Over the past decade, the chess world has been dominated by a triumvirate consisting of Garry Kasparov, Viswanathan Anand, and Vladimir Kramnik. At Dortmund in late summer, Anand and Kramnik faced each other in a match, which in its quality is the high point of chess in the year so far. The two classical games between the top grandmasters ended in two draws. Anand went on to win the tie-break, in rapid chess, by a score of 1.5 to .5.The most exhilarating game of the match was the first one.

ANAND VS. KRAMNIK (white) (black) Ruy Lopez

1.e4 e5 2.Nf3 Nc6 3.Bb5 a6 4.Ba4 Nf6 5.0-0 Be7 6.Re1 b5 7.Bb3 0-0 8.h3 Bb7 9.d3 d6 10.a3 Nb8 The plan Shirov used against Anand in their match played immediately after the Dortmund tournament, 10…Qd7 11.Nc3 Nd8 appears to be more reliable. 11.Nbd2 Nbd7 12.Nf1 Re8 13.Ne3 Nc5 14.Ba2 Ne6 15.Nf5 Bf8 16.Ng5 Bc8! Kramnik chooses the most prudent path. Other possibilities are: 16…Nxg5 17.Bxg5 h6 18.Bh4 g6 19.Ne3 Be7 20.Qf3 Rf8 21.a4 with white putting pressure on the both flanks; or 16…d5 17.exd5 Bxd5 18.c4! Nxg5 (white is clear better after 18…bxc4 19.dxc4 Bb7 20.Nxe6 Rxe6 21.c5 Qxd1 22.! Rxd1 Ree8 23.b4) 19.cxd5 (19.Bxg5 is strong as well.) 19…Qd7 20.Ng3 h6 21.Ne4 Nxd5 22.Bxg5 hxg5 23.Nxg5 f6 24.Ne4 c6 25.Rc1 Rad8 26.Qg4 Qxg4 27.hxg4 Re6 28.Re2 Kh7 29.Rec2 a5 30.g3 b4 31.a4 with white enjoying an advantage. 17.Qf3 h6 18.Nxe6 Bxe6 19.Bxe6 fxe6! Avoiding problems after 19…Rxe6 20.a4 b4 (or 20…Kh7 21.Bd2 g6 22.Ne3 Kg7 23.Ra2! and white obtains the a-file.) 21.d4! 20.Ne3 c5?! This becomes a source of problems for black. Much better was 20…Nd7! 21.Qg4 (or 21.a4 Qh4 22.Bd2 Nc5) 21…Qf6 22.a4 Nc5 with a safe position. 21.Bd2 Ra7 22.a4 Rf7 It was preferable not to yield the afile by playing 22…b4 23.c3 a5 24.Nc4 Kh7 25.Qe3. 23.axb5 axb5 24.Qe2 Qb6 25.Ng4! Nh7 25…Nxg4 26.Qxg4 could add to problems on the kingside. 26.Qe3 Nf6 27.Nxf6+ Rxf6 28.Ra2 28.b4! was the strong alternative. 28… b4 29.Rea1 Rf7 30.Qg3 Kh7 31.Qg4 Qd8 32.Be3 Qf6 The immediate 32…b3 3! 3.cxb3 Rb7 34.Qd1 Qb8 35.Bd2 Rxb3? 36.Ra8 would lose. 33.h4?! 33.Ra6! with permanent and solid advantage was stronger. 33… b3! Now it is possible. 34.cxb3 Rb8 35.Ra8 Making little sense for white would have been 35.Ra3 Rfb7. 35… Rfb7 36.Rxb8 Rxb8 37.Ra7! Again,, not much was promised by 37.Ra3 Qg6 38.Qxg6+ Kxg6 39.g4 d5 40.h5+ Kf7 41.Kg2 Rb7. Anand finds a way to maintain the initiative. 37… Rxb3 38.Qh5 Qg6! Avoiding the trap 38…Kg8? 39.Bg5! hxg5 40.hxg5 Qf4 41.g3 Qc1+ 42.Kg2 Rb8 43.Qf7+ Kh7 44.Ra1! Qxa1 45.Qh5+ Kg8 46.g6 and mate is inevitable. 39.Qf3 Kg8 40.h5 Qf6 41.Qe2 Rb8 42.g3 d5 43.Kg2

(See diagram)

43… d4! It looked like black is facing torture in lines like 43…Kh7 44.Ra6 Qf7 45.Bc1 But suddenly Kramnik sacrifices two pawns and starts to counterattack. 44.Bc1 c4! 45.dxc4 d3! 46.Qe3 In the sharp endgame after 46.Qf3 Qxf3+ 47.Kxf3 Bc5 black would have sufficient counterchances in lines like 48.Rd7 Rf8+ 49.Kg4 Rxf2 50.Rxd3 Rc2 51.Rc3 Re2 52.b3 Kf7 53.Rd3 g6 54.R! d7+ Kf6 55.Rh7 Rxe4+ 56.Kh3 Re1 57.Bxh6 gxh5 58.Rc7 Bd4 59.b4 Re2. 46… Rc8 47.Qxd3 Black would survive after 47.Rd7 Bc5 48.Qd2 Bd4 49.b3 Ra8 50.c5 Ra1 51.f3 Qg5 52.Qxg5 hxg5 53.Bxg5 Ra2+ 54.Kh3 d2 55.Bxd2 Rxd2 56.h6 Kh7! 57.hxg7 Be3. 47… Bc5 48.Be3! Anand finds the best way yet again. In case of 48.Rd7 Qxf2+ 49.Kh3 Rf8 50.Rd8 Qg1 51.Rxf8+ Bxf8 52.Be3 Qh1+ 53.Kg4 g6! 54.hxg6 h5+ 55.Kg5 Be7+ 56.Kh6 Qf3 white would even lose. 48… Bxa7 49.Bxa7 Qf7! 50.Bb6 Qxh5 51.b4 Ra8 52.Ba5 Qg4 53.c5 h5 54.c6 The only moment when Anand misses the mark. After the stronger 54.Qf3! Qg5 55.c6 Qd2 56.Qb3 Kh7 57.c7 Kramnik could hardly survive. 54… h4 55.c7 Kh7 56.Bb6!? Very interesting was 56.b5?! Rf8 57.Be1 Rf3! 58.Qc2 (Not 58.Qc4? Rf6 59.c8Q hxg3 and black’s attack is unstoppable.) 58…Rf7!! 59.c8Q h3+ 60.Kf1 Qxg3 61.Qxe6 Qg2+ 62.Ke2 Qf3+ 63.Kd2 h2 and in spite of his extra queen, white is worse. 56… Rf8 57.Bc5 Rf3! 58.Qb1 Rxg3+! ! 59.fxg3 Qxg3+ 60.Kf1 Qf3+ 1/2-1/2