The Art Of Defense

GM Tomashevsky – GM Kramnik [A11]
Russian Championship 2005, 23.12.2005

1.Nf3 d5 2.c4 c6 3.e3 Nf6 4.Nc3 e6 5.b3 Nbd7 6.Bb2 Bd6 7.Qc2 0–0 8.h3 b6 9.g4?! An interesting idea but I am not sure how affective it is. [9.d4 Ba6 10.0–0–0=] 9…Bb7 10.g5 Ne8 11.h4 [11.Bd3 g6 12.h4 Ng7 Unclear] 11…f5 12.Nd4 [12.0–0–0 would be my choice of move. I don’t like the idea of castling on the Kingside] 12…Qe7 13.Bg2 Rc8 14.f4 Bc5 15.Nce2 [15.Nf3 dxc4 16.bxc4 Unclear] 15…Nd6 16.Nf3 [16.g6 h6=] 16…dxc4 17.h5 [17.bxc4 Ba6 =+] 17…Bb4 18.h6 g6 19.0–0?! [19.a3 cxb3 20.Qd3 Ba5 21.Qd4 Kf7 This would have been much better than what he had in the game.] 19…cxb3 20.axb3 a5 21.Rad1 [21.Nc1 then Nd3 is another option. White has to try to get rid of that dark color Bishop] 21…c5 22.Ba1 Kf7 23.d3 [23.Qb2 Rg8 24.d3 White should just keep all his pieces and maintain pressure on the a1–h8 diagonal] 23…Ke8 24.Nc3 b5 25.Na2 Ba3?! 26.Qd2 [26.Bg7 Rg8 27.Ne5 Bxg2 28.Qxg2 Nxe5 29.fxe5 +=] 26…b4 27.Nc1 [27.Bg7 Rg8 +=] 27…Kf7 28.Ne2 [28.Bg7 Rfd8 29.Ne5+ Kg8 30.Bxb7 Nxb7=; 28.Ne5+ Nxe5 29.Bxe5 Unclear] 28…Kg8 29.Ne1 White did not seem to have any idea of how to proceed. In addition, he was short on time. 29…Bd5 30.Nc2 Bxg2 31.Kxg2 e5 32.Nxa3 bxa3 33.Qc3 Nf7 34.Ng3 Nb6 35.e4 fxe4 36.dxe4 c4 37.fxe5 cxb3 [37…Qb4!] 38.Qxb3 Nc4 39.e6 [39.Rd3 would be another alternative] 39…Qxe6 40.Rf6 [40.Bg7 Rfd8–+] 40…Qe7 41.Rdf1 [41.Rd5 Qb4 42.Qd3-+] 41…Qb4 White resigned! I don’t understand this nonsense. Even though Black is a lot better, why did White resign so early? Black still has to earn it. 42.Qd3 Qd2+ 43.Qxd2 Nxd2 44.R1f2–+ Posted by Picasa

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