Players at the start of game 5
Garry Kasparov		Vladimir Kramnik

Game 7 Thursday 19th October 2000. Garry Kasparov - Vladimir Kramnik: English Opening (Symmetrical Variation)

1.c4 c5 2.Nf3 Nf6 3.d4 cxd4 4.Nxd4 a6 Kramnik springs another surprise. There are many possible transpositions, including into a Taimanov Sicilian. 5.Nc3 e6 6.g3 Qc7 Kasparov had another thought. 7.Qd3 Nc6 8.Nxc6 8. Qxc6 would have led to very sharp play. Kasparov has 1:42 left. 8. ...dxc6 9.Bg2 e5 10.0-0 Be6 11.Na4 Kasparov 1:22 Kramnik 1:54 left. Kasparov offered a draw which was accepted by Kramnik. 1/2 "I'm not very happy with what happened today but the reasons are entirely mine." Kasparov. For the record this isn't the shortest game in a world title match. A brief search found two ten move draws in the Botvinnik-Petrosian match 1963 ( games 21 and 22 there it was the final game of a match that could no longer be saved) but it is the shortest game of Kasparov's career. It clearly left many spectators puzzled and upset.

(Notes: Mark Crowther. )

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