Hello everyone and welcome to the Aronian – Kramnik 2800 match live coverage! Today is the second game, Aronian has white and a point advantage in the match. I am GM Arkadij Naiditsch and will be commenting for you live the games from Zurich. I have just finished my Dirty Chess DVD and now I will dedicate time to you, the chess fans!
1. e4 Excellent start! 1. e4 from probably the player with best preparation from the chess elite at the moment.
1… e5 2. Nf3 Nc6 A surprise in the second game of the Match. Aronian is opening it with 1.e4 ( a very rare choise for the Armenian) and Kramnik with his 2nd weapon the Berlin defense
3. Bb5 Nf6 4. O-O Nxe4 5. d4 Nd6 we can expect a very very exiting and important game today in the Berlin defence
6. Bxc6 dxc6 Of course this is deep theory, so we are still in the main line.
7. dxe5 Nf5 8. Qxd8+ Kxd8 9. Nc3 on the 9th move we have the first interesting moment. Black is the one to choose which line they will play. 9…Ke8 10.h3 h5 is at the moment the trendy set up
9… Be6 and Kramnik is going for a very rare 9..Be6
10. Rd1+ which is obviously not a surprise to Aronian at all! Again we see the World Nr2 extremely well prepared! And his answer comes immediately.
10… Ke8 After yesterday’s misery, it is clear that Kramnik would like to play for a win today – in case it is possible.
11. Ng5 Bc8 in the current position after 11…Bc8 the main move is 12.g4
12. h3 12.h3 is the choice of Aronian, another main move. White’s basic idea is clear, to bring the pawns on the kingside into movement, with g4,f4-f5. In case he manages, Black will be clearly worse. On the other hand, Black should try to avoid it, and by keeping their bishop pair search for counter chances
12… Be7 with Aronian it is always very hard to say what he knows and where he is “bluffing” in the opening. It makes his play sometimes very hard to understand. For example now: does White know the position or not?! Very hard to say…
13. Bf4 and here comes the official Novelty 13.Bf4!? In the only “fresh” game of Swierz-Hovhannisyan White played 13.Nf3. The speed with which Aronian played 13.Bf4 probably shows that it is a well prepared novelty. White has now a few ideas: the g4 move as usual, and the additional one to play e6. Now at 13…h6 probably Whites wants to play 14.Nf3 Be6 15.g4! Nh4 16.Nxh4 Bxh4 17.f3 with a bit better position for White. The exchange on 13…Bxg5 14.Bxg5 should be not considered as a “real option” because it leads immediately to a better position for White. 13…h5 to block White’s g4 doesn’t seems to be good as well, White would be at least a tempo up in comparison to the main line 9…Ke8 10.h3 h5. I would say, 13..h6 probably is the right choice, and after 14.Nf3 maybe now 14…h5
13… Nh4 a very “unusual play” by Kramnik for Berlin structures 13…Nh4!? Black is threatening to play 14….Ng6. Now 14.Nge4 is coming probably 14…Be6 – now White got a wide choice of moves. Let’s see what will happen in the game! And let us think together with Aronian, can be now 14.e6!? also an option? In case of 14…fxe6 is coming 15.Nge4, in case of 14…Bxe6 15.Nxe6 fxe6 16.Bxc7 White is doing a bit better. At 14….f6 15.Nf7 Rf8 16.Bxc7 Bxe6 17.Nd6 White should be doing a bit better as well, so maybe at 14.e6 Black could counter with 14…Ng6!? It leads to a super complicate position after 15.Nxf7 Nxf4 16.Nxh8 Bxe6 and it is hard to say who is doing better. Personally I would choose probably White…
14. e6 a very logical decision, now I think Black has only 2 choices which should be considered seriously, this is 14…Ng6 the main I guess and 14…f6 which leads to a slightly worse position after 15.Nf7 Rf8 16.Bxc7 Bxe6 17.Nd6. Probably according to the match situation, Kramnik should try the quite unclear 14…Ng6. Letting White to choose if they want to play 50-50 game after 15.Nxf7 Nxf4 16.Nxh8 Bxe6 or if White is going for 15.exf7 Kf8 16.Be3 h6 17.Nge4 Kf7 and now is important moment, if White can play 18.f4 ( threat is g4-f5) h5! 19.f5! and it seems that White is faster. So probably objectively Black should tend more to the safe – slightly worse position move 14…f6. Good choice for Aronian playing 14.e6!
14… f6 15. Nf7 So Kramnik is choosing the 14…f6. Now the game most probably can have 2 ways out, or White will push for a long time in a little better position, or Black will manage to equalize quickly and we will see a handshake
15… Rg8 16. Bxc7 Bxe6 17. Nd6+ Black has to take now at 17…Bxd6 no other choice, at 17…Kd7 White got 18.Ndb5 and Nd4
17… Bxd6 probably White needs to take now with 18.Bxd6, 18.Rxd6 doesn’t seems to be the right move after just a simple 18…Kf7. In case of 18.Bxd6 Kf7 Whites idea should be to try somehow getting the knight on the d6 square.
18. Bxd6 Kf7 Maybe by playing 19.Bh2!?, but of course the position is looking to be very close to a draw
19. f3 Nf5 Note: for everyone using twitter, you can follow the latest news at http://twitter.com/chessdom
20. Bc5 a few moves been made, and we can see, that game is most probably coming to a “safe” end. Black can for example play now 20…b6 followed by Rgd8 or maybe even try to immediate 20…Rgd8 21.Rxd8 Rxd8 22.Bxa7 Rd2 23.Rc1 Ng3 with probably a draw in the opposite color bishop endgame with a pawn down
20… b6 yes, the most logical play by Black, 20…b6. I guess we can already prepare for some rapid games!
21. Bf2 but anyhow, Black still needs to do couple of precise moves to make the draw result be a must, 21…Rgd8 is looking like a must move, and of course White is going to try his last chance by playing 22.a4 followed by the a5 move
21… Rgd8 22. a4 maybe the last important moment of the game. Black needs to find now an accurate plan to equalize completely. Few moves are possible: 22…Ne7 should be the main consideration, also 22…Nd6 is not looking badly, as well 22…Rxd1 could be a possible move, it is never wrong to exchange an extra piece… a bit strange, but hard to find a concrete way to a position where it would be possible to say “Yes, this should be a draw”. In case of 22…Ne7 23.a5 c5 24.Na4 Black could be suddenly facing some problems, in case of 23…Rxd1 24.Rxd1 bxa5 25.Ra1 the position is also far away from being a draw… We have to say, again Kramnik has a bit of bad luck. The position is really looking like a draw, but in fact probably a lot of work is still required to make this draw! Chess is a strange game 🙂
22… Ne7 23. a5 c5 after a long thinking, Kramnik finds nothing better than to play 23…c5, which is quite an unpleasant move to do. Now White has several choices of how to try his chances for a win: 24.Na4 or 24.Nb5 are looking like the most logical ones. White could try also a position move like 24.g4!? I think all these 3 continuations bring small plus for White, let’s see which one White will choose
24. Nb5 so White is choosing the most forced line, 24.Nb5. Can Black hold the position after 24…Nc6 is not easy to see, for example: 25.Nc7 Rac8 26.Rxd8 Rxd8 27.axb6 axb6 28.Ra6! Rd1 29.Kh2 Rd2! and at 30.Rxb6 Bd7!! what a cool move, it seems that Black would be doing close to a draw. To play this line with an engine is easy, to take such a decision in a live game is super hard! You just can’t be sure that it is a draw, and in case of a small blunder the game could be over. Another option is to play 24…Nd5, but I think after 25.c4 Nb4 26.Rxd8 Rxd8 27.Nxa7 White is doing clearly better
24… Nc6 a good defense by Kramnik, 24…Nc6! the right choice. Note: The World Amateur Championship has just finished, here is full info with the winners from the official site; also do not miss all video interviews from Dubai
25. Rxd8 after a long thinking Aronian is going for 25.Rxd8, this move seems to lead to a forced draw
25… Rxd8 26. axb6 axb6 27. Ra6 now after 27…Rd1 28.Kh2 Rd2 29.Rxb6 Rxc2 30.Rxc6 Rxf2 31.Nd6 Ke7 32.Ne4 Rxb2 33.Rc7 Kf8 with a draw. 29.Bxc5 seems not to work because of 29…Bd5! followed by Bxf3. Kramnik is taking his time for the final calculation of the move 27…Rd1, the move is very logical and quite forced, so we can expect it to be played
27… Rd1+ Yes, Kramnik is choosing the right way, 27…Rd1 so now 28…Rd2 and I don’t see a way for White to play for a win
28. Kh2 Rd2 29. Rxb6 now it is quite important to take first on 29…Rxc2! and not 29…Rxf2 to avoid 29…Rxf2? 30.Rxc6 Rxc2 31.Rc7! Kg6 32.Nd4 and White is winning, but it is too easy trick, so of course we should Kramnik not fall into it and play the right 29…Rxc2!
29… Rxc2 Kramnik continues to defend very well today and it seems like he managed to put his terrible game from yesturday by side. We can for sure aspect a great fight in the next game, when Kramnik leading the White pieces. Final round of the Iberoamerican is now live here. Aronian is having a last thought if he manages to find some great trick here, but the position doesn’t seems to have a trick inside it… Maybe best chance to continue the game now would be by playing 30.Kg3 with some small pressure… we will see if White is today in a fighting mood or will just make a forced draw after playing 30.Rxc6
30. Nd6+ Ke7 31. Ne4 Aronian decided to play 30.Nd6 followed by 31.Ne4 to give a try to his last chances. Position still remains a draw now after a logical 31…Nd4 move ( the only move in the position) 32.Rb7 Kf8 and White probably got nothing better than to play 32.Rc7 with a draw offer, at 32.b4 Black got a very nice move 32…Bd5! The position is sharp, but all lines seem to lead to a draw
31… Nd4 and of course we see the correct 31…Nd4!
32. Rb7+ the last exact move is needed by Kramnik 32…Kf8!
32… Kf8 it is hard to say, if Kramnik has calculated the whole long line until now when he played 24…Nc6 or was a bit lucky that all the things fit together, in any case, we see a great defense by Black today…
33. Rc7 yes, the game is coming to an end…33…Rxb2 34.Rxc5 with totally equal position…
33… Rxb2 34. Rxc5 the most precise would be now to play 34…Nxf3! 35.gxf3 f5! 36.Ng5 Rxf2 37.Kg3 Re2 38.Nxh7 with a draw
34… Nf5 of course 34…Nf5 is good enough to make a draw
35. Ng3 Rxf2 36. Nxf5 Bxf5 37. Rxf5 And a draw was reached. Today we sow an exiting game in the Berlin where we were able to see a great defense by Black! High expectations for the next game and Kramnik will certainly put big pressure with the White color! Thank you for following with me GM Arkadij Naiditsch and do not forget to suscribe to the CEWN and WCC newsletters. see you in round 3 for more live commentary!
37… Ra2 ½-½
Thx for the analysis.