The Berlin Ending

Levon Grigori Aronian – Vladimir Borisovich Kramnik
Candidates Tournament; Berlin, March 12, 2018
Spanish Game C65

1. e4 e5 2. Nf3 Nc6 3. Bb5 Nf6 4. d3 Bc5 5. Bxc6 dxc6 6. 0-0 Qe7!? 7. h3? A silly move. Theory gives 7. Nbd2, which brought White good luck in the following (strange) game: 7. ... Bg4 8. Nc4 0-0-0!? 9. Qe2 Nd7 10. Be3 f6 11. a3!? Nf8! 12. b4 Bd4! 13. Bxd4 exd4 14. Rfb1 Ng6 15. h3!? Nf4! 16. Qd2(?) Nxh3+? (Muminova misses 16. ... g5! 17. hxg4? h5! which would have given Black an irresistible attack) 17. gxh3 Bxh3 (17. ... Bxf3 also loses to 18. Qf4!) 18. a4 Qf7 19. Qf4! g5 20. Qh2! Be6 21. Nfd2 f5 22. b5 c5 23. b6! axb6 24. a5 f4 25. axb6 cxb6 26. Nd6+ Rxd6 27. Ra8+ Kc7 28. Rxh8 Rd7 29. Qh6 Qe7 30. Nc4 1 : 0 侯逸凡 (Hóu Yìfán) – Muminova, Women’s Grand Prix 2013–2014, fifth stage, Lopota 2014.

7. ... Rg8! Fashion in nineteenth century style, even though it’s the first dress Stockfish puts on sale! As someone would say, the times they are a– changed. 8. Kh1. 8. a3!? a5!? 9. Nbd2 g5! 10. d4!? might even not result in anything better, but from an instinctive standpoint it sounds at least less complacent. 8. ... Nh5 9. c3. Afterwards, Aronian suggested 9. Nc3 as a possible improvement, since the text – that is vainly aimed at exchanging Queens on d4 – leaves White dramatically behind in development. 9. ... g5! Black has developed a powerful attack already. 10. Nxe5 g4! 11. d4 Bd6 12. g3 Bxe5 13. dxe5 Qxe5 14. Qd4 Qe7! 15. h4 c5 16. Qc4 Be6 17. Qb5+ c6 18. Qa4. White’s come-and-go Queen has no peace. However, also after 18. Qd3 Rd8 19. Qe3 Bc4 20. Rg1 Rg6(!) Black dominates the board. 18. ... f5! Kramnik delivers his merciless coup de grâce. 19. Bg5. If 19. exf5 then 19. ... Nxg3+! 20. fxg3 Bd5+ 21. Kg1 Qe2 finis. The text is no better at all, allowing Kramnik to finish in grand style. 19. ... Rxg5! 20. hxg5 f4! 21. Qd1 Rd8 22. Qc1 fxg3 23. Na3 Rd3! 24. Rd1 Bd5! 25. f3. The Rook is taboo (25. Rxd3 Qxe4+ 26. f3 gxf3 27. Re3 f2+ 28. Rxe4+ Bxe4 mate) as well as the Bishop (25. exd5 Qe4+ 26. Kg1 gxf2+ 27. Kxf2 Rg3 and mate in three moves). The text, too, leads to mate. 25. ... gxf3 26. exd5 Qe2 27. Re1 g2+ 0 : 1. Mate in four follows.