Aronian v. Kramnik rapid game 6

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Date: 07 May 2007 09:53:12
From: Peter Billam
Subject: Aronian v. Kramnik rapid game 6

Greetings. A lovely wild conclusion to the rapid match in Yerevan:
http://www.aroniankramnik2007.am
http://www.chesscenter.com/twic/arokra07.pgn

[Event "Rapid Match"]
[Site "Yerevan ARM"]
[Date "2007.05.06"]
[Round "6"]
[White "Aronian,L"]
[Black "Kramnik,V"]
[Result "1/2-1/2"]
[WhiteElo "2759"]
[BlackElo "2772"]
[EventDate "2007.05.04"]
[ECO "D12"]

1. d4 d5 2. c4 c6 3. Nf3 Nf6 4. e3 Bf5 5. Nc3 e6 6. Nh4 Bg6 7. Nxg6 hxg6
8. g3 Nbd7 9. Bg2 dxc4 10. Qe2 Nb6 11. O-O Bb4 12. Bd2 O-O 13. Ne4 Qe7
14. Bxb4 Qxb4 15. Nc5 Rab8 16. Rfc1 Rfd8 17. Qc2 Nfd7 18. Ne4 e5 19. a3 Qe7
20. Re1 Nf6 21. Ng5 exd4 22. exd4 Qd6 23. Nf3 Re8 24. Re5 Nfd7 25. Ra5 a6
26. Rd1 Rbd8 27. Bf1 Re7 28. Rg5 Qf6 29. Kg2 Rde8 30. h4 Qe6 31. a4 Qe4
32. Qc1 f6 33. Ra5 Qe6 34. Qc2 Qe4 35. Qc1 Kh8 36. Re1 Qg4 37. Rxe7 Rxe7
38. Bxc4 Nxc4 39. Qxc4 Qe4 40. Qb3 c5 41. dxc5 Qc6 42. Qc3 Re2 43. b4 Ne5
44. b5 Qe4 45. c6 Nd3 46. Qxd3 Qxd3 47. cxb7 Re8 48. bxa6 Qb3 49. Rc5 Kh7
50. Rc8 Rg8 51. Nd4 Qb6 52. Rxg8 Kxg8 53. Kg1 Kh7 54. Nc6 Qb1+ 55. Kg2 Qe4+
1/2-1/2

Where are the improvements ?
Can White win with 52. b8=Q Qxb8 53. Rxb8 Rxb8 54. a7 Ra8 55. Nc6 (or Nb5)
and now 55... Kg8? 56. Kf3 Kf7 57. Ke4 Ke7 58. Kd5 Kd7 59. Kc5 +- loses,
but what about 55... Kh6! - can White run to the Q-side, or must he try to
restrain the Black king, e.g. 56. g4 g5 57. h5 g6 58. hxg6 Kxg6 59. Kf3
and what happens then ?

Regards, Peter

--
AUS/TAS/DPIW/CIT/Servers hbt/lnd/l8 6233 3061 http://www.pjb.com.au
Pasar�, pasar�mos dice el agua y canta la verdad contra la piedra
-- Pablo Neruda

Date: 07 May 2007 11:04:40
From: Peter Billam
Subject: Re: Aronian v. Kramnik rapid game 6

Apologies for following up to myself...

On 2007-05-06, Peter Billam <[email protected] > wrote:
> [White "Aronian,L"]
> [Black "Kramnik,V"]
> 1. d4 d5 2. c4 c6 3. Nf3 Nf6 4. e3 Bf5 5. Nc3 e6 6. Nh4 Bg6 7. Nxg6 hxg6
> 8. g3 Nbd7 9. Bg2 dxc4 10. Qe2 Nb6 11. O-O Bb4 12. Bd2 O-O 13. Ne4 Qe7
> 14. Bxb4 Qxb4 15. Nc5 Rab8 16. Rfc1 Rfd8 17. Qc2 Nfd7 18. Ne4 e5 19. a3 Qe7
> 20. Re1 Nf6 21. Ng5 exd4 22. exd4 Qd6 23. Nf3 Re8 24. Re5 Nfd7 25. Ra5 a6
> 26. Rd1 Rbd8 27. Bf1 Re7 28. Rg5 Qf6 29. Kg2 Rde8 30. h4 Qe6 31. a4 Qe4
> 32. Qc1 f6 33. Ra5 Qe6 34. Qc2 Qe4 35. Qc1 Kh8 36. Re1 Qg4 37. Rxe7 Rxe7
> 38. Bxc4 Nxc4 39. Qxc4 Qe4 40. Qb3 c5 41. dxc5 Qc6 42. Qc3 Re2 43. b4 Ne5
> 44. b5 Qe4 45. c6 Nd3 46. Qxd3 Qxd3 47. cxb7 Re8 48. bxa6 Qb3 49. Rc5 Kh7
> 50. Rc8 Rg8 51. Nd4 Qb6 52. Rxg8 Kxg8 53. Kg1 Kh7 54. Nc6 Qb1+ 55. Kg2 Qe4+
> 1/2-1/2
>
> Where are the improvements ?
> Can White win with 52. b8=Q Qxb8 53. Rxb8 Rxb8 54. a7 Ra8 55. Nc6 (or Nb5)
> and now 55... Kg8? 56. Kf3 Kf7 57. Ke4 Ke7 58. Kd5 Kd7 59. Kc5 +- loses,
> but what about 55... Kh6! - can White run to the Q-side, or must he try to
> restrain the Black king, e.g. 56. g4 g5 57. h5 g6 58. hxg6 Kxg6 59. Kf3
> and what happens then ?

I think 52. b8=Q Qxb8 53. Rxb8 Rxb8 54. a7 Ra8 55. Nb5! wins:
55... Kg8 56. Kf3 Kf7 57. Ke4 Ke7 58. Kd5 Kd7 59. Kc5 +-
55... Kh6 56. Kf3 Kh5 57. Ke4 Kg4 (g5) 58. Kd5 Kf3 59. Kc6 Kxf2
60. Kb7 Rg8 61. a8=Q Rxa8 62. Kxa8 Kxg3 63. a5 f5 64. Kb7 f4
65. a6 f3 66. Nc3 +-

while 55. Nc6? wastes a tempo (the king needs this square) but still wins:
55... Kg8? 56. Kf3 Kf7 57. Ke4 Ke7 58. Kd5 Kd7 59. Kc5 +-
55... Kh6 56. Kf3 Kh5 57. Ke4 Kg4 (g5) 58. Kd5 Kf3 59. Kc5 Kxf2 60.
Kb6 Kxg3 61. Kb7 Re8 62. a8=Q Rxa8 63. Kxa8 f5 64. a5 f4 65. Ne5 +-

but in this last line, I think 56. g4? maybe only draws:
56. g4? g5 57. h5 g6 58. hxg6 Kxg6 59. Kf3 f5 60. gxf5+ Kxf5
61. Nd4+ Ke5 62. Nb5 Kf5 63. Ke3 - can Black hold this ?

My conclusion: 52. b8=Q! would have won for Aronian.

Exciting game :-) And the first game was apparently an important
contribution to shall-Attack theory...

Regards, Peter

--
AUS/TAS/DPIW/CIT/Servers hbt/lnd/l8 6233 3061 http://www.pjb.com.au
Pasar�, pasar�mos dice el agua y canta la verdad contra la piedra
-- Pablo Neruda

Date: 11 May 2007 18:46:28
From: Bob
Subject: Re: Aronian v. Kramnik rapid game 6

Peter Billam wrote:

> Apologies for following up to myself...
>
> On 2007-05-06, Peter Billam <[email protected]> wrote:
> > [White "Aronian,L"]
> > [Black "Kramnik,V"]
> > 1. d4 d5 2. c4 c6 3. Nf3 Nf6 4. e3 Bf5 5. Nc3 e6 6. Nh4 Bg6 7. Nxg6
> > hxg6 8. g3 Nbd7 9. Bg2 dxc4 10. Qe2 Nb6 11. O-O Bb4 12. Bd2 O-O 13.
> > Ne4 Qe7 14. Bxb4 Qxb4 15. Nc5 Rab8 16. Rfc1 Rfd8 17. Qc2 Nfd7 18.
> > Ne4 e5 19. a3 Qe7 20. Re1 Nf6 21. Ng5 exd4 22. exd4 Qd6 23. Nf3 Re8
> > 24. Re5 Nfd7 25. Ra5 a6 26. Rd1 Rbd8 27. Bf1 Re7 28. Rg5 Qf6 29.
> > Kg2 Rde8 30. h4 Qe6 31. a4 Qe4 32. Qc1 f6 33. Ra5 Qe6 34. Qc2 Qe4
> > 35. Qc1 Kh8 36. Re1 Qg4 37. Rxe7 Rxe7 38. Bxc4 Nxc4 39. Qxc4 Qe4
> > 40. Qb3 c5 41. dxc5 Qc6 42. Qc3 Re2 43. b4 Ne5 44. b5 Qe4 45. c6
> > Nd3 46. Qxd3 Qxd3 47. cxb7 Re8 48. bxa6 Qb3 49. Rc5 Kh7 50. Rc8 Rg8
> > 51. Nd4 Qb6 52. Rxg8 Kxg8 53. Kg1 Kh7 54. Nc6 Qb1+ 55. Kg2 Qe4+
> > 1/2-1/2
> >
> > Where are the improvements ?
> > Can White win with 52. b8=Q Qxb8 53. Rxb8 Rxb8 54. a7 Ra8 55. Nc6
> > (or Nb5) and now 55... Kg8? 56. Kf3 Kf7 57. Ke4 Ke7 58. Kd5 Kd7 59.
> > Kc5 +- loses, but what about 55... Kh6! - can White run to the
> > Q-side, or must he try to restrain the Black king, e.g. 56. g4 g5
> > 57. h5 g6 58. hxg6 Kxg6 59. Kf3 and what happens then ?

Instead of 45... Nd3? which allows the sac,
45.... Ng4! and don't think white can stop the mating attack.
For example:
45. ...Ng4 46. cxb7 Rxf2+ 47. Kg1 Qe2 48. b8=Q+ Kh7
and white must throw away material
49. Ng5+ fxg5 50. Qxg7+ Kxg7 51. Qa7+ Rf7 52. Qd4+ Kg8
but this still wouldn't work
53. Qf4 gxf4 54. bxa6 Qh2+ 55. Kf1 Qf2#

--

Date: 14 May 2007 14:25:50
From: Peter Billam
Subject: Re: Aronian v. Kramnik rapid game 6

On 2007-05-11, Bob <[email protected] > wrote:
>> On 2007-05-06, Peter Billam <[email protected]> wrote:
>> [White "Aronian,L"]
>> [Black "Kramnik,V"]
>> 1. d4 d5 2. c4 c6 3. Nf3 Nf6 4. e3 Bf5 5. Nc3 e6 6. Nh4 Bg6 7. Nxg6
>> hxg6 8. g3 Nbd7 9. Bg2 dxc4 10. Qe2 Nb6 11. O-O Bb4 12. Bd2 O-O 13.
>> Ne4 Qe7 14. Bxb4 Qxb4 15. Nc5 Rab8 16. Rfc1 Rfd8 17. Qc2 Nfd7 18.
>> Ne4 e5 19. a3 Qe7 20. Re1 Nf6 21. Ng5 exd4 22. exd4 Qd6 23. Nf3 Re8
>> 24. Re5 Nfd7 25. Ra5 a6 26. Rd1 Rbd8 27. Bf1 Re7 28. Rg5 Qf6 29.
>> Kg2 Rde8 30. h4 Qe6 31. a4 Qe4 32. Qc1 f6 33. Ra5 Qe6 34. Qc2 Qe4
>> 35. Qc1 Kh8 36. Re1 Qg4 37. Rxe7 Rxe7 38. Bxc4 Nxc4 39. Qxc4 Qe4
>> 40. Qb3 c5 41. dxc5 Qc6 42. Qc3 Re2 43. b4 Ne5 44. b5 Qe4 45. c6
>> Nd3 46. Qxd3 Qxd3 47. cxb7 Re8 48. bxa6 Qb3 49. Rc5 Kh7 50. Rc8 Rg8
>> 51. Nd4 Qb6 52. Rxg8 Kxg8 53. Kg1 Kh7 54. Nc6 Qb1+ 55. Kg2 Qe4+
>> 1/2-1/2
>> ...
>> 52. b8=Q! Qxb8 53. Rxb8 Rxb8 54. a7 Ra8 55. Nb5!
>> 55... Kg8 56. Kf3 Kf7 57. Ke4 Ke7 58. Kd5 Kd7 59. Kc5 +-
>> 55... Kh6 56. Kf3 Kh5 57. Ke4 Kg4 (g5) 58. Kd5 Kf3 59. Kc6 Kxf2
>> 60. Kb7 Rg8 61. a8=Q Rxa8 62. Kxa8 Kxg3 63. a5 f5 64. Kb7 f4
>> 65. a6 f3 66. Nc3 +-
>>
> Instead of 45... Nd3? which allows the sac,
> 45.... Ng4! and don't think white can stop the mating attack.
> For example:
> 45. ...Ng4 46. cxb7 Rxf2+ 47. Kg1 Qe2 48. b8=Q+ Kh7
> and white must throw away material
> 49. Ng5+ fxg5 50. Qxg7+ Kxg7 51. Qa7+ Rf7 52. Qd4+ Kg8
> but this still wouldn't work
> 53. Qf4 gxf4 54. bxa6 Qh2+ 55. Kf1 Qf2#

Agreed :-) Also 46. c7 doesn't change anything (though the new Qc8
defends Qc3 in some variations and threatens xNg4 in others... but)
46... Rxf2+ 47. Kg1 Qe2! 48. c8=Q+ Kh7 and White is doomed, as above.
( Less convincing is: 46... Ne3+?! 47. Qxe3 (47. Kg1 Qb1+!)
47... Qxe3 48. c8=Q+ Kh7 49. Ng5+ fxg5 50. Qf8 Qd2 51. bxa6 Qxa5
52. axb7 Qd5+ 53. Qf3 Qxf3+ 54. Kxf3 Rb2 and Black still wins.)

I think White can save a tempo with the queen on move 35.
Instead of Qc1?!, 35. Bxc4+ Nxc4 36. Qxc4+ Qe6 37. Qb4
and Black has to move backwards to defend b7, e.g.

37... Nf8? 38. d5 (gets rid of the IQP and frees the rook)
38... cxd5 39. Raxd5 and White seems more active and co-ordinated.

37... Nb8! (and now White could free the rook with Rc5-c1, or
exchange a pair of rooks first with 38. Re1 Qf7 39. Rxe7 Qxe7 40. Rc5,
or perhaps try to maintain an initiative with 38. Rh1 and h5...)
White is perhaps slightly better...

Regards, Peter

--
AUS/TAS/DPIW/CIT/Servers hbt/lnd/l8 6233 3061 http://www.pjb.com.au
Pasar�, pasar�mos dice el agua y canta la verdad contra la piedra
-- Pablo Neruda

Date: 16 May 2007 08:48:10
From: Peter Billam
Subject: Re: Aronian v. Kramnik rapid game 6

On 2007-05-14, Peter Billam <[email protected] > wrote:
> On 2007-05-11, Bob <[email protected]> wrote:
>>> On 2007-05-06, Peter Billam <[email protected]> wrote:
>>> [White "Aronian,L"]
>>> [Black "Kramnik,V"]
>>> 1. d4 d5 2. c4 c6 3. Nf3 Nf6 4. e3 Bf5 5. Nc3 e6 6. Nh4 Bg6 7. Nxg6
>>> hxg6 8. g3 Nbd7 9. Bg2 dxc4 10. Qe2 Nb6 11. O-O Bb4 12. Bd2 O-O 13.
>>> Ne4 Qe7 14. Bxb4 Qxb4 15. Nc5 Rab8 16. Rfc1 Rfd8 17. Qc2 Nfd7 18.
>>> Ne4 e5 19. a3 Qe7 20. Re1 Nf6 21. Ng5 exd4 22. exd4 Qd6 23. Nf3 Re8
>>> 24. Re5 Nfd7 25. Ra5 a6 26. Rd1 Rbd8 27. Bf1 Re7 28. Rg5 Qf6 29.
>>> Kg2 Rde8 30. h4 Qe6 31. a4 Qe4 32. Qc1 f6 33. Ra5 Qe6 34. Qc2 Qe4
>>> 35. Qc1 Kh8 36. Re1 Qg4 37. Rxe7 Rxe7 38. Bxc4 Nxc4 39. Qxc4 Qe4
>>> 40. Qb3 c5 41. dxc5 Qc6 42. Qc3 Re2 43. b4 Ne5 44. b5 Qe4 45. c6
>>> Nd3 46. Qxd3 Qxd3 47. cxb7 Re8 48. bxa6 Qb3 49. Rc5 Kh7 50. Rc8 Rg8
>>> 51. Nd4 Qb6 52. Rxg8 Kxg8 53. Kg1 Kh7 54. Nc6 Qb1+ 55. Kg2 Qe4+
>>> 1/2-1/2
>>> ...
>>> 52. b8=Q! Qxb8 53. Rxb8 Rxb8 54. a7 Ra8 55. Nb5!
>>> 55... Kg8 56. Kf3 Kf7 57. Ke4 Ke7 58. Kd5 Kd7 59. Kc5 +-
>>> 55... Kh6 56. Kf3 Kh5 57. Ke4 Kg4 (g5) 58. Kd5 Kf3 59. Kc6 Kxf2
>>> 60. Kb7 Rg8 61. a8=Q Rxa8 62. Kxa8 Kxg3 63. a5 f5 64. Kb7 f4
>>> 65. a6 f3 66. Nc3 +-
>>>
>> Instead of 45... Nd3? which allows the sac,
>> 45.... Ng4! and don't think white can stop the mating attack.
>> For example:
>> 45. ...Ng4 46. cxb7 Rxf2+ 47. Kg1 Qe2 48. b8=Q+ Kh7
>> and white must throw away material
>> 49. Ng5+ fxg5 50. Qxg7+ Kxg7 51. Qa7+ Rf7 52. Qd4+ Kg8
>> but this still wouldn't work
>> 53. Qf4 gxf4 54. bxa6 Qh2+ 55. Kf1 Qf2#
>
> I think White can save a tempo with the queen on move 35.
> Instead of Qc1?!, 35. Bxc4+ Nxc4 36. Qxc4+ Qe6 37. Qb4
> and Black has to move backwards to defend b7, e.g.
> 37... Nf8? 38. d5 (gets rid of the IQP and frees the rook)
> 38... cxd5 39. Raxd5 and White seems more active and co-ordinated.
> 37... Nb8! (and now White could free the rook with Rc5-c1, or
> exchange a pair of rooks first with 38. Re1 Qf7 39. Rxe7 Qxe7 40. Rc5,
> or perhaps try to maintain an initiative with 38. Rh1 and h5...)
> White is perhaps slightly better...

In http://www.chesscenter.com/twic/event/malcolm/malc090507.html
Malcolm Pein points out other improvements for Black over the game:
36...Qxf3+ 37.Kxf3 Rxe1 38.Qc2 Rxf1 39.Qxg6 Re7 40.Rh5+ Kg8
looks scary but is very good for Black
and
42...Ne5 43.b4 g5 44.b5 Qe4 45.Qe3 Qxe3 46.fxe3 Nc4 wins

and of course he agrees about 45... Ng4! winning :-)

He doesn't mention either 35. Bxc4+ or 52.b8=Q, but he does point out
another late improvement for White:
53.a5 Qc7 54.Kh2!
And Black is powerless against Nc6 producing a won Q and P endgame
(54.Ne6 Qe5 55.Nc5 Kf7 56.a7 Qd5+ 57.f3 Qxc5 58.b8Q Qc2+ draws)
54...Kh7 55.Nc6 Qxc6 56.b8Q Qxa6 57.Qb6 wins easily

Interesting game :-)

Regards, Peter

--
AUS/TAS/DPIW/CIT/Servers hbt/lnd/l8 6233 3061 http://www.pjb.com.au
Pasar�, pasar�mos dice el agua y canta la verdad contra la piedra
-- Pablo Neruda