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Vladimir Kramnik vs Sergey Karjakin
Tal Memorial (2011), Moscow RUS, rd 8, Nov-24
Catalan Opening: Closed Variation (E06)  ·  1/2-1/2

ANALYSIS [x]

FEN COPIED

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Kibitzer's Corner
Nov-25-11
Premium Chessgames Member
  Penguincw: In the final position, white looks better. What's interesting is that no matter how white attacks the c6 pawn, black also indirectly hits the b4 pawn.
Nov-26-11  Hesam7: During the game I thought 21. Qxc6 exd4 22. Nxf6+ Qxf6 23. Qxf6 gxf6 24. Rxd4 Rb8 25. b4:


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was a better try for a win. The question is if the pawns on the Q-side get exchanged is the resulting R+4P vs R+3P winning for White given Black's pawn structure?

Nov-26-11  acirce: <Hesam7> No, not even close. That pawn structure helps Black compared to the usual R+4p vs R+3p positions and makes it very easy to draw since it will be impossible for White to create a passer by advancing his e- and f-pawns. It's a nice example of a doubled pawn restraining a majority. Black's pawns aren't in fact weak in any real sense since they are so easily defended.
Nov-27-11  Hesam7: Thank you <acirce>. So Kramnik's choice makes sense since from the diagram I posted Black can force the drawn ending you refer to with: 25. ... Ra8 26. Rc4 (26. Rd5 Rb8=) 26. ... a5! 27. bxa5 Rxa5 28. Rxc7.

If I recall correctly at least up to 17. Ne4 he played very quickly. But given how Kramnik did not achieve anything with his chosen line it questions his choice of opening. My first idea was 18. f4 but my engine thinks after 18. ... Rfb8 19. Nc5 a5! Black is better. After that it seems to me both players played the best moves as all my engine's suggestion are basically going for the R+4P vs R+3P ending.

Nov-30-11  Xeroxx: triple pawns, how dynamic.
Jan-07-12
Premium Chessgames Member
  Penguincw: After 12...bxc6


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Before 19.Rxc4


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Karjakin proves he could work with triple pawns, for a few moves...

Jan-07-12  AuN1: <acirce: <Hesam7> No, not even close. That pawn structure helps Black compared to the usual R+4p vs R+3p positions and makes it very easy to draw since it will be impossible for White to create a passer by advancing his e- and f-pawns. It's a nice example of a doubled pawn restraining a majority. Black's pawns aren't in fact weak in any real sense since they are so easily defended.>

spot on. in fact, a couple of years ago in this very same tournament, kramnik got something like that endgame versus borya gelfand and he tried to convert it for a long time but he could not make any significant progress.

Gelfand vs Kramnik, 2009

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