Maxime Vachier-Lagrave vs Magnus Carlsen, 7th London Classic TB 2015

English Opening (A16) · ½-½ (Draw) · 51 moves · Round 2.2 · 13 December 2015

♔
White
Maxime Vachier-Lagrave
½ – ½
Black
Magnus Carlsen
♚
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Moves
0 / 101

About This Game

Game summary

  • WhiteMaxime Vachier-Lagrave
  • BlackMagnus Carlsen
  • Result½-½ · Draw
  • Event7th London Classic TB 2015
  • Round2.2
  • Date13 December 2015
  • OpeningEnglish Opening (A16)
  • Length51 moves
  • Type of eventOther events

This is game 18 of 208 between Magnus Carlsen and Maxime Vachier-Lagrave in the Rama Chess database (2005–2025). In all their games Carlsen leads 78–44 with 86 draws.

Previous game: Vachier-Lagrave vs Carlsen, ½-½ (7th London Classic 2015, 2015).

Next game: Carlsen vs Vachier-Lagrave, 1-0 (7th London Classic TB, 2015).

Carlsen vs Vachier-Lagrave: all 208 gamesCarlsen in the English OpeningCarlsen games of 2015Maxime Vachier-Lagrave profile

The moves of Maxime Vachier-Lagrave vs Magnus Carlsen, 7th London Classic TB 2015

1.c4 Nf6 2.Nc3 c5 3.Nf3 e6 4.e4 Nc6 5.Be2 e5 6.d3 d6 7.a3 Be7 8.b4 b6 9.O-O O-O 10.Rb1 Nd4 11.bxc5 bxc5 12.Bg5 Be6 13.Rb7 Nd7 14.Bxe7 Qxe7 15.Qa4 Nb6 16.Qa6 Bc8 17.Rxe7 Bxa6 18.Rb1 Rfb8 19.Kf1 Kf8 20.Rc7 Ne6 21.Rc6 Rd8 22.a4 Bb7 23.Rcxb6 axb6 24.Rxb6 Bc8 25.Bd1 Ra6 26.Rb2 Bd7 27.g3 Bc6 28.Ke1 Rda8 29.Ra2 Rb6 30.Kd2 g6 31.Kc1 Nd4 32.Nd2 Rb4 33.Rb2 Rab8 34.Nb5 Rxb2 35.Kxb2 Ke7 36.Kc3 Bd7 37.f4 f6 38.Nf1 exf4 39.gxf4 Ne6 40.f5 gxf5 41.Ne3 Nf4 42.exf5 Bc6 43.d4 Be4 44.d5 Ng2 45.Nxg2 Bxg2 46.Bc2 Bf3 47.Kb3 Ra8 48.Nc7 Ra7 49.Nb5 Ra8 50.Nc7 Ra7 51.Nb5 1/2-1/2

In this encounter Maxime Vachier-Lagrave had the white pieces against Magnus Carlsen at 7th London Classic TB in 2015. The game dates from the contemporary engine era.

The game opened with English Opening (A16), a flexible, manoeuvring struggle. Openings in this group reward patient build-up and a feel for pawn structure.

Running to 51 moves, the game moved through a full middlegame into an endgame, showing how an advantage is carried between phases.

Magnus Carlsen is one of the grandmasters featured in the RamaChess archive, where you can browse their complete game collection, favourite openings and notable wins.

Replaying a complete grandmaster game shows not just the moves, but the order in which plans appear and where the balance finally tips.

In the end, the game was drawn between Maxime Vachier-Lagrave and Magnus Carlsen. Step through the moves on the interactive board above and try the position trainer to sharpen your own play.

Frequently asked questions

What is the head-to-head record of Magnus Carlsen and Maxime Vachier-Lagrave?

In the 208 games between them in our database (2005 to 2025) Carlsen leads 78–44 with 86 draws. This game is number 18 of 208.

Where and when was Maxime Vachier-Lagrave vs Magnus Carlsen played?

At the 7th London Classic TB, round 2.2, on 13 December 2015.

Who played this game?

This game was played between Maxime Vachier-Lagrave (White) and Magnus Carlsen (Black), at 7th London Classic TB in 2015.

What opening was played?

The game used English Opening (ECO code A16). A flexible, manoeuvring struggle.

What was the result?

The game was drawn between Maxime Vachier-Lagrave and Magnus Carlsen.

How long was the game?

The game lasted 51 moves (101 plies).

Can I replay this game move by move?

Yes. Use the interactive board on this page to step through every move, or open the analyser and Practice mode.

Where can I find more games like this?

Browse the full English Opening collection, Magnus Carlsen's complete game archive, and thousands more grandmaster games in the RamaChess archive.

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