(1) Kramnik,Vladimir (2772) - Ni Hua (2665) [D15]
London Chess Classic London ENG (2), 09.12.2009
[John Saunders]



1.d4 d5 2.c4 c6 3.Nc3 Nf6 4.e3 a6 5.Nf3 b5 6.b3 Bg4 7.h3 Bxf3 8.Qxf3 e5!? [Play gets lively very quickly in this variation.]

9.dxe5 Bb4 10.Bd2 Bxc3 11.Bxc3 Ne4 12.Bb4 bxc4 13.Qg4 c5 14.f3 [Of course, I could give you a hundred variations from Fritz but let's take a deep breath and trust that the grandmasters have correctly figured out the tactics around here.]

14...cxb4 15.fxe4








Pause for breath. I think we should call this something pleasantly Anglo-Saxon like the 'Pawn Brawl Variation' rather than using its current name in order to attract the attention of street-fighting chessplayers. We are coming to the end of a bruising fist fight between the little guys in the centre of the board. It actually looks quite an entertaining line for club players to have a go at but you would need to read up on the nuances of it before rolling up your sleeves and getting stuck in. Nice to see Vladimir Kramnik ready to rumble in this way. Incidentally, he turned up with visible designer stubble today after his defeat of the day before. It recalls to mind the old story (probably apocryphal) that Anatoly Karpov didn't wash his hair until after a defeat. I'm wondering if Vlad has decided he isn't going to shave until he next tastes blood.

15...0-0 16.exd5 cxb3 [I don't know about you but I couldn't have lived one more move seeing those two big pawns in the centre and would have played the reflex 16...Qxd5 ; however, 17.Bxc4 Qxe5 18.0-0!? Qxe3+ 19.Kh1 and White gets good compensation for the sacrificed pawn.]

17.Qd4 Nd7 18.axb3 Qg5 [Black's plan is based on a long sequence of moves which both of them had worked out but which has a sting in the tail in favour of White.]

19.Qf4 Qxe5 20.Qxe5 Nxe5 21.Bxa6 Rfc8 22.Kd2 Rc3 23.Rhb1 f5 24.Ra4 Rc5








I suspect Ni Hua had seen it all to here but now White has a key move to maintain his material edge.

25.e4! fxe4 [25...Rd8 would allow White consolidate with 26.Rxb4 fxe4 27.Bc4 and reach a comfortably winning ending.]

26.Ke3 Rc2 [Black would like to play 26...Rxd5 but then 27.Bb7! Rd3+ 28.Kxe4 Re8 29.Ra8! would ensure White's ultimate victory.; 26...Rc3+ 27.Kxe4 Re8 28.Kd4 also retains an extra pawn.]

27.Bd3! [A neat way to simplify the position.]

27...Rxa4 28.Bxc2 Ra2 29.Bxe4








That more or less concludes the major business of the game. Kramnik thought he was winning comfortably here but admitted his finish may not have been the most efficient.

29...Kf7 30.Rc1 Kf6 31.Rc2 Ra1 [Exchanging the rooks with 31...Rxc2 32.Bxc2 wouldn't offer much hope. One general principle that even super-GMs tend to adhere to is that you should try to keep at least one rook on the board if you are trying to defend an endgame a pawn down. Minor piece endgames tend to be easier for the player with the advantage to convert (except for opposite bishop endings, of course).]

32.Kd4 Rd1+ 33.Kc5 h5 34.Rf2+ Ke7 35.Re2 Nd7+ 36.Kc6 Rc1+ 37.Bc2+ Kd8 38.Kd6 Nf6 39.Ke6 h4 40.d6 Rf1 41.Re5 Rf2 [41...Ne8 is more stubborn.]

42.Bf5 g6 43.Bxg6 Nd7 44.Rg5 Rf6+ 45.Kd5 Nb6+ 46.Kc6 Nc8 [White is not too bothered about the fate of the d-pawn because he knows Black's other two pawns are ripe for the plucking. ]

47.Kc5 Nxd6 48.Bd3 [48.Bd3 Black has no convincing continuation, e.g. 48...Nf7 49.Rh5 Rf4 50.Bc4 and the knight doesn't have a good square: 50...Ke8 51.Bxf7+ Kxf7 ] 1-0