Constantin Lupulescu: My most memorable game

by ChessBase
5/31/2020 – Getting a spot in the World Cup is a major accomplishment for chess players. For those born in Europe, qualifying through their continental tournament is particularly difficult, given the amount of strong grandmasters in the region. Back in 2014, Constantin Lupulescu found himself in a tough spot, lagging behind in the standings with two rounds to go. Facing a higher-rated opponent, he decided to give the French Defence a go. | Photo: Fiona Steil-Antoni
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MMMG #2: Trying out the French

Constantin Lupulescu was born on March 25th in Butfea, a city located 20 km north-west of Bucharest. A five-time national champion and current number one in Romania, he has represented his country in Chess Olympiads since 2004.

Lupulescu is a seasoned professional. He crossed the 2600 rating barrier in July 2010 and never looked back, qualifying to five World Cups between 2009 and 2019. His most recent major success was winning the 2019 Reykjavik Open ahead of strong opposition, including the likes of Gawain Jones, Nils Grandelius or Alireza Firouzja.

In 2014, at the eleven-round European Championship in Yerevan, Lupulescu had 6 points after nine rounds, which meant he badly needed a win if he wanted to get a spot in next year's World Cup. He was paired up against a higher-rated player with black, and decided to try out a new opening!

Constantin Lupulescu

Lupulescu won the 2019 SuperChess Blitz Cup in Bucharest | Photo: Official site  

Below we present the highlights of the annotations sent by the author. The full analysis can be found in a replayable board at the end of the article. Note that Constantin also sent a follow-up game, which can be found in the raplayable board as well.

The European Championships are probably the most successful tournaments in my career. I scored four medals in my junior years — two in individual events and two in team events. When I started playing in the open section, this rule seemed to apply as well, as I managed to qualify five times to the World Cup. This tournament, played in Yerevan in 2014, was also going well until, in the eighth round, Alexander Moiseenko defeated me in nice style. In the following round, I managed to scrape a much-needed win, and then went on to face one of the top seeds with black in the penultimate round.

Kryvoruchko, Yuriy vs. Lupulescu, Constantin
European Championship, 2014 (Yerevan, Armenia)

1.e4 e6

Before the European Championship, I had a nice training camp with the Romanian team. After cheerfully looking at some games from the black side, I finally decided to give the French Defense a go. I thought that playing it for the first time against a strong theoretician would be an interesting (and rather optimistic) trial by fire.

2.d4 d5 3.Nc3 Nf6 4.e5 Nfd7 5.f4 c5 6.Nf3 Nc6 7.Be3 cxd4 8.Nxd4 Bc5 9.Qd2 0-0 10.0-0-0 a6 11.Nb3

 

Not surprisingly, my opponent chooses the most principled line. Three times I faced Yuriy Kryvoruchko with black, three times I chose the French, and three time I was struggling after the opening.

11...Bb4 12.g4 b5?! Natural, but my attack will be slower.

13.Rg1!?

 

The start of a very interesting maneuver — it turns out I don't have many defenders around my king.

13...Bb7 14.Rg3 Qe7 15.Rh3 Rfc8 16.Bd3?! Very natural, but not the best.

16...g6 17.Bg1 Bxc3?

 

Although tempting, this was a poor strategical decision, surrendering control of the dark squares. I manage to shatter his pawn structure, but my counterplay comes too late.

18.bxc3 a5 19.Kb1 b4

 

I thought I would be fine, but I underestimated the following idea.

20.f5! Qf8 21.Qg5!

 

Around here, I realized that maybe playing the Caro-Kann would have been a decent choice after all...

21...Ncxe5 22.Bd4

 

After this dark-squared monster lands on his favorite French square, there is no way my king will survive for long.

22...Qg7! 23.cxb4 Also strong, but it allows me to muddy the waters a little.

23...f6!

 

24.Qe3 exf5 25.gxf5 axb4 26.fxg6 hxg6 27.Rg1

 

My kingside is in dire straits. Naturally, White starts pointing all he has in the direction of the black king.

27...Re8 28.Rhg3 Nf8 29.h4!

 

Another strong move, and it looks like White has done everything right so far. However, this came at the cost of most of his time on the clock.

29...Ba6 30.Bxa6? A rushed decision that he will soon live to regret.

30...Rxa6

 

Once the light-squared bishops were exchanged, I can start breathing again.

31.h5 Rae6 32.Nc5 R6e7 Black managed to bring all his pieces into play, and White's advantage has become quite problematic.

33.hxg6?

 

A really bad call that can only be explained by our mutual time trouble — now White's rooks look quite silly. However, there is no good advice in time trouble, and I've certainly done more terrible things in some of my own.

33...Nc4 Suddenly Black's counterattack proves to be very dangerous.

34.Qc1 A sad necessity due to the back rank problems.

34...Na3+ 35.Kb2?!

 

Rxa3 was needed. Although looking unpleasant, White would still be in the game.

35...Re2 36.Qf4 White finds the only move to stay in the game.

36...Nxc2 37.Bxf6

 

With his seconds ticking away, White makes a tempting move that seals his fate.

37...Qa7! -+ A very sweet queen move. Now the white king is beyond salvation.

38.Kb1 Na3+

 

In time trouble it's usually preferable to choose the most forcing option.

39.Ka1 Re1+ 40.Kb2 Nc4+

 

The time trouble is over, and so is the game. With this I reached a 7/10 score, getting much closer to World Cup qualification.

After my rollercoaster game from round ten, I was paired up against a higher-rated opponent (Viktor Laznicka) with black, again. I repeated the French — the opening result from the game with Kryvoruchko was no peach, but what better time to push your luck than the last round? (See full game in the replayer below)

Full annotations

 
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1.e4 The European Championships are probably the most successful tournaments in my career. I scored four medals in my junior years — two in individual events and two in team events. When I started playing in the open sectioon, this rule seemed to apply as well, as I managed to qualify five times to the World Cup. This tournament, played in Yerevan in 2014, was also going well until, in the eighth round, Alexander Moiseenko defeated me in nice style. In the following round, I managed to scrape a much-needed win, and then went on to face one of the top seeds with black in the penultimate round. e6 Before the European Championship, I had a nice training camp with the Romanian team. After cheerfully looking at some games from the black side, I finally decided to give the French Defense a go. I thought that playing it for the first time against a strong theoretician would be an interesting (and rather optimistic) trial by fire. 2.d4 d5 3.Nc3 Nf6 4.e5 Nfd7 5.f4 c5 6.Nf3 Nc6 7.Be3 cxd4 8.Nxd4 Bc5 9.Qd2 0-0 10.0-0-0 a6 11.Nb3 Not surprisingly, my opponent chooses the most principled line. Three times I faced Yuriy Kryvoruchko with black, three times I chose the French, and three time I was struggling after the opening. Bb4 12.g4 12.Bd3 is another way of mounting an attack against the black king. 12...b5?! Natural, but my attack will be slower. 12...f6 was probably a better choice, breaking in the centre before he could start something really dangerous. 13.Rg1!? The start of a very interesting maneuver - it turns out I don't have many defenders around my king. Bb7 14.Rg3 Qe7 14...f6 again was to be preferred, although here it would be inferior compared to move 12. However, I considered this position to be too one-sided, and preferred to have my shot on the queenside. 15.Rh3 15.a3 was also interesting, trying to clarify matters on the queenside until I get a chance to play a rook to c8. However, I would get some chances after Bxc3 16.Qxc3 b4 17.axb4 Nxb4 15...Rfc8 16.Bd3?! Very natural, but not the best. 16.Bf2! was the right move, keeping the option of taking with the rook on c3 in case of ...Bxc3. g6 17.Kb1 and it's very hard to come up with something constructive; for example: a5 18.Bxb5 a4 19.Nd4± The rook on h3 does a very good job of keeping the knight on c3 protected while also being a big thorn on Black's kingside. 16...g6 16...Nf8 would keep the integrity of my kingside, but it would be way too passive. 17.Bg1 Clearing a nice diagonal for the white queen. Bxc3? Although tempting, this was a poor strategical decision, surrendering control of the dark squares. I manage to shatter his pawn structure, but my counterplay comes too late. The engine offers 17...d4 18.Nxd4 Bxc3 19.Qxc3 19.bxc3? Qa3+ 20.Kb1 Nxd4 21.Bxd4 Bd5-+ getting rid of the d5-pawn makes a big difference. 19...Ncxe5 20.Qe1∞ 17...a5 was one of my top choices 18.Bxb5 a4 19.Nd4 a3 20.b3 Nc5 The engine claims White is better, but for me it looks like a big mess with three possible results. 18.bxc3 ≤a5 18...Qa3+ 19.Kb1 d4 20.Bxd4 Nxd4 21.cxd4 would still be better for White, but at least I would have some counterplay. 18...b4 19.c4 a5 20.cxd5 exd5 21.f5± and again White is faster. 19.Kb1 A prophylactic move that can never hurt. The more direct 19.f5 was also possible. 19...b4 I thought I would be fine, but I understimated the following idea. 20.f5!± Qf8 21.Qg5! Around here, I realized that maybe playing the Caro-Kann would have been a decent choice after all... Ncxe5 21...bxc3 My planned counterplay falls short due to a nice interference. 22.Bc5‼ 22.Rxh7?? Qa3-+ 22.fxg6 spoils most of White's advantage. hxg6 23.Bxg6 Qg7 24.Rh6 Nf8 25.Bxf7+ Kxf7 26.Rf1+± 22...Nxc5 23.Rxh7+- and mate will soon follow. 22.Bd4 After this dark-squared monster lands on his favorite French square, there is no way my king will survive for long. Qg7! Making the best out of a bad situation. 23.cxb4 Also strong, but it allows me to muddy the waters a little. 23.fxe6! I think this would have given white a much simpler winning position than in the game. fxe6 24.cxb4 a4 24...axb4 25.Bb5 Bc6 26.Bxc6 Rxc6 27.Re1+- Unfortunately, 24...Nf7 doesn't work because after 25.Qe7 the bishop on d4 is defended. 25.Nc5 Rxc5 26.bxc5 Nf3 27.Rxf3 Qxd4 28.Qf4+- Swapping the queens would be a relatively easy technical win. 23.f6? Although this would win a piece, Black could suddenly become quite optimistic about his future. Qxf6 24.Qxf6 Nxf6 25.Bxe5 Nxg4 26.Bd4 e5∞ An important move, restricting the bishop on d4. 23...f6! 23...axb4 24.fxe6 would transpose to the inferior line mentioned before. 24.Qe3 exf5 25.gxf5 axb4 There is no time for a consolidating move like 25...g5 because after 26.Nxa5+- White would have too many pieces on the queenside, easily blocking any threats against the white monarch. 26.fxg6 However, now my kingside is in dire straits. hxg6 27.Rg1 Naturally, White starts pointing all he has in the direction of the black king. Re8 28.Rhg3 Nf8 29.h4! Another strong move, and it looks like White has done everything right so far. However, this came at the cost of most of his time on the clock. Ba6 30.Bxa6? A rushed decision that he will soon live to regret. 30.Bxg6‼ would have crowned his strategy. Nexg6 31.Qf3+- After this quiet move, combining threats of h5 and Bf6, Black is defenseless. 30...Rxa6 Once the light-squared bishops were exchanged, I can start breathing again. 31.h5 Rae6 32.Nc5 R6e7 Black managed to bring all his pieces into play, and White's advantage has become quite problematic. 33.hxg6? A really bad call that can only be explained by our mutual time trouble — now White's rooks look quite silly. However, there is no good advice in time trouble, and I've certainly done more terrible things in some of my own. 33.Qf4 Nc4 34.a4‼ A very hard move to make. Re1+ 35.Rxe1 Rxe1+ 36.Ka2 Re2 37.Bxf6± would still keep some advantage. 33...Nc4 Suddenly Black's counterattack proves to be very dangerous. 34.Qc1 A sad necesity due to the back rank problems. Na3+ 35.Kb2?! 35.Rxa3 was needed. Although looking unpleasant, White would still be in the game. 35.Ka1? Re1-+ would be embarassing. 35...Re2 36.Qf4 White finds the only move to stay in the game. Unfortunately for him, he cannot get rid of the unwelcomed guest with something like 36.R3g2 because Black can simply continue Nxc2-+ 36...Nxc2 37.Bxf6 With his seconds ticking away, White makes a tempting move that seals his fate. 37.Kb1 was the only way to avert immediate disaster, although after Qe7! with various threats hanging in the air, Black would still be very close to winning. 37...Qa7? 38.Ne4! R8xe4 39.Qxe4!∞ is an important point. 37...Qa7!-+ A very sweet queen move. Now the white king is beyond salvation. Although tempting, any discovered check would spoil the win. For example: 37...Ne3+? 38.Kb1 Qa7 39.Bb2!∞ An important resource made available by the careless check. 38.Kb1 Na3+ In time trouble it's usually preferable to choose the most forcing option. The natural 38...Qxc5 would also be winning, but Black would still need some precision. 39.Ka1 Re1+ 40.Kb2 Nc4+ The time trouble is over, and so is the game. With this I reached a 7/10 score, getting much closer to World Cup qualification. 0–1
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WhiteEloWBlackEloBResYearECOEventRnd
Kryvoruchko,Y2706Lupulescu,C26430–12014C1115th ch-EUR Indiv 201410.12
Laznicka,V2681Lupulescu,C26430–12014C0715th ch-EUR Indiv 201411.8

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