Vachier Lagrave, M. – Carlsen, M.

2796 2017 · Draw

Ruy Lopez, 2017: Vachier Lagrave (2796) against Carlsen (2832), heading into the Open Variation after 8...d5. Black gives back the e5-pawn to activate the pieces, and play flows along the diagonals: 13...Bf5, then 14...Qh4 and 15...Qh3, before 16...Bxd3 restores material. The engine flags no turning point at all — nothing tips the evaluation either way. Carlsen scores 100% good-or-better moves, Vachier Lagrave 85%, with two inaccuracies that never cost anything. After the queen trade on 22.Qxf5 and the queenside pawn liquidation, White’s rook and Black’s knight repeat (Nd3, Rc5, Ne1) into the draw. The takeaway: precise defence draws without a single flashy move.