It was back to the “drawing” board in game 4 from Bonn, Germany. Defending champion Viswanathan Anand played the white side in the solid Queen’s Gambit Declined. Kramnik ended up with the ubiquitous isolated queen’s pawn and allowed Anand no opportunities for victory.
3. Nf3 Anand decides to avoid a repeat of game 2’s Nimzo-Indian.
6…Nbd7 Kramnik does not play 6…c5 which would have lead to more exciting play with higher winning chances for both players. Perhaps after yesterdays loss kramnik just hoped to escape with a draw. Another possibility is that Kramnik still plans on playing for a draw every game he is black.
11…Bf5 Kramnik plays a rare move rather than the thematic 11…Bf6.
15…Qxf5 Kramnik has obtained an equal position.
18…Nc5 Kramnik makes a good choice. 18…d4 is tempting but after 19.Qxb7 dxe3 20.fxe3 Qxe3+ 21.Kh1 Ng5 22.b4 Anand has a favorable position.
21. Rd4 Many of my esteemed colleagues preferred 21.Rac1 Rad8 22.b4 Ne4 23.Qd3.
21…h5 Kramnik is trying to get his knight to e6.
24…g4 Finally Kramnik can get his knight to e6.
26…Ne6 Now Kramnik can play d4 and exchange his isolated pawn.
Nothing too exciting in this game. I suppose we can entitle it “The Bore From Round Four.”
[Event “Anand-Kramnik World Championship Match”]
[Site “0:45:33-0:50:33”]
[Date “2008.10.18”]
[EventDate “2008.10.14”]
[Round “4”]
[Result “1/2-1/2”]
[White “Anand”]
[Black “Kramnik”]
[ECO “D37”]
[WhiteElo “2803”]
[BlackElo “2811”]
[PlyCount “2”]
1.d4 Nf6 2.c4 e6 3.Nf3 d5 4.Nc3 Be7 5.Bf4 O-O 6.e3 Nbd7 7.a3 c5 8.cxd5 Nxd5 9.Nxd5 exd5 10.dxc5 Nxc5 11.Be5 Bf5 12.Be2 Bf6 13.Bxf6 Qxf6 14.Nd4 Ne6 15.Nxf5 Qxf5 16.O-O Rfd8 17.Bg4 Qe5 18.Qb3 Nc5 19.Qb5 b6 20.Rfd1 Rd6 21.Rd4 a6 22.Qb4 h5 23.Bh3 Rad8 24.g3 g5 25.Rad1 g4 26.Bg2 Ne6 27.R4d3 d4 28.exd4 Rxd4 29.Rxd4 Rxd4 1/2-1/2
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