[Event "GMA, Wijk aan Zee NED"]
[Site "?"]
[Date "2003.??.??"]
[Round "8"]
[White "Kramnik,V"]
[Black "Anand,V"]
[Result "1/2"]
[Annotator "Boris Alterman and Jason Doss"]
[BlackElo "2750"]
[ECO "C42"]
[PlyCount "102"]
[WhiteElo "2805"]

1. e4 e5 2. Nf3 Nf6 3. Nxe5 d6 4. Nf3 Nxe4 5. d4 d5 6. Bd3 Nc6 7. O-O Be7 8. c4 Nb4 9. Be2 O-O 10. Nc3 Bf5 11. a3 Nxc3 12. bxc3 Nc6 13. Re1 Re8 14. cxd5 Qxd5 15. Bf4 Rac8 16. h3 { An interesting novelty from Kramnik! h3 is useful in many
lines and Black now must decide  which piece to improve first! ...and it's not
such an easy task to do.... } ( 16. c4 Qe4 17. Be3 Bf6 18. Ra2 b6 19. h3 Na5 ) 16... Bf6 ( 16... Bd6 { is less comfortable after.. } 17. c4 Qe4 18. Be3 { ..and the threats c5 and d5 are very unpleasant ! } ) 17. Nh2 { This is obviously a result of Kramnik's home preparation! } 17... Qa5 ( 17... Bh4 18. Ng4 Be4 19. Ne3 Qd8 20. Bg4 $16 ) ( 17... g5 18. Ng4 Bxg4 19. Bxg4 $16 ) ( 17... Be4 18. Bg4 Ra8 ( 18... Bxg2 19. Bxc8 Rxc8 20. Qg4 { wins } ) 19. Nf1 { and Ne3 next ....Black's pieces now must retreat or "go home". } ) 18. Bd2 ( 18. Qb3 Bxd4 19. cxd4 Nxd4 20. Qb2 Nc2 21. Nf3 { Nf3 still keeps some advantage for
white - typically in the middlegame two pieces are more active than a rook and
two pawns. } 21... Rcd8 22. Red1 Nxa1 23. Rxa1 $14 ) 18... Rcd8 19. Bf3 h6 ( 19... Ne7 20. Ng4 $1 ( 20. Bxb7 c5 { And black achieves good position. } ) 20... Bxg4 21. hxg4 { With a clear advantage for white ..... g5 is on the way! } ) ( 19... Rxe1+ 20. Qxe1 $14 ) 20. Ng4 Bxg4 ( 20... Bg5 21. Bxg5 hxg5 22. Ne3 $16 ) 21. hxg4 Bg5 22. Bxg5 hxg5 { This is a difficult move to assess - Now white can
very easily just improve the quality of his pieces ....regardless, this is a
difficult defensive position to be on the Black side of. } 23. Rxe8+ Rxe8 24. Qd3 Nd8 25. g3 $1 { White has a pleasant position with a small but significant
advantage .The Bishop in this position is much better than the knight . } 25... c6 26. Kg2 Ne6 27. Rb1 Re7 $6 { The immediate Qc7 is better. } 28. c4 $1 Qc7 29. Rh1 Nf8 30. Qf5 Rd7 31. d5 cxd5 32. Bxd5 Qd8 33. a4 b6 34. a5 $6 { Here white misses an opportunity with... } ( 34. f4 $1 Qe7 35. fxg5 g6 36. Qf6 Qxf6 37. gxf6 Rd6 ( 37... g5 38. Re1 Rd6 39. Re7 Rxf6 40. Rxa7 ) 38. g5 $16 ) 34... bxa5 35. Ra1 Qf6 36. Rxa5 Rc7 $6 { A bit safer is... } ( 36... Qxf5 37. gxf5 Nh7 38. Rc5 Kf8 $1 ( 38... Nf6 39. Rc8+ Kh7 40. Bc6 Rd2 { and Black has good counterplay to compensate. } ) 39. Rc8+ Ke7 { With a draw being the likely result. } ) 37. Qxf6 $5 ( 37. Qe4 $1 { It appears better to keep the Queens on the board! } ) 37... gxf6 38. Kf3 Ne6 39. Ke3 Kf8 40. f4 gxf4+ 41. gxf4 Nc5 42. Rb5 a6 ( 42... Ke7 43. Kd4 Kd6 44. Bxf7 $16 ) 43. Rb8+ Ke7 44. Ra8 $6 { Attempting to create a positional zugzwang ...however after } ( 44. Rh8 $1 a5 ( 44... Ne6 45. Bxe6 Kxe6 46. Kd4 $16 ) 45. Bxf7 a4 46. Bd5 Kd6 47. Rf8 $1 a3 48. Ra8 { Black's position is very difficult to defend. } ) 44... Kd6 45. Kf3 Ke7 { White has achieved nothing with 44.Ra8. Kramnik would like to advance the King
to the Black King-side, however then Black's pieces become very active. } 46. Kg3 Rd7 47. Rc8 Nd3 { The Knight is back in the game - White has no time to
create conjur up serious threats . } 48. Be4 Nb4 49. c5 ( 49. Bf5 Ra7 50. c5 a5 $1 { And Black has nothing to worry about! He has gradually created a balance
in the position. } ) 49... Rd8 50. Rc7+ Rd7 51. Rc8 Rd8 { An impressive defensive show from a difficult position performed by Anand! } 1/2