Tashir 06: All about Kramnik!

by Alejandro Ramirez
11/11/2014 – Kramnik came up with an incredibly unusual-looking attack that dispatched Alexander Morozevich when Black cracked under pressure. Many people were wondering if it wasn't Morozevich handling the white pieces, as the game was creative and difficult to predict. Kramnik now trails Grischuk by one point, and he can tie for first as they play each other in the last round.
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The International Tashir tournament in the memory Tigran Petrosian is being held in Moscow from November 3rd to November 11th. The format of the event is a seven-round Round Robin. The time control: 100 minutes for 40 moves + 50 minutes for 20 moves + 15 minutes to the end of the game with an increment of 30 seconds per move starting from the first.

Round Six

Round 06 – November 10
Kramnik, Vladimir 2760
1-0 
 Morozevich, Alexander 2724
Ding Liren 2730
½-½
 Gelfand, Boris 2759
Leko, Peter 2731
½-½ 
 Inarkiev, Ernesto 2688
Aronian, Levon 2797
½-½
 Grischuk, Alexander 2795

Kramnik, Vladimir 1-0 Morozevich, Alexander
It appears as if the players switched roles. Kramnik played inventive, aggressive and unusual chess. His follow-up was precise, creative and wonderful. An absolute must-see game. Morozevich cracked under the pressure and White's attack crashed through to victory.

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1.d4 Nf6 2.c4 e6 3.Nf3 Bb4+ 4.Nbd2 0-0 5.e3 b6 6.Bd3 c5 7.a3 Bxd2+ 8.Bxd2 Bb7 9.dxc5 bxc5 10.Bc3 10.b4 is actually an old game Polgar-Romanishin, 1991. 10...d6 11.Qc2 Nbd7 Usually White has some pressure in this position. He plays the rook to d1, castles short, and it is not so easy for Black to fully equalize, though his position remains solid. 12.0-0-0!? Or Kramnik can just go all-in! 12.Rd1 Qe7 Vocaturo-Vitiugov, 2014. 12...Qe7 13.Ng5 h6 14.h4 Of course, the knight is untouchable. The question is how does White plan to add fuel to the fire. Ne5 15.Bh7+ Kh8 16.f4! Kramnik starts removing everything that attempts to defend Black's king. Neg4 17.Rh3 h5 18.Rg3 Morozevich seems to have locked up the kingside, but the truth is that it is far from simple. Once White removes his bishop from the diagonal there will be a very difficult mating threat to answer on h7. Rae8 19.Bd3! e5 20.Be2! Black must now figure out how to defend against taking twice on g4. Nf2 20...e4 locks the diagonal but looks positionally ugly. 21.Qd2 21.Rf1 N2e4 22.fxe5! dxe5 22...Nxg3 23.Rxf6 is clearly lost. Be4 Otherwise Qh7 mate. 24.Nxe4 dxe5 24...gxf6 25.Nxf6 Ne4 26.Qxe4 26.Nxe8 is also good enough and simpler to see. 26...Qxf6 27.e6!+- 25.Rf3 And Black is just down material. And everything else. 23.Rxf6! 23.Rgf3 is just boring, but surely better for White. 23...Nxf6 24.Bxh5 The attack keeps raging. It is difficult for Black to find something productive to do. Kg8 25.Be2 Qd6 26.Rh3!? The difference between gods and mortals. Kramnik foresees the use of the rook on the h-file to push forward the h-pawn, that is clear. But his idea of sacrificing the g2 pawn because it is in the way of his rook is far from obvious! 26.h5 e4 leaves the rook stranded, and it must be defended. 26...Bxg2 27.Rg3 Bb7 28.h5 Re7 28...e4 29.Rg2 now the rook has g2 to hide in and the attack continues! 29.Rg1! 29.h6 g6 makes no progress. 29...e4? Morozevich cracks. The opening of the diagonal is lethal. 29...Rfe8 30.h6 g6 31.Nxf7 Rxf7 32.Qxg6+ Kf8 33.Bh5 Ree7 34.Rd1∞ 30.h6 Qh2 Morozevich must have been counting on this resrouce. 30...g6 31.h7+ Kg7 32.Bh5 and Black is getting annihilated. 31.Nh3! The knight clears the path on the g-file and defends the rook. Now it is difficult to stop White's threats. Qxh3 31...Ne8 32.hxg7 Qxh3 33.gxf8Q+ Kxf8 34.Qd2 is very close to just losing. 32.Rxg7+ Kh8 33.Bxf6 Qxh6 34.Rg6+ An unusually brutal demolition from Kramnik. 1–0
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WhiteEloWBlackEloBResYearECOEventRnd
Kramnik,V2760Morozevich,A27241–02014E11Petrosian Memorial 20146.4

"What can I say, Ilya, I'm amazing!" Kramnik truly played an incredible game today

Who doesn't want an autograph after that game?

Morozevich is now at the bottom with -3

Ding Liren ½-½ Gelfand, Boris
Dign Liren missed one and only one chance to obtain a strong advantage with a move that, quite frankly, only a computer can truly understand. Without this resource Gelfand equalized comfortably and the game could have been drawn much sooner if the rules allowed them to do so.

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1.d4 Nf6 2.c4 g6 3.g3 c6 If you want to be ultra-solid against the Fianchetto Set-ups, choose the c6 Grunfeld. If you want to be more active than the immediate d5 is more appropiate. 4.Bg2 d5 5.Nf3 Bg7 6.0-0 0-0 7.b3 this approach has been around for a few years. It isn't a refutation of this set-up with c6 and d5 in the fianchetto Grunfeld, but it seems to be less drawish than taking on d5, which is still the main line. dxc4 8.bxc4 c5 9.Bb2 Qb6 10.Qc1 10.Qb3 is the main move. 10...cxd4 11.Nxd4 Nc6 12.Nxc6 bxc6 13.Nd2 White's slight pressure on c6 might give him a small, small edge. One would think that good play by Black will neutralize it. Bg4 14.Nb3 Bxe2 15.Re1 Bd3 16.c5?! 16.Bd4! Some computer move. Qc7 16...Qa6! 17.Rxe7 17.Be5 Qd7 18.Qc3 and White's pressure is very real. Once c6 inevitably falls White will have a strong advantage. 16.Rxe7 preserved some initiative. 16...Qa6 17.Rxe7 Rae8 18.Re1 18.Rc7 Be4= 18...Bc4 19.Rxe8 Rxe8 20.Bxc6 Qxc6 21.Qxc4 Ne4 White's c5 pawn will not survive for long. He has to cope with some real problems on the h1-a8 diagonal. 22.Na5 22.Bxg7? Ng5! 23.f3 Nxf3+ 24.Kf2 Nxh2 22...Qxc5 23.Qxc5 Nxc5 24.Bxg7 Kxg7 The rest needs no explanation. 25.Rc1 Ne6 26.Nb3 Kf6 27.Kf1 Ke5 28.Nc5 Nxc5 29.Rxc5+ Kf6 30.Ra5 Re7 31.g4 g5 32.Ra6+ Kg7 33.Kg2 f6 34.Kg3 Rc7 35.a4 Kg6 36.a5 Rb7 37.f3 Rb3 38.h3 Ra3 39.Rxa7 h5 40.Kf2 Ra2+ 41.Ke3 Ra3+ 42.Ke4 Ra4+ 43.Kd5 Ra3 44.a6 hxg4 45.fxg4 Rxh3 46.Rc7 Ra3 47.a7 f5 48.Rc6+ ½–½
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WhiteEloWBlackEloBResYearECOEventRnd
Ding,L2730Gelfand,B2759½–½2014D78Petrosian Memorial 20146.1

The player's missed the computer-like 16.Bd4!

Leko, Peter ½-½ Inarkiev, Ernesto
The Aronian Queen's Gambit Declined keeps showing up and the result keeps being the same.

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1.d4 Nf6 2.c4 e6 3.Nf3 d5 4.Nc3 Be7 5.Bf4 0-0 6.e3 Nbd7 7.c5 Nh5 8.Be2 Nxf4 9.exf4 b6 10.b4 a5 We have seen this opening too many times in this tournament for my taste. 11.a3 c6 12.0-0 Qc7 13.g3 axb4 Ba6 is the normal move; if Black can afford to open the a-file so early and still retain equal chances then White will really have to figure out something against this move order. 14.axb4 Rxa1 15.Qxa1 bxc5 16.bxc5 f6 17.Re1 e5 18.Ba6 Rf7 19.Ne2 exd4 20.Nexd4 Nxc5 21.Bxc8 Qxc8 22.Rc1 Bd6 23.Qa5 Nb7 24.Qxd5 cxd5 25.Rxc8+ Rf8 26.Rc6 Rd8 The computer prefers White, and it is even possible he wins the d5 pawn, but winning is a completely different matter. 27.Ne6 Rd7 28.Nfd4 Kf7 29.Rb6 Be7 30.f5 30.Rb5! Kept some advantage, but surely not as much as the clear advantage the computer claims. 30...g6 31.g4 Nd6 32.Kg2 gxf5 33.gxf5 Ra7 34.Nd8+ Ke8 35.N8c6 Rb7 36.Ra6 Kd7 37.Ra8 Nb5 38.Rh8 Nxd4 39.Nxd4 Rb4 40.Ne6 Rh4 Now there should be no more progress for White. 41.Kg3 Rh5 42.f4 Bd6 43.Rd8+ Ke7 44.h4 Rxf5 45.Rxd6 Kxd6 46.Ng7 As clever as this was, it is insufficient to win. Re5 47.fxe5+ Kxe5 48.Kf3 d4 49.Nh5 d3 50.Nf4 d2 51.Nd3+ Kf5 52.Nf2 Kg6 53.Kg4 f5+ 54.Kf4 Kh5 55.Kg3 Kh6 56.Nd1 Kh5 57.Kh3 Kh6 58.Kg2 Kh5 59.Kg3 Kh6 60.Ne3 Kg6 61.Kh3 Kh5 62.Nd1 Kg6 ½–½
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WhiteEloWBlackEloBResYearECOEventRnd
Leko,P2731Inarkiev,E2688½–½2014D37Petrosian Memorial 20146.2

What can I do against this system?!

Inarkiev has tried to be as solid as possible after his first two losses

Aronian, Levon ½-½ Grischuk, Alexander
A fun game. Grischuk accepted a double pawn sacrifice but was majorly behind in development. He returned his material just in time to encourage a repetition of moves that Aronian decided to take.

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1.d4 Nf6 2.c4 g6 3.Nc3 d5 4.Nf3 Bg7 5.cxd5 Nxd5 6.e4 Nxc3 7.bxc3 c5 8.Be3 Qa5 9.Nd2 One of many new attempts against the Grunfeld. c3 is clearly poisoned because of Rc1, but the question is whether Nd2 is a move White wanted to make. 0-0 9...cxd4 is more commonly seen. 10.Nc4!? 10.Rc1 10.Be2 has also been more seen. 10...cxd4 11.Nc4 Qxa2 12.cxd4 Black is up a pawn, but his queen is a little stranded. He will have to waste a few more tempi to retrieve it while White finishes development. This, somehow, is very typical of the Grunfeld. Qa6 13.Be2 Qe6 14.Qd3 f5 15.0-0 Qxe4 16.Qa3 Black is now up two pawns (!) but he is not the one fighting for the advantage. White's development lead is so long that it will cost Black at least his extra material. Nc6 17.Nd2 Qh4 18.Nf3 Qf6 19.d5 Ne5 20.Rfd1 Nxf3+ 21.Bxf3 Re8 22.Rc7 Qd6 23.Qa4 Rd8 24.Bf4 Bd7 25.Qc4 Be5 26.Bxe5 Qxe5 27.Rxb7 Grischuk defense has been spot-on. So far he has only lost one of his pawns. Aronian's initiative is still strong, but Grischuk has diffused any immediate danger. Qd6 28.g3 Rab8 28...a5 29.Re1 remains unclear. a4 30.Rb6!∞ Qxb6 31.d6+ e6 32.Rxe6 Bxe6 33.Qxe6+= 29.Rxa7 Ra8 30.Rb7 Rab8 31.Ra7 Ra8 32.Rb7 Rab8 33.Ra7 ½–½
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Aronian,L2797Grischuk,A2795½–½2014D85Petrosian Memorial 20146.3

A complex game that was tense and interesting

Photos by Eteri Kublashvili and Boris Dolmatovsky

Standings

Round Six Games

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1.d4 Nf6 2.c4 g6 3.g3 c6 If you want to be ultra-solid against the Fianchetto Set-ups, choose the c6 Grunfeld. If you want to be more active than the immediate d5 is more appropiate. 4.Bg2 d5 5.Nf3 Bg7 6.0-0 0-0 7.b3 this approach has been around for a few years. It isn't a refutation of this set-up with c6 and d5 in the fianchetto Grunfeld, but it seems to be less drawish than taking on d5, which is still the main line. dxc4 8.bxc4 c5 9.Bb2 Qb6 10.Qc1 10.Qb3 is the main move. 10...cxd4 11.Nxd4 Nc6 12.Nxc6 bxc6 13.Nd2 White's slight pressure on c6 might give him a small, small edge. One would think that good play by Black will neutralize it. Bg4 14.Nb3 Bxe2 15.Re1 Bd3 16.c5?! 16.Bd4! Some computer move. Qc7 16...Qa6! 17.Rxe7 17.Be5 Qd7 18.Qc3 and White's pressure is very real. Once c6 inevitably falls White will have a strong advantage. 16.Rxe7 preserved some initiative. 16...Qa6 17.Rxe7 Rae8 18.Re1 18.Rc7 Be4= 18...Bc4 19.Rxe8 Rxe8 20.Bxc6 Qxc6 21.Qxc4 Ne4 White's c5 pawn will not survive for long. He has to cope with some real problems on the h1-a8 diagonal. 22.Na5 22.Bxg7? Ng5! 23.f3 Nxf3+ 24.Kf2 Nxh2 22...Qxc5 23.Qxc5 Nxc5 24.Bxg7 Kxg7 The rest needs no explanation. 25.Rc1 Ne6 26.Nb3 Kf6 27.Kf1 Ke5 28.Nc5 Nxc5 29.Rxc5+ Kf6 30.Ra5 Re7 31.g4 g5 32.Ra6+ Kg7 33.Kg2 f6 34.Kg3 Rc7 35.a4 Kg6 36.a5 Rb7 37.f3 Rb3 38.h3 Ra3 39.Rxa7 h5 40.Kf2 Ra2+ 41.Ke3 Ra3+ 42.Ke4 Ra4+ 43.Kd5 Ra3 44.a6 hxg4 45.fxg4 Rxh3 46.Rc7 Ra3 47.a7 f5 48.Rc6+ ½–½
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WhiteEloWBlackEloBResYearECOEventRnd
Ding,L2730Gelfand,B2759½–½2014D78Petrosian Memorial 20146.1
Leko,P2731Inarkiev,E2688½–½2014D37Petrosian Memorial 20146.2
Aronian,L2797Grischuk,A2795½–½2014D85Petrosian Memorial 20146.3
Kramnik,V2760Morozevich,A27241–02014E11Petrosian Memorial 20146.4

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Schedule

Round 01 – November 04
Ding Liren 2730
½-½
 Kramnik, Vladimir 2760
Leko, Peter 2731
 ½-½
 Morozevich, Alexander 2724
Aronian, Levon 2797
½-½ 
 Gelfand, Boris 2759
Grischuk, Alexander 2795
1-0 
 Inarkiev, Ernesto 2688
Round 02 – November 05
Kramnik, Vladimir 2760
1-0
 Inarkiev, Ernesto 2688
Gelfand, Boris 2759
 0-1
 Grischuk, Alexander 2795
Morozevich, Alexander 2724
½-½ 
 Aronian, Levon 2797
Ding Liren 2730
½-½
 Leko, Peter 2731
Round 03 – November 06
Leko, Peter 2731
½-½
 Kramnik, Vladimir 2760
Aronian, Levon 2797
½-½
 Ding Liren 2730
Grischuk, Alexander 2795
1-0 
 Morozevich, Alexander 2724
Inarkiev, Ernesto 2688
½-½
 Gelfand, Boris 2759
Round 04 –November 08
Kramnik, Vladimir 2760
½-½ 
 Gelfand, Boris 2759
Morozevich, Alexander 2724
½-½
 Inarkiev, Ernesto 2688
Ding Liren 2730
½-½ 
 Grischuk, Alexander 2795
Leko, Peter 2731
½-½
 Aronian, Levon 2797
Round 05 – November 09
Aronian, Levon 2797
½-½ 
 Kramnik, Vladimir 2760
Grischuk, Alexander 2795
1-0
 Leko, Peter 2731
Inarkiev, Ernesto 2688
½-½ 
 Ding Liren 2730
Gelfand, Boris 2759
1-0
 Morozevich, Alexander 2724
Round 06 – November 10
Kramnik, Vladimir 2760
1-0 
 Morozevich, Alexander 2724
Ding Liren 2730
½-½
 Gelfand, Boris 2759
Leko, Peter 2731
½-½ 
 Inarkiev, Ernesto 2688
Aronian, Levon 2797
½-½
 Grischuk, Alexander 2795
Round 07 – November 11
Grischuk, Alexander 2795   Kramnik, Vladimir 2760
Inarkiev, Ernesto 2688   Aronian, Levon 2797
Gelfand, Boris 2759   Leko, Peter 2731
Morozevich, Alexander 2724   Ding Liren 2730

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Grandmaster Alejandro Ramirez has been playing tournament chess since 1998. His accomplishments include qualifying for the 2004 and 2013 World Cups as well as playing for Costa Rica in the 2002, 2004 and 2008 Olympiads. He currently has a rating of 2583 and is author of a number of popular and critically acclaimed ChessBase-DVDs.

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