Vachier Lagrave, M. – Aronian, L.

2796 2017 · Draw

Ruy Lopez, 2017: Vachier-Lagrave (2796) against Aronian (2793), a game in which the engine flags no turning point at all. The open variation arrives with 8...d5, and from there both sides trade pieces steadily without either one loosening its grip. Queens come off, then rooks, leaving an endgame of bishops and knights and finally bishops, with both kings walking to the centre: 36.Kd2, 37.Kc3, 38.b4. The accuracy figures say the rest: 93% for White, 96% for Black, two inaccuracies on one side, one on the other. A logical draw. The lesson: at this level a game is not won, it is held.