1. d2d4  1... d7d5  2. c2c4  2... d5c4  3. e2e4  3... e7e5  4. g1f3  4... f8b4  5. b1c3  5... g8f6 [%c_effect f6;square;f6;type;Interesting;persistent;true] A modern alternative to the more popular 5...exd4. 6. f3e5  6... b7b5  7. f2f3  7... e8g8  8. a2a3  8... b4a5  9. c1e3 This natural move is a theoretical novelty. 9... c7c5 [%c_effect c5;square;c5;type;GreatFind;persistent;true] This same position was played in the third game of the first match between them. On that occasion, Vachier-Lagrave chose 9...Nfd7, a move that is not quite in his spirit. I wonder if he had time to check the sharper variation with 9...c5 to play this game. 10. d4c5  10... d8e8 [%c_effect e8;square;e8;type;GreatFind;persistent;true] The only way to justify Black's play. 11. d1d6  11... c8e6 Both players were blitzing their moves in what was obviously preparation. Not only that: recently reviewed preparation. 12. e1c1  12... e8c8 The dance with the queen has a good justification. Black has prepared both ...Bc7 and ...Rd8. 13. c3b5 [%c_effect b5;square;b5;type;GreatFind;persistent;true] This is a queen sacrifice. 13... a7a6  14. b5d4  14... a5c7  15. d4e6  15... c7d6  16. d1d6  16... f7e6  17. f1c4  17... f8e8  18. c5c6 This is incredibly long preparation by both sides, since the players had more time here than when they started the game. 18... e8e7 A curious material imbalance appears on the board: queen against bishop and three pawns. You don't need to be good at math to know that Black has the material advantage, but his pieces are not playing. Vachier-Lagrave always looks for the most active solution and decides to return part of the material. He still had this prepared. 19. e3b6  19... b8d7 [%c_effect d7;square;d7;type;GreatFind;persistent;true] 20. c6d7  20... f6d7  21. e5c6  21... e7e8 [%c_effect e8;square;e8;type;Inaccuracy;persistent;true] Vachier-Lagrave finally forgets his preparation. At least it's good to know that he is (sometimes) human. 22. b6e3 