Embroidery

Vladimir Borisovich Kramnik – Ian Aleksandrovich Nepomniachtchi
22nd Russian Team Chess Championship; Sochi, May 4, 2015
Torre Attack A48

1. d4 Nf6 2. Nf3 g6 3. Bg5 Bg7 4. Nbd2 0-0 5. e3 d6 6. c3 Nbd7 7. Bd3 e5 8. 0-0 h6 9. Bh4 Qe8. For 9. ... g5 10. Bg3 Nh5 see Sasikiran – 丁立人 (Dīng Lìrén), 7th Asian Continental Chess Championship, Subic Bay 2009. 10. e4 b6 11. Re1 Bb7 12. a4 a5 13. Bb5 Qc8 14. dxe5 Nxe5 15. Nxe5 dxe5 16. f3 Rd8 17. Qc2 Qe6 18. Bf2 Nh5 19. b4 Bf8 20. Reb1 Nf4 21. Bf1 Ba6 22. b5 Bb7 23. c4 Bb4. Intending ... c7-c5.

24. Rxb4! A profound Exchange sacrifice. The paralysis of the Black Queenside guarantees White long-term compensation. 24. ... axb4 25. c5 Qf6. If 25. ... c6 might follow 26. cxb6 cxb5 27. a5 holding out promising possibilities. 26. Nc4 bxc5 27. Bxc5 Ne6 28. Bxb4. The extra Pawn, plus the Queenside Pawn majority give White excellent compensation. 28. ... Nd4 29. Qc3 Bc8 30. Ba5 Qe7 31. Kh1 Bb7 32. Bb4 Qe6 33. Na5 Qb6 34. Nc4 Qe6 35. Na5 Qb6 36. Rc1 Rd7 37. h3 Kh7 38. Nc4 Qe6 39. a5 Rb8 40. Ne3 h5 41. a6 Ba8 42. Qc5 Qb3 43. Bc3 Qe6 44. Bc4 Qf6 45. Bxd4 exd4 46. Nd5 Qh8 47. Rd1. Cashing in the second Pawn. 47. ... d3 48. Rxd3 Qa1+ 49. Qg1 Qxg1+ 50. Kxg1 Kg7 51. Ra3 f5 52. a7 Rb7 53. Ra6 fxe4 54. fxe4 Rf7 55. e5 c6 56. Nb6 Rfe7 57. bxc6 Rxa7 58. Nxa8 1 : 0. A superb positional embroidery.

Vladimir Borisovich Kramnik (Moscow, June 2013)
Photo: ruchess.ru