Anand Kramnik Game 11
Anand will surely aim for a draw with white in the 11th game that will be played tomorrow. We will cover the game with live comments and analysis.
What do you think he will open with? Will we finally see 1.e4 where Anand has drawn all his games or won against Kramnik? Is he only in d4 mood for this match? Consider the fact that Kramnik may have prepared extensively for 1. e4. This game is very eagerly awaited for all these and more reasons. For sure, nerves will be put to test.
Remember Kramnik has never beaten anyone since 2006 with black. The stage is different and Kramnik is on the rebound and the pressure is on Anand to at least draw to claim the crown.
Match Score
V Anand ½ ½ 1 ½ 1 1 ½ ½ ½ 0 Total - 6
Kramnik ½ ½ 0 ½ 0 0 ½ ½ ½ 1 Total - 4
V Anand vs V Kramnik
Round 11
World Chess Championship
Bonn, Germany
October 29, 2008
1. e4 c5 2. Nf3 d6 3. d4 cxd4 4 Nxd4 Nf6 5. Nf3 a6 6 Bg5 e6 7 f4 Qc7 8 Bxf6 gxf6
Yes! It's 1. e4. Probably Anand's main method to achieve an easy draw. But as we already said, Kramnik mainly prepared for Anand's e4.
It's a Sicilian Najdorf with 6 Bg5 e6 7 f4
9 f5 Qc5
Surprised Anand first by choosing the Najdorf and now with this move. Vishy is spending time to think this out.
The line Nc6 10.fxe6 fxe6 11.Bc4 Nxd4 12.Qxd4 Rg8 13.O-O-O is an easy draw at least for white. Kramnik tries to choose a line with attacking possibilities. Now the game can continue for example, 10 Qd2 h5 11 Nb3 Bh6 or Qb6 or Qc7 and Kramnik has an open line to attack Anand's King. But he also has his own King exposed. He will take risks for sure. There is no other way to escape the draw that Anand is looking for.
10 Qd3 Nc6 11 Nb3 Qe5
This line is also pretty solid. The resurgent challenger is playing quickly and solidly so far, although he has yet to equalize.
12 O-O-O
Now Black can go 12 ... exf5 13 exf5 Bxf5 winning a pawn, but at a cost. The pawn structure is damaged and the King is standing on an open line. For example, after this sequence, white can go 14 Qf3 Be6 15 Kb1 Rc8 16 g3 Qf5 17 Qxf5 Bxf5 18 Bg2 and white has compensation for the pawn with the open lines available for attacking the vulnerable black King.
12 ... exf5
Kramnik is really going for it. Does he have something special up his sleeve? This is a dangerous continuation generally not suited to Kramnik's style, but the situation too is not something that Kramnik is used to, at least in matches.
Another method for white here is 13 g3 fxe4 14 Qxe4 Be6 15 Bg2 Qxe4 16 Nxe4 O-O-O 17 Nxf6 and white gets back the pawn and has a position that can be steered towards at least a draw.
13.Qe3
Now consider this line - 13 ... fxe4 14 Rd5 Qe6 15 Nd4 Nxd4 16 Qxd4 b5 17 Nxe4 Bb7 18 Nxd6+ Bxd6 19 Rxd6 Qe1+ 20 Qd1 Qxd1+ 21 Rxd1 Rg8. Not much for black here.
13. ...Bg7
Wow! Is it to castle King side? Here, white can reply with 14 Nd2 fxe4 15 Ndxe4 O-O 16 Rd5 Qe7 17 Qg3 f5 18 Nxd6 f4 19 Qxf4 Be5 20 Rxe5 Nxe5 21 Nde4 and the position is pretty much balanced although, I don't see Anand giving up his Rook.
Or, straight away, 14 Rd5
14. Rd5 Qe7
Why Kramnik chose the sequence from the 13th move is not yet clear. White seems to have things under control. Even a couple of lines where gives up a Rook for a minor piece look OK. Anand can now play 15 Qg3 Rg8 16 Qh4 fxe4 17 Qxh7 Kf8 18 Qxe4 f5 19 Qf3 and he is well placed after that, drawish.
15 Qg3 Rg8 16 Qf4 fxe4 17 Nxe4 f5 18 Nxd6+ Kf8 19 Nxc8 Rxc8
And now Anand can continue with 20 Kb1 Qe1+ 21 Qc1 Qxc1+ 22 Nxc1 and he is actually better. Should not be difficult to get a draw in a position with no Queens and just the other pieces around.
20 Kb1 Qe1+
Now Anand can block the check with the queen or the Knight. To me, blocking with the Queen allows him to simplifying right away.
21 Nc1
Anand does it with the Knight. This is perfectly alright. Now almost every normal continuation results in the exchange of Queens. Anand is clearly OK now. After Kramnik chooses what seems to be the best way, he can go 21 ...Ne7 22 Qd2 Qxd2 23 Rxd2 b5 24 Rd7 Be5 25 Nd3 Bc7 26 Nc5 and he retains an edge in the game.
21 ... Ne7 22 Qd2 Qxd2 23 Rxd2 Bh6 24 Rf2 Be3
Draw
Anand is still the World Champ!
What do you think he will open with? Will we finally see 1.e4 where Anand has drawn all his games or won against Kramnik? Is he only in d4 mood for this match? Consider the fact that Kramnik may have prepared extensively for 1. e4. This game is very eagerly awaited for all these and more reasons. For sure, nerves will be put to test.
Remember Kramnik has never beaten anyone since 2006 with black. The stage is different and Kramnik is on the rebound and the pressure is on Anand to at least draw to claim the crown.
Match Score
V Anand ½ ½ 1 ½ 1 1 ½ ½ ½ 0 Total - 6
Kramnik ½ ½ 0 ½ 0 0 ½ ½ ½ 1 Total - 4
V Anand vs V Kramnik
Round 11
World Chess Championship
Bonn, Germany
October 29, 2008
1. e4 c5 2. Nf3 d6 3. d4 cxd4 4 Nxd4 Nf6 5. Nf3 a6 6 Bg5 e6 7 f4 Qc7 8 Bxf6 gxf6
Yes! It's 1. e4. Probably Anand's main method to achieve an easy draw. But as we already said, Kramnik mainly prepared for Anand's e4.
It's a Sicilian Najdorf with 6 Bg5 e6 7 f4
9 f5 Qc5
Surprised Anand first by choosing the Najdorf and now with this move. Vishy is spending time to think this out.
The line Nc6 10.fxe6 fxe6 11.Bc4 Nxd4 12.Qxd4 Rg8 13.O-O-O is an easy draw at least for white. Kramnik tries to choose a line with attacking possibilities. Now the game can continue for example, 10 Qd2 h5 11 Nb3 Bh6 or Qb6 or Qc7 and Kramnik has an open line to attack Anand's King. But he also has his own King exposed. He will take risks for sure. There is no other way to escape the draw that Anand is looking for.
10 Qd3 Nc6 11 Nb3 Qe5
This line is also pretty solid. The resurgent challenger is playing quickly and solidly so far, although he has yet to equalize.
12 O-O-O
Now Black can go 12 ... exf5 13 exf5 Bxf5 winning a pawn, but at a cost. The pawn structure is damaged and the King is standing on an open line. For example, after this sequence, white can go 14 Qf3 Be6 15 Kb1 Rc8 16 g3 Qf5 17 Qxf5 Bxf5 18 Bg2 and white has compensation for the pawn with the open lines available for attacking the vulnerable black King.
12 ... exf5
Kramnik is really going for it. Does he have something special up his sleeve? This is a dangerous continuation generally not suited to Kramnik's style, but the situation too is not something that Kramnik is used to, at least in matches.
Another method for white here is 13 g3 fxe4 14 Qxe4 Be6 15 Bg2 Qxe4 16 Nxe4 O-O-O 17 Nxf6 and white gets back the pawn and has a position that can be steered towards at least a draw.
13.Qe3
Now consider this line - 13 ... fxe4 14 Rd5 Qe6 15 Nd4 Nxd4 16 Qxd4 b5 17 Nxe4 Bb7 18 Nxd6+ Bxd6 19 Rxd6 Qe1+ 20 Qd1 Qxd1+ 21 Rxd1 Rg8. Not much for black here.
13. ...Bg7
Wow! Is it to castle King side? Here, white can reply with 14 Nd2 fxe4 15 Ndxe4 O-O 16 Rd5 Qe7 17 Qg3 f5 18 Nxd6 f4 19 Qxf4 Be5 20 Rxe5 Nxe5 21 Nde4 and the position is pretty much balanced although, I don't see Anand giving up his Rook.
Or, straight away, 14 Rd5
14. Rd5 Qe7
Why Kramnik chose the sequence from the 13th move is not yet clear. White seems to have things under control. Even a couple of lines where gives up a Rook for a minor piece look OK. Anand can now play 15 Qg3 Rg8 16 Qh4 fxe4 17 Qxh7 Kf8 18 Qxe4 f5 19 Qf3 and he is well placed after that, drawish.
15 Qg3 Rg8 16 Qf4 fxe4 17 Nxe4 f5 18 Nxd6+ Kf8 19 Nxc8 Rxc8
And now Anand can continue with 20 Kb1 Qe1+ 21 Qc1 Qxc1+ 22 Nxc1 and he is actually better. Should not be difficult to get a draw in a position with no Queens and just the other pieces around.
20 Kb1 Qe1+
Now Anand can block the check with the queen or the Knight. To me, blocking with the Queen allows him to simplifying right away.
21 Nc1
Anand does it with the Knight. This is perfectly alright. Now almost every normal continuation results in the exchange of Queens. Anand is clearly OK now. After Kramnik chooses what seems to be the best way, he can go 21 ...Ne7 22 Qd2 Qxd2 23 Rxd2 b5 24 Rd7 Be5 25 Nd3 Bc7 26 Nc5 and he retains an edge in the game.
21 ... Ne7 22 Qd2 Qxd2 23 Rxd2 Bh6 24 Rf2 Be3
Draw
Anand is still the World Champ!
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