Paris match: Niemann beats Bacrot with white

by Carlos Alberto Colodro
8/21/2024 – Continuing with the "Hans Niemann against the World" series, Niemann and Etienne Bacrot began their 5-day match on Tuesday. The first 2 classical games were played at the Blitz Society Bar, with Niemann first holding Bacrot to a 37-move draw with black and then beating the Frenchman while marshalling the white pieces. | Photo: Frans Peeters
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"A strong assumption that Hans is a noob"

Hans Niemann kept his winning ways at the outset of his match against Etienne Bacrot in Paris. After beating Anish Giri and Nikita Vitiugov in similar matches, Niemann again got off to a strong start, scoring a draw and a win to get a 3-point lead against his French opponent.

Giri, who is now playing the Sinquefield Cup, talked about Niemann in his round-1 post-game interview with Cristian Chirila. The Dutch star noted that what surprised him the most about Niemann was "just the level", and then elaborated:

I sort of understand some of my colleagues. They have this strong assumption that Hans is a noob, and that he must be a noob - but then when he proves you wrong, it's really hard to accept that.

In the first game of the match taking place at the Blitz Society Bar, Niemann had little trouble equalising with black out of a Sicilian Defence. Following simplifications, a draw was signed in a materially balanced rook endgame with four pawns per side.

Another Sicilian was seen in game 2. A tactical struggle (analysed below) saw Niemann emerging victorious after Bacrot failed to find a tactical continuation that would have left him in the driver's seat.

Days 2 and 3 of the match will feature 2 classical games per day. Then, on Friday and Saturday, the rapid and blitz sections will follow, respectively.

Etienne Bacrot, Hans Niemann

A great-looking venue for a chess match | Photo: Frans Peeters

Niemann 1 - 0 Bacrot

Niemann, Hans Moke27111–0Bacrot, Etienne2677
Hans Niemann vs The World 3
Paris20.08.2024[CC]
1.e4 c5 2.Nf3 e6 3.d4 cxd4 4.Nxd4 Nc6 5.Nc3 Qc7 6.Be3 a6 7.Qd2 Nf6 8.0-0-0 Be7 This move - the second most popular in the position - was played by Magnus Carlsen against Wei Yi at the Superbet event in Poland. The main variation is 8...Bb4 9.f3 Ne5 10.Nb3 b5 11.Qe1 9.f3 b5 10.Nxc6 dxc6 11.g4 e5 12.h4 Be6 13.Qf2 Bb4 Bacrot again deviates from the most trodden paths in this Sicilian setup. Playable is 13...a5 14.Bh3 a4 expanding on the queenside. 14.Bc5
A logical move, preventing Black from castling kingside. Engines do not consider this to be the strongest manoeuvre here, but it is quite understandable from a human point of view. 14...Bxc5 15.Qxc5 Nd7 16.Qa3 Qb6 17.Qd6 0-0-0 The evaluation favours Black here. However, his king looks a bit weakened - a crucial fact in these setups. 18.Be2 Nc5 Bacrot spent 15 minutes on this move, which is inaccurate. He goes for activity while giving up a pawn. There is compensation for the material, but the Frenchman is now forced to make the most of his initiative. Much better is 18...Rhe8 19.Rd2 and now Black has Bxa2 20.Qa3 Not 20.Nxa2 due to Nc5 and the queen is trapped. 20...Be6 and it is Black who is a pawn to the good. 19.Qxe5 f6 20.Qf4 b4 21.Nb1 Bxa2 22.b3
22...Kb7 23.e5 Niemann, who had a big advantage on the clock, falters with this pawn push. But Bacrot misses the chance to play the tactical refutation. Ne6 Black has 23...Nxb3+ 24.cxb3 Bxb3 dismantling the white king's shelter, and e.g. 25.Rd2 Qc5+ 26.Kb2 Rxd2+ 27.Qxd2 Rd8 with a dangerous attack. 24.Qc4 Nd4 25.exf6 gxf6 26.Qf7+ Kb8 27.Bc4
White consolidates his position and is now in the driver's seat with the more coordinated army. 27...Rhf8 Better is the active 27...Qc5 with attacking ideas, e.g.: 28.Kb2 Bxb1 29.Kxb1 a5 28.Qxh7 Bxb1 Again better was 28...Qc5 29.Kxb1 Nxf3 Now that the main attacking ideas have evaporated, White emerges with a very favourable position - his strategic advantage is now apparent. 30.Qe4 Ne5 31.g5 Nxc4 32.Qxc4 Rxd1+ 33.Rxd1 fxg5 34.hxg5 Qb5 35.Qd4 Rg8 36.g6
Niemann finds the best-looking, winning continuation. 36...Qb7 Not 36...Rxg6 due to 37.Qh8+ Kc7 Or 37...Ka7 38.Rd7+ Kb6 39.Qd8+ Kc5 40.Qe7+ Kb6 41.Rb7+ Ka5 42.Qc7+ Qb6 43.Qxb6# 38.Qd8+ Kb7 39.Rd7# 37.Rf1 1–0

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Carlos Colodro is a Hispanic Philologist from Bolivia. He works as a freelance translator and writer since 2012. A lot of his work is done in chess-related texts, as the game is one of his biggest interests, along with literature and music.
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