Thursday, March 22, 2018

Vlad the Impaler

Vladimir Borisovich Kramnik – Levon Grigori Aronian
Candidates Tournament; Berlin, March 22, 2018
4r1k1/3b1pp1/1q3n1p/rp2p3/4p2N/1B1PP2P/2P2RP1/4QRK1 w - - 0 25

Position after 24. ... Ra8xa5

And today, Kramnik finally came back to win the “audience award”, once again against Aronian, who seems to inspire him the most. 25. Ng6 Be6 26. Nxe5 exd3 27. Rxf6! “Bravo to Kramnik for having the stomach to keep on fighting after so many painful losses. It takes extraordinary self-posession and creative energy to tend to one’s wounds and re-enter the battlefield with such bold and fearless play”, Grandmaster Jonathan Rowson tweeted. 27. ... gxf6 28. Rxf6 d2! 29. Qg3+ Kf8. 29. ... Kh7?? loses on the spot to 30. c4! followed by the Bishop check on c2. 30. Rf1! Threatening Ne5-d7+. 30. ... Ra7! 31. Ng6+ Kg7 32. Nf4+ Kh8 33. Nh5 f6 34. Nxf6 Rf8 35. Qf4 Rh7 36. Qe5 Qc7?? Aronian falls down at last before the promised land. Instead, 36. ... Rg7(!) 37. Bxe6 Rg5 would have saved Black’s day, for after 38. Nh5+ Rxe5 39. Rxf8+ Kh7 40. Rf7+ White has no more than a draw by perpetual check. 37. Ne8+! 1 : 0. For if 37. ... Qxe5 then 38. Rxf8+ and mate next move, whilst if 37. ... Kg8 then 38. Qxe6+ Rff7 39. Nf6+ Kg7 40. Qg4+ Kf8 41. Qg8+ Ke7 42. Qe8+ Kd6 43. Ne4 mate.

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