1. e2e4  1... e7e6 I always get a smile on my face when I see the French Defense on the board. Who doesn't like to see the renegades and the underdogs having their moment of glory $2 Of all the great defenses against the king's pawn, none are bullied as much as the French, and I must confess that I'm also to blame for this. 2. d2d4  2... d7d5  3. e4e5 3.Nd2, 3.Nc3, and 3.e5 are all equally good for White. Just don't play 3.exd5. 3... c7c5  4. c2c3  4... b8c6  5. g1f3  5... c8d7  6. f1e2  6... f7f6  7. e1g1  7... f6e5  8. f3e5  8... c6e5  9. d4e5  9... d8c7 Erigaisi had this position in a few recent games. 10. f1e1  10... e8c8 Every opening variation where kings are castled to opposite sides is a crowd-pleaser. 11. e2f1  11... g8e7  12. a2a4 White prepares the development of the knight on a3. 12... e7f5  13. b1a3  13... c5c4 [%c_effect c4;square;c4;type;GreatFind;persistent;true] The bishop is ready to go to c5. 14. g2g4 [%c_effect g4;square;g4;type;Inaccuracy;persistent;true] A new move. The weakening of the kingside is too high a price to dislodge the imposing black knight. 14... f5h6  15. c1g5  15... f8c5 [%c_effect c5;square;c5;type;GreatFind;persistent;true] Erigaisi wastes no time moving the rook to e8. 16. a3c2  16... d8f8  17. c2d4  17... h6f7  18. g5f4  18... f7d8 [%c_effect d8;square;d8;type;Interesting;persistent;true] 19. f4g3  19... d8c6  20. d4b5 [%c_effect b5;square;b5;type;Inaccuracy;persistent;true] 20... c7b6  21. d1c2  21... c6a5 In just 21 moves, the knight performed the following journey: e7-f5-h6-f7-d8-c6-a5. Surely a hard-working piece. Now it wants to land on b3 and finally have a well-deserved rest. 22. b5d6  22... c8b8  23. f1g2  23... h7h5 [%c_effect h5;square;h5;type;GreatFind;persistent;true] This breaks White's kingside. 24. g4h5 Necessary, otherwise Black plays h4 next. 24... h8h5  25. e1e2  25... h5h6  26. g1h1  26... a7a6 Erigaisi makes some preparatory moves before the final onslaught. 27. f2f4  27... g7g6 Solid play, avoiding any counterplay related to f4-f5. 28. g2f3  28... a5b3  29. a1a2 This is a move that one plays with tears in one's eyes. The rook is out of the game forever. Maybe it's better to part with the a4-pawn, but the result will ultimately be the same. 29... c5e3 The pawn on f4 is attacked, and there's no way to defend it. 30. f3d5 A desperate sacrifice. 30... e6d5  31. f4f5  31... d7f5  32. d6f5  32... f8f5  33. e5e6  33... b8c8  34. e6e7  34... c8d7  35. c2d1  35... b6e6  36. e2g2 