After world champion Vladimir Kramnik’s scientific, perfectly correct, and rather boring match with Peter Leko in Yerevan, Armenia, he played a six rapid game match with Levon Aronian. It turned out to be in complete counterpoint, and a genuine celebration of chess, with a lot of bright ideas, risky sacrifices, and more than a few outright mistakes. After losing two games on the second day of the three-day match, Kramnik need to win both games on the last day if he was to rescue himself. But the world champion missed opportunities to administer mate in both games and the final score ended up 4 to 2 in favor of Aronian. The fifth game was the most exciting of the six.

KRAMNIK VS. ARONIAN
(white) (black)
Benoni

1.d4 Nf6 2.c4 e6 3.g3 c5 4.d5 exd5 5. cxd5 b5 6. Nd2!

(See Diagram)

A very interesting novelty, probably prepared by Kramnik for his world championship match with Topalov but left unused. In that match Topalov preferred to use 3…d5 instead of his favorite 3…c5. So Kramnik had to wait until now to unveil this move. 6… Nxd5!? Not following his opponent into treacherous waters. In case of 6…d6 7.e4! a6 8.a4 b4 9. Bd3! white would obtain a very pleasant position. 7. Bg2 Nc7! Better than 7…Bb7?! 8. Qb3 Qg5 9. Nc4! Qe7 10. Na5 c4 11. Qxb5 Qb4+ 12. Qxb4 Bxb4+ 13. Bd2 with a superior endgame for white. 8. Bxa8 Nxa8 9.b4!? The most energetic way forward. In case of the slack 9. Ngf3 Nb6 10.0-0 Be7 black would have sufficient compensation for the exchange. 9… c4 10.a4 Bxb4 11. Qc2 White don’t have time for 11. axb5? c3 and loses a piece. 11… Bb7 12. Ngf3 a6?! Black could (and had to) take control over the important a1-h8 diagonal via 12…Qf6! 13. Rb1 (black has a good game after 13. Ra2 a6) 13…Qe7! 14.0-0 c3! 15. Ba3! (not 15. Nb3? Be4) 15…Bxa3 16. Rxb5 0-0 17. Rxb7 cxd2 18. Qxd2 Bc5 and black stands better. 13. axb5 axb5 14. Qb2! Qf6 15. Qxb4! A brave counter-sacrifice of the exchange. The black passed-pawns could be dangerous after 15. Qxf6 gxf6. 15… Qxa1 16.0-0 Qa6 17. Bb2 f6 18. Ba3 d6 A complicated struggle would lie ahead in case of 18…Nc6 19. Qc5 (19. Qd6 Nb6 20. Ne4 Nc8) 19…Qb6. 19. Nd4 Nc7 20. Rb1 Another unclear position would arise after 20. Nf5!? 0-0 21. Qxd6 Qxd6 22. Bxd6 Rf7 23. Ne7+ Rxe7 24. Bxe7 Nc6 25. Bd6 Nd4!

Position after 6…Nd2!

20… 0-0 21. Nxc4 bxc4 22. Qxb7 Qxa3! This is better than 22…Qxb7 23. Rxb7 Nba6 24. Bxd6 Rd8 25. Rb6 with an advantage for white. 23. Qxc7 Qc5 24. Rb7! Qxc7 25. Rxc7 d5 A theoretically drawish endgame could arise after 25…Na6 26. Rxc4 Nc5 27. Nf5 Rd8 28. Nxd6 Rxd6 29. Rxc5 But black is not worse and doesn’t want to force a draw. 26. Nf5 Na6? An overestimate of the position. Now was an appropriate moment to force a draw: 26…Rf7! 27. Rc8+ Rf8 28. Rc7. An explanation for what now ensued can only be found in the severe time shortage that developed. 27. Rxg7+ Kh8 28. Ra7 Nb4 29. Rc7 h5 30. Kg2! This modest move is the start of mating attack. The king is going to g6. 30… Re8 31.e3 Nd3 32.f4 Ra8 33. Kh3 Ra5 Black could not prevent the winning march of the white king – 33…Ra2 34. Ne7! Rd2 35.g4! Nf2+ 36. Kh4 Nxg4 37. Kxh5 Nxe3 38.h3! and the white king joins the attack. 34. Kh4! Rc5 35. Rd7 Kg8 36. Kxh5 Kf8 37. Nd6! c3 38. Kg6 Rc6 39. Kxf6?? This can only be explained by the severe time scramble. The world champion could administer mate after 39. Rf7+ Kg8 40. Re7. 39… Kg8 40. Kg6 Kf8 41. Kf6? Now winning for white becomes a little more complicated: 41. Kh7! Rxd6 42. Rxd6 c2 43. Rc6 c1Q 44. Rxc1 Nxc1 45.g4 and black is defenseless in the face of the march of the white pawn to g7. 41… Kg8 42.g4? Nc5! Now suddenly black is winning. 43. Rd8+ Kh7 44. Kf7 One second was enough for Kramnik to notice that he is losing after 44.g5 Rxd6+ 45. Rxd6 Ne4+ 44… Rc7+ 45. Kf6 Rc6? 46. Kf7 Rc7+ 47. Kf6 Rc6? After all these adventures Aronian is happy to force a draw. But he could force a win 47…c2 48.g5 Nd7+! 49. Kf7 Ne5+ 50. Kf6 Ng4+ 51. Kf5 c1Q 1/2-1/2