Kramnik – Aronian commentary by super GM Naiditsch

Hello everyone and welcome to the Aronian – Kramnik 2800 match live coverage! 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. Nf3 Kramnik starts the first game with maybe his favorite move, 1.Nf3

1… d5 2. d4 Nf6 Probably we can expect another game on Queens Gambit or Slav…

3. c4 c6 4. Nc3 e6 5. Bg5 h6 6. Bxf6 Kramnik is choosing a safe line today with 6.Bxf6

6… Qxf6 of course we are just in the beginning of the theory, but the evaluation of this line is counted as “a bit better for White – but nothing more”

7. e3 This is the usual strategy of Kramnik of opening his matches, to play a long line and in case his opponent remembers everything well-draw with no risk at all. This happened for example in his first match game against Anand, where he played a long line of the Exchanged Slav, tested Anand’s memory, and went home preparing for the next game

7… Nd7 8. Bd3 dxc4 9. Bxc4 g6 As usual we can see this both players very well prepared. In my opinion, Kramnik and Aronian are in the Top3 not only on the ELO rating list, but as well in the preparation part. {I am sure that this will be an exciting match between the N2 and N3 in the world and certainly some of the games in this match have high chance of appearing in the CEWN weekly magazine

10. O-O Bg7 11. Re1 11.Re1 played quickly by the former World Champion, and until now nothing too surprising happened. We are in an quite often played position , the usual set up here is: 11…O-O 12.e4 b6…. White is dominating a bit in the center, Black is trying to fulfill their development. In case Black manages, the position should be equal. White should search his chances in a dynamic play during the next moves

11… O-O 11.e4 was the other main move in the position, and not so long ago, Armenian Olympic team player Pashikian played it in his game against Hovhannisyan, but managed to get no advantage after 11…e5 12.d5 Nb6 13.Bb3 Bg4

12. e4 e5 a relatively rare move by Black, main is 12…b6. White has clearly here only one choice, this is 13.d5. The move Re1 is very important now, for example in the line 13.d5 Nb6 14.Bb3 Bg4 15.Re3! and the rook protection the knight on f3, followed by next h3 with a bit better position for White

13. d5 also a very usual idea for White is, in case of 13.d5 Nb6 14.Bb3 cxd5 to take now with 15.Bxd5!, this move is not always the right one, but it is a very typical one for the current structures

13… Rd8 14. Re3 we are still in the theory, not so long ago there been a game between Woman European Champion Gunina and Muzychuk, where White won after: 14…b5 15.dxc6 bxc4 16.Nd5! Qd6 17.cxd5 with a better position for White. This game we analyzed very deeply in a recent CEWN edition. Seems that the Armenian World Number 2 is a bit surprised even if it is hard for me to imagine. The latest results of Aronian were just amazing and the level of his preparation probably better than ever. We are now in the position where just one game has been played recently, but it is sort of a “central position” that needs to be analyzed. I guess we will see it already by the next move of Black, all the computers are relatively happy with 14…b5, a more human move would be 14…Nb6

14… b5 so we see the 14…b5, Aronian is going for the main after a short thinking. It will be another great battle of the computers today-I guess both players are in the very beginning of their analyses!

15. dxc6 bxc4 so we are still in the Gunina-Muzychuk game, till now the girls are showing us the way 🙂

16. Nd5 as we suggest in our CEWN Nr4, 16…Qe6 is of course the right move in the position, in the game Muzychuk played 16…Qd6 which was the wrong square

16… Qe6 now after 17.cxd7 Rxd7 we evaluated the position as fine for Black… probably Kramnik has prepared something here, and I am already very curious what it is!? 17.cxd7 seems to be the only move and after 17…Rxd7! with a threat Bb7 next kicking out the White’s knight from d5. Hmm really not easy to see what Kramnik has in mind…in case Black manages to put Bb7, Rad8, then h5-Bh6 only Black could be better here… Kramnik’s thinking is a bit strange now, I cannot imagine 16…Qe6 was something new for him. It is the first line of the computer, and clearly the strongest move here. I really hope we will not see a draw in 20 moves in the first game today…which seems to be quite possible now…

17. cxd7 I guess now after 17…Rxd7-which probably Aronian is going to play, White will have to take a serious decision, to play maybe 18.b3!? with a soon draw offer, or to try something like 18.Nd2 or 18.Qc2 where the play goes on, but it is clear, that Black is for sure not doing worse
17… Rxd7 Played fast, and now I guess we will have to wait another 15 min for the next Whites move… my personal guess is now the 18.b3.

18. Qa4 18.Qa4, quite quickly played, now at 18…Bb7 I think White’s idea is to play 19.Rae1 Bxd5 20.exd5 Rxd5 21.Qc4 with about equal position. Even though I would say only Black could try something in the game, for White I see reasonable chances

18… Bb7 19. Qxc4 should black include now 19…Rc8 and then to take on d5, or do it immediately?! a hard question. Black needs to calculate now this line: 19…Rc8 20.Qa4 Bxd5 21.exd5 Rxd5 ( in case of 21…Qxe5 22.Nxe5 ! with immediate draw because of the rook on d7 is hanging) 22.Qxa7 and 22…e4! a very important move. Black is a pawn down, but it is clear, that Black’s position is great!

19… Bxd5 a bit strange that Aronian is choosing the 19…Bxd5… 19…Rc8 was looking a bit more like a play for a win

20. exd5 Qxd5 The position is close to a draw, but still White needs to be accurate. In case Black manages to play f5-e4, Blacks position should be clearly better. Now at 21.Rc1 could be countered by 21…f5!? No matter what the result in the game is, this match of course for me is a great preview for the coming Anand – Gelfand WCC. I confirm my commentary for you the chess fans there as well, it will be a very solid and interesting World Championship…. maybe White should go now for something like 21.Qa4, but after 21…Rad8 or 21…Rb8 is it clear-a hard fight for a draw is in front of the White color. Again I can only show my huge surprise about the White’s opening choice…what a choice!!

21. Qxd5 Rxd5 22. Rae1 Re8 We are in an endgame which is looking to be close to a draw, but by far it is not! I think this kind of endgames could be very dangerous for White. In case Black manages now to play f5-e4 position should be evaluated as -/+ for Black. So I think critical is now, if White can play 23.g4!? with the idea to play 23…f5 24.Nh4 let’s think a bit if this is tactically working out for White…

23. g4 so, after 23. g4 f5 24. Nh4 Rd4 25. Nxg6 Rxg4 26. Rg3 seems like White is holding, but why to hurry with 23…f5, I think a move like 23…Kh7 could be a nice way to continue the game, the threat f5 would still be in the “air” and it would not be easy for White to find the right answer at it

23… Kh7 23…Kh7, a very logical human move. Maybe now we have a very important moment in the game. Can White avoid Blacks f5-e4 ?! From the first view, not easy to see how… to play 24.g5 could be an option, but it is clear, that after 24…hxg5 ( White wanted to play h4) 25.Nxg5 Kg8 White is in a very dangerous position. The pawn structure would be horrible, and only a direct play could save White from a long suffering like for example 26.Ra3 Re7 and 27.Rc3! with the threat of Rc8+. But once again, it is a very hard decision to play now 24.g5 for White, and I guess Kramnik would only take it, in case he finds nothing better to do against the f5-e4 plan of Black

24. g5 hxg5 25. Nxg5+ Kg8 26. f4 understandable move by Kramnik, but seems to be a blunder… from the human point of view, of course 26.f4 is logical, to play with such a pawn structure is not an option, but to play 26.f4 and to get now 26…Rb8! is definitely not a choice… seems to be really a horrible day ahead for Kramnik…

26… Rb8 now after 26…Rb8 27.b3 exf4 28.Re8 Rxe8 29.Rxe8 Bf8 the knight on g5 is hanging, so White will need an addition move like 30.h4 which is giving Black time for 30…Kg7 with in my opinion a winning position. The things are really looking very bad for Kramnik. And from the logical point of view, the games is going in the direction of Blacks win: a bad opening choice, some mistakes after that, and now a horrible blunder with 26.f4 ? We see rarely Kramnik in such a bad shape

27. fxe5 Rxb2 What to do for White now, after 28.R3e2 Rxe2 29.Rxe2 Rxe5 position should be lost. In case of 28.Nf3 Rxa2 position is looking lost as well, but it might be the best chance to fight, 30.e6 fxe6 31.Rxe6 with a pawn down, but not that many pawns left on the board, so some theoretical chances for a draw, even if it is hard to imagine that White will survive this endgame today. It is difficult to imagine, how bad is feeling Kramnik after such a play today. It is even difficult to continue the game, understanding, that today is really not Your day…

28. Nf3 Rxa2 29. e6 yes, Kramnik is going for the e6 push-probably the only chance to fight.

29… fxe6 30. Rxe6 Rf5 Aronian is playing like a machine! 30…Rf5! the strongest move in the position, but a very difficult one to make. The idea is, that now at 31.Nh4 is coming Bd4! 32.Kh1 Rff2 33.Rxg6 Kf7 34.Rg2 and it seems like White managed to win the pawn, but NO! 34…a5! and White is almost hopeless against the a4-a3-a2 and Queen! Amazing calculation by Aronian! And the speed with which he is playing the moves – very impressive…

31. Nh4 interesting moment now, maybe Black can play even not 31..Bd4, but the more human 31…Rf4 with the idea at 32.Nxg6 to play Bd4! check now 33.Kh1 Rff2 and the mate on h2 is going to come. At 31…Rf4 32.R6e4 Rxe4 33.Rxe4 Kf7 with a winning position, but still my personal favorite remains 31…Bd4 32.Kh1 Rff2 33.Rxg6 Kf7 34.Rg2 a5-probably it is not the “most human”, but very beautiful way of winning the game…

31… Rf4 one more interesting thing about today’s chess, we see Aronian is doing now similar like Magnus, playing very fast until a winning position, and now starting to play much slower when it comes to technique! Aronian is choosing the most human move 31..Rf4…

32. R6e4 in case Black did not the a-pawn as a free pawn, White would remain with some drawing chances, but we have the a-pawn, and as it is well known, a knight is fighting very badly against the a-pawn. So I would say, now after 32…Rxe4 33.Rxe4 Kf7 Black’s position should be objectively evaluated as winning

32… Rf6 a bit strange decision by Aronian to play 32…Rf6. Of course his advantage is still big. Maybe he wants to play on a White’s “cut” knight. It is making sense of course, but somehow to play 32…Rf6 doesn’t look nice from the esthetic point of view

33. Rg4 Kf7 34. Rc1 now it is important for Black to find 34…Bh6!

34… Bh6 Yes, Aronian finds it! Maybe Aronian set up a personal goal for himself, to finish the game before move 40! 🙂

35. Rc7+ now 35…Ke8 is again almost the only winning move for Black, well not to difficult to find, but anyway, why to have this kind of complication, when the win after 32…Rxe4 was much more slow, but in my opinion much more safe…

35… Ke8 36. Re4+ Kd8 If we look at the position from far, White is a pawn down, thr king is cut on the 1st rank, but Black king is cut as well, plus there are only 2 pawns left to “take from the board”. The knight on h4 is cut away from the game, on the other hand, at some moment the knight could take away the g6 pawn of Black. I think Black should be winning here, but White remain some practical drawing chances. The bad thing for Kramnik is, Aronian is playing today like a compter through all the game! Really a very very strong play by the Armenian

37. Rh7 The funny thing about the position is that the computer is showing how Black can win with almost any move here, but I think it is not the truth. Black needs to continue being quite accurate. Probably 37…Rd6 could be a choice for Black now, but it is clear, that Aronian doesn’t want to let the White knight from h4 back into the game. So probably we can expect something like 37…Bf8

37… Bf8 38. Rd4+ Kc8 funny situation, the Black king is escaping from checks on the field a8!! It seems like that Black is really winning, now after 38.Rc4 Kb8 39.Rd7 Black got 39…g5!! An amazing move! winning on the spot. Aronian’s dream would come true, he would catch the White knight

39. Rc4+ Kb8 40. Rd7 amazing!!! Aronian dream indeed comes true! He manages to catch the knight on h4! and the end the game on exactly move 40! What an unlucky play by White today, and super strong one by Black!

40… g5 41. Ng6 And the game is over. Thank you for following with me GM Arkadij Naiditsch, do not forget to check out our new series of products including the Dirty Chess DVD see you tomorrow for more commentary from Kramnik Aronian match!

41… Bd6 0-1