It Pours

Unfortunately for Georg Meier the game that he played against Fabiano Caruana in Dortmund was not the only one that he got into time trouble.

[Event "Dortmund Sparkassen Chess Meeting"]
[Site "?"]
[Date "2015.07.01"]
[Round "4.2"]
[White "Meier, Georg"]
[Black "Kramnik, Vladimir"]
[Result "0-1"]
[WhiteElo "2654"]
[BlackElo "2783"]
[Annotator "Bojkov, Dejan"]
[PlyCount "108"]
[EventDate "2015.??.??"]
[WhiteClock "0:01:52"]
[BlackClock "0:09:37"]

1. e4 e5 2. Nf3 Nc6 3. Bb5 Nf6 {Kramnik chooses a different approach in the
battle for the full point. He does not want to burn bridges like Caruana did
yesterday but remains true to his positional style.} 4. O-O Nxe4 5. Re1 Nd6 6.
Nxe5 {Diagram [#] Meier's favorite line, which he last played in 2012. He also
likes to play for a win without much risk.} Be7 ({Most of Meier's game
featured the move} 6... Nxe5 {Here are couple of them} 7. Rxe5+ Be7 8. Bf1 O-O
9. Nc3 (9. d4 Bf6 10. Re1 Re8 11. c3 Rxe1 12. Qxe1 Nf5 13. Nd2 d5 14. Nf3 Nh4
15. Nxh4 {1/2-1/2 (15) Meier,G (2637)-Naiditsch,A (2698) Belfort 2012}) 9... c6
10. d4 Ne8 11. d5 $1 {Meier,G (2659)-Onischuk,A (2688) Lubbock 2010}) 7. Bf1
Nf5 8. Nf3 {White prefers to keep more pieces on the board. In case of} (8. c3
Nxe5 9. Rxe5 d6 10. Re1 O-O 11. d4 d5 12. Nd2 c6 {Black's defensive task is
easier, Inarkiev,E (2706)-Aronian,L (2770) Sochi 2015}) 8... d5 9. d4 O-O 10.
c3 Bd6 11. Bd3 Nce7 12. Nbd2 c6 13. Nf1 {A completely symmetrical position
arose which is a clear sign of equllibrum. If the players like then can bring
their heavy pieces along the "e" file and then outside the board, shake hands
and go watch Wimbledon.} g6 14. h3 $5 $146 {[%csl Yf5][%cal Gg2g4] Diagram [#]
A novelty. White wants to highlight the fact that the black knights and
light-squared bishop compete for the same good square on f5.} ({The only
predecessor saw:} 14. Ne3 Nxe3 15. Bxe3 Bf5 16. Bh6 Re8 17. Bg5 Bxd3 18. Qxd3
Qd7 19. Bf6 Qf5 20. Qxf5 Nxf5 21. Rxe8+ Rxe8 22. Re1 Rxe1+ 23. Nxe1 {with dead
equality in Kanmazalp,O (2416)-Petkov,V (2566) Cappelle la Grande 2014}) 14...
Kh8 {Prepares future regroupment of the black pieces. Kramnik is prominent
master of strategy in deep prophylactical maneuvers are quite characteristic
for his style.} 15. Bd2 f6 16. Qc2 Bd7 17. b3 Rc8 {Both sides finished
development. The last move is also prophylaxis against the possible c3-c4
advance (White would be very happy to grab space with c3-c4-c5 on the
queenside.) Black also prepares the c6-c5 advance himself.} 18. Re2 ({After}
18. c4 c5 $1 {is strong when the queen feels uncomfortable.}) 18... b6 19. g4 {
Diagram [#] This was the point behind the move h2-h3 but Black has enough
space to maneuver. It is double-edged decision as it opens the long diagonal.}
Ng7 20. Rae1 c5 21. dxc5 bxc5 22. Qc1 {In order to make use of the open "e"
file Meier needs entry squares. Thus, the swap of the dark-squared bishop is
his priority. For the time being White does not want to modify the pawn
structure as} (22. c4 d4 {looks good for the second player only.}) 22... Bc6
23. Bf4 Ng8 24. Bg3 {It is good to trade the bishops but without concessions.}
(24. Bxd6 Qxd6 {allows the black queen too much activity.}) 24... d4 {[%cal
Rc6h1] Diagram [#] Kramnik opens the game.} 25. N1h2 Bxg3 26. fxg3 g5 {With
the idea Qd8-d6 as} (26... Qd6 27. Qf4 {is OK for White.}) 27. Be4 Bxe4 28.
Rxe4 Qd6 29. Kg2 {The time trouble approaches and just like yesterday Kramnik
feels that Meier hesitates and opens the game.} f5 30. Re5 $1 {[%csl Ge5]
Diagram [#] Centralization is almost never wrong.} ({In comparison} 30. gxf5
Nxf5 31. Nf1 h6 {followed by Rc8-c7-f7 looks awkward for White.}) 30... h6 31.
Qd2 Rcd8 32. Qd3 ({Also good is} 32. cxd4 cxd4 33. Qd3 f4 34. Nf1) 32... f4 33.
Nf1 Qc6 34. cxd4 cxd4 {White repelled the aggressive black pieces and now
looks better. However, time-trouble comes to haunt Georg Meier again.} ({The
flashy} 34... Rxd4 {is refuted by the non-less flashy} 35. Rxc5 $1) 35. R1e4 {
Instead White could have gained the advantage with} (35. R5e4 $1 {Diagram [#]
with the point that} fxg3 $6 {can be answered} 36. Ne5 $1 Qb6 37. Nxg3 {with
clear edge for White thanks to the weak black king and pawn on d4.}) 35... fxg3
36. Nxg3 Nf6 37. Rxd4 Ne6 {A risky decision.} ({Instead, Kramnik could continue
} 37... Rxd4 38. Qxd4 Ne6 39. Qe3 Nd5 {with full compensation for a pawn. Say}
40. Qe4 Ndf4+ 41. Kh2 Qc1 {when sooner or later of of the sides will deliver
perpetual check.}) 38. Rxe6 {Meier misses golden chance. In the line} (38. Rxd8
$1 Nf4+ (38... Rxd8 $2 39. Rxe6 $1 {loses at once.}) 39. Kh2 Nxd3 40. Rxf8+ Kg7
{One can easily stop his calculation as both rooks are hanging (especially
with seconds on his clock). However here White had the nice move} 41. Nd4 $1 {
Diagram [#] That cements everything. After} Qa6 (41... Qd7 42. Ne6+) 42. Ne6+
Kg6 43. Re2 {Black has to prove equality.} ({Or} 43. Rf5)) 38... Rxd4 39. Qxd4
{An endgame would be easier} (39. Rxc6 Rxd3 40. Nf5 $11 {as} Kh7 {to defend
the pawn fails to} 41. Ne5 $1 Rd2+ 42. Kf3 {with the nasty threat Rc6-c7+!})
39... Qxe6 40. Qxa7 Rc8 {The time scramble is over and Black had won the
exchange. Still, it seems as White is very, very solid.} 41. Nf5 Qe2+ 42. Qf2
Qd3 $1 {[%csl Gc8,Gd3,Yg2] Diagram [#] Deep understanding of the position.
White's main problem is the king's safety. If the queens disappear, like the
computer suggests} (42... Qxf2+ 43. Kxf2 Rc2+ 44. Ke1 {Better than} (44. Ke3 $6
Kh7 45. a4 Rc3+) 44... Kh7 45. a4 Ne4 46. N5d4 {White's defensive task will
become easier. All he needs to do is to swap his 4 pawns for the remaining two
black ones.}) 43. Qd4 $1 {White insists.} Rc2+ 44. Kg1 Rc1+ {Of course not} (
44... Qxd4+ $6 45. N3xd4 Rxa2 46. Nxh6 Kh7 47. Nhf5 {with h3-h4 coming soon
and a draw.}) 45. Kg2 Qc2+ 46. Kg3 ({Not} 46. Qf2 $2 Ne4 $1) ({Maybe} 46. Nd2 {
is playable for a computer but you would hardly see a human being self-pinning.
}) 46... Qc7+ 47. Kg2 Rc2+ 48. Kg1 Rc6 {Diagram [#] The position that Kramnik
was heading to. Next he wants to move away the king from the pin and look for
a good moment to attack with everything that he has. White's position is more
than unpleasant and it is extremely funny to me to see the computer evaluation
0.00. To find a clear-cut draw is impossible. White does not have active
moves and is not sure where to hide king. On the top of that a second time
trouble started.} 49. Kf2 $6 {A step in the wrong direction.} ({The computer
suggests instead} 49. a4 Kh7 50. Kf1 {with the idea to meet} Rc1+ {with} 51.
Ke2 Qc2+ 52. Nd2 {Naturally, Black has other ways to play for the win.}) 49...
Kh7 50. Ke2 $2 {[%csl Re2] Diagram [#] And this is a serious mistake. The king
is not safe here!} Rc2+ 51. Ke3 {A desperate move.} ({Since} 51. Nd2 Qh2+ 52.
Kd1 Rxa2 {covers all the checks.}) 51... Rxa2 52. Qc4 Qb7 $1 53. Qe6 {The last
mistake, although I suspect that Black's position should be won anyway.} Nd5+
54. Kd4 Qb4+ {And since White loses the queen, he resigned.} (54... Qb4+ 55.
Kxd5 Qxb3+ 56. Ke5 (56. Kd6 Ra6+) 56... Re2+ {Diagram [#]}) 0-1

Report.