The Kramnik vs. Aronian match ...

Schedule

Date Saturday 21 April - Saturday 28 April 2012
Venue Hotel Savoy Baur en Ville, Festsaal
Rounds 6 (classical chess)

Rate of play – 40 moves in 120 minutes
– 20 moves in 60 minutes
– Rest of game in 15 minutes
– followed by 30 seconds per move

If a game ends within 3 hours in a draw,
an additional Rapid Game will be played
(which does not count for the overall result)

Schedule Fri. April 20: 19:00 Briefing
Sat. April 21: 15:00 Round 1
Sun. April 22: 15:00 Round 2
Mon. April 23: Rest Day
Tue. April 24: 15:00 Round 3
Wed. April 25: 15:00 Round 4
Thu. April 26: Rest Day
Fri. April 27: 15:00 Round 5
Sat. April 28: 13:00 Round 6

All games start at 15:00 local time (13:00 UTC) except the final game which is 2 hours earlier.

Levon Aronian is currently ranked #2 in the world with a rating of 2820 Elo, and Vladimir Kramnik is ranked #3 in the world with 2801 Elo.

Although it's just a 'training' match, both men will hopefully make the most of the opportunity for some match practice with hard fought games.


http://www.kramnikaronian.com/index.php



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Who will win this training match ?

My vote goes to Levon Aronian. He's the coming man.

Probably Aronian as both will not want to reveal their opening preparation where Kramnik is especially strong.
I am wandering why they do not start to play with slightly faster time controls, as the fashion seems to be...

Originally posted by vipiu
Probably Aronian as both will not want to reveal their opening preparation where Kramnik is especially strong.
I am wandering why they do not start to play with slightly faster time controls, as the fashion seems to be...

... they take time to think. People should follow their example in these troublesome days .... 😛

Originally posted by ivanhoe
Schedule

Who will win this training match ?

My vote goes to Levon Aronian. He's the coming man.

It's hard for Aronian to play against Vlady. Levon has only one win (with usual time control) against Kramnik

If Aronian can get a draw in under 3 hours he can force a rapid....(albeit not part of the score of the match)

I would expect Kramnik to draw or win the match.

aronian is a coming man (has been so for years, no?)
still, i expect Kramnik to win a short match with long time controls.

Kramnik by 1 point or a draw.

Come on guys ... vote vote vote ... Who will win ? It's just a game ...

I like both of these players. From all that I've read (interviews with them and articles written on them); they both seem like good gentleman.

But I'm placing my money on Aronian. I wish them both luck on their quest to gain (Aronian) or regain the title of WCC.

kramnik

All right ... Aronian won the first game.

Originally posted by ivanhoe
All right ... Aronian won the first game.

A real surprise ! Winning with Black in the first game. He's gonna make my prediction wrong.

Originally posted by w0lver1ne
A real surprise ! Winning with Black in the first game. He's gonna make my prediction wrong.

Here's the game - I couldn't get the PGN to work for some reason. Usually I don't have too much trouble.

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 Rd8 14. Re3 b5
15. dxc6 bxc4 16. Nd5 Qe6 17. cxd7 Rxd7 18. Qa4 Bb7 19. Qxc4 Bxd5 20. exd5
Qxd5 21. Qxd5 Rxd5 22. Rae1 Re8 23. g4 Kh7 24. g5 hxg5 25. Nxg5+ Kg8 26. f4
Rb8 27. fxe5 Rxb2 28. Nf3 Rxa2 29. e6 fxe6 30. Rxe6 Rf5 31. Nh4 Rf4 32. R6e4
Rf6 33. Rg4 Kf7 34. Rc1 Bh6 35. Rc7+ Ke8 36. Re4+ Kd8 37. Rh7 Bf8 38. Rd4+
Kc8 39. Rc4+ Kb8 40. Rd7 g5 41. Ng6 Bd6

I don't understand whites play starting with move 23. It looks to me as though Kramnik just tried too hard to win and made a mistake with f4.

Originally posted by Erekose


I don't understand whites play starting with move 23. It looks to me as though Kramnik just tried too hard to win and made a mistake with f4.

I started watching the game when Kramnik played g4.

The commentators were saying that Houdini suggested g5 but GM Yannick Pelletier said that this was a computer move and that Kramnik would probably not play it.

So he was surprised when Kramnik did play g5. I don't remember the variation given by Houdini but after Nxg5+ it was indeed not f4.

So Kramnik unexpectedly played the move suggested by Houdini, but with a different idea in mind.

Originally posted by w0lver1ne
I started watching the game when Kramnik played g4.

The commentators were saying that Houdini suggested g5 but GM Yannick Pelletier said that this was a computer move and that Kramnik would probably not play it.

So he was surprised when Kramnik did play g5. I don't remember the variation given by Houdini but after Nxg5+ it was indeed not f4.

So Kramnik unexpectedly played the move suggested by Houdini, but with a different idea in mind.

Yes, my copy of Rybka 2.2 recommended g4 and g5 too. I'm not quite sure why. Maybe to restrain black for playing f5?

In any case, the real problem seems to be whites f4, which Rybla doesn't like either (it recommends Ra3).