Kramnik, Vladimir (2751) - Polgar, Judit (2677) [A30]

Dos Hermanas (7), 14.04.1999

1.Nf3 Nf6 2.c4 c5 3.g3 b6 4.Bg2 Bb7 5.0–0 g6

Black heads for a Hedgehog structure, but with a big difference: he keeps the pawn on
“e7”. The advantage is that the “d6” pawn no longer needs protection and the dark
squares bishop is better placed. The disadvantage is that white has access to the “d5”
square. Still, the practice has shown that access to the “d5” square is more important than
black’s advantages which is why this line is less played.
After 5...e6 we reach the classic Hedgehog structure.

6.d4
White immediately goes for active play in the center.
The alternative 6.Nc3 Bg7 7.Re1 (intending to take with the knight on “d4”) 7…0–0 8.e4
d6 9.d4 cxd4 10.Nxd4 leaves white with an edge.

6...cxd4 7.Qxd4
Trading the light squares bishops 7.Nxd4 Bxg2 8.Kxg2 Qc8 9.b3 Bg7 also leaves white
with an edge. (Unlike the typical Hedgehog structure, white has access to “d5”, so trading
bishops makes sense.)

7...Bg7 8.Nc3 d6
The immediate 8...0–0 allows white to play 9.Qh4 that leads after 9…d6 10.Bh6 Nbd7
11.Rac1 Rc8 12.b3 to a position where white has an edge.

9.Rd1
Now 9.Qh4 is simply met with 9…h6 10.Rd1 Nbd7 leading to a roughly equal position.

9...Nbd7 10.b3
White decides to develop his bishop on the long diagonal, also protecting the “c4” pawn
in advance).
The alternative 10.Be3 Rc8 11.Rac1 0–0 12.Qh4 a6 13.b3 Rc7 14.Bh3 (this is a typical
move that avoids trading pieces; white intends to play “Nd4”) leads to a position where
white has an edge due to the space advantage.

10...0–0 11.Bb2 Rc8 12.Rac1 a6 13.Qd2

Until now, both sides have completed their development by placing their pieces on good
squares. White removes the queen from the exposed “d4” square preparing for “Nd5”.
He could head for it at once with 13.Ne1 Bxg2 14.Nxg2 Rc5 15.Nd5 holding an edge.

13...Rc7 14.Ne1
Generally speaking, this trade favors black, but here that is not the case since it only
increases white’s control over the “d5” square. This is better than “Nd4” (the knight
doesn’t have much to do here) since white intends to drive the knight to the “d5” square.

1
14…Bxg2 15.Nxg2 Qa8 16.Ne3
The same result could be obtained after 16.Nf4 Re8 17.Ncd5 Rc6.

16...Re8
Since he doesn’t have active possibilities, black is simply protecting his potential
weakness in advance.

17.Ncd5 Rc6
Heading for trades at once leads after 17...Nxd5 18.Nxd5 Rc6 19.Bxg7 Kxg7 20.Qd4+ f6
Worse is 20...Kg8 21.Qe4 Ne5
After 21...e6 22.Nb4 white has a decisive advantage since he simply wins
the “d6” pawn and black gains nothing in return.
22.f4 f5 23.Qe3 Ng4 24.Qe6+ Kg7 25.e4 and white has a large advantage since
black has too many weaknesses. (His pieces are also worse placed.)
21.Rc3 white keeps the advantage. (The position is quite similar to what happens later on
in the game.)

18.a4
Before concentrating on active play in the center and kingside, white takes defensive
measures on the queenside. This is a good call since black cannot get active play based
on the typical “b5” advance.

18…Qb7 19.Bd4
White could head for a slightly better position with 19.Nxf6+ Nxf6 20.Bxf6 Bxf6 21.Nd5
Bg7 22.Qd3 since the knight is better than the bishop. Still, the bishop defends the
kingside well and the “e6” and “b6” pawns can be easily defended making progress
almost impossible.

19...Rcc8 20.Nxf6+ Bxf6

Trading the bishops is in white’s favor since the kingside will be weak, giving white good
attacking chances.
Better would have been 20...Nxf6 21.Qd3 Rb8 and white has an edge.

21.Nd5 Bxd4 22.Qxd4 Qc6 23.Qh4

White presses the “e” pawn, weakening black’s kingside.
The alternative 23.Qe3 was equally good since after 23…Kf8
After 23...e6 24.Nb4 Qc5 25.Qd2 white has a large advantage since the “d” pawn
will fall.
24.Rd4 white has a large advantage. (His kingside attack is quite dangerous after “Qh6-
Rh4”.) Note that 24…e6 is bad since after 25.Nb4 black loses either the “a” or the “d”
pawn.

23...f6 24.Rc3 Kg7

Vacating “c6” square for the knight with 24...Qb7 doesn’t help much since after 25.Re3
Ne5 26.f4 Nc6 27.b4 b5 (black cannot afford to allow the pawn to advance further)

2
28.cxb5 axb5 29.g4 (threatening the deadly “Rh4”) 29…Kg7 30.a5 white has a large
advantage since he is better on both flanks.

25.Qd4
At the moment, white is satisfied that black has weakened the kingside and returns the
queen to the center. Still, this is a bit too soft and although it leaves white with the
advantage, it allows black to organize his defense. It would have been better to push
forward by pressing the “e” pawn since black doesn’t have a satisfactory answer.
After 25.Re3 e6 26.Nb4 Qb7
The active 26...Qc5 is bad since white can simply take the pawn. After 27.Nxa6
Qa5 28.Rxd6 Nf8 29.Rf3 white has a decisive advantage since the knight is
immune. Taking the knight leads to disaster 29…Qxa6 since after 30.Qxf6+ Kg8
31.Qf7+ Kh8 32.Rfd3 there is no defense against the “Rd7” threat.
27.Rxd6 Nc5 28.Qf4 white has won a pawn (black has no compensation) and is
threatening to improve his position further by “Qf3”. Converting the advantage is only a
matter of technique.

25...Qc5
Black takes advantage of white’s soft approach and improves his defense, by vacating the
“c6” square for the knight (with a gain of tempo).

26.Qd2
Trading queens would be bad since black’s weak kingside is no longer important.
Therefore the endgame would be equal.

26…Ne5 27.Nf4
White is concentrating on the kingside, trying to get attacking chances. This looks like
the right decision since a queenside game doesn’t give that much.
After 27.b4 (White puts black back on the defensive, but it also weakens the “c” pawn;
therefore black’s chances of gaining counter play increase) 27…Qc6 28.Qd4 Nd7
Taking the tempting pawn 28...Qxa4 would be bad since after 29.Nxb6 Qxb4
30.Nxc8 Rxc8 31.c5 (without this strong move the exchange sacrifice is sound;

3
 black would place his knight on the secure and strong “c5” square, getting more
than enough compensation). 31…Qxd4 32.Rxd4 white has a large advantage. The
queenside pawns are too weak and will soon fall, and the knight doesn’t have
stable squares. Therefore the chances of saving the game are close to zero.
29.b5 Qb7 30.Re3 e6 31.Nb4 a5 32.Qxd6 Nc5 33.Na6 Kf7 34.Nxc5 Rxc5 white manages
to win a pawn. Still, black has defended his king and the weakness of the “c” pawn gives
black good prospects to save the game (better than white’s of winning it).

27...Kf7 28.Rdc1 a5
This is a sound positional decision. Black correctly assesses that there are no real chances
to get counter play on the queenside (based on a “b5” advance), therefore he clarifies
matters there. By blocking the pawns, he secures the “c5” square for the knight or rook
and makes sure that white cannot expand his influence there by advancing the pawns.

29.Rd1 Ng4
Black forces white to advance his “e” pawn (defending the “f2” pawn with “Qe1” is too
passive) which is to his advantage. (White can no longer press the “e7” pawn.)

30.e4 Ne5
With the mission accomplished, the knight goes back.
Also possible was 30...Rcd8 31.h3 Ne5 32.Re3. White is slightly better due to the space
advantage.

31.Kg2
White vacates the king from the “a7-g1” diagonal preparing a “f3” advance, defending
the “e” pawn.
Heading for the endgame with 31.Qd5+ leads, after 31…Qxd5 32.exd5 g5 33.Ne6 h5, to
a position where white has an edge. Still, the powerful knight from “e6” is alone (white
cannot bring any new forces to aid it) and the closed character of the position gives black
good chances to balance the game without any particular difficulty. (Here we see how
useful the “a5” advance was.)

31...Qc6 32.f3 g5
Since white intends to take control of the “c” file with “Rdc1, Qd5, cxd5”, black loses no
time and starts active play on the kingside. His idea is to weaken the “e4” pawn after a
“g4” advance. This is a double-edged decision since in the process black is further
weakening his kingside.

33.Nd3
Keeping the knights doesn’t disturb black at all since after 33.Nd5 e6 34.Ne3 Rcd8 black
has little to fear. His knight is better placed and the weakness of the “d6” pawn isn’t
important since it can be easily defended.

4
33...Nxd3 34.Rxd3 g4
After this move, black is off the hook. He gets access on the important “e5” square, and
the weakened kingside can be easily defended. (Without the knight white cannot create
dangerous threats).

35.Qh6 Kg8
There is no point in hurrying things with 35...gxf3+ since after 36.Kxf3 Rh8 37.Qh5+
Kg7 38.Rd5 Qb7 white keeps an edge by advancing “g5”, further weakening the king.

36.Qf4 gxf3+ 37.Rxf3

37…Qd7
This is a poor move that allows white to push forward. From a psychological point of
view this is a common mistake. Generally speaking, when you manage to balance the
game after a tough defense (or increase the advantage to a decisive one) the
concentration decreases considerably, making room for mistakes. This is exactly the
moment when you are exposed to mistakes that spoil the hard gains you have made. (You
feel that the job is already over). The game is over only when the players shake hands.
After the move played, white can advance “e5” getting a better rooks endgame due to the
activity of his rooks. Preventing an “e5” advance is sufficient to maintain the balance
without difficulty.
After 37...Qb7 38.Rd5 Rc5 black has nothing to fear (he simply plays “Kh8, Rg8” not
allowing any “g4-g5” idea and then moves the queen) since white doesn’t have any plan
to improve his position further.

38.e5
Of course, white takes advantage of black’s mistake and opens files for the rook (taking
advantage of the pin along the “d” file).

5
38…dxe5
Even worse would have been 38...fxe5 39.Qg5+ Kh8 40.Rf7 and white has a decisive
attack. (40…Rg8 is simply met with 41.Qh6.)

39.Rxd7 exf4 40.gxf4

White intends to keep black’s central pawns under control. (He has the option of blocking
them later with a “f5” advance.)
The alternative 40.Rxf4 Kf7 41.Re4 Rc6 42.Kf3 h5 also leaves white with an edge, but
white’s choice looks better.

40...Kf7 41.Re3
White makes room for the king and presses on “e7”, not allowing the rook to become
active. This is better than doubling the rooks on the “d” file which threatens nothing.

41…Rc6 42.Kf3 f5
White was threatening to advance “f5” (now that the pawn can be defended), increasing
the space advantage and gaining access to the “e6” square. Therefore black defends
against it. Still, this weakens the “e5” square which can be used by white to increase his
small advantage.

43.Re5 Kf6 44.Rb7

This move shows white’s good technique; before heading to active play, you should
attack your opponent’s weaknesses. This considerably reduces your opponent’s choices if
he has to keep his pieces passive in order to defend the weaknesses.)

44…Rd6

45.Ke3
This move loses almost all the advantage. While he still has an edge, it is insufficient for
a win, and holding the endgame isn’t difficult at all. White defends at once against
black’s active possibilities (covering the “d” file). In order to get counter play (otherwise
white wins quite easily), black has to give up a pawn. White’s main advantage is that he
can choose which pawn he intends to win. Obviously he has to take the one that ensures

6
the better winning prospects. His move wins the “e” pawn (black’s next move is almost
forced (if he intends to get counter play), but it is the wrong one. White should have
concentrated on winning the “b” pawn since it allows the “c” pawn to be passed.
After 45.Rb5 Rd3+ 46.Ke2 Red8 (without this move black can’t make further progress to
achieve active play) 47.R7xb6+
Worse would have been 47.R5xb6+ Kf7 since the rook cannot be brought back
into defense.
47...e6 (forced, otherwise the “f” pawn is lost) 48.Re5 (the point is that white brings the
rook back to press the “e” pawn, forcing black to trade a pair of rooks) 48…Rd2+ 49.Ke1
Rd1+ 50.Kf2 R8d2+ 51.Kg3 Rd6 52.Rxd6 Rxd6 53.Rb5 (before taking the “a” pawn,
white intends to bring the king closer to the center) 53…Rd3+ 54.Kf2
Bad is 54.Kh4 Rf3 and black is O.K since he wins the “f” pawn.
54...Rd2+ 55.Ke1 Rd3 56.Ke2 Rh3 57.c5 (now that the king is close enough; the pawn
can advance) 57…h5 58.Rxa5 Rxb3 59.Ra8 white has good prospects of winning the
game. If he reaches the 7th rank with the “a” pawn (and with the rook on “a8”) then he
easily wins (even if he loses the “c” pawn) since black is forced to stay on the “g7-h7”
squares with the king (not allowing the typical “Rh8”) so by activating the king white can
win all the kingside pawns (without losing any of his).

45...Red8
Of course black doesn’t lose time and heads for counter play.

46.Rbxe7 Rd3+ 47.Kf2 Rd2+ 48.Kg3

Immediately playing 48.Re2 leads after 48…Rxe2+ 49.Rxe2 Rd3 50.Re3 Rd4 to the
same position that occurs in the game.

48...R8d3+ 49.Re3 Rxe3+ 50.Rxe3 Rd4

Holding the endgame is not that complicated. Black’s active rook can do the job by itself
since he can attack either the “b3” or “f4” pawn. Sacrificing the “b” pawn doesn’t helps
since from “b3” the rook defends the “b” pawn and sacrificing the “f” pawn allows black
to get sufficient counter play by advancing the “f” pawn. Since without sacrificing either
pawn, white can make no further progress, we can say that the endgame is equal. White
was still trying for some moves, but without any success.

51.h3 h6 52.Rf3 Kf7

Black is defending well; he leaves the rook on the active “d4” square and is just waiting
by moving his king.

53.Kh4 Kg6 54.Rg3+ Kf6 55.Rf3

The active 55.Kh5 doesn’t solve anything since after 55…Rxf4 56.Rg6+ Ke5 57.Rxb6
Rf3 58.Kh4 f4 the passed “f” pawn gives black more than enough counter play.

55...Kg6 56.Kg3 Kf7 57.Rc3 Ke6 58.Kf3

Advancing 58.c5 leads to an immediate draw after 58…bxc5 59.Rxc5 Rd3+ 60.Kg2
(60.Kh4 leads to the same result) 60…Rxb3 61.Rxa5 Rb4 since white loses the “f” pawn.
(Otherwise, he cannot escape perpetual checks.)

7
58…Kf6 59.Re3 Rd2 60.Kg3 Rd4 61.Rf3 Kf7
Since white cannot make further progress, the players agreed to a draw.

½–½