I have aspirations of someday playing the Dutch (well) and currently play the Slav, so was able to take away some specific lessons in both cases. The apparent simplicity with which Kramnik maneuvers, his patient redeployment of pieces to best squares, and positional dominance with tactical themes (note the repeated pins and forks in the end sequence) are also all models for improving players to emulate.
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| Move | N | Result | Elo | Players |
|---|---|---|---|---|
| Replay and check the LiveBook here |
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1.Nf3 d5 2.g3 Nf6 3.Bg2 it's been noted by commentators that Kramnik in
2016 often largely avoided theoretical duels in the opening, in favor of
simple flank opening development early on. This parallels Carlsen's similar
practice of often "just playing chess", a strategy that succeeds when your
overall level of understanding and effort is better than your opponent's. Bf5 4.0-0 c6 Black is using a Slav-type structure, which is solid if unambitious.
5.d3 e6 6.Nh4 a standard maneuver against a Slav bishop developed to f5. Bg4 7.h3 Bh5 8.Qe1 removing the queen from the line of the pin and
supporting the idea of an e-pawn advance. Be7 9.f4 Nfd7 pressuring the Nh4,
among other things so that it cannot support f4-f5. 10.Nf3 White's last two
moves have now given him a mainline Leningrad Dutch (!) structure in reverse.
Kramnik knows these structures well. f5 presumably aimed at deterring the
thematic Leningrad Dutch e-pawn advance, but... 11.e4 anyway! Bxf3
an understandable decision to exchange minor pieces, as the bishop is
currently largely locked out of the game by its own pawns on the light squares.
12.Bxf3 nevertheless, the exchange seems to leave White in a good position
on the kingside, with his own bishop now improved. 0-0 13.Nc3 White at this
point has a clean structure with his pieces working relatively well together.
Black now has a Stonewall pawn structure, but his pieces are not as well
placed or developed. fxe4 14.dxe4 d4 this seems overly ambitious. Black
completely gives up his solid central pawn wedge in a forward thrust for space.
It certianly inconveniences White temporarily, but in the longer term it
weakens Black's game. 15.Nd1 e5 16.Nf2 Kramnik has plenty of time to
usefully reposition the knight, as Black has to take additional time to shore
up his advanced d4 pawn and get his pieces out. c5 17.Qe2 putting the queen
on more useful diagonals and clearing the back rank to connect the rooks. Nc6 18.Bg4 a beautiful place for the bishop. Now the downside of Black's earlier
decisions - to exchange off his light-square bishop and advance the pawn wedge
- is highlighted. Kh8 19.Be6 exf4 done in order to inconvenience and
disrupt White's kingside. 20.gxf4 here Komodo assesses the position as
completely level, although it seems easier to play as White. Adhiban makes a
rather drastic decision to try to further disrupt White's structure, but this
time the weaknesses he leaves behind after the g-pawn advance become more
acute. g5?! After something like 20...Qc7 21.Nd3 White has an equal
but pleasant game, with ideas like f4-f5, Kh1 followed by Rg1, etc. 21.Ng4
the knight hops to a strong square, with multiple benefits (blocking the
g-file, eyeing h6 and f6 as well as e5). 21.f5 also looks good here. 21...gxf4 22.Bxf4± White's two bishops are looking really good now. Qe8 shifting diagonals with the idea of redeploying to g6. 23.e5!? this is a
key moment and White has multiple ways to proceed. Kramnik picks a world-class
and complex way, by offering the Ng4. Bh4 23...h5 is the critical way to
oppose White's idea, by threatening the Ng4. 24.Kh1 24.Nh6? is one
option and something many Class players would first consider, since it looks
aggressive. Qg6+ is the big problem with it. 25.Kh1 d3 25...Qxe6? 26.Qxh5! leads to mate and would justify White's aggressive play. 26.Qg2 26.cxd3? Nd4 and Black wins due to the hanging Be6. 26...Qxe6 27.Rg1 Rg8 28.Nxg8 Rxg8 24...d3 24...hxg4? loses to 25.Qxg4 with a
completely open field in front of Black's king, versus White's queen, two
bishops and rook. 25.Qg2 Nd4 a similar idea as in the above variation, but
now the queen is on g2, so White can play 26.Bd5± with heavy kingside
pressure. 24.Bc4 withdrawing the bishop after the discovered attack, but
its effectiveness is not lessened any, plus e5-e6 is now a possibility.
White's space advantage and mobility gives him a significant plus. Qg6 25.Kh1 avoiding the ...h5 threat, now that the Qg6 is present. Bg5 naturally Black
seeks to exchange off one of White's two bishops, but to no avail. 26.Bh2
again, the bishop retreat shows no loss of effectiveness for the piece, plus
the f-file is uncovered. Nb6 26...Rxf1+ would be an attempt to exchange
off material and reduce White's threats, but after 27.Rxf1 Rf8 28.Rxf8+ Nxf8 29.e6!+- the advanced passed e-pawn gives White the advantage. 27.Bd3+- moving the bishop to an even better diagonal. Qe6 28.Qe4 sometimes the
obvious threats (in this case mate on h7) are still best. Qd5 29.e6!
passed pawns must be pushed! White now would be fine with a queen exchange. Rae8 30.Rxf8+ now reducing material favors White's positional advantages,
with the pawn sitting on e6. Rxf8 31.Ne5 31.Rg1 is favored by the engines
as an enhanced version of the idea behind the text move. Qxe4+ 32.Bxe4 Kg7 33.Ne5+- 31...Qxe4+ 32.Bxe4 Nd8 33.a4 an interesting idea and not one
Class players would consider, given that it surrenders the e-pawn. 33.Nd7
has been noted as a more direct route to victory. Nxd7 34.exd7 Kg7 34...Rf7 35.Be5+ Bf6 36.Bd5!+- 35.Rg1 Kh6 and now White can win with either
Bd5, controlling key squares, or going for material with Bxh7. It is still
complicated, however. 33...Nxe6 34.a5 the point of the idea, chasing the
knight away from defending the d7 square while the b-pawn is hanging and
cannot be protected. Nc8 35.Nd7 Kramnik by this point evidently saw a path
to a win and was comfortable following it, without necessarily seizing every
available opportunity. 35.Bd5!? Nf4 36.Nf7+ Kg7 37.Nxg5 Nxd5 38.Ne6+ Kf7 39.Nxf8± 35...Re8? not the best defense. It looks obvious, lining up
against the hanging Be4, but White now uses the available tempo-gaining check
to dominate Black's side of the board. 35...Rd8 36.Bxb7 36.Be5+ as in
the game continuation is also a strong idea. 36...Ne7 37.Ne5± with the
two bishops so powerful and Black's weaker pawn structure, Kramnik must have
felt he could bring the point home with best defense here. 36.Be5+ Ng7 36...Kg8 37.Bd5 b6 38.Rf1+- and Black loses material. 37.Rg1 37.Rf1!? 37...Bh6 38.Bxb7+- at this point White has achieved total dominance
and can leisurely go about winning. Black has too many weaknesses, for example
at h7 and c5, while White's three advanced minor pieces combine very
effectively against them and the rook. Ne7 39.Nf6 Rf8 40.Be4 Ng8 41.Nxh7 Re8 42.Ng5 tactically defending the Be5 with the threatened fork (and mate)
on f7. Re7 43.Bd3 Bxg5 44.Rxg5 threatening mate on h5 now, given the
pinned Ng7. Nh6 45.Bxg7+ a simple, clean finish. Rxg7 46.Rh5 1–0
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| White | EloW | Black | EloB | Res | ECO | Rnd |
|---|---|---|---|---|---|---|
| Kramnik,V | 2808 | Adhiban,B | 2671 | 1–0 | A07 |
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