|
|
Man versus Machine/Brains in Bahrain Match; (Game # 8) Manama, Bahrain; 2002. |
                      |
The key last round game.
I think Kramnik had already decided
to play it safe and make a draw, especially if
the machine
made no blatant mistakes.
***
The game starts off as a possible
hyper-modern opening, but then
quickly transposes into
a Q.G.D. (Q.G.D. = A Queen's Gambit Declined.)
Click here to see an explanation of the symbols that are used.
1.d4
Nf6; 2.c4, {Diagram?}
Kramnik heads for the main lines,
and one of his favorite set-ups.
[ A good anti-computer strategy
might have been to play lines that were less theoretically
explored with something like: 2.Nf3
d5; 3.g3!?, {Diagram?}
heading for a Catalan ...
or one
of its off-shoots. ].
2...e6; {Diagram?}
Black seems to be heading for a hyper-modern opening like a Nimzo-Indian.
3.Nf3, {Diagram?}
White prefers to avoid the possible complications of an opening like Nimzovich's 3...Bb4.
[ Also playable is: 3.Nc3. (Main line) ]
3...d5; {Diagram?}
Transposing back to a Queen's
Gambit Declined. As most people
know, Kramnik is really a
throw-
back to earlier times ... he seems
prefer classical openings. In a way,
these openings
are poorly suited to
play against computers.
(Very balanced pawn formations.)
Most computers experts will tell you
that the best way to play against a
computer program is to
create the
greatest possible imbalances. To
this end, hyper-modern openings
are best suited for
this purpose.
4.Nc3
c6; 5.Bg5
Be7; ('!')
{Diagram?}
Black declines to enter the wild variations of the Botvinnik Variation with
5...dxc4.
[ 5...dxc4!? "~" ]
6.e3
0-0; 7.Bd3!?, {Diagram?}
This is obviously a good move,
that conforms to opening principles.
(Control the center, and develop
as quickly as possible. This move
also paves the way for
a quick
castling - removing the King
from the center of the board.)
But it is also a departure from the 'main line' of opening theory.
Perhaps Kramnik was trying to get away from the Fritz Team's opening preparations?
[ More normal is: 7.Rc1, "+/=" ].
7...Nbd7; 8.0-0
dxc4; {Diagram?}
Black swaps pawns. While he gives
up his hold on the center, he paves
the way for a few
exchanges, that
ease the slight cramp Black feels
in his position.
(Black has a somewhat congested
position, and also has trouble
developing his Queen's
Bishop in
most variations of the Q.G.D.)
[ Also seen are:
8...h6; 9.Bh4
dxc4; 10.Bxc4,
"+/=" {Diagram?}
White holds a slight advantage
here, in this position. ].
9.Bxc4 Nd5; {Diagram, see just below.}
|
|
Black initiates some trades. As was
explained earlier, Black's position
is crowded, and
swapping pieces
is a way to alleviate this problem.
This is also the freeing
maneuver that was worked out in great detail
by (former)
World Champion GM Jose R. Capablanca.
10.Bxe7
Qxe7; 11.Rc1!?, {Diagram?}
It is obviously both good to place
a Rook on a half-open file, but
this normal reaction is
not as likely
to confuse the computer ... or create
the greatest possible imbalance.
[ I would have preferred to play: 11.Qc2!?, {Diagram?}
with possibly a slightly
more
flexible position than in the game. ].
11...Nxc3; 12.Rxc3
e5; {Diagram?}
Black breaks in the center.
(He gains space and prepares the release of his Queen's Bishop.)
We have now - after just a slightly
different move order - transposed
back to a standard
book line. (The "Orthodox Variation.") [ See MCO-14, page # 391. ]
13.Bb3, {Diagram?}
This - to me, anyway - is the
safest and tamest of White's
choices.
White has a nice choice of possibilities at this point.
The main lines are dxe5, Bb3, Qc2, Qb1, and even d4-d5.
[ Maybe best was: 13.Qc2, "+/=" {Diagram?} with a small advantage to White.
The main line probably is:
>= 13.dxe5
Nxe5; 14.Nxe5
Qxe5; 15.f4!?
Qe4; 16.Qe2,
16...Bf5;
17.Bd3
Qe6; 18.e4
Rfe8; 19.Re1
Qd6; {Diagram?} The end of the column.
"White's mobile king-side majority
gives him a small advantage." (+/=)
- GM Nick de
Firmian.
(In the book, "Modern Chess Openings.")
Garcia Gonzalez - Toth; Thessaloniki Olympiad, 1984.
[ See MCO-14; page # 391,
column # 1, and note # (c.). ] ].
13...exd4; 14.exd4!?, {Diagram?}
With this move White gives himself
an isolated pawn, yet maintains a
strong grip
on the central squares.
[ Supposedly, the move
14.Nxd4!?, "=" {Diagram?}
offers White no advantage at all.
(But might have been a good
choice, if White wanted a long game.
The imbalances
in the pawn
majorities are the type of position
that computers do not handle very
well.) ].
14...Nf6; 15.Re1
Qd6; 16.h3!?, {Diagram?}
White prevents a pin and also
stops any further exchanges.
This move is not new, it had already
occurred in the game:
A. Selensky - V. Chekhov; Orel, 1998.
[ A common line is:
16.Rce3
Bg4; 17.h3
Bxf3; 18.Rxf3,
"=" {Diagram?}
and the position is dead level.
[ See MCO-14; page # 391,
and mainly column # 4. ]
MCO does not quote a game,
but this is probably the
encounter:
V. Kahn - C. Maderra; FIDE Olympiad
Warsaw, Poland; 1935.
(The game was eventually drawn. Source:
CB's on-line database.) ].
The game now settles into a
draw, neither side has a real, significant advantage.
16...Bf5; 17.Rce3
Rae8; (TN?)
{Diagram?}
Black's sensibly puts a Rook in
the middle of the board.
This could be the first new move by the Fritz team.
***
[ The other game that was played in this line was:
17...Rad8;
18.Qd2!?
a6; 19.Re5
Bg6; 20.Qa5
Rd7; 21.R1e3!?
Rfd8;
White now loosens his K-side.
22.g4!?
Kf8; 23.Qe1
h6; 24.d5!?, {Diagram?}
This is a pointless move.
(All White does is open the game,
and Black benefits from this. {'?!'})
( Maybe 24.h4!?, "=" )
24...cxd5; 25.Bxd5
Kg8; 26.Bb3
Rc7; 27.Nh4
Bc2;
28.Bxc2?!, {Diagram?}
White just gives Black a Rook
on the 7th rank - not wise.
(The best line is probably: >=
28.Rc3
Rxc3; 29.bxc3
Bxb3; 30.axb3
Qd3, "=/+" {Diag?}
but Black is still a little better.) 28...Rxc2;
29.Re8+?
Rxe8; 30.Rxe8+
Nxe8;
31.Qxe8+
Qf8; White Resigns, 0-1.
A. Selensky - (GM) V. Chekhov; Orel/[A.J.G.]/1998. ].
***
18.Re5
Bg6; 19.a3
Qd8; 20.Rxe8
Nxe8; 21.Qd2,
"+/=" {Diagram?}
Draw agreed; 1/2 - 1/2
(Go to the parent page of this page for a diagram of the final position.)
White has a very small, but also
a solid advantage. But in a long
ending, White's isolated
QP could
be a definite liability.
Kramnik may have been tired, the
match - with its almost constant
media attention - may have
worn
on his nerves. And after two straight
losses earlier in the match, Big K's
super-confidence
might have been
slightly shaken.
(Code Initially) Generated with ChessBase 8.0
1/2 - 1/2
Click HERE to return to the page for Kramnik vs. Deep Fritz, Game # 8.
Click HERE to go to (or return to) the main (parent) page for the Kramnik vs. Deep Fritz Match.
Click HERE to go to (or return to) my Main (home) page for this site.
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.
***
Page last updated: January 15th, 2003.
*******
Copyright (c) A.J. Goldsby I
Copyright (©) A.J. Goldsby, 2002 - 2004 & 2005. All rights reserved.
