[Event "Legends of Chess Prelim"] [White "Anand,Viswanathan"] [Black "Kramnik,Vladimir"] [Site "chess24.com INT"] [Round "3.1"] [Annotator "Kasimdzhanov,Rustam"] [Result "0-1"] [Date "2020.07.23"] [WhiteElo "2753"] [BlackElo "2753"] [PlyCount "126"] {[%evp 0,126,80,26,67,25,37,38,70,49,55,2,8,8,55,-7,57,36,49,29,2,15,15,31,45,37,38,37,44,26,45,20,47,20,54,16,24,11,13,20,14,22,24,17,34,2,4,-3,-10,2,3,2,-24,-36,-36,-36,-27,-45,-45,-30,-31,-38,-10,-14,-14,-27,-67,-47,-35,-113,-144,-209,-81,-2,-2,-17,-17,-17,-17,-17,0,-21,-22,-114,-26,0,0,0,0,0,0,0,0,-12,-49,0,16,0,20,7,20,20,33,50,8,8,54,0,-238,-318,0,0,0,0,0,-71,-81,-157,-157,-157,80,0,0,0,0,0,114,-762,-802]} 1. e4 { To understand just how extraordinary the game is you're about to see, bear in mind it was played at 15+10 time control :)} e6 {A rare guest in Kramnik's games.} 2. d4 d5 3. Nc3 Nf6 4. e5 Nfd7 5. f4 c5 6. Nf3 Nc6 7. Be3 Be7 8. Qd2 a6 9. Bd3 b5 10. a3 c4 {This leads to an almost new position, though the structure is almost as old as chess itself.} (10... O-O 11. O-O f5 {1-0 (48) Cheparinov,I (2711)-Bluebaum,M (2620) Germany 2019} )11. Be2 Nb6 12. O-O Bd7 {The conflict has already been well-defined. Black is very strong on the queenside, White will try to get f5 and get to the black king.} 13. Bd1 $5 {Interesing approach. It looks like White wants to play Ne2, c3, Bc2, but in fact it's trickier than that.} (13. g4 h5 14. gxh5 Rxh5 { doesn't feel clear.} )(13. Nd1 a5 14. c3 b4 {is the reason Vishy leaves his knight on c3 for now.} )g6 (13... Qc7 {looks natural too, but probably doesn't change too much.} )14. h3 {Some sort of waiting game, but also a useful move of course.} (14. Ne2 a5 )Qc7 15. Bf2 $5 {And this is, amazingly, some sort of zugzwang :) Kramnik finds a useful move though.} h6 $1 (15... O-O-O 16. b3 Kb7 17. Be2 {[%cal Gf1b1,Gc3d1,Gd1e3] White is the favorite to get to Black's king first here.} )16. Ne2 {Vishy changes his plan after seeing the pawn on h6.} (16. Kh2 O-O-O 17. b3 (17. Ne2 Kb7 )Rdg8 18. Be2 g5 {was the point behind h6, gaining a tempo on counterplay, with a huge fight.} )a5 $1 {Of course.} 17. c3 O-O-O 18. Bh4 Bxh4 19. Nxh4 Kb7 20. Nf3 Ra8 21. Bc2 Qd8 {The advance ...b4 still needs some work.} (21... b4 22. axb4 axb4 23. cxb4 )22. g4 {Not without dangers potentially, but Vishy probably felt he can't do without f5 in a long run.} (22. Nh2 h5 (22... Qe7 23. Ng4 h5 24. Nf6 b4 25. axb4 axb4 26. b3 $13 )23. Nf3 Qe7 24. Ng5 Rhb8 {[%cal Gd7e8,Gb7c7,Gb5b4] A nice square for the knight, but feels slow.} )Qe7 (22... h5 {Black should't start a fight where his opponent is stronger.} 23. Ng5 (23. Kg2 Qe7 )Qe7 (23... hxg4 24. Nxf7 Qh4 25. Nxh8 Rxh8 26. Qe3 $16 )24. f5 gxf5 25. gxf5 exf5 26. Bxf5 Raf8 27. h4 f6 28. exf6 Rxf6 29. Bxd7 Nxd7 30. Ng3 $16 )23. Ng3 (23. Kh2 h5 )(23. Rae1 b4 24. f5 b3 (24... gxf5 25. gxf5 )25. f6 (25. Bb1 Rag8 )Qf8 26. Bd1 Na7 )b4 24. axb4 axb4 {Kramnik played his breakthrough first and somewhere around here Vishy loses some ground } 25. Rxa8 (25. Kg2 b3 26. Rxa8 Rxa8 27. Bb1 )({or} 25. h4 Na5 26. h5 Nb3 { both lead to a perfect mess} )Rxa8 26. f5 gxf5 27. gxf5 (27. Qxh6 fxg4 28. hxg4 Ra2 )Ra2 28. Qc1 bxc3 (28... exf5 $5 {would be interesting, but also deprive us of all the beauty to come.} 29. Bxf5 (29. Nxf5 Bxf5 30. Bxf5 bxc3 31. bxc3 Qa3 )Be6 30. Qxh6 Rxb2 31. Ng5 Nd8 {and it feels easier to play black here} )29. bxc3 Qa3 30. Bb1 $2 {This, surprisingly, is a mistake, but it wouldn't be obvious even in a classical game, let alone at the breathtaking speed the two giants were playing.} (30. Qxa3 Rxa3 31. Ne2 exf5 { It's White who still needs to be accurate here.} )Qxc1 $2 {A rare case when Kramnik doesn't evaluate the queen exchange correctly. After} (30... Rb2 $1 31. f6 Na4 32. Ne2 Na7 {Black is substantially better, aided by his more active queen and a safer king.} )31. Rxc1 Rb2 (31... Ra3 {also makes sense.} )32. f6 Na4 {A massively complex ending.} 33. Bh7 {Something tells me it's a trap.} ({Interesting would be} 33. Bg6 $5 Be8 34. Bh5 {The bishop is well placed here.} Kc7 35. Nh2 Nxc3 36. Rxc3 Nxd4 {and we went from complex to complex, with a very tough fight ahead.} )Na5 $2 {That's exactly what Vishy probably had played Bh7 for.} (33... Be8 34. Kf1 Na7 35. Ne2 Nb5 36. h4 Kc7 37. h5 {and maybe it's better to play White here, cause a bit amazingly Black ran out of ideas.} )34. Bg6 $1 {Oh boy, here we go.} Nb3 35. Re1 $1 { In anticipation of what follows.} Be8 36. Nf5 $3 {The point of it all. Now pretty much everyone realized Black is in trouble, and Kramnik had to find a way to hang in there.} fxg6 {Black had other defences, but Kramnik didn't have all the time in the world, of course.} (36... Nxc3 $5 37. Nd6+ Kc6 38. Nxe8 Nc1 $3 {The point of Black's counterplay.} 39. Bh7 $3 {An amazingly difficult solution.} (39. Rxc1 Ne2+ 40. Kf1 Nxc1 41. Nd6 $1 Ne2 (41... fxg6 42. f7 Rb8 43. Ne8 )42. Bxf7 (42. Nxf7 Nf4 43. Bh7 Nxh3 )Nf4 43. Be8+ Kb6 44. f7 Ng6 {remains very difficult for both.} )(39. Bxf7 N1e2+ 40. Kf2 Nxd4+ 41. Kg3 (41. Ke3 Nc2+ 42. Kf4 Nxe1 43. Nxe1 Re2 44. Bxe6 Rxe1 45. f7 Rf1+ 46. Ke3 Ne4 47. Nf6 Nxf6 48. Ke2 $3 Nh7 49. Kxf1 )Ne4+ 42. Rxe4 Nf5+ 43. Kf4 dxe4 44. Bxe6 exf3 45. Kxf5 Rc2 46. f7 f2 47. Kg6 f1=Q 48. Nf6 {with a royal mess, and the reason White needs his bishop to control c2, e4, and f5!} )N1e2+ 40. Kf2 Nxd4+ 41. Ke3 Nxf3 {There's nothing better now.} 42. Kxf3 {and White is doing well here, but I assure you, it wouldn't be obvious during the game to you, or me, or Anand, or anyone :)} d4 (42... Nb5 43. Bg8 Nd4+ 44. Kf4 c3 45. Bxf7 Re2 46. Ra1 Re4+ 47. Kg3 Rxe5 48. Bg6 )43. Nd6 d3 44. Nxc4 d2 45. Nxd2 Rxd2 46. Bg8 )(36... exf5 37. e6 $18 )(36... Kc6 37. Nd6 Kd7 {Another cunning try.} 38. Bxf7 Bxf7 39. Nxf7 Nxc3 40. Nh8 $3 {There are many lines here, but only this seems to win.} (40. Nd6 Nc1 41. Rxc1 Ne2+ 42. Kf1 Nxc1 43. f7 Rb8 )Nc1 41. Rxc1 (41. f7 N1e2+ $11 )Ne2+ 42. Kf1 Nxc1 43. f7 Rb8 (43... Ke7 44. Nh4 Rb8 45. N4g6+ Kd7 46. f8=Q Rxf8+ 47. Nxf8+ Ke7 48. Nfg6+ Ke8 49. Nf4 $18 )44. Ng6 {and White wins} )37. Nd6+ Kc7 38. Nxe8+ Kd7 39. Nd6 g5 $1 {[%cal Gf6f7,Gf3h4,Gh4g6] Controlling h4 is vital.} 40. Nf5 $3 {I've never seen this before. After 36.Nf5!! white knight dances all the way back, and again it's brilliant, and correct, and important!} Ke8 (40... exf5 41. e6+ {White's pawns queen here.} )41. Nxh6 Nxc3 {Both players, as well as thousands watching live, knew it must be winning for White here, but with minutes ticking away, it was also unlikely to be easy. Black gets counterplay against white king.} 42. Nxg5 Nxd4 43. f7+ Ke7 44. Ra1 {Very natural.} (44. Rf1 $1 {An almost impossible task, under the circumstances.} Nce2+ (44... Rb8 45. Nh7 $18 )45. Kf2 {and all the checks are of no avail:} Nc6 (45... Nc3+ 46. Ke3 )46. Ke1 $18 Rb1+ 47. Kxe2 Rxf1 48. Kxf1 Nxe5 49. Ke2 d4 50. Kd1 Nd7 51. h4 {and White wins, slowly but surely.} )Nce2+ 45. Kf2 Nf4+ 46. Kg3 $2 {most natural, but} (46. Kf1 $3 {was strong, to keep the king safe from checks.} Nc6 (46... Ng6 47. Ng8+ Kd7 (47... Kf8 48. Ra8+ Kg7 49. Ne7 $1 {is a very cute point.} )48. Ra7+ Kd8 49. Ne7 Nf8 50. Ra8+ Kxe7 51. Re8+ Kd7 52. Rxf8 $18 )47. Ng8+ Kf8 48. Nf6 Kg7 49. f8=Q+ $3 {Such a rare theme.} Kxf8 50. Ra8+ Rb8 $1 (50... Nb8 51. Ra7 { is actually mate.} )51. Nd7+ Ke7 52. Nxb8 Nxe5 {and whilst my computer assures me White is clearly winning here, I must confess it still looks messy to me!} )Ng6 47. Ra7+ Kd8 48. Ra8+ Kc7 49. Rg8 Ne2+ $1 {Kramnik reinforces his defences with this vital check, and now it's Vishy who has to fight for his life. There was't much time left for subtleties...} 50. Kf2 (50. Kf3 {would be better.} Nxe5+ 51. Ke3 Nxf7 52. Nhxf7 c3 53. Ne5 c2 54. Nd3 Rb3 55. Kxe2 Rxd3 56. Nxe6+ Kd6 57. Rc8 $11 )Nef4+ 51. Ke3 c3 52. Nxe6+ $2 (52. Rxg6 Nxg6 53. Nxe6+ Kd7 54. Nf4 {was still okay, but by now they were both blitzing...} d4+ 55. Ke4 c2 56. e6+ Kc7 57. Nd3 Rb3 (57... Kd6 $5 )58. Kf5 Rxd3 59. Kxg6 c1=Q 60. f8=Q {and the white king being safe, draw is no longer difficult.} )Nxe6 53. Rxg6 d4+ 54. Ke4 Re2+ $2 (54... c2 55. Rxe6 c1=Q 56. f8=Q { Kramnik correctly felt this should be checkmate, but hesitated to go for it with no time to figure it out with accuracy.} Qe3+ 57. Kd5 Rb5+ 58. Kc4 Qb3+ 59. Kxd4 Qa4+ $1 {is the most convincing way, but far from easy.} )55. Kf3 $1 Re3+ 56. Kg4 Nf8 (56... c2 57. Rxe6 c1=Q 58. Re7+ Kb6 59. f8=Q Qg1+ 60. Kh4 Qg3+ 61. Kh5 $18 )57. Rg8 Nd7 (57... c2 58. Rxf8 c1=Q 59. Rc8+ $11 )58. Nf5 $3 {This move again! I don't know if there's ever been a game in history of games, where the same knight landed three times on the same square, and it was always the best move by far, and twice a sacrifice!!} c2 {there's no win} (58... Re4+ 59. Kf3 c2 60. Rg1 d3 61. Kxe4 d2 62. e6 d1=Q 63. exd7 {White's pawns are too strong here.} Qxg1 64. d8=Q+ Kxd8 65. f8=Q+ Kc7 $11 )(58... Rxe5 59. Nxd4 Re4+ 60. Kf3 Rxd4 61. Ke2 c2 62. Rg1 $11 )59. Nxe3 c1=Q (59... dxe3 60. e6 c1=Q 61. exd7 $11 )60. Nd5+ Kb7 61. e6 {A fascinating position.} Qd1+ 62. Kg5 Qd2+ $2 { With seconds left, Kramnik gets unlucky choosing the square to check from.} (62... Qg1+ 63. Kf5 (63. Kh6 Qc1+ 64. Rg5 Qc6 )Qb1+ 64. Kg5 $11 )63. Kg6 $2 {A truly unfortunate moment for Vishy. The knight was still around to crown his carrer with} (63. Nf4 $1 Nc5 64. Rg6 $1 {and Vishy would have won this} )Qg2+ {and Black picks up the full house. White resigned, but in a way the result seems irrelevant here. An incredible creative achievement by both players, this game will be the one to remember for years to come.} 0-1