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ANNOTATED GAME
Botvinnik Game #4: Underpromotions are always fun
GM Topalov (?) vs. GM Kramnik (?)
Annotated by: raskerino (1841)
Chess opening: QGD Slav (D15), 4.Nc3
GM Topalov (?) vs. GM Kramnik (?)
Annotated by: raskerino (1841)
Chess opening: QGD Slav (D15), 4.Nc3
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22. Nd6+ Kc7 23. Bf4 |
! This makes black's defense difficult due to the double check of Ne8. After 24.Ne8 (if it was white's move here): a) 24... Kb6 25.Qd6 Ka5 26.dxe8=Q is easily winning or 25... Kb5 26.Nc7 or 24... Kb7 25.Qc7 Ka8 26.exd8=Q b) 24... Kc8 25.Qa8 instantly would end the game. | ||||
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23... Kb6 |
! Black avoids that potential check, though I'd be scared to have my king so far out. | ||||
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24. Nxc4+ Kb5 |
And the king is drawn forward, but white simply doesn't have enough to win it. | ||||
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25. Nd6+ Kb6 26. exd8=B+ |
Tossing in a check, but it's doesn't win the game. | ||||
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26... Rxd8 27. Nc4+ Kb5 28. Nd6+ Kb6 29. Nc4+ |
So here they drew, but were there any alternatives, what about 29.a4 but after 29... bxa3 30.Nxc4 Qxc4! 31.Qxc4 a2 and the strong pawn makes the position un-win-able for white. So what about an earlier a4? 28.a4 and both takebacks are interesting: 28... Kxa4 29.b3 Kxb3 and there are discoveries but black has great pawns for stopping checks, and he should be fine. 28... Qxa4 29.Nd6 Ka5 (29... Kb6 30.Qb7 mates) and again I doubt that white's got more than a perpetual. I hope you enjoyed this lively game that seems to draw doubt upon the move 19.Qd5. It's a great theoretical dispute, and I wish more players played the botvinnik so that we could see more of these kinds of developments. Perhaps I'll annotate a game with 19.Kxf1 next or with 16.Na4. If you have comments I'd love to hear them. | ||||
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