Anand blunders against Kramnik

“It is crazy,” exclaimed one of the Grandmasters after watching Anand blundering his own exchange in a near-winning position. “It is unbelievable that it is a game between the World No 2 and 3 players,” was the reaction of another as both the players had committed common mistakes in the game.

It was a Nimzo-English set up adopted by Anand successfully against Garry Kasparov in his World Championship match in New York, 1995. Kramnik obtained an advantage of bishop pair and an initiative on the queen side.

Anand left without counterplay, took advantage of Kramnik’s time shortage and rammed his king-pawn ahead breaking open the white castle. Kramnik, who was a pawn ahead comfortably till then, found himself at the mercy of the black pieces.

Kramnik, the current World No 2, had to return his extra pawn to his predecessor just to stay in the battle. Anand’s knights were closing in on the white king, huddled uncomfortably behind the queen.

Playing lightning fast, Anand overlooked a strong bishop-move from Kramnik, which forked Anand’s knight and rook. Anand had to give up an exchange on 40th move and he resigned after putting up a resistance till 65th move. It was an unfortunate loss for the Chennai-born Indian who had pulled himself out of difficult position by opting for an ingenius pawn sacrifice. He also lost a golden opportunity to take away valuable Elo rating points from Kramnik.

Grandmaster Peter Leko, warned by the organisers three years back for drawing his games without fights, drew effortlessly against Michael Adams from the black side of classical Spanish opening. The Hungarian teenager gave up his bishop pair but kept the position locked and caught Anand and Kramnik on 4 points.

The computer program Junior 6 was similarly frustrated by Armenian Vladimir Akopian (2.5). The khalifman-Piket encounter also resulted in a peaceful manner.

Only Russian Grandmaster Evegeny Barrev (3) scored a fighting win over German Grandmaster Dr Robert Hubner (1.5).

Results (Round Six): V Kramnik (4) bt V Anand (4); M Adams (3.5) drew P Leko (4); E Bareev (3) bt R Hubner (1.5); Junior 6 (3) drew V Akopian (2.5); J Piket (2) drew A Khalifman (2.5)

The movesbr
Kramnik vs Anand

1. Nf3 Nf6 2. c4 e6 3. Nc3 Bb4 4. Qc2 0-0 5. a3 Bxc3 6. Qxc3 b6 7. e3 Bb7 8. Be2 d6 9. 0-0 Nbd7 10. b4 a5 11. Bb2 qe7 12. d4 axb4 13. axb4 Rfxc8 14. Rxa8 Rxa8 15. d5 Nf8 16. Rd1 Bc8 17. Nd4 e5 18. Nb3 Bd7 19. f3 Qxd8 20. Nd2 Ng6 21. Bf1 h6 22. e4 Nh7 23. c5 Bxc5 24. Bxc5 f5 25. Ba3 Rc8 26. cxd6 cxd6 27. Qb4 Qg5 28. Qxd6 Nf6 29. Bc5 Kh7 30. exf5 bxf5 31. Nc4 e4 32. Be3 Qh5 33. Qg3 exf3 34. gxf3 Nh4 35. Nd2 Rc2 36. Be2 Nxd5 37. Bd4 Bg6 38. Qg4 Nf5 39. Qxh5 Bxh5 40. Bd3 Bg6 41. Bxc2 Nxd4 42. Bxg6+ Kxg6 43. Kf2 Ne6 44. Ne4 Nef4 45. Ra1 Nh5 46. Ra6+ Kf7 47. Nd6+ Ke7 48. Nf5+ Kf7 49. Ne3 Ndxf4 50. Ng4 Nd5 51. Ne3 Ndxf4 52. Nf5 Nd5 53. Ke1 Ndxf6 54. Kd2 Nd5 55. Ra5 Ke6 56. Ne3 Ndxf4 57. Rf5 Ke7 58. Ng4 Ke6 59. Re5+ Kf7 60. Ke3 Kg6 61. Ke4 Nh3 62. Ra5 Ng5+ 63. Ke3 Ne6 64. Ne5+ Kf6 65. Nd3 Black resigns.