london classic

a semi slav of sorts. We'll soon see where the knights jump to. D43 5....dxc4 is a slight deviation when 5...h6 gets more votes. Kasparov drew with Tal in 1983, both as Black and as White. e5 h6 Bh4 g5 Nxg hxg Bxg5 Nbd7 in fact just like today's game. but here Kramnik deviates from the Kasparov-Tal games. 11. exf6 Bb7 12.g3 With 11.g3 they are still in book by move 16. and they have reverted back again to the Kasparov Tal draws. 17.Na4 played mostly with the eval for the other choices slightly below par for white. Kramnik used up an extra 10 mins. and goes for Na4. Now 16...Qb5 was played by both Tal and Kasparov. These two went on playing the same moves and drew at move 43. Not much to look forward to here than, I suspect. I can't see any point where there is a superior choice for either side. They might as well draw now. Not sure what the rules are for this particular tournament. Black has a chance to deviate at move 17...* I rather fancy 17....Bh6 followed by Bh4 and then exd5 and the exchange on -b4-. But what do I know. Clearly not what is in Anads mind as he toes the line and plays 17....Bb8 and we are back with Kasp. Tal both ways. Today these two are playing this as if they don't know the 1983 games. They're certainly well known enough. Again we have a chance of a change here, if Kramnik refuses to play 19.Be3 but does something new like placing his Queen on -d4- or even -g4-. Here's hoping.... I never enjoy watching queenside castling games, unless both sides do it. Makes for a disjointed board. Kramnik now has used up 20 mins more than Anand Hurrah! White does not play Be3 put listens to me and moves Queen to -g3-. Now what? Quick as a flash Anand plays 19....Bxd5 - well obviously. And we can all see what is coming next. Or can we? No exchange on -d5- but a fresh look at the attack. Great. I was just about to get out of here, overcome with boredom. 20. Rfc1....* is a magical choice. Still a handful of games left in my database, with mixed fortunes. Sokolov is in there, as is Van Wely. 20...Rxd5 switches the whole game over to the queenside. 20. Rfc1 was very clever of White because now Be3 is no longer required, nor possible and the kingside can stay intact for a while. I wonder what Kasparov is thinking about this. But then, 30 years of chess is a long time. I'm surprised to see Anand taking the DSB now. Not much point in taking his eye off the ball I would have thought. Getting the King off the back rank would have been my choice. move 24....Rxg3* was a canny move! Waiting with taking the Rook on -c6- makes all the difference. Oh they are good, these two. We are still in a game between Yussopov and Tukmakov in 1987 , a draw I'm afraid, in 41 moves. Oh well... They have each got about 70 mins left. But they won't need much more time as a draw seems imminent. 26...Qc7 is clever as it requires a lot of thinking from Kramnik, to figure out a new direction. 26....Qc2 would have been much more straightforward for White. with 27.h4 . Now it is a choice between pulling the Queen back or pushing the b-pawn. I suppose putting the Queen on the Seventh is also tempting, if only psychologically. Kramnik has been thinking for ten minutes on this devious move 26....Qc7 White opted for pushing the -b-pawn. Wise choice. Even though Black can now get macho and push the Queen out of the way on the e-file, then bring his DSB forwards and give check with his Queen, but White can easily deflect this and come out on top. after 27.b3 e5 seemed obvious, but they are now testing each other for time usage and 27....Kc8 seems dangerous but could still be justified from a tempo p.o.v. even though 47 minutes for 13 moves seems not too much of an ask. Is 28.Qe3/e4 the safest queen move at this junction? It pushes black into Kb8 with 28 more minutes on his clock but I'm expecting a rep draw now. A scant 20 mins left for White, vs an hour for Black. Oh oh, a not-so clever choice here? 33. Qxc3+ bxc3 it seems to be OK. I'll have a think on the line I had in mind later this evening. By move 39 Black's Rook has not moved at all. Galloping towards the inevitable draw. Still, it has been a nice game. I've enjoyed it. I hope they have too. Especially Anand, after his Homeric WCC match, which he played beautifully.