Kramnik - Shirov of last week

Here is my analysis of this wild game played in the last round of the Memorial Tal tournament. Both player were suffering before the game, Shirov 3/8, Kramnik 3,5/8.
Kramnik, Vladimir(2791) vs. Shirov, Alexei(2735)
5th Tal Memorial - Moscow/Russia - 2010.11.14

[Event "5th Tal Memorial"] [Site "Moscow/Russia"] [Date "2010.11.14"] [Round "9"] [White "Kramnik, Vladimir"] [Black "Shirov, Alexei"] [Result "1-0"] [ECO "D52"] [WhiteElo "2791"] [BlackElo "2735"] [Annotator "SR"] [PlyCount "117"] [EventDate "2010.??.??"] 1. d4 d5 2. c4 c6 3. Nf3 Nf6 4. Nc3 e6 5. Bg5 Nbd7 6. e3 Qa5 {this is the Cambridge Springs defense. The name derives from a 1904 tournament in Cambridge Springs, Pennsylvania in which the defense was used several times. Practitioners of the opening have included Efim Bogoljubov, Vasily Smyslov, and Garry Kasparov.} 7. cxd5 Nxd5 8. Rc1 {a very rare move by Kramnik} ({ the main line goes} 8. Qd2 Bb4 9. Rc1 h6 10. Bh4 c5 11. a3 Bxc3 12. bxc3 b6 ( 12... Qxa3) 13. Bd3 Ba6 14. O-O {with a small plus for white}) 8... h6 9. Bh4 Bb4 10. a3 $5 { Kramnik sacrifices a pawn, the idea is well known though this position is new} (10. Qd2 {would transpose in the main line but it was not Kramnik's idea}) 10... Bxc3+ 11. bxc3 Qxa3 12. Qd2 b5 (12... c5 { would be the main line with the rare 12...Qxa3}) 13. Bd3 O-O 14. O-O Bb7 15. c4 {creating a weakness in c6} (15. e4 {is another possibility} N5b6 16. Ra1 Qd6 { with compensations for white but probably not more}) 15... bxc4 16. Bxc4 N5b6 17. Bd3 Rfc8 ({safer was} 17... Ba6 18. Bxa6 Qxa6 19. Rxc6 Rfc8 $11) 18. Bb1 ( 18. Be4 Qf8 19. Rfd1 {and black can't move a lot}) 18... c5 { Shirov exchanges his weak pawn} 19. dxc5 ({Kramnik wasn't sure of} 19. Be7 { and showed this variation :} Nd5 20. Bd6 Rc6 21. dxc5 Nxc5 22. Rxc5 Rxc5 $13 ( 22... Rxd6 $2 23. Ra5 Qb3 24. e4)) 19... Nxc5 20. Qd6 Qa4 (20... Rc6 { would have forced the Queen to return in d1 or d2} 21. Qd1 (21. Qg3 Ne4 22. Bxe4 Rxc1 23. Bxb7 Rxf1+ 24. Kxf1 Qd3+ 25. Ke1 Qc3+ 26. Kf1 { with a draw, as shown by Kramnik})) 21. Nd4 (21. Rxc5 Bxf3 $15 { would be good for black because the Bh4 is hanging.}) 21... Qd7 (21... Ne4) 22. Qf4 g5 $6 {Shipov said you can't play like this if you are a human!} (22... f5 {was probably dangerous too!}) (22... Qd5 {is more human} 23. Qg4 h5 24. Qg3 Ne4 25. Bxe4 Qxe4 {and black is more than ok}) 23. Qf6 (23. Bxg5 { wasn't good because of} Nd5 ({but not the tempting} 23... Qd5 $2 { because of the nice} 24. Bh7+ $1 Kf8 25. Bxh6+ Ke8 26. Qg3 $18)) 23... gxh4 24. Qxh6 f5 (24... Ne4 {was the other way to block the Bb1} 25. Rxc8+ Rxc8 26. f3 e5 27. fxe4 exd4 28. e5 d3 29. Qg5+ Kf8 30. Qh6+ Ke7 31. Qf6+ Ke8 $11 { with a draw}) 25. Rxc5 $1 {wow, a piece down Kramnik sacrifices an exchange!} Rxc5 26. Nxe6 {this totally destroys the last shield of the black king} Rac8 ( 26... Rd5 {keeps the material but} 27. e4 $40 { will open the diagonal to the black king, with good chances for white.}) 27. Qg6+ Kh8 28. Qf6+ Kg8 29. Bxf5 {now the black king can't count on any pawn protection, which is always very dangerous} Rxf5 {Shirov knows very well he has to give some material back to reduce white's attack} (29... Rc1 30. Qg5+ Kh8 31. Qxh4+ Kg8 32. Qg5+ Kh8 33. f3 {to open the path for the white king} Rxf1+ 34. Kxf1 $44 {despite being a rook down, white is by no way worse}) 30. Qxf5 Bd5 ({Better was} 30... Qe7 {to protect the h pawn! A draw is likely.}) 31. Qg5+ Kf7 32. Nf4 Bc4 $2 (32... Bb3 {this strange move kept some chances according to the computer. But in practice black's position remains very difficult to play.}) 33. Ra1 Rg8 (33... Rc7 34. h3 $14) 34. Qh5+ Kf8 35. Qxh4 { white has now enough material for the bishop and is still attacking} (35. Rd1) 35... Bf7 {it's really difficult to defend this position with a very weak king and no possibility to counter attack} 36. h3 { simply preventing all back rank mates} Rg7 (36... Nc4 37. Qh6+ Ke7 38. Qa6 Rb8 $14) 37. Qh8+ Rg8 38. Qf6 Nd5 39. Qd4 Qf5 40. Rxa7 {the last pawn} Nxf4 41. exf4 {of course white is not ready to exchange queens, he wants to take other benefits from the position of the black king} Qd5 42. Qb4+ Kg7 43. Qe7 Kh8 $2 ( 43... Rc8 {activating the rook was a more stubborn defense}) 44. Qh4+ (44. Qf6+ Rg7 45. g4 Kg8 46. Rc7 Qd1+ 47. Kh2 Qe2 48. Qd4 Rh7 49. Kg3 { pawns will advance more and more, white is probably winning}) 44... Qh5 (44... Kg7 45. Qg5+ Qxg5 46. fxg5 Kg6 47. f4 Bc4 48. Rd7 Ra8 49. g4 {impressive pawns! } (49. Rd6+ $2 Kf5 50. Rd4 Be2 51. Kf2 Re8 { and it's unclear if white could win because} 52. g4+ Bxg4 53. hxg4+ Kxg4 { is a draw}) 49... Ra3 50. Kh2 Be6 51. Rd6 Kf7 52. f5 Ba2 53. h4 Ra4 54. g6+ Ke7 55. Rb6 Rxg4 56. h5 Rh4+ 57. Kg3 Rxh5 58. f6+ Kd7 59. Kg4 Rh1 60. f7 Rg1+ 61. Kh5 Rf1 62. Rb7+ Kc6 63. Ra7 Be6 64. Kh6 $18) 45. Qf6+ (45. Qxh5+ Bxh5 46. Kh2 Be2 47. Re7 (47. g4 $2 Bxg4 48. hxg4 Rxg4 {is draw}) 47... Bd1 48. f5 Rg5 49. Re1 Bh5 50. Re5 Kh7 (50... Kg7 $2 {would trap his own rook :-)} 51. f4 Kf6 52. fxg5+ Kxe5 53. g4 $18) 51. f3 Bf7 (51... Bxf3 52. gxf3 { would be a funny ffh endgame, probably winning though}) 52. g4 {must win}) 45... Rg7 46. f5 Kg8 (46... Qd1+ 47. Kh2 Qd5 48. g4 Qd2 49. Kg3 Qd3+ 50. Kh4 Qb3 51. Ra8+ Bg8 52. Qd4 $18) 47. Kh2 Qe2 48. Qd4 Qc4 $2 { helping white even if it was winning anyway} (48... Qb5 49. f6 Rg5 50. Qf4 Qd5 51. g4 Qc5 52. Re7 Qd5 53. h4 Rg6 54. g5 $18) 49. Qxc4 Bxc4 50. Rxg7+ Kxg7 51. g4 $18 {with 3 pawns it would be draw but 4 is too much for the bishop} Kf6 52. Kg3 Ke5 53. h4 Bd5 (53... Kf6 54. Kf4 Bd3 55. g5+ Kg7 56. h5 $18) 54. h5 Bb3 55. h6 Bg8 56. Kh4 Kf6 57. f3 Bh7 58. Kh5 Bg8 59. g5+ {nice game by Kramnik} 1-0

1. d4 d5 2. c4 c6 3. Cf3 Cf6 4. Cc3 e6 5. Fg5 Cbd7 6. e3 Da5 this is the Cambridge Springs defense. The name derives from a 1904 tournament in Cambridge Springs, Pennsylvania in which the defense was used several times. Practitioners of the opening have included Efim Bogoljubov, Vasily Smyslov, and Garry Kasparov. 7. cxd5 Cxd5 8. Tc1 a very rare move by Kramnik ( the main line goes 8. Dd2 Fb4 9. Tc1 h6 10. Fh4 c5 11. a3 Fxc3 12. bxc3 b6 ( 12... Dxa3 ) 13. Fd3 Fa6 14. O-O with a small plus for white ) 8...  h6 9. Fh4 Fb4 10. a3!? Kramnik sacrifices a pawn, the idea is well known though this position is new ( 10. Dd2 would transpose in the main line but it was not Kramnik's idea ) 10...  Fxc3+ 11. bxc3 Dxa3 12. Dd2 b5 ( 12... c5 would be the main line with the rare 12...Qxa3 ) 13. Fd3 O-O 14. O-O Fb7 15. c4 creating a weakness in c6 ( 15. e4 is another possibility 15... C5b6 16. Ta1 Dd6 with compensations for white but probably not more ) 15...  bxc4 16. Fxc4 C5b6 17. Fd3 Tfc8 ( safer was 17... Fa6 18. Fxa6 Dxa6 19. Txc6 Tfc8 = ) 18. Fb1 ( 18. Fe4 Df8 19. Tfd1 and black can't move a lot ) 18...  c5 Shirov exchanges his weak pawn 19. dxc5 ( Kramnik wasn't sure of 19. Fe7 and showed this variation : 19... Cd5 20. Fd6 Tc6 21. dxc5 Cxc5 22. Txc5 Txc5 ( 22... Txd6? 23. Ta5 Db3 24. e4 ) ) 19...  Cxc5 20. Dd6 Da4 ( 20... Tc6 would have forced the Queen to return in d1 or d2 21. Dd1 ( 21. Dg3 Ce4 22. Fxe4 Txc1 23. Fxb7 Txf1+ 24. Rxf1 Dd3+ 25. Re1 Dc3+ 26. Rf1 with a draw, as shown by Kramnik ) ) 21. Cd4 ( 21. Txc5 Fxf3 =+ would be good for black because the Bh4 is hanging. ) 21...  Dd7 ( 21... Ce4 ) 22. Df4 g5?! Shipov said you can't play like this if you are a human! ( 22... f5 was probably dangerous too! ) ( 22... Dd5 is more human 23. Dg4 h5 24. Dg3 Ce4 25. Fxe4 Dxe4 and black is more than ok ) 23. Df6 ( 23. Fxg5 wasn't good because of 23... Cd5 ( but not the tempting 23... Dd5? because of the nice 24. Fh7+! Rf8 25. Fxh6+ Re8 26. Dg3 +- ) ) 23...  gxh4 24. Dxh6 f5 ( 24... Ce4 was the other way to block the Bb1 25. Txc8+ Txc8 26. f3 e5 27. fxe4 exd4 28. e5 d3 29. Dg5+ Rf8 30. Dh6+ Re7 31. Df6+ Re8 = with a draw ) 25. Txc5! wow, a piece down Kramnik sacrifices an exchange! 25...  Txc5 26. Cxe6 this totally destroys the last shield of the black king 26...  Tac8 ( 26... Td5 keeps the material but 27. e4 will open the diagonal to the black king, with good chances for white. ) 27. Dg6+ Rh8 28. Df6+ Rg8 29. Fxf5 now the black king can't count on any pawn protection, which is always very dangerous 29...  Txf5 Shirov knows very well he has to give some material back to reduce white's attack ( 29... Tc1 30. Dg5+ Rh8 31. Dxh4+ Rg8 32. Dg5+ Rh8 33. f3 to open the path for the white king 33... Txf1+ 34. Rxf1 despite being a rook down, white is by no way worse ) 30. Dxf5 Fd5 ( Better was 30... De7 to protect the h pawn! A draw is likely. ) 31. Dg5+ Rf7 32. Cf4 Fc4? ( 32... Fb3 this strange move kept some chances according to the computer. But in practice black's position remains very difficult to play. ) 33. Ta1 Tg8 ( 33... Tc7 34. h3 += ) 34. Dh5+ Rf8 35. Dxh4 white has now enough material for the bishop and is still attacking ( 35. Td1 ) 35...  Ff7 it's really difficult to defend this position with a very weak king and no possibility to counter attack 36. h3 simply preventing all back rank mates 36...  Tg7 ( 36... Cc4 37. Dh6+ Re7 38. Da6 Tb8 += ) 37. Dh8+ Tg8 38. Df6 Cd5 39. Dd4 Df5 40. Txa7 the last pawn 40...  Cxf4 41. exf4 of course white is not ready to exchange queens, he wants to take other benefits from the position of the black king 41...  Dd5 42. Db4+ Rg7 43. De7 Rh8? ( 43... Tc8 activating the rook was a more stubborn defense ) 44. Dh4+ ( 44. Df6+ Tg7 45. g4 Rg8 46. Tc7 Dd1+ 47. Rh2 De2 48. Dd4 Th7 49. Rg3 pawns will advance more and more, white is probably winning ) 44...  Dh5 ( 44... Rg7 45. Dg5+ Dxg5 46. fxg5 Rg6 47. f4 Fc4 48. Td7 Ta8 49. g4 impressive pawns! ( 49. Td6+? Rf5 50. Td4 Fe2 51. Rf2 Te8 and it's unclear if white could win because 52. g4+ Fxg4 53. hxg4+ Rxg4 is a draw ) 49... Ta3 50. Rh2 Fe6 51. Td6 Rf7 52. f5 Fa2 53. h4 Ta4 54. g6+ Re7 55. Tb6 Txg4 56. h5 Th4+ 57. Rg3 Txh5 58. f6+ Rd7 59. Rg4 Th1 60. f7 Tg1+ 61. Rh5 Tf1 62. Tb7+ Rc6 63. Ta7 Fe6 64. Rh6 +- ) 45. Df6+ ( 45. Dxh5+ Fxh5 46. Rh2 Fe2 47. Te7 ( 47. g4? Fxg4 48. hxg4 Txg4 is draw ) 47... Fd1 48. f5 Tg5 49. Te1 Fh5 50. Te5 Rh7 ( 50... Rg7? would trap his own rook :-) 51. f4 Rf6 52. fxg5+ Rxe5 53. g4 +- ) 51. f3 Ff7 ( 51... Fxf3 52. gxf3 would be a funny ffh endgame, probably winning though ) 52. g4 must win ) 45...  Tg7 46. f5 Rg8 ( 46... Dd1+ 47. Rh2 Dd5 48. g4 Dd2 49. Rg3 Dd3+ 50. Rh4 Db3 51. Ta8+ Fg8 52. Dd4 +- ) 47. Rh2 De2 48. Dd4 Dc4? helping white even if it was winning anyway ( 48... Db5 49. f6 Tg5 50. Df4 Dd5 51. g4 Dc5 52. Te7 Dd5 53. h4 Tg6 54. g5 +- ) 49. Dxc4 Fxc4 50. Txg7+ Rxg7 51. g4 +- with 3 pawns it would be draw but 4 is too much for the bishop 51...  Rf6 52. Rg3 Re5 53. h4 Fd5 ( 53... Rf6 54. Rf4 Fd3 55. g5+ Rg7 56. h5 +- ) 54. h5 Fb3 55. h6 Fg8 56. Rh4 Rf6 57. f3 Fh7 58. Rh5 Fg8 59. g5+ nice game by Kramnik 1-0