Hello everyone and welcome to the Aronian – Kramnik 2800 match live coverage! Today is the fourth game, Aronian has white and the score in the match is equal. 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!
Also the May 2012 edition of CE is getting ready, the series continues!
1. e4 Aronian sticks to the 1.e4!
1… e5 2. Nf3 Nc6 3. Bb5 Nf6 same as in the 2nd game of the match, we have Spanish (Ruy Lopez), Berlin defense on the board
4. O-O Nxe4 5. d4 Nd6 6. Bxc6 dxc6 7. dxe5 Nf5 both players seems to be quite confident in their preparation let’s see who will be the better prepared one
8. Qxd8+ Kxd8 9. h3 this time Aronian is choosing the 9.h3 instead of 9.Nc3
9… Ke8 Kramnik is playing this time the very main position, and at the moment the most popular line for Black, with 9…Ke8 followed by h5 move
10. Nc3 h5 11. Bg5 Be6 12. b3 12 b3!? an interesting move by Aronian, often played been 12.Rfd1, probably White is planning the fast Ne2-f4. Black has now a very wide range of choices, from standard moves like 12…Be7 with the idea Rd8, to maybe more dynamic 12..a5 or 12….Bb4 13.Ne2 Bd5
12… Be7 Black played the solid 12…Be7 13.Rad1 this move needed to be played anyway and now 13…h4!? quite a tricky reaction by Black. Black’s idea is to develop the rook over h5 now, the other rook exchange on d8 which would give them in the worse case a little worse position, in best case an equal one
13. Rad1 h4 14. Rfe1 14.Rfe1 played almost without thinking by Aronian, it is clear that both players are still in their home-preparation. why 14.Rfe1 is a great move – this is very hard to explain. Many Berlin lines are based on nuances and different move orders which can be decisive. In general White’s idea is clear, trying to bring the knight from c3 to f4
14… Rd8 a very logical reply by Black, this move needs to be played anyway, so why not to do it now!? Probaby White will reply now with 15.Rxd8 Kxd8 and then White has a few choices, one of them might be to play 16.Ne2
15. Rxd8+ Kxd8 16. Ne4 White is going for 16.Ne4, personally I do not believe, that with a knight on e4 White can try to be better. For example after 16…b6 17. c4 Bxg5 18.Neg5 Ke7 in my opinion the position is close to equal
16… b6 maybe White should try now to play 17.Rd1 Ke8 and 18.Bc1 with the idea Ng5, even if it is hard to believe that this could bring any edge to White
17. Bf4 Aronian is playing 17.Bf4, the idea is clear, next White’s move is Neg5. Black has now a few plans to act against it. One of them is to play now 17…Ke8 18.Neg5 Rh6! this is a very typical maneuver for the Berlin lines
17… Kc8 Black is choosing the plan number 2, and playing 17…Kc8. I don’t think Aronian can find now something better than to play 18.Neg5, Black simple wants to play Rd8 after which it is clear that Black is doing more than fine. It seems that not even Aronian with his amazing preparation can do a harm to the great Berlin wall!
18. Neg5 Bxg5 19. Bxg5 Bd5 We reached the position that we expected, and I think even the biggest Aronian fan understands now, that White is having no opening advantage at all! Very important to mark,in case the Black king would be on e8 instead of on c8, White would be better. Of course the logical 19…Bd5 been played by Black and 20.Nh2 is to follow by White
20. Nh2 can Black maybe try to be a bit better here!?, probably not. Position is close to equal. 20…c5 is looking logical, with the idea c4, so White will probably need top lay 21.c4 Be6 22.Nf3 Rh5! followed by Nd4 next with probably a draw. Maybe even better move is now the direct 20…Rh5! In case of 21.f4 Black would reply with c5, then go back with the rook to h8.
20… c5 21. Rd1 Quite a tricky move by Aronian 21.Rd1!? checking where the bishop will go to e6 or c6, same time leaving a c3 move in the pocket. For example now at 21…Bc6 probably 22.c3 is going to be played. Of course Black is still doing fine very fine. Anyway in my opinion 21…Bc6 should be the right move, after 21…Be6 22.Nf3 Black still will need to be accurate
21… Bc6 22. c3 a5 22…a5! a strong play by Black. Kramnik wants to open the a line by playing a4 and axb3 next, then to play Kb7 and Ra8. The white knight from h2 has no clear target where to go…at 23.a3? is coming of course 23…c4!
23. Ng4 Bd7 Kramnik is choosing the 23…Bd7, probably he wants to play Be6 and c4, or force the White to play c4 himself after which the field d4 will be free for the Black knight. I think that 23…a4 been for sure not a mistake as well. In a good position there are generally couple of ways to continue
24. f3 a4 25. Kf2 Note: a fresh version of books, DVDs, and packages is now available here at the Chessdom shop with time limited discounts.
And a draw was agreed! Stay tuned with us for a rapid game starting in a few minutes live here! ½-½
Aronian is awesome.