Kramnik Fights Back

Sydney Morning Herald

Wednesday October 29, 2008

Peter Parr

Russian former World Champion Vladimir Kramnik fought back to win his first game

in the tenth round of the World Title Match against defending champion Viswanathan Anand of India. The first 17 moves were played quickly. Kramniks new prepared move was 18. Re1 and Anands move 23 was a decisive mistake according to Kramnik.

V.Kramnik v V.Anand Game 10 [E21] 1. d4 Nf6 2. c4 e6 3. Nc3 Bb4 4. Nf3 c5 5. g3 (Known as the Kasparov variation which Kasparov used with good affect in his 1985 world title match against Karpov) 5&cxd4 6. Nxd4 O-O 7. Bg2 d5 8. cxd5 Nxd5 9. Qb3 (A well analysed line) 9&Qa5 10. Bd2 Nc6 11. Nxc6 bxc6 12. O-O Bxc3 13. bxc3 Ba6 14. Rfd1 Qc5 15. e4 Bc4 16. Qa4 Nb6 17. Qb4 (All been played before! In fact Anand had this position against Kasparov at Wijk aan Zee 2000, there he played 17&Qxb4 which gave white a clear edge) 17&Qh5 18. Re1!? (Kramnik uncorks a novelty, previously 18. Be3 and 18. Bf4 were the main moves here) 18&c5 19. Qa5 Rfc8 20. Be3 (Kramnik played his last few moves instantly suggesting prepared analysis) 20&Be2 21. Bf4 e5 22. Be3!? (22. Bxe5 Nc4 should be Ok for black) 22&Bg4 23. Qa6! (After 23. Bxc5 Nc4!) 23&f6? 24. a4 Qf7 (Its hard to find a

move for black here as there is no stopping entry via the b-file combined with a5)

25. Bf1! (On the immediate 25. a5 black has 25..Nc4) 25&Be6 26. Rab1 (Now

27. a5 is a serious threat) 26&c4? (A bad move in a bad position, better was 26&

Rab8) 27. a5! (Black is lost because the knight has no good square) 27&Na4 28. Rb7 Qe8 29. Qd6 1-0 White has multiple threats, 29. Re7, 29. Qb4 etc. V.Anand v V.Kramnik Game 9 [D43] 1. d4 d5 2. c4 e6 3. Nf3 Nf6 4. Nc3 c6 5. Bg5 h6 6. Bh4 dxc4 (Needing 3 wins from the last four games Kramnik elects to play the sharp anti Moscow gambit) 7. e4 g5 8. Bg3 b5 9. Be2 Bb7 10. Qc2 Nbd7 11. Rd1 Bb4 12. Ne5 Qe7!? (A new move, 12...Nxe5 and 12...Rg8 have been played here) 13. O-O Nxe5 14. Bxe5 O-O 15. Bxf6 Qxf6 16. f4 Qg7 17. e5 (Now white is threatening Ne4 securing

the strong point f6) 17...c5!? (Played after a long think) 18. Nxb5 cxd4 19. Qxc4 a5

20. Kh1 Rac8 21. Qxd4 gxf4 22. Bf3 Ba6 23. a4 Rc5 (This wins a pawn but the

resulting position and ending with the presence of opposite colour bishops is a

draw with correct defence) 24. Qxf4 Rxe5 25. b3 Bxb5 26. axb5 Rxb5 27. Be4 Bc3

28. Bc2 Be5 29. Qf2 Bb8 30. Qf3 Rc5 31. Bd3 Rc3 32. g3 Kh8 33. Qb7 f5 34. Qb6 Qe5 35. Qb7?! (Here Anand missed a forced draw with 35. Bxf5! exf5 36. Qxh6+ Kg8 37. Qg6+ Qg7 38. Qe6+ Qf7 [If 38...Kh8 39.Rxf5 draws] 39. Qxf7+ Rxf7 40. Rd8+ Rf8 41. Rxf8+ Kxf8 42. Rxf5+ =) 35...Qc7?! (After 35...Bc7! black may have some real winning

chances as the pawn on b3 will fall as defending the pawn with 36. Bc4 losses to

the tactical blow 36...Rxg3!!) 36. Qxc7 Bxc7 37. Bc4 Re8 38. Rd7 a4 (A temporary piece sac but the position is drawn) 39. Rxc7 axb3 40. Rf2 Rb8 41. Rb2 h5 (If 41... Rc2 42. Rxc2 bxc2 43. Bxe6 Rb1+ 44. Kg2 c1=Q 45. Rxc1 Rxc1 46. Bxf5 with a draw) 42. Kg2 h4 43. Rc6 hxg3 44. hxg3 Rg8 45. Rxe6 Rxc4 1/2-1/2

The score in Bonn, Germany is Anand 6 Kramnik 4. Anand needs to score only half a point in the final two games to retain his title. Game 11 is on Wednesday evening.

© 2008 Sydney Morning Herald

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