Anand Kramnik Game 4

V Anand (2783) vs V Kramnik (2772)

1.d4 Nf6 2.c4 e6 3.Nf3

Anand again opens with d4. He is showing immense confidence. Anand deviates from the Game 2 continuation. It's a bit surprising. We all thought that he should have been happy with that position. Looks like he has something else in store.

3 .... d5 4.Nc3 Be7 5.Bf4 O-O 6.e3 Nbd7
Kramnik wisely avoids complications that ensue with 6 ... c5 where Anand will be more comfortable.

7.a3 c5 8.cxd5 Nxd5 9.Nxd5 exd5 10.dxc5 Nxc5 11.Be5 Bf5
11 ... Bf6 is more popular.

12.Be2 Bf6
Offers to exchange the strong bishop. White still maintains an edge though.

13.Bxf6 Qxf6 14.Nd4 Ne6 15.Nxf5 Qxf5 16.O-O Rfd8
Kramnik is playing fast. He seems to be well prepared today after yesterday's fiasco.

17.Bg4 Qe5 18.Qb3 Nc5 19.Qb5
Anand is trying hard to squeeze some advantage out of the position, but it seems to be dead equal and not the kind of position that Anand would like to be in. The more unbalanced, the better he usually feels.

19 ... b6 20. Rfd1 Rd6 21. Rd4 a6 22. Qb4 h5 23. Bh3 Rad8 24. g3 g5 25. Rad1 g4 26. Bg2
Probably better was Bf1

26 ... Ne6 27 R4d3 d4 28 exd4

Anand should be careful here not to fall into Kramnik's favorite area - a technical battle where there is a chance of being outplayed slowly but surely.
Consider this line - (28 ... Nxd4 29 Re1 Qf6 30 Qc3 h4 31 gxh4 Qxh4. Kramnik has a very miniscule advantage, but one that can magnify with any mistake)

28 ... Rxd4 29 Rxd4 Rxd4
Draw is agreed. It's a relief for Kramnik to get a breather after a bad loss. Good for Anand because he retains the lead, but I'm sure he'll repent that he could not get much out of the opening today.

1/2-1/2

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