Anand,V (2783) - Kramnik,V (2772) [E25]
[Comments by IM Malcolm Pein]
1.d4 Nf6 2.c4 e6 3.Nc3 Bb4 4.f3 d5 5.a3 Bxc3+ 6.bxc3 c5 7.cxd5 Nxd5 8.dxc5 f5 9.Qc2 Nd7 (A cunning choice to avoid a prepared idea. Kramnik avoids the main lines with 9...0-0 10.e4 or 9...f4 10.e4 fxe3 11.Bd3.)
10.e4 fxe4 11.fxe4 N5f6 12.c6 (As in game one Anand avoids pawn weaknesses. The c3 pawn might be targeted if Black could organize Nd7xc5 and Qd8-c7.)
bxc6 13.Nf3 Qa5 14.Bd2 (14.Be2 was possible. Had Vishy managed to place his bishops on c4 and e3 he may have had an edge. Now it seems roughly level.)
Ba6 (Kramnik wants to exchange one bishop because White's bishop pair can be strong.)
15.c4 Qc5 16.Bd3 Ng4 17.Bb4 Qe3+ 18.Qe2 0-0-0 19.Qxe3 Nxe3 20.Kf2 Ng4+ 21.Kg3 Ndf6 (Opening up the rook on d8 to attack the bishop on d3. An active choice but is also risky and entails a pawn sacrifice.)
22.Bb1 h5 23.h3 h4+ 24.Nxh4 Ne5 25.Nf3 Nh5+ 26.Kf2 Nxf3 27.Kxf3 e5! (Kramnik has compensation for the sacrificed pawn based on the poor bishop on b1, open files for his rooks and the agility of his knight in a closed position.)
28.Rc1 Nf4 29.Ra2 31.Bc2 Ne6 32.Kg3 Rd4 1/2-1/2
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