Autoplay:
Autoplay:
The match for the World Chess Championship is closing to its finish. In tennis one would say that Anand has four match balls, with the score being 5.5 to 2.5 in his favor. The difference is, that in chess only two draws are sufficient. The real question now is: would Kramnik be able to win a single game? Anand's preparation for this match has to be admitted to be much superior. Switching from 1.e4 to 1.d4 he nullified about 50% of his opponent's opening prep, while as Black went for non-standard positions that do not match Kramnik's style. After the first couple of games he entered in great form, which however can't be said in regard of the Russian. So, is the Indian going to perform a coup-de-grace today, or there will be a sparkle of hope left for Kramnik's fans? Stay tuned at 15.00 CET.
1.d4 d5 2.c4 e6 Kramnik had enough of 1...Nf6 and goes directly into Queen's Gambit Declined.
3.Nf3 Nf6 4.Nc3 c6 No, it will be Slav Defense.
5.Bg5 h6 ( These day nobody plays the Botvinnik - 5... dxc4)
6.Bh4 ( Anand preferred the anti-Moscow gambit to the more calm 6.Bxf6)
6... dxc4 7.e4 g5 8.Bg3 b5 9.Be2 Bb7 10.Qc2 ( The fashionable continuation is 10.O-O Nbd7 11.Ne5 Bg7) ( A lot of practical tests before that passed 10.h4)
10... Nbd7 The previous moves were played quite rapidly.
11.Rd1 This move is not a novelty but is very rare - as 10.Qc2 is - and Anand is for sure going to link it to a new idea.
11... Bb4 12.Ne5 Qe7 Waiting for White to caste, before determining where the Black King will be.
13.O-O Anand finishes his development and is going to look for the right moment for d4-d5. Of course, there is as well the possibility f2-f4.
14.Bxe5 O-O 15.Bxf6 Investing a lot of thinking, Anand goes for a very sharp continuation. (15.Bg3 (15.f4 Nd7) 15... Rad8 16.f4 Bxc3)
15... Qxf6 16.f4 Qg7 (16... gxf4 17.e5 followed by Ne4 gives White dangerous attack.) (16... Bxc3 17.Qc3 gxf4 18.g3 is not to be recommended.)
17.e5 ( The most natural response to 17.e5 seems to be 17... f5 18.exf6 Rxf6 19.fxg5 Rxf1+ 20.Rxf1 reaching approximately equal position. Would that be enough for Kramnik?) The time spent by both opponents is about the same: 1.04 1.05 ( The attempt to include Bb7 after 17.e5 c5 is way too risky: 18.Nxb5 gxf4 19.Bf3 Bxf3 20.Rxf3 a6 21.Nd6 cxd4 22.Nxc4)
17... c5 18.Nxb5 cxd4 19.Qxc4 ( Trading directly the Bishops by 19.Bf3 Bxf3 20.Rxf3 Rac8 was in Kramnik's favor.)
19... a5 Anand realized that suddenly the Bishop pair became very strong and is desperately looking for a way to change the course of the game. There has been created a gap in the clock readings: 0.35 0.57, so a time trouble is quite probable.
20.Kh1 A good prophylactic move. It evades the numerous tactical traps, but the problem is that besides tactical resources Black has positional advantage as well.
20... Rac8 21.Qxd4 gxf4 (21... Bc5 seems to be very strong.)
22.Bf3 Ba6 23.a4 Rc5 24.Qxf4 Rxe5 Kramnik lost some of his advantage, the time spent is once again equal: 0.24 0.24
25.b3 Bxb5 26.axb5 Rxb5 27.Be4 White is a pawn down but the opposite colored Bishops promise a lot of drawing possibilities.
27... Bc3 28.Bc2 Be5 29.Qf2 Bb8 30.Qf3 Prevents Rh5.
30... Rc5 31.Bd3 Rc3 After Kramnik found the best square for his Bishop, it's time to activate the heavy pieces.
32.g3 Kh8 (32... Rxb3 33.Bh7+)
33.Qb7 f5 34.Qb6 Anand demonstrates stubborn defense.
34... Qe5 (34... Rg8 35.Bc4 Bxg3 (35... Rc2 is the correct move) 36.Qxe6)
35.Qb7 (35.Bxf5 exf5 36.Qxh6+ Kg8 37.Qg5+ Qg7 38.Rxf5 with excellent drawing chances was missed by both opponents.)
35... Qc7 (35... Rg8 would force 36.Rg1)
36.Qxc7 Bxc7 37.Bc4 Re8 38.Rd7 Anand proves once again how resilient can be and is to save this game.
38... a4 39.Rxc7 (39.Ra1 axb3 40.Bxb3 followed by Raa7 and at least perpetual.)
39... axb3 40.Rf2 (40.Rd1 b2 41.Kg2 Rb8 42.Rdd7 Rxc4 43.Rh7+ with perpetual.)
40... Rb8 41.Rb2 Now, with the time control passed, Kramnik has a lot of time to look for some winning chance, though the Rook ending seems to be dead draw. (41.Rb2 Rc2 42.Rxc2 bxc2 43.Bf1 ( better is 43.Bxe6 Rb1+ (43... Rb2 is the surprise that Anand better see beforehand.) 44.Kg2 c1Q 45.Rxc1 Rxc1 46.Bxf5) 43... Rb1 44.Rxc2 Rxf1+ 45.Kg2 Ra1 46.Rc6 Re1 47.Kf2 Re4 48.Rc7)
41... h5 42.Kg2 h4 43.Rc6 hxg3 44.hxg3 Rg8 45.Rxe6 Making the draw result obvious.
45... Rxc4 Draw agreed. Kramnik missed his best chance up to now in the match. The result is already 6-3 and Anand needs only half a point.
1/2