Amber Blindfold and Rapid 2010 (8)
Kramnik nearly whitewashes Carlsen
IM Malcolm Pein - Wednesday 24th March 2010
Magnus Carlsen was lucky to score 0.5/2 against Vladimir Kramnik after being just a touch too cavalier in his opening choices at the 19th Amber Blindfold and Rapid Tournament.
Magnus Carlsen against Vladimir Kramnik Rd8. Photo © Association Max Euwe | http://www.amberchess2010.com
Magnus Carlsen was lucky to score 0.5/2 against Vladimir Kramnik after being just a touch too cavalier in his opening choices at the 19th Amber Blindfold and Rapid Tournament . Carlsen - Kramnik battles are eagerly awaited at every event where they both compete as a former world champion battles a young man who seems certain to be a future holder of the title. Carlsen won brilliantly at the London Chess Classic, Kramnik replied in kind at Corus and at Nice he gave Carlsen something of a lesson.
In the Blindfold Carlsen played a sharp but perhaps slightly speculative pawn sacrifice and was comprehensively outplayed. The most fascinating aspect of this game is a line Kramnik foresaw involving a queen sacrifice which I think forces a win in slow motion. Computers just don't get it, the idea is so deep. The fact that he should have finished Carlsen off slightly quicker and not have needed to resort to such brilliance does not detract from the genius of the concept and to see it blindfolded is astonishing.
In the Rapid game Carlsen rather cheekily played the King's Indian Defence, an opening Kramnik has an unrivalled record against in modern chess. Kramnik was slightly better from the opening but then secured a big advantage and had so many ways to win he appeared to get confused and went from three pawns up to one after which Carlsen managed to scramble a draw.
Vasily Ivanchuk only drew 1-1 with back marker Lenier Dominguez but increased his lead.
M Carlsen - V Kramnik
1.d4 Nf6 2.c4 e6 3.Nf3 d5 4.Nc3 dxc4 5.e4 Bb4 6.Bxc4 Nxe4 7.0-0 Nxc3 8.bxc3 Be7 9.Ne5 0-0 10.Qg4 Nc6 11.Bh6 Bf6 12.Rad1 Ne7 13.Bc1
(Anticipating Ng6)
13...c5 14.Ba3
(14.Rd3 looks sharper)
14...Qc7 15.Qh5 Bxe5 16.dxe5 b6 17.Bd3 Ng6 18.Bc1
(This bishop has moved 4 times, the attack is insufficient)
18...Bb7 19.Bg5 h6 20.Bc1 Nxe5 21.Rfe1 f6 22.f4 Nxd3 23.Rxd3 Rad8 24.Rg3 Rd5 25.Qxh6 Qd7 26.h3 Rf7 27.Kh2 Rd1 28.Rxd1 Qxd1 29.f5 e5 30.Be3 Qe2
(Black is two pawn up with a won position)
31.Qg6 Bxg2 32.Rxg2 Qxe3 33.h4 Qf4+ 34.Kh3 e4 35.h5 e3
(35...Kf8 is immediately decisive)
36.h6 Re7
(36...e2! 37.h7+ Kh8 38.Qxf7 Qxf5+ 39.Rg4 Qxh7+ wins)
37.Qh5
( Kramnik saw 37.hxg7 Qf3+ 38.Kh2 Qxg2+!! 39.Qxg2 (39.Kxg2 Rxg7) 39...e2 40.Qh3 Kxg7 41.Qg3+ Kf8 42.Qe1 b5! and there seems no defence to the queenside advance -see analysis diagram
Vladimir Kramnik
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Magnus Carlsen
Analysis Position after 42...b5
Position after 42...b5
43.Kg3 Re5 44.Kh4 a5 45.a3 Kf7 and b5-b4
37...e2 38.Rxe2 Qf1+ 39.Rg2 Qh1+ 0-1
Vladimir Kramnik
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Magnus Carlsen
Position after 42...b5
Overall scores after 8 of 11 rounds.
1 Ivanchuk 11;
2 Carlsen 10;
3-4 Kramnik, Gelfand 9.5;
5-6 Grischuk, Karjakin 9;
7-8 Gashimov, Svidler 8.5;
9 Aronian 7;
10 Ponomariov 6.5;
Smeets 4;
Dominguez 3.5;
