One of the most significant games played in the recently finished world championship competition in Mexico was between the Israeli grandmaster Boris Gelfand and the defending world champion Vladimir Kramnik. Kramnik prepared an important theoretical novelty just for this encounter. It seemed at first as if he would crush Gelfand on the spot. But Gelfand played with tremendous energy. With a series of unexpected strokes he managed to create counterplay. After both sides continued with inventive lines, the game finished in a closely fought draw.

KRAMNIK VS. GELFAND (white) (black) Slav Defense

1.d4 d5 2.c4 c6 3. Nf3 Nf6 4. Nc3 e6 5. Bg5 h6 6. Bh4 dxc4 7.e4 g5 8. Bg3 b5 9. Be2 Bb7 10.0-0 Nbd7 11. Ne5 h5?! After this game it becomes possible to conclude that the alternative move, 11…Bg7!? promises more to black. The game Kramnik-Anand in one of the next rounds continued 12. Nxd7 Nxd7 13. Bd6 a6 14. Bh5 Bf8 15. Bxf8 Rxf8 16.e5 Qb6 17.b3 0-0-0 18. bxc4 Nxe5! with a complicated game. 12. Nxd7 Qxd7 13. Qc1! Kramnik unveils a brilliant novelty. The usual continuation 13. Be5 Rh6 14. Qc1 after 14… 14… c5?! brought Gelfand to defeat in his game against Aronian in the spring of 2007, but after that it was discovered that 14…Ng4!? is better. 13… Rg8 In the weeks after the conclusion of the championship tournament, attempts are already under way to improve black’s chances. Agobian-Shabalov in Miami proceeded with 13…Rh6 14. Qxg5 b4 15. Na4 Nxe4 16. Qe3 Nxg3 17. hxg3 0-0-0 18. Rfd1 h4 19. Nc5! but white’s position is much better here. 14. Rd1 Bb4! Gelfand finds the best regrouping of his pieces. Worse were the natural 14…h4 15. Be5 Qe7 16.h3! g4 17. Bxf6 Qxf6 18. Bxg4 0-0-0 19.e5 Qg6 20. Qe3 with a clear white advantage. And 14…0-0-0 15.a4 b4 16. Nb5! cxb5 17. axb5 could give white a crushing attack. 15. Qe3 Qe7 16.h3!? This is logical, but more resolute was 16.a4! h4 17. Be5 a6 18.h3! and black’s position is very dangerous. 16… h4 17. Bh2 Bxc3! Taking control of the d5 square. Bad was the immediate 17…g4 18.e5. 18. bxc3 g4! 19. Kh1! c5! Keeping control of the f3 square. Black would lose in case of 19… gxh3 20. gxh3 c5 21. Bf3 0-0-0? 22. Qf4. 20. hxg4 Bad for white was 20.f3? gxh3 21. gxh3 Nh5, but deserving of attention was 20. Bxg4!? 20… cxd4 21. Rxd4 Safe, but not the sharpest way. More interesting was 21. Qxd4!? Nxe4 22.a4!? (22. Kg1!? is appealing too.) 22…h3! 23.f3 e5! 24. Bxe5 hxg2+ 25. Kg1 (worse 25. Kxg2? f6! 26. Bh2 Rxg4+! 27. fxg4 Nxc3+ 28. Bf3 Qe2+ and black wins.) 25… f6 26. Bf4 Ng5 27. Re1! Ne6 28. Qe3 and white preserve attacking possibilities. 21… e5! 22. Rdd1 Nxg4 In case of 22…Nxe4 23. Bf3 Qc5 24. Bxe4! Qxe3 25. Bxb7 Qxf2 26. Bxa8 the white pieces are stronger than the black queen. 23. Bxg4 Rxg4 24.f3 Rg6 25.a4 a5! An excellent decision. Black creates timely counterplay. In case of 25…a6 26. axb5 axb5 27. Ra7! Ra6! 28. Rxa8+ Bxa8 29. Rb1 Bc6 30. Qh6 white has serious threats on both flanks. 26. axb5 a4 27. Qe2 Also not dangerous for black was 27. Rdb1 a3 28. Rb4 Qe6 29. Qc5 h3! and in case of 30.g4? Bxe4! 31. fxe4 Qxg4 black even wins. 27… Qc5 28. Rab1 Rd6 A more exact way than 28…a3 29. Rb4 Rd6 30. Bg1 Rxd1 31. Qxd1 Qc7 32. Ra4! and black still has difficulties. 29. Rxd6 Qxd6 30. Qxc4 a3 31. Ra1 h3 32. Qe2 White didn’t have 32.g4? Qd2. No advantage was promised also by 32. gxh3 Rc8. 32… hxg2+ 33. Qxg2

(See Diagram)

33… 0-0-0!? Castling so late in the game is a rarity in modern practice 34. Qa2 A last attempt to fight for the advantage could be 34.c4!? f6! (here is bad 34…f5 35.c5! Qxc5 36. Qg5! f4 37. Bxf4) 35. Qa2 Qd4 36.c5 (In case of 36. Qxa3 Qf2! white hold on after 37…Rh8 38. Rg1.) 36…Qc3 37.c6 Qxf3+ 38. Qg2 Rd1+ ends in a draw by perpetual check. 34… f5! Yet another heavy blow. Black didn’t have time for 34…Rh8 35. Qxf7 Qh6 36. Qf5+ and white wins. 35. Qxa3 fxe4 36. Qxd6 Rxd6 37. fxe4 Bxe4+ 38. Kg1 Bd3 39. Bxe5 Rg6+ 40. Kf2 Bxb5 1/2-1/2