Vachier-Lagrave close on Bacrot's heels

To the question who's currently the best French player, without hesitating one would answer Etienne Bacrot. However, these days the difference with the number two is very small, especially after Maxime Vachier-Lagrave won the Open Paris Championship again, last week.

A quick glance at the French rating list tells us that the difference between Bacrot (2691) and Vachier-Lagrave (2681) is just ten points, as from July 1st. And Vachier-Lagrave won another few points by prolonging his Open Paris Ch title, a tournament I played myself last year.

Here's his win against Alexandra Kosteniuk - another player we haven't heard of for a while. She doesn't play too much anymore, I believe. In the next game she comes up with a new move in a position that's been considered a drawn since Kramnik-Leko, 2004.



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Maxime Vachier-Lagrave with his Paris Ch Cup, which he won last year as well.

Photo thanks to Philippe Dornbusch

Links:

• Official website
• Games in PGN r1-8, r9