Corus 2007, Wijk aan Zee (6), Kramnik, Vladimir - Anand, Viswanathan, 1-0, Catalan: (E05)- Open, Classical line, Chess-Theory Viewer

ANALYSED GAME N^o 077
Updated: April 2008

~ CHESS GAME OF TODAY ~
Kramnik, Vladimir (RUS) (2766) -
Anand, Viswanathan (IND) (2779)
[E05] Corus - Wijk aan
Zee, NED (6), 19.01.2007

(Annotation: "Chess-Theory")

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Pluto and Persephone (Proserpine)
enthroned. God and goddess of the
underworld, with the 3-headed dog,
Cerberus at their feet. 'Les Echecs
amoureux' late 15th century manuscript
produced for Louise de Savoy. B.N., Paris
SuperStock, Inc. / SuperStock
~ SUPER STOCK.com ~
Pluto and Persephone (Proserpine)
enthroned. God and goddess of the
underworld, with the 3-headed dog,
Cerberus at their feet. 'Les Echecs
amoureux' late 15th century manuscript
produced for Louise de Savoy. B.N., Paris
(c) SuperStock, Inc. / SuperStock

X0

Catalan: (E05), Open, Classical line.

1.d4 X1 Nf6 X2 2.c4 X3 e6 X4 3.g3 X5 d5 X6 4.Bg2 X7 Be7 X8 5.Nf3 X9 0-0 X10 6.0-0 X11 dxc4 X12 7.Qc2 X13

The main continuation.

7...a6 X14 8.Qxc4 X15

[ 8.a4 X16 is the most popular alternative.]

8...b5 X17 9.Qc2 X18 Bb7 X19 10.Bd2 X20

[ Another significant line is: 10.Bf4 X21 ; an illustration is given by the recent game: 10...Nc6 X22 11.Rd1 X23 Nb4 X24 12.Qc1 X25 Rc8 X26 13.Nc3 X27 Nbd5 X28 14.Nxd5 X29 Bxd5 X30 15.Be3 X31 Ng4 X32 16.Ne1 X33 =/+ Bruzon, Bautist - Anand, Viswanathan, 1/2-1/2, (E05), Turin op. (Men), 2006.]

10...Ra7!? X34

[ The habitual answer is: 10...Be4 X35 ]

11.Rc1 X36 Be4 X37 12.Qb3 X38 Nc6 X39 13.e3 X40 Qa8 X41

[ Possible is: 13...b4 X42 14.Be1 X43 Bd5 X44 15.Qd1 X45 Qa8 X46 16.Nbd2= X47 1/2-1/2, Pieper Emden, Carsten - Flear, Gleen C, (E05), Buende, NRW-ch U26, 1985.]

14.Qd1 X48 Nb8 X49 15.Ba5 X50 Rc8 X51 16.a3N X52

This move is the beginning of a new plan, in view in particular to limit the influence of Black' s Bishops on the Queenside.

. [ Has been tested in Corus, wijk aan Zee, 2006: 16.Nbd2 X53 Bd5 X54 17.Nb3 X55 Nbd7 X56 18.Rc2 X57 Be4 X58 19.Rc3 X59 Nd5 X60 20.Rcc1 X61 N5f6 X62 21.Rc3 X63 Nd5 X64 22.Rcc1 X65 N5f6 X66 1/2-1/2, Gelfand, Boris - Karjakin, Sergey, (E05), Corus, Wijk aan Zee, 2006. ]

16...Bd6 X67 17.Nbd2 X68 Bd5 X69 18.Qf1! X70

The double protection of the g2-Bishop allows White to play: Ne5.

18...Nbd7 X71 19.b4 X72 e5! X73 20.dxe5 X74 Bxe5 X75 21.Nxe5 X76 Nxe5 X77 22.f3 X78 Nc4?! X79

[ 22...Bc4 X80 is stronger because, after the exchange: 23.Nxc4 X81 Nxc4 X82 the c4-Knight causes to White more troubles than the Bishop.]

23.Nxc4 X83 Bxc4 X84 24.Qf2 X85 Re8 X86 25.e4 +/=

It is not difficult to explain why Kramnik owns here an excellent position, as reveals an attentive examination:

i) White pawn-structure is perfect!
ii) White has a pair of bishops and this ones are effectively set up.
iii) The c7-pawn is a bachward one and if Black playes it the d8-square falls under White control.
iv) White is in good conditions to take the control of the open d-file. X87

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"The People of the Kingdom Erginul:
Akephalos, skiapod and a one eyed
giant" From Le Livre des Merveilles
du Monde (The Travels of Marco Polo)
Studio of the Boucicaut Master, c.1412
Bibliotheque Nationale, Paris, France
SuperStock, Inc. / SuperStock
~ SUPER STOCK.com ~
The People of the Kingdom Erginul:
Akephalos, skiapod and a one eyed
giant From Le Livre des Merveilles
du Monde (The Travels of Marco Polo)
Studio of the Boucicaut Master, c.1412
Bibliotheque Nationale, Paris, France
(c) SuperStock, Inc. / SuperStock

25...c6 X88 26.Rd1 X89 Rd7 X90 27.Rxd7 X91 Nxd7 X92 28.Rd1 X93 Qb7 X94 29.Rd6! X95 f6 X96 30.f4!? X97

[ The most natural continuation in this position is without any doubt: 30.Qd4! X98 In any case, this is exactly the opinion formulated by Yasser Seirawan. ]

30...Re6 X99 31.Rd2 X100

[ May also be considered: 31.e5!? X101 Rxd6 X102 32.exd6 X103 Qc8 X104 33.Qd4 X105 Qe8 X106 34.Qd2 X107 +/=]

31...Re7 X108 32.Qd4 X109

Finally Kramnik decides to place his Queen at the head and this is not a bad choice.

32...Nf8 X110 33.Qd8 X111 Rd7 X112 34.Rxd7 X113 Qxd7 X114 35.Qxd7 X115 Nxd7 X116 36.e5?! X117 +/-

[ Seems stronger: 36.Bh3 X118 Nf8 X119 37.Bc8 X120 Bd3 X121 38.e5 X122 Kf7 X123 39.Kf2 X124 +- and White has a decisive advantage; but, after all, Vladimir has his reasons!]

36...fxe5 X125 37.Bxc6 X126 Nf6 X127 38.Bb7 X128

[ After: 38.fxe5? X129 Bd5 X130 39.Bxb5 X131 axb5 X132 40.exf6 X133 gxf6 X134 the endgame, with Bishops of opposite colours, is presumably a draw.]

38...exf4 X135 39.gxf4 X136 Nd5 X137 40.Kf2 X138 Nxf4 X139 41.Ke3 X140 g5 X141 42.Bxa6 X142 Kf7 X143 43.a4! X144

The only opportunity for winning!

43...Ke7 X145 44.Bxb5 X146 Bxb5 X147 45.axb5 X148 +- 45...Kd7 X149 46.Ke4 X150 Ne2 X151 47.Bb6! X152

Black position is this time frankly difficult to hold.

. 47...g4 X153 48.Bf2 X154 Nc3+ X155 49.Kf5 X156 Nxb5 X157 50.Kxg4 X158 Ke6 X159 51.Kg5 X160 Kf7 X161 52.Kf5 X162 Ke7 X163 53.Bc5+

A convincing world champion' s victory!

1-0

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"Doc's Race with the Stork"
1989 by Jane Wooster Scott
(b.1939/American) Oil on canvas
Jane Wooster Scott/SuperStock

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