[Event "Amber Rapidplay"]
[Site "Monaco MNC"]
[Date "2001.03.25"]
[Round "8"]
[White "Kramnik, Vladimir"]
[Black "Ivanchuk, Vassily"]
[Result "1-0"]
[Annotator "Barsky, V."]
[BlackElo "2717"]
[ECO "E15"]
[EventDate "2001.03.17"]
[PlyCount "99"]
[SourceDate "2001.05.12"]
[WhiteElo "2772"]

1. d4 Nf6 2. c4 e6 3. Nf3 b6 4. g3 { One of the most solid systems in the very
solid by nature Nimzo Indian Defence. It has been played many times in World
Chess Championship matches - it's a sign of quality by itself. } 4... Ba6 5. b3 b5 $5 { Vassily tries to find something less well known. According to my
database this move was played for the first time in 1983 by Hungarian GM A.
Adorjan. Black wants to exchange his b and c-pawns for White's c and d-pawns
and gain a pawn majority in the center. Of couse Black loses out on 
development after that. } 6. cxb5 Bxb5 7. Bg2 c5 8. O-O Bc6 9. Ba3 Na6 10. Nbd2 Be7 11. dxc5 { Vladimir plays in a classical manner - he simply develops his
pieces and will try to use his extra-tempos. } 11... Bxc5 ( { More often Black played } 11... Nxc5 { and after } 12. Rc1 Nb7 ( 12... Na6 $5 ) 13. Bxe7 Qxe7 { its Queen is on e7 instead of d8 (as in this game). But it
general it's not so important. } ) 12. Bxc5 Nxc5 13. Rc1 Nb7 $6 ( { After } 13... Na6 { the knight will be placed even more miserably than on b7 - here
it protects the weak d6-sqare at least. But interesting was ... } ) ( 13... Nce4 $5 { with idea } 14. Nd4 ( 14. Nxe4 Bxe4 15. Qd6 Qe7 ) 14... Nxd2 $1 15. Nxc6 ( 15. Bxc6 Nxf1 16. Bxa8 Qxa8 ( 16... Nxg3 $2 17. Bb7 $18 ) 17. Qxf1 O-O $132 ) 15... dxc6 16. Bxc6+ Ke7 17. Bxa8 Nxf1 ) 14. e4 $1 { Very interesting pawn sacrifice. } 14... O-O { Ivanchuk decided to reject this "gift". In case of } ( 14... Bxe4 15. Nxe4 Nxe4 16. Qd4 $5 ( { White can return a pawn with a slight advantage: } 16. Ne5 d5 17. Bxe4 dxe4 18. Qg4 O-O 19. Qxe4 ) 16... Nf6 17. Ne5 d5 18. Qa4+ { White has an unpleasant initiative. } ( 18. Qb4 $5 ) ) ( 14... Nxe4 $2 15. Rxc6 $1 Nxd2 16. Nxd2 dxc6 17. Bxc6+ Kf8 18. Bxb7 $18 ) 15. Nd4 $1 { As Zigbert
rasch said: "One piece placed bad - all game is bad!". The b7 Knight isn't
only bad by itself, it also stops the c6 Bishop retreating. As a result Black
will have a weak pawn on the c-file. } 15... Rc8 ( { If } 15... Na5 $5 { with idea } 16. b4 Qb6 $1 { then White has simply 16.Nxc6! Nxc6 17.e5 etc. } ) 16. Nxc6 dxc6 17. Qe2 Qc7 18. Rc2 Rfd8 19. Rfc1 h6 20. h3 { Vladimir doesn't hurry.
Black hasn't any real counterplay. If Black plays e6-e5 (to restrict the g2
Bishop), than White will play h3-h4 and Bh3, and Black will have problems with
protecting the c6-pawn. } 20... Nd7 21. Nf3 Qb6 22. e5 $1 { At the best moment! Now the d7 knight  can't go to d5 via f6 or b6. } 22... c5 23. Nd2 Na5 24. Nc4 { White is free of prejuduce.  The "Bad" knight can take
the d4-square so it has to be exchanged. } 24... Nxc4 25. Rxc4 Qc7 ( { After } 25... Qa6 { White also can play } 26. b4 { , for example: } 26... cxb4 27. Rxc8 Qxe2 28. Rxd8+ Nf8 29. Rcc8 $18 ) ( { And in case of } 25... Qb8 26. f4 { Black's position isn't a piece of cake. } ) 26. b4 $1 ( { I suspect Black's idea was } 26. f4 Nb6 27. Rxc5 Qxc5+ 28. Rxc5 Rxc5 { with a defensive position. } ) 26... Qxe5 27. Qxe5 Nxe5 28. Rxc5 Rxc5 29. bxc5 $1 { When Kramnik has a passed pawn he is twice as dangerous as usual! Another
very important point (apart from the passed pawn.) - in this open position the
Bishop is stronger than the Knight. } 29... Rc8 30. c6 Rc7 31. f4 Nd7 32. Rd1 Nb6 33. Rd8+ $1 { Very precise play. Now the Black King has to go away from the passed pawn. } 33... Kh7 34. Kf2 { First of all White has to activate his King. Too early was } ( 34. Rb8 { in view of } 34... Nd5 $1 ) 34... g6 ( { Not } 34... Nd5 $2 35. Bxd5 exd5 36. Rd6 { and the King will take the d5-pawn. } ) 35. Ke3 Kg7 36. Kd4 Kf6 {  } 37. Re8 $1 { To cut the King off from the passed pawn. Much worse was } ( 37. Rb8 Ke7 38. Rb7 Kd6 ) 37... Re7 ( { After } 37... Rc8 38. Rxc8 Nxc8 39. c7 $1 Ke7 ( 39... Nd6 $5 40. a4 $1 ( 40. Bb7 $2 Nb5+ $1 ) ) 40. Bb7 Kd7 41. Bxc8+ Kxc8 42. Ke5 Kxc7 43. Kf6 Kd6 44. Kxf7 g5 45. Kg6 $1 { White is winning. } ) 38. Rb8 $1 Rc7 39. Rb7 Rxb7 40. cxb7 Nd7 41. Bc6 Nb8 42. Kc5 Ke7 43. Bb5 { Now Black has only pawn moves but they will run out soon. } 43... f6 44. h4 g5 45. fxg5 fxg5 46. h5 { It's a zugzvang. } 46... e5 47. Kd5 Kd8 48. Kxe5 Kc7 49. Kf6 Kxb7 50. Kg6 { Very technical play by Vladimir Kramnik. } 1-0