s threats.
Svidler resigned when time control was reached. He was a piece less with nothing to show for it.
gm Vachier Lagrave – Svidler
World Cup r4.g1 20.9.2019
1-0
