“In a match played in London,” jokingly commented Garry Kasparov at the press conference after game five of his Braingames World title defence against Vladimir Kramnik, “there should be at least one English Opening!” The game concluded with a draw in 24 moves.
Game 6
Game 6
Queen’s Gambit Accepted
YET again Garry Kasparov produced another astonishing escape act of Houdini proportions to deny the challenger, Vladimir Kramnik, from extending his lead.
For his second Black in a row, the world champion had to dig deep into his wealth of experience in the game that he has dominated for over 15-years. Looking set for defeat, Kasparov’s legendary never-say-die attitude came to the fore as he somehow salvaged another crucial half point to deny his former pupil of victory. After six games, Kramnik leads Kasparov by 3.5-2.5.
A clearly relieved Kasparov at the press conference after the game, admitted that he’d missed the clever point of 33 Qd2!, after which it was an uphill task to defend. In the end, there’s no escape from Kasparov’s ingenious defence of Nf7-e5-g4+, as 58 Qxa6 Qh7+ 59 Kg3 Qh4+ 60 Kf3 Qh5+ 61 Ke4 Qh7+ 62 Kd4 Qc2 63 Qxb5 Ne6+ 64 Kd5 Nc7+ wins for Black!
Game 7
Game 7
English Opening
The game turned out to be one of the most mysterious ever in the 114-year history of world championship chess with a short, eleven-move draw. After six hard-fought and intriguing games the play ended abruptly, after: Kasparov – Kramnik. (7), 1 c4 c5 2 Nf3 Nf6 3 d4 cxd4 4 Nxd4 a6 5 Nc3 e6 6 g3 Qc7 7 Qd3 Nc6 8 Nxc6 dxc6 9 Bg2 e5 10 0-0 Be6 11 Na4. Afterwards, at the press conference, Kasparov puzzlingly reacted to the short draw (probably also the shortest game of his career) by commenting: “It wasn’t exactly the best day of my life today, but I had my reasons.”
Game 8
Game 8
Nimzo-Indian
This could be the turning point in the match as Kasparov, for the first time, managed to catch Kramnik out in the opening – an area of the game where the champion’s preparation is regarded as legendary – when he changed from the Queen’s Gambit Accepted to the Nimzo-Indian Defence. As the player’s reach the halfway stage of their 16-game match, Kramnik still retains a 4.5-3.5 lead over the champion.
In the end, Kramnik was brave enough to exchange down to an opposite coloured bishop ending, despite being two pawns down, recognising instantly that the position is, in fact, nothing more than just a text draw.
Game 9
Game 9
Berlin Defense
WORLD CHAMPION Garry Kasparov is coming closer to pushing the panic button as yet again he fails to breakdown the wall of Vladimir Kramnik’s Berlin Defence.
An assured challenger easily held Kasparov at bay again with another draw to retain a 5-4 lead, after yet another impressive performance from the young Russian.
Game 10
Game 10
Nimzo-Indian
HEAVY is the head that wears the crown. Garry Kasparov’s 15-year reign as world champion looks as if it’s drawing to a close after he suffered a humiliating second defeat at the hands of his challenger and former pupil, Vladimir Kramnik.
“If I play the way I know I can play, I know I can get back into the match,” was Garry Kasparov’s bold assertion after Game 10. The world no.1 had just suffered the shortest defeat of his career with a truly hapless performance of rank amateur proportions to go two points behind.
Surprisingly, the Challenger didn’t have to play particularly well to win game 10 – all that was required was to remember an analysis published in New in Chess Yearbook no 44 in 1997. The position after 21 Nd6 was already known to be clearly favourable to White. It is inexplicable that this yawning chasm could exist in Kasparov’s famed opening knowledge.
Game 11
Game 11
Ruy Lopez
Kramnik played the Ruy Lopez, Archangelsk Variation and drew with 2 Bishops and Pawn vs Rook and Pawn.
Game 12
Game 12
Nimzo-Indian
Kasparov insisted in another Nimzo-Indian Defense and drew in 33 moves. Kasparov had an extra pawn, but lost it. For one brief moment in the game, Kasparov finally looked as if he was at long last going to win a game. However, with both players in time trouble, he erred with the speculative 31 …Na4?! which let Kramnik of the hook.
Game 13
Game 13
Ruy Lopez
THE King is dead. Long live the King! The chess world is gearing up for the coronation of Vladimir Kramnik as the new world champion of chess as Garry Kasparov has virtually conceded the crown to his young protegee.
Yet again, another short draw with White (14 moves) from Kasparov in game 13 of their Braingames World Championship match in London was a clear signal that something is either far wrong with the champion on a personal level, or his legendary home preparation has drastically failed at the hands of a determined challenger.
Now, with the score standing at 7.5-5.5 to Kramnik, he’s tantalisingly close to the ultimate prize in the game: World Champion. He now only needs one more point from the remaining three games to become the fourteenth world champion in a long, illustrious line that stretches back to Willhelm Steinitz in 1886.
Game 14
Game 14
The game was a draw after 57 moves with Rook and 2 pawns vs Rook and 3 pawns.
Game 15
Game 15
Catalan Opening
For Kasparov the fateful day has finally come, and his former pupil and fellow Russian, Vladimir Kramnik, 25, has usurped an ageing Kasparov, now 37. Kramnik drew game 15 to become winner of the match. Kasparov played 1.d4 for the first time and adopted the Catalan Opening. Kramnik holded and became the BrainGames World Champion with 8.5 points to Kasparov’s 6.5 points.
