Traps, Tricks & Mistakes: Weaknesses
The FIDE World Cup 2023 took place in Baku, Azerbaijan, from Jul, 30th to Aug, 21st. 206 players participated in the Open section and 103 players in the Women section.
The format used in the World Cup is an eight-round knock-out consisting of two classical games. The time control is 90 minutes for the first 40 moves, followed by 30 more minutes for the rest of the game, and 30 seconds increment from move one. If the two-game match ends in a tie, players contest the tiebreakers consisting of blitz games.
The ideal situation in such a knock-out system is to win the first game in order to put pressure on the opponent in the next game. Because of that, players often try unusual openings in order to surprise their opponents. That is exactly what happened in today’s game. The Indian GM Rameshbabhu Praggnanandhaa played the black pieces in the first game of his classical match. His opponent was the French GM Maxime Lagarde.
Lagarde went for the Ruy Lopez and Pragg chose the very rare line 3…Nge7 (Cozio Defense). It’s a very uncommon variation at the top level. However, the surprises did not stop and Pragg conducted the game in a very aggressive way, creating permanent threats to his rival. In the end, the Indian GM not only won the game but created a masterpiece. A candidate to be the best game of the year.
As you see, choosing unusual lines is a way to surprise the opponent. But it is also necessary to have studied them in deep. Praggnanandhaa not only chose an unusual opening but he was also very well prepared for the subsequent complications. Please, when I say well prepared, don’t interpret that Pragg had previously analyzed in his home preparation all the moves in the game. He came well prepared for a complicated fight and in the appropriate state of mind for struggling and always looking for the best moves. In today’s game in particular, for identifying and taking advantage of any weakness in his opponent’s position.
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