📘 Due to the penetration of the white king through the c5 square, the black king cannot leave his current post. Now Karjakin must play the waiting moves Bf1-c4 and black's position is impenetrable, but he made a bad mistake with 48...a6. After: 49.a5 (fixing the weak a6 pawn)Bf1 50.Bh2 black is lost. White's threat is Bg4-c8 and black's unfortune pawn on a6 will fall.
50...Bc4 51.Bg4 Bf1 52.Bh3 +-
50...Bc4 51.Bg4 Bf1 52.Bh3 +-
📘An interesting idea for black is to maneuver the f6 knight to e6 by playing Nf6-d7-c5 (or f8)-e6. From e6, the knight is controlling the f4 outpost and black can hope to play Bg5 or Ng5 in some cases. The drawback of this maneuver is a lead in development for white. Black must keep an eye on white's d4.
📘 42...Re4!
Mamedyarov offers an exchange to try to obtain two connected central passed pawns .
43.B.e4 (Kd2? Bb4+ 44.Kc1 Re2 -+ Black is too active)
43...f.e4 =/+
Mamedyarov offers an exchange to try to obtain two connected central passed pawns .
43.B.e4 (Kd2? Bb4+ 44.Kc1 Re2 -+ Black is too active)
43...f.e4 =/+
📘 11...Nb6
With the idea of Nc8-Nd6 for controlling important central squares.
In this situation, this Knight maneuver for the first time was played by the Armenian GM, Rafael Vaganian in 1988.
Another interesting maneuver is: Nc8-Bd6-Ne7.
With the idea of Nc8-Nd6 for controlling important central squares.
In this situation, this Knight maneuver for the first time was played by the Armenian GM, Rafael Vaganian in 1988.
Another interesting maneuver is: Nc8-Bd6-Ne7.
📘 22.b4!
With the idea of gaining more space and fixing black queenside pawns on the light squares. Black's position is unfavorable for the following reasons:
- His bad bishop
- His useless Knight
- His pawn structure is damaged
- His rook on the h- file is tied to defense of h5 pawn
- His position is squeezed
Note: Black cannot try to attack h4 with the knight, since after 22...Ng6 23.R.e8 B.e8 24.f5!
The h4 pawn is Poisonous :24...N×h4 25.Rh1+-
With the idea of gaining more space and fixing black queenside pawns on the light squares. Black's position is unfavorable for the following reasons:
- His bad bishop
- His useless Knight
- His pawn structure is damaged
- His rook on the h- file is tied to defense of h5 pawn
- His position is squeezed
Note: Black cannot try to attack h4 with the knight, since after 22...Ng6 23.R.e8 B.e8 24.f5!
The h4 pawn is Poisonous :24...N×h4 25.Rh1+-
📘 28.Ke3! intending Kf4 to activate the king and to protect the f5 pawn. After white moves his king to f4 he has the upper hand, because the black rook is tied to the defence of h5 pawn, and white has a stronger bishop. White also has the plan of Nf1, g3, Rh2, g4, and Ng3 to create a passed pawn on the h file. This plan is possible, because the white king on f4 is defending f5 and the knight is released from defending f5.
📘 53.Rb5!
Great performance by Kramnik in this endgame! He managed to find the correct plan in his mind. Here are the steps:
1. With Rb5, he protected his own pawn on b2 and fixed his opponent's pawn structure in the queenside.
2. Now Black has to move his rook away from the f file and allow white king to enter rhe game, because he is in zugzwang.
Here is White's winning plan: putting the kingside pawns on g3 and h4 and moving his rook to b3 to support them and finally entering to his opponent's queenside with his king.
Great performance by Kramnik in this endgame! He managed to find the correct plan in his mind. Here are the steps:
1. With Rb5, he protected his own pawn on b2 and fixed his opponent's pawn structure in the queenside.
2. Now Black has to move his rook away from the f file and allow white king to enter rhe game, because he is in zugzwang.
Here is White's winning plan: putting the kingside pawns on g3 and h4 and moving his rook to b3 to support them and finally entering to his opponent's queenside with his king.
📘60.Ke3!
Kramnik improved his position nicely and now it is impossible for his opponent to stop him from entering to the queenside.
60...Rd1 61.Rd3 Rb1 62.b3! Ra1 63.a4 Re1+ 64.Kd4! +- king penetrates and the game is over.
Kramnik improved his position nicely and now it is impossible for his opponent to stop him from entering to the queenside.
60...Rd1 61.Rd3 Rb1 62.b3! Ra1 63.a4 Re1+ 64.Kd4! +- king penetrates and the game is over.
📘 5.a6
Chebanenko or Moldavian variation. Indian legend Sultan Khan played it for the first time in 1929. Sergey Volkov has 238 games in this line and Sergei Movsesian 126 games, Gata Kamsky 102 games. Also it is Super Grandmaster Malakhov favorite line.
Chebanenko or Moldavian variation. Indian legend Sultan Khan played it for the first time in 1929. Sergey Volkov has 238 games in this line and Sergei Movsesian 126 games, Gata Kamsky 102 games. Also it is Super Grandmaster Malakhov favorite line.
📘 Favorite line of many Super GMs! Kasparov played it 3 times and won all of them. Carlsen 3 times, 2 wins and one draw. Grischuk himself played it 6 times, 2 wins, 2 draws and 2 losses. This move is played to grab more space on the queenside and is aiming at the b6 square which has been weakened by black's last move.
📘 6...Ra7
This is the main reason behind a6. The rook, which is defending the b7 pawn, is out of the game temporarily, but now the Black's queen is free to move.
This is the main reason behind a6. The rook, which is defending the b7 pawn, is out of the game temporarily, but now the Black's queen is free to move.