Round 1 13th September 2007. Comments Mark Crowther - Notes Malcolm Pein

Malcolm Pein's Round 1 Notes in PGN

FIDE President Florencio Campomanes looks on at the start of the game Kramnik - Svidler. Photo © Maritere Meza

Round 1 of the World Chess Championship tournament started quietly with four draws. That said the games were not without interest and sets the event up quite nicely.

Peter Svidler. Photo © Maritere Meza

Defending champion Vladimir Kramnik starts the event with two games with the white pieces. He may have been surprised by Peter Svidler's choice of the Moscow Variation instead of his long term favourite the Gruenfeld Defence (although he has recently shown signs of wanting to diversify.) Kramnik looked to build his position up slowly but with 19...c5 Svidler freed his position at the cost of a pawn and the position was distinctly unclear when the game was drawn a few moves later.

Kramnik,V (2769) - Svidler,P (2735) [D43]
WCh Mexico City MEX (1), 13.09.2007
[IM Malcolm Pein]

1.Nf3 d5 2.d4 Nf6 3.c4 c6 4.Nc3 e6 5.Bg5 h6 Playing a straight bat, to coin a cricket phrase. This is the Moscow Variation and evidently people from St Petersburg are allowed to play it. 6.Bxf6 [6.Bh4 dxc4 7.e4 b5 8.e5 g5 Seems fine for Black at the moment] 6...Qxf6 7.e3 [The last top level outing for this line was 7.Qb3 Nd7 8.e4 dxe4 9.Nxe4 e5 10.Bd3 exd4 11.0-0 with sharp play Mamedyarov-Topalov Sofia 2007] 7...Nd7 8.Bd3 g6 9.e4 White must try to make something of his advantage in the centre [In contrast 9.cxd5 exd5 Gives Black little to fear] 9...dxc4 10.e5 Qe7 11.Bxc4 Kramnik must have been pleased with this position and deciding where he wants his rooks so ha can start squeezing Black either by getting a knight to d6, pressuring the c file or softening up the kingside with h4-h5 .Black's plan is to expand on the queenside and play c6-c5, if allowed when his bishop pair might come into play. If the position opens up Black can be better but its certainly +=

11...Bg7 12.0-0 0-0 13.Re1 [13.Qe2 b6] 13...Rd8 14.Qe2 [14.Qc2 b6 15.h4 Bb7 16.h5 g5 17.Qe4 Nf8 and Black is ready for b5 and c5] 14...b6 15.Rad1 a5 16.Bd3 [16.Ne4!? c5 17.Nd6 (17.dxc5 bxc5 18.Nd6 Nxe5 19.Nxe5 Rxd6 20.Rxd6 Qxd6 21.Nxf7 Qe7? 22.Ne5 Bxe5 23.Qxe5 Kf7 24.Re3 Ra7 25.Qh8 1-0 M Mueller - J Kacynski Poland 1991) 17...cxd4 18.Qe4] 16...Bb7 17.Be4 b5 18.h4 [18.Nxb5 Nxe5 19.Nxe5 Bxe5 20.dxe5 cxb5 21.Bxb7 Qxb7=] 18...Nb6 19.Bb1 This looks tentative, but it frees e4 for the knight. [19.h5 b4 20.Nb1 would maintain the tension and if 20...g5 21.Nbd2 g4 22.Nh2 Rxd4 23.Nxg4 and Black has problems with h6] 19...c5! Sacrificing a pawn to release the Bb7 and destroy White's centre [19...b4? 20.Ne4 c5 21.dxc5 (21.Nxc5 Bxf3 22.Qxf3 Qxh4) 21...Nd7 22.h5 g5 23.Nd6 Bxf3 24.Qxf3 Nxe5 25.Qe4 f5 26.Qe3+/-] 20.Nxb5 Ba6 21.h5 g5 [21...Qe8 22.a4 (22.hxg6 Bxb5 23.gxf7+ Kxf7 24.Qe4 Bc6 and; 22.Bd3 c4 23.Nc7 cxd3 24.Qe4 Qd7 25.Nxa8 Rxa8 26.hxg6 look OK for Black) 22...Nxa4 23.Bd3 gives White hope of an advantage] 22.Nh2 A surprise - Svidler [22.Bd3!? and if 22...c4 23.Bxc4 Nxc4 24.Qxc4 When Black does not seem to able to exploit the pin] 22...Rxd4 23.Rxd4

There is still a lot of play in the position. Afterwards Svidler said he did not know who was better [23.Rxd4 cxd4 24.Bd3 Nd5 25.Nxd4 Bxd3 26.Qxd3 Qb4=] 1/2-1/2

Alexander Morozevich came out with typically aggressive intent against Levon Aronian as exemplified by his 8.h4 but Aronian was calm and broke in the centre to obtain a slightly favourable position. However a possible inaccuracy led to trades and a peaceful outcome.

Alexander Morozevich. Photo © Maritere Meza

Morozevich,A (2758) - Aronian,L (2750) [E12]
WCh Mexico City MEX (1), 13.09.2007
[IM Malcolm Pein]

1.d4 Nf6 2.c4 e6 3.Nf3 b6 4.a3 The Petrosian - Kasparov Variation White invests a tempo to prevent Bb4 as the battle for the e4 square is paramount in the Queen's Indian 4...Bb7 5.Nc3 d5 6.cxd5 Nxd5 [6...exd5 Gives Black an inferior Queen's Gambit Tartakower Variation] 7.e3 g6 Black has tried a few things here like Be7, Nd7 and c5. This move changes the character of the position to resemble a Gruenfeld Defence and the move was championed by Viktor Korchnoi who defeated Garry Kasparov with it in 1983, a game I witnessed. 8.h4 White seeks to prevent Black from castling with this preemptive attack but Aronian follows the classic recipe and answers an early flank attack with play in the centre

[8.Bb5+ c6 9.Bd3 Nxc3 10.bxc3 Bg7 Kasparov - Korchnoi] 8...Bg7 9.h5 Nd7 [9...c5 10.Bb5+ Bc6 Polugaevsky - Korchnoi; 9...0-0 showing contempt is also possible. Adorjan achieved a winning position with this against Miles but it seems a bit risky] 10.Bd3 Nxc3 11.bxc3 e5! [11...Rc8 12.e4 (12.Qe2 c5 13.Bb2 0-0 14.Rd1 cxd4 15.cxd4 Nf6 16.hxg6 hxg6 17.e4 Qe7 18.Ne5+/= 1/2-1/2 Dreev,A (2590)-Sax,G (2565)/Tilburg 1992/CBM 032 (55)) 12...Nc5 13.Bg5 Nxd3+ 14.Qxd3 Qd7 15.h6 Bf8 16.Bf6 Rg8 17.Ng5 Qa4 18.Nxh7 Ba6 19.Qd2 Qc4 20.Nxf8 Rxf8 21.f3 Kd7 22.Kf2 Kc6 23.h7 Rh8 24.Kg3 Kb7 25.Qf4 Qb5 26.Qe5 Qxe5+ 27.dxe5 Kc6 28.Kf4 1-0 Dreev,A (2590)-Sax,G (2565)/Tilburg 1992/CBM 032] 12.Qc2 Qe7 Threatening e4

[12...c5 13.hxg6 hxg6 14.Rxh8+ Bxh8 15.Bxg6 Bxf3 16.gxf3 fxg6 17.Qxg6+ Ke7] 13.Be4 [Black should not have too many problems after this. One sharp possibility was 13.e4 exd4 14.h6 Bf6 15.cxd4 c5 (not 15...Nc5 16.e5) 16.e5 cxd4 17.0-0 WHite gives up two pawns but the Rh8 is out of play for a long time 17...Nxe5 18.Nxe5 Qxe5 19.Qa4+ Kf8 20.Bd2] 13...Bxe4 [13...c6 14.h6] 14.Qxe4 0-0 15.hxg6 hxg6! No fear. After Rfe8 even if White were to arrange Qh7+ it would not hurt too much

16.a4 c5 17.Ba3 Rfe8 This ensures the collapse of White's centre and Black starts to press slightly 18.Rc1 exd4 19.Qxe7 Rxe7 20.cxd4 Re4 Unpinning the c5 pawn and threatening cxd4 21.Kf1 cxd4 22.exd4 Nf8 23.g3 Rd8?! [23...Ne6 24.Bb2 Rd8; White's 'undeveloped rook protects the d4 pawn for example 23...Bxd4 24.Nxd4 Rxd4 25.Bb2] 24.Rc7 Ree8 25.Rxa7 Ra8

[25...Ra8 26.Rxa8 Rxa8 27.Kg2 Rxa4 28.Bxf8 Kxf8 29.Rb1 Bxd4 30.Nxd4 Rxd4 31.Rxb6] 1/2-1/2

One of my great fears for the event is a glut of Petroff Defences. Its not that I object to players playing anything that will give them success its just that even if white wins it tends to be in a dull - so what? - way. The variation with 5.Nc3 doesn't seem to offer white very much (or indeed anything) but at least it avoids the exchange of pieces typical of some of the other lines. Anand would be one of the players you'd have thought capable of coming up with something more testing but either he decided to hold it back or he really has nothing on the evidence of his game against Gelfand. Indeed Gelfand held the advantage but decided a good solid draw with black against Anand was the way to start his tournament on a firm footing.

Anand,V (2792) - Gelfand,B (2733) [C42]
WCh Mexico City MEX (1), 13.09.2007
[IM Malcolm Pein]

1.e4 e5 2.Nf3 Nf6 Uh oh, articificial stimulants may be required 3.Nxe5 d6 4.Nf3 Nxe4 5.Nc3 Nxc3 6.dxc3 Be7 7.Be3 Nd7 8.Qd2 Ne5 9.0-0-0 The latest attacking attempt for White. Anand very nearly smashed Alexeev flat with this at Dortmund but had a near miss 9...0-0 10.h4 Re8 11.h5 Bf6 12.Nh2 New but similiar

[12.Kb1 a6 13.Nh2 b5 14.Be2 Bb7 15.f4 Nd7 16.Bf3 Bxf3 17.gxf3 Qe7 18.Ng4 Qe6 19.Rdg1 Kh8 20.h6 g6 21.Re1 Qf5 22.Bd4 Bxd4 23.Qxd4+ f6 24.a3 Re6 25.Ne3 Qc5 26.Nd5 Rae8 27.Rxe6 Rxe6 28.Qxc5 dxc5 29.Nxc7 Rc6 30.Ne8 Kg8 31.Rd1 Nf8 32.Nd6 f5 33.a4 Ne6 34.axb5 axb5 35.Nxb5 Nxf4 36.Rd8+ Kf7 37.Rd7+ Kf6 38.Rxh7 Kg5 39.b3 Ne6 40.Kb2 Kh5 41.Rc7 Rb6 42.h7 Rb8 43.Re7 Ng5 44.f4 Nh3 45.Nc7 Rh8 46.Nd5 g5 47.fxg5 Nxg5 48.Re5 1-0 Svidler,P (2740)-Kramnik,V (2739)/Moscow RUS 2005] 12...h6 13.Be2 Be6 14.f4 Nc4 15.Bxc4 Bxc4 16.b3? When I saw this I could not believe it. I had already seen the attacking theme below in analysis to another game in this line for my newspaper column - you just have to prompt your Fritz or Rybka or whatever. 16...Bb5? Boris obviously does not read the Daily Telegraph, shameful, its on sale in Tel Aviv. But of course if you don't know the theme then a human, not even a very very strong human will find it. It was of course my computer that turned it up in a related position, not me. What's more Bb5 coming to c6 is very comfortable for Black so its a natural choice. [16...c5!!

17.bxc4 Qa5 18.Qd3 Bxc3 19.Rdf1 d5 20.cxd5 c4 is a killer. White would have to play; 16...c5!! 17.Kb2 b5 (17...Qa5) 18.Ng4 b4 19.Nxf6+ Qxf6 with a big advantage] 17.Rhg1 Re4 If White has time for g4-g5 he is winning but Black's resources are more than adequate

18.Ng4 Qe7 19.Rde1 Re8 20.Bf2 Qd8 21.Rxe4 Rxe4 22.Re1 Trying to bale out

22...Rxe1+ [At the press conference Anand mentioned 22...Rxf4 and it looks good for Black 23.Nxf6+ Qxf6 24.Bd4 Qf5 25.Re7 Bd7 and Bxa7 looks too risky although your computer might play it. A lucky escape for Anand. Gelfand possibly could not psyche himself up to believe he was better, I guess it hard to do that when you play the Petroff, unless you are Alexey Shirov] 1/2-1/2

Alexander Grischuk. Photo © Maritere Meza

The Marshall Defence to the Ruy Lopez has moved from a creative idea when first played to a solid defensive system for black. So much so that white quite often tries to avoid it altogether and that's what happened in the game between Grischuk and Leko. White's play never looked likely to challenge for a win and was probably slightly worse so he decided to steer for the draw.

Grischuk,A (2726) - Leko,P (2751) [C88]
WCh Mexico City MEX (1), 13.09.2007
[IM Malcolm Pein]

1.e4 e5 2.Nf3 Nc6 3.Bb5 a6 4.Ba4 Nf6 5.0-0 Be7 6.Re1 b5 7.Bb3 0-0 8.h3 no Marshall today please, I saw what you did to Kramnik at Brissago 8...Bb7 9.d3 d6 10.a3 Qd7 11.Nc3 Rfe8 12.a4 This seems pretty weird, a3 then a4. Somehow the Anti Marshall does not seem so strong now that Kasparov has retired. Aronian in particular plays it well with Black 12...b4 13.Ne2 d5 Given White's tempo loss its not surprising Black can get away with this

14.exd5 Nxd5 15.Ng3 Bf8 [15...Bc5!? 16.Ng5 Nd4 17.Bc4] 16.a5 The question of whether a6 or a5 is more vulnerable will be answered later 16...Nd4 17.Nxd4 [17.Nxe5 Qd6 18.Nf3 Nxf3+ 19.gxf3 Nf4-/+; 17.Nxe5 Qd6 18.Nc4 Rxe1+ 19.Qxe1 Qg6 when Ba4 is met by b3! and other moves by Nxb3 which gives Black good play] 17...exd4

18.Bd2 Nf6 19.Rxe8 Rxe8 20.Bg5 Qc6 21.Qf1 Qd6 [21...Nd7 Another way to neutralise Ba4 is 22.Ba4 Qd6 23.Ne4 Bxe4 24.dxe4 Re6 25.Bd2 Nc5 26.Bxb4 Qe5 27.Bxc5 Bxc5 28.Bb3 Rf6 29.Qd3 h5 30.g3 g5 31.Rf1 h4 32.Bc4 Bd6 33.Bxa6 Qxa5 34.Bc4 Qe5 35.Kg2 hxg3 36.fxg3 Rxf1 37.Kxf1 Qxg3 38.Qxg3 1/2-1/2 Karjakin,S (2686)-Onischuk,A (2663)/Foros UKR 2007/The Week in Chess 660] 22.Re1 Re5 23.Rxe5 Qxe5 24.Bxf6 Qxf6 25.Qe2 g6 [25...Qg5 computer] 26.Qg4 Bd6 27.Ne4 Qf4 [27...Bxe4 28.Qxe4 Qe5 29.Qxe5 Bxe5 30.Bc4 c5 31.Bxa6 Bc7 looks like the logical conclusion. This way gives White a chance he declines to take] 28.Qxf4

[28.Qxf4 Bxf4 29.Nc5 Bc8 30.Bc4 Bd6 31.Bxa6 Bxc5 32.Bxc8 and White can play on] 1/2-1/2