1.d4
Nf6
2.c4
e6
3.g3
Bb4+
4.Bd2
Bxd2+
5.Qxd2
d5
6.Bg2
Nbd7
7.Nf3
c6
8.0-0
b6
9.Rc1
0-0
10.cxd5
cxd5
11.Na3
Bb7
12.Nb5
a6
13.Nd6
Qb8
14.Qb4
a5
15.Qa3
Ba6
16.Ne5
b5
17.Qxa5
Qxd6
18.Rc6
Qb8
19.Rxa6
Rxa6
20.Qxa6
Nxe5
21.dxe5
Qxe5
22.Qxb5
Rb8
23.Qd3
Rxb2
24.Qe3
Qxe3
25.fxe3
Rxe2
26.a4
Rc2
27.a5
Rc7
28.a6
Ra7
29.Bf1
Kf8
30.Rb1
Ke7
31.Rb7+
Rxb7
32.axb7
Nd7
33.Kf2
Kd6
34.Bb5
Nb8
35.Be8
Ke7
36.Bb5
f6
37.Kf3
Kd6
38.Be8
Kc7
39.Bf7
Kxb7
40.Bxe6
Kc6
41.Bg8
h6
42.Kg4
Nd7
43.Kf5
Ne5
44.h3?!
Kramnik places both kingside pawns on light squares in the following. [Mittels 44.h4!
Kd6
45.h5
(Kramnik) he could have drawn relativly easily.]
44...Kc5
45.g4?!
Kd6
46.Bh7
Ke7
47.Bg8
g6+
48.Kf4
Nf7
49.Bh7
g5+!?
[49...Nh8
50.Bg8
Kd6
51.h4=
]
50.Kg3
[Unfortunately active defense with 50.Kf5??
is impossible due to 50...Nd6+
51.Kg6
Nc4
52.Kxh6
Nxe3-+
nicht spielbar.]
50...Nd6
51.Bg8
Ne4+
52.Kg2
Kd6
Magnus starts his long march.
53.Kf3
Kc5
54.Bh7
Nc3
55.Bd3
Kb4
56.Ba6
Kb3
57.Bb7?
Now the king will reach d2 which seals White's fate. [57.Bd3
Kb2
58.Kf2
Kc1
59.Ke1
(Kramnik) was the last chance to fight. It looks as if White can still defend.]
57...Kc2
58.Ba6
[58.e4?!
d4-+
]
58...Kd1
Magnus mighty king
In the duel knight against bishop the knight usually wants to have control. But even then it is often quite difficult to win. Magnus Carlsen had to use all his creativity to beat Kramnik. After looking at my original analysis, which starts at this point, Kramnik remarked: "I had made two childish blunders and was totally lost already."
59.Bb7?!
[59.Bc8
was more tenacious as now no direct zugzwang can be forced. But Black will win in any case: 59...Kd2
60.Bb7
Kc1
A triangulation to break this set up. 61.Bc8
Kd1
62.Bf5
(62.Ba6
Ke1
Zugzwang 63.Bd3
Kd2
64.Ba6
Nd1
65.e4
d4-+
) 62...Ke1
63.Be6
Kf1
64.Bg8
Kg1
65.Kg3
Ne4+
66.Kf3
Kh2
67.Bxd5
Nc3!
Black must win a tempo. (After 67...Nd6?
68.h4
gxh4
69.Kf2
; resp after 67...Nc5?
68.Bc4
Kxh3
69.Bf1+
Kh4
70.Be2
h5
71.gxh5
Kxh5
Black has good drawing chances.) 68.Bc4
Nb1!!
The point. The knight will either sacrifice itself on d2 or return with gain of time. (68...Kxh3?
is met by 69.Bf1+
Kh4
70.Bd3
beantwortet.) 69.Ke2
Kxh3
70.Bd3
(70.Be6
Nc3+
71.Kf3
Na4
72.Bc4
Kh4
73.Bf1
Nb6
74.Be2
Nd5
75.Bd1
Nc3
76.Bc2
Nb5
77.Ba4
Nd6
78.Bb3
f5-+
) 70...Nc3+
71.Kf3
Kh4
72.Bf1
(If White stays on the b1-h7 diagonal with 72.Bc2
(Knaak) then the following knight manovers win. Black's king also has to move from time to time to bring White in zugzwang: 72...Nb5
73.Bf5
(73.Bh7
Nd6
74.Bg6
Nc4-+
) 73...Nd6
74.Be6
Kh3
75.Bb3
(75.Ba2
Nc8
76.Bc4
Ne7
77.Be6
Nc6
78.Ke4
Ne5
79.Kf5
Nxg4
80.Kg6
Kh4
81.e4
Ne3-+
) 75...Nb7
76.Bd1
Nc5
77.Be2
Kh4
78.Bb5
Nb3
79.Be2
Nd2+
80.Kf2
Ne4+
81.Kg2
Nc3
82.Bf3
Na2
83.Be2
Nc1
84.Bd1
Nd3
85.Kf3
Ne5+-+
) 72...Nb1
73.Bd3
Nd2+
74.Ke2
Kxg4
75.Kxd2
Kh3
76.Be2
g4
77.Ke1
h5
78.Kf1
Kh2-+
]
59...Kd2!!
Magnus Carlsen puts Kramnik in zugzwang. Now his king will reach the white kingside pawns.
60.Bc6
[60.Ba6?!
is refuted by 60...Nd1
61.e4
d4-+
]
60...Ke1
61.Bb7
Kf1
62.Ba8
Kg1
63.Kg3
Ne4+
64.Kf3
Nd2+
65.Kg3
[65.Ke2
Nc4
66.Bxd5
Ne5
67.Be4
Kh2
68.Kf2
Kxh3
69.Bf5
Kh4-+
]
65...Nf1+
66.Kf3
Nd2+
67.Kg3
Nc4
68.Bxd5
Nxe3
69.Bb7
Nf1+
70.Kf3
Kh2
71.Kf2
[71.h4
Kh3
72.hxg5
fxg5
73.Bc8
Nh2+
74.Kf2
Nxg4+
75.Kf3
h5-+
]
71...Nd2
72.Bg2
Nc4
73.Bf1
Ne5
74.Ke3
Kg1
75.Be2
[75.Ke2
Nd3
76.Kxd3
Kxf1-+
]
75...Kg2
76.Ke4
Kxh3
77.Kf5
Kh4
78.Bd1
Nc4!
79.Ke4
[After 79.Kxf6
Ne3
80.Be2
Nxg4+
81.Kg6
h5
82.Bd1
Ne3
83.Bxh5
Ng4-+
White is in zugzwang. A tragicomical picture.]
79...Nd6+
80.Kd5
[80.Kf3
h5
81.gxh5
Kxh5
82.Kg3+
Kg6-+
]
80...f5!
The final point. A very impressive endgame performance by Magnus Carlsen! [80...f5!
81.Kxd6
fxg4
82.Ke5
g3
83.Bf3
Kh3
84.Kf5
g2
85.Bxg2+
Kxg2-+
] 0-1