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Viswanathan Anand vs Vladimir Kramnik
Amber Tournament (Blindfold) (2009) (blindfold), Nice FRA, rd 8, Mar-22
Russian Game: Modern Attack. Center Variation (C43)  ·  1-0

ANALYSIS [x]

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Kibitzer's Corner
Mar-22-09  arnaud1959: 22.f3 and 23.a4 are very impressive moves for blindfold.
Mar-22-09
Premium Chessgames Member
  kamalakanta: I take my hat off to Anand. ,What a pleasure to play through this game! the White bishop controlled certain squares that the Black rook could not get to...d5 and e5. The White pawn took over that role. I was looking at the position just before a4 was played, and I knew that d5 was needed, but not possible. a4 takes away one of the defenders, so that d5 becomes possible....I don't agree with Kasparov. I think Anand will be World Champion for a while.
Mar-22-09  percyblakeney: Very nice finish by Anand, who didn't have to take much time for his last moves.
Mar-22-09  Eyal: <In their first encounter since their match in Bonn, Anand played 1.e4 allowing his rival to go for his favourite Petroff Defence. Finally we could see what the Indian star had prepared against Kramnik's pet defence, but he only lifted a small tip of the veil. When he was asked after the game till what moment he had been following his preparation, Anand flashed a broad smile and preferred to remain silent, having no wish to reveal any secrets that he may still use in future games. But he didn't mind saying something about the moves that appeared on the board. To his mind 18...Kxf8 would have been better than Kramnik's 18...Rd5. [Chessok's Rybka concurs, btw - http://chessok.com/broadcast/?key=A... ] "After 20...Rh5 I believe that Black's position is at least unpleasant as there is no coordination between his pieces." He was pleased with his moves 22.f3 and 24.d5 and explained that Kramnik had missed his 28.Qe7 when he erred with 27…Qxe4. Kramnik's 28...Qb4 was a further oversight, running into the lethal 29.h6 [threatening both 30.Qf6 and Qxf8+!], but at that point Black's position was already lost.> (http://www.amberchess2009.com/Round...)
Mar-22-09  lechonpaksiw: why not 28.h6? Then Qg7# what did i miss?
Mar-22-09  Eyal: <why not 28.h6? Then Qg7# what did i miss?> 28...Qe3+ and ...Qxh6.

Mar-22-09  jmboutiere: Anand is a great player but Topalov and Carlsen are very close. I think that the hours of study will decide in the future
Mar-22-09  Hesam7: <Sure, Anand won (kept) the world championship last year, but Kramnik would win the consolation prize today, right? Wrong. Although Kramnik has generally been the more successful blindfold player, Anand beat him in that discipline and easily held him off in the rapid game. The blindfold game was a Petroff where White's somewhat rare approach worked well. Kramnik was unable to equalize, and his opponent gradually worked up a dangerous initiative. (Petroffphiles [Petrofffiles?] should try 18...Kxf8, when after 19.Qh6+ Kg8 20.h5 it looks like both captures on d4 suffice: 20...Qxd4 21.hxg6 hxg6 22.Bxg6 Qg7 23.Bh7+ Kh8=, or 20...Rxd4 21.hxg6 hxg6 22.Bxg6 Rxd1+ 23.Rxd1 Qg7 24.Qxg7+ Kxg7 25.Be4 Rb8=.) I'm not sure where exactly Kramnik's position became hopeless - maybe with 24...Bf5 - but it was very difficult already.> -- Dennis Monokroussos
Mar-23-09  Ishaan: It would be nice to see this line played against Kramnik in a classical game.
Mar-23-09  Woody Wood Pusher: Yes it would.
Mar-24-09  Aeolus777: Could someone explain what was wrong with 20...Rd7 with 21...Rd8?
Mar-24-09  Eyal: <what was wrong with 20...Rd7 with 21...Rd8?>

21.h5, aiming for h6.

Mar-24-09  chessplanet8: I think the key winning move is 28 Qe7! where 28..Qe7 29 de7 Re8 30 Rd8 easily wins for White. 27..Qb3 was better than 27..Qe4? for this reason. By not taking the pawn in e4, Black would for instance answer 28 h6? with Qe3+ and Qxh6. Maybe 28 Qf4 or 28 Qd4 would be next then.

29 h6! has two threats, 30 Qf6 and the less obvious 30 Qf8+!. Kramnik's 29..Rc6 is aimed at threat #2. But 29..Qb2 would lose because of 30Qf8+! Kf8 31 Rc8# so the position is beyond repair for Black.

Apr-07-09  Rodo24: What about 11. ..., Qh4.
Apr-07-09  Oliphaunt: <Rodo24> 11...Qh4 12.Re1+ Be6 13.g3 followed by Qa4+, after which white has the initiative.

That's why it makes more sense for black to castle kingside instead.

Apr-07-09  Rodo24: But 0-0 led to Qh5. I think that after 11...Qh4 12.Re1+ Be6 13.g3, it can follow 13. ..., Qh3 14. Qa4+, Kf8, and the position is at least interesting. In my opinion, blacks wouldn´t lose in 30 moves.

Then, blacks have the plan Bg4-Bf3. It can be avoided, but still, it´s a serious threat.

Apr-07-09  Oliphaunt: Bg4-Bf3 is not really a serious threat in those lines because of Bf1.

Anyway after 15.Ba3 black has big problems to solve-- the king is in a precarious position.

Apr-08-09  Rodo24: Yes, you´re right, Bf1 is key. What about 11...Qh4 12.Re1+ Kf8 13.g3 Qd8 (or Qh3)
Apr-08-09  Rodo24: I like 5. ..., Qf6 or 5. ..., Qh4
Apr-08-09  Oliphaunt: Well, that's still rather unpleasant for black I think.
Apr-09-09  Bondsamir: Why is Kramnik so scared when he plays Anand ?!.
Apr-09-09  Rodo24: I still think that 11. ..., 0-0 ruined everything for black.
Apr-09-09  Rodo24: Maybe Kramnik has problems to deal with Anand`s speed. That´s something one´s not able to perceive only with the PGN.
Jul-02-09  randomsac: <Rodo24> I agree that castling allowed Qh5, which caused many subsequent problems with a peephole to torment black's king.

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