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Recent GM Games (# 23)

GM V. Anand - GM V. Kramnik;

(Final, Play-off / Round # 04); Dortmund, GER; 2004.

It is very difficult to add to the intelligent and pointed comments (below) by IM Malcolm Pein, but here goes.

The opening is a standard opening line ... but I don't approve of the move ...h7-h5.
However, after move 15, the computer program Fritz 8.0 calls the position as close to even.
18...Na4; was an interesting idea, (Why not exchange?); but 3 different computer programs
notice a definite change in the scoring of the position. (Making this move somewhat dubious.)
Having placed the Knight on a4, Kramnik almost immediately retracts it - giving Anand an edge.
The move of 21.c4! gives White a small but solid advantage from the opening.
22.f5! was the start of a vigorous King-side attack by GM Vishy Anand.
23...Nd7?! (Maybe - '?') completely failed to accomplish anything positive for Kramnik.
(The idea was to re-position the Knight to e5 - but it is just too slow!)
Anand responds to the passive Knight retreat by playing g2-g4! on move 24, ripping
open a bunch of key lines to Black's King.
Kramnik tries to duck out of this struggle by heading for the end-game of Bishops-of-opposite
-colors. Nonetheless, this does not save Kramnik's bacon - this pig is headed for the party.
(And he is the main course!) Anand's b2-square is easily defended ... but the same cannot be
said of all the light squares in the second player's camp. 29...Rf8?; is basically a blunder in a
lost position, Black had to close lines with ...g7-g5. Kramnik resigns as he must lose major
amounts of material; 30.Rd1! and 31.Bg4!, leave Black with little to play for.
One can only hope that Kramnik plays the Najdorf this well against GM Peter Leko!

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Read more of IM Malcolm Pein's reports in THE WEEK IN CHESS.

This game is in the issue, TWIC # 508.
(Go to their downloads page. Download the game in your favorite format!)

(All games - Code initially generated with the program, ChessBase 8.0.)

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This game was first posted here: August 31st, 2004. This page was last updated on 01/04/13 .

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