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Man versus Machine / "Brains in Bahrain" Match; (Game # 1) Manama, Bahrain; 2002. |
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The first game of the match.
(GM V. Kramnik versus Deep Fritz.
"The Brains In Bahrain Match." Played in October, 2002.)
To be honest, I did not expect big
fireworks in this game. Kramnik
might try to win if the
computer
program made a big mistake. But
seeing as Kramnik was Black, I did
not think
he would go 'all out' for a
win in the first game. He would simply
play solid chess, and quietly,
carefully
probe the program for any weakness
or a possible flaw in its coding.
What I did want to see was a sharp
variation, an opening line that was
very unbalanced
and very "anti-computer" in nature.
(I was thinking
something like a Latvian or even the
'Kalishnikov Sicilian.')
Here I would
be very disappointed.
In retrospect, Kramnik's course was
probably the most prudent. He simply
made a solid
draw, and waited for his
turn to have the advantage of the
White pieces.
The comments that are contained
within the brackets, ... << blah-blah-blah-blah >>
are from the short version of
this game - that you can download
from my web site.
Click here to see an explanation of the symbols that are used.
1.e4
e5; 2.Nf3
Nc6; 3.Bb5
Nf6; {Diagram?}
This is one of Kramnik's main
weapons, something he has used
since he was a teen-ager.
<< The Berlin
Defense, (in the Ruy Lopez); which
Kramnik used to good effect
in his
match vs. G. Kasparov. >>
MCO calls the Berlin Defense an
under-rated opening, and notes
that it was used by
GM A. Bisguier for many years. (Literally decades.)
[ The main line is: 3...a6; (The 'Morphy Defense.') ].
The next few moves are all
(pretty much) main line.
4.0-0
Nxe4; {Diagram?}
Kramnik has always preferred
this move to 4...Bc5.
Black grabs a key central pawn, and forces White to play vigorously to maintain an edge.
[ Also possible was: 4...Bc5!? ].
5.d4
Nd6; 6.Bxc6
dxc6; 7.dxe5
Nf5; {Diagram?}
The best square for the Knight.
(Also possible was: 7...Ne4!?)
[ Maybe 7...Ne4!? "~" ].
8.Qxd8+
Kxd8;
{See the diagram just below.}
Black has a ruined pawn structure,
a possibly lost K+P ending, he is
behind in development,
and he
has also lost the right to castle. So
why would any sane man want to
play this particular
variation?
In return for the many minuses,
there are pluses. Black has space,
two Bishops, and a very
strong
defensive position.
"Whether this is enough {compensation} is currently being vigorously
debated in the chess
world." - GM K. Mueller.
This might also be a good line to
play against a program that might
have been instructed to play
very
aggressively. If White over-extends
himself, he can quickly find himself
in a dead lost ending.
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9.Nc3, '!?' {Diagram?}
A good move, and one that conforms
to a proper opening schemata for
White.
Yet I would prefer to hold this move in reserve and play Rd1 first.
[ Another try is: 9.Rd1+!?,
"+/=" {Diagram?}
with White also having a slight
edge in this position. ].
9...h6; {Diagram?}
Part of the Black plan. For the
moment, Black wishes to stop
both Bg5 and Ng5.
10.b3; {Diagram?}
<< So far this is all standard opening
theory. Black plays not for the win,
but to
establish a {strong position}
and simply hold the fort. >>
[ White could also play:
10.Rd1+
Ke8; 11.h3,
"+/=" {Diagram?}
with a slight advantage.
(Also interesting is: 11.b3,
"+/=")
Play could proceed:
11...a5; 12.Bf4
Be6; 13.g4
Ne7; 14.Nd4,
"+/=" {Diag?}
White appears to be a lot better,
but Black had no problems in
making a draw in
less than 35
moves from this position.
GM Garry Kasparov - GM Vladimir
Kramnik;
The "Brain-Games" World
Championship Match,
London, ENG; 2000.
Another line is:
10.h3
Be6; 11.g4
Ne7; The end of the column.
12.Nd4
Bd7!?;
13.Bf4!
c5; 14.Nde2!?
Kc8!?; {Diagram?}
This is OK, but is it absolutely
necessary?
( Is the move 14...h5!?;
"<=>" {Diagram?}
possible in this position?)
15.Rad1;
"~" {Diagram?}
MCO considers this better for
White, ("+/="); an opening book
I
have considers this better for
Black, while the Informant seems
to be unclear. The
computers also
vary greatly in their evaluation of
this position.
GM E. Geller - O. Romanishin;
U.S.S.R, 1977.
[ See MCO-14; page # 45,
column # 8, and also note # (k.). ] ]
10...Ke8; {Diagram?}
Kramnik keeps his King in the
center, but moves off the d-file.
I would be curious to know ...
is Kramnik baiting the machine,
and its team of
programmers here?
(GM's Baburin and Mueller say this is an ideal anti-computer position.)
11.Bb2
Be7; {Diagram?}
This is one of Black's most flexible
approaches at this point of the
game, here.
[ GM K. Mueller states that Kramnik
was certainly aware of the following
game, prior
to this match:
11...a5; 12.Ne2!?
a4; 13.Nf4
Be6!?; 14.g4!?
Ne7; 15.Nxe6,
15...fxe6;
16.Nd4
Kf7; 17.c4
h5!; "=" {Diagram?}
J. Klovans - R. Dautov;
/Minsk, 1986.
(Black eventually won this game.) ].
12.Rad1
a5; (Maybe - '!')
{Diagram?}
"Kramnik cleverly holds back with
his Bishop on c8, so that his bishop
pair may not be
prematurely cut
in half." - GM K. Mueller.
(Black also threatens a possible
Q-side expansion with ...b5;
and/or a later line-opening
advance
with ...a5-a4.)
[ Possibly not as precise was:
12...Be6!?; 13.Ne2!,
"+/=" {Diagram?}
White is just a tiny bit better.
J. Klovans - W. Reichenbach;
Berlin/GER/1998/(1-0, 59 moves) ].
13.a4
h5; {Diagram?}
<< The 'Kramnik Fortress.' His
pawns go to a5 and h5, his Bishops
are placed on e7
and e6. And
White must search for a chink in
Black's armor. >>
(Note that ...h5; gains space, prevents
the Black Knight on f5 from being
booted
by g4, and also gives Black
the option of Rh6 in several lines.)
If Garry Kasparov's wonderful and
creative mind could not find a way to
pierce Black's defense,
I have no
confidence that Fritz can. (Kasparov
is also one of the greatest attackers
of all time.)
14.Ne2!?, {Diagram?}
This appears to be a very pulsinanimous move. The super -
machine appears to be acting in
a very indecisive manner here.
[ Maybe better was:
>= 14.Rd3
Be6; 15.Rfd1
Rd8; 16.Rxd8+
Bxd8;
17.Ne4, "+/=" {Diagram?}
and White has a slight edge. ].
14...Be6; {Diagram?}
Black is centralized, his Rooks
are not deployed until the very
last moment.
15.c4, {Diagram?}
This gains a little space, and also
keeps Black's pieces off d5.
[ 15.Nf4!? ].
15...Rd8!; {Diagram?}
This is a good strategy, according
to GM Karsten Müeller.
[ 15...b6!? ].
16.h3, '!?' {Diagram?}
<< A very cautious and slow
approach from the machine. But
Black's position is very
solid and
resists all of White's attempts to
knock it down. >>
[ Another possibility is:
16.Rxd8+
Kxd8; 17.Ned4
Nxd4; 18.Nxd4
Bd7; 19.Rd1,
19...Kc8;
20.Bc3
b6; 21.f3,
"~" {Diagram?}
with unclear results. ].
16...b6; 17.Nfd4
Nxd4; 18.Nxd4
c5; 19.Nxe6!?,
{Diagram?}
White picks off the B, and breaks
up Black's Pawn formation.
But maybe this is not the best.
[ 19.Nc2!?;
"~" {Diagram?}
White can play for f4, Ne3,
and then possibly f5.
While not a continuation to blow
your socks off, this alternative
seems a little
more flexible than
the game continuation. ].
19...fxe6; {Diagram?}
<< White has won one of the
Bishops and seems set to make
some significant progress. >>
(Additionally Black's Pawns have
been broken up.)
Black's position remains solid.
Additionally, there are few points
of entry into Black's
side of this
position, and White's Bishop is
greatly hampered by the pawn
on e5.
(A player on Chess.net -
running some program like Crafty -
pronounced this position a win for White.)
<< White now gets rid of the
Rooks. >>
20.Rxd8+
Kxd8; 21.Bc1
Kc8;
{Diagram?}
Kramnik prepares to swap the
last set of Rooks on the d-file.
22.Rd1
Rd8; 23.Rxd8+
Kxd8;
{Diagram?}
<< Some computers consider this
position to be (nearly) winning for
White.
But Black is still very solid. >>
24.g4
g6!; {Diagram?}
Several annotators on the 'net,
praised this as the correct response.
(White's options are limited, and his King and Bishop are both kept at bay.)
[ 24...hxg4!? ].
25.h4, '!?' {Diagram?}
<< A trappy move, setting a trap
that might fool a Class "C" player,
but not a player of Kramnik's
caliber. >>
'?' - GM Karsten Mueller.
(This move robs White of any chance
to slowly improve his position.)
[ Better is: >=
25.Kg2, {Diagram?}
and White should improve his
position
by centralizing his King. But
Black could draw with: 25...Ke8; 26.h4!?, Bxh4!;
27.g5, Bxf2; 28.Kxf2, Kd7;
("=") with a total blockade. - GM Danny King. ].
25...hxg4; {Diagram?}
<< Of course Kramnik finds the
best move for Black. >>
'!' - GM Karsten Mueller.
[ A mistake is:
25...Bxh4?; ('??')
26.g5!
c6; 27.Be3, ("+/-")
{Diag?}
and White wins Black's Bishop
by simply playing Kg2-h3. ].
26.Bg5
Bxg5; 27.hxg5
Ke8; 28.Kg2,
{See the diagram just below.}
The position is a dead draw.
(Neither King can penetrate
beyond his side of the board.
White's extra Pawn on the King-
side will be meaningless. The
first player can only LOSE if
he tries too hard to win.)
[ Some putz on one server was
trying to explain to me how White
could win with an
eventual pawn
break-through. But it is an
exercise in futility, to wit: 28.Kg2
Kf7;
29.Kg3
Ke7; 30.Kxg4
Kf7; 31.f4
Ke7; 32.Kf3
Kf7; 33.Ke4
Ke7;
34.f5??, {Diagram?}
This is actually a terrible move.
(Of course, the move 34.Ke3,
"=" easily holds the draw.)
34...gxf5+;
35.Ke3
Kf7; 36.Kf3
Kg6; 37.Kf4
c6; 38.Kf3
Kxg5, ("-/+")
]
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(Code Initially) Generated with ChessBase 8.0
1/2 - 1/2
Click HERE to return to the page for Kramnik vs. Deep Fritz, Game # 1.
Click HERE to go to (or return to) the main (parent) page for the Kramnik vs. Deep Fritz Match.
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Click HERE to go to my archives/downloads page, and d/l a copy of this game in TEXT format.
This
is a game I annotated especially for these web pages. I eventually plan to
annotate - in a similar
manner ... all of these games. If you would like a copy of this game to help you
study, contact me.
If you enjoyed these annotations, and would like to help; click HERE.
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Copyright (c) LM A.J. Goldsby I
Copyright (©) A.J. Goldsby, 2001-2005.
Copyright (c) A.J. Goldsby, 2006. All rights reserved.
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Page last updated: January 15th, 2003.
