Anand v Kramnik Game 6 Live Coverage
The Game 6 of the World Chess Championship, which will indicate half time for the Championship, will be played today.
Anand has a comfortable 2 point lead at this stage (3.5-1.5). In addition to this, the defending champion Anand has the advantage of the white pieces. Will he crush Kramnik while he's down or go for a safe draw? Watch the live analysis and annotations that we'll be providing yet again.
An interesting aside here. Anand is now back to the World's No. 1 position, just ahead of Veselin Topalov on the Live Chess Ratings list.
Vishwanathan Anand(2783) vs Vladimir Kramnik(2772)
Game 6 (Game starts at 3 PM Bonn Time)
World Chess Championship Match October 21, 2008
Bonn, Germany
1. d4 Nf6 2. c4 e6 3. Nc3
Anand has again started with the Queen pawn. He varies on the third move instead of the Nf3 that he played earlier, but a repeat of the first initial moves of the 2nd game is on the cards.
3 .... Bb4 4. Qc2 d5
A Nimzo Indian Classical with d5. Anand chooses the solid Qc2.
5. cxd5 Qxd5 6.Nf3 Qf5 7.Qb3
Anand avoids the exchange of the Queen's even though he can get a slight edge. That position can be comfortable for Kramnik but it is no way to win with black. The line goes - 7. Qxf5 exf5 8.a3 Bd6 9 Nb5 Be6 10 Bg5 and white has some advantages.
7... Nc6 8.Bd2 O-O 9.h3
Both players are using solid moves right now, but Anand's last move seems to be a novelty, threatening g4 later.
9...b6 10. g4
Here it comes. Anand is creating waves of excitement.
10 ... Qa5
Almost the only move. Now Anand can go 11. a3 or g5 or even Rc1. The more dynamic option 11. e4 also exists, but Kramnik has 11. ... Rd8 12 Qc4 Bb7 and he should be alright.
11. Rc1 Bb7
Kramnik has some work to do just to equalize, but the position is dynamic with chances for both sides. In most leading lines, the Queens are exchanged.
Anand is playing slower in this game for a change.
12. a3 Bxc3 13 Bxc3 Qd5 14. Qxd5
Kramnik is playing very fast, but the Queen's are off the board now.
14 ...Nxd5 15 Bd2 Nf6
Hope he is not playing fast at the cost of losing track of the game. Anand now has a discernible edge.
16 Rg1 Rac8
Slightly conservative. 16 g5 was more aggressive and it maintains the pressure and the advantage. For example, 16 g5 Ne4 14 Bf4 Rac8 18 Rg1 Na5 19 Ne5. Now with Anand's move Kramnik can move ahead with 16 ... Rfd8
Definitely more dull than the previous games.
17 Bg2 Ne7
I'll be surprised if Anand doesn't go for 18. g5. If he plays any other move, it will be a clear indication that he'll be happy to draw today.
18. Bb4
Well, not exactly a tame move, but Kramnik can meet it with 18 ... c5 19 dxc5 Rfd8 20 Bd2 Rxc5 and so on.
18... c5 19 dxc5
The variation we suggested a couple of moves back still hold. Black will have a slightly worse ending, but it Kramnik can easily hold such positions. But provided he has learnt his clock lessons and also plays naturally and not think about his two earlier losses.
Kramnik is thinking long in this position. To me, the position offers no promise, definitely to Black. Is he planning to offer a draw?
19 ... Rfd8 20 Ne5 Bxg2 21 Rxg2
The contenders seem to be going through the motions now since these days there is a stiff opposition to draws!
The position is about even.
21 ... bxc5 22 Rxc5
Bxc5 was probably stronger.
22 ...Ne4 23 Rxc8 Rxc8 24 Nd3 Nd5
Normal moves. Anand has material advantage, but Kramnik has more dynamic and well placed pieces. Anand has a slight plus at the moment. If you remember the earlier games, Kramnik was able to hold a pawn down position. What do you think of his chances this time?
25 Bd2 Rc2 26 Bc1
The following line is playable. 26 ...Nc5 27 Kd1 Nxd3 28 exd3 Rc7 2 g5 Rd7 30 b3 e5
Even though Anand enjoys a 2 point lead in the match, it must be frustrating to be a pawn up and still not be able to do anything with it. Even though Anand is ahead in material, Anand's pawns are scattered, his King exposed, and his Rook is kind of stuck.
26 ... f5 27 Kd1 Rc8 28 f3 Nd6 29 Ke1 a5
Kramnik is taking chances. Better was 29 ... Rc2 or Nb5 Anand has clear advantage that can be nursed to a possible serious advantage now.
30 e3 e5
A mistake. the f pawn needs the e pawn. Kramnik could have just played 30 ...a4
31 gxf5 e4 32
32 fxe4 Nxe4.
Kramnik could be in trouble now. Consider this - 33 Bd2 Rc2 34 Re2 a4 35 Bc3 Rxe2+ 36 Kxe2 Nec3+ 37 bxc3 Nxc3 38 Kf3 and Anand can play for a win.
33 Bd2 a4 34 Nf2 Nd6
This could be a lost position and Kramnik is again in trouble on his clock.
35 Rg4 Nc4
Only luck can save Kramnik now.
36 e4 Nf6
Anand is playing pretty quickly even though he can take a bit of extra time. He seems to be pushing Kramnik in time trouble and the tremendous mental pressure that he is already in.
37 Rg3 Nxb2 38 e5 Nd5 39 f6
Anand is playing pretty solid chess to keep his huge advantage.
39 ... Kf7 40 Ne4 Nc4
The time control has been successfully reached but Kramnik is completely lost. He can resign now.
41 fxg7
Oops. Anand's biggest mistake in the game. He is still winning but Rxg7 wins on the spot. Ironically, Anand played this move after time trouble was over! It appears that he plays better at blitz speed, lol.
41 ...Kg8
Rg8 was better but it appears that Kramnik wants to keep the Rook active. Also, he hopes to create trouble with his Knights.
A straight forward win here is 42 Rd3 Nxd2 43 Kxd2 Nb6 44 Rg3 Nd5 45 Nd6 Rc6
42 Rd3 Ndb6 43 Bh6 Nxe5 44 Nf6+ Kf7 45 Rc3 Rxc3 46 g8+Q Kxf6 47 Bg7+
1-0
Anand has a comfortable 2 point lead at this stage (3.5-1.5). In addition to this, the defending champion Anand has the advantage of the white pieces. Will he crush Kramnik while he's down or go for a safe draw? Watch the live analysis and annotations that we'll be providing yet again.
An interesting aside here. Anand is now back to the World's No. 1 position, just ahead of Veselin Topalov on the Live Chess Ratings list.
Vishwanathan Anand(2783) vs Vladimir Kramnik(2772)
Game 6 (Game starts at 3 PM Bonn Time)
World Chess Championship Match October 21, 2008
Bonn, Germany
1. d4 Nf6 2. c4 e6 3. Nc3
Anand has again started with the Queen pawn. He varies on the third move instead of the Nf3 that he played earlier, but a repeat of the first initial moves of the 2nd game is on the cards.
3 .... Bb4 4. Qc2 d5
A Nimzo Indian Classical with d5. Anand chooses the solid Qc2.
5. cxd5 Qxd5 6.Nf3 Qf5 7.Qb3
Anand avoids the exchange of the Queen's even though he can get a slight edge. That position can be comfortable for Kramnik but it is no way to win with black. The line goes - 7. Qxf5 exf5 8.a3 Bd6 9 Nb5 Be6 10 Bg5 and white has some advantages.
7... Nc6 8.Bd2 O-O 9.h3
Both players are using solid moves right now, but Anand's last move seems to be a novelty, threatening g4 later.
9...b6 10. g4
Here it comes. Anand is creating waves of excitement.
10 ... Qa5
Almost the only move. Now Anand can go 11. a3 or g5 or even Rc1. The more dynamic option 11. e4 also exists, but Kramnik has 11. ... Rd8 12 Qc4 Bb7 and he should be alright.
11. Rc1 Bb7
Kramnik has some work to do just to equalize, but the position is dynamic with chances for both sides. In most leading lines, the Queens are exchanged.
Anand is playing slower in this game for a change.
12. a3 Bxc3 13 Bxc3 Qd5 14. Qxd5
Kramnik is playing very fast, but the Queen's are off the board now.
14 ...Nxd5 15 Bd2 Nf6
Hope he is not playing fast at the cost of losing track of the game. Anand now has a discernible edge.
16 Rg1 Rac8
Slightly conservative. 16 g5 was more aggressive and it maintains the pressure and the advantage. For example, 16 g5 Ne4 14 Bf4 Rac8 18 Rg1 Na5 19 Ne5. Now with Anand's move Kramnik can move ahead with 16 ... Rfd8
Definitely more dull than the previous games.
17 Bg2 Ne7
I'll be surprised if Anand doesn't go for 18. g5. If he plays any other move, it will be a clear indication that he'll be happy to draw today.
18. Bb4
Well, not exactly a tame move, but Kramnik can meet it with 18 ... c5 19 dxc5 Rfd8 20 Bd2 Rxc5 and so on.
18... c5 19 dxc5
The variation we suggested a couple of moves back still hold. Black will have a slightly worse ending, but it Kramnik can easily hold such positions. But provided he has learnt his clock lessons and also plays naturally and not think about his two earlier losses.
Kramnik is thinking long in this position. To me, the position offers no promise, definitely to Black. Is he planning to offer a draw?
19 ... Rfd8 20 Ne5 Bxg2 21 Rxg2
The contenders seem to be going through the motions now since these days there is a stiff opposition to draws!
The position is about even.
21 ... bxc5 22 Rxc5
Bxc5 was probably stronger.
22 ...Ne4 23 Rxc8 Rxc8 24 Nd3 Nd5
Normal moves. Anand has material advantage, but Kramnik has more dynamic and well placed pieces. Anand has a slight plus at the moment. If you remember the earlier games, Kramnik was able to hold a pawn down position. What do you think of his chances this time?
25 Bd2 Rc2 26 Bc1
The following line is playable. 26 ...Nc5 27 Kd1 Nxd3 28 exd3 Rc7 2 g5 Rd7 30 b3 e5
Even though Anand enjoys a 2 point lead in the match, it must be frustrating to be a pawn up and still not be able to do anything with it. Even though Anand is ahead in material, Anand's pawns are scattered, his King exposed, and his Rook is kind of stuck.
26 ... f5 27 Kd1 Rc8 28 f3 Nd6 29 Ke1 a5
Kramnik is taking chances. Better was 29 ... Rc2 or Nb5 Anand has clear advantage that can be nursed to a possible serious advantage now.
30 e3 e5
A mistake. the f pawn needs the e pawn. Kramnik could have just played 30 ...a4
31 gxf5 e4 32
32 fxe4 Nxe4.
Kramnik could be in trouble now. Consider this - 33 Bd2 Rc2 34 Re2 a4 35 Bc3 Rxe2+ 36 Kxe2 Nec3+ 37 bxc3 Nxc3 38 Kf3 and Anand can play for a win.
33 Bd2 a4 34 Nf2 Nd6
This could be a lost position and Kramnik is again in trouble on his clock.
35 Rg4 Nc4
Only luck can save Kramnik now.
36 e4 Nf6
Anand is playing pretty quickly even though he can take a bit of extra time. He seems to be pushing Kramnik in time trouble and the tremendous mental pressure that he is already in.
37 Rg3 Nxb2 38 e5 Nd5 39 f6
Anand is playing pretty solid chess to keep his huge advantage.
39 ... Kf7 40 Ne4 Nc4
The time control has been successfully reached but Kramnik is completely lost. He can resign now.
41 fxg7
Oops. Anand's biggest mistake in the game. He is still winning but Rxg7 wins on the spot. Ironically, Anand played this move after time trouble was over! It appears that he plays better at blitz speed, lol.
41 ...Kg8
Rg8 was better but it appears that Kramnik wants to keep the Rook active. Also, he hopes to create trouble with his Knights.
A straight forward win here is 42 Rd3 Nxd2 43 Kxd2 Nb6 44 Rg3 Nd5 45 Nd6 Rc6
42 Rd3 Ndb6 43 Bh6 Nxe5 44 Nf6+ Kf7 45 Rc3 Rxc3 46 g8+Q Kxf6 47 Bg7+
1-0
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