Zurich Chess Challenge: Kramnik vs. Aronian
The Zurich Chess Club announces a six-game chess match between Vladimir Kramnik
(Russia) and Levon Aronian (Armenia) from 21 to 28 April 2012. The numbers two
and three of the world ranking will meet in the time-honored Hotel Savoy Baur
en Ville at Paradeplatz, the venue of many a famous chess event in the past.
Kramnik and Aronian are the winners of the two most prestigious tournaments
of the last months. While the 36-year-old Kramnik gained a convincing victory
at the London Chess Classic in December, the 29-year-old Aronian won the famous
tournament in Wijk aan Zee with an outstanding score.
Both players (above Kramnik and Aronian at the opening) belong to the hottest
candidates in the World championship qualifier later this year. The Zurich Chess
Challenge will be the first encounter in the history of chess between two players
with a rating above the magical 2800 limit, and it is the first ever friendly
match at the top level. It is sponsored by Oleg Skvortsov, IGC International
Gemological Laboratories and Aspeco N.V., Antwerp.
Marie-Laure Kramnik with chief organiser Dr Christian Issler at the opening
reception
A Swiss musical presentation, replete with...
... the famous "alpenhorns", used by mountain dwellers in Switzerland
Rnk |
Player |
Country |
born |
FIDE |
Live |
2 |
Levon Aronian |
Armenia |
1982 |
2805 |
2825 |
3 |
Vladimir Kramnik |
Russia |
1975 |
2801 |
2801 |
Schedule
| Round 1 |
Saturday |
April 21 |
15:00h CEST |
| Round 2 |
Sunday |
April 22 |
15:00h CEST |
| |
Monday |
April 23 |
Rest day |
| Round 3 |
Tuesday |
April 24 |
15:00h CEST |
| Round 4 |
Wednesday |
April 25 |
15:00h CEST |
| |
Thursday |
April 26 |
Rest day |
| Round 5 |
Friday |
April 27 |
15:00h CEST |
| Round 6 |
Saturday |
April 28 |
13:00h CEST |
Aronian and Kramnik before the start of their first game
[Event "Zurich Chess challenge Kramnik vs Aroni"] [Site "Zurich"] [Date "2012.04.21"]
[Round "1"] [White "Kramnik, Vladimir"] [Black "Aronian, Levon"] [Result "0-1"]
[ECO "D43"] [WhiteElo "2801"] [BlackElo "2820"] [PlyCount "82"] [EventDate "2012.??.??"]
1. Nf3 d5 2. d4 Nf6 3. c4 c6 4. Nc3 e6 5. Bg5 h6 6. Bxf6 Qxf6 7. e3 Nd7 8. Bd3
dxc4 9. Bxc4 g6 10. O-O Bg7 11. Re1 O-O 12. e4 e5 13. d5 {0.11/0} Rd8 {0.04/0}
(13... Nb6 14. Bb3 Bd7 15. h3 Rac8 16. Qe2 Rfe8 17. Rad1 Bf8 18. a3 h5 19. Rd3
Bh6 20. Red1 cxd5 21. Bxd5 Rc7 22. Nd2 Qe7 23. Nc4 Nxc4 24. Bxc4 Bc6 25. Bd5
Kh7 26. Bxc6 bxc6 27. Na4 {1/2-1/2 (101) Leko,P (2734)-Gelfand,B (2739) Miskolc
2010}) 14. Re3 {-0.13/0 This move was first played by WGM Valentina Gunina earlier
this year, with a successful result. It has to be uplifting to her to have a
player of Kramnik's calibre, and level of preparation, giving it his own stamp
of approval.} b5 {-0.15/0} 15. dxc6 {-0.06/0} bxc4 {-0.12/0} 16. Nd5 {-0.56/0}
Qe6 {-0.45/0} (16... Qd6 17. cxd7 Bxd7 18. Nd2 Bb5 19. Qc2 Rab8 20. Rc3 Qa6
21. a4 Bf8 22. Nf1 Bc5 23. Qc1 Bc6 24. Nf6+ Kg7 25. Ng4 g5 26. Rxc4 Rd1 27.
Qxd1 Qxc4 28. Qf3 Qxe4 29. Rc1 Qg6 30. Qc3 Qe4 31. Qxe5+ Qxe5 32. Nxe5 Bxf2+
33. Kxf2 Rxb2+ 34. Ke3 Bxg2 35. Ng3 Bd5 36. Nh5+ Kf8 37. Rd1 Be6 38. Rd8+ {1-0
(38) Gunina,V (2511)-Muzychuk,A (2583) Gaziantep 2012}) 17. cxd7 {-0.40/0} Rxd7
{-0.21/0 Even though Kramnik is the one who chose to go down this path, and
one cannot believe Re3 was played by accident, the fact is that he was consuming
a lot of time on his clock while Aronian was playing quite quickly.} 18. Qa4
{-0.41/0} Bb7 {-0.50/0 Played immediately by Levon.} 19. Qxc4 {-0.67/0} Bxd5
{-0.31/0} 20. exd5 {-0.52/0} Qxd5 {-0.34/0} 21. Qxd5 {-0.46/0} Rxd5 {-0. 50/0}
22. Rae1 {-0.46/0} Re8 {-0.31/0 The general consensus among masters and grandmasters
watching the game was that Kramnik was undoubtedly worse, but would eventually
hold.} 23. g4 {-0.30/0 A surprising decision to some, but the idea is to contain
Black's progress, and make ...f5 less attractive.} Kh7 {-0. 33/0} ({After the
immediate} 23... f5 {White plays} 24. Nh4 {and after} fxg4 25. Nxg6 {should
be fine. The attempt to box in the knight with} Bf6 {does not work as it escapes
with} 26. Nf4) 24. g5 {-0.39/0 Again a decision that caught many by surprise.
It is true that White's knight will finally gain some activity, but the question
is whether this will outweigh the long-term weaknesses in his pawns.} hxg5 {-0.50/0
Aronian wasted very little time on this decision.} 25. Nxg5+ {-0.24/0} Kg8 {-0.39/0}
26. f4 $2 {-1.18/0 This is a mistake. Perhaps White was anxious to end his agony,
and thought to achieve quick parity and shake hands. Instead he is much worse
now.} Rb8 $1 {-1.17/0} ( 26... Bh6 {looks attractive, but isn't as strong as
the game. White removes the rook from the pin with} 27. R3e2 {and will then
have Ne4, threatening Nf6+. }) 27. fxe5 {-0.64/0} Rxb2 {-1.22/0} 28. Nf3 {-1.26/0
White is understandably concerned with Rdd2 and seeing Black double his rooks
on the second rank.} Rxa2 {-0.90/0} 29. e6 {-1.04/0} fxe6 {-2.22/0 Things are
now looking very grim. The bishop is now completely free, and the a-pawn is
a very real threat.} 30. Rxe6 {-1.84/0} Rf5 {-2.16/0} 31. Nh4 {-2.18/0} Rf4
{-1.80/0} 32. R6e4 {-2.16/0} (32. Nxg6 $2 Bd4+ 33. Kh1 Rff2 {is the end.}) 32...
Rf6 {-1.53/0} 33. Rg4 {-1.71/0} Kf7 {-1.59/0} 34. Rc1 {-1.82/0} Bh6 {-1.55/0}
35. Rc7+ {-1.97/0} Ke8 {-1.70/0} 36. Re4+ {-1.82/0} Kd8 {-2.00/0} 37. Rh7 {-2.15/0}
Bf8 {-2.03/0} 38. Rd4+ {-1. 29/0} Kc8 {-1.39/0} 39. Rc4+ {-1.68/0} Kb8 {-1.89/0}
40. Rd7 $2 {-5.88/0} ({ Even without the game's blunder, Black is most likely
won. The combination of sprinting a-pawn with two rooks and bishop against Whites
exposed king should decide it. A sample line might be} 40. Rc1 a5 41. Ng2 (41.
Rb1+ Ka8 42. Rc1 Bd6 {with the idea Bb8 to cover the mate threats.}) 41... a4
42. Ne3 a3 $19) 40... g5 $19 41. Ng6 Bd6 {The knight is lost since White must
also protect against the threat Bxh2+ Kh1 and Rf1 mate.} 0-1
The games were broadcast live on the official web site, and naturally on Playchess.
In addition there was a video broadcast with commentary and images from the
playing hall. If you missed it you can follow the entire four hours of action
in this video stream:
Live commentary was provided by IM Werner Hug, a former Junior World Champion,
and by Swiss GM
Jannick Pelletier, who discussed the moves in English, with short breaks of
German for the local public
It is especially enjoyable to follow the commentary on the official site, which
also includes a slightly unruly live chat for visitors, and to have a Playchess
broadcast board open (above left), where you can analyse with Fritz and at the
same time see the results of the most powerful computers all over the world
using the Fritz 13 function Let's Check.
Kramnik anguishing for over half an hour over his move 17.cxd7, after Aronian
had deviated from the game Gunina-Muzychuk which the players had been following
with the move 16...Qe6, clearly a surprise for Kramnik
The final phase of the game, before Kramnik collapsed at the time control with
40.Rd7?
Very interesting and illuminating: the press conference after the game
(click to start)
The Zurich Chess Club
 |
The World’s Oldest Chess Club: Part I (1809–1914)
24.06.2009 – In August there will be a spectacular
event celebrating the 200th jubilee of the oldest chess club in the world:
the Schachgesellschaft Zürich, which was founded in 1809. Attendees include
Kasparov, Anand, Karpov, Korchnoi, Kramnik, Spassky, Ponomariov and Topalov.
To prepare you for the jubilee Richard Forster and Christian Rohrer retrace
the historical
development of the club. |
 |
The World’s Oldest Chess Club: Part II (1914–1945)
14.07.2009 – In August there will be a spectacular
event celebrating the 200th jubilee of the oldest chess club in the world:
the Schachgesellschaft Zürich, which was founded in 1809. Attendees include
Kasparov, Anand, Karpov, Korchnoi, Kramnik, Spassky, Ponomariov and Topalov.
To prepare you for the jubilee Richard Forster and Christian Rohrer retrace
the historical
development of the club. |
 |
The World’s Oldest Chess Club: Part III (1945–1961)
07.08.2009 – Sunday, 9 August 2009, heralds
the start of the events around the 200-year anniversary of the Schachgesellschaft
Zürich, the oldest chess club in the world. Attendees on the final weekend
(August 22-23) include Kasparov, Anand, Karpov, Korchnoi, Kramnik, Spassky,
Ponomariov and Topalov. Richard Forster and Christian Rohrer retrace
the historical
development of the Schachgesellschaft. |
 |
Aronian-Kramnik: a diamond-studded encounter
09.02.2012 – It will be the first match in
history in which both players are rated over 2800. From April 21 to 28,
2012, the world's number two, Levon Aronian, will play the world's number
three, Vladimir Kramnik, in the time-honored Hotel Savoy Baur en Ville
in Zurich, Switzerland – the venue of many a famous chess event in the
past. The match is sponsored by the diamond industry. Press
release.
|
