[Event "FIDE Candidates 2013"]
[Site "London"]
[Date "2013.04.01"]
[Round "14"]
[White "Ivanchuk, Vassily"]
[Black "Kramnik, Vladimir"]
[Result "*"]
[ECO "B08"]
[WhiteElo "2757"]
[BlackElo "2810"]
[Annotator "Ramirez,Alejandro"]
[PlyCount "93"]
[EventDate "2013.??.??"]
[EventCountry "ENG"]

1. d4 d6 2.
e4 {The Pirc. An obscure opening in the realm of elite players. Kramnik wasn't
satisfied with neutralizing Ivanchuk, he was risking everything for the win.}
Nf6 3. Nc3 g6 4. Nf3 Bg7 5. Be2 O-O 6. O-O a6 7. h3 {A classical and sedate
approach. Strong both because of its positional value, but also because it
steers the game away from the sharp complications Kramnik is so desperately
looking for.} Nc6 8. Bg5 b5 9. a3 h6 10. Be3 e5 11. dxe5 dxe5 12. Qc1 Kh7
$2 {Already a mistake, however the 'correct' move was far from human.} (12...
Nd4 13. Bxh6 Bb7 14. Bxg7 Kxg7 15. Rd1 c5 16. Qe3 Qe7 {And Black has some
compensation, but no more.}) 13. Bc5 Re8 14. Rd1 Bd7 15. b4 Qc8 16. Qe3 {
White has more space, better coordinated pieces and actual prospects of invading
d5, unlike Black who cannot move to d4. Also White is the one that can break
the queenside. A very uncomfortable situation for Black.} Nd8 17. a4 bxa4
18. Nxa4 Ne6 19. Bc4 Nh5 20. Nc3 Nhf4 21. Nd5 Bb5 22. Bb3 Bc6 23. Ra5 Qb7
24. g3 $1 {A valiant sacrifice. With the h-pawn gone, White can occupy the
h-file, putting pressure on every side of the board. Further, Black is left
without a plan and without the strong knight on f4.} Nxh3+ 25. Kg2 Nhg5 26.
Rh1 Kg8 27. Nxg5 Nxg5 28. f3 Bxd5 29. Bxd5 c6 30. Bc4 Qc8 31. Qb3 h5 32. Be3
Ne6 33. Rha1 h4 {Giving back the pawn does not alleviate Black's problems
- he doesn't even get access to the f4 square. However it was hard to suggest
much of anything, let alone a way to win this game.} 34. gxh4 Qd8 35. Rxa6
Rc8 36. Rh1 Rc7 37. Bxe6 Rxe6 38. b5 $1 {White's now up a pawn, and Black
has the horrible choice between exposing his king to a strong attack or allowing
a strong passed pawn on b6.} Rb7 (38... cxb5 39. Rxe6 fxe6 40. Qxe6+ Rf7 41.
Qxg6 $18) 39. b6 c5 40. Rb1 Bf8 41. Qd5 Qb8 42. Rba1 Rd6 43. Ra8 Rxd5 44.
Rxb8 Rxb8 45. exd5 Bd6 {The b-pawn is too strong, White has only to march
his king forward.} 46. Ra6 Rb7 47. Kf1 {The King goes to a6, the game is over,
Kramnik resigns and Magnus wins the tournament!} *

