ARONIAN or KRAMIK?

[FriedmannC]

ARONIAN or KRAMIK?

[Albert Silver]

ARONIAN or KRAMIK?

50-50 IMHO. Aronian is the up and rising player, but has had difficulty adapting to matches. On the other hand, I think it is a great idea for him to try and fix this problem.

[Hood]

hope Aronian

[AdminX]

hope Aronian

He needs no hope, I think he can take Kramnik with ease.

[JuLieN]

Aronian won the first game.
http://chessbase.com/newsdetail.asp?newsid=8095

Comments by ChessBase:

Code: Select all

[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

Before white's strange "24. g4" move:
[d]4r1k1/p4pb1/6pp/3rp3/8/4RN2/PP3PPP/4R1K1 w - - 2 23

[Lion]

What's the question ?
Who I prefer to win or who will win ?

[Dr.Wael Deeb]

hope Aronian

He needs no hope, I think he can take Kramnik with ease.

Agreed....Aronian style is a nightmare for Kramnik who will go down in flames....
Dr.D

[JuLieN]

Games live on the official website:

http://live.kramnikaronian.com/

The second game just started.

[Harvey Williamson]

ARONIAN or KRAMIK?

I think it will be close but my money is on Aronian. I know him pretty well and I think it is his time.

[gerold]

ARONIAN or KRAMIK?

Aronian.

Hope there not all draws after the first game.

Best,
Gerold.