Yesterday in The Times I published Fabiano Caruana’s victory against Magnus Carlsen from the Sinquefield Cup in St Louis which finishes today. In the first six rounds of the tournament Caruana defeated all five of his opponents in straight sequence including Topalov (twice). This week’s game shows Maxime Vachier-Lagrave going down in flames after choosing a sharp variation of the Caro-Kann Defence.
White: Fabiano Caruana. Black: Maxime Vachier-Lagrave. Sinquefield Cup, St Louis 2014. Caro-Kann Defence.
1 e4 c6 2 d4 d5 3 e5 Bf5 4 Nf3 e6 5 Be2 c5 6 Be3 Qb6 7 Nc3 Nc6 8 0-0 Qxb2 Black goes for broke by seeking to hoover up White’s queenside pawns with his own queen. Naturally this brings with it certain dangers. 9 Qe1 cxd4 10 Bxd4 Nxd4 11 Nxd4 Bb4 12 Ndb5 Ba5 13 Rb1 Qxc2 14 Rc1 Caruana has sacrificed two pawns but clearly has faith in the white position. 14 ... Qb2 15 g4 Bg6 16 f4 White has the initiative. The immediate threat is to suffocate Black’s bishop by means of f5. 16 ... Be4 17 Rf2 Nh6 Black avoids the trap 17 ... Bb6 18 Na4 Bxf2+ 19 Kxf2 Qxa2 20 Nc7+ wins material. 18 Bd3 Qb4 19 Rb1 Qc5 20 Nxe4 dxe4 20 ... Bxe1 21 Nxc5 Bxf2+ 22 Kxf2 Ke7 23 Nd6 leaves White in complete command. 21 Qxa5 The threat of 22 Nd6+ means that White wins a piece. 21 ... 0-0 22 Be2 e3 22 ... a6 is met by 23 Qc3. 23 Rff1 Rfc8 24 Qe1 Qd5 25 Rb2 f6 26 Qg3 fxe5 27 fxe5 Rf8 28 Rxf8+ Rxf8 29 Qxe3 Nf7 30 Nc3 Black resigns
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Spot the Move 923: Black to move
This position is a variation from Topalov-Nakamura, St Louis 2014. Can you spot Black’s classic finish?
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Send your solution (first move only), to Sunday Times Spot the Move 923, 1 London Bridge Street, London, SE1 9GF, or e-mail to puzzle.entries@sunday-times.co.uk. The first correct answer drawn after next Saturday wins £20.
Solution to Spot the Move 921:
1 Rxd5! leads to 1 ... Qxd5 2 Bxh7+ Nxh7 (2 ... Kh8 3 Be4+ wins the queen) 3 Qxd5 winning on material.
Winner: Chess 920
D Page, Sittingbourne, Kent