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Vasyl Ivanchuk vs Vladimir Kramnik
Melody Amber Blind 7th (1998) (blindfold), Monte Carlo MNC, rd 7, Mar-20
Catalan Opening: Closed Variation (E06)  ·  1-0

ANALYSIS [x]

FEN COPIED

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Given 45 times; par: 40 [what's this?]

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Kibitzer's Corner
< Earlier Kibitzing  · PAGE 2 OF 2 ·  Later Kibitzing>
Mar-25-19  gofer: <agb2002>: a small correction.

C) 29... h6 30.Qxh5 gxh5 31.Be4 Rxf7 (due to 32.Nh6#) <32. Rxf7 any move 33. Bh7#>

Also, I think you (and others) missed the most fun line...

D) 29 ... Rxf7 30.exf7+ Kf8 31.Qxc8+! Bxc8 32.Bg7+! Ke7 33.f8=Q+ mating in three more...

Mar-25-19  malt: The threat of mate on h2,
29.Q:g4 wins
Mar-25-19  stacase: Took a while to see this one. Thought process bogged down in "Say check or defend against the mate" When the proper thought process was, "It's a Monday puzzle dummy! Check out ways to sacrifice your Queen!"
Mar-25-19  saturn2: <if Rxf7 then e6xf7+ and white wins both a knight + the exchange> It is only a rook, knights get swapped, no?
Mar-25-19  ChessHigherCat: <saturn2: <if Rxf7 then e6xf7+ and white wins both a knight + the exchange> It is only a rook, knights get swapped, no?>

It's even better than I thought:

29...Rxf7 30. exf7+ Kf8 31. Qxc8+ Bxc8 32. Bg7+ Kxg7 33. f8=Q#

Mar-25-19  ChessHigherCat: alternative mate:

29...Rxf7 30. exf7+ Kf8 31. Qxc8+ Bxc8 32. Bg7+ Ke7 33. f8=Q+ Kd7 34. Rf7+ Ke6 35. Qe7#

Mar-25-19  ChessHigherCat: Like any blitz player, I saw Qxg4 right away and then only spent a couple seconds on the Rxf7 variant because I wanted to be first and both FSR and Phony Benoni are incredibly fast.
Mar-25-19  rudiment: Saw the mate threat but convinced myself that 29. Nh6+ Nxh6 was a forced line. Completely missed the QxN, very nice move.
Mar-25-19  TheaN: Monday 25 March 2019

<29.?>

Took me longer to realize that after <29.Qxg4 Qxg4>, <30.Nh6#> is mate. Of course, Black has alternatives but White picks up a second piece for the Rook and is already two pawns up. That and the position doesn't become better for Black.

Mar-25-19  thegoodanarchist: I forgot it was Monday. This puzzle reminded me ;)
Mar-25-19  RandomVisitor: It needs to be emphasized that this game was played blindfolded.
Mar-25-19
Premium Chessgames Member
  gawain: I saw the winning combination but did not realize that the knight's forking move was actually checkmate.
Mar-25-19  Diana Fernanda: Great game of ivanchuk, the white go Will level And win with elegancy
Mar-25-19  Messiah: <chrisowen> too much tea, maybe?
Mar-25-19
Premium Chessgames Member
  chrisowen: <Messiah> Dynamyte!
Mar-25-19  ChessHigherCat: gawain: I saw the winning combination but did not realize that the <knight's forking move> was actually checkmate.

I understand your frustration but no obscenities, please!

Mar-25-19  Messiah: <ChessHigherCat> laughed.
Mar-25-19
Premium Chessgames Member
  wood n tempo: Got immediately today.
Mar-25-19  messachess: Easy, but you still have to see it. Good Monday puzzle.
Mar-25-19  Aurora: https://pbs.twimg.com/media/D2hr3Le...
Mar-25-19  cormier:


click for larger view

Analysis by Houdini 4 d 22 dpa

1. + / - (0.74): 20...Qd6 21.fxe5 Rxe5 22.Rxe5 Qxe5 23.Nf3 Qe3+ 24.Qxe3 dxe3 25.Re1 Rc6 26.a3 e2+ 27.Bd4 Bxd4+ 28.Nxd4 Rd6 29.Nxe2 Rd3 30.Rb1 Kg7 31.h3 Nd7 32.Kf2 Nc5 33.b4 Ne6 34.b5 Bc8 35.Ra1 Nc5 36.g4 Kf6 37.a4

2. + / - (0.99): 20...exf4 21.Qxf4 Rxe1+ 22.Rxe1 Qb6 23.Bd5 Rf8 24.Ne4 Nxe4 25.Qxe4 Bc8 26.Rd1 Be6 27.Bxd4 Bxd5 28.cxd5 f5 29.Qe3 Rc8 30.Bxc5 Rxc5 31.Qf2 Qd6 32.Qd4 a6 33.Kg2 Rc8 34.Rd2 Re8 35.Rc2 Rd8 36.Rc5 Qe7 37.Qc4

Mar-25-19  cormier:


click for larger view

Analysis by Houdini 4 <d 23 dpa done

1. = (0.00): 19...Qb6> 20.Kh1 Ng4 21.Ne4 Bb4 22.h3 Bxe1 23.hxg4 f5 24.gxf5 gxf5 25.Rxe1 exf4 26.Bxd4 Qxd4 27.Rd1 Qg7 28.Nd6 fxg3 29.Bd5+ Kh8 30.Nf7+ Kg8 31.Nd6+ Kh8

2. + / = (0.31): 19...exf4 20.Rxe8+ Nxe8 21.h4 Bc5 22.Qd2 fxg3 23.Bd5 Rc7 24.Bxd4 Bxd4+ 25.Qxd4 Qf6 26.Kg2 Bb7 27.Bxb7 Rxb7 28.Kxg3 Re7 29.Qxf6 Nxf6 30.Kf3 Kg7 31.Rd4 Re1 32.Ne4 Rc1 33.Nxf6 Kxf6 34.Rd7 a5 35.Ra7 Rc3+ 36.Ke4 Rh3 37.Ra6+ Kg7 38.c5 Rxh4+ 39.Ke5 Rh5+ 40.Kd6

Mar-26-19  agb2002: <gofer> Thank you!
Mar-26-19  ughaibu: I thought the solution was going to be Qh6. Isn't that stronger than Qg4?
Jul-03-19
Premium Chessgames Member
  perfidious: <boringplayer: < The Contender > Boring Kramnik? You don't get to be World Champion by boring your opponents into losing.>

You would know. (laughs)

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