Anand Wins Game 3!

Vishwanthan Anand won the 3rd game of the World Chess Championship match against Vladimir Kramnik.

Kramnik made a huge blunder in time trouble. Anand played aggressively and blitzed his moves in an obviously well prepared line in a Semi-slav Meran System game. As it always happens, aggressive players such as Anand like their games unbalanced and Kramnik played into his hands. For a while Kramnik enjoyed a good advantage, but made a few mistakes including blunders in time trouble.

Anand now enjoys a 2-1 lead in the match and will go confidently into the 4th game where he has the white pieces. If the form he demonstrated in the 2nd game is any indication, he is a firm favorite in the 4th game too.

Match Score

Kramnik 0.5, 0.5, 0 -- Total 1

Anand 0.5, 0.5, 1 --- Total 2

Enjoy the game!

Vladimir Kramnik - Vishwanathan Anand 0-1

1.d4 d5 2.c4 c6 3.Nf3 Nf6 4.Nc3 e6 5.e3
It's a Slav game again, but the Moscow variation is avoided since it has been researched a lot recently.

5... Nbd7 6.Bd3 dxc4 7.Bxc4 b5 8.Bd3 a6 9.e4 c5 10.e5 cxd4 11.Nxb5 axb5 12.exf6 gxf6 13.O-O Qb6 14.Qe2 Bb7 15.Bxb5 Bd6 16.Rd1 Rg8 17.g3 Rg4 18.Bf4 Bxf4 19.Nxd4
Probably just what Anand was looking for. Rxd4 would have maintained balance.

19 ... h5 20.Nxe6 fxe6 21.Rxd7 Kf8 22 Qd3

Anand displays an aggressive stance here. In addition to this, Anand has played most of the game at an amazing speed for a World Championship match. At one point, he was ahead by more than an hour! In the end, that advantage told.

22 .... Rg7 23.Rxg7 Kxg7 24.gxf4 Rd8 25.Qe2
Mistake.

25 .... Kh6 26.Kf1 Rg8 27.a4 Bg2+ 28.Ke1 Bh3 29.Ra3 Rg1+ 30.Kd2 Qd4+ 31.Kc2 Bg4 32.f3 Bf5+ 33.Bd3
Serious blunder. Anand can finish the game in just a few moves with Bxd3.

33 ... Bh3 34.a5 Rg2 35.a6 Rxe2+ 36.Bxe2 Bf5+ 37.Kb3 Qe3+ 38.Ka2 Qxe2 39.a7 Qc4+ 40.Ka1 Qc1+ 41.Ka2 Bb1+

Kramnik Anand 0-1