GM Tiviakov (2647) – GM Kramnik (2766) [C43]
Corus Wijk aan Zee, Netherlands, 15.01.2007
1.e4 e5 2.Nf3 Nf6 3.d4 Nxe4 4.Bd3 d5 5.Nxe5 Nd7 6.Nxd7 Bxd7 7.0-0 Bd6 8.c4 c6 9.cxd5 cxd5 10.Nc3 Nxc3 11.bxc3 0-0 12.Qh5 g6 13.Qxd5 Qc7 14.Qf3 Qxc3 15.Bh6 Rfe8 16.Qf6 Bf8 17.Bxf8 Rxf8 18.Be4 Bc6 19.Rac1 Qb4 20.Bxc6 bxc6 21.Rxc6 Rad8 22.Ra6 Qxd4 23.Qxd4 Rxd4 24.Rxa7 Rc8 25.g3 Rc2 26.Kg2 Rdd2 27.a3 Ra2 28.h4 Rd3 Game drawn 1/2-1/2
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GM Anand (2779) – GM Aronian (2744) [C89]
Corus Wijk aan Zee, Netherlands, 15.01.2007
1.e4 e5 2.Nf3 Nc6 3.Bb5 a6 4.Ba4 Nf6 5.0-0 Be7 6.Re1 b5 7.Bb3 0-0 8.c3 d5 9.exd5 Nxd5 10.Nxe5 Nxe5 11.Rxe5 c6 12.d4 Bd6 13.Re1 Qh4 14.g3 Qh3 15.Re4 g5 16.Qf1 Qh5 17.Nd2 Bf5 18.f3 Nf6 19.Qg2 Qg6 20.Re3 Rae8 21.Ne4 Nxe4 22.g4 Ng3 23.hxg3 Bb1 24.Qe2 Rxe3 25.Qxe3 h6 26.Qe1 Bc2 27.Bxc2 Qxc2 28.Qe4 Qd1+ 29.Kg2 Kg7 30.Qe3 Bxg3 31.Kxg3 Re8 32.Qxe8 Game drawn 1/2-1/2
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1. e4 …
If this is your favourite opening move, then you have to face two problems:
1) Petrov Defence: you won’t win, you waste the advantage of having white. This goes double (or even triple) if you play Kramnik.
2a) Marshall Gambit: you win a pawn but your opponent gets the initiative. You play the game in a face-down position. Be happy if you draw and don’t lose.
2b) Some Anti-Marshall: you don’t get an objective advantage from the opening, but at least a rather full board in a closed position.
Conclusion: switch to 1. d4!
Will Kramnik going to play the Petroff Defence for the rest of his life or something??
C’mon play something else man!!!!
Will Kramnik going to play the Petroff Defence for the rest of his life or something?
Will his opponents divert from e4? They should know what happens if Kramnik doesn’t need a win: a quick draw in the Petrov, white pieces wasted. Why do you think Topalov always played d4 in Elista?
In V.Anand – L.Aronian, a drawn game, the first 32 plies were duplicated in earlier games present in my one modest-sized aging CD of chess games.
Novelty delayed is novelty denied.
G