Vlad promised to keep fighting to the end, and he made good on that in game 10 with a stunning win but long experience tells us that having to win with black to stay in a match is a feat rarely managed.
1.e4
A change from the 1.d4 we saw in games 1, 3, 5, 7 and 9. Anand invites Kramnik to play his favourite Petroff Defence which can be very drawish, particularly if White wants it to be. The Petroff is one of the reasons Kramnik has not won with black for 2 years
1...c5
Given the match situation this is the best option and was widely anticipated. Kramnik has to head for an unbalanced position.
2.Nf3
d6
3.d4
cxd4
4.Nxd4
Nf6
5.Nc3
a6
A Najdorf! Hardly a Kramnik speciality but needs must. Having missed a win in game 9 and won game 10 at 4-6 down it's win or bust
6.Bg5
[6.Be3
Is the main move nowadays but ever since Radjabov and others including Anand have revitalised the Poisoned Pawn for White it has increased the popularity of Bg5]
6...e6
7.f4
7...Qb6 the Poisoned Pawn would not suit Kramnik now as it's Anand's territory and White has many forced drawing lines.
7...Qc7
[7...Qb6
8.Qd2
Qxb2
9.Rb1
Qa3
10.e5
is the focus of attention]
8.Bxf6
gxf6
In 1992 Anatoly Karpov needed a win with Black against Nigel Short at their Candidates match at Linares in 1992. Suffering in 1.e4 e5, Karpov played the Sicilian, allowed Bxf6 gxf6 and Short gave him a good tonking. in a Richter Rauzer in which Black castled kingside into the weakened pawns.
9.f5
[9.Be2
Nc6
10.Nb3
Qb6
11.Qd2
h5
]
9...Qc5
This looks very odd as it contradicts the basic rules of development but this move prevents both Qh5 and fxe6 and Qh5+
10.Qd3
Nc6
11.Nb3
We are following Kavalek - Chandler Bundesliga 1982
11...Qe5
[11...Qb6
12.0-0-0
Bh6+
13.Kb1
Bf4
coming to e5 looks reasonable also]
12.0-0-0
exf5
Black does not usually do this. It might win a pawn but it ruins the pawn structure and opens lines towards the king. The d5 square is screaming for equine occupation. In fact Kramnk judged this well, Black is doing reasonably well
13.Qe3
We can only admire Kramnik's bravado and he was making Anand think. [13.Nd5!?
]
13...Bg7
This looks grim but the bishop will emerge
14.Rd5
Qe7
15.Qg3
Rg8
[15...0-0
16.exf5+/=
]
16.Qf4
[An implausible variation is 16.Qf4
Be6
17.Rd1
fxe4
18.Nxe4
Bg4
19.Nxd6+
Kf8
20.Bc4
Bxd1
21.Rxd1
Ne5
22.Be2
Rd8
23.Nf5
Rxd1+
24.Bxd1
Qc7
25.Qb4+
Ke8
26.Nd6+
Kf8
27.Nf5+=
; 16.Qh4!?
]
16...fxe4
This surprised me. I was expecting Kramnik to try and get the king to c8
17.Nxe4
f5
[17...Be6
18.Nxd6+
Kf8
19.Rd1
Bg4
20.Qxg4??
Bh6+
is a nice cheapo and this line seems to be sounder for Black than the game]
18.Nxd6+
Kf8
White's back rank is a little weak but now Anand has a simple path to advantage
19.Nxc8
Rxc8
20.Kb1!
[20.Qd6
Nb4
21.Qxe7+
Kxe7
22.Rd2
Bh6-+
Illustrates why it's better to have the king on b1. Now Qe1 can be met by Nc1 or Qc1]
20...Qe1+
21.Nc1
Anand threatens Qd6+ Ne7 Qd8+ and mate. Kramnik's bishop may look fearsome but it can be neutralised by c2-c3 in most lines
21...Ne7
22.Qd2!
The practical choice forcing a queen exchange as Rd8+ is threatened [22.Qd6
Qe6
23.Qd8+
Rxd8
24.Rxd8#
]
22...Qxd2
23.Rxd2
Bh6
24.Rf2
Defending g2 so that the bishop can come out. Black's weak f5 pawn makes this endgame comfortably better for White. g3 and Bg2 is a threat. Anand is also helped by the presence of opposite coloured bishops, if he doesn't win they make the draw more likely
24...Be3
and Kramnik offered a draw. After Rf3 he is worse and has no winning prospects. In the end a very decent match indeed [24...Be3
25.Rf3
f4
26.g3
Ng6
27.Bh3
Rc7
28.Nd3+/-
] 1/2-1/2