World Blitz : Nakamura-Kramnik

The World Blitz Championship is being held from 16 to 18 November 2010 at Moscow, Russia. The format is  double round robin with twenty players and time control of  three minutes for all the moves plus a two second increment per move.

Below is the second round game between former World Champion - Vladimir Kramnik vs Blitz 'King' - Hikaru Nakamura.







GM Hikaru Nakamura - GM Vladimir Kramnik
World Blitz, Round 2, 16.11.2010

Analyzed by Hairulov + Rybka 4

1.e4 d6 2. d4 Nf6 3. Nc3 g6 4. f4 Bg7 5. Nf3 O-O 6. e5 dxe5 7. fxe5 Nd5 8. h4  

This seems ultra aggresive but a 'normal' move for player like Hikaru. 8. Bc4 is suggest by Rybka opening book.  8... Bg4 9. h5 c5 Kramnik use a well known theory - Attack on flank is answer with attack on the center! However, Rybka had other 'opinion'. The beast prefer taking the pawn sac with 9...Bxh5  A human player would  probably  avoid facing a dangerous attack after 10. Rxh5 gxh5 with the idea of Qd3-Ng5 later although Rybka 'said' that black can defend the position. 10. hxg6 hxg6 11. Rh4 Bxf3 12. Qxf3 Nb4 13. Bc4?!

This is a pure rook sac. Hikaru know that with the simple 13...Nxc2+ and later 14...Nxa1 he will
lose a full rook, however in blitz, initiative is usually more valuable then material 13...e6!? Kramnik wisely avoid the complication after  13... Nxc2+14.Kf1 Nxa1 15. e6 although black can probably defend the position. 14. Qh3!? Hikaru once again offer the rook 14...Nxc2+ 15. Kf1

15...Nxd4? 15... cxd4 16.Ne4 Ne3+ is probably the correct answer because now white's black square bishop can't join the kingside attack.  Another option 15...Nxa1 is quite risky because after 16.Bh6 white have a strong attack and a single mistake by black can be fatal.  16. Ne4 Now except for his rook on a1, all white piece is aiming at black's kingside. 16... Nf5 16... Bxe5?? Taking that pawn is naive 17. Bg5 Qc7 18. Nf6+ Bxf6 19.Bxf6 and mate is near for black! 17. Bg5 Qd4 This is black best chance to survive. 18. Nf6+ Bxf6 19. Rxd4 Bxg5 20. Rg4

20...Bh6 20... Ne3+ straight away is also possible. 21. Ke2 Nxg4 22. Qxg4  21. Bd3?  21. Re1 protecting the e3 square is nessecary 21... Ne3+ 22. Kf2 Nxg4+ 23. Qxg4 Nc6 Now black is back into the game. 24. Rh1 Bg7 black can take the e5 pawn with 24... Nxe5 25. Qh4? 25. Qh3 Is probably white best chance 25... Rfd8 26. Bxg6 Nxe5 (26... fxg6 27. Qxe6+ Kf8 28.Rf1 Bxe5 29. Kg1+ Kg7 30. Rf7+ Kh6 31. Qh3+ Kg5 32. Qe3+ Kg4 33. Qh3+ Kg5 34. Qe3+ Kg4) 27. Bh7+ Kf8 28. Re1 25... Rfd8 26. Bxg6 ?! fxg6 27. Qh7+ Kf8 28. Rf1 Rd7! 29. Qxg6 Rf7+ 30. Ke1 Nxe5 31. Rxf7+ Nxf7 32. Qe4 Rb8 White lone queen can't do much again black's three pieces. 33. b3 b6 34. Qc6 Be5 35. Qd7 a5 36. Qxe6 Bd6 37. Kf2 b5 38. g4 Be7 39. Qa6 a4 40. bxa4 bxa4 41. Qxa4 Rb4 42. Qd7 Rd4 43. Qf5 Kg7 Hikaru overstepped the time limit. White lost on time. 0-1