3rd London Chess Classic 2011 (8)
Kramnik leads after defeating McShane in Round 8
IM Malcolm Pein - Tuesday 13th December 2011
Vladimir Kramnik only requires a draw with white against Levon Aronian to win the 3rd London Chess Classic. This was after he defeated Luke McShane in Round 8. Malcolm Pein looks at the game that deteriorated for McShane in time trouble coming up to first time control.
Kramnik against McShane Round 8. Photo © Ray Morris-Hill. | http://www.rmhphoto.eu
Vlaidmir Kramnik took the lead of the 3rd London Chess Classic by ending Luke McShane's long unbeaten run. In a tragic end to a very well played middlegame, McShane's promising position deteriorated in time trouble and grim resistance into the sixth hour was not enough. Instead of a three way tie for the lead, it is now Kramnik in pole position. The former world champion has won two games with black, so his tie break is superior to Magnus Carlsen's. Hence, a draw will ensure he takes the trophy.
McShane led going into the eighth and penultimate round. Playing white against Kramnik's favourite Berlin Defence, he responded quietly, before finding an imaginative sacrifice of rook and pawn for bishop that put the former world champion under some pressure. Somehow, McShane never managed to capture a key pawn on f4, it was amazing that this pawn never found its way into the box until McShane had to give up his precious bishop to prevent the appearance of a new queen.
In the other games, David Howell played aggressively against world number three Levon Aronian and looked better before surviving his customary time pressure to draw and end the event on 4 points. Vishy Anand was content to draw with Magnus Carlsen and Nigel Short secured an edge against Hikaru Nakamura but the position was too blocked to progress matters.
Scores: Kramnik 15/7; Carlsen 13/7; McShane Nakamura 12/7; Anand, Aronian 8/7; Short 5/7; Howell 4/8; Adams 3/7;
Last round:
McShane - Anand
Nakamura - Adams
Short - Carlsen
Kramnik - Aronian
L McShane - V Kramnik
Ruy Lopez Berlin Defence
1.e4 e5 2.Nf3 Nc6 3.Bb5 Nf6 4.d3 Bc5 5.Bxc6 dxc6 6.b3 Bg4 7.Nbd2 Nd7 8.Bb2 f6 9.Nf1 Nf8 10.h3 Bxf3 11.Qxf3 Ne6 12.Ne3 Qd7 13.h4 a5 14.a4 0-0 15.h5 Bxe3 16.Qxe3 c5 17.Qh3 Qc6 18.0-0 Nf4 19.Qh2 Qe8 20.h6 g5 21.g3 Ne6 22.f4 gxf4 23.gxf4 Nxf4
Vladimir Kramnik
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Luke McShane
Position after 23...Nxf4
24.Rxf4 exf4 25.Kf2 Rf7 26.Qh5 Qe6 27.Qxc5 Kh8 28.Qc4
(28.Rg1 Rg8 29.Rxg8+ Kxg8 30.Qxa5 Qh3= 31.Qa8+ Rf8 32.Qxb7)
28...Re8 29.Rh1! Qd7 30.Qb5
(30.Rh5 b6 31.Rf5)
30...Re6 31.Qxd7 Rxd7 32.Rg1 Rc6 33.Kf3 Rd8 34.Rg5 Rf8
35.Rg2
(35.Rxa5 Rxc2? 36.Bxf6+! Rxf6 37.Ra8+ so 35...Kg8 36.c4Rb6 37.Rb5 Rxb5 38.axb5=)
35...Rg8!
with rooks off Black is better
36.Rh2 Rg1 37.d4 Rf1+ 38.Kg4 f3 39.d5 Rd6 40.c4
(40.Kf5 f2 41.Bxf6+ Kg8 42.e5 Rxd5 43.Ke6! Rd6+! 44.Ke7!)
40...Kg8 41.c5 f5+! 42.Kxf5
(42.exf5 Rxd5)
42...Rg6
Suddenly Black is winning
43.Bd4 Rd1 44.Be3 Rg2 45.Rh3 f2 46.Bxf2 Rxf2+ 47.Ke6 Rf7 48.d6 c6 49.Ke5 Kf8 50.Rh2
There are some tricks but Kramnik avoids them
50...Rg1 51.b4 axb4 52.Rb2 Rg5+ 53.Ke6 Rg6+ 54.Ke5 Rxh6 55.a5 Rh5+ 56.Ke6 Rh6+ 57.Ke5 Rh5+ 58.Ke6 Ke8 59.a6 Rh6+ 60.Ke5 bxa6 61.Rxb4 Ra7 62.Rb8+ Kf7 63.Rc8 Re6+ 64.Kf5 a5 65.Rh8 Rf6+ 66.Ke5 Kg7 67.Rc8 a4 68.Rxc6 a3 69.d7 a2 0-1
Vladimir Kramnik
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Luke McShane
Final position after 69...a2
