Vladimir Kramnik failed to protect his title at the justconcluded world championship tournament in Mexico. After a brilliant victory against Morozevich (featured below) early in the event — in one of the most intricate and bewildering games seen in recent years — his performance markedly fell off. Indeed, as the tournament progressed, it seemed Kramnik would not win a single game. Only two victories at the very close of the competition permitted him to reach Boris Gelfand and tie with him for second place, one point behind the new world champion, Viswanathan Anand. According to tie-breaking procedures, Kramnik was granted the runner-up title.

KRAMNIK VS. MOROZEVICH (white) (black) Catalan

1. Nf3 Nf6 2.c4 e6 3.g3 d5 4.d4 dxc4 5. Bg2 a6 6. Ne5 Bb4+ The quieter move 6…c5 lost popularity after white began to play 7. Na3! cxd4 8. Naxc4 with good compensation for the pawn. 7. Nc3 Nd5 8.0-0!? This is a new move: white sacrifices two pawns, creating vexing problems for black. In the older path, as in Gulko-Panchenko 1981, after 8. Bd2 b5 9.0-0 Bxc3 10. bxc3 0-0 11.e4?! (better is 11.a4 ) 11… Nb6 black obtained a good game. White could try to get the same position as in that game by playing 8. Qc2 After 8…Nxc3 (8…0-0 9.0-0 transposes to the game.) 9. bxc3 Qxd4 10. Qa4+ Nd7 11. Qxb4 Qxe5 12. Qxc4 0-0 13. Bf4 Nb6! 14. Qxc7 Qb5 and white stands a little better. 8… 0-0 The principal response was 8… Nxc3 9. bxc3 Bxc3 10. Rb1 Qxd4 (worse is 10…Bxd4 11. Nxc4 0-0 12. Ba3 Re8 13.e3 Bf6 14. Qc2 and white has strong pressure.) 11. Qxd4 (unclear also is 11. Qa4+ b5 12. Qa3 Qxe5) 11…Bxd4 12. Nxc4 Nd7 13. Rd1 Bc5 White can return one of the two sacrificed pawns, but can hardly obtain any advantage. Worse for black was 8…Bxc3 9.e4! and white has interesting possibilities. 9. Qc2 b5 10. Nxd5!? White starts wild complications. After 10.a4 f6 11. Nf3 Bb7 12.e4 Nxc3 13. bxc3 Be7 14. Rb1, which reaches a more typical position, white would have compensation for a pawn. 10… exd5 11.b3! c6! The alternative 11…Ra7 has drawbacks, and after 12. Rb1 the knight on b8 would hang. 12.e4 White could have tried 12. bxc4!? bxc4 (12…dxc4!? is also possible and leads to a sharp position after 13. Rb1 Bd6 14. Nxc6 Nxc6 15. Bxc6 Bh3) 13.e4 and white has better prospects than in the game. 12… f6!?

(See Diagram)

Another interesting position could arise after 12…Be6!? 13. bxc4 dxc4 14.d5 13. exd5! fxe5! Black has to accept the piece sacrifice because white is clearly better after 13…cxd5? 14. bxc4 bxc4 15. Nxc4. 14. bxc4 exd4 The most logical move: black takes a pawn and prevents dxe5. 15. dxc6 Be6!? This is better than 15…Ra7?! After 16. Qb3 Bc3 17. cxb5+ Raf7 18.b6 (or 18. Bf4) white has dangerous threats.

16. cxb5!

The line 16.c7 Qxc7 17. Bxa8 Qxc4! is unappealing for white.

16… d3!?

A typical human move: black is seeking active play. A highly ambiguous position would arise after 16…Ra7 17. Rb1 Ba5 (or 17… d3 18. Qb2 d2 19. Bxd2 Bxd2 20.b6) 18. Be4

17.c7! Qd4?

The position becomes too complicated for the players to navigate and they both start to make mistakes. Here black had to choose between 17…dxc2 18. cxd8Q Rxd8 19. Bxa8 axb5! (19…Bc3? 20. Bg5+-) 20. Be4 Rc8 21. Bf4 Ba3 22. Bxb8 c1Q 23. Rfxc1 Rxc1+ 24. Rxc1 Bxc1 25. Bb1 b4 Black should draw, for example: 26.f4 Ba3! 27. Bd6 b3 28. Bxa3 bxa2; or 17…Qd6 18. Qa4 Nd7 19. Bxa8 (19. Bf4? Rxf4) 19… Nb6 20. Qxa6 Nxa8 21. Qxd6 Bxd6 22.a4 Nxc7 23. Ba3 and the endgame is unclear.

18. Qa4!

Now white is winning. Black has too many pieces hanging.

18… Nd7

18…Qxa1? 19. Qxb4+- is no better.

19. Be3 Qd6

20. Bxa8 Rxa8

21. Bf4?

This mistake makes the position unclear once again. White had to chose between 21. Rac1! Rc8 22. Rc6! and 21. Qxa6! Qxa6 22. bxa6 Bd6 23. Rac1 Ne5 24. Rfd1 with a winning position in both cases.

21… Qf8?

Missing the sudden escape – 21… Qd5! 22. Rac1! (after 22. Qxb4? Qf3! white manages to lose!) 22…Bc5! 23. Qxa6 Nb6 24. Rxc5 Qxc5 25. Be3 Qxc7 26. Bxb6 Rxa6 27. Bxc7 Rxa2 28. Rd1 d2 29.b6 Bg4 30.b7 Rb2 31. Rxd2 Rxb7 and the endgame is drawish.

22.b6 Ne5

23. Bxe5+- Qf3

24. Qd1! Qe4

25.b7 Rf8

26.c8Q Bd5

27.f3

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