Kramnik – Svidler
1.Nf3 d5 2.d4 Nf6 3.c4 c6 4.Nc3 e6 5.Bg5 h6 6.Bxf6 Qxf6 7.e3 Nd7 (The overwhelming choice here is Bd3. There are many other playable choices. But this will be a hard game for White to score as this is a solid opening for Black.)
8.Bd3 g6 9.e4 (0-0 would be the most popular continuation but this has also been played a number of times before.)
10.dxc4 10.e5 Qe7 11.Bxc4 Bg7 12.0–0 0–0 13.Re1 Rd8 14.Qe2 = / += (White has excellent space advantage but the d4 pawn is weak. Black also has a Bishop pair.)
14…b6 15.Rad1 a5 16.Bd3 Bb7 17.Be4 (A surprising plan from Kramnik.)
17…b5 18.h4 (White is slightly better. Even though Black has some counter play on the Queenside, White’s attack could potentially be more dangerous.)
18…Nb6 += 19.Bb1 c5 (Svidler decided to sacrifice a pawn. Black does have some small compensation and I would certainly take the Pawn if I play White.)
20.Nxb5 (This is a posibility: 20…Ba6 21.Bd3 c4 22.Bxc4 Nxc4 23.Qxc4 Qb7 24.a4 Rd5 +=)
20…Ba6 21.h5 (Kramnik accepts the pin and go for a break through on the Kingside. Black has 2 obvious choices: Take the pawn or g5.)
21…g5 22.Nh2 (I do not like this move at all. I think it gave away the advantage and now Svidler has too much compensation. I would have played 22.Bd3.)
22…Rxd4 23.Rxd4 1/2 (Black would have had a shot if Black did not play 22.Nh2 and instead 22.Bd3.)
why all games but grischuk-leko???
Are you and/or Paul Truong using any chess engines to lighten the load of analysis?
Give Sus time, anon… 🙂
Svidler may be pleasingly plump, but that whale picture is just out of line!
To bd to see Kramnik here instead of the real World Champion Topalov Veselin. I bet Kramnik won’t do so well without his beloved Fritz and the private loo. It will be all draws I am afraid instead of the great chess Topalov would have produced. This whole tournament is a big rip-off.
No Topalov, no excitement, no wins.
“To bd to see Kramnik here instead of the real World Champion Topalov”
LOL. Topalov is not now and never has been world champion.
Everybody knows the real world champion is Gata Kamsky. Yeah, I know he lost but I think there might have been some funny business.
(Bulgarian Sportsmanship: It’s not just for Bulgarians any more!)
Topalov Veselin? He’s no Kasparov Gary.
Mr. Danailov, could you PLEASE refrain from using Miss Polgar’s weblog. I thought we had agreed to keep it down for a while.
Best Wishes
Carsten