1.e4e52.Nf3Nc63.Bb5Nf64.O-ONxe45.d4Nd66.Bxc6dxc67.dxe5Nf58.Qxd8+Kxd89.Nc3Bd7Kramnik shows confidence in his new weapon. The
question is what Kasparovs sessions in front of the computer has unearthed.10.b3h611.Bb2Kc812.Rad1...A refinement over game 1, where h3 first was
played.12....b6NBlack goes for his main plan of creating a fox-hole for his
K on b7.12...a513.h3b614.a4Bb415.Ne2Re816.Nf4g617.g4Ng718.Rd3Ne619.Nxe6Bxe620.Nd4⩲1-0 Shirov,A-Krasenkow,M/Polanica Zdroj
2000/CBM 79 no vc (27)12...Ne7!?to meet Ne2 with Ng6 has yet to be
tested.13.Ne2c514.c4...In the more dynamic lines with a subsequent e6
this is just a lost tempo, so White could try to do without this move.14.Nf4!?Bc6(14...c4?!15.bxc4±)15.Nd5(15.Rfe1Bxf316.gxf3Be717.e6Bd6∞)Ne7(15...Nd416.Nxd4Bxd517.Ne2Bc618.f4↑)(15...Kb716.Rfe1Ne7(16...Re817.c4Ne718.e6±)(16...Rd817.c4Ne718.Ne3Rxd1(18...Re8!?)19.Rxd1⩲)17.Nxe7Bxe718.e6↑)16.Nxe7+(16.c4Kb7is the game.)Bxe717.e6!?Bxf3(17...fxe618.Rfe1↑)18.gxf3fxe619.Rfe1Bf620.Bxf6gxf621.Rxe6⩲14....Bc615.Nf4!?...Kasparov has achieved a more active setup than in game 1. But Black is still
without any real weaknesses. Whites main idea is to try to push e6 at the
right moment.15....Kb715...Bxf3!?strengthens the position of Nf5 by taking
away the possibility g4, but it gives up some white square control.16.gxf3Be7(16...c617.Rfe1⩲)17.e6(17.Nd5Re818.Ne3Nh419.f4g620.Rd3Kb721.Rfd1Rad8)Bd6!?18.Rd5Nd4(18...fxe619.Nxe6Re820.Nxc7Kxc721.Rxf5⩲)19.Bxd4Bxf4(19...cxd420.Rxd4g521.Nh5⩲)20.Rf5cxd421.Rxf4fxe622.Rxd4Rf823.Re1Rxf324.Rxe6Rf716.Nd5...16.Rfe1has been suggested as an improvement, butBxf3!?17.gxf3Be7seems
OK for Black18.Rd7(18.e6Bd619.Nh5(19.Rd5?Nh4∓)fxe620.Rxe6Rhe8⇆)Rad819.e6fxe620.Rxd8Bxd821.Nxe6Bf616....Ne717.Rfe1Rg8!?Prophylaxis against a later e6 by White. Kramnik has
chosen to play in a very restrained fashion, reminicent of the the way Wilhelm
Steinitz used to play. His basic idea was that without weaknesses you can
always defend.17...Bxd5?!18.cxd5Rd819.d6cxd620.exd6Nc621.d7Kc722.Be5+±17...Rd818.Ne3Re819.e6!?fxe620.Ne5↑18.Nf4...18.e6The logical follow up to the previous play, but it doesn´t seem to deliver
anything.fxe619.Nxe7(19.Rxe6Rd8⇆)Bxe720.Rxe6(20.Ne5Bf621.Nxc6Bxb222.Rxe6Rae823.Rde1Rxe624.Rxe6Rf8∞)Bxf321.gxf3Bd618....g5!Black activates his R and stops White´s intended push
with the e-P.19.Nh5Rg620.Nf6Bg7Black is slowly getting his pieces out.
The worst seems to be over for him.21.Rd3Bxf3Clearing c6 for the N.22.Rxf3Bxf623.exf6Nc624.Rd3Rf825.Re4Kc8Now Black is ready for
positive action, like starting to exchange R:s, so the pressure is on White to
do something.26.f4?!...26.h4Nd427.Bxd4cxd428.Rdxd4Rxf629.hxg5hxg5With a very slight advantage for White. Ulf Andersson would be very
happy with White here. Even though a draw is the likely result.26....gxf427.Rxf4Re8⇆Now it´s an open game. The N is in no way inferior to the B.28.Bc3Re229.Rf2Re430.Rh3a531.Rh5...31.Bd2?!Ne531....a432.bxa4!?...Active play, but also a sign that White is under pressure. The situation
is clearly dangerous for White when he loses his Q-side P:s.32....Rxc433.Bd2Rxa434.Rxh6Rg834...Rxh6!?35.Bxh6c4⇆35.Rh7Rxa236.Rxf7Ne537.Rg7Rf838.h3c438...Nd339.f7Kd7(39...Nxf240.Rg8Kd741.Rxf8Ke742.Rd8±)40.Rg8Ra1+41.Kh2Nxf242.Rxf8Ke743.Rc8⩲39.Re7Nd340.f7Nxf241.Re8+Kd742.Rxf8Ke743.Rc8...43.Rd8Kxf744.Kxf2c343....Kxf744.Rxc7+Ke645.Be3Nd146.Bxb6⩲c347.h4?!...47.Kh247....Ra648.Bd4Ra449.Bxc3Nxc350.Rxc3Rxh451.Rf3Rh552.Kf2Rg553.Rf8Ke51/2-1/2 The game is a draw.54.Kf3Rf5+55.Rxf5+Kxf556.Kg3Kg557.Kh3Kh51/2-1/2