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Vladimir Kramnik vs John Nunn
"Master of Nunn" (game of the day Jan-28-2019)
Manila Olympiad (1992), Manila PHI, rd 14, Jun-24
King's Indian Defense: Saemisch Variation. Normal Defense (E81)  ·  1-0

8
7
6
5
4
3
2
a
1
b
c
d
e
f
g
h
White to move.
ANALYSIS [x]
1-0

rnbqkbnr/pppppppp/8/8/8/8/PPPPPPPP/RNBQKBNR w KQkq - 0 1
FEN COPIED

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Given 16 times; par: 45 [what's this?]

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Kibitzer's Corner
Jun-24-04  qqq: <acrice> , here's a Kramnik game you would find delightful
Jun-25-04  acirce: Thank you, it is indeed nice. Found it annotated in Kramnik's <My Life and Games> (a book that sucks, but still).
Jun-25-04  square dance: <acirce> what sucks about kramnik's book? i considered purchasing it on a couple of occasions. any input would be helpful. thanks in advance.
Jun-25-04  acirce: Well it depends on what you want from a book, I guess - there is a lot about Kramnik's life and career (up to the time the book was written) but there are few instructive/pedagogical annotations. There are some of course, but if you want to buy a book to learn from it and become a better player, there are lots of better choices.
May-05-05  fgh: Nice pawn storm at the end.
Feb-04-06  Aseem: <Acirce> I dont agree. No doubt there are better books to learn from, but if you want to understand any one particular style or for that matter if you are 1.d4 player then Kramniks book is really good. And apart from that that is the only book on the planet where you will see that even a giant like Kasparov does make mistakes from which one can profit from.
Dec-07-07  notyetagm: Game Collection: The powerful passed pawns

Kramnik vs Nunn, 1992

Position after 29 e4-e5:


click for larger view

Kramnik has sacrificed the exchange (27 ♖h1x♘h7!) to create this position, in which he has three(!) advanced (Q7, K5, and KB6) connected passed pawns rampaging up the board.

Although the e-pawn is almost immediately lost (30 ... ♗g2xe5), Kramnik still finds a neat tactical way to force home the promotion of the f-pawn and win the game.

Dec-07-07  notyetagm: Position after 33 f6-f7! 1-0:


click for larger view

A very neatly calculated denouement by Kramnik. Here Kramnik uses not one but -two- tactical devices to force home the promotion of his passed f-pawn.

The first is the old trick <ROOK ON FILE NEXT TO 7TH RANK PASSED PAWN>. The Black e5-rook cannot get to the e8-square to defend the f8-promotion square because that square is covered by the White f7-pawn, and the Black e5-rook also cannot get to the f5-square behind the passed f7-pawn because that square is covered by the White d7-bishop. The Black e5-rook also has no useful <TEMPO> move by which it could change its entry point onto the 8th rank or the f-file.

So that leaves the Black h6-king. Can His Majesty prevent the f-pawn's coronation? Yes, and no! After 33 ...♔h6-g7 34 f7-f8=♕+! ♔g7x♕f8, the Black king has indeed defended against the promotion threat. But now Kramnik simply plays 35 ♘f4-g6+! (<KNIGHT FORK>), winning the <UNDEFENDED> Black e5-rook.

(VAR) Position after 33 ...♔h6-g7 34 f7-f8=♕+! ♔g7x♕f8 35 ♘f4-g6+!:


click for larger view

Very well calculated, indeed.

Jun-03-08  dabearsrock1010: i think after 33... Kg7 34. Nxg6 is strongest. white actually loses a minor piece in if 33...Kg7 34. f8=Q+ Kxf8 35. Ng6+ Kd7 36. Nxe5 Kd6 and one minor piece falls. It is still a win maybe by keeping the knight on but the bishop i know works for sure but only because the promotion square for the a pawn is a light square. Anyway just food for thought.
Jun-24-09  WhiteRook48: and two other passed pawns!
Jul-05-09  The Bycote: dabearsrock1010 gives two illegal moves for black (Kd7 and Kd6) in his analysis of 34.f8=Q+! which is actually a beautiful and correct finish to the game.
Jun-06-17
Premium Chessgames Member
  FSR: Master of Nunn.
Jan-28-19
Premium Chessgames Member
  ajk68: 26...f6?? Nunn did not calculate that correctly.
Jan-28-19  Ironmanth: Sweet finish! Thanks, chessgames, for this one today.
Jan-28-19  laskereshevsky: I remember well the thunderstruck impression on chess world made by a 16yo Kramnik at the Manila Olimpyads...

Beside the experts no many people knew this teen-eager FM, and if im not wrong the Kram. convocation was strongly supported by Kasparov himself but not by the whole federation-team, they made a poll and Kram. entered the team just for few more votes on his favour...

Since the Tal's time was not seen a not-yet GM (or at least IM!!) playing for such a leading time like USSR-then Russian....

Jan-28-19  The Kings Domain: A young Kramnik shows his already considerable chops in this fine game from Chess' final golden era.
Jan-28-19  cormier:


click for larger view

Analysis by Houdini 4 <d 25 dpa done

1. = (0.21): 17...Rac8> 18.Ne2 Rc2 19.Rc1 Rd2 20.a4 b6 21.h4 e5 22.Rhd1 R8xd6 23.Rxd2 Rxd2 24.Rc6 Nd7 25.Rc8+ Nf8 26.Bc4 Bf6 27.Ke3 Rd8 28.Rc7 Nd7 29.Bb5 Nc5 30.g3 Ne6 31.Rd7 Rxd7 32.Bxd7 Nc5 33.Bb5 Kg7 34.Nc3 g5 35.h5 Be7 36.Nd5

2. + / = (0.46): 17...Bh6 18.Ne2 Rac8 19.Rd3 Rc5 20.a4 Rc2 21.g3 Rxa2 22.e5 Nd5 23.f4 Nxf4 24.gxf4 Bxf4 25.Kf3 Bxe5 26.d7 Kf8 27.Re3 Bd6 28.Rc1 Ke7 29.h4 Rd2 30.Rc8 Rd5 31.Rec3 Rxb5 32.axb5 Rxd7 33.Ra8 Bb4 34.Rcc8 f5 35.Rc1 Kf6

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