Kramnik - Deep Fritz Game 1

Today Kramnik played his first game with white in his 6 game match with Deep Fritz. On move 14 Kramnik could have played an interesting queen sacrifice but clearly preferred a calm positional game. The endgame was not played perfectly by Fritz but Kramnik also did not show his usual best. He seems to have missed a win as the following analysis will show.


(24) GM Kramnik,Vladimir [MAN] (2750) - COMP Deep Fritz 10 [MACHINE] [E03]
RAG World Chess Challenge Bonn GER (1), 25.11.2006

Analysis Rybka 2.2

1.d4 Nf6 2.c4 e6 3.g3 d5 4.Bg2 dxc4 5.Qa4+ Nbd7 6.Qxc4 a6 7.Qd3 c5 8.dxc5 Bxc5 9.Nf3 0-0 10.0-0 Qe7 11.Nc3 b6 12.Ne4!? Nxe4 13.Qxe4 Nf6 -0.12/17 14.Qh4 Diagram



[14.Qxa8 Bb7 15.Qxf8+ Kxf8 16.a3 Ne4 (16...a5 17.b4 axb4 18.axb4 Bxb4 19.Ra7 Nd5 20.Ne5 Bd6 21.Bb2+/= ; 16...e5 17.b4 Bd4 18.Ra2 Ne4 19.Rc2 Nd6 20.Nxd4 exd4 21.Bxb7 Qxb7 22.Rd1 Qd5 23.Rd3+/= ) 17.Nd2= ]

14...Bb7 15.Bg5 Rfd8 16.Bxf6 Qxf6 17.Qxf6 gxf6 18.Rfd1 Kf8 19.Ne1 Bxg2 20.Kxg2 f5 21.Rxd8+ Rxd8 22.Nd3 Bd4 23.Rc1 e5 24.Rc2 Rd5?! [24...a5 ]

25.Nb4 Rb5 26.Nxa6 Rxb2 27.Rxb2 Bxb2 28.Nb4 Kg7 it seems white has a winning endgame

29.Nd5 Bd4 30.a4?! Diagram



Rybka does not like this plan and wants to bring its King to the Q-side [30.e3 Bc5 31.Kf3 b5 (31...f6 32.Ke2 e4 33.Kd2 Kf7 34.Kc3 Ke6 35.Kc4+- ) 32.Ke2 e4 33.Kd2 Kg6 34.Kc3 Bd6 35.Kb3 Kg5 36.Nc3 b4 37.Nb5 Bf8 38.h3 h5 39.Nd4 Bd6 40.Kc4 Bf8 41.Nc2+- ]

30...Bc5 31.h3 Diagram



[31.f4!? e4! (31...exf4 32.gxf4 f6 33.e3 Kf7 34.Kf3 Ke6 35.Nc7+ Kd7 36.Nb5 Kc6 37.Ke2 Kd5 38.Kd3 Kc6 39.h3 Kb7 40.Nd4 Ka6 41.Kc4 Ka5 42.Nb3+ Kxa4 43.Nxc5+ bxc5 44.Kxc5+- ) 32.Kf1 f6 33.Ke1 Kf7 34.Kd2 Ke6 35.Nc7+ Kd7 36.Nb5 Kc6 37.Kc3 Bg1 38.Nd4+ Bxd4+ 39.Kxd4 Kd6 40.h3 h5= ]

31...f6 32.f3 Kg6 33.e4 h5!= 34.g4 hxg4 35.hxg4 fxe4 36.fxe4 Kg5 37.Kf3 Kg6 38.Ke2 Kg5 39.Kd3!? last attempt for a win

39...Bg1 [39...Kxg4 40.Nxf6+ Kf3 41.Kc4 Be7 42.Nd7 Kxe4 43.Nxb6 Bd8 44.a5 Kf5= ]

40.Kc4 Bf2 41.Kb5 Kxg4 42.Nxf6+ Kf3 43.Kc6 Bh4 44.Nd7 Kxe4 45.Kxb6 Bf2+ 46.Kc6 Be1 47.Nxe5 1/2-1/2