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Vladimir Kramnik vs Viswanathan Anand
Melody Amber Rapid 3rd (1994) (rapid), Monte Carlo MNC, rd 7, Apr-??
English Opening: Symmetrical. Anti-Benoni Variation Geller Variation (A33)  ·  1-0

ANALYSIS [x]

FEN COPIED

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Kibitzer's Corner
Nov-14-03  Whitehat1963: Kramnik crushes Anand with two brilliant combinations!
Nov-14-03  cluless: Why not 8.Nxc4 ?
Nov-14-03  cluless: for black i mean (sry :P)
Jun-22-06  crwynn: I would guess 8...Nxc4 9.b3 Ne5 10.Be3 Qa5 is much better for White; Black's extra pawn can't possibly be worth such a loss of time.

But 11.b4!! is pretty spectacular. Obviously he threatens to win the queen with 12.c5. 12...Kd8 is the other defense that springs to mind...perhaps 13.h3 Qa6 14.Qd1 Nh6 15.Bf4 is the refutation? The horrifying 15...d6 looks like the only move that does not simply drop the Exchange as in the game.

Note that 23...bc, attempting to give up a piece for the q-side pawns, does not work because of 24.b6 Qb7 25.a6 Qxb6 26.a7 Bb7 27.Rfb1! followed by 28.Rxb7 and the a-pawn will cost him a queen, not a piece.

Jun-22-06  crwynn: Correction: not to win the queen with 12.c5, but to win the rook after c5, ...Qd8 and Qa7. Which only works after you accept the piece; perhaps Black should decline. But 11...Be7 12.c5 Qd8 13.h3 is pretty miserable.
Feb-16-07  Rubenus: Also see A Nickel vs B Leiber, 1996
Feb-16-07  sledgehammer: Cool win!A nice game played by Kramnik, it's pity that he has no such a games recently.
Sep-12-08  DoubleCheck: 8. ...Nfg4 also good but yes he missed 8... Nxc4
or even 8. ...Be7 to castle instead of exposing king with 12... d5?

Good game

Jul-30-09  refutor: Powerful game and novelty by Kramnik (11.b4! previous was 11.Na3). This variation is still playable but with 9. ...Rb8 instead of 9. ...Neg4 10.O-O Rb8

if 12. ...Be7 (above) karpov gives 13.c5 Qd8 14.Qa7

Dec-22-10  sevenseaman: Impressive! Kramnik sort of reads Anand the riot act, 'see that, kid'!
Jan-13-11  Salaskan: This shows how intense white's pressure on the queenside can be in the English, he even sacrifices a piece here for longer-term threats. Brilliant preparation and play by a more endeavouring Kramnik.
Nov-13-12  Danzowich: A wonderful game. Beautiful. A piece of art.
Dec-27-12  King.Arthur.Brazil: A very nice game of KRAMNIK. The Rb8 move is the one you look and resign. There's nothing else to do!
Dec-27-12  Travis Bickle: Great game by Vlad!
Mar-29-14  dunamisvpm: dunamisvpm: <clueless> i think 8...Nxc4 will be met by 9.b3, with the idea of 10.Bf4, then 11.Nc7. Well, i really don't know. GOD bless
Mar-30-14  dunamisvpm: If 8...Nxc4 and white replies with 9.Qa4, this is more of a tactical move than strategic. Thus, i would rather prefer the strategic idea of 9.b3 - 10.Bf4 - 11.Nc7 with long term advantage. Well, i really don't know. What we know is, the game of chess has 64 squares and 34 pieces, which can lead to astronomical variations resulting in either 3 outcomes, a win for white or a win for black, or a draw. May the FORCE be with us!

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