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In a key game this round favourite Kramnik, who is playing for nothing but a draw in his black games is playing surprise leader Boris Gelfand, who defeated Moro yesterday. Kramnik has the white pieces and we expect an interesting game.
1.d4 d5 2.c4 c6 3.Nf3 Nf6 4.Nc3 e6 5.Bg5 h6 6.Bh4 dxc4 7.e4 g5 8.Bg3 b5 9.Be2 Bb7 10.h4 is the main line here
10.O-O Nbd7 Kramnik has certain compensation for the pawn. 11.d5 is interesting, though played less than 11. Ne5 and 11.Qc2
11.Ne5 h5 12.Nxd7 Qxd7 13.Qc1 This is a big surprise, everyone so far has played 13.Be5 (13.Be5 Rh6 and now 14.Qc1)
13... Rg8 14.Rd1 This was the idea behind Kramnik's last move.
14... Bb4 It's not good for black to give this important bishop even to win a pawn...
15.Qe3 The black king will have a hard time finding a safe place in this game. Kramnik will surely attack the queenside with a4.
15... Qe7 This move's goal is not to let the typical d5 breakthrough. But e5!? is also at hand for Kramnik.
16.h3 h4 17.Bh2 (17.Be5 looked better. Now black gets more counter play after g4 at the right moment.)
17... Bxc3! 18.bxc3 g4 a smart idea, without the knight white's initiative is less dangerous.
19.Kh1 Now g3!? is interesting
19... c5 very ambitious and a little dangerous...But the white king will be safe no more. There is a repetition draw variation that can happen...
20.hxg4 It's getting more and more interesting here... 20...cd4, Nxe4, Nxg4...Gelfand has a lot of options.
20... cxd4 Black kept the pawn, but Kramnik's dark-squared bishop is very dangerous.
21.Rxd4 e5 White has full compensation no matter which pawn black recaptures.
22.Rdd1 Nxg4 23.Bxg4 Rxg4 After f3 the Bb7 is quite weak.
24.f3 Rg6 25.a4 The extra pawn is not important in such positions. It's equal.
25... a5 A very int eresting move! Gelfand is trying to keep all queenside files closed. The black pawn will be quite strong if it gets to a3.
26.axb5 a4 27.Qe2 Black gets nice counter play after h3 with a possible f5 in the future.
27... Qc5 28.Rab1 Rd6?! 29.Rxd6 Qxd6 30.Qxc4 It wasn't good to sacrifice this pawn right now.
30... a3 31.Ra1 h3 32.Qe2! This flexible move is Kramnik's best chance
32... hxg2+ 33.Qxg2 (33.Kxg2!?)
33... O-O-O! Like a bolt from the blue such a late castle! But the black pieces are finally coordinated and the game still hangs in the ballance - a great ideq by Gelfand!
34.Qa2 f5 35.Qxa3 fxe4 Qxa3 first was also good
36.Qxd6 Rxd6 37.fxe4 Bxe4+ 38.Kg1 Bd3 This interesting game, in which both opponents showed good class, will end in a draw.
39.Bxe5 Rg6+ 40.Kf2 Bxb5 We finally saw an interesting game by Kramnik, but Gelfand showed he is not leading the world championship by accident.
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