Svitlana's Smart Moves - A Wild Ride Through Biel’s Craziest Game

by Arne Kaehler
5/23/2025 – In this Svitlana Demchenko and Arne Kaehler reflect on the Biel Chess Festival, which they describe as one of the most joyful and diverse chess events in Europe. They highlight a legendary 2009 game between Alexander Morozevich and Maxime Vachier-Lagrave (MVL), showcasing chaotic Sicilian Najdorf tactics, razor-sharp sacrifices, and an astonishing defensive resource by MVL — a rook that remained untaken for 24 moves! The game is celebrated as one of the wildest and most creative ever played, pushing the boundaries of classical chess patterns.
The King‘s Indian Attack is a universal opening: easy to learn, flexible, and rich in both tactical and positional opportunities.

Svitlana's Smart Moves - Episode 115

With Svitlana Demchenko and Arne Kaehler

Svitlana Demchenko is a 20-year-old, Canadian WIM and chess coach. Here and now, she will teach us plenty of smart moves on the board, ranging from tactics, strategies, openings, and everything else chess-related. In the process, I'm happy to be available as a student at club player level, and pester the Women's International Master with questions. Anyone who wants to strengthen their chess skills is welcome to watch, and actively replay the positions from the video on our chessboard.

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MoveNResultEloPlayers
1.e41,186,70654%2421---
1.d4960,56055%2434---
1.Nf3286,91356%2440---
1.c4185,11556%2442---
1.g319,90256%2427---
1.b314,60954%2428---
1.f45,95948%2376---
1.Nc33,91950%2383---
1.b41,79148%2379---
1.a31,25254%2406---
1.e31,08149%2409---
1.d396950%2378---
1.g467046%2361---
1.h446654%2382---
1.c343951%2425---
1.h328956%2420---
1.a411860%2461---
1.f310047%2427---
1.Nh39366%2506---
1.Na34762%2476---
1.e4 c5 2.Nf3 d6 3.d4 cxd4 4.Nxd4 Nf6 5.Nc3 a6 6.f3 e6 7.Be3 b5 8.Qd2 Nbd7 9.g4 h6 10.0-0-0 b4 10...Bb7 was another variation MVL used before, and it is slightly more popular theoretically 11.h4 b4 12.Na4 Qa5 11.Nce2 11.Na4 Ne5 12.Qxb4 Bd7= double-edged. 11...Qc7 12.h4 12.Qxb4 d5 regains the pawn. 12...d5 Up until this point has been theory for both players. Now, the most interesting part begins. 13.Nf4!?N 13.Bf4 more common. 13...e5 14.Nfe6 The main idea of the previous move. 14.Nde6 leads to the same thing. 14...fxe6 15.Nxe6 Qa5 16.exd5 Qxa2 17.Qd3 Kf7 17...e4 18.Qd4! 18.fxe4? Ne5-+ 18...Bd6 19.Bc4 b3! 18.g5 Nxd5?! 19.Bh3! Creating big problems for Black. 19.Qxd5 Qxd5 20.Rxd5 Kxe6= 19...Nxe3? Now, Black's King faces serious trouble. 19...N7f6 20.Nd8+ Ke7 21.Nc6+ Kf7 22.g6+! Kg8 22...Kf6? 23.Qd6+! Bxd6 24.Rxd6+ Qe6 25.Rxe6# 23.Qxe3+- White simply has a winning position. Black is up a piece, but none of the pieces except the queen are developed. Bc5 24.Qe4! Nf8 25.Rd8 Bb7 26.Rxa8 26.Rxf8+! Bxf8 26...Kxf8 27.Qf5+! Kg8 28.Qxe5+- 26...Rxf8 27.Qxe5 Bc8 28.Bxc8 Rxc8 29.Qxc5+- 27.Qxe5 Bc8 28.Qe8+- 26...Bxa8 27.h5! The logical follow-up, locking in all the pieces. Rh7! This is actually the best defensive move, played out of necessity to give the h8-square for the king. Otherwise, mate was on the horizon. 28.Re1 28.gxh7+? Kh8= 29.Qxe5 Qa1+ 30.Kd2 Qxh1 31.Qxc5 Qxf3= 28...Bxc6 29.Qxc6 Bd4 30.Kd2?! Qxb2 31.Qc4+ Kh8 Black's Rook is has been en prise for a long time, and will remain there for a while. 32.Kd3 a5 32...Qa3+! 33.Ke4 Qa5 with some counterplay with the queen coming back into play. 33.Qc8? After this move, it becomes double-edged again! 33.f4! Bf2 33...Qc3+ 34.Qxc3 Bxc3 35.Re4! Kg8 36.Rc4+- 34.Ke2! Bxe1 35.gxh7 Kxh7 36.Bf5+ Kh8 37.Qf7+- 33.gxh7 Qc3+ 34.Qxc3 Bxc3 35.Re4 g5 36.Rc4 only move Nxh7 37.Ke4+- 33.Qf7?? Qc3+ 34.Ke4 Qxc2+ 35.Kd5 Qc5+-+ 33...Qa3+ 34.Ke4 b3! 35.cxb3 a4! This was the move in the game of which MVL was the most proud of... and it was found in big time trouble. 36.Rb1 36.bxa4 Qb4! 36...Bf2!= is also a draw because 35...a4 opened the third rank! 37.Rc1 Bc5+! and 38.Rc4 is no longer possible. (this was the point of a4). 38.Kd5 Qd4+ 39.Kc6 Qd6+ 40.Kb5 Qb6+= nice little circle. 36...Qb4 37.Qc4! Qb7+ 38.Qd5 Qb4 38...Qxd5+?? 39.Kxd5 a3 40.Rc1! a2 41.Rc8+- 39.Qc4 Qd2!? 40.Bg4? The decisive mistake, on move 40. 40.Qc8! Qe2+ 41.Kd5 Qb5+ 42.Ke4= And the best choice is to get the draw. 40...a3!-+ 41.Qf7 Qc2+ 42.Kd5 Qc5+ 43.Ke4 a2 44.Rc1 a1Q! 44...Bc3 45.Qc4 Qxc4+? 45...Qd4+ 46.Qxd4 exd4-+ 46.bxc4 a1Q 47.Rxa1 Bxa1 48.c5= 44...Qa3?? 45.Be6+- 45.Rxc5 Bxc5 Rook and a knight up, but there is still some work left! 46.Qd5!? Qe1+ 47.Kd3 Qd1+ 48.Kc4 Qxd5+ 49.Kxd5 Ba3?! 50.Bf5 Kg8 51.Kxe5 White doesn't take the rook, or else the win is easy with a knight up and all the pieces back in play. Rh8 Finally the rook remains alive after having been en prise for 24 moves. It will even deliver the final blow! 52.Kd5! Nh7! 52...Nxg6?? 53.Bxg6 Kf8 54.Ke6= Even without the b3- and f3-pawns, White would draw easily! 52...Nd7?? 53.Bxd7 Kf8 54.Ke6= 53.gxh7+ Kf7 54.Bg6+ Kf6 The winning idea is: but the White's king into zugzwang to force the Bg6 to move, when g5 wins because the rook is freed from the protection of the h8-square. 55.f4 Bc1! 56.f5 56.b4!? To push the b-pawn was maybe the most interesting, but after Bxf4 57.b5 Rb8! 58.Kc6 Ke7 59.b6 Bh2 60.b7 Rh8 White will be in zugzwang: either Black's king comes to the queenside, or Black can play g5. 61.Kb6 Kd6 62.Bf5 g5! 63.hxg6 Be5 64.Bc8 64.Ka7 Kc7-+ 64...Bd4+!-+ 56...Bd2 57.Kd6 Be1 58.Kd7 Bb4! Cuts White's king off from the kingside before taking the pawn on b3, leaving White no counterplay. 59.Kc7 Ke5 60.Kd7 Ba3 61.Kc6 Kd4 62.Kc7 Kc3 63.Kd7 Kb4 64.Kd6 Kxb3+ 65.Kd5 Bb2 66.Kd6 Bf6 67.Kc5 Kc3 68.Kd6 Kd4 69.Kc6 Rd8! 70.Kb6 Kd5! Zugzwang! 71.Kc7 Kc5 72.Bf7 72.Kb7 Be5 73.Ka6 Rh8-+ 72...g5 73.fxg6 Rd6 74.Be8 Be5 75.Kb7 Rb6+ 76.Kc8 Kd6 0–1
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WhiteEloWBlackEloBResYearECOEventRnd
Morozevich,A2751Vachier Lagrave,M27030–12009B80Biel GM 42nd8

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If you like Svitlana's Smart moves, you will certainly enjoy her video lectures about "Surprising your opponents with the Lazy Sicilian", her first Fritztrainer "Understanding Material Imbalances", and her courses "The Scotch Game", and the "Leningrad Dutch Defence". Her newest Entry is the "King's Indian Attack"!

In just 60 minutes, you will be well-equipped with a surprise weapon, which will take most of your opponents out of book right from the start.

This DVD focuses on several types of material imbalances, such as Rook vs 2 Pieces, Queen vs 2 Rooks, and Queen vs Pieces.

Besides in-depth theory and exciting tactical exercises in the Scotch Game, this video course also includes a bonus section on the Scotch Gambit (1.e4 e5 2.Nf3 Nc6 3.d4 cxd4 4.Bc4), a lively variation often leading to very dynamic positions.

The Leningrad Dutch Defence is a dynamic and aggressive opening choice for Black, perfect for players who want to add some adventure and spice to their repertoire.

The King‘s Indian Attack is a universal opening: easy to learn, flexible, and rich in both tactical and positional opportunities.

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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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