Reply #2: Round 3 (Kramnik 0-1 Anand)

[Jack Rabbit]

Vishy Anand
Photo: ChessBase.com


Vladimir Kramnik - Vishy Anand
Match for the World Title, Round 3
Bonn, 17 October 2008

Semi-Slav Queen's Gambit: Meran Defense (Reynolds Opening)

1.d4 d5 2.c4 c6 3.Nf3 Nf6 4.Nc3 e6 5.e3 Nbd7 6.Bd3 dxc4 7.Bxc4 b5 8.Bd3 a6

• This is the starting point of the Reynolds Opening.
• The Wade Opening is also a popular variation of the Meran: If 8...Bb7 9.a3 b4 10.Ne4 Nxe4 11.Bxe4 bxa3 then:
• If 12.0-0 Nf6 13.Bd3 then:
• 13...axb2 14.Bxb2 a5 15.Qa4 Bb4 16.Ba3 Nd5 17.e4 Nb6 18.Qb3 Qe7 19.Rab1 Bxa3 20.Qxb6 Bb4 21.Ne1 0-0 22.Nc2 Rfd8 23.Nxb4 axb4 24.Qxb4 Qxb4 25.Rxb4 Ba6 26.Bxa6 draw (Gelfand-Kramnik, World Ch Trmt, Mexico City, 2007).
• 13...Be7 14.bxa3 0-0 15.Rb1 Qc8 16.e4 c5 17.e5 Nd5 18.Qc2 h6 19.dxc5 Rb8 20.Qc4 Rd8 21.Bd2 Bxc5 is equal (Peralta-Real, Argentine Ch, Mendoza, 2008).
• 12...Bd6 then:
• 13.b3 Nf6 14.Nd2 Qc7 15.Bf3 Bxh2+ 16.Kh1 Bd6 17.Nc4 Be7 18.Bxa3 0-0 19.Bxe7 Qxe7 20.Ra5 Rfd8 21.Kg1 c5 22.Rxc5 Ne4 23.Bxe4 Bxe4 is equal (Topalov-Kramnik, World Ch M Rd 4, Elista, 2006).
• 13.b4 Nf6 14.Bd3 then:
• 14...a5 15.b5 c5 16.Bxa3 cxd4 17.Nxd4 Bxa3 18.Rxa3 is equal (Aldy-Gaponenko, Op, Reykjavik, 2008).
• 14...Nd5 15.Bxa3 Nxb4 16.Bxb4 Bxb4 17.Ba6 Rb8 18.Bxb7 Rxb7 19.Qa4 0-0 20.Qxc6 is equal (Mamedyarov-Modiaki, Areoflot Op, Moscow, 2005).
• 12.bxa3 Bd6 13.Rb1 Qc7 14.0-0 0-0 15.Qc2 h6 16.Bb2 Rfc8 17.Rfc1 Rab8 18.h3 c5 is equal (Ribli-Agdestein, Bundesliga, Germany, 1999).

9.e4

• 9.b4 a5 10.Rb1 axb4 11.Nd5 Nxd5 12.0-0 Bd6 13.e4 g5 14.exd5 cxd5 gives White an extra pawn (Feingold-Shulman, No Amer Invitational, Schaumburg, 2006).

9...c5 10.e5


• If 10.d5 c4 11.dxe6 fxe6 12.Bc2 Qc7 13.0-0 Bb7 then:
• 14.Qe2 Bd6 15.Ng5 Nc5 16.f4 h6 17.Nf3 Nd3 18.Bxd3 cxd3 19.Qxd3 Rd8 20.Qe2 Bxf4 21.Kh1 0-0 22.Bxf4 Qxf4 23.Ng1 Qe5 is equal (Hahn-Adamson, US Ch, San Diego, 2004).
• 14.Nd4 Nc5 15.Be3 then:
• 15...e5 16.Nf3 Be7 17.Ng5 0-0 18.Bxc5 Bxc5 19.Ne6 Qb6 20.Nxf8 Rxf8 21.Qe2 Qe6 22.Nd5 Nxd5 23.exd5 Qxd5 24.Qg4 Bd4 is equal (Jakovljevic-Vitiugov, Euro Ch, Plovdiv, 2008).
• 15...0-0-0 16.Qe2 e5 17.Nf3 Ne6 18.Rfd1 Bc5 19.Nd5 Nxd5 20.exd5 Nd4 21.Nxd4 exd4 22.Bxd4 Rxd5 23.Bxc5 Qxc5 24.Be4 Rxd1+ 25.Rxd1 Bxe4 26.Qxe4 gives White the more aggressive game (Onischuk-Fernandez, Op, Minneapolis, 2005).
• 14.Ng5 Nc5 15.e5 Qxe5 16.Re1 Qd6 17.Qxd6 Bxd6 18.Be3 0-0 19.Rad1 Be7 20.Bxc5 Bxc5 21.Nxe6 Rfc8 22.h3 Rab8 23.Nxc5 Rxc5 24.Rd6 b4 25.Na4 Rd5 26.Rb6 Rb5 27.Rxb5 draw (Gelfand-Shirov, IT, Biel, 1995).

10...cxd4 11.Nxb5 axb5


• If 11...Nxe5 12.Nxe5 axb5 13.Bxb5+ Bd7 14.Nxd7 Qa5+ 15.Bd2 Qxb5 16.Nxf8 Kxf8 17.a4 Qxb2 18.0-0 Ne4 19.Qf3 f5 20.Bf4 Qc3 21.Qh5 d3 22.Rac1 Qf6 23.Rc7 Qg6 24.Qf3 Rd8 25.Rd1 stops the d-pawn and gives White the more active game in compensation for his pawn minus (Milov-Bacrot, Euro ChT, León, 2001).
• 16...Rxf8 17.a4 Qc4 18.b3 Qd3 19.Qf3 Qe4+ 20.Qxe4 Nxe4 21.b4 Ke7 22.f3 Nc3 23.Bxc3 dxc3 24.Ke2 Rfd8 25.Rhd1 c2 26.Rdc1 Rd4 27.Rxc2 Rxb4 28.a5 draw (Kramnik-Kasparov, Corus A, Wijk aan Zee, 1999).
• 13.0-0 Qd5 14.Qe2 Ba6 15.Bg5 Be7 16.f4 0-0 17.Rf3 Bb7 18.Rg3 Rxa2 19.Re1 g6 20.h4 Qb3 21.Rb1 Nd5 22.Qh5 Bxg5 23.Nxg6 fxg6 24.Bxg6 Nf6 25.Bxh7+ Nxh7 26.Rxb3 Bxf4 27.Rxb5 Be4 is equal (Alexandrova-Bets, IT, Alushta, 2001).

12.exf6 gxf6

• 12...Qb6 13.fxg7 Bxg7 14.0-0 Bb7 15.Re1 0-0 16.Bf4 Bd5 17.Ne5 Nxe5 18.Bxe5 Bxe5 19.Rxe5 f5 20.Qe2 Rf7 21.Bxb5 Rxa2 22.Rxa2 Bxa2 23.h4 Qd6 draw (Ftacnik-Inkiov, IT, Warsaw, 1987).

13.0-0 Qb6 14.Qe2 Bb7!?

• If 14...b4 15.Rd1 Bc5 then:
• If 16.a4 h5 17.Bf4 Kf8 18.Bg3 e5 19.Rdc1 then:
• 19...Ba6 20.Qe4 Ra7 21.Bb5 Be7 22.Nh4 Nc5 23.Qe2 Nb3 24.Bxa6 Nxc1 25.Rxc1 Qxa6 gives Black a considerable material advantage (Kashdan-Horowitz, US Ch, New York, 1946).
• 19...Be7 20.a5 Qd8 21.Qe4 Ra7 22.Nxd4 Bb7 23.Qe3 Bc5 24.Ne6+ fxe6 25.Rxc5 Ra8 26.Rb5 Ba6 27.Rxb4 Bxd3 28.Qxd3 Qc7 29.Rc4 Black resigns as White's attack will be decided by the queenside pawns (Moiseenko-Kotanjian, Euro Ch, Dresden, 2007).
• 16.Bf4 h5 17.Rac1 Kf8 18.Bb5 Ra5 is equal (Gomez-Korneev, Euro ChT, Fügen, 2006).
• 14...Ba6 then:
• If 15.Rd1 Rd8 16.b4 Bxb4 17.Rb1 Bc3 then:
• 18.Bxb5 Bxb5 19.Rxb5 Qc6 20.Bb2 Rg8 21.g3 Rg4 22.Nxd4 Rxd4 23.Rxd4 Bxd4 24.Bxd4 Ra8 25.Rb2 Ra4 draw (Avrukh-Vera, Ol, Bled, 2002).
• 18.Ba3 Qc6 19.Bxb5 Bxb5 20.Rxb5 Ra8 21.Bb4 Rxa2 22.Nxd4 Bxd4 23.Qxa2 Rg8 24.g3 Bxf2+ 25.Kxf2 Qxb5 26.Qa8+ Qb8 27.Qa4 Qb6+ 28.Ke2 Qb7 29.Rxd7 draw (Sasikiran-Goloshchapov, Op, Dubai, 2004).
• 15.a4 Nc5 16.axb5 Bb7 17.Rxa8+ Bxa8 18.Nxd4 Qd6 19.b6 Nxd3 20.Qxd3 Qxb6 21.Be3 Qb7 22.f3 Be7 23.Bh6 Bf8 24.Be3 Be7 25.Bh6 Bf8 26.Nf5 Qd5 27.Qxd5 Bxd5 28.Bxf8 Rxf8 29.Ne3 gives White the advantage of the outside passer (Bareev-Karjakin, World ChT, Beer Shiva, 2005).

15.Bxb5

• White replies with the most obvious response and gains the more active game.

15...Bd6

• 15...Rg8 16.Rd1 Rd8 17.a4 Qc5 18.Bf4 Qh5 19.Rd3 White meets the pressure on f3, which indirectly pressures the White King.

16.Rd1 Rg8 17.g3

• The simplest way to meet the masked attack on the King, and probably the best.

17...Rg4 18.Bf4?!

• White should find a better way to develop the Bishop, since he has the open center.
• 18.Qd3 Rd8 19.h3 Bxf3 20.Qxf3 Rg6 21.a4 gives White more activity.

BLACK: Vishy Anand
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WHITE: Vladimir Kramnik
Position after 18.Bc1f4

18...Bxf4!

• Now it is Black who has excellent Bishops.

19.Nxd4 h5

• If 19...Rg6 20.Nxe6 fxe6 21.Rxd7 Kf8 22.Qh5! then:
• 22...Rg7 23.Rxg7 Kxg7 24.gxf4 gives White two extra pawns.
• 22...Rd8 23.Qxh7 Rxd7 24.Qxd7 Bg5 is equal.

If 19...Rg8 20.Nxe6 fxe6 21.Rxd7 Kf8 then:

• 22.Qh5! Rg7 transposes into the red line.
• 22.Qd3 Rg6 23.Rxh7 Rh6 24.Rxb7 Qxb7 25.gxf4 f5 is equal.

20.Nxe6

• 20.Bxd7+ Kxd7 21.h3 Rg6 22.Nxe6+ Bd6 23.Nd4 Rg5 gives Black more freedom and activity.

20...fxe6 21.Rxd7 Kf8 22.Qd3
BLACK: Vishy Anand
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WHITE: Vladimir Kramnik
Position after 22.Qe2d3

22...Rg7!!

• The net result of this move is the sacrifice of a Bishop.
• 22...Bc8 23.Rh7 Kg8 24.Rxh5 Rg7 25.Qe4 gives White the advantage in space.

23.Rxg7

• 23.a4 Rxd7 24.Qxd7 Rd8 25.Qh7 Be5 26.Be2 Bd4 keeps White from winning another pawn.

23...Kxg7 24.gxf4

• The sacrificial combination is complete.
• White has realized his chances of going up by two pawns; Black's pieces are still more active, especially the Rook, and White's kingside pawns are in disarray.

24...Rd8 25.Qe2

• White finds the most active move.
• 25.Qb3 Kh6 26.a4 Rg8+ 27.Kf1 Rg2 28.Qe3 Qxe3 29.fxe3 Rxh2 30.Ke1 Rxb2 gives Black more activity.
• If 28.Qc2 then Black launches a mating attack with 28...Rxh2 29.Ra3 Bg2+ 30.Ke1 Rh1+ 31.Kd2 Qxf2+ .

25...Kh6 26.Kf1 Rg8 27.a4?

• White still needs to shut down Black's potential counterplay.
• 27.f5! Bg2+ 28.Ke1 Bh3 29.Rc1 White still has two extra pawns.

27...Bg2+ 28.Ke1 Bh3 29.Ra3

• If 29.Rd1 Rg1+ 30.Kd2 Rg2 31.Ke1 Bg4 32.Qf1 then:
• If 32...Rxh2 33.Qg1 Rh3 34.Qf1 Qa5+ 35.Rd2 Qa8 then:
• If 36.Rd4 then Rh1 37.Qxh1 Qxh1+ wins for Black.
• If 36.f3 then 36...Rxf3 37.Qg1 Qe4+ 38.Be2 Rxf4 Black wins.
• If 32...Qb7 33.Be2 Rxh2 34.f3 Qb4+ gives Black the freedom to continue the attack.

29...Rg1+ 30.Kd2 Qd4+ 31.Kc2

• The text is better than 31.Rd3 Qxb2+ 32.Ke3 Qa1 33.Qc2 Rc1 when:
• If 34.Qd2 then Re1+ 35.Kf3 Bg4+ 36.Kg3 Rd1 wins.
• 34.Rd2 Rxc2 35.Rxc2 Qe1+ wins for Black.

31...Bg4!

• If 31...Bf5+ 32.Kb3 Rc1 then:
• If 33.Ra2 then after Bc2+ 34.Qxc2 Rxc2 35.Kxc2 Qxf2+ Black wins another pawn.
• 33.a5 Rc2 34.Qxc2 Bxc2+ 35.Kxc2 Qc5+! gives Black a material advantage.

32.f3

• If 32.Rd3 then 32...Bf5 33.Kb3 Bxd3 34.Bxd3 Rg4 wins the exchange, theoretically erasing Black's material deficit.

32...Bf5+ 33.Bd3

• This move is poison, but 33.Kb3 Rc1 34.a5 Rc2 35.Qxc2 Bxc2+ 36.Kxc2 Qc5+ is note too appetizing for Black, either.

33...Bh3

• Black overlooks an almost immediate win.
• 33...Bxd3+! 34.Rxd3 Qc4+ justifies resignation.

34.a5

• It's all over but the shouting.34.Qd2 Rg2 35.Be2 Bf5+ 36.Kc1 Qg1+ wins another pawn.


• No better is 34.f5 Rg2 35.Qxg2 Bxg2 36.fxe6 Bxf3 37.a5 Qc5+ .

34...Rg2 35.a6

• If 35.Qxg2 Bxg2 36.f5 Bxf3 37.fxe6 transposes into the blue variation of the previous note.

35...Rxe2+

• All moves from here to the end are forced. White could have resigned here.

36.Bxe2 Bf5+ 37.Kb3 Qe3+ 38.Ka2 Qxe2 39.a7 Qc4+ 40.Ka1 Qf1+ 41.Ka2 Bb1+ 0-1

• Further resistance is pointless.
• Vladimir Borisovich resigns.

Kramnik resigns to Anand to end Round 3
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