Pragg's devastating loss - The Underdog

by Arne Kaehler
11/7/2024 – In the European Club Championship, lower rated players occasionally faced GM superstars, such as Erigaisi, Gukesh, Abdusattarov, Praggnanandhaa or others. And in the very first round, Pragg had to deal with IM Francois Godart from Belgium, rated 2377. In a Sicilian Rossolimo, Godart had a pawn less, but strong counterplay. Counterplay that was so strong that the strong moves seemed to play themselves. Robert Ris took a closer look.
Mastering these tactical motifs is essential to deepen your understanding of the game and become a better player. After all, you neither want to overlook the given chances by your opponent, nor blunder yourself!

The Underdog!

with IM Robert Ris

We all love stories where a vastly underrated player surprises everyone by beating a much stronger player. Fortunately, we are all human.

But how do these things happen? What are the moves that lead to success? And what can we learn from these examples for the times when we face a stronger opponent?

Dutch IM Robert Ris presents us with real-life examples of such encounters from the past month. Together with his co-host Arne Kaehler, they look at the tactics and strategies that led to the upset victory.

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1.e4 c5 2.Nf3 Nc6 3.Bb5 e6 4.0-0 Nge7 5.Re1 b6 5...a6 6.c3 a6 7.Bxc6 7.Bf1 7.Be2 7.Ba4 7...Nxc6 8.d4 d5 9.exd5 Qxd5 10.c4 Qxc4 11.d5 Nb4 12.Nc3 Qd3 13.Bf4 13.Bd2 Be7 14.Ne5 Qc2 15.Qf3 0-0 16.d6 16.Re2!? Qf5 17.Qxf5 exf5 18.Bf4 Bf6 19.a3 g5 20.axb4 gxf4 21.bxc5 bxc5 22.Nc6 Bd7 23.Ra5 Bxc3 24.bxc3 Bxc6 25.dxc6 Rfc8 26.Rxc5 a5= 16...Bxd6 17.Qxa8 Bxe5 18.Rxe5 Qxd2 1-0 (64) Suyarov,M (2359)-Vaishali,R (2497) Sant Boi de Llobregat 2023 13...Be7 14.Ne5 14.Na4!? 14.d6 Bf6 14...Qxd1 15.Raxd1 0-0 15...Nxd5 16.Rxd5 16.Nxd5 exd5 17.Rxd5 Be6 16...exd5 17.Nxd5 Bd8! 18.Ng6+ Be6 19.Nxh8 Kd7 20.Nc3 Be7 16.Nc6 Nxc6? 16...Bf6! 17.Bd6 Re8 18.Nxb4 cxb4 19.Bxb4 Bd7 17.dxc6 b5 18.a4 18.Bc7 f6 19.Nd5 exd5 20.Rxe7 d4 21.Bb6 Bf5 22.Bxc5 Rf7 22...d3 23.g4! Bxg4 24.Rxd3+- 23.c7± 18...b4 19.Ne4 19.Nd5 exd5 20.Rxe7 Be6 21.Rb7 19...c4 20.Bd6 20.Rd4 f6 21.Rxc4 20...Ra7 20...Bxd6 21.Rxd6± 21.Rd4 Bxd6 22.Nxd6 c3 23.Rxb4 Rc7 23...cxb2 24.Nb7! Bxb7 25.cxb7 Rb8 26.Rd1!+- Raxb7 27.Rxb7 Rxb7 28.Rd8# 24.Rc4 24.bxc3?! Rxc6 24...cxb2 25.Rb1 f6 25...Rd8 26.Nxc8 Rdxc8 27.Rxb2 Kf8 28.Rb6 26.Rxb2 Rd8 27.Rd2 e5 28.Kf1 Be6 29.Rc3 Rb8 30.Nb7 Kf8 30...Rbxb7? 31.cxb7 Rxc3 32.b8Q++- 30...Rbc8 31.Rd6 31.g3 Ke7 32.f4 e4?! 32...exf4 33.gxf4 32...Rbc8 33.Rd4 f5 34.Rc5 g6 35.Kf2 35.Re5? Rxc6 35...Bf7? 35...Bc8!? 36.Re5+ Kf6 37.Rd6+ Kg7 38.Re8 Kf7= 35...Rbc8 36.Rd6 36.Re5+ Kf8 36...Kf6 37.Rd6+ Kg7 38.Rd7 Rxd7 38...Rxc6 39.Ree7 Rf6 40.Nd6 Rf8 41.Ne8+ Rxe8 42.Rxe8+- 39.cxd7 37.Rd6 Be8 38.Nd8! Rcc8 38...Rb2+ 39.Ke3 Rxh2 40.Ne6++- 39.c7! Rb2+ 39...Rxc7 40.Ne6+ 40.Ke3 Rb3+ 40...Rxh2 41.Ne6+ Kf7 42.Rd8+- 41.Kf2 Bxa4 41...Rb2+ 42.Kg1 Rb1+ 43.Kg2 Rb2+ 44.Kh3 42.Ne6+ Ke7 43.Rxa6 43.Rd8? Rxc7 44.Nxc7+ Kxd8 43...Rb2+ 44.Ke3 Bb3 44...Bd7 45.Nc5+ Kf7 46.Nxd7+- 45.Rb6 Kd7 46.Nc5+ Kxc7 47.Rxb3 Rxh2 47...Rxb3+ 48.Nxb3 Kd6 49.Nd2 Rc3+ 50.Ke2 Kd7 51.Ra5+- 48.Rc3 Ra8 48...Kd8 49.Nb7+ Kd7 50.Rd5+ Ke6 51.Rd6+ 48...Kb8 49.Nd7+ Kb7 50.Rb5+ Ka6 51.Rb6+ Ka7 52.Ra3# 49.Nxe4+ Kb6 50.Nd6 1–0
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WhiteEloWBlackEloBResYearECOEventRnd
Godart,F2377Praggnanandhaa,R27461–02024B3039th ECC Open 20241.1

Robert Ris has authored plenty of FritzTrainers for ChessBase — these are his newest, and perfect for every "Underdog"

Mastering these tactical motifs is essential to deepen your understanding of the game and become a better player. After all, you neither want to overlook the given chances by your opponent, nor blunder yourself!

Mastering these tactical motifs is essential to deepen your understanding of the game and become a better player. After all, you neither want to overlook the given chances by your opponent, nor blunder yourself!

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Arne Kaehler, a creative mind who is passionate about board games in general, was born in Hamburg and learned to play chess at a young age. By teaching chess to youth teams and creating chess-related videos on YouTube, Arne was able to expand this passion and has even created an online course for anyone who wants to learn how to play chess. Arne writes for the English and German news sites, but focuses mainly on content for the ChessBase media channels.
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