MVL is the MVP in Sinquefield 2017!

Maxime Vachier-Lagrave has had mixed results in the past year. In last year’s Sinquefield Cup, MVL, as he is known, was second in the world with a 2819 ELO and top seed. He finished on 50% and it started a string of mediocre results. Coming into the 2017 edition of the Sinquefield Cup, he would be a “dark horse” at 2789 and #8 on FIDE list. Known as a theoretician and deadly in complicated positions, MVL stayed true to his style and with a bit of fortune on his side, waded through the field undefeated. Here he is interviewed by Maurice Ashley about his overall performance after winning his last game.

Video by CCSCSL

MVL started by beating defending champion Wesley So, but his most fulfilling game may have come against Carlsen in a game with dizzying complications. The World Champion erred with 46.Rg2?? forgetting that 46…Bh3 47.Rxg3 Bxf1 48.Rf3 loses to 48…Be2! The oversight was that 49.Re3 is met by 49…f4! and the bishop is immune due to 50.Rxe2 Nc1+! There after Carlsen was simply the exchange down.

MVL still wasn’t in the clear since Levon Aronian and Viswanathan Anand were on his heels. The three would enter the final round tied on 5/8. MVL beat Ian Nepomniachtchi, Anand drew and Aronian lost after trying to press for a win against Carlsen. So the victory went to Frenchman MVL who has one his first supertournament and is now back to #2 in on the live list.

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