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White can now seize a key pawn. 27 Bxf5 Bc4 This was the resource upon which Aronian had been relying. 28 e6 Black had overlooked the strength of the advance. The threat of e7 now proves exceedingly dangerous. 28 … Qd6 29 Rfe1 Re8 30 e7 Bf7 31 Rc5 g6 32 Bg4 h5 A blunder – the last chance was 32 … Rd3! 33 f5 Another hammer blow introducing the possibility of Qh6+. 33 … Kg7 34 fxg6 Bxg6 35 Bxh5 Rd3 36 Qe5+ Good enough to retain the advantage, whereas 36 Qg5! b5 37 Rce5 Rd5 38 Rxd5 cxd5 39 Bxg6 would have been terminal. 36 … Qxe5 37 Rcxe5 Bxh5 38 Rxh5 Rxa3 39 Rf5 Rd3 40 Re4 In the endgame of rooks and pawns White’s passed pawns finally suffice to force victory. 40 … Rd7 41 Rg4+ Kh6 42 Rf6+ Kh7 43 Rf7+ Kh6 44 Rgg7 Rd1+ 45 Kh2 Rf1 46 Rh7+ Kg6 47 Rhg7+ Kh6 48 Rh7+ Kg6 49 Rfg7+ Kf6 50 h4 Ke6 51 Rg4 Kf5 52 Kg3 Re1 53 Rf4+ Ke6 54 h5 Rxe7 55 Rxe7+ Kxe7 56 Kh4 b6 57 h6 Rh1+ 58 Kg5 Ke6 59 Kg6 Ke5 60 Rf5+ Black resigns 61 Rh5 is next and the h-pawn promotes.
Kramnik-Svidler; London Candidates 2013
Svidler’s favourite weapon against 1d4 is the Grünfeld Defence. Sadly for him, Kramnik has made a speciality of destroying this particular defence. Indeed, it was his victory against Kasparov’s Grünfeld in game 2 from their World Championship match in London 2000 which made it clear that Kramnik was going to pose a serious challenge to the champion. 20 h4 Rab8 21 Bb5 Bxb5 22 axb5 a6 23 b6 Kf7 24 h5 Rxc1 25 hxg6+ Kxg6 26 Bxc1 Rg8 27 g4 h6 28 Rh5 Kf7 29 e5 Bc5 30 e6+ Kf8 31 Rh4 Kg7 32 f5 Rd8 33 Bxh6+ Kg8 34 Kc4 Bxb6 35 g5 Bf2 36 Rg4 Kh7 37 gxf6 exf6 38 e7 Rc8+ 39 Kb3 Bc5 40 Rc4 Black resigns
The Candidates tournament is to conclude with an awards ceremony hosted by the Chancellor George Osborne, a noted chess fan, at 11 Downing Street. It is a welcome return to the days when Nigel Lawson was chancellor and hosted the opening ceremony for the 1983 Candidates, which featured Garry Kasparov, Viktor Korchnoi, Vassily Smyslov and Zoltan Ribli. As I write, Carlsen, Aronian and Kramnik are all in contention for the top slot, which will guarantee a challenge to world champion Viswanathan Anand. Next week I will review the entire tournament.
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