1.d4
Nf6
2.c4
e6
3.Nf3
d5
4.g3
dxc4
5.Bg2
Bb4+
6.Bd2
a5
7.Nc3
[7.Qc2
; and 7.0-0
are more common.]
7...0-0
8.a3
Rarer still. Carlsen and Kasparov have something special prepared for Kramnik.
8...Be7N
[8...Bxc3
9.bxc3
b5
10.Ne5
Ra6
11.0-0
Nfd7
12.a4
c6
13.Nxc6
Rxc6
14.Bxc6
Nxc6
15.axb5
Ne7
16.Qa4
Nb6
17.Qxa5
Bb7
18.f3
h6
19.Qa7
Bc8
20.e4
Bd7
21.Bf4
Nec8
22.Qb8
Ne7
23.Qxd8
Rxd8
24.Bc7
Rc8
25.Bxb6
Bxb5
26.Bc5
Rc7
27.Rfb1
Bc6
28.Bxe7
Rxe7
29.Rb4
1-0 Scarella,E (2348)-Del Cuadro,N (2186)/Villa Ballester 2004]
9.Qa4
c6N
[9...Nbd7
10.Qxc4
c5
11.dxc5
Bxc5
12.0-0
b6
13.b4
Ba6
14.Qb3
Be7
15.Nd4
Rc8
16.Rfd1
Bc4
17.Qb2
Nd5
18.e4
Nxc3
19.Bxc3
Qc7
20.f4
Rfd8
21.e5
Nb8
22.Rac1
Qa7
23.Be1
axb4
24.axb4
b5
25.Ra1
Qd7
26.Nf5
Qc7
27.Nxe7+
Qxe7
28.Qf2
Rxd1
29.Rxd1
Na6
30.Rd6
Nb8
31.Qb6
g6
32.Bf2
Kg7
33.Bc5
h5
34.Bb7
Nd7
35.Qa5
Rxc5
36.bxc5
Nxc5
37.Bc6
h4
38.Qb6
Na4
39.Qb8
f6
40.Rd7
1-0 Lubczynski,R (2423)-Anicic,V (2212)/Budva 2009]
10.Qxc4
b5
11.Qb3
Ba6
12.Bg5
Nbd7
13.Bxf6
gxf6
(Maybe ?!) [13...Nxf6
14.Ne5
favors White, but; 13...Bxf6
doesn't seem that terrible, as the bishop can retreat to e7 to help cover the c5 square.]
14.Qc2
b4
15.Na4
Rc8
16.0-0
c5
17.d5!
The seamy side of 13...gxf6 starts to appear.
17...exd5
18.Bh3?!
[18.Rfd1
looks strong. 18...Nb6
(18...Nb8
19.Nh4
d4
20.axb4
axb4
21.Be4+/-
; 18...d4
19.Qf5!
Bxe2?
20.Nxd4!+-
cxd4
21.Be4
mates.) 19.Nxb6
Qxb6
20.Rxd5
b3
21.Qc3
Qe6
22.Nh4
Rfd8
23.Nf5
Rxd5
24.Nxe7+
Qxe7
25.Bxd5
Qe5
26.Qxb3
Rb8
27.f4
Qxb2
28.Qxb2
Rxb2
29.Rc1
Bxe2
30.Rxc5
a4+/=
]
18...Bb5
Probably not the most accurate move. It's better to get the knight unpinned as soon as possible, as ...Ne5 is a very useful defensive move. [18...Rc7!
19.Rfd1
Ne5
]
19.axb4
axb4
20.Rfd1
d4
21.Bf5
Ne5!?
Pin? What pin?
22.Bxh7+?!
White wants to keep control over the light squares, but Black maintains a supple position in any case. [22.Nxe5
fxe5
23.Bxc8
(The immediate 23.b3
certainly deserves attention as well, blockading Black's pawn mass and preparing to bring the knight back to civilization.) 23...Qxc8
24.b3
could be good for White. Generally speaking, such a material balance is completely fine for Black, but thanks to his gappy pawn structure and White's access to the a- and c-files for his rooks, it could be promising for him. Black cannot just blow White off the board with an attack, either, e.g. 24...Qh3
25.Nb6
Bc6
26.f3
Kh8
(26...Bg5?
27.Qxc5
Be3+
28.Kh1+-
) 27.Rf1
Rg8
28.Rf2
Bh4
29.Rg2
Bxg3
30.hxg3
Rxg3
31.e4
dxe3
32.Rxg3
Qxg3+
33.Qg2
Qh4
34.Rd1
Bb5
35.Nc4+-
; 22.Bxc8
d3
23.Qc1
Qxc8
24.Nxe5
dxe2
is very complicated, and it seems, according to the oracle, that White can hold his own with perfect play.]
22...Kg7
23.Nxe5
fxe5
24.Bf5
Rc6
25.Qe4
Rh8
Very dynamic once again! [25...Rg8
26.Qxe5+
Bf6
27.Qe4
Qd6=
]
26.Qxe5+
Bf6
27.Qe4
Re8
Remarkable: Kramnik keeps offering the exchange, though in this case it's a sham sac.
28.Qg4+
Kf8
Black has full compensation for the pawn thanks to the bishop pair, pressure against e2 and the stranded knight on a4.
29.Be4
[29.Bd7
Bxe2
30.Qh3
Bxd1
31.Rxd1
Ree6!
Hilariously, this move is best. By cutting off the Qh3's defense of the bishop, White is forced to make an immediate capture. 32.Bxc6
Rxc6
33.Qf5
c4-/+
Black stands better, thanks to his mighty pawn phalanx and the hapless Na4.]
29...c4?!
Wow! This is a very bold idea, and I like it. It might not be objectively best, but it isn't bad at all, and it's very dangerous for White. Better still, even if White declines the offer, ...c4 is useful anyway. The only problem, and it's significant, is that Black was clearly better with normal play. [29...Rc7
30.Bf3
Qd6
(30...c4
31.Nb6
) 31.Qh5
(31.b3
d3
32.Rac1
c4
33.Qh5
Qe5-/+
White is in trouble.) 31...Bg7
32.b3
d3
33.Rab1
Re5
34.Qh7
c4
35.exd3
cxd3
36.Nb2
d2
37.Nc4
(Else Black plays ...Rc3, with a winning advantage.) 37...Bxc4
38.bxc4
Rxc4-/+
]
30.Bxc6
Bxc6
31.Qh5
White is in no hurry to allow ...Qd5, which explains Black's next move too.
31...Re5
32.Qh6+
Ke7
33.e4
d3
34.Qe3
Bxe4
35.Nb6??-+
Practically speaking, White's position is very difficult, but it seems that with best play he can hang on. [35.Re1
Bc6
(35...Qd6
36.Qf4
d2
37.Rxe4
d1Q+
38.Rxd1
Qxd1+
39.Kg2
Qd5
40.Kf3=
and both sides are weirdly stuck.) 36.Qc5+!
Qd6
37.Qxc4
d2
38.Red1
Re4
39.Qc5
Re2
40.Kf1!
Qxc5
(40...Rxf2+
41.Qxf2
(41.Kxf2??
Bd4+
) 41...Bb5+
42.Kg2
Bc6+=
) 41.Nxc5
Bb5
42.Kg2
Bxb2
Black has some chances, but this is most likely a draw.]
35...Bb7
36.Qf4
Qxb6
37.Qxc4
Re2
38.Rf1
and White resigned. [38.Rf1
Bd4
and the capture on f2 will be catastrophic for White (but the occasion for much joy for Black, especially if he has a sadistic streak).] 0-1