Photo courtesy of Fabrice Wantiez www.echecs-photos.be. Thank you!
GM Motylev – GM Kramnik [C42]
24.01.2007
1.e4 e5 2.Nf3 Nf6 3.Nxe5 d6 4.Nf3 Nxe4 5.Nc3 Nxc3 6.dxc3 Be7 7.Be3 0-0 8.h4 Nd7 9.Ng5 Ne5 10.Qd2 c6 11.0-0-0 Qa5 12.a3 f6 13.Nf3 b5 14.c4 Qxd2+ 15.Nxd2 a6 16.f4 Ng4 17.Bg1 Game drawn 1/2-1/2
GM Radjabov – GM Svidler [B41]
24.01.2007
1.e4 c5 2.Nf3 e6 3.d4 cxd4 4.Nxd4 a6 5.c4 Nf6 6.Nc3 Bb4 7.Bd3 Nc6 8.a3 Bxc3+ 9.bxc3 Ne5 10.0-0 d6 11.f4 Nxd3 12.Qxd3 e5 13.fxe5 dxe5 14.Bg5 h6 15.Bh4 exd4 16.e5 dxc3 17.Qxd8+ Kxd8 18.exf6 g5 19.Bg3 Game drawn 1/2-1/2
GM Tiviakov – GM Navara [C65]
24.01.2007
1.e4 e5 2.Nf3 Nc6 3.Bb5 Nf6 4.d3 d6 5.0-0 Bd7 6.Re1 g6 7.Bxc6 Bxc6 8.c4 Bg7 9.Nc3 0-0 10.d4 exd4 11.Nxd4 Ng4 12.Qxg4 Bxd4 13.Bg5 Qd7 14.Qxd7 Bxd7 15.Nd5 Bc6 16.Bf6 Bxf6 17.Nxf6+ Kg7 18.Nd5 Game drawn 1/2-1/2
Jeez, 17 moves this time.
And Kramnik, Svidler, etc. get paid big bucks for this?
Enforcement of the Sofia no-draw-offers rule should be mandatory.
That said, 1.e4 players really are going to have to come up with something against the Petroff. This opening seriously threatens the viability of 1.e4 as a winning attempt.
Yeah, the Pettroff and Berlin Defense too, are hard to crack. The Sofia Rule should become standard, though it might not matter against some formations. As Fischer said, you have to equalize with Black before looking for something. Too many players obligingly get too acttive as Black against stronger players, but the game can’t count on that happening.
Incidentally, it’s not Kramnik’s draws with Black that have me scratching my head so much as Radjabov’s draws with White, especially when he’s so close to the lead. Has he started coasting?
http://www.chessbase.com/newsdetail.asp?newsid=3628
I like the picture of the wedding cake for Kramnik. It is a beautiful cake of a chess board with pieces very well done. It has the final position of the Elista Match when Kramnik defeated Topalov. I should say Krushed and Krunched Topalov.
Kramnik has such good taste. His new wife seems so nice. Glad to see Kramnik get married to such a nice woman.
to avoid Petroff or Berlin defense in Roy Lopez simply play
2.Nc3
or
2.d4
or
2.Bc4
or
2.f4!! (if you like attacking chess…)
you can also choose
3.Nc3
:))
Well, yeah vohaul, but all those moves give pretty well nothing (or less!) as well. If this was not the case, they would already be a lot more popular among top GM’s by now!
graeme, I get the feeling that Radjabov has lost confidence, so is settling for a good result rather than an outstanding one. He lost one game, and was probably busted against Anand as well.
@chess44 – no! playing this openings will make you – spoken as a top GM – struggle hard for a win – and not for an easy draw – so – if i were a top GM i’d avoid these opening lines, to have the chance open, for an easy 17 moves theoretical draw … that’s it! and that’s the problem – …
– no one has refuted the kings gambit thus far (Ivantchuk plays it, sometimes)
– no one has refuted the vienna, it’s a common guest in high category opens (and the popularity is growing!)
– no one has refuted the bishop game, and – because it is one of my beloved openings
– even the middle gambit (danish variation) waits still and calm and patiently for its refutation.
your arguments are bare of any rational and statistical basis! of course, Kramnik won’t play 2.d4… he won’t play 1.e4 either … and Topalov – what was his last game with 1…e5?
sincerly
vohaul,
I don’t entirely understand your reply.
Are you saying no one can be bothered trying to beat Kramnik when they are white? Why, then, did Topalov not use 1.e4 at Elista?
I am not a 1.e4 player anyway [too many good replies to this, and too much theory!], so it is not a personal problem for me, but it is alarming to see so many quick, hopeless draws.
If I was a 1.e4 player, the Kings Gambit would be out as I prefer to accept gambits, rather than offer them; but I probably would try the Vienna Game or Bishops Opening. I am not really convinced that these offer serious chances to play for a win, but I would have to study the theory to really say.
Topalov’s last game with 1…e5 was against Tiviakov. Neither player got anywhere.
Regards.
@chess44 – “normal” replies on 1.e4 are 1…c5 1…c6 1…e6 or 1…e5. on 1…e5 white has several replies …the most common is 2.Nf3
– if a player is afraid to be met – after 2.Nf3 with 2…Nf6 he / she should simply avoid this move – and there are tons of theoretical lines to retract on …
maybe not on a 2700+ level – BUT me and most probably you too, are far beyond this mark – so we have all the choices, haven’t we?
greetings
Why does chess not consider doing what Football (soccer in the USA) does– 3 points for a win and only 1 point for a draw. That would create real battles all the way to the end.
No thanks! The BAP system sucks. It’s not chess. We don’t want any stinking BAP system.