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GM Konstantin Aseev
annotates
the games of the 13th round:
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Radjabov - Kramnik 1/2
Leko - Anand 1-0
Hello, dear friends! This sunny spring day I would like to congratulate our dear and beloved women, our wives and mothers with their holiday! (in Russia we celebrate it). I wish you happiness and good luck! And to all of us I wish a bright, interesting games in 13th round. We are always glad to see you, have a look at our site more often, we endeavour for you!
Kasparov - Vallejo
Which way will go Garry Kimovich with the first move? Will he allow to use against him Berlin variation?
Yes, he is ready to play such positions. But Vallejo has chosen Caro-Cann. But a surprise - a rather rare happened 4.Nd2, and it's clear now that this move will be now under a steadfast gaze.
Kasparov wins half an hour, nevertheless Black avoided a direct pieces aggression. And although White has a slight advantage he needs a serious work to support and increas it.
On his 10th move White has spent a lot of time deepening in the position. Necessary was to oppose something to a natural Black's play who aspired to complete the development. Now after 10.Bd2 (maybe this move was more strong on the 9th move) on 10...Nf5 there is 11.g4 Nh4 12.Nh4 Qh4 13.f4 with a pressure. Black preffered 10...Ng6. But the Knight's position when the Bishop is on h7 is not imress. Although since the position is still takes a closed disposition the mentioned is possible.
A lot of time has passed (the opponents spent 1 hour 17 minutes each), but only 13th moves are made and all the events are yet to come! After 17...f5 in case of 18.ef6 c1-Knight has not perspectives. In case of a closed centre White could prepare as well g2-g4 or the opening of the desposition on the queenside (Bishop on h7 is out of play), but it's true that it's unclear how.
A time trouble has began. The opponents have to make 15 moves. Who will have firmer nerves?
Under the time trouble Vallejo proceeded a dubious pawn sacrifice, trying to entangle White. In view of the time lack Kasparov not beared the strain of the battle and agreed on a moves repeating, fixing a draw. One can remember his last match with a computer program where he also owned an advantage in the final game but preferred to take no risk (did it was any risk than?). Nevertheless this is an evidence of approaching old age. Leko - Anand
Anand used the Russian game to neutralize the white color. It's difficult to surprise with something in this variation. Nevertheless on the 16th move he tried to correct the game with Qd7. However White still lead the game.
It is difficult to put the problems where the opponent has a free development and has not any obvious weaknesses. I think after several exchanges the position completely will equal and end in a draw (although I don't know about the opponents mood). Now it is the 22th move and only 5 moves were made independently.
White managed to gain an advantage of the Bishop over the Knigh, nevertheless the evaluation of this position is in the zone of a balance.
It seems on a tiredness. After an insinuating 26.Bg3 Anand obviously with 26...Nf5 simply blundered 27.Bc7. And now White stands clearly better and Black has to fight for a draw. As they say - on an even place. After 30.d7 one can remember the method of a realization in such position showed by A.A.Alekhin> br> Despite on a clear advantage White is not simple to realize it, there more that Black has a plan of a counterplay, connected with a pawns offensive on the queenside. Also White should follow the King's move Kf8 in a suitable moment. With his move 33.Rd5 White showes that he is well prepared to the Rook endgame (the pawn stands on h5 in time) with an extra-pawn "a". But is this endgame winning? This is a question.
A question - will Black save "his goal" or no. Anand has refused h6-h5 in some reason. How much he is "dedicated to" the wisdoms of such Rook endgame?
It seems that Anand defences in a not the best way, increasing Leko's chances on a success. After 44 moves White will move his King to the a-pawn, giving away g4-pawn and it's possible that Black will have not a draw.
Perhaps the only move looked the reply 45...Rc4, in order that on 46.f3 to answer 46...Rc2 letting no the White's King. Now the Black's position is very hard if is not lost.
White has used all the chances and where is Anand's mastery in defence of the hard (including standard) positions? Perhaps the tiredness and the number of the round (13). There is no chances, it's possible to drop the curtain.
Radjabov - Kramnik
Radjabov proceeded on a position in Queen Indian which is considered in the theory as a dubious one after the game S.Lputian-A.Adorjan, 1987 where in the annotations one pointed out that in reply to 15.Ng1 it is strong 15...Bg5. But outwardly Black has not any problems.
I don't know maybe this position (after 19.Bd3) White has prepared (although the clocks speaks no in favour of this version: White has spent more than 40 minutes, Black about twenty) but (outwardly) Black fights for an advantage.
The initiative is still in Kramnik's hands. Seeking the continuations which promise him a success he spents more time than his opponent. In essence the luck in this game allows him to expect on a victory in the tournament. The only thing he should remember is that today is the 13th round! But the position is a propitious one.
After 21.c4 Black naturally refused to repeat the moves and offer to White an exchange of an active Rook on h-file.
Kramnik passed the game into the ending with an extra-pawn but the problems on the way of a realization still remains.
On the first stage of the realization (after 39 moves) Kramnik managed to occupy the optimal squares with his pieces, one has remained to show the same mastery on a final stage.
After the losing of the second pawn, hardly something could help White to avoid the defeat.
In the endgame Kramnik decided to play more active and gave away (note: the same as his opponent) with the 45th move b6-pawn. It looks strangely but as they say those who plays see more than observers.
Illogically ended also this game, seems the time trouble White passed and has a material advantage and all this quicly slipped out from the hands. And in result - a draw, which left a lot of questions on the last round. So, finishing the translation I would like to thank you for your attention.
Today with you was Konstantin Aseev.