Joël Lautier

Joël Lautier (born 17 April 1973 in Scarborough, Canada ) is a French chess grandmaster.

Life

Joël Lautier, son of a Japanese mother and a Canadian father, initially grew up in Canada, where he made ​​a name as a chess prodigy. The age of nine Lautier came to France, where his enormous talent developed rapidly. In 1986 he won in Puerto Rico Youth World Championship U12, what ever meant the first World Cup victory of a Frenchman in a youth category. In 1988 he was in Adelaide Junior World Champion U20, 15 -year-old the youngest winner in the up then 37 -year history of this tournament. His other triumphs in international Turnierern count his victories in the zone tournament Lyon 1990 Polanica 1991, Pamplona 1993, Amsterdam 1995 ( before Garry Kasparov ), Úbeda 1997 Enghien- les- Bains in 1999 and at the zone tournament Mondariz 2000. 2003 he won jointly with Pyotr Svidler in Poikowski.

Through his shared 2nd - 9th Place in the Interzonal in Biel in 1993 succeeded Lautier the qualification to the next stage of the World Cup cycle: in 1994 against Jan Timman candidate competition in Wijk aan Zee subject Lautier with 3,5:4,5 ( 1, -2, = 5). Lautier, participating in several FIDE knockout world championships: 1997 in Groningen and 1999 in Las Vegas, he came each in the third round, he was defeated both times the Israeli Boris Gelfand after rapid chess piercing with 2:4. 2000 in New Delhi, he left in the first round, 2001 in Moscow, where he defeated, among others, Alexander Khalifman, he succeeded the last sixteen of the catchment, where he was defeated Vasyl Ivanchuk. Lautier is one of the few chess players with a positive result against former world champion Garry Kasparov: 2, -1, = 7

Lautier was awarded in 1990 by the FIDE Grand Master title. He played several years for the German club Schachgesellschaft Solingen, with whom he won the German Blitz in Solingen team championship in 2002. In the photo on the right Egon Evertz, former chairman of the Solingen association is shown alongside Hans Better and Lautier.

2004 Lautier was French champion in Val d'Isere, and repeated a year later in Chartres its success. Lautier retired after more and more from professional chess back and was active as president of the Association of Chess Professionals ( ACP) for the rights of professional chess player and a popularization of chess world. In addition, for the popularization of Japanese variant of chess, the Shogi. Lautier is also Vice President of the French Chess Federation. From 1997 to 2003 he was married to the Moldovan- French Grandmaster Almira Scripcenco. His current Elo rating is 2658 (as of May 2012), but is listed as inactive because he has not played a game more -evaluated since the Coupe de France in January 2009. Last among the top 20 in the world rankings, he was in March 2002.

Game

Lautier succeeded in the tradition of Linares tournament in 1994 with the black pieces a victory over the then reigning world champion Garry Kasparov in just 29 moves. The game was played in the last 13, round. Kasparov announced after this defeat 2nd and 3rd place with Alexei Shirov, Lautier was split 5th and 6th ( with Vladimir Kramnik ). Anatoly Karpov won the tournament with a phenomenal score of 11 out of 13 and 2.5 points ahead.

On the board was a quiet and unspectacular version of the Italian game.

Black plans to pawn advance d6 -d5. Immediate 9 .. d6 -d5? is refuted by 10 Sf3xe5! Sc6xe5 ( 10 ... 11 Lc5xf2 Ke1xf2 Sc6xe5 12 d3 -d4 ±) 11 d3- d4 d6 Lc5 ( 11 .. Ne5 - c6 Lc5xd4 12.c3xd4 13.e4 - e5 ± ) 12 d4xe5 Ld6xe5 13 Nd2 -f3 ±. ( Lautier )

It was necessary instead Lc1 15 -b2 -settled ( Lautier ).

But not 15 ... d5xe4? for 16 Sf3xe5 with white advantage ( Lautier ).

Lautier criticized this train and struck in the analysis .. 20 Ta8xa7! before, which would have given him an advantage.

Vulnerability would be 21 Lb1xc2? Ta8xa7 22 Sb3xd4 ( 22 De2 -e4 Sb4xc2 23 De4xc2 Be6 - c4 24 Tf1 -d1 d4 -d3 - ) 22 ... Be6 - c4 23 De2 -e4 ( 23 De2 - c7 - c5 d2 24 Nd4 -b3 -a2 TA7 - ) 23 ... c7 - c5 Sb4xc2 24 De4xc2 with black winning position.

Black now has two women, but the situation is not yet clear.

Only this train leads to defeat. It was necessary according Lautier 23 Lc1 - g5! , After which the position would remain in equilibrium.

Even better was 26 ... Nb4 -d3! 27 Tf1 -a1 Db3 -d5 -

Lose quickly. Better, but no rescue was 28 De5 - c5 Kf8 - g8 ( 28 ... Qd8 - e7? 29 Dc5xe7 Kf8xe7 30 Sf3xd4 Db3 - c4 31 Ld2xb4 Ke7 - f6 32 Sd4xe6 Dc4xb4 Se6 33 - c7 db4 - c4 34 Sc7 - e8 Kf6 - e7 35 Tf1 - e1 =) 29 Ld2xb4 Db3 - c4 ( 29 ... d4 -d3? ) 30 Tf1 -d1 -d3 d4 Lb4xc5 Dc4xc5 31 with black winning position ( Lautier ).

White gave up.

Source: Chess Informant 60, lot # 316, Belgrade 1994, p.184 - 186.