In round 4 of the 2003 Corus Chess Tournament, Michal Vladimirovich Krasenkow fought admirably for 79 moves before allowing Vladimir Kramnik to end the game with a cute one-two combination. Can you spot Kramnik’s mating maneuver? White to move and mate in 2 (Kramnik vs. Krasenkow, 2003 Corus Tournament in Wijk aan Zee, Ned.).
Tag Archives: Vladimir Kramnik
Vladimir Kramnik’s Career in Chess
On the occasion of Vladimir Kramnik’s retirement from competitive chess, I present a retrospective review of past articles on Kramnik featured on this blog. Enjoy… Tromso Chess Olympiad Round 5: Kramnik vs Topalov August 7, 2014: Thus far, the 41st Chess Olympiad in Tromso, Norway has lived up to all the hype surrounding the event. AlmostContinueContinue reading “Vladimir Kramnik’s Career in Chess”
Tromso Chess Olympiad Round 5: Kramnik vs Topalov
Thus far, the 41st Chess Olympiad in Tromso, Norway has lived up to all the hype surrounding the event. Almost all of the top chess players in the world are competing for personal glory and, more importantly, national pride. Even with hundreds of exciting games played in each round, all eyes were focused squarely ontoContinueContinue reading “Tromso Chess Olympiad Round 5: Kramnik vs Topalov”
Mikhail Tal Memorial 2012: Round 1
White had all the fun in round 1 of the 2012 Mikhail Tal Memorial chess tournament. Four games were won by players with the white pieces and black managed no better than a draw on the remaining board. This is a dramataic turn of events for the chess fans of Moscow. After being treated toContinueContinue reading “Mikhail Tal Memorial 2012: Round 1”
Mikhail Tal Memorial 2012: Round 1 Preview
Round 1 of the 2012 Mikhail Tal Memorial Chess Tournament is about to begin. After a hard fought 9 round blitz tournament, we now have a clearer picture of what to expect in the main event. First off, Alexander Morozevich surprised his Russian fans by winning the blitz tournament on his home turf in Moscow.ContinueContinue reading “Mikhail Tal Memorial 2012: Round 1 Preview”
Mikhail Tal Memorial 2012
It’s almost time for the most exciting chess tournament of the year to begin. The seventh annual Tal Memorial Chess Tournament in Moscow will have its opening ceremonies on June 7. It is important to clarify the distinction between the main tournament and the blitz tournament do to the fact that the same 10 players will battleContinueContinue reading “Mikhail Tal Memorial 2012”
Corus Chess 2010
Top rated Magnus Carlsen proved that his favorite status was justified at the 2010 edition of the Wijk ann Zee Chess Tournament. He simply outplayed everyone else. Viswanathan Anand was clearly reserving his best chess for the upcoming World Championship match with Vladimir Topalov and ended tied for fourth with Hikaru Nakamura. In fact, WorldContinueContinue reading “Corus Chess 2010”
Corus Chess 2010: Americans Shine Brightly and Fade
For the first time in recent history, American chess players were commanding respect and attention in Wijk aan Zee. Hats off to Hikaru Nakamura and Ray Robson for shining bright enough that the chess world took notice. Unfortunately for the American chess fans, it appears that our two rising stars have been swallowed by theContinueContinue reading “Corus Chess 2010: Americans Shine Brightly and Fade”
2009 Tal Memorial: Round 6
Today Kramnik was able to win his game multiple times do to inaccurate play on both his and Ponomariov’s part. I am in shock that the same Kramnik that missed 19.Qxh7+ played such a precise endgame. Thanks to Ponomariov, Kramnik was able to pull ahead of Anand and is now in first place all byContinueContinue reading “2009 Tal Memorial: Round 6”
Kramnik vs. Svidler: 2009 Tal Memorial
Below is Kramnik’s win over Svidler in a Gruenfeld Defense: Exchange Variation. A lot could be stated about the opening theory as Kramnik tried a new move successfully with 12. h4. However, I do not believe Kramnik’s courageous new move is to blame for Svidler’s failure. Instead, Svidler seemed to have forgotten that “Knight’s onContinueContinue reading “Kramnik vs. Svidler: 2009 Tal Memorial”
Anand-Kramnik: Game 6 from the 2008 World Championship of Chess
The championship chess board in Bonn has become a form of torture for Vladimir Kramnik. After loosing game 6, Kramnik has just six games left and is down three full points. A loosing streak against a world champion is very hard to fix. In Kramnik’s case, achieving a win against Anand must seem like aContinueContinue reading “Anand-Kramnik: Game 6 from the 2008 World Championship of Chess”
Anand-Kramnik: Game 5 from the 2008 World Championship of Chess
Kramnik must be feeling miserable. Anand has beaten him with the black pieces once again. Now down two full points with 7 games to go, Kramnik must take considerable risks if he is to have any chance at becoming world champion again. Taking these risks could easily backfire and have the effect of causing thisContinueContinue reading “Anand-Kramnik: Game 5 from the 2008 World Championship of Chess”
Anand Kramnik 2008: A Special Report Looking Back at the World Chess Championship 1858
“Morphy…I think everyone agrees…was probably the greatest of them all.” (Bobby Fischer) This years chess match between Viswanathan Anand and Vladimir Kramnik takes place 150 years after one of the greatest world championship matches in history. In 1858, the two best chess players in the world, Paul Morphy and Adolph Anderssen, battled in Paris toContinueContinue reading “Anand Kramnik 2008: A Special Report Looking Back at the World Chess Championship 1858”
Anand-Kramnik: Game 4 from the 2008 World Championship of Chess
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.ContinueContinue reading “Anand-Kramnik: Game 4 from the 2008 World Championship of Chess”
Anand-Kramnik: Game 3 from the 2008 World Chess Championship
In game 3 from the 2008 World Chess Championships, Viswanathan Anand put on a tactical display using his fiery attacking style to beat Vladimir Kramnik into submission. Below is the game that has put Anand ahead in the match: 2…c6 Anand chooses the Slav again. 4. Nc3 Kramnik chooses not to play the exchange Slav asContinueContinue reading “Anand-Kramnik: Game 3 from the 2008 World Chess Championship”
Anand-Kramnik: Game 2 from the 2008 World Chess Championship
The second game from the 2008 World Chess Championship ended in a draw. In an attempt to show off some of his preparation for playing white against the Slav(1.d4 d5 2.c4 c6), Anand decided to use 1.d4 instead of his favorite 1.e4. Kramnik avoided the technical Slav lines in game 1 and chose to use theContinueContinue reading “Anand-Kramnik: Game 2 from the 2008 World Chess Championship”
Anand-Kramnik Game 1 from the 2008 World Chess Championship
Kramnik faced off against Anand in Game 1 of the World Chess Championship Match on October 14, 2008. The “Battle of Bonn” began with little surprise as Anand chose to play one of his main weapons referred to as the Slav Defense to the Queen’s Gambit Declined. The game concluded after move 32 when aContinueContinue reading “Anand-Kramnik Game 1 from the 2008 World Chess Championship”
Team Kramnik
For the 2008 World Chess Championship match in Bonn, Germany, Vladimir Kramnik has selected these players as his “Seconds.” I hope my readers will visit again tomorrow to view my coverage for game 1 of the 2008 World Chess Championship Match between Viswanathan Anand and Vladimir Kramnik. Name: Peter Leko Date of birth: 09-08-1979 Country:ContinueContinue reading “Team Kramnik”
Team Anand
For the 2008 World Chess Championship match in Bonn, Germany, Viswanathan Anand has selected these players as his “Seconds.” I will review Vladimir Kramnik’s team in a later post. Name: Peter Heine Nielsen Date of birth: 05-24-1973 Country: Denmark Current Rating: 2652 Description: A grandmanster with a very aggressive style who has won the Denmark Chess ChampionshipContinueContinue reading “Team Anand”
My Friends are Better Than Yours… Anand and Kramnik Get Seconds
The upcoming 12 game World Championship match between Anand and Kramnik is creating internet rumors faster than Alexandra Kosteniuk makes blitz moves in China. Most of these rumors seem to be speculation on opening choices and who is going to be the “Second” for Anand and Kramnik. A “Second” refers to a chess playersContinueContinue reading “My Friends are Better Than Yours… Anand and Kramnik Get Seconds”