White threatens Bc5, Rb3 or Ra3, etc. Also Ng3, Bf1 to improve the defense.

The weakest point in White's field seems to be f2. Therefore, 25... Bxf2+:

A) 26.Kxf2 Qf6+

A.1) 27.Ke1 Qh4+

A.1.a) 28.Kd1 Rh6 (28... g3 29.Bc5 b6 (29... a6 30.Bxa6 looks very dangerous) 30.Qa6 gxh2 (30... bxc5 31.Rb3+ Ka8 32.Qb7#) 31.Ra3 Rcg8 32.Qxa7+ Kc8 33.Bb5 and mate soon)

A.1.a.i) 29.Bc5 b6 30.Qa6 bxc5 31.Rb3+ Rb6 32.dxc5 Rxb3 33.axb3 c6 seems to stop White's attack and the threat g3 will cost a lot of material.

A.1.a.ii) 29.Bxg4 Qxg4+ 30.Ke1 Bxf1 31.Kxf1 (31.Bc5 Ba6 - +) 31... Qd1+ 32.Kf2 Qd2+ - +.

A.1.b) 28.Kd2 Rh6 with a similar assessment: White's attack ends up vanishing but Black's threats don't.

A.2) 27.Kg6 Qh4+ 28.Kf4 Qf2+ and mate next.

A.3) 27.Kg8 g3

A.3.a) 28.Nxg3 Qxg3 29.Bc5 b6 30.Qa6 Rcg8 31.Ra3 Bf3+ and mate next.

A.3.b) 28.Bc5 gxh2+ 29.Nxh2 (29.Kxh2 b6 30.Qa6 Qf2 31.Ra3 Bf3#) 29... b6 30.Qb4 (30.Qa6 loses to 30... Qe1+ and 31... Qxc3) 30... Qe1 31.Bf1 Rcg8 wins.

This game is a super example demonstrating the difference between "making bad moves" or blundering, and missing an opponent's move. In this case, Kramnik dismissed or undererstimated the strength of Black's piece-sac after 11.b5? hxg4! and now Kramnik is practically forced to accept the offered piece with <12.bxc6>.

Although down a piece, Black has a marked positional advantage (due his advanced K-side pawns and Bishops). This gives him a simple yet powerful plan of pawn-storming White's Kingside starting with 20.g5 [which results in winning tactics].

Great Game by Fressinet and excellent analysis by Daniel King: http://www.youtube.com/watch?v=iaZw...

1. Demolish protective pawn structure with 25...Bxf2+!!

2. Deflect or remove the defender with 26...Bxf1

3. Start a decisive connected passed pawn roller with 27...g3

The threat 27...g3! is even stronger after 27. Bxf1 g3+! (diagram below)

click for larger view

when play might continue 28. Kxg3 Qf5! 29. Rd2 Rcg8+ 30. Kh2 Rg2+ 31. Bxg2 hxg2+ 32. Kxg2Rg8+ 33. Kh1 Qh3+ 34. Rh2 Qf1#.

4. Obstruct White's access to the Queening square with 29...Rhg8 and 31...Rg2+!

25 ... Bxf2+
26 Kxf2 (else 26 ... g3) Qf5+
27 Ke1 Bxf1
28 Bxf1 g3

Watch the Danny King commentary and learn...>

Interesting comment by both Danny and Andrew that Kramnik likes to punish unusual openings. That's a temptation for all of us. Our opponent plays a move we haven't seen before - one that looks anti-positional perhaps - and our instant reaction is to want to blow him off the board. So we over-reach, become too aggressive, flail around trying to show the poor sap the error of his ways.

I suppose it's an alpha male, silverback gorilla sort of reaction. It's Tony Miles playing 1...a6 against Karpov. It's the all-black's haka. The other guy is taunting us. He is saying that he can beat us with an inferior joke opening. So we go into overdrive to rub his nose in it.

The trouble is that this sort of "punishment" approach often rebounds on us. Instead of punishing our opponent for playing a weak move we try too hard to put him in his place. Then we are the one who ends up losing.

Something similar happens if an opponent plays quickly. It is almost as if he is saying that he doesn't need all that time to beat us. He can do it in half the time. If we fall for it we can almost feel honour-bound to play quickly ourselves. And that is usually what the speed demon wants.

The typical advice is not to play in a bully's sandpit. Instead you should carry on playing your own game, stay calm, do the good stuff. That is usually more of a punishment than trying to wipe him off the board.

on 26...Qf5+ 27.Ke1 Bxf1 28.Bxf1 g3 29.Rb2 b6 30.Bd6 White's counterattack is good enough for a draw.

click for larger view

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25...Bxf2+ 26.Kxf2 Qf6+

27...Kg1 28.Bxf1 Bxf1 29.g3 looks very strong.

27...Kg1 28.Bxf1 Rf2 29.h2+

27...Ke1 28.Bxf1 Rf2 29.Qxf2+ Kxf2 30.h2

27...Ke1 28.Bxf1 Bxf1 29.g3