1.d4 Nf6 2.c4 g6 3.f3 d5
Unlike games one and three, Kramnik prepares to
advance his e-pawn after providing support with his f-pawn. By delaying
the movement of his knight to c3, he prevents its exchange as in earlier
games.
4.cxd5 Nxd5 5.e4 Nb6
White has established a stronger center than in
the previous Grünfeld games albeit with the same exchange of pawns.
Since he is unable to exchange knight for knight, Black maneuvers his knight
to the queenside.
6.Nc3 Bg7 7.Be3 0-0
White develops his queen's bishop so as to protect
d4, the usual target for Black in the Grünfeld.
8.Qd2
At d2, the queen joins the bishop on the c1-h6
diagonal. White could play to exchange the fianchetoed bishop at
g7 and use the queen to exploit the holes in Black's kingside. There
is also the tactic of rook to d1, further supporting the center and the
advance of the center pawns with a cramping effect on Black's
position.
After 8.Qd2
8...e5
Black places d4 under attack again.
9.d5 c6
Rather than defend the pawn at d4 as in the pervious
games, White advances the d-pawn. It is still a target, but its advance
cramps Black's position, leaving Black's pawn on e5 unexchanged, limiting
the effectiveness and scope of the bishop at g7. The queens confront
each other on the d-file. White has good range for both bishops,
but his kingside is under-developed.
10.h4 h5
White mobilizes his kingside pawns for an attack,
and Black blocks the further progress of the h-pawn. The attack may
well be premature as both sides have several undeveloped pieces.
11.Be2 cxd5 12.exd5 N8d7
Black works to resolve the center, leaving White
with an advanced but isolated d-pawn. A knight is needed on the kingside.
At f6 it will play a defensive role and further attack the d-pawn.
After 12...N8d7
13.d6 Nf6
White sheds attackers by continuing to advance
his d-pawn. Black doesn't dely in moving to f6, reopening the h3-c8
diagonal for the bishop.
14.Bg5 Re8
White pins the knight while Black prepares to
advance his own e-pawn.
15.Rd1 Be6
White provides more support for his passed d-pawn;
Black develops his bishop, increasing its mobility. By attacking
the pawn at a2, the bishop holds the knight at c3.
16.Nh3 Nc4 17.Bxc4 Bxc4
White gives up a bishop for a knight, but his
queen still remains on the d-file. Black has the advantage of the two bishops.
18.b3 Ba6
At a6, Black's bishop prevents White's kingside
castling. White's kingside is disorganized while Black's king seems
safe enough. The position of the black bishop on a6 may almost be
said to be a characteristic of the Grünfeld defense.
19.Nd5 e4
If 19...Qxd6 then 20.Nxf6+ Qxf6 20.Bxf6, losing
the Queen.
After 19...e4
With the text move, Black threatens to open the
e-file allowing the rook to assault his majesty.
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20.Nxf6+ Bxf6
White exchanges to restore the protection on the
d-pawn.
21.d7 Qb6 22.dxe8Q+ Rxe8
Shirov allows Kramnik to queen with a rook sacrifice;
the threat is 22...exf+.
23.Qe3 Bxg5
White confronts the black queen at b6; Black simplifies
and counter attacks the white queen, forcing the exchange of queens.
24.Qxb6 Bxh4+
Black continues his direct assault on the king.
25.Kd2 axb6
The king uses his escape square, and Black secures
the white queen.
After 25...axb6
26.fxe4 Rxe4 27.Kc2 Rg4
White takes out Black's passed pawn. The
white king really has no hiding place from Black's bishop pair. The
threat is 28...Rxg2+.
28.Rd2 Be7
White defends the g-pawn and prepares to double
rooks. Black wishes to defend the pawn at b6 with his bishop.
Throughout the game and the end game especially,
the form of the material is important. The common rule is "exchange
pieces not pawns." In this game, Black has bishops and White rooks.
If these pieces are exchange, Black will lead
in pawns and should win.
29.Rg1 Kg7 30.Nf2 Rf4
Black secures his king from any rook attack and
defends his pawn at f7 which is probably the weakest black pawn, being
the base of his pawn chain.
31.Nd3 Re4
Black moves his rook out of attack and posts it
on an open file.
32.Rgd1 Bb5
White doubled his rooks, and Black improved the
position of his white bishop. Now it can reach c6 if the pawn at b7 needs
defending.
33.a4 Bc6
The bishop is posted for an attack on the g-pawn.
If the g-pawn can be eliminated, Black will have three connected passed
pawns.
34.Re1
Confronting the rook at e4, White is trying to
get full value for a rook rather than exchanging for a bishop.
After 34.Re1
34...Rxe1 35.Nxe1 Bb4
Black's play impeded White's queenside pawns and
attacked the rook, knight, and g-pawn. Rather than centralize his
king, Black has placed him in a fortress where he's safe from attack by
the rook. White would have to have at least three attackers to win
Black's f-pawn. Black is clearly winning, but White continued to
play for twelve more moves.
36.Re2 Bxe1 37.Rxe1 Bxg2
The rook was over worked and Shirov continued
to simplify as a draw was all he needed at this point.
38. Kd2 h4
White centralizes his king placing him on a black
square out of reach of the bishop. Kramnik has to stop the passed
pawns if he can. Black controls two of the potential queening squares.
39.Ke3 Bd5 40.b4 h3 41.Re2 f5 42.Rd2 Be4
White tries to cut the pawn off on a square not
controlled by the bishops. Perhaps his plan was to post the rook oh h2
and use the king against the remaining pawns. Of course, the black
king will be used to support his pawns so this plan would fail.
43.Kf4 Bg2
Blacks bishop moves to prevent the rook from reaching
h2 and blocking the passed pawn. The threat is to queen.
44.Rd7+ Kf6 45.Rh7 g5+ 46. Kg3 f4+ 47. Kg4
If 47.Kh2, maybe White would have been able to
get some counter play against Black's pawns with his rook.
47...Ke5 48.b5 0-1 |