French League Round 6

May 02, 2009 • General

Hikaru Nakamura (2699) – Sebastian Maze (2579), French League (6) 2.5.2009

1.g3 Nf6 2.Bg2 d5 3.d3 Bf5 4.c4 c6 5.Qb3 (Diagram 1)

An interesting position. Although this still remains far from clear, it is most certainly not what my opponent was expecting when he chose to go for 3…Bf5 in the first place. I could have chosen other more peaceful options, but I felt like going right for complications.

5…Bc8 6.cxd5 cxd5 7.Nc3 e6 8.e4 dxe4 9.dxe4 Nc6 10. Nge2 (10.Nf3 Qd3 is highly problematic for me.)  Bc5 11.0-0 0-0 12.Na4 Be7 13.Rd1 Qa5 (13…Qc7 14.Bg5 was still a small advantage for White as well.) 14.Bd2 Qa6 15.Nac3 e5 16.Bf1 (Diagram 2)

16…Qb6 (16…Be6 17.Nd5 led to complications, 16…Bg4 17.h3! Bf3 18.Nb5 was better for White.) 17.Qxb6 axb6 18.Bg5 Bg4 19.h3 Bxe2 20.Bxe2 Nd4 21.Bxf6 Bxf6 22.Bg4 g6 23.h4 Be7?! 24.Nd5 Bd8 25.Rd3 f5 26.exf5 gxf5 27.Bh3 Bf6 28.Bg2 (Diagram 3)

28…Rad8? (After 28…Bg7 29. Nxb6 Rad8 Black definitely has some compensation. However, Maze was already in some time pressure and after this blunder, there is no return. 29.Rad1 Bg7 30.f4 exf4 (30…Nc6 31.Ne7 led to a winning endgame for White.) 31.Rxd4! Bxd4 32.Rxd4 fxg3 33.Bf3 f4 34.Kg2 Kh8 35.Rb4 Rf536.Nxf4 Rg8 37.Ne2 Rgf8 38.Rb3 b5 39.Nd4 Rc5 40.Kxg3 Rg8 41. Kh3 (Diagram 4)

1-0

Not necessarily the best game I’ve ever played but it worked out well enough. Overall the team performed incredibly well as we beat Clichy by a total of 5-1 (2 draws).

Evry-Clichy Round 6

Svidler-Jakovenko 1-0

Naiditsch-Vachier Lagrave 0-1

Nakamura-Maze 1-0

Fressinet-Yusupov 1-0

Hauchard-Pelletier 1-0

Romain-Feller 0-1

Milliet-Tregubov 1/2-1/2

Skripchenko-Chabanon 1/2-1/2

Overall this was a huge win for the team as we took the overall lead. Tomorrow we will play Marseilles and it will also be fairly difficult. However, as a team you just have to take it one match at a time.