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Game 3 Commentary is brought to you by GM Neil McDonald, IM Malcolm Pein, IM Danny Gormally and FM Chris Duncan.
1.e4 Kasparov challenges Kramnik to play the Berlin Defence again.
1...e5 Kramnik continues with his solid strategy.
2.Nf3 Nc6 They're repeating game 1.
3.Bb5 Kasparov is keen to take on Kramnik's Berlin defence. If he doesn't prove successful here perhaps he will have to try the Scotch with 3.d4, which caused Karpov some problems in their matches.
3...Nf6 We have a Berlin defence again!! Surely Kasparov will have prepared against this. This seems a very dangerous strategy from Kramnik, effectively walking into the lions den, lets hope he knows what he is doing.
4.0-0 Nxe4
5.d4 Nd6
6.Bxc6 dxc6 The great World Champion Lasker preferred 6...bxc6 leading to a more double edged game after 7.dxe5 Nb7 though modern theory frowns on this approach.
7.dxe5 Nf5
8.Qxd8+
The first check! IGIndex were quoting the first check to be around move 22. I hope you all sold!
8...Kxd8 White has to exchange queens as if 8.Qe2 planning Rd1, then 8...Nd4 is known to be equal.
9.Nc3 Bd7
10.b3 h6
11.Bb2 Kc8 All this has been played before
12.Rad1 a new move from Kasparov! Last game he played h3.
12...b6
13.Ne2
13...c5 Threatening to play c4.
14.c4 Kasparov stops this by playing c4 himself
14...Bc6 Kramnik finds a more active square for the bishop than in game 1 - however this does weaken his control over the e6 square. Kasparov has to watch out for Bxf3 wrecking the
white pawn structure although this would deprive black of his light square cover especially the d5 square.
15.Nf4 A powerful square for the knight as it introduces ideas of Nd5 or the pawn break - e6.
15...Kb7 Activating the queens rook
Clock Times Kasparov 1.48 Kramnik 1.26 For the first time in the match Kramnik is behind on the clock
16.Nd5 Deciding to place the knight on the powerful d5 square. Is Kasparov better? We think Kramnik is solid enough at the moment, but that could all change - keep watching!
16...Ne7 Rerouting the knight to g6 as in game1.
17.Rfe1 Kasparov completes the deployment of his pieces and prepares the powerful e6 advance. If 17...Rd8 then 18.e6 fxe6 19.Ne5! is a good punt for $2,000,000! - Pein. Whoops on second thoughts 19...Be8 seems to hold.
Clock Times Kasparov 1.41 Kramnik 1.07 Kramnik is falling behind on the clock!!
Kramnik is now down to 55mins almost an hour behind on the clock!
17...Rg8 No one predicted that one! Initial response is strange move! But now we are beginning to understand it. Evacuating his rook from possible danger along the a1-h8 diagonal after Kasparov's potential e6. It also defends his g pawn. The move e6 will not be as powerful, with the kings rook on g8.
18.Nf4 Kasparov gearing up for e6. What will Kramnik do?
18...g5 Here it is! A very commital move which weakens his pawn structure, but activates his pieces.
19.Nh5 The knight heads for the hole on f6.
19...Rg6 This anticipates Nf6
20.Nf6 A beautiful square for the knight as it can't be ejected by any pawn moves
Clock Times Kasparov 1.07 Kramnik 0.46
20...Bg7 ...so Kramnik intends to remove it with his bishop. The opinion at the London Chess Centre is divided the GM Neil McDonald and IM Gormally think black is fine. IM Pein thinks white has a grip and black must be wishing his rook on g6 was a knight!
21.Rd3 Preventing black from fracturing his pawns with Bxf3 and preparing to double rooks.
21...Bxf3 Kramnik appears to be trying to hold the draw.
22.Rxf3 Bxf6 Swapping again.
23.exf6 Nc6 No real choice other knight moves are worse.
24.Rd3 The London Chess Centre is going crazy! IM Gormally thinks the position is just a draw - IM Pein and FM Duncan think white has a good edge and GM McDonald is just confused, after all he is only a Grandmaster!
Clock Times Kasparov 0.57 Kramnik 0.26
24...Rf8 Defending the f7 pawn against any future attack.
25.Re4 Kc8 Preventing the white rook infiltrating on d7
26.f4 gxf4
27.Rxf4 Re8 Finally the rook emerges into the game along the open e file
28.Bc3 Re2 Kramnik is getting very active and threatens g2 with both rooks. GM McDonald thinks All Kasparov's advantage has evaporated
29.Rf2 Re4 Kramnik probably has a draw with 29...Rxf2 30.Kxf2 Nd4. Could he be playing to win by keeping the tension?
30.Rh3 Kasparov spies a weak pawn to attack on h6.
30...a5 Kramnik decides it is time to create a diversion on the queenside and a weakness on b3.
31.Rh5 a4
Clock Times Kasparv 0.13 Kramnik 0.11
Time Trouble
32.bxa4 This took the commentary team by surprise as white voluntarily disolves his queenside on the other hand blacks position on the kingside is about to collapse a very thrilling battle is in prospect.
32...Rxc4
An
33.Bd2 Rxa4 White's pawns are dropping one after the other, but the pawn on f6 could prove to be a monster.
34.Rxh6 Rg8 If black had played 34...Rxh6 then 35.Bxh6 defends a2 when the kingside pawns can begin to roll. So Kramnik has to surrender the pawn on f7.
35.Rh7 Rxa2
36.Rxf7 Both players have passed pawns, but as Pein comments you would never bet against the player with the bishop! The f pawn is very dangerous. Can Kramnik hold the draw?
36...Ne5 Atimely enterance by the black knight threatening the rook on f7 and also a possible fork after 37...Rxd2 and 38.Rxd2 Nf3+
37.Rg7 Rf8
38.h3 Clearing h2 for the king and so countering the threat of 38...Ra1+ which would pick up the pawn on f6.
38...c4 This passed pawn is black's saving hope for a draw
39.Re7 Nd3
40.f7 This seems very strong but perhaps Kramnik has seen a resource ....
Nxf2! Liquidates into a difficult but ultimately drawn endgame
Kramnik only just makes time control with 22 seconds left on the clock!!
41.Re8 Kd7 the king moves in to mop up white's dangerous passed f pawn - this is the point. If 43 Bh6, c3 and it is up to white to force the draw
42.Rxf8 Ke7
43.Rc8 Kxf7
44.Rxc7 Ke6
45.Be3 this wins a pawn, but not the game - the black pawn on c3 will proce too powerful ...
Nd1
IM Gormally - He's gone (Kramnik that is), IM Pein - Kramnik has to grovel
46.Bxb6 c3
47.h4 A mistake? The only possible winning try was 47 Kh2, when Bg1 (Gormally) could set black some problems ...Ra6 Kramnik's hand briefly hovered over the pawn in true schoolboy fashion here before he made this strong move after which the bishop has no good squares. A drawn rook & pawn ending cannot be avoided if 48 Bf2, Ra1!
48.Bd4 Ra4
49.Bxc3 Nxc3
50.Rxc3 Rxh4
GM McDonald - This is a trivial draw because black's king is too close to the g pawn, white cannot cut the king off because a rook exchange results in a drawn endgame because black' king will be in front of the pawn. Kramnik appeared to offer a draw here, but was spurned by Kasparov who perhaps believed that is not the defender's responsibility to offer.
51.Rf3 Rh5
52.Kf2 Rg5
Clock Times Kasparov 0.43 Kramnik 0.36
53.Rf8 Ke5
Draw Agreed
If for example g3 Rf5+, Rxf5+ Kxf5 is a textbook draw.
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