1.d4
Nf6
2.c4
e6
3.Nf3
b6
4.g3
Ba6
5.b3
Bb4+
6.Bd2
Be7
7.Bg2
c6
8.Bc3
d5
9.Ne5
Nfd7
10.Nxd7
Nxd7
11.Nd2
0-0
12.0-0
Rc8
13.e4
c5
14.exd5
exd5
15.dxc5
dxc4
16.c6
cxb3
17.Re1
b2
18.Bxb2
Nc5
19.Nc4
Bxc4
20.Qg4
The main line of the Queen's Indian Defence. It is curious that this opening, which has occurred in many top level games, was also seen last year in the Leko-Karpov match in Miskolc. However, at that time Peter played with white.
20...Bg5
In the afore-mentioned game Karpov played 20... Bf6 and found himself in a worse position.
21.Qxc4
Nd3
22.Be5
Nxe1
[22...Nxe5?
23.Rxe5
Bf6
24.Rd5
Bxa1
25.Rxd8
Rfxd8
26.Bh3
Rc7
27.Bd7+/-
Qd5-d6]
23.Rxe1
Bf6
24.Bxf6
Qxf6
25.c7
Qd6
26.Rc1
b5
27.Qc2
b4
28.Bb7
g6
29.h4!
A very strong move that forces Black to make an important and awkward decision. If he himself plays h5, then the evolving pawn structure is most likely a losing weakness in a pawn endgame, and moreover he is weakening his king. If he doesn't play h5 then he has to face a Kg2; h4-h5-h6 plan, whereafter White would have a strong tactical pawn on h6.
29...Rfe8?
The losing move. At the press conference after the games Peter was not able to give an explanation to this blunder. We would not even try to do so. [29...h5
30.Kf1!
happened i n an Ivanchuk-Aronian (Monte Carlo, 2007) game. With this fine move White puts his king closer to the center and prepares a favourable simplification.]
30.Qa4!
Qd2
31.Qc6
a5
32.Bxc8?
White is impatient. He would have needed his bishop for a few more moves to defend against the threatening checks on the long diagonal. [32.Rc2
Qe1+
33.Kg2
Qe6
34.Qb5!
and there is no Qe4+. White would have won easily.]
32...Rxc8
33.Rc2
Qd3?
This move pays back the loan. [33...Qe1+
34.Kg2
Qe6!
35.Qb7
Qd7
and because of the constantly threatening perpetual check White's task of intensifing his advantage to a decisive one is not so easy at all.]
34.Kg2
Black's position is beyond recovery. From now on Kramnik doesn't give his opponent any more chances.
34...Kg7
35.Rc5
a4
36.Qxa4
[36.Qb7
Qd7
37.Qxb4
Rxc7
38.Qc3++-
]
36...Qe4+
37.Kh2
Qd4
38.Qc2
[38.Rc2?
Rxc7
39.Rxc7
Qxf2+
40.Kh3
Qf1+=
]
38...h5
39.Kg2
Qd6
40.Qb2+!
f6
[40...Kh7
41.Qxb4
Rxc7
42.Rxh5+
gxh5
43.Qxd6+-
; 40...Kg8
41.Qxb4
Rxc7
42.Qb8+
Kg7
43.Qxc7+-
]
41.Qc2
Kf7
42.Qc4+
Kg7
43.Rc6
Qd7
44.Qc5
Kf7
45.Kh2
Kg7
46.Qb6
Qf5
47.Qd4
Kf7
48.Rxf6+!
Qxf6
49.Qd7+
1-0