Video of game eleven

I thought it might be a laugh to annotate game eleven in video format.
here's the link

http://www.youtube.com/watch?v=wVQGRDUwd98

Anand the 15th

Anand is now officially the 15th undisputed World chess champion after a draw in game 11.

This pic from chessvibes will probably be everwhere by now but unfortunately I wasn't on site to get more so it will do, and besides it's quite a good one.

Game ten

Kramnik,V - Anand,V [E20]WCC2008 Bonn (10), 2008

1.d4 Nf6 2.c4 e6 3.Nc3 Bb4 4.Nf3 c5
4...b6 5.Qc2 In 1948 Bob Wade won the NZ Championship and all credit to him he is still going strong playing in 2009 NZ championship incorporated in the Queenstown Chess Classic. Lynch would go on to take the title in 1951 just before the legendary Sarapu would come and completely dominate the kiwi Chess scene by winning the NZ Championship 20 times over 48 years it would surely have been more had he competed in every championship. 5...Bb7 6.e3 Ne4 7.Bd3 f5 8.a3 Bxc3+ 9.bxc3 0-0 10.Bb2 d6 11.Rd1 Qe8 12.d5 exd5 13.cxd5 Bxd5 14.c4 Bc6 Lynch plays very aggressively in this game. 15.Ba1 Na6 16.c5 Naxc5 17.Bc4+ Kh8 18.Nd4 Ba4 19.Qb2 Qe7 20.Rc1 Rae8 21.0-0 Rf6 22.f3 Ng5 23.h4 Qxe3+ 24.Rf2 Nge6 25.Nxe6 Nxe6 26.Bxe6 Qxe6 27.Rxc7 Rf7 28.Rxf7 Qxf7 29.Qd4 Qd7 30.Bc3 h6 31.Rd2 Re1+ 32.Kf2 Rc1 33.Bb4 Drawn Lynch,D-Wade,R/Dunedin 1948

5.g3 cxd4 6.Nxd4 0-0 7.Bg2 d5 8.cxd5
8.Qb3 Bxc3+ 9.bxc3 Nc6 10.cxd5 Na5 11.Qc2 Nxd5 12.Qd3 Bd7 13.c4 Ne7 14.0-0 Rc8 15.Nb3 Nxc4 16.Bxb7 Rc7 17.Ba6 Ne5 18.Qe3 Nc4 19.Qe4 Nd6 20.Qd3 Rc6 21.Ba3 Bc8 22.Bxc8 Ndxc8 23.Rfd1 Qxd3 24.Rxd3 Re8 25.Rad1 f6 26.Nd4 Rb6 27.Bc5 Ra6 28.Nb5 Rc6 29.Bxe7 Nxe7 30.Rd7 Ng6 31.Rxa7 Nf8 32.a4 Rb8 33.e3 h5 34.Kg2 e5 35.Rd3 Kh7 36.Rc3 Rbc8 37.Rxc6 Rxc6 38.Nc7 Ne6 39.Nd5 Kh6 40.a5 e4 1-0 Kasparov,G-Karpov,A/London/Leningrad 1986
8...Nxd5 9.Qb3 Qa5 10.Bd2 Nc6 11.Nxc6 bxc6 12.0-0 Bxc3 13.bxc3
Avoiding 13.Bxc3 to keep bishop pair and keep pieces on because the knight on d5 can be pushed away
13...Ba6 14.Rfd1 Qc5 15.e4 Bc4 16.Qa4 Nb6 17.Qb4 Qh5
Trading Queens would lead to white's advantage because after 17...Qxb4 18cxb4 black will now have repaired white's pawn structure and left himself with a backward c pawn.
18.Re1



Kramnik strikes with the first novelty.
18.Bf4 c5 19.Qb2 Rad8 20.Re1 Rd7 21.h3 h6 22.a4 Ba6 23.Qa2 Rfd8 24.a5 Nc4 25.Bf1 e5 26.g4 Qg6 27.Bxc4 exf4 28.Bd5 f3 29.c4 h5 30.Kh2 Qf6 31.Rg1 hxg4 32.Rab1 Bxc4 33.Qxc4 Qf4+ 34.Rg3 Rxd5 35.Qxd5 Rxd5 36.exd5 c4 37.Rd1 c3 38.d6 c2 39.Rd3 Qc4 40.Re3 Qc6 41.Rd3 Qc5 0-1 Jakovenko,D-Carlsen,M/Moscow 2007;
18.Be3 Be2 19.Rd2 Rab8 20.Bxb6 axb6 21.Qd6 Bf3 22.Qxc6 Bxg2 23.Kxg2 Qe5 24.Qc4 Rfc8 25.Qd4 Qa5 26.Rb1 h6 27.Rb4 Qc5 28.Rd3 Qc7 29.a4 Rd8 30.Qe3 Rxd3 31.Qxd3 Rc8 32.Qb1 Qxc3 33.Rxb6 Rc4 34.Rb8+ Kh7 35.Rb7 f6 36.Re7 Rb4 37.Qa2 Qc4 38.Qxc4 Rxc4 39.a5 Ra4 40.Rxe6 Rxa5 So we have a theoritcal K R+4P v K R+ 3P. Of course there are practical chances to win and Kasparov is not one to give up easily. 41.Rd6 Ra4 42.Kf3 Ra3+ 43.Ke2 h5 44.Rd3 Ra2+ 45.Ke3 Kg6 46.h3 Ra4 47.f4 Rb4 48.Ra3 Rc4 49.g4 hxg4 50.hxg4 Rb4 51.Ra6 Kf7 52.Ra7+ Kg6 53.f5+ Kh6 54.g5+ fxg5 55.e5 g4 56.e6 Kg5 - Kasparov,G-Anand,V/Wijk aan Zee 2000
18...c5
The following is taken from the chessmind blog on the press conference. "Anand: 18.Re1 is a tricky move, because it's unclear where Black should place his pieces".
19.Qa5 Rfc8 20.Be3 Be2 21.Bf4 e5 22.Be3 Bg4?!
22...Nc4 23.Qa6 Nxe3 24.Rxe2 Anand dismissed this as he thought white still had an edge. 24...Nxg2 25.Kxg2 Rd8 26.Rb1 h6 27.Re3 Rd2 White does have a bit of pressure as this sample line shows. Although Kramnik must be aware as a quick 28.Rb7 is met bit Rxf2+ forcing a perpetual. 28.Rf3 (28.Rb7 Rxf2+! 29.Kxf2 Qxh2+ 30.Ke1 Qg1+ 31.Kd2 Rd8+ 32.Rd3 Qf2+ 33.Kd1 Qf1+=) 28...f6 29.Rb7 Qg6 30.Qc4+ Kh8 31.Rc7 When a pawn will fall eventually.
23.Qa6!
Taken from S. Polgar blog. "White has a real threat with a4-a5. Black's Knight has few good squares to get to. In addition, White is basically trying to eliminate counter chances for Black while gaining space advantage. This is another promising game for Kramnik".
23.Bxc5 White does best to avoid taking the pawn as black's compensation causes some trouble. 23...Nc4 24.Qb5 Nd2 25.Bd6 Nc4 26.Bc5 Nd2 27.Qd3 Rd8 28.Qa6 Rd7 29.Re3 Rad8 30.Bxa7 Nf3+ 31.Bxf3 Bxf3 just to illustrate trouble white may have. 32.Bc5 Rd1+ 33.Rxd1 Rxd1+ 34.Qf1 Qh3 35.Re1 Rxe1 36.Qxe1 Qg2#]
23...f6?
23...Be6 24.Bf1 Qf3 white has a slight edge according to Kramnik at the press conference.
24.a4
The first step to winning is simply getting good positions to start with. In the two previous games Kramnik had good positions but was just unable to convert them. For the third game in a row Kramnik is better so perhaps 3 times is the charm.

24... Qf7 25. Bf1 Be6 26. Rab1 c4

It is hard to pinpoint exactly where Anand is going wrong. Kramnik thought f6 was the a mistake. Looking at black's pieces now all excpt the rook on a8 are gunning for the c4 square and all are placed mainly for only defense. Kramnik now systematically breaks them down and will win the battle for c4. How many people would guess Anand will only make two more moves in this game.

26...f5 This doesn't really help black but gives an impression of how white's pressure can be converted into material or positional gain. 27.a5 f4 28.Bd2 (28.axb6 fxe3 29.Rxe3 axb6 30.Qxb6 Rf8 31.Re2 c4 32.Qd6 Qf6 33.Rb6 Rfe8 34.Reb2 Rad8 White position is just too strong now.) 28...Rd8 29.axb6 Rxd2 30.b7 Rb8 31.Qxa7 Rdd8 White is crushing.;

26...Kh8 27.a5 Nc4 28.Rb7 Qg8 29.Bh6! gxh6 30.Bxc4 Bxc4 31.Qxf6+ Qg7 32.Qxg7# A variation from the press conference that Kramnik liked.

27. a5

Anand is down on the clock by over 30 minutes.

27...Na4 28.Rb7 Qe8 29.Qd6

1-0

The game might continue 29.Qd6 Rd8 30.Qb4 Rd7 31.a6 Nb6 32.Ra1 Kh8 33.Bxb6 axb6 34.Qxb6 and whites a pawn will decide the game. Not exactly easy to see but these guys are playing on the highest level. Infact I would say anyone not on the master level would be best advised to play on and make white prove he knows how to win.

Kramnik gets his first win of the match and closes the gap to two points.

Anand leads 6-4

A devastating blow for Anand to lose in such a way but in my opinion he deserved it. After two games of only just hanging on Anand again chose a rather ambitious opening with black when he should have just gone for a much more solid line. All he had to do was draw and he would have won the match without defeat and that would have been a great achievement. Now Kramnik has played himself into the match and I would not be surprised if he wins again and puts Anand into a crisis.

Game nine

Anand,V (2783) - Kramnik,V (2772) [D43] Wch Bonn Ger (9), 27.10.2008

1.d4 d5 2.c4 e6 3.Nf3 Nf6 4.Nc3 c6

This move order avoids the exchange slav if Anand wanted to play blatantly for a draw.
5.Bg5 h6 6.Bh4
6.Bxf6 Anand could have chosen this line but it is more positional in general terms.
6...dxc4 7.e4 g5 8.Bg3 b5 9.Be2 Bb7

10.Qc2
10.0-0 Nbd7 11.Ne5 Bg7 12.Nxd7 Nxd7 13.Bd6 a6 14.Bh5 Bf8 15.Bxf8 Rxf8 16.e5 Qb6 17.b3 0-0-0 18.bxc4 Nxe5 19.c5 Qa5 20.Ne4 Qb4 21.Nd6+ Rxd6 22.cxd6 Nd7 23.a4 Qxd6 24.Bf3 Nb6 25.axb5 cxb5 26.Bxb7+ Kxb7 27.Qh5 Nd5 28.Qxh6 Nf4 29.Kh1 Qd5 30.f3 Rd8 31.Qg7 Rd7 32.Qf8 Ne2 33.Rfe1 Nxd4 34.Red1 e5 35.Rac1 Qd6 36.Qg8 f6 37.Rc8 a5 38.h3 a4 39.Qe8 Kb6 40.Rb8+ Ka5 41.Ra8+ ½-½ Kramnik,V-Anand,V/Mexico City 2007/;
10.h4 g4 11.Ne5 Rg8 12.Nxg4 Nxg4 13.Bxg4 b4 14.Na4 c5 15.d5 exd5 16.exd5 Qxd5 17.Qxd5 Bxd5 18.0-0-0 Rxg4 19.Rxd5 Nd7 20.Re1+ Kd8 21.Red1 Rd4 22.R1xd4 cxd4 23.Rxd4 Rc8 24.Bd6 Ke8 25.Re4+ Kd8 26.Bxf8 Nxf8 27.a3 bxa3 28.bxa3 Rc6 29.Nb2 Rf6 30.Re2 c3 31.Nd1 Ra6 32.Ra2 Ng6 33.g3 Rc6 34.Kc2 Ne7 35.Nxc3 Nd5 36.Kd3 Rxc3+ 37.Kd4 a5 38.Kxd5 a4 39.Kd4 Rb3 40.Kc4 Kc8 41.Rc2 Kd7 42.Rc3 Rb2 43.Rf3 Ke6 44.g4 Ke7 45.Kd5 Rb3 46.Ke4 Rb2 47.Kf5 Rb5+ 48.Kf4 Kf6 49.Rd3 Rb2 50.f3 Ra2 51.Ke4 Rh2 52.Rd4 Rxh4 53.Rxa4 Rh1 54.Rb4 Ra1 55.a4 Kg6 56.Kd5 Ra3 57.Kc6 Rxf3 58.a5 f5 59.a6 Ra3 60.gxf5+ Kxf5 61.Kb6 h5 62.Rb5+ Kg4 63.Ra5 Rf3 64.a7 Rf8 65.a8Q Rxa8 66.Rxa8 h4 67.Kc5 h3 68.Kd4 h2 69.Rh8 Kg3 70.Ke3 Kg2 71.Rg8+ Kf1 72.Rh8 Kg1 73.Rxh2 Kxh2 ½-½ Grischuk,A-Anand,V/Mexico City 2007/
10...Nbd7 11.Rd1
Kramnik at the press conference said Anand's Qc2, Rd1 plan was fairly new but that it isn't considered very good on account of ...Nh5, he decided he was tired of "hour and a half lessons" and time trouble going into Anand's preparation.
11.Rd1 Be7 12.0-0 Qa5 13.Ne5 Nxe5 14.Bxe5 Rf8 15.f4 Nd7 16.Bg7 Rg8 17.Bxh6 b4 18.Qa4 Qb6 19.Nb1 gxf4 20.Kh1 0-0-0 21.Bxf4 Nf6 22.Nd2 Rxd4 23.Be3 Rxd2 24.Bxb6 Rxe2 25.Rf2 Rxf2 26.Bxf2 Nxe4 27.Bxa7 c3 28.Bd4 c5 29.Be3 Nf2+ 30.Bxf2 Bxg2+ 31.Kg1 Bc6+ 0-1 Amigues,E-Godena,M/France 2007
11...Bb4 12.Ne5 Qe7
Kramnik takes an important step by playing the first novelty 12...Qe7
13.0-0 Nxe5 14.Bxe5 0-0 15.Bxf6 Qxf6 16.f4
Anand has a kingside attack for the pawn deficit.
16...Qg7
16...gxf4 17.e5 Qg6 18.Ne4 c5 19.Rxf4 white is not crashing through immediately but it make's defensive task a little harder in human terms.
17.e5
Anand's attack never really gets anwhere putting white's opening setup under a cloud.



An alternative to 17. e5 is 17.fxg5 hxg5 18.e5 c5 19.Nxb5 cxd4 20.Qxc4 a5 21.Qxd4 Rac8 22.Qe3 Ba6 23.Nd4 Bxe2 24.Qxe2 Bc5
17...c5! 18.Nxb5 cxd4 19.Qxc4 a5 20.Kh1
20.Bf3 Rac8 21.Qe2 Ba6 22.fxg5 d3 23.Qxd3 Qxe5 24.a4 hxg5 25.Kh1 f5 26.g4 Kg7 black's attack builds up nicely if white try's to hang on to the pawn
20.Qxd4 Rac8 21.Kh1=
20...Rac8 21.Qxd4 gxf4 22.Bf3 Ba6 23.a4
23.Qb6 Bxb5 24.Qxb5 Rc5 25.Qa4 Rxe5 26.a3 Be7 27.Qxf4=
23...Rc5 24.Qxf4 Rxe5 25.b3
25.Bc6 Rc8 26.Be4 f5 27.Bf3 Bxb5 the pawn is lost anyway.
25...Bxb5 26.axb5 Rxb5
Kramnik has the best chance in the match so far to take a win off the Indian.
27.Be4 Bc3 28.Bc2 Be5 29.Qf2 Bb8
29...Rb4 30.Rde1 f6 31.Qc5 Rfb8 32.Qxa5 (32.Rf3 Rg4 33.Re2 Rh4 34.h3 Rd4 black has pressure white needs to find tricky moves.) 32...Rh4! 33.h3 Qg3 34.Rxe5 black wins the exchange]
30.Qf3 Rc5 31.Bd3 Rc3 32.g3 Kh8 33.Qb7 f5 34.Qb6 Qe5 35.Qb7
35.Bxf5! to force a drawn position exf5 36.Qxh6+ Kg8 37.Qg6+ Qg7 38.Qe6+ Qf7 39.Qxf7+ Rxf7 40.Rd8+ Rf8 41.Rxf8+ Kxf8 42.Rxf5+ Kg7 43.Rxa5 Rxb3=


35...Qc7?
Both Players where down under 10 minutes at this point. Kramnik's fear of losing takes over and he plays a safety first move hoping he still has winning chances. but unfortunately Anand is able to find some good defensive moves.
35...Rg8! this seems to be winning for Black or very close to it;

A) 36.Qg2 Rxb3 37.Bc4 Rb2 38.Qf3 f4 Black's attack is hard to hold off white is close to losing here.;
B) 36.Qb5 Qxb5 37.Bxb5 Rxb3 38.Bc4 Rb6 39.Rd7 Bb8 40.Re1 (40.Re7 e5 41.Rd1 h5 42.Rdd7 Rh6 43.Kg2 a4 Black is two pawn up but white's pieces are all very active a comp would have no trouble winning this but humans will not find it so easy.) 40...e5 41.Rxe5);
C) 36.Bc4 Rxg3! 37.hxg3 Qxg3 38.Rd2 Qh4+ 40.Rh2 Qxh2#
36.Qxc7 Bxc7 37.Bc4 Re8
37...e5 38.Rd7 Bb6 39.Rd6 Be3 40.Ra6 Bd2 41.Kg2 Rc2 42.Rf2 e4 43.Rxh6+ Bxh6 44.Rxc2 black has lost his pawn for not alot the position is drawn.;
37...a4 38.Rd7
A) 38...Rb8 39.Rxc7 (39.Bxe6 axb3 40.Bxf5 b2 41.Kg2 Rc1 42.Rdd1 Rxd1 43.Rxd1 Kg7) 39...axb3 40.Bxb3 Rxc7;
B) 38...axb3 39.Bxb3 Rxb3 40.Rxc7
38.Rd7 a4
A visually appealing move problem is that it doesn't improve black's winning chances
39.Rxc7 axb3 40.Rf2 Rb8 41.Rb2 h5
Kramnik had a long think to come up with this move
Also drawn is 41...Rc2 But Anand would have some tricks to watch out for as the analysis shows. 42.Rxc2 (42.Rxb3 Rxb3 43.Bxb3 Rxc7-+ 44.Bxe6 Rc5-+) 42...bxc2
A) 43.Bf1 Rb2! (43...Rb1 44.Rxc2 Rxf1+ 45.Kg2=) 44.Kg1 e5 45.h3 e4 46.Kh1 e3 47.Kg1 e2 48.Bxe2 Rb1+ 49.Kf2 c1Q 50.Rxc1 Rxc1 51.Bd3 Rc5 52.Ke3-+;
B) 43.Bxe6 Rb1+ 44.Kg2 c1Q 45.Rxc1 Rxc1 46.Bxf5;
C) 43.Bb3 43...Rxb3 44.Rxc2]
42.Kg2 h4 43.Rc6 hxg3 44.hxg3 Rg8 45.Rxe6 Rxc4
45...f4? giving white the only winning chances now 46.Rh6+ Kg7 47.Bxg8 Rxg3+ 48.Kf2 Kxh6 49.Bxb3 But likely to be a drawn anyway.

1/2-1/2

Anand leads the match 6- 3 and requires only another draw to win the match.

Game eight

Kramnik,V (2772) - Anand,V (2783) [D39]WCh Bonn GER (8), 24.10.2008

1.d4
If Kramnik is going to pull back a 3 point deficit then this is the moment where it must start.
1...Nf6 2.c4 e6 3.Nf3 d5 4.Nc3 dxc4
Kramnik give's Anand the option to play 4....c6 and possibly take the game into the sharp Meran where Kramnik has suffered two defeats already. Obviously he is confident in white's position, Anand of course would be ill advised to play anything sharp his only goal in the coming games is not to lose.



Susan Polgar "This is not a solid opening one would expect Anand to play given the current score. He instead goes for the sharp Vienna Variation."
Shows what I know, Anand still insists on sharp openings!
5.e4
I like the slav as much as the next guy but thankfully we have some variety.
5...Bb4 6.Bg5 c5 7.Bxc4 cxd4 8.Nxd4 Qa5
8...Bxc3+ 9.bxc3 Qa5 10.Bb5+ Bd7 11.Bxf6 gxf6 12.Bxd7+
(12.Qb3 a6 Peter Wells is a confirmed participant for Queenstown 09. 13.Be2 Nc6 14.0-0 Qc7 15.Rad1 Rc8 16.Qa3 Na5 17.Qc1 Ke7 18.Rd3 Qc5 19.Kh1 Rhd8 20.f4 Bb5 21.Nxb5 Rxd3 22.Bxd3 axb5 23.e5 Qxc3 24.exf6+ Kxf6 25.Qe3 Nc4 26.Qg3 Ke7 27.f5 Qe5 28.Qf3 Rc6 29.fxe6 Qxe6 30.Qg3 Rc5 31.Qh4+ Kd7 32.Qxh7 Nd6 33.Qh4 Qxa2 34.Re1 Qd5 35.Qe7+ Kc6 36.Be2 Ne4 37.Bf3 f5 38.g4 Qd2 39.Re2 Qf4 40.Bxe4+ fxe4 41.Qxe4+ Qxe4+ 42.Rxe4 Rc4 43.Re6+ Kd5 44.Rb6 Kc5 45.Rxb7 Rxg4 46.h3 Rg3 47.Kh2 Re3 48.h4 b4 49.Kg2 Kc4 50.h5 Re5 Draw San Segundo Carrillo,P-Wells,P/Escaldes 1998)
12...Nxd7 13.0-0 a6 14.Rb1 Qc7 15.Qg4 h5 16.Qh3 Ke7 17.f4 h4 18.Qf3 Rac8 19.e5 Qxc3 20.exf6+ Kxf6 21.Qxc3 Rxc3 Draw. Kramnik,V-Anand,V/Dortmund 2003
9.Bb5+ Bd7 10.Bxf6 Bxb5
Anand makes the first new move. Kramnik's preparation is looking weak compared to Anand. In his match with Topalov he was also on the back foot concerning opening novelties.
11.Ndxb5 gxf6 12.0-0 Nc6 13.a3 Bxc3 14.Nxc3



14. ... Rg8?!
Both players at the press conference after the game thought this was a mistake as white now builds an advantage.
14...Rd8 Kramnik thought this would equalise.
15.f4! Rd8 16.Qe1 Qb6+ 17.Rf2 Rd3 18.Qe2 Qd4
18...Rh3 19.Kh1 Re3 20.Qf1 Ke7 21.Rd1
19.Re1
19.Nb5 This looks like a good move to me as I can't see how black can avoid the knight taking a beautiful outpost on d6. 19...Qe3 (19...Qd8 20.e5±) 20.Nd6+ Ke7 21.Qxe3 Rxe3 22.Rd1 Rd8 23.Rfd2 Rb3 24.Kf2 a5 25.g3 White has a killer knight on d6 and at first it looks bad for black but maybe white has a hard time making progress because all his pieces are on good squares but are not able to move!
19...a6
Now Nb5 will be alot stronger because white can safely play e5 and protect the knight when it reaches d6 with a pawn, hence Anand plays 19...a6
If 19...Kf8 20.Nb5 Qd8
A) 21.e5?! fxe5 22.fxe5 Rg5 23.Ref1 f5 24.Nd6 (24.exf6 Rxb5) 24...Nxe5 25.Nxf5! Nf3+! 26.Rxf3 Rxf3 27.Rxf3 Rxf5 28.Qxe6 Rxf3 29.gxf3 Qd4+ 30.Kh1 Qxb2 The position looks drawn but Queen endings are exrtremely tricky.;
B) 21.Qh5 21...Qb6 White has an edge but it is still not so easy
20.Kh1
20.Nd5 exd5 Black must take or be clearly worse. 21.exd5+
A) 21...Kf8 22.dxc6 (22.Qe8+ Kg7 leads nowhere for white) 22...bxc6 23.Qe8+ Kg7 24.Qxc6 Rd2 25.Qf3 Rxb2 black is still fine but maybe 21. ...Kd7 is better.;
B) 21...Kd7! 22.dxc6+ Kxc6 The king looks rather insane on the open c-file with all the heavy pieces on the board but white is somehow not crashing through.
20...Kf8
My understanding is Kramnik is trying to force a break through down the e and f files by f5 or e5. f5 is the most obvious break because if black ever plays e5 his position is positionally very bad because white will be able to hop his knight to d5 with crushing effect. So most likely black will take on f5 and and then white is hoping to use his heavy pieces to open up black's king and attack down the f file targeting the f6-f8 squares. At the press conference the players explained things better than me and it was quite instructional.
21.Ref1
In the press conference Kramnik considerd this the first game where he was able to get a slight advantageand push for a win.
21.f5 exf5 (21...e5? 22.Nd5) 22.Qf1 White is no hurry to reacpture more important is to pressure the weak f6 and f7 squares. 22...Rd2 (22...fxe4? 23.Nxe4) 23.Rxd2 Qxd2 24.Re2 Qh6 25.Rf2 Rg5 black is defending so pushing f5 is premature.
21...Rg6 22.g3
Kramnik is just trying to build on his advantage as there is no immediate break through promising white much.
22.f5 exf5 23.Qh5 fxe4 24.Qxh7 Ne7 White has nothing.
22...Kg7 23.Rd1
23.f5 exf5 24.exf5 Rh6 25.Rf4 Qd7 26.Rd1 Rxd1+ 27.Qxd1 Qc8 28.Qg4+ Kh8 29.Rf1 Ne5 And black doesn' t have any worries again. Another important factor to note when pushing f5 is it gives black's knight the e5 square.
23...Rxd1+ 24.Nxd1 Kh8 25.Nc3
Kramnik has softened black's control of the d-file but it is still not so easy to break through. 25...Rg8 26.Kg2 Rd8 27.Qh5 Kg7 28.Qg4+ Kh8 29.Qh5 Kg7 30.Qg4+ Kh8 31.Qh4 Kg7 32.e5 f5


32...fxe5?! Anand correctly sees that white's attack gains some momentum after this move. The idea of keeping the position closed on his weak side of the board is clear here. 33.Qg5+ Kh8 34.Qf6+ Kg8 35.fxe5 Nxe5 36.Rf4 Qd6 37.Ne4 Qd5 38.Kh3 Ng6 (38...Rf8? 39.Qg5+ Kh8 40.Nf6 Qd3 41.Qxe5 + -) 39.Qxf7+ Kh8 40.Qf6+ Kg8 41.Rf3 White is not winning instantly but has a good position.
33.Qf6+ Kg8 34.Qg5+ Kh8 35.Qf6+ Kg8 36.Re2 Qc4 37.Qg5+ Kh8 38.Qf6+ Kg8 39.Qg5+ Kh8
1/2-1/2
Anand successfully holds on still refusing to make any major mistake's. He is now one point away from retaining the World Championship title and officially becoming the 15th World Champion.
I don't consider the Fide WCh Knockout winners like Khalifman, Ponomariov, Topalov, etc as carrying on the tradition, starting with Steinitz. In 2006 Kramnik did the chess world a big favour by accepting certain conditions and playing a match with Topalov to unify the chess title's classical and fide. Which have been split since the 93 Kasparov-Short match. The WCh tournament in Mexico 2007 was a consequence of this agreement Anand won this event, but many critics still didn't consider him the 15th World Champion because many thought that the title should only be fought in classical match style.
This match was critical for Anand to silence the critics once and for all and he is now one point away from achieving probably his greastest achievement.

2008 Wellington Rapid

Wellington Chess Club (Inc)
Grand Prix Millennium Hotels sponsored tournament

2008 Wellington Rapid

A Grand Prix Class 3 Tournament

Saturday 15 November

Venue
The tournament will be held at the Wellington Chess Club rooms, Turnbull House, Bolton St
Format
Time control: 25 minutes plus 5 seconds a move
Prize Fund
Ist Prize $200: 2nd Prize $100: 3rd Prize $75: B Grade Prize $75: B Grade runner Up $50: C Grade Prize $75: C Grade runner up $50: Best Junior rated under 1500 $75 Total Prizefund $700
Timetable
Players Meeting - 9.15 am Round 1- 9.30am: Round 2 – 10.45am: Round 3 12.00pm: Lunch 1pm – 2pm: Round 4-2pm: Round 5- 3.15pm: Round 6 4.30pm: Prizegiving 5.45pm
Entry Fee
Standard: $30.00 Unwaged: $25.00 Players not registered with NZCF must in addition to the entry fee pay a NZCF registration fee of $13.00 or $6.50 for juniors.
Entries
Return entries to: Alan Aldridge, 71 Dress Circle, Newlands Wellington or email your entry to: alan_aldridge@paradise.net.nz For email entries entry fees must be paid at least 30 minutes before the scheduled start of Round 1.

Check out http://www.newzealandchess.co.nz/calendar.html for more deatils

Palmerston North Championship

Round Four

S. Taylor 1605 - J. Davis 1967 0-1
J. Kim 1358 - M. King 1853 0-1
S. Holdaway 1580 - D. Davey 1309 1-0

Round Five

M. King 1853 - J Davis 1967 1-0
D. Davey 1309 - J. Kim 1358 1-0
S. Holdaway 1580 - S. Taylor 1605 1-0

B Grade

After five rounds J Van Vuuren is leading with a perfect score 5/5 followed closely by F. Visser on 4/5

Game seven

Anand,V - Kramnik,V [D19]WCC2008 Bonn (7), 2008

1.d4
Anand is still quite happy to churn out 1.d4
1...d5
Kramnik decides to deviate first on the other games.
2.c4 c6 3.Nf3 Nf6 4.Nc3 dxc4 5.a4 Bf5 6.e3
Anand chooses the more solid 6.e3 interesting complications arise after 6.Ne5.
6.Ne5 e6 7.f3 Bb4 8.g4 Mainline is 8.e4 where black often sacrifices a piece. 8...Nfd7 9.Nxd7 Qh4+ 10.Kd2 Nxd7 11.gxf5 Nc5 12.dxc5?
(An extemely interesting variation occurs after 12.Kc2! Nb3 13.Kb1 Nxa1 14.Kxa1 exf5 15.e4 b5 16.axb5 Bxc3 17.bxc3 cxb5 18.Ba3 a5 19.Bxc4!! bxc4 20.Qa4+ Kd8 21.Rb1 Black is busted.)
12...0-0-0+ 13.Kc2 Rxd1 14.Nxd1 Qe1 15.Ne3 Rd8 16.Nxc4 Rd4 17.Nd6+ Kb8 18.fxe6 fxe6 19.Be3 Qxa1 20.Bxd4 Qxa4+ 21.Kd3 Qb3+ 22.Bc3 Qd1+ 23.Ke4 Bxc5 24.Ne8 Qd5+ 25.Kf4 Qf5+ 26.Kg3 Qg6+ 27.Kf4 Qf7+ 28.Kg4 Qxe8 29.Be5+ Ka8 30.e4 Qg6+ 31.Kf4 h6 32.h4 Bf2 0-1 Steadman,M-Wang,P/Nadi 2007

6...e6 7.Bxc4 Bb4 8.0-0 Nbd7 9.Qe2 Bg6 10.e4 0-0
Kramnik after two losses in a row is obviously in no mood to speculate on any line that isn't solid. 10...Bxc3 11.bxc3 Nxe4 12.Ba3 Qc7 13.Nd2 Ndf6 14.Nxe4 Nxe4 15.Rfe1 0-0-0 16.Qb2 Rhe8 17.f3 Nd6 18.Bf1 Kb8 19.a5 Nc8 20.Bc5 f6 21.Ra4 e5 22.Rea1 Rd7 23.Rb4 Ka8 24.Bb6 Qb8 25.dxe5 Rxe5 26.Bf2 Qd6 27.Rd4 Rd5 28.Rxd5 Qxd5 29.Qb4 Qd6 30.Qa4 Rd8 31.Re1 Ne7 32.a6 b6 33.Rxe7 1-0 Kasparov,G-Bareev,E/Tilburg 1991
11.Bd3 Bh5 12.e5 Nd5 13.Nxd5 cxd5 14.Qe3 Re8
14...Bg6 Game two from the Kramnik-Topalov match in Elista where Topalov famously missed an easy win after a great attack and then went on to lose the game and eventually the match . 15.Ng5 Re8 16.f4 Bxd3 17.Qxd3 f5 18.Be3 Nf8 19.Kh1 Rc8 20.g4 Qd7 21.Rg1 Be7 22.Nf3 Rc4 23.Rg2 fxg4 24.Rxg4 Rxa4 25.Rag1 g6 26.h4 Rb4 27.h5 Qb5 28.Qc2 Rxb2 29.hxg6 h5 30.g7 hxg4 31.gxf8Q+ Bxf8 32.Qg6+ (32.Rxg4+ Bg7 33.Qc7 Qf1+ 34.Ng1+-) 32...Bg7 33.f5 Re7 34.f6 Qe2 35.Qxg4 Rf7 36.Rc1 Rc2 37.Rxc2 Qd1+ 38.Kg2 Qxc2+ 39.Kg3 Qe4 40.Bf4 Qf5 41.Qxf5 exf5 42.Bg5 a5 43.Kf4 a4 44.Kxf5 a3 45.Bc1 Bf8 46.e6 Rc7 47.Bxa3 Bxa3 48.Ke5 Rc1 49.Ng5 Rf1 50.e7 Re1+ 51.Kxd5 Bxe7 52.fxe7 Rxe7 53.Kd6 Re1 54.d5 Kf8 55.Ne6+ Ke8 56.Nc7+ Kd8 57.Ne6+ Kc8 58.Ke7 Rh1 59.Ng5 b5 60.d6 Rd1 61.Ne6 b4 62.Nc5 Re1+ 63.Kf6 Re3 0-1 Topalov,V-Kramnik,V/Elista 2006/
15.Ne1 Bg6
15...Rc8 16.f4 Bxe1 17.Rxe1 Bg6 18.Bf1 Rc2 19.b3 Qa5 20.Bb5 Rd8 21.Re2 Rcc8 22.Bd2 Qb6 23.Rf2 a6 24.Bf1 Rc6 25.b4 Rc2 26.b5 a5 27.Bc3 Rxf2 28.Qxf2 Qa7 29.Qd2 Ra8 30.Rc1 Nb6 31.Bb2 Nxa4 32.Ba3 h6 33.h3 Be4 34.Kh2 Nb6 35.Bc5 a4 36.Ra1 Nc4 37.Bxc4 b6 38.Qe3 Rc8 39.Bf1 bxc5 40.dxc5 Qxc5 41.Qxc5 Rxc5 42.b6 Rc6 43.b7 Rb6 44.Ba6 d4 45.Rxa4 Bxb7 46.Bxb7 Rxb7 47.Rxd4 Draw Topalov,V-Kramnik,V/Elista 2006/
16.Bxg6 hxg6 17.Nd3
17.Bd2 Bxd2 18.Qxd2 To change the imbalance of minor pieces is another option as stated by Susan Polgar on her blog.
17...Qb6 18.Nxb4 Qxb4 19.b3 Rac8 20.Ba3
20.Bd2 Qe7 21.a5 Qh4 22.Rfc1 Nb8 White has a nagging if only slight edge.
20...Qc3 21.Rac1 Qxe3
After this move Kramnik offers a draw to which Anand refuses!! How easy would it have been to accept when so far ahead, Anand is trying to completely crush Kramnik's spirit.

22.fxe3 f6
In my opinion Kramnik is just trying to kill the position of any life as he did in game 4. Anand is not willing to risk too much either and must be happy to play positions with a slight edge and almost no risk of loseing.
23.Bd6 g5 24.h3 Kf7 25.Kf2 Kg6 26.Ke2 fxe5 27.dxe5 b6 28.b4
28.e4 Nc5 29.exd5 exd5 (29...Nxb3?! 30.Rxc8 Rxc8 31.dxe6 Nd4+ 32.Kd3 Nxe6 White is looking good in this position.) 30.b4 Ne6 White holds the advantage but black is quite solid and not too far from equalising. To nurture an adavantage like this one needs the skills of Karpov. 28...Rc4 29.Rxc4 dxc4 30.Rc1
30.Kd2 a6 31.b5 a5 32.Kc3 Rc8 33.g4 Nc5 34.Bxc5 Rxc5 35.Kd4 Rd5+ 36.Kxc4 Rxe5 37.Kd3 Rd5+ 38.Ke4 Rc5 39.Rf8 Rc4+ 40.Ke5 Rxa4 41.Rb8 Ra3 42.e4 Rxh3 43.Rxb6 Kh7 44.Ra6 Rb3 45.b6 a4 46.Kxe6 a3 47.Kd7 Rb4 48.Kc6 Rxe4 49.Rxa3 Rxg4 50.b7 Rb4 51.Ra6+- This sample line shows the power of active pieces.
30...Rc8 31.g4 a5 32.b5 c3

33.Rc2
After looking at the game we know that black can sac a pawn to create a drawn K+P ending so perhaps 33.Kd1 may have been a better try for advantage.
33.Kd1!? Rc4 34.Kc2 Rxa4 35.Kxc3 Ra2 (35...Nc5? 36.Bxc5 bxc5 37.Rb1 Ra3+ 38.Kc4 Rxe3 39.b6+-) 36.Kd3 a4 Black needs to create fast counterplay because Rc7 is a major threat 37.Rc7 Nc5+ 38.Bxc5 bxc5 39.Rxc5 Rb2 40.Kc4 a3 41.Rc6 Rc2+ 42.Kb3 Rb2+ 43.Kxa3 Rxb5 44.Rxe6+ Kf7 45.Rc6 Rxe5 46.Rc3 Perhaps Anand could have tortured Kramnik for longer as this variation shows.
33...Kf7 34.Kd3 Nc5+ 35.Bxc5 Rxc5 36.Rxc3 Rxc3+ 37.Kxc3
White has no way to infiltrate black's position with his king and his only pawn break will only benefit black so the position demands a draw as in game 1.
1/2-1/2

Anand Leads the match 5 - 2 with 5 games reamining for Kramnik to pull off a miracle.

Hawkes Bay Open Chess Championship 2008

Saturday 25th October 2008
10:00am Registration
10:15am Players Meeting
10:30am First Round six round rapid tournament

SLW Boardroom, Cathedral Lane, Napier.

goto http://web.mac.com/xrissmith/Chess/Home.html for other details.

Game six

Anand,V - Kramnik,V [E34]WCC 2008 Bonn (6), 2008

1.d4 Nf6 2.c4 e6 3.Nc3
Anand is in a more aggerssive mood than game 4 when he played Nf3 here.
3...Bb4 4.Qc2
Anand doesn't want to repeat game two where he played the slightly unusual 4.f3 and decides on a main line.
4...d5
In 1993 both Karpov and Timman were soundly defeated in the candidates pre-matches by Nigel Short, who went on to play Kasparov in a match, but not under the auspices of FIDE. As a result, FIDE chose the two highest finishing remaining candidates for their version of a World Campionship match, but excluded Yusupov by virtue of having been defeated by Timman in the quarter final match that already occurred in the same cycle. 4...0-0 5.a3 Bxc3+ 6.Qxc3 b6 7.Bg5 c5 8.dxc5 bxc5 9.e3 Nc6 10.Nh3 h6 11.Bh4 g5 12.Bg3 Ne4 13.Qc2 Qa5+ 14.Ke2 f5 15.f3 Nxg3+ 16.hxg3 Rb8 17.Nf2 Ba6 18.Nd3 d5 19.b3 Rxb3 20.Qxb3 dxc4 21.Qa2 cxd3+ 22.Kf2 Rf6 23.Rc1 Kg7 24.f4 c4 25.Qb2 e5 26.fxg5 hxg5 27.Rc3 Qb6 28.Qxb6 axb6 29.Rh5 Ne7 30.Bxd3 cxd3 31.Rc7 Re6 32.Ke1 Bb5 33.g4 Kg6 34.Rh8 f4 0-1 Timman,J-Karpov,A/NED/INA 1993
5.cxd5 Qxd5


The following segment is taken from Wikipedia.
According to Short and Kasparov, the head of the chess world's governing body FIDE, Florencio Campomanes, decided on the venue of the match (Manchester) and the prize fund without consulting them, in breach of FIDE rules. The British WIM and author Cathy Forbes, in her book Nigel Short: Quest for the Crown (Cadogan 1993), wrote that at no time in the 1993 bidding process was a conforming World Championship match bid actually received by FIDE. In response, Short and Kasparov promptly formed a rival organisation - the Professional Chess Association. The resulting match – sponsored by The Times newspaper – was held under the auspices of the new body in London, from September to October 1993. Kasparov won convincingly (+6-1=13), and Short's approach to the match and style of play came in for heavy criticism from BBC commentators Bill Hartston and Tony Miles (it was the heaviest loss in world title matches since Tal's reverse to Botvinnik in 1961).
5...exd5 6.Bg5 h6 7.Bh4 c5 8.dxc5 g5 9.Bg3 Ne4 10.e3 Qa5 11.Nge2 Bf5 12.Be5 0-0 13.Nd4 Bg6 14.Nb3 Nxc3 15.Bxc3 Bxc2 16.Nxa5 Bxc3+ 17.bxc3 b6 18.Kd2 bxa5 19.Kxc2 Rc8 20.h4 Nd7 21.hxg5 Nxc5 22.gxh6 Ne4 23.c4 Nxf2 24.Rh4 f5 25.Rd4 dxc4 26.Bxc4+ Kh7 27.Rf1 Ng4 28.Kd2 Rab8 29.Rxf5 Rb2+ 30.Kd3 Rxg2 31.Be6 Rc7 32.Rxa5 Nf2+ 33.Ke2 Rh2 34.Kf3 Nh1 35.Rd7+ Rxd7 36.Bxd7 Kxh6 37.Rxa7 Kg5 38.Ra5+ Kf6 39.Bc6 Rc2 40.Rf5+ Ke7 41.Bd5 Kd6 42.Rh5 Rd2 43.Rxh1 Rxd5 44.a4 Ra5 45.Ra1 Ke5 46.e4 Ke6? This is the famous game where Nigel missed the draw starting with 46... Rc5 then taking the e pawn with the king and black's rook is just in time to blockade the a pawn for a draw! 47.Ke3 Kd6 48.Kd4 Kd7 49.Kc4 Kc6 50.Kb4 Re5 51.Rc1+ Kb6 52.Rc4 1-0 Kasparov,G-Short,N/London 1993
6.Nf3 Qf5
This move was first played by Oleg Romanishin
7.Qb3
7.Qxf5 This move must be a slight mistake.. Ok he double's black's pawns but white loses control of the important e4 square. 7...exf5 8.Bd2 c6 9.e3 Nbd7 10.Bd3 Nb6 11.Ne2 Bd6 12.0-0 Ne4 13.Ba5 0-0 14.Rfc1 Re8 15.Nd2 Nxd2 16.Bxd2 a5 17.a3 Be6 18.f3 g6 19.Kf2 Bb3 20.h3 h5 21.g3 a4 22.e4 fxe4 23.fxe4 Bf8 24.g4 hxg4 25.hxg4 Bg7 26.g5 Nd7 27.Bb4 Rad8 28.Bd6 c5 29.Rxc5 Nxc5 30.Bxc5 Re6 31.Ke3 f5 32.gxf6 Bh6+ 33.Kf3 Rxf6+ 34.Kg3 Rc6 35.Be7 Re8 36.Bc5 Rd8 37.Be7 Rd7 38.Bb4 Bc4 39.Bxc4+ Rxc4 40.Bc3 Rf7 41.Rh1 Bg7 42.e5 Rf5 43.Rh4 Rg5+ 44.Kh3 Rh5 45.Rxh5 gxh5 46.Ng3 Bf8 47.e6 Bxa3 48.d5 Rxc3 49.bxc3 Bf8 50.Nf5 a3 51.d6 Bxd6 52.Nxd6 Kf8 53.e7+ Kxe7 54.Nf5+ Kf6 55.Nd4 a2 56.Nc2 Ke5 57.Kh4 Kd6 0-1 Beliavsky,A-Romanishin,O/Groningen 1993
7...Nc6 8.Bd2 0-0 9.h3!
Anand hits first again with a new move. It now has just as much punch psychologically as it does theoretically with Kramnik on the back foot in the match.
A recent game continued 9.e3 a6 10.Be2 Bd6 11.Nh4 Qg5 12.g3 Ne8 13.f4 Qd8 14.Nf3 Be7 15.0-0-0 b5 16.Ne4 Bb7 17.Qc2 f5 18.Nc3 Qc8 19.Rhg1 Nf6 20.Kb1 Nb4 21.Qc1 Ne4 22.Ne5 c5 23.Ka1 cxd4 24.exd4 Rd8 25.Be1 Qc7 26.g4 Rac8 27.Nd3 Rxd4 28.Nxb4 Rxb4 29.gxf5 exf5 30.a3 Ra4 31.Qc2 Kh8 32.Qb3 Qc5 33.Rxg7 Rxa3+ 34.Qxa3 Kxg7 35.Qxc5 Nxc5 36.b4 Ne6 37.Bd3 Bxb4 38.Nxb5 Bxe1 39.Rxe1 Nxf4 40.Bxf5 axb5 41.Re7+ Kf6 42.Bxc8 Kxe7 43.Bxb7 Ne6 44.Kb2 b4 45.Kc2 Kf6 46.Bc8 Nc5 47.h4 Ke5 48.Bg4 Kf4 49.Bd1 Ke3 50.h5 h6 51.Bg4 Ke4 52.Bd1 Kd5 53.Bf3+ Kc4 54.Be2+ Kd4 55.Bb5 Ne6 56.Kb3 Kc5 57.Be8 Nd4+ 58.Kb2 Kd6 59.Bg6 Ke7 60.Ka2 Kd6 61.Kb2 Kc5 62.Be8 Nf5 63.Kb3 Nd6 64.Bd7 Nc4 65.Be8 Nd2+ 66.Kc2 Ne4 67.Kb3 Nd6 68.Bd7 Draw Kobalia,M-Sadvakasov,D/Sochi 2005
9...b6 10.g4! Qa5 11.Rc1 Bb7 12.a3 Bxc3 13.Bxc3 Qd5 14.Qxd5 Nxd5 15.Bd2 Nf6 16.Rg1
With the queen's off Anand is happy to leave his king in the center.
16...Rac8 17.Bg2 Ne7 18.Bb4 c5
Black really needs to get this move into equalise.
18...Rfe8 19.Bxe7 Rxe7 20.Ne5 Bxg2 21.Rxg2 c5 22.dxc5 Rxc5 23.Rxc5 bxc5 24.g5 Ne8 25.b3 Rb7 26.Rg3 Black has weak Q-side pawns and must accept that white can torture him at his leisure. Atleast material is even in this line.
19.dxc5 Rfd8 20.Ne5 Bxg2 21.Rxg2

21. ...bxc5

21...a5 Kramnik must have been tempted by this move but it could have lead to another shocker 22.Bd2 (22.g5 Ne4 23.f3 axb4 24.fxe4 Rxc5=) 22...Ne4 23.cxb6! A great temporary piece sacrifice. (23.Nd3 If white plays this move then black has no trouble's 23...Nxd2 24.Kxd2 bxc5 25.Rc4 Rd4 26.b3 g5 27.e3 Rd6 28.Kc2 Nd5=) 23...Nxd2 24.Rxc8 Nxc8 25.b7 Na7 26.Rg3! If black could play his knight to c6 then he might be able to defend 26...f6 27.Nd7! So black cannot hold onto the piece.

22.Rxc5 Ne4 23.Rxc8 Rxc8 24.Nd3

Kramnik's only saving point on the pawn minus is his active knight on e4 the rook on c8 and white's passive piece setup with the rook on g2 being especially out of play.

24...Nd5 25.Bd2 Rc2 26.Bc1

This will be a ultimate test for both players each are playing a style best suited to their opponent. Anand's material verse Kramnik's activity. Kramnik has the biggest risk and most to lose if thing's go wrong for him.

26...f5

26...Nc5 27.Kd1 Nxd3 28.exd3 (28.Kxc2 Ne1+) 28...Rc8 29.f4 Kf8 30.Rc2 Rxc2 31.Kxc2 Ke7 This ending looks risky for Kramnik and perhaps psychologically he was not up to a long defense.

27.Kd1 Rc8 28.f3 Nd6 29.Ke1 a5 30.e3

30. ...e5?!

Kramnik's form in the match so far has been very up and down. He didn't have to lose the two games he has, both cases where blunders after a tough and evenly matched battle. By playing a move like e5 he must calculate things from now on extremely accurately and when you have been prone to blunders in the games before this is a extremely risky approach. Anand must be applauded for getting Kramnik into these types of positions in the first place where he can pretty much just play calmly and wait for Kramnik to hang himself.

30...a4 31.Re2 Ne7 32.e4 fxe4 33.fxe4 Rc4 34.Bg5 Ng6 35.e5 Ne4 36.Be3 Ne7 37.Nf2 Nxf2 38.Bxf2 Nd5 Black has a excellent outpost for his knight and white's Q-side pawns stalled for now but I don't think it will hold out in the long run.

31.gxf5 e4 32.fxe4 Nxe4 33.Bd2 a4

33...Re8 34.Rg4 a4 35.Nf2 Ndf6 Trying to hold the e4 square and blockade thing's on the white squares looks interesting.

34.Nf2 Nd6 35.Rg4 Nc4

35...Nxf5 36.Rxa4 Nfxe3 37.Bxe3 Nxe3 38.Re4 is still winning for white

36.e4 Nf6 37.Rg3 Nxb2

37...Nxe4 38.Nxe4 Re8 39.Bc3 Rxe4+ 40.Kf2 Re7 41.f6+-

38.e5 Nd5 39.f6 Kf7 40.Ne4 Nc4

40...Ke6 41.fxg7 Rg8 42.Ng5+ Kxe5 43.Nxh7 Ke6 44.Nf8+ Kf7 45.Bh6+- Nf6 46.Rc3 Nh5 47.Bc1 Nxg7 48.Nd7 Re8+ 49.Kf1 Nf5 50.Bxb2

41.fxg7

41.Rxg7+ Ke6 42.Ng5+ Kxe5 43.f7 Rf8 44.Nxh7 Rxf7

41...Kg8 42.Rd3 Ndb6 43.Bh6

43.e6 Kxg7? (43...Ne5 44.Rd6 Nf3+ 45.Ke2 Nxd2 46.e7 Nxe4 47.Rd8+ Kxg7 48.e8Q winning for white) 44.Rg3+ Kf8 45.Bb4+ Rc5 46.Bxc5+ Nd6 47.Bxd6+ Ke8 48.Rg8#

43...Nxe5 44.Nf6+ Kf7

45.Rc3 Rxc3 46.g8Q+ Kxf6 47.Bg7+

1-0

One of the aspects of chess that I find interesting is how it is different to other sports. When you are out on the football, rugby field or basketball court your body is running like a machine and when you get to tense moments, adrenalin takes over and you are able to perform unbelievable feats, like sidestepping your opponent and moving your body in such a way that enables you to score the winning try, goal or basket. Chess is not like this. When you get to a tense moment you have to control your body because their is no physical realease. You almost have to pull yourself out of your body become part of the chess board itself and just be another piece on the board, otherwise you will find it hard to concentrate. Afterwards you may look back and feel like you were watching yourself from above performing like a puppet on strings.

Game five

Kramnik,V (2772) - Anand,V (2783) [D49]WCh Bonn GER (5), 17.10.2008

1.d4 d5 2.c4 c6 3.Nf3 Nf6 4.Nc3 e6 5.e3 Nbd7 6.Bd3 dxc4 7.Bxc4 b5 8.Bd3 a6 9.e4 c5 10.e5 cxd4 11.Nxb5 axb5 12.exf6 gxf6 13.0-0 Qb6 14.Qe2 Bb7!?


So far we have repeated game 3. Anand must clearly feel confident with this opening willing to repeat his shocking novelty from game
14...b4 15.Rd1 Bc5 16.Bf4 Bb7 17.Be4 One idea with Anand giving away the b5 pawn is it misplaces white's white squared bishop. In this game white is able to neutralise the pressure on his king by playing Be4 and trading black's strong piece.
17. ....Ba6 18.Qd2 Rd8 19.Rac1 e5 20.Bg3 Bb7 21.Bxb7 Qxb7 22.Qh6 Qd5 23.Bh4 Rg8 24.Qxh7 Ke7 25.Bg3 Rg4 26.Nh4 Qe4 27.Qh6 Rg5 28.Re1 Qg4 29.Nf3 Qh5 30.Qxh5 Rxh5 31.Nd2 Ra8 32.Ne4 Ra5 33.Rc4 Ke6 34.Nxc5+ Nxc5 35.Rxd4 Rxa2 36.Rxb4 Nd3 37.Rb6+ Kf5 38.Rb1 Rh8 39.h3 Nc5 40.Re1 Rd8 41.Bh4 Ne6 42.Re3 Rd1+ 43.Kh2 Raa1 44.Rf3+ Nf4 45.Rxf6+ Ke4 46.Re3+ Kd5 47.Rf5 Ng6 48.Bg5 1-0 Tkachiev,V-Pavasovic,D/Rabac 2004/
15.Bxb5 Rg8
Anand once again comes with the first new move. In game 3 he played Bd6 which stopped Bf4, Rg8 allows white's bishop to gain this good square so what does Anand have in mind.
16.Bf4 Bd6
Anand plays Bd6 anyway
17.Bg3
17.Bxd6 Qxd6 18.Rfd1 Qd5 Black's king is always stuck in the center but the pressure against white's king is also very strong.
17...f5
Now the bishop on g3 can be harrassed by f4
18.Rfc1
After a 40+ minute think Kramnik comes up with this As in game three black has won the opening battle and Anand has a healthy time advantage. The position still remains incredibly complex. [18.Nxd4 Rxg3! 19.hxg3 Qxd4 20.Rfd1 Qb6
18...f4 19.Bh4 Be7 20.a4
A predictable but good move. White has the long term advantage of connected passed pawns on the Q-side. a4 protects the bishop leaving the queen free to roam and starts the pawn on its mission to the 8th rank.
20.Bxe7 Kxe7 21.a4 Ke7
How to play black's position is not immediately clear to me Vishy shows why he is the current World Champ.



Anand's style is well suited to this position.
20.Bxe7 Kxe7 21.a4 21...Qd6 22.b4 Rg7 (22...Qxb4 23.Rc7; 22...Kf8 23.Qh5 Rg7 24.Qh6 Kg8 25.f3 d3 26.Bxd7 Qxd7 27.Qxf4 Qd8) 23.a5 Kf8 24.a6 Bd5 25.Bc4 Nb6 26.Bxd5
22.Ra3
Developing white's last piece.
22.b4 Rg5 23.Nf3 Bxf3 24.Qxf3 Rag8 25.Bf1 (25.g3 fxg3 26.hxg3 d3 27.Kf1 Rf5 28.Qg2 Ne5=) 25...Qxb4 26.Qxf4 Qd6; 22.Kf1 This is also an option to get off the g-file but it is not clear f1 is a safer square than g1.
22...Rac8
22...Qd6 23.Nf5+ +-
23.Rxc8
23.Rd1 Qc5 24.Bxd7 .Kxd7 25.Rad3 Qg5 26.Rxd4+ Ke8 27.g3
23...Rxc8 24.Ra1 Qc5 25.Qg4
25.Rd1 Ne5 26.b4 Qc2 27.Rxd4 Qxe2 28.Bxe2 Rc2 29.Bf1 Ra2=
25...Qe5
25...Qc1+? 26.Rxc1 Rxc1+ 27.Bf1 Ba6 28.h3 Rxf1+ 29.Kh2±;
25...Qc2 26.Qxf4 d3 27.Nf5+ exf5 28.Re1+ Kd8 (28...Kf8 29.Bxd7 d2 30.Qd6+ Kg7 31.Rf1 Rc5 32.Qg3+ Kf8 33.Qb8+ Kg7=) 29.Qxf5 Bc6 30.Bxd3 Qxa4 31.Qxf7 Kc7 32.Qxh7 Qb4=
26.Nf3 Qf6 27.Re1
27.Nxd4 Qxd4 28.Rd1 Nf6 29.Rxd4 Nxg4 30.Rd7+ Kf6 31.Rxb7 Rc1+ 32.Bf1 Ne3 -+
27...Rc5 28.b4 Rc3
28...Ne5 29.Nxe5 Rxe5 30.Rxe5 Qxe5 31.Qh4+ Kf8 32.Qd8+ Kg7 33.Bf1=


29.Nxd4?
As in game three Kramnik makes a disastrous mistake. Blunders in game three and this game came about the same time 5am NZ time?! Before the match Kramnik made a point that with all the preparation and planning you still have to make good moves on the board and to play well in all aspects of the game. Kramnik is struggling.
At the moment before 29. Nxd4 the game is still very much in the balance.
29.Nd2 h6
A) 30.Qe2? f3 31.Nxf3 (31.gxf3? Rc2 32.Qd1 Qg5+ 33.Kf1 Rxd2 34.Qxd2) 31...Rxf3 32.Bxd7 d3 33.Qd2 Kxd7 34.Rd1 (34.gxf3 Qg6+ 35.Kf1 Bxf3 36.Re3 Qg2+ 37.Ke1 Qh1#) 34...Ke8-+;
B) 30.a5 30...Qg5 31.Qxg5+ hxg5 32.f3 Black's pieces are still very active and white's Q-side pawns are not yet dangerous.
29...Qxd4 30.Rd1 Nf6 31.Rxd4 Nxg4 32.Rd7+ Kf6 33.Rxb7 Rc1+ 34.Bf1 Ne3!


35.fxe3 fxe3

0-1

Ian Rogers in the opening press conference asked Is their something about your opponent that has annoyed you over the last year or two? Kramnik was first to answer with that he had found his opponents level of play particularly annoying. I think now he must be more annoyed than ever.
Anand leads 3.5 to 1.5

Burnham Cup Match

The Burnham Cup match between Palmerston North and Wanganui was due to be played this Saturday. The match is competed over 10 boards 2 games a day and each team has a home leg. The first leg of the match was played in Wanganui where they made an impressive start winning 12.5/ 7.5.
In the April issue of NZ chess magazine Wanganui were quoted “Horse shoes are being collected for part two in October.” perhaps too busy with this task the Wanganui Chess Club have sadly forfeited the Burnham Cup unable to put a team together.

Game four

Anand,V (2783) - Kramnik,V (2772) [D37] WCh Bonn GER (4), 18.10.2008

1.d4
Anand sticks with 1.d4. It must be in his favour that he can play both 1.e4 and d4. Kramnik of course can play e4 but it would be highly unlikely and against his style to do so.
Susan Polgar commented "One of the common strategies in big matches is you want to try to stabilize the bleeding after a bad loss."
1...Nf6
1...d5 See note to move 11 2.c4 e6 3.Nc3 Nf6 4.e3 c5 5.Nf3 Nc6 6.a3 dxc4 7.Bxc4 cxd4 8.exd4 Be7 9.0-0 0-0 10.Be3 Bd7 11.Qd3 Rc8 12.Rac1 Qa5 13.Ba2 Rfd8 14.Rfe1 Be8 15.Bb1 g6 16.Qe2 Bf8 17.Red1 Bg7 18.Ba2 Ne7 19.Qd2 Qa6 20.Bg5 Nf5 21.g4 Nxd4 22.Nxd4 e5 23.Nd5 Rxc1 24.Qxc1 exd4 25.Rxd4 Nxd5 26.Rxd5 Rxd5 27.Bxd5 Qe2 28.h3 h6 29.Bc4 Qf3 30.Qe3 Qd1+ 31.Kh2 Bc6 32.Be7 Be5+ 33.f4 Bxf4+ 34.Qxf4 Qh1+ 35.Kg3 Qg1+ 0-1 Zukertort,J-Steinitz,W/USA 1886/
An interesting game from the first ever official World Championship Match
2.c4 e6 3.Nf3
Anand decides not to allow a Nimzo.
3...d5 4.Nc3 Be7
4...Nbd7 5.Bg5 c6 6.e3 Qa5 7.Nd2 Bb4 8.Qc2 0-0 9.Bh4 c5 10.Nb3 Qa4 11.Bxf6 Nxf6 12.dxc5 Ne4 13.cxd5 Bxc3+ 14.bxc3 Nxc5 15.Rd1 exd5 16.Rxd5 Nxb3 17.axb3 Qc6 18.Rd4 Re8 19.Bd3 Qxg2 20.Bxh7+ Kf8 21.Be4 Qh3 22.Qd2 Be6 23.c4 a5 24.Rg1 Qxh2 25.Rh1 Qc7 26.Qb2 Qc5 27.Bd5 Ra6 28.Re4 Rd6 29.Rh7 Ke7 30.Qxg7 Kd8 31.Bxe6 fxe6 32.Qxb7 Qb4+ 33.Qxb4 axb4 34.c5 Rc6 35.Rxb4 Rxc5 36.Ra7 1-0 Capablanca,J-Alekhine,A/Buenos Aires 1927/
5.Bf4
So we have the Queens Gambit declined an opening which has been seen throughout many World championship matches.

5.Bg5 h6 (This game is one of Fischer's greatest from his 1972 match with Spassky. 5...0-0 6.e3 h6 7.Bh4 b6 8.cxd5 Nxd5 9.Bxe7 Qxe7 10.Nxd5 exd5 11.Rc1 Be6 12.Qa4 c5 13.Qa3 Rc8 14.Bb5 a6 15.dxc5 bxc5 16.0-0 Ra7 17.Be2 Nd7 18.Nd4 Qf8 19.Nxe6 fxe6 20.e4 d4 21.f4 Qe7 22.e5 Rb8 23.Bc4 Kh8 24.Qh3 Nf8 25.b3 a5 26.f5 exf5 27.Rxf5 Nh7 28.Rcf1 Qd8 29.Qg3 Re7 30.h4 Rbb7 31.e6 Rbc7 32.Qe5 Qe8 33.a4 Qd8 34.R1f2 Qe8 35.R2f3 Qd8 36.Bd3 Qe8 37.Qe4 Nf6 38.Rxf6 gxf6 39.Rxf6 Kg8 40.Bc4 Kh8 41.Qf4 1-0 Fischer,R-Spassky,B/Reykjavik 1972/

6.Bxf6 Bxf6 This game is an excellent example of Karpov's merciless style grinding Kasparov down for a great technical win. 7.e3 0-0 8.Qc2 Na6 9.Rd1 c5 10.dxc5 Qa5 11.cxd5 Nxc5 12.Qd2 Rd8 13.Nd4 exd5 14.Be2 Qb6 15.0-0 Ne4 16.Qc2 Nxc3 17.Qxc3 Be6 18.Qc2 Rac8 19.Qb1 Rc7 20.Rd2 Rdc8 21.Nxe6 fxe6 22.Bg4 Rc4 23.h3 Qc6 24.Qd3 Kh8 25.Rfd1 a5 26.b3 Rc3 27.Qe2 Rf8 28.Bh5 b5 29.Bg6 Bd8 30.Bd3 b4 31.Qg4 Qe8 32.e4 Bg5 33.Rc2 Rxc2 34.Bxc2 Qc6 35.Qe2 Qc5 36.Rf1 Qc3 37.exd5 exd5 38.Bb1 Qd2 39.Qe5 Rd8 40.Qf5 Kg8 41.Qe6+ Kh8 42.Qg6 Kg8 43.Qe6+ Kh8 44.Bf5 Qc3 45.Qg6 Kg8 46.Be6+ Kh8 47.Bf5 Kg8 48.g3 Kf8 49.Kg2 Qf6 50.Qh7 Qf7 51.h4 Bd2 52.Rd1 Bc3 53.Rd3 Rd6 54.Rf3 Ke7 55.Qh8 d4 56.Qc8 Rf6 57.Qc5+ Ke8 58.Rf4 Qb7+ 59.Re4+ Kf7 60.Qc4+ Kf8 61.Bh7 Rf7 62.Qe6 Qd7 63.Qe5 1-0 Karpov,A-Kasparov,G/Moscow 1985

5...0-0 6.e3 Nbd7 7.a3

7.c5 This seems more ambitious. Anand is content to play for just a slight edge with minimal risk. 7...c6 8.Bd3 Nh5 9.Be5 f6 10.Bg3 f5 11.Ng5 Ndf6 12.Be5 g6 13.h3 b6 14.g4 Ng7 15.Na4 Ne4 16.Nxe4 fxe4 17.Be2 Ne8 18.Qb3 b5 19.Nc3 a5 20.Bd1 Bh4 21.Rh2 Ba6 22.Ne2 Ra7 23.Nf4 Qc8 24.Rg2 g5 25.Nh5 Raf7 26.Ng3 b4 27.Qa4 Qd8 28.Qxc6 Bc8 29.a3 Rb7 30.b3 Ra7 31.axb4 Ra6 32.Qb5 Nc7 33.Qb8 1-0 Steinitz,W-Chigorin,M/Nuremberg 1896/

7...c5 8.cxd5 Nxd5 9.Nxd5 exd5 10.dxc5 Nxc5 11.Be5

The move 11. Be5 breaks the basic opening priniple of not moving a piece twice in the opening. Clearly now an isolated queen pawn position has arrived and white has decided that covering the important d4 square and the a1-h8 diagonal is more cruical than development. The main reason for this is to stop black covering covering this diagonal with his dark squared bishop and to facilitate piece trades. If you were to reomove all pieces and just leave king and pawns black would be lost (generally speaking) because of the weak isolated d pawn. I believe Steinitz in his game with Zuckertort was the first to champion this idea of isolating the d -pawn and attcking it, please see the game attached to the note for black's first move. 11.Be2?! Bf6 12.Rc1 Ne4 13.Bc7 Qe7 14.Qb3 Be6 15.0-0 Black's pieces are actively placed and ready to push d4 and either liquidate smoothly or start an attack.

11...Bf5

11...Bf6 12.Bxf6 Qxf6 13.Qd4 Qxd4 14.Nxd4 Bd7 15.f3 Rfc8 16.Kd2 Ne6 17.Bd3 Nxd4 18.exd4 f6 19.h4 g6 20.Rac1 Kf7 21.Rc5 b6 22.Rxc8 Rxc8 23.h5 Kg7 24.f4 Bf5 drawn Kasparov,G-Kramnik,V/Moscow 2001

12.Be2 Bf6

12...Be4 Black has slight problems equalising fully with this move. 13.0-0 Ne6 14.Nd4 Qb6 15.Qd2 Rac8 16.Rac1 h6 17.Bg4 Rxc1 18.Rxc1 Nc5 19.Be2 a5 20.f3 Bg6 21.b4 axb4 22.Qxb4 Qxb4 23.axb4 Nd3 24.Bxd3 Bxd3 25.Rc7 Bxb4 26.Rxb7 Bc5 27.Kf2 Re8 28.Nc6 Re6 29.Rc7 Bb6 30.Rc8+ Kh7 31.Bd4 Ba6 32.Ra8 Rxc6 33.Rxa6 Rc2+ 34.Kg3 Bxd4 35.exd4 Rd2 36.Ra4 g5 37.h4 Kg6 38.hxg5 hxg5 39.Kh3 Kf5 40.Kg3 f6 41.Rb4 Rd3 42.Kf2 Rd2+ 43.Kg3 Rd1 44.Ra4 g4 45.fxg4+ Kg5 46.Kf3 Rf1+ 47.Ke2 Rf4 48.g3 Rxg4 49.Kf3 Re4 50.Rb4 f5 51.Ra4 Re3 game drawn Sokolov,I-Topalov,V/Villarrobledo 2007

13.Bxf6 Qxf6 14.Nd4

Anand is in no hurry to exchange off black's isolated pawn on d5.

14.Qxd5 Qxb2 15.0-0 Nb3 16.Rae1 Be6 17.Qxb7 Qxa3=

14...Ne6 15.Nxf5 Qxf5 16.0-0 Rfd8 17.Bg4 Qe5 18.Qb3 Nc5 19.Qb5 b6 20.Rfd1

Black's main plan is to liquidate the d5 pawn, something which Kramnik does with a very dogmatic approach.

20...Rd6

20...d4 This would be premature because now b4 would cause black serious problems and actually wins a piece for white.

21.Rd4 a6 22.Qb4 h5 23.Bh3 Rad8 24.g3 g5

Kramnik does not like Ne6 when Bxe6 might give white something, he intends to push white's bishop off the h3-c8 diagonal so he is able to play Ne6 and finally get the move d4 in.

24...Ne6 25.Bxe6 fxe6 26.Rc1 Black's defensive task is annoying and white has better piece placement as the rook's doubled on the d-file are not so effective now.

25.Rad1 g4 26.Bg2 Ne6 27.R4d3 d4 28.exd4 Rxd4

28...Nxd4 Kramnik could play like this to play for the win. 29.Re1 a5 30.Rxe5 axb4 31.Kf1 bxa3 32.bxa3 f5

29.Rxd4 Rxd4 Agreed Drawn

1/2-1/2

A rather easy draw for Kramnik if made only to look that way.

Before the match many people thought Anand would not have good chances because Kramnik was just too solid as black. Anand solved that problem by winning game 3 with the black pieces! Game five will occur after a rest day and I am sure we will see a much more solid choice of opening by Anand compared with game 3, just like we saw here, as white Anand was happy to play calmly keep the draw in hand.

Kramnik was happy to "stabilize the bleeding" but every game with white for him from now on must be one where he goes for the throat, Anand after a loss in the past has often crumbled so Kramnik must be keen to stick the knife in any chance he has.

Game three

Kramnik,V (2772) - Anand,V (2783) [D49]WCh Bonn GER (3), 17.10.2008

1.d4 d5 2.c4 c6 3.Nf3 Nf6 4.Nc3 e6 5.e3 Nbd7 6.Bd3 dxc4

The Meran v ariation. Both Kramnik and Anand have played this with both colours.

7.Bxc4 b5 8.Bd3

Kramnik chose 8.Be2 for the 4th playoff game against Topalov in their World Championship match. The result was an excellent victory and one that effectively earned him the title of Unified World Champion. the game continued 8. ... Bb7 9.0-0 Be7 10.e4 b4 11.e5 bxc3 12.exf6 Bxf6 13.bxc3 c5 14.dxc5 Nxc5 15.Bb5+ Kf8 16.Qxd8+ Rxd8 17.Ba3 Rc8 18.Nd4 Be7 19.Rfd1 a6 20.Bf1 Na4 21.Rab1 Be4 22.Rb3 Bxa3 23.Rxa3 Nc5 24.Nb3 Ke7 25.Rd4 Bg6 26.c4 Rc6 27.Nxc5 Rxc5 28.Rxa6 Rb8 29.Rd1 Rb2 30.Ra7+ Kf6 31.Ra1 Rf5 32.f3 Re5 33.Ra3 Rc2 34.Rb3 Ra5 35.a4 Ke7 36.Rb5 Ra7 37.a5 Kd6 38.a6 Kc7 39.c5 Rc3 40.Raa5 Rc1 41.Rb3 Kc6 42.Rb6+ Kc7 43.Kf2 Rc2+ 44.Ke3 Rxc5?? 45.Rb7+ 1-0 Kramnik,V-Topalov,V/Elista 2006

8...a6

Their have been many master games played in this opening and theory has been well explored. 8....Bb7 is considered a somewhat safer move. 8...Bb7 9.0-0 a6 10.e4 c5 11.d5 c4

(11...Qc7 12.Qe2 c4 13.Bc2 Bd6 14.dxe6 fxe6 15.Nd4 Nc5 16.f4 e5 17.Nf5 0-0 18.Nxd6 Qxd6 19.fxe5 Qxe5 20.Rf5 Qc7 21.a4 Nd3 22.Bxd3 cxd3 23.Qxd3 Ng4 24.Qg3 Qb6+ 25.Kf1 Bxe4 26.Rf4 Bd3+ 27.Ne2 Rae8 28.Rxf8+ Rxf8+ 29.Ke1 Bxe2 30.Kxe2 Qe6+ 31.Be3 Qc4+ 32.Kd2 Nf6 0-1 Goldenberg,I-Chandler,M/Sydney 2007 )

12.Bc2 Qc7 13.dxe6 fxe6 14.Nd4 Nc5 15.Be3 e5 16.Nf5 g6 17.Nh6 Bg7 18.Qf3 Ne6 19.Qh3 Bc8 20.Qh4 Qe7 21.Rfe1 Nd5 22.Qxe7+ Nxe7 23.Nd5 Bb7 24.Ng4 Nd4 25.Bd1 Nxd5 26.exd5 0-0-0 27.Bg5 Rxd5 28.b3 c3 29.Ne3 Rc5 30.Rc1 Rc7 31.b4 Kb8 32.h3 h6 33.Bh4 Nf5 34.Nxf5 gxf5 35.Bc2 Rc4 36.Be7 e4 37.Bb3 Rd4 38.Bc5 Rd3 39.Be6 Bc8 40.Bb3 Re8 41.Bf7 Re5 42.Be3 Re7 43.Bg6 Be6 44.h4 Bxa2 45.Bxf5 Bd5 46.Bc5 Re8 47.f3 Kb7 48.fxe4 Bc6 49.Kf2 Rd2+ 50.Ke3 Be5 51.Kf3 Red8 52.Re3 Rg8 53.g4 Rh2 54.h5 Rd8 55.g5 Rxh5 56.Be7 Re8 57.Kg4 Rh2 58.Bf6 Rg2+ 59.Kh3 Rh2+ 60.Kg4 Rg2+ 61.Kh3 game drawn- Morozevich,A-Anand,V/Mexico City 2007/

9.e4 c5 10.e5 cxd4 11.Nxb5 axb5

11...Nxe5 12.Nxe5 axb5 13.Bxb5+ Bd7 14.Nxd7 Qa5+ 15.Bd2 Qxb5 16.Nxf8 Rxf8 17.a4 Qc4 18.b3 Qd3 19.Qf3 Qe4+ 20.Qxe4 Nxe4 21.b4 Ke7 22.f3 Nc3 23.Bxc3 dxc3 24.Ke2 Rfd8 25.Rhd1 c2 26.Rdc1 Rd4 27.Rxc2 Rxb4 28.a5 -game drawn Kramnik,V-Kasparov,G/Wijk aan Zee 1999/

12.exf6 gxf6 13.0-0

White could possible take the pawn at d4 instead of 13.0-0 but it is extremely dangerous. 13...Qb6 14.Qe2

14.Be4 Bb7 15.Bxb7 Qxb7 16.Nxd4 Rg8 17.f3 Ne5 18.Qe2 Bc5 19.Be3 Rd8 20.Rad1 Nc4 21.Bf2 Qb6 22.b3 Bxd4 23.bxc4 bxc4 24.Rc1 Bxf2+ 25.Rxf2 Rg5 26.Qxc4 Rgd5 27.Qc6+ Qxc6 28.Rxc6 Rd1+ 29.Rf1 R1d2 30.Rf2 Rd1+ - Kamsky,G-Kramnik,V/Linares 1994/

14...Bb7

The "Team Anand" novelty. The main moves in this position are

14...b4 15.Rd1 Bc5?! 16.a4 bxa3 17.bxa3 Bb7 18.Be4 Ba6 19.Qe1 Rd8 20.Bd2 Qd6 21.Ba5 Rb8 22.Bb4 d3 23.Qc3 Ke7 24.Qd4 Bxd4 25.Bxd6+ Kxd6 26.Nxd4 Nc5 27.Bf3 Rhc8 28.Rac1 Na4 29.h3 Nc3 30.Rd2 Ke5 31.Nc6+ Rxc6 32.Bxc6 Ne2+ 33.Rxe2+ dxe2 34.Bf3 Kd4 35.Re1 Rb2 36.Bh5 Kd3 37.f4 Ke3 38.Bxf7 Bd3 0-1 Lautier,J-Acs,P/Plovdiv 2003/;

14...Ba6 15.Rd1 Bc5 16.a3 Bb7 17.Bxb5 Rg8 18.b4 Be7 19.Rxd4 Qxd4 20.Nxd4 Bxg2 21.Qe3 Bh3+ 22.Kh1 Bg2+ 23.Kg1 Bh3+ 24.Qg3 Rxg3+ 25.hxg3 Bxb4 26.Bb2 Bc5 27.a4 e5 28.Nc6 Kf8 29.a5 Nb8 30.Rc1 Bd6 31.Nxb8 Rxb8 32.a6 Rxb5 33.a7 Ra5 34.Ra1 Rxa7 35.Rxa7 Kg7 36.Kh2 Be6 37.Ra8 Bc5 38.Kg1 h5 39.Bc1 Kg6 40.Rh8 Bg4 41.Kg2 Kg7 42.Rb8 Be6 43.Rb5 Bd4 44.Rb8 -game drawn Gelfand,B-Shirov,A/Linares 1997/

15.Bxb5 Bd6 16.Rd1 Rg8

Black has pawn weaknesses but active pieces for compensation. The King safety of each side will play an important part as the game proceeds.

17.g3 Rg4 18.Bf4!

Kramnik took 40 minutes over 18.Bf4.

18. b4 looks interesting because 18...Bxb4 is ill advised because 19.Rb1 Bc6 (19...Qd6 20.h3 Re4 21.Qb2 Bc5 22.Bxd7+ Qxd7 23.Qxb7 Qxb7 24.Rxb7 Rxa2+-) 20.Rxb4 d3 21.Qe3 Qxe3 22.Bxe3 Bxf3 23.Rxd3 Rxb4 24.Bxd7+ Kd8 (24...Kf8 25.Bc5+ winning ) 25.Bc6+ Kc8 26.Bxf3 Rxa2 Quite a complex line but white has excellent winning chances.

B) 18...Ba6 19.Bxd7+ Kxd7 20.Ne5+ Bxe5 21.Qxg4 Bb7 22.Bb2 Qc6 The position looks unclear.

18...Bxf4 19.Nxd4 h5

20.Nxe6!

Kramnik is playing inspired chess and not really typical of his style. In his match with Topalov and Kasparov he played alot more reservedly, perhaps he has a different strategy for Anand. 20...fxe6 21.Rxd7 Kf8 22.Qd3 Rg7

22...Bc8 This seems to force white's hand. 23.Rd8+ Kg7 24.Rxc8 Bxg3

A) 25.Kh1 Rxc8 26.Qd7+ Kg6 27.Bd3+ f5 28.Qxc8 Bxh2 29.Be2 (29.Kxh2 Qxf2+ 30.Kh1 Qg2#)29...Rh4 30.Qg8+ Kh6 31.Qh8+ Kg6=;

B) 25.Rxa8 Qxf2+ 26.Kh1 Qxh2#;

Black cannot save the pice by 22...Be5 because 23.Qh7 and mate is coming.

23.Rxg7 Kxg7 24.gxf4 Rd8

Anand has returned the piece and is two pawns down. His iniative is quite strong however and white's King comes under very strong pressure.

25.Qe2 Kh6

The invasion down the g-file is unstoppable.

26.Kf1 Rg8 27.a4 Bg2+ 28.Ke1 Bh3! 29.Ra3

29.Rd1 Rg1+ 30.Kd2 Rg2 and f2 will fall and the rook gains the ideal position along the 2nd rank. 29...Rg1+ 30.Kd2 Qd4+ 31.Kc2 Bg4 32.f3 Bf5+

33.Bd3??

In time pressure Kramnik makes a fatal mistake.

33.Kb3! It appears white has enough compensation to hold the draw after this. 33...Rc1 34.a5 Rc2 35.Qxc2 Bxc2+ 36.Kxc2 Qc5+ 37.Kb1 Qxb5 38.a6 Qb8 39.a7 Qa8 40.b4 Kg6 41.b5 Kf5 42.b6 Kxf4 43.Ka1 Qc6 44.a8Q Qc1+ 45.Ka2 Qc2+=

33...Bh3

Anand misses the quicker win but still finds a move that will result in Kramnik's resignation. [33...Bxd3+ 34.Rxd3 Qc4+ 35.Rc3 (35.Kd2 Qc1#) 35...Qxe2+-+]

34.a5 Rg2 35.a6 Rxe2+ 36.Bxe2 Bf5+ 37.Kb3 Qe3+ 38.Ka2 Qxe2 39.a7 Qc4+ 40.Ka1 Qf1+ 41.Ka2 Bb1+ and Kramnik resigned

The game might end like this

41...Bb1+ 42.Kb3 Qd3+ 43.Ka4 Qd4+

A) 44.Kb3 Bd3 45.Ka2 (45.Ra4 Bc2+ 46.Kxc2 Qxa4+; 45.Ra5 Qc4+ 46.Ka3 Bc2 47.a8Q Qb3#) 45...Bc4+ 46.b3 Qd2+ 47.Ka1 Qc1+ 48.Ka2 Qc2+ 49.Ka1 Bd3 50.a8Q Qb1#;

B) 44.b4 44...Qd7+ 45.b5 Bc2+ 46.Kb4 Qd4+ 47.Ka5 Qxa7+ 48.Kb4 Qd4+ 49.Ka5 Qc5 50.Ra2 Qa7+ 51.Kb4 Qxa2

0-1

Anand now takes the lead with an important victory with the black pieces. At the press conference he was apparently unfazed by his win. Their is still 9 more games to get through but this has to be a major blow for Kramnik.

Will Anand go for the kill with white in game four or perhaps try and sit on this win and just play more solidly than he did in game two. I would be tempted to put the boot in while you can because to draw 9 games in a row against one of the great match players of all time is no easy task.

Game two

Anand,V (2783) - Kramnik,V (2772) [E25] WCh Bonn GER (2), 15.10.2008
1.d4 Nf6
I must say I am glad that Kramnik does not play the slav, another repeat of the Kramnik-Topalov match would be rather unbearable.
Kramnik has not beaten Anand as black with a Classical time control before and his choice of opening will give him more chances to do this.
2.c4 e6 3.Nc3 Bb4 4.f3
Definately an interesting moment. Anand has prepared this sharp opening will Kramnik be up to the task. Shirov and Portisch are two players who enjoy playing this move.
4...d5

4...c5 Puchen Wang lost an important game to Simutowe down this variation. Simutowe won the tournament and Wang come second just missing out on a GM norm. 5.d5 exd5 6.cxd5 d6 7.e4 0-0 8.Bd3 a6 9.Nge2 Nbd7 10.0-0 b5 11.Bc2 Re8 12.Kh1 Nf8 13.Ng3 h5 14.a3 Ba5 15.Bf4 h4 16.Nge2 Nh5 17.Be3 Bd7 18.Nf4 Nxf4 19.Bxf4 Ng6 20.Bxd6 Bxc3 21.bxc3 Qb6 22.e5 Nxe5 23.Bxe5 Rxe5 24.Re1 Rae8 25.Rxe5 Rxe5 26.f4 Re8 27.h3 c4 28.Qh5 Qf6 29.Rd1 Qxc3 30.Qh7+ Kf8 31.Qh8+ Ke7 32.d6+ Kd8 33.Qxh4+ Kc8 34.Qf2 Qe3 35.Kg1 a5 36.Ra1 Kb7 37.Qxe3 Rxe3 38.Kf2 Re6 39.Rd1 Kc6 40.g4 Rxd6 41.Ke3 Rxd1 42.Bxd1 Kc5 43.h4 b4 44.axb4+ axb4 45.h5 b3 46.f5 f6 47.Ke4 Bc6+ 48.Ke3 Be8 49.Kd2 Kd4 50.Kc1 Bf7 0-1 Wang,P-Simutowe,A/Arnhem 2007
5.a3 Bxc3+ 6.bxc3 c5 7.cxd5 Nxd5 8.dxc5 f5
8...Qa5 This is another popular way to go 9.e4 Ne7 10.Be3 0-0 11.Qb3 Qc7 12.Rb1
(12.Nh3 e5 13.Nf2 Nec6 14.Nd3 Be6 15.Qb5 Nd7 16.Be2 Na5 17.0-0 Rac8 18.Rfd1 Bb3 19.Rd2 Bc4 20.Qb4 Nb8 21.Rb1 Na6 22.Qb2 Bxd3 23.Bxd3 Nxc5 24.Bf1 b6 25.c4 Ne6 26.Rbd1 Nxc4 27.Bxc4 Qxc4 28.Qxe5 Qb3 29.Rd3 Qa2 30.Qd5 Qe2 31.Qd6 Rcd8 32.Qxd8 Nxd8 33.Bf2 Qa2 34.Rxd8 Qxa3 35.Bg3 h6 36.R8d7 Rc8 0-1 Dreev,A-Anand,V/Madras 1991/Candidates )12...Nd7 13.Qc4 Ne5 14.Qb3 Nd7 15.Qc4 Ne5 16.Qb3 1/2-1/2 Khenkin,I-Anand,V/Germany 2003/
9.Qc2 Nd7
9...0-0 10.e4 fxe4 11.fxe4 Nf4 12.Nf3 Qc7 13.Be3 Nd7 14.Bc4 Nxc5 15.0-0 Bd7 16.Rae1 b6 17.Bd4 Ba4 18.Qd2 Nb3 19.Bxb3 Bxb3 20.Ne5 Ng6 21.Qg5 Qe7 22.Qg3 Nxe5 - Timman,J-Karpov,A/Reykjavik 1991/
10.e4 fxe4 11.fxe4 N5f6 12.c6 bxc6 13.Nf3 Qa5
13...Qc7 14.Bd3 0-0 15.0-0 Ng4 16.h3 Nge5 17.Nxe5 Rxf1+ 18.Bxf1 Qxe5 19.Be3 Nf6 20.Bd3 c5 21.Rf1 Bd7 22.Bf4 Qh5 23.Bd6 Bc6 24.e5 Nd7 25.Qf2 h6 26.Bb1 Kh8 27.Bxc5 Rg8 28.Bxa7 Qg5 29.Be3 Qe7 30.Bd4 Rf8 31.Qc2 Rxf1+ 32.Kxf1 Nf8 33.a4 Kg8 34.a5 Qb7 35.Kg1 Qb5 36.Bb6 Qxe5 37.Qd2 Nd7 38.Ba2 Qe4 39.Bd4 Kh7 40.Bc4 Kg8 41.a6 Qb1+ 42.Kf2 Qg6 43.Bf1 e5 44.Be3 Nf6 45.Kg1 Kh7 46.Qd6 Qe8 47.a7 Ba8 48.Qb8 Kg6 49.Bb5 Qg8 50.Qxe5 Kh7 51.Bd3+ Kh8 52.Qb8 Nd7 53.Qxg8+ Kxg8 54.Bd4 1-0 Portisch,L-Kluger,G/Budapest 1962/
14.Bd2 Ba6 15.c4 Qc5 16.Bd3 Ng4 17.Bb4 Qe3+ 18.Qe2 0-0-0 19.Qxe3
Game two and we have once again a queen trade before move twenty.
19...Nxe3 20.Kf2 Ng4+ 21.Kg3


21.... Ndf6
21...Nge5 This was considered to be the safer option by many analysist, Kramnik is apparently playing for advantage himself 22.Be2 Bxc4 23.Bxc4 Nxc4 24.Rhc1 Nde5 25.Nxe5 Nxe5 26.Rc5 Rd3+ 27.Kf2 (27.Kf4 Ng6+ 28.Kg5) 27...Ng4+ 28.Kg1 Rhd8 29.Rxc6+ Kb7 30.Rcc1=
22.Bb1
22.Bc2? Ne3
22...h5 23.h3 h4+ 24.Nxh4 Ne5 25.Nf3 Nh5+ 26.Kf2 Nxf3
26...Nxc4 27.Ba2 Nf6 28.Rhe1 Rhe8 29.Rac1 White is better, black's pawn weaknesses are his main concern.
27.Kxf3 e5

With this move black shuts down the scope of white's white squared bishop and has 2 good outposts for his knight at f4 and d4. Kramnik is showing he too can be a pawn down and use his pieces actively to compensate.
28.Rc1
28.Bc3!? This is definetly a computer move just go pawn grabbing and leave most of you pieces on the back rank, but it does have some logic behind it. If White is able to clear the board of some pawns his bishop pair will come into the game extremely quickly.
A) 28...Rhf8+ 29.Kg4 Rf2 30.Rg1 (30.Kxh5?? Rxg2 31.Bd2 Rh8+ 32.Bh6 Rxh6#) 30...Nf6+ 31.Kg3 Re2 32.Bxe5 Bxc4 And white has achieved a better position due to the pawns being cleared off the board.
B) 28...Rhe8 29.Rc1 Rd7 (29...Bxc4 30.Bb4 Be6 31.Rxc6+±)
C) 28...Bxc4 29.Bxe5 Rhe8 30.Bh2 Rd4 31.e5 c5 32.Bf5++- White's bishops suddenly come to life. Black is best advised not to swap pawns and keep the position as closed as possible.
28...Nf4 29.Ra2 Nd3 30.Rc3 Nf4 31.Bc2 Ne6 32.Kg3 Rd4

Kramnik a pawn down offers the draw to which Anand accepts. Definetly a fighting draw. Anand had his chances to push for more but the position was very complicated and Kramnik was able to take the iniative and not really give Anand a chance to get out of the starting block's.
Game three will be interesting to see what Kramnik has really got with white. According to Aronian he chose the exchange slav in game one to see what Anand had be studying. Learning from his match with Topalov where he was out gunned in the battle of the slav he ingeniously sets himself up for his black reportaire and by playing the Nimzo he avoids an opening his opponent will be well prepared for as both colours.
1/2-1/2

Game One

Kramnik (2772) - GM_Anand (2783) [D10] Wch Bonn Ger (1), 14.10.2008

1.d4 d5 2.c4 c6 3.Nc3 Nf6 4.cxd5 cxd5
Kramnik's choice of the exchange slav is rather safe. It has been suggested that it was a test to get Anand's opening preference as black but how hard is it really to predict a slav from Anand when he has had excellent success with it.
5.Bf4 Nc6 6.e3 Bf5 7.Nf3 e6 8.Qb3
8.Bd3 Playing this is equivalent to offering a draw Bxd3 9.Qxd3 Bd6 10.Bxd6 Qxd6 11.0-0 ½-½ Kramnik,V-Anand,V/Groningen 1993
8...Bb4 9.Bb5 0-0 10.Bxc6 Bxc3+ 11.Qxc3 Rc8 12.Ne5

12... Ng4

The following is a rapid game with the advantage swinging from side to side as it often does in rapid but it show's that a draw doesn't have to be the result just because it is an exchange slav. 12...Ne4 13.Qa3 bxc6 14.0-0 f6 15.Nd3 Nd2 16.Rfd1 Nc4 17.Qc3 Bxd3 18.Rxd3 Qe7 19.b3 Nb6 20.Rc1 Qa3 21.Rc2 Nd7 22.Qd2 e5 23.Bg3 Rfe8 24.h3 Qa6 25.Rdc3 Re6 26.Kh2 Rce8 27.a4 Qb6 28.Qd3 Nb8 29.Qf5 Na6 30.dxe5 fxe5 31.e4 d4 32.Rf3 Qb7 33.Bh4 Nb4 34.Rc4 a5 35.Bg5 h6 36.Bd2 Rf6 37.Qh5 Ref8 38.Rxf6 Rxf6 39.Bxb4 axb4 40.Qxe5 Rxf2 41.Rxd4 Kh7 42.Rd8 Qf7 43.Rd3 Rf1 44.Rg3 Rb1 45.Rf3 Qg6 46.a5 Re1 47.Rf4 Re3 48.Rg4 Qf7 49.a6 Rxb3 50.Rf4 Qg6 51.Rg4 Qf7 52.Rf4 Qg6 53.Rf5 Ra3 54.Rf8 Ra2 55.Qg3 Qxg3+ 56.Kxg3 Rxa6 57.Rb8 c5 58.e5 Kg6 59.Kf4 Ra4 60.Ke4 b3+ 61.Kd5 Rb4 62.Rxb4 cxb4 63.e6 Kf6 64.Kd6 b2 65.e7 0-1 Georgiev,K-Kanep,M/Liepaja 2006

13.Nxg4 Bxg4 14.Qb4 Rxc6 15.Qxb7 Qc8 16.Qxc8 Rfxc8 17.0-0

And so we have a typical example of each opponent's style. Kramnik is a pawn ahead and can probably guarantee that he will not lose this position. Anand has activity compensating for the pawn in the doubled rooks on the c-file and with the drawish tendancy of the opposite coloured bishop's, his chance's of losing are about the same as Kramnik's of winning, zero.

17...a5

At the press conference after the game Anand commented that this was an important move to keep white's Queenside majority in check.

18.f3 Bf5 19.Rfe1 Bg6

The chessvibes site has Anand quoted as saying this was another important move because e4 no longer comes with tempo.

20.b3 f6 21.e4 dxe4 22.fxe4 Rd8 23.Rad1 Rc2 24.e5

Here Kramnik acknowledged that after this move the game will now just fizzle to a draw.

24.d5 e5 25.Rd2 Rdc8 26.d6 R2c6 27.d7 Rd8 28.Bg3 White may dream of pushing his d-pawn up the board like this but black will actually win the pawn by marching his king over to e7.

24...fxe5 25.Bxe5 Rxa2 26.Ra1 Rxa1 27.Rxa1 Rd5 28.Rc1 Rd7

28...Rb5 29.Rc8+ Kf7 30.Rc7+ Ke8 31.Rxg7 Rxb3 32.Ra7 Ra3=]

29.Rc5 Ra7 30.Rc7 Rxc7 31.Bxc7 Bc2 32.Bxa5 Bxb3

Game drawn 1/2-1/2

With this being a short match I am a little surprised Kramnik chose such a safe opening especially if it goes to Rapid games because Vishy will definetly have an edge their in my opinion.

My prediction tomorrow is Anand plays e4 and puts a dagger through Kramnik's Petroff loving heart!

South Island Championship

According to the excellent site http://web.mac.com/xrissmith/Chess/Home.html the final standings of the SI Champs are as follows.

Results

1st= GM Darryl Johansen 7

1st= GM Murray Chandler 7

1st= IM Stephen Solomon 7

4rd IM Andras Toth 6½

5th= Justin Davis 6

5th= FM Roger Nokes 6

Thus FM Roger Nokes is the new SI Champ.

The current Palmy Champ finishing on the same score as FM Nokes is an excellent result and I am sure if he had to disown the North to get a share of the title he would have, atleast I know I would.

Kramnik-Anand

Opening Press Conference of the World Chess Championship

More details can be found at the official website http://www.uep-worldchess.com/
The official countdown clock is wrong on the main site games are due to start 3 or 4am of the 15th NZ time.

The First World Champion

As the Match between Anand and Kramnik approaches I thought it might be interesting to go over some history of an old World Champion. The first World Champion was Wilheim Steinitz and most consider his match with Zuckertort in 1866 as the first official World Championship Match. After trailing 4-1 Steinitz fought back to win 12.5 -7.5. Chigorin was the next challenger.

Here are some comment I found at http://www.e3e5.com/ by Kramnik on the First World Champion.
"Steinitz was the first to realize, that chess complies with some common principles, although it is a very complicated game. Before Steinitz chess players brought up only separate subjects; for example, Philidor adduced and upheld the thesis:"Pawns are the soul of chess".
My impressions of Steinitz and other chess players of the 19th century are somewhat scrappy, that`s why I want simply to impart my thoughts brought by the examination of these games. I`ve studied rather attentively the matches between Steinitz and Chigorine, Lasker...
Steinitz began to look at things broader, to provide common base for separate conclusions. However, frankly speaking in his works there can be found quite a lot of examples of his decisions that do not quite correspond with his own rules. Steinitz began to get to some ideas, but he was far from getting to the heart of the matter.
I think he was not very good at dynamics; the dynamics was obviously his weak point. Thus, he constantly moved black pieces on very difficult positions in matches with Chigorin. For example, he took a pawn in the Evans Gambit and after that withdrew all the pieces to the eighth rank.
Steinitz was a strong practical player. He had profound and original ideas; for example, he asserted that king is a strong piece, which can defend itself. Certainly, the idea is original and in some instances it is correct, but it can`t be observed as the classical essential chess principle.
People simply played chess before Steinitz and he began to study it. But, as often happens, the first attempt is merely an attempt. With all my respect to the first world champion I can`t call him the founder of any doctrine. He was an experimentalist and pointed out that there are certain regularities in chess, which are worth thinking about.




Steinitz,W - Chigorin,M [D07] 2nd World Championship Match Havana (Game14), 19.02.1889

After 13 previous games Steinitz had a one point lead going into this game.
1.Nf3 d5 2.d4 Bg4 3.c4
Game two proceeded 3.Ne5 Bh5 4.Qd3 and Steinitz went on to win.
3...Nc6

This opening now carries Chigorin's name. Miles and Morozevich are modern names who have tried this opening with some regularlity.
Chigorin tried 3...Bxf3 in game 4 and lost in 22 moves and clawed back a win in game 6 with it but then didn't try it again in the match.
4.e3
4.cxd5 Bxf3 5.gxf3 Qxd5 6.e3 e5 7.Nc3 Bb4 8.Bd2 Bxc3 9.bxc3 Qd6 10.Rb1 b6 11.f4 exf4 12.e4 Nge7 13.Qf3 0-0 14.Bxf4 Qa3 15.Be2 f5 16.0-0 fxe4 17.Qxe4 Qxc3 18.Be3 Qa3 19.Bd3 Qd6 20.Qxh7+ Kf7 21.Rb5 Nxd4 22.Qe4 Rad8 23.Bxd4 Qxd4 24.Rf5+ Nxf5 25.Qxf5+ Kg8 26.Qh7+ Kf7 ½-½ Kasparov,G-Smyslov,V/Vilnius 1984/Candidates
4...e5 5.Qb3 Bxf3 6.gxf3 Nge7
6...exd4 7.cxd5 Ne5 8.exd4 Nd7 9.Nc3 Qe7+ 10.Be3 Qb4 11.Qc2 Ngf6 12.Bb5 Rd8 13.0-0-0 a6 14.Ba4 Be7 15.Rhg1 g6 16.Bh6 b5 17.Bb3 Nb6 18.Rge1 Kd7 19.Bf4 Rc8 20.a3 Qa5 21.Bg5 Ng8 22.Bxe7 Nxe7 23.Ne4 Rb8 24.Nf6+ Kd8 25.Rxe7 Kxe7 26.Qxc7+ Nd7 27.Qxa5 1-0 Steinitz,W-Chigorin,M/Havana 1889 Game 10/
7.Nc3 exd4 8.Nxd5 Rb8 9.e4

Ng6?!

As the game proceeds it appears that this knight is unfortunately placed.
9...Ne5 10.f4 Nd7 Black's knight are better placed to attack white's center with ideas of f5 and Nc5.
10.Bd2 Bd6 11.f4 0-0 12.0-0-0 Nce7 13.f5!
White is able to retard black's pieces nicely.
13...Nxd5 14.cxd5 Nf4
14...Ne7 15.f6 Ng6 16.fxg7 Kxg7 17.Qh3 White is not immediatley winning but black has to squirm like a pro to hold on.
15.Qf3 Qh4 16.Rg1 h5 17.Kb1 c5
If black tries to save his knight by 17...d3 trying to hop to e2 then 18.Bc3 and the open g-file Bishop pair and strong pawns make black's life a struggle for survival.
18.Qg3
The piece cannot be saved now.
18...Ng6 19.Qxd6 Qxe4+ 20.Ka1 Qxf5 21.Qg3 Qxd5 22.f4


Black may appear to have even material with 3 pawns for the piece but his position is hopeless. Chigorin has no easy way to defend the g7 square from mate making the knight a sad sad piece, I think Larry Christiansen put it best with this comment "The pin is like a pittbull on your leg you just can't shake it off."
22...b5
Dreaming of a pawn storm on white's king.
23.Bg2 Qd6 24.Qg5 f5 25.Bh3 Rb6 26.Bxf5 Rf6 27.Be4 Qd7 28.Qxh5 Nf8 29.Qxc5 Ne6 30.Qh5 Qd6 31.Qh7+ Kf8 32.Rc1 Ra6 33.f5 Nc5 34.Qh8+ Ke7 35.Rxg7+
1-0
After this crushing defeat Chigorin was broken. Steinitz went on to win 2 more in a row and win 10.5-6.5 to retain the title as World Champion.