Chess (August): Wang Hao sqeeks by Magnus to win Biel

[Jack Rabbit]

27. Gustafsson - Kramnik, Round 2

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[center]Vladimir Kramnik[/center][font size="1"]Photo by steenslag http://www.flickr.com/photos/steenslag/ from flickr http://www.flickr.com/photos/steenslag/3398819/in/photostream/ as resized in Wikimedia Commons http://commons.wikimedia.org/wiki/Vladimir_Kramnik (Creative Commons License http://creativecommons.org/licenses/by-sa/2.0/deed.en , Attribution/Share Alike)
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Jan Gustafsson - Vladimir Kramnik
Sparkassen Chess Meeting, Round 2
Dortmund, 14 July 2012

West India Game: King's Indian Defense (Main Line/Gligoric Opening)

1.d4 Nf6 2.c4 g6

• As Black, Vladimir Borisovich is hardly a devotee of the West India Game, preferring to meet 1.d4 head on with a Semi-Slav formation.

3.Nc3 Bg7 4.e4 d6 5.Nf3 0-0 6.Be2 e5 7.Be3 c6 8.0-0 exd4 9.Nxd4 Re8 10.f3 d5 11.cxd5 Nxd5 12.Nxd5 cxd5 13.Rc1 a5 (N)

• For a detailed look at this opening, including moves and variation up to here, see Wang Yue-A. Vovk, Op 1112, Hastings, 2012.
• [font color="red"]13...Nc6 14.Nxc6 bxc6 15.Rxc6 Bb7 16.Rc1 dxe4 17.Qxd8 Raxd8[/font] is equal (Gustafsson-Maze, Euro Ch, Aix-les-Bains, 2011).

14.Qb3

• The game is equal.

14...a4 15.Qxd5

• If [font color="red"]15.Qa3 dxe4 16.Rcd1[/font] then:
• [font color="red"]16...exf3 17.Ne6 Qh4 18.Nxg7 fxe2 19.Nxe8 Bd7 20.g3[/font] remains equal.
• [font color="darkred"]16...Bf8 17.Qc3 Qa5 18.Bc4 Qxc3 19.bxc3 Bc5 20.Bd5[/font] remains equal.

15...Qxd5 16.exd5 a3!?

• This move was probably part of Vladimir Borisovich's opening preparation. It isn't objectively best, but we should assume Vladimir Borisovich knows that.
• If [font color="red"]16...Nc6[/font] then:
• If [font color="red"]17.Nc2! Ne7 18.Bb5 Rd8[/font] then:
• [font color="red"]19.Nb4 Nxd5 20.Nxd5 Rxd5 21.Bxa4 Bxb2[/font] remains equal.
• [font color="burgundy"]19.Bb6?! Rxd5! 20.Bc4 Rd6 21.Bf2 Bxb2[/font] gives Black a comfortable game with an extra pawn.
• If [font color="darkred"]a) 17.Nb5? Rxe3! 18.Kf2 Re7[/font] then:
• [font color="darkred"]19.Rfd1 Na5 20.d6 Rd7 21.Nc7 Rb8 22.Bb5 Nc6[/font]gives Black a latent advantage in space after attacking the pawn with 23...Be5. White has an extra pawn that cannot be held and the Knight cannot remain at c7.
• If [font color="magenta"]19.dxc6[/font] then Black wins after [font color="magenta"]19...bxc6 20.Rfd1! Rxe2+ 21.Kxe2 Ba6 22.Rc2 Bxb5+.[/font]
• If [font color="darkred"]b) 17.dxc6?[/font] then Black wins after [font color="darkred"]17...Rxe3 18.cxb7 Bxb7 19.Rcd1 Bxd4 20.Rxd4 Rxe2.[/font]

[center]BLACK: Vladimir Kramnik[/center]

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[center]WHITE: Jan Gustafsson[/center][center]Position after 16...a4a3[/center]

17.b3!

• White has a small advantage in space and a clear lead in development.

17...Nc6

• [font color="red"]17...Na6 18.Nc2 Rxe3 19.Nxe3 Nb4 20.Kf2 Nxa2 21.Rc7[/font] remains equal.

18.Nc2

• If [font color="red"]18.dxc6?[/font] then Black wins after [font color="red"]18...Rxe3! 19.cxb7 Bxb7 20.Rfd1 Bxd4 21.Rxd4 Rxe2.[/font]

[center]BLACK: Vladimir Kramnik[/center]

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[center]WHITE: Jan Gustafsson[/center][center]Position after 18.Nd4c2[/center]

18...Rxe3!!

• Assuming that 16...a3 was part of Kramnik's opening prepartion, then this exchange sacrifice was probably also worked out at home.

19.Nxe3 Nb4 20.Rc4!?

• There's no point in arracking the Knight. White should defend his own weaknesses.
• If [font color="red"]20.Kf2 Nxa2 21.Rc7 Nc3 22.d6 Nxe2 23.Kxe2 Be6[/font] is still balanced.

20...Nxa2!

• Black has a dangerous advanced passer.

21.Ra4?

• This will not stop the pawn.
• If [font color="red"]21.Nc2 Nc3![/font] then:
• [font color="red"]22.Bd3 a2 23.Ra1 Kf8 24.g4 b5 25.Rc7 Be5[/font] gives Black a fair advantage. Note that in this variation White's pawn is at g4, whereas in the [font color="darkred"]subvariation[/font] the pawn is still at home. That is the only diffeerece; it is the effect of White's pointless move [font color="darkred"]22.Re1[/font] in the subvariation instead of going straight to a1.
• [font color="darkred"]22.Re1!?[/font] drops a tempo and after [font color="darkred"]22...a2! 23.Bd3 Kf8 24.Ra1 b5 25.Rc7 Be5[/font] Black has a strong game.

[center]BLACK: Vladimir Kramnik[/center]

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[center]WHITE: Jan Gustafsson[/center][center]Position after 21.Rc4a4[/center]

21...Rxa4! 22.bxa4 Bd4

• Black should clear the path for the pawn first.
• If [font color="red"]22...Nb4! 23.Bc4 Bd4[/font] then:
• If [font color="red"]24.Kh1[/font] then Black wins after [font color="red"]24...Bxe3 25.Ra1 Bc5 26.Rxa3 Nxd5 27.Rd3 Ne7[/font] when the sting is taken out of 28.Rd8+.
• If [font color="darkred"]24.Kf2[/font] then Black wins after [font color="darkred"]24...Nc2 25.Rd1 Bxe3+ 26.Ke2 Bc5 27.Bb3 Nd4+.[/font]

23.Kf2

• If [font color="red"]23.Kh1[/font] then White still wins after [font color="red"]23...Nb4 24.Bc4 Bxe3 25.Ra1 Bc5 26.Rxa3 Nxd5.[/font]

23...Nb4 24.Rc1

• If [font color="red"]24.Rd1[/font] then:
• If [font color="red"]24...Nc2! 25.Rxd4 Nxd4 26.Bc4 Bd7[/font] then:
• [font color="red"]27.d6 Bxa4 28.Nd5 Kf8 29.Ba2 Nc2 30.Ke2 Bc6[/font] gives Black an extra pawn and connected passers.
• [font color="burgundy"]27.Nd1 Bxa4 28.Nc3 b5 29.Ba2 Bb3 30.Bxb3 Nxb3[/font] gives Black an extra pawn and connected passers on the queenside; he should win by activating his King.
• If [font color="darkred"]a) 24...Ba7![/font] then:
• [font color="darkred"]25.Bc4 Nc2 26.Rd3 Bf5 27.Rc3 Nxe3 28.Rxe3 Bb1[/font] wins back the exchange.
• If [font color="magenta"]25.Rc1[/font] then Black wins after [font color="magenta"]25...a2 26.Rxc8+ Kg7 27.Rc1 Nc2 28.Kg3 Bxe3.[/font]
• [font color="darkred"]b) 24...Bg7? 25.d6! a2 26.Bb5 a1Q 27.Rxa1 Bxa1 28.d7[/font] is equal.

[center]BLACK: Vladimir Kramnik[/center]

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[center]WHITE: Jan Gustafsson[/center][center]Position after 24.Rf1c1[/center]

24...a2!!

• It will cost WShie a piece to stop the pawn.

25.Rxc8+

• [font color="red"]25.Bc4 a1Q 26.Rxa1 Bxa1[/font] gives Black an extra piece.

25...Kg7 26.Rc1 Nxd5 27.Rd1 Nxe3 1-0

• If [font color="red"]28.Rxd4 a1Q 29.Kxe3[/font] then:
• If [font color="red"]29...Qg1+ 30.Kd3 Qxh2[/font] then:
• If [font color="red"]31.g4[/font] then Black wins after [font color="red"]31...h5 32.gxh5 gxh5 33.Re4 Qf2 34.f4 h4.[/font]
• If [font color="magenta"]31.Rd7[/font] then Black wins after [font color="magenta"]31...h5 32.Bf1 Qg1 33.Ke2 Qb6 34.Rd1 Qa6+.[/font]
• Also good is [font color="darkred"]29...Qe1 30.Rd1 Qb4 31.Bd3 Qxa4 32.Rb1 Qh4.[/font]
• Herr Gustafsson resigns.