In chess, you can maintain an advantage throughout almost the whole game and one mistake can immediately turn the tide. In this game, GM Stellwagen outplayed GM Vachier Lagrave during most of the game. Unfortunately for him, a mistake on move 41 gave his opponent an immediate win.
Stellwagen, D (2616) – Vachier Lagrave, M (2681) [B96]
Gyorgy Marx Memorial, Paks HUN (rd 9), 03.08.2008
1.e4 c5 2.Nf3 d6 3.d4 cxd4 4.Nxd4 Nf6 5.Nc3 a6 6.Bg5 e6 7.f4 Qc7 8.Bxf6 gxf6 9.Qf3 b5 10.a3 Bb7 11.0–0–0 Nd7 12.f5 e5 13.Nb3 Rc8 14.Bd3 Qb6 15.Be2 Qc7 16.Kb1 Nb6 17.Rd3 h5 18.Rhd1 h4 19.Qf2 Na4 20.Bf3 Nxc3+ 21.Rxc3 Bc6 22.Qd2 Qb6 23.Na5 Bd7 24.Rxc8+ Bxc8 25.c4 Bd7 26.b4 Qa7 27.Qd5 bxc4 28.Nxc4 Ba4 29.Rc1 Bh6 30.Bd1 0–0 31.Bxa4 Bxc1 32.Kxc1 Qg1+ 33.Qd1 Qxg2 34.Nxd6 Qxh2 35.Qg4+ Kh8 36.Qh5+ Kg8 37.Qg4+ Kh8 38.Qh5+ Kg8 39.Be8 Qg1+ 40.Kc2 Kg7 41.Qxh4?? (41.Bxf7 +-) Rh8 42.Qxh8+ Kxh8 43.Bxf7 Qf2+ 44.Kb3 Qf3+ 45.Kc4 Qxa3 46.Bd5 Qb2 47.b5 Qd4+ 48.Kb3 Qb6 0–1
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That’s a crazy mistake.