END GAME: Kuda + Benteng vs Kuda + Benteng

(1) Shirov,Alexei (2723) - Kramnik,Vladimir (2788) [C42]
Corus A Wijk aan Zee (11), 29.01.2010
[Karsten Mueller]



1.e4 e5 2.Nf3 Nf6 3.Nxe5 d6 4.Nf3 Nxe4 5.d4 d5 6.Bd3 Nc6 7.0-0 Be7 8.c4 Nb4 9.Be2 0-0 10.Nc3 Bf5 11.a3 Nxc3 12.bxc3 Nc6 13.Re1 Re8 14.cxd5 Qxd5 15.Bf4 Rac8 16.h3 Be4 17.Nd2 Bxg2 18.Bg4 Bh1 19.f3 Bh4 20.Re4 f5 21.Kxh1 fxg4 22.hxg4 Qf7 23.Qb3 Ne7 24.Qxf7+ Kxf7 25.c4 Ng6 26.Bh2 Bf6 27.Rb1 b6 28.d5 Be5 29.f4 Bd6 30.a4 h6 31.Rbe1 Nf8 32.f5 Nd7 33.Bxd6 cxd6 34.Re6 Ne5? The board on fire In endgames with rooks and knights it often depends on who has the initiative. This is because both pieces need to be active and are not well suited to passive defence. For that reason Alexei Shirov grasped his opportunity with both hands and set the board on fire in his usual fashion.

35.c5!! This pawn sacrifice brings Kramnik to the brink of defeat, because all the white pieces up to the king are threatening to become active. However, because it will take the monarch too long to become effectively involved, Black should still be able to keep his head above water.

35...Nd3 [35...bxc5? is an admission that White's forces can deploy to best effect: 36.Ne4 Rxe6 37.dxe6+ Ke7 38.Rb1 Rc7 39.Nc3+- ; 35...Rxe6 is probably also playable, but after 36.dxe6+ Ke7 37.cxd6+ Kxd6 38.Re4 Rc1+?! 39.Kg2 Rc2 40.Kg3 White is still in the driving seat, because 40...Rxd2? can be met with 41.Rxe5 Kxe5?? 42.e7 .]

36.cxd6 [The alternative 36.Nc4!? is also extremely dangerous, but Kramnik would probably have held things together, e.g. 36...Nxe1 37.Nxd6+ Kf8 38.Nxe8 (38.c6 Rxe6 39.fxe6 Ra8 40.c7 Nd3 41.c8Q+ Rxc8 42.Nxc8 and the white king is too far away for White to be able to win.) 38...bxc5 (38...Rxe8? 39.c6+- ) 39.Nxg7 (After 39.Nd6 the only move is 39...Rd8 , but it should suffice for a draw.) 39...Kxg7 (39...c4? 40.Rc6+- ) 40.Rxe1 c4 41.Kg2 c3 42.d6 Rc4 and the great drawish tendency of rook endings should save Black.]

36...Nxe1 37.d7 Rcd8 38.dxe8Q+ Rxe8 39.Nc4 [39.Ne4!? possibly offered better practical chances, because the knight is slightly more flexible. But after 39...Rxe6 40.dxe6+ Kf8 (avoiding a possible check from d5) 41.Nc3 a6 things should also probably end in a draw. The white king simply needs too long to be able to get involved.]

39...Rxe6 40.fxe6+ Shirov creates linked passed pawns, from which the teeth can be drawn, however, by a knight sacrifice. [A sample line after 40.dxe6+ goes: 40...Ke7 41.Ne5 Kd6 42.Kh2 Nc2 43.Nc4+ Ke7 44.Kg3 Nb4 45.Ne3 a6 46.Kf4 Kd6 47.Nc4+ Kc5 48.Nd2 b5 49.g5 Nd5+ 50.Ke5 hxg5 51.Ne4+ Kc6 52.axb5+ axb5 53.Nxg5 Ne7= ]

40...Ke7 41.Ne5 Kd6 42.Nc4+ Ke7 43.Ne5 Kd6 44.Kh2 [After 44.Kg1 Nc2 45.Nc4+ Ke7 46.Kf2 Nb4 47.Ne3 Nxd5 48.Nxd5+ Kxe6 we have a similar ending to that in the game. The white knight cannot keep up with the struggle on both sides of the board, which makes a win impossible, e.g. 49.Nf4+ Kf6 50.Ke3 g6 51.Kf3 h5 52.gxh5 gxh5 53.Nxh5+ Ke5= ]

44...Nc2 45.Nc4+ Ke7 46.Kg3 Nb4 47.Ne3 Nxd5 48.Nxd5+ Kxe6 49.Nc3 a6 50.Kf4 [Nor can the white knight win after 50.Na2 e.g. 50...a5 51.Nc3 Kd6 52.Kf4 g6 53.Ne4+ Kc6 54.Ke5 b5 55.Kf6 bxa4 56.Kxg6 a3 57.Nc3 Kc5 58.Kxh6 Kc4 59.Na2 Kb3= ]

50...b5 51.axb5 and a draw was agreed. [51.Nxb5 axb5 52.axb5 g6 is also completely level.] A sample variation goes:

51...axb5 52.Nxb5 Kf6 53.Nd6 g5+ 54.Ke4 Kg6 55.Nf5 h5= 1/2-1/2