[Event "Linares"]
[Site "Linares ESP"]
[Date "2000.03.08"]
[EventDate "2000.02.28"]
[Round "8"]
[Result "1/2-1/2"]
[White "Vladimir Kramnik"]
[Black "Garry Kasparov"]
[ECO "A15"]
[WhiteElo "?"]
[BlackElo "?"]
[PlyCount "82"]

1.Nf3 Nf6 2.c4 c5 3.g3 d5 4.d4 {!? A rare move, which Illescas
brought to my attention. While analyzing this system for
Black, I noted that it was not easy for him to equalize; so I
started looking at it from White's perspective, especially
since this amounts to a sort of "anti-Gruenfeld". Chess has
begun to consist more and more of forced sequences. And the
Gruenfeld is a good opening to use whenever you really want to
slam out a draw without giving your White opponent the chance
to get even into the middlegame. This is one reason the
Gruenfeld is so popular today. Although in this tournament,
even such dyed-in-the-wool "Gruenfelders" as Shirov and Leko
(who never play anything else) avoided this defense against me
- presumably, because they thought I would be
well-prepared. But for this game, I myself wanted to avoid the
Gruenfeld. This is a position I have played many times, with
knights on c3 and c6. Without the knights, this version is not
quite as good for White, but it's an interesting move,
nonetheless. -- Kramnik }dxc4 5.Qa4+ Bd7 6.Qxc4 Bc6 7.dxc5 Bd5
8.Qa4+ Bc6 9.Qc4 Bd5 10.Qc2 e6 11.Bg2 Be4 12.Qc4 Bd5 13.Qh4
Bxc5 14.Nc3 Bc6 15.O-O Be7 16.Rd1 Qa5 17.Bd2 Nbd7 18.g4 h6
19.Qg3 Qa6 20.h4 Qc4 21.Bf4 Qb4 22.a3 {The beginning of a
forcing sequence, very dangerous for Black. 22.Rd2 would allow
22...g5. -- Kramnik} Qxb2 23.Nd4 g5 24.Nxc6 {! -- Kramnik}
gxf4 25.Qd3 bxc6 26.Bxc6 O-O 27.Bxa8 Ne5 28.Qd4 Rxa8 29.Qxe5
Rc8 30.Rac1 Nd5 31.Nxd5 Qxe5 32.Nxe7+ Kg7 {Objectively
speaking, the game is even here. The only line that might
still be worth looking at is 32...Kh7! Then 33. Nxc8 Qxe2
34. Nd6 Qxg4+ 35. Kf1 f3 36. Nxf7 Qxh4 (36...Qg2+ 37. Ke1 Qg1+
38. Kd2 Qxf2+ 39.Kc3 appears to allow White to play for the
win a little longer) 37. Ke1 Qe4+ 38. Kf1 Qh4, with a draw. --
Kramnik} 33.Rxc8 Qxe2 34.Rg8+ Kf6 35.Rd7 Qe1+ 36.Kg2 Qe4+
37.Kh2 Qc2 38.Kg2 Qe4+ 39.Kh2 Qc2 40.g5+ hxg5 41.Rxg5 Qxf2+
1/2-1/2