Game 1 wrap up

5 comments

• Reply

  

  alekblanca says:

  September 23, 2006 at 10:38 pm

  Surprise: He who eats well plays well!

  From the match website:

  [Event “WCC Match 2006”]
  [Site “0:13.57-0:10.43”]
  [Date “2006.09.23”]
  [Round “01”]
  [White “Kramnik, Vladimir”]
  [Black “Topalov, Veselin”]
  [Result “1-0”]
  [WhiteElo “2743”]
  [WhiteCountry “RUS”]
  [BlackElo “2813”]
  [BlackCountry “BUL”]
  [Remark “WCC Match 2006”]
  [PresId “live”]

  {Good day Ladies and Gentleman. Today we will be observing a main event in modern chess history: The Unification Match. The game will be commented by me, the first GM of Kalmykia – Ernesto Inarkiev}

  1. d4 Nf6
  2. c4 e6
  3. Nf3 d5
  4. g3 {Catalan Opening} dxc4
  5. Bg2 Bb4+
  6. Bd2 a5

  {This position was seen before in a rapid chess game between Bareev – Kramnik, Monaco 2005, when Bareev preferred 7.0-0, and then 7…0-0 8.Nc3 Nc6 9.a3 Bc3 10.Bc3 Nd5 11.Bd2 b5 12.e4 Nb6. That position was equally good for both players and the game finished with the draw}

  7. Qc2 Bxd2+
  8. Qxd2 c6
  9. a4 b5
  10. axb5 cxb5
  11. Qg5 O-O
  12. Qxb5

  {All this was played by Grischuk – Moiseenko in Sochi 2006}

  12. … Ba6

  {Here we see an innovation. In Grischuk – Moiseenko, Moiseemko played 12. …Na6 which led to white dominance after 13.Qc4 Nb4 14.Qb3 e5 15.Ne5 Rb8 16.0-0 Qd4 17.Qc3}

  13. Qa4

  {13. Qa5 does not work because of 13…Bb7 14.Qd8 Ra1 15.Qf8 (very bad is 15.Qb6 Rb1 16. Kd2 c3) 15. …Kf8 with compensation for the pawn sacrifice }

  13. … Qb6
  14. O-O Qxb2
  15. Nbd2 Bb5
  16. Nxc4 Bxa4
  17. Nxb2 Bb5
  18. Ne5

  {We can line up the debut of the game. It’s endspiel on the board and black has a vague promotion pawn, but white has better development. Black needs accurate play not to get into a difficult position}

  18. … Ra7

  {Good move. 18…Ra6 is worse because of 19. Nbd3 and black cannot finish his development 19. … Nbd7 20. Rfb1 and then 20. … Ne5 to which white replies 21. Nc5!}

  19. Bf3

  {Neither player is pushing. White still keeps the initiative after 19. Nbc4 Nbd7 20. Na5 Ne5 21. fe Ng4 22. Rfb1, noting that on one hand black has poorly placed pieces, yet on the other hand he has no weakness. So, for now we cannot say that white is prevailing.}

  19. … Nbd7

  {Black has finished his development, and the position is even. 20. Nc6 can be beaten by black 20. …Bc6 21. Bc6 and black brings his last unused piece into the battle 21. …Rc8. Black keeps the order.}

  20. Nec4

  {Kramnik is trying to create difficulties. There is 20. Nd7 in answer to 20. …Bd7, with Rb8 to follow}

  20. … Rb8

  {Simple and strong. Now, in case of the knight retreating from c4, there is Be2. Black keeps the order.}

  21. Rfb1 g5

  {Great move. This move does three things at once: It creates pressure on the e2 pawn, ceases territory, and frees the space}

  22. e3

  {22. Ne3 is interesting with the idea of Nbc4. Hopefully, this activates the knight. I am not comfortable with it at b2}

  22. … g4

  {Putting the white Bishop under investigation. If white leaves the h1-h8 diagonal, black moves his bishop to c6, from which it defends his pawn and keeps the center. But if white moves to g2 – the bishop is not in the game on the queen’s side}

  23. Bd1 Bc6

  {Interesting is 21… a4 but it is not clear where the pawn should be kept, as it is under the bishop’s d1 strike at a4. For example: 21…a4 22. Na3 Bc6 23. Nbc4}

  24. Rc1

  {It’s 17 moves to the time control. This means Kramnik has 2 minutes per move. Thus, his tense rhythm.}

  24. … Be4
  25. Na4 {With the threat Nc3} Rb4
  26. Nd6

  {White is trying to push out the bishop, but black has a perfect square f3. 6. Nc5 Nc5 27. dc a4 (or 27…Bd5 28. Na5! Rb5 29. c6 Rba5 30. Ra5 Ra5 31. c7 Bb7) 28. Nd6 Bc6 29. Nc8! Rc7 30. Nb6= leads to equalization}

  26. … Bf3
  27. Bxf3 {Guided by principle continuation} gxf3
  28. Nc8 {To get the knight to c6} Ra8
  29. Ne7+ Kg7

  {Interesting is 29…Kf8 30. Nc6 Rb3 and if 31. Rb1, black answers 31…Rb1 32. Rb1 Ne4, and black has a strong group on king’s side, locking white’s rook to the right side to avoid mate threats}

  30. Nc6 Rb3

  {It’s still dangerous 31.Rb1 because of 31…Rb1 32.Rb1 Ne4. 31.N?5 is interesting to gain attention of knight from e5 and then take f3}

  31. Nc5 Rb5 {Perhaps white needs to try 32. Ra2}
  32. h3

  {White has powerful knights, and Kramnik does not change the situation, improving the king’s position. Black just needs to take c5 and move Rc8 for stability}

  32. … Nxc5
  33. Rxc5

  {The attacking possibility 33…Rb2, is attractive}

  33. …Rb2
  34. Rg5+

  {After 34…Kf8 35. Rga5 Ra5 36. Na5 white has to play 37. Rf1}

  34. … Kh6
  35. Rgxa5

  {It’s better for black to exchange rooks}

  35. … Rxa5
  36. Nxa5 Ne4
  37. Rf1 Nd2
  38. Rc1 Ne4
  39. Rf1 f6

  {Black has clear pawn compensation, while white has a more dangerous position. Taking important field at e5, white has no chance to attack the f3 pawn}

  40. Nc6 Nd2

  {Time control passed. Black has time to play but how to break this?}

  41. Rd1 Ne4
  42. Rf1 Kg6
  43. Nd8 Rb6
  44. Rc1 h5
  45. Ra1 h4
  46. gxh4 Kh5
  47. Ra2 Kxh4
  48. Kh2 Kh5
  49. Rc2 Kh6
  50. Ra2 Kg6
  51. Rc2 Kf5
  52. Ra2 Rb5
  53. Nc6 Rb7
  54. Ra5+ Kg6
  55. Ra2 Kh5
  56. d5 e5
  57. Ra4 f5?

  {A big mistake. Black could draw, for example by 57…Nf2 58. Kg3 e4 59. Kf2 Rb2 with perpetual check, because the f pawn will promote otherwise}

  58. Nxe5 Rb2
  59. Nd3 Rb7

  {Probably Veselin was counting on 59…Rd2, but white has 60. Rd4}

  60. Rd4

  {White now has a decisive advantage}

  60. … Rb6
  61. d6 Nxd6
  62. Kg3 Ne4+
  63. Kxf3 Kg5
  64. h4+ Kf6
  65. Rd5 Nc3
  66. Rd8 Rb1
  67. Rf8+ Ke6
  68. Nf4+ Ke5
  69. Re8+ Kf6
  70. Nh5+ Kg6
  71. Ng3 Rb2
  72. h5+ Kf7
  73. Re5 Nd1
  74. Ne2 Kf6
  75. Rd5

  1-0

• Reply

  

  Anonymous says:

  September 23, 2006 at 11:16 pm

  “Putting the white Bishop under investigation”

  Hope it was approved by FIDE.

  Nice annotation though.

• Reply

  

  Brian Pavlich says:

  September 24, 2006 at 1:39 am

  In my own games, it’s always a shame (in my mind at least) when my opponent (or myself) blunders horribly late in an otherwise well played game. Do you think Kramnik wiped the sweat off his brow after move 57, thinking, “he had it”, and, “can I beat him without his mistakes”?

• Reply

  

  Mark S. says:

  September 25, 2006 at 2:28 am

  Wow, that second game was a great one. Once again, Kramnnik weathered a fearsome attack. While in the first game I thought Topalov tried to force a win that probably wasn’t there (a la Fischer in his first game against Spassky), here he really had a chance. Since this is such a short match, he’s going to have to take more chances to get wins, which plays right into Kramnik’s hands. Kramnik might be the greatest defensive player of all time.

• Reply

  

  Anonymous says:

  September 26, 2006 at 6:29 pm

  Great comments, Susan.
  I think that Topalov will bounce back, maybe trying 1.e4 with white, but I dont know if it will be enough for 2 wins in order to at least equalise score…
  Matt