The Break by Vladimir Kramnik – Examples from new Paperback book

My ebook The Break - Learn From Schlechter, Botvinnik and Kramnik is now available in paperback format, so you can order a physical copy and have it delivered to you like most chess books you probably already own. Here is a sample set of exercises from the chapter about Vladimir Kramnik. Scroll down to the bottom of the page to see solutions.

Korobov, Anton - Kramnik, Vladimir
   2013.08.24   

Black's turn

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Alexander Ipatov - Vladimir Kramnik
   2013.12.02   

Black's turn

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Svidler, Peter - Kramnik, Vladimir
   2014.03.15   

Black's turn

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Kramnik, Vladimir - Ulibin, Mikhail
   1992   

White's turn

 

Solutions

 

Korobov, Anton - Kramnik, Vladimir
FIDE World Cup 2013   2013.08.24   

45. ... d4!?

Although this move is speculative, Kramnik sacrifices a pawn to activate his rook and bishop. Objectively it may be not the best, but for a human player passive defense is intolerable, so that justifies his decision.

46. exd4 Re6+ 47. Kd2 Bd3 48. d5 Rd6 49. Kc1 Bg6 50. Bb4 Rxd5 51. Rxa6 Kd7 52. Rf6 Rb5 53. Bc3 Rf5 54. Rb6 Rxf4

The active rook is able to eliminate white pawns, achieving a draw now.

55. a6 Rf2 56. a7 Be4 57. Kd1 Ra2 58. Rf6 Ke8 1/2-1/2

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Alexander Ipatov - Vladimir Kramnik
FIDE World Team Championship   2013.12.02   

29. ... e5 30. dxe5 Nxe5 31. fxe5 Qxe5

Black has only a pawn for a piece, but White's pieces are badly placed, and all of his pawns are vulnerable.

32. Nf1 Bg7 33. a3

( Defending the pawns was not really possible in the long run: 33. Kd2 Re6 34. Nb7 Bh6 35. Nc5 Bxe3+ 36. Nxe3 Qxe3+ 37. Kd1 Re5 -/+ [%eval -32767,0] Black has still more ways to improve his position with Rhe7, Qxg3 and d5-d4. )

33. ... Qxc3+ 34. Qxc3 Bxc3 35. Bd1 Re6 36. Bc2 Bg6

Both White's rooks and knights are effectively out of the game for many moves to come, so the current material balance is virtually irrelevant here.

37. Nd2 Rxe3 38. Rd1 Bf6 39. Rhh1 d4 40. Rde1 Rhe7 41. Rxe3 Rxe3

In view of inevitable material losses, White resigned. A true positional masterpiece by Kramnik!

0-1

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Svidler, Peter - Kramnik, Vladimir
World Chess Championship Candidates   2014.03.15   

41. ... e4 42. fxe4 Qe2 43. Rf3 Rxd6 44. Qe8 f6 45. e5

45. ... f5 46. gxf5

46. ... Rf6!!

Paradoxically, this is the only move that keeps Black alive!

( After 46. ... Ra6 47. e6! the black rook would be cut off from the kingside and Black would lose: 47. ... Ra7 48. f6 +- )

47. Kg3

( 47. e6 Qe4 = )

47. ... Qe4

Now the game ends with a repetition.

48. Bc5 Qe1+ 49. Bf2 Qe4 50. Bc5 Qe1+ 51. Bf2 1/2-1/2

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Kramnik, Vladimir - Ulibin, Mikhail
Chalkidiki   1992   

36. g5!?

White opens up the game to exploit the power of his two bishops.

36. ... hxg5 37. hxg5 Nxg5 38. Bc6 Rc8 39. Rh1

As compensation for the pawn, White's rooks are also obtaining a lot of potential - on both sides of the board.

39. ... Kg8 40. Raa1 Nce6 41. Rh4

White is threatening to double on the 'h' file, so Black has to create an escape square for his king.

41. ... f6 42. Rg1

42. ... Kf7 43. Bd5 Ke8 44. Rh8+ Nf8 45. f4 Ne6 46. Kf3 f5 47. Rg6

Black's pieces are tied up in too many ways, so White begins to pick up the fruits of his labour.

47. ... Nc5 48. Bxg7 Rf7 49. Bxf8

( 49. Bxf8 Rxf8 50. Rxf8+ Kxf8 51. Rg8+ Ke7 52. Rxc8 +- )

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