Vladimir Kramnik		Garry Kasparov

Game 14 Tuesday 31st October 2000. Vladimir Kramnik vs. Garry Kasparov

Vladimir Kramnik vs Garry Kasparov Game 14 started late at 3-30pm on Tuesday due to water damage from the terrible weather the south of England experienced on Monday.

1. Nf3 Kasparov had put his head in his hands already! 1. ...Nf6 2.c4 b6 3.g3 c5 4.Bg2 Bb7 5.0-0 g6 6.Nc3 Bg7 7.d4 cxd4 8.Qxd4 d6 9.Rd1 Nbd7 10.Be3 Rc8 11.Rac1 0-0 12.Qh4 a6 Both Kramnik and Kasparov have experience in this opening. 13.Ne1?! Kramnik makes his intentions of playing for a draw clear but this move is too passive and is the start of his problems. 13. ...Bxg2 14.Nxg2 Re8 After a long thought from Kasparov. 15.b3 Qc7 16.Bg5 After a some thought from Kramnik. 16. ...Qb7 17.Ne3 b5 The sharpest move in the position. 18.Ned5 After some thought but 18.Ncd5 was perhaps more solid, Kasparov's camp say that he planned 18. ...a5 . 18. ... bxc4 19.bxc4 h5! A very good move. Kramnik has 59 minutes left, Kasparov 37. 20.Qf4 Kramnik is definitely getting the worse of this but how much worse he is is unclear. Kramnik now had 38 mins left. 20. ...Qc6 21.Bxf6 Nxf6 22.Nxf6+ Bxf6 23.Nd5 Bb2 24. Rb1 Bg7 25.Qg5 Kf8 Around 25 mins each left. 26. Rdc1 e6 27.Nf6 Red8 28. h4 Qa8 29.c5?! Maybe 29 Qf4 was better, Kramnik. Rxc5 30.Rxc5 Bxf6 31.Qxf6 dxc5 32.Kh2 Kg8 33.Rb6 Re8 Perhaps 33. ... Rd1 was better. Kasparov is a pawn up. Kasparov also had 9 mins to 7 for Kramnik. 34. Qf3!? Qxf3 35. exf3 Rxa6 34.Qf3 Qxf3 35.exf3 Rc8 36.Rxa6 c4 37.Rd6 c3 38.Rd1 Ra8 39.Rc1 Rxa2 40.Rxc3 Rxf2+ 41.Kg1 Ra2 42.Rc7 Kf8 43.Rb7 Ke8 44.Rb8+ Ke7 45.Rb7+ Kf6 46.Kf1?46. f4 is claimed as a draw by Kramnik's seconds Illescas. and Lautier. 46. ...e5 47.Rb6+ Kf5 48.Rb7 Ke6 49.Rb6+ Kf5 50.Rb7 f6 51.Rg7 g5 52.hxg5 fxg5 53.Rg8 g4 54.Rf8+ Ke6 55.Re8+ Kf5?! 55. ...Kf6 is better but not the win Kasparov's team claims. Additional analysis by Deep Fritz at www.chessbase.com. [ Team Kasparov: 55...Kf6! 56.Rf8+ Ke7 57.Rf5 Ke6 58.fxg4 hxg4 59.Rg5 Ra4 60.Kf2 Kf6 61.Rg8 Kf5 62.Rg7 Ra2+ 63.Kg1 Rd2 64.Rg8 Ke4 65.Rxg4+ Kf3 66.Rg8? ( Mathias Feist + Deep Fritz: 66.Rg6! e4 67.Rf6+ Ke2 68.g4 e3 ( 68...Rd5 69.Re6 e3 70.Kg2 Kd2 71.Kf3= ) 69.g5 Rd5 70.g6 Rg5+ 71.Kh2 Ke1 72.Rd6 e2 73.Re6 Kf2 74.Rf6+ Ke3 75.Re6+ Kf3 76.Rf6+ Ke4 77.Re6+= ) 66...e4 67.Rf8+ Ke2 68.Kg2 e3 69.g4 Rd4 70.Kg3 Kd2 71.Re8 ( 71.Ra8 e2 72.Ra2+ Ke3 73.Ra3+ Rd3 74.Ra1 Rd1 75.Ra3+ Kd4 76.Ra4+ Kc5 ) 71...e2 72.Kh4 e1Q+ 73.Rxe1 Kxe1 74.Kh5 Kf2 75.g5 Kf3 76.g6 Rg4 77.Kh6 Kf4 78.g7 Kf5 79.Kh7 Rh4+ 80.Kg8 Kg6 81.Kf8 Rf4+ 82.Kg8 Rf1 83.Kh8 Rh1+ 84.Kg8 Rh7 ] 56.Rf8+ Kg6 57.Rg8+ Kf5 ½-½ Kramnik held the draw with a little luck it seems. With Kasparov playing dead over the last few games Kramnik found it difficult to play consistantly. By turns he played too cautiously and then perhaps too boldly and then had to hold the notoriously difficult Rook and 4 pawns vs Rook and 3 pawns ending. At this stage in the match however ability and accuracy isn't everything, self belief is almost as important. The match is not quite over. Kramnik played for a draw and almost didn't get one, if Kasparov were to win game 15 Kramnik would be guaranteed a torrid time in game 16.