2009 Game of the Year: Morozevich vs Vachier-Lagrave

Dylan Loeb McClain who keeps a chess blog for New York Times called "Gambit" just pick the game between Alexander Morozevich vs Maxime Vachier-Lagrave as 2009 game of the year. Game viewer with analysis is available at that site. The game was from the 8th round from the Biel International Chess Festival. Vachier-Lagrave went onto win the tournament and Morozevich placed second. The game was one of the rarity we've seen this years in which a certain defeats converted to a victory trough sheer guts and optimism which Maxime showed best in this game. This may not be the most sound nor perfect game last year, in fact, it looks ugly, but it certainly one, if not the most entertaining and suspenseful game in top level competition in 2009. McCain writes:

Morozevich, who is very creative, launched a brilliant attack from the White side of a Sicilian Defense and should have won in spectacular fashion. But Vachier-Lagrave, rather than throw in the towel (which he could have done at several points), just kept playing, trying desperation moves. Morozevich missed several wins and finally threw away his advantage entirely.

Vachier-Lagrave then found a brilliant way to seize the initiative (despite having a rook trapped in the corner and his king in an awkward position hemming in his rook). Finally, after 76 moves, Vachier-Lagrave trapped Morozevich’s king and he resigned.

Replay the game Morozevich-Vachier-Lagrave with analysis (requires java)