Popuscu , thanks for the analysis. You are right.

Anand is much better than a few moves ago. Somehow Kramnik missed it, I guess...

a4 ? The bishop sac works?? Is this desperation or a brilliant tactic?

What is happening there........

white wins

Chances for Kramnik in the endgame!

@Bharat: White wins?? LOL

What do you think about this (forced) endgame:
40.Rf2 Rb8 41.Rb2 Rc2 42.Rxc2 bxc2 43.Bf1 Rb1 44.Rxc2 Rxf1+ 45.Kg2 Re1

are Black's central pawn dabgerous??? Intiutively it seems to be a draw.

Anand is going to draw it with bishop + pawn versus rook.

how about r c 1 first and then r c2?

if 41.Rb2 Rc1+ 42.Kg2 Rc2 43.Rxc2 bxc2. White has to give up his bishop then

42.Rb3x

am i missing something -- the white king marches over maybe after rc6 first just to be safe

42.Rb3x as comment to Popuscu that is.

What is the result of the 9th game? I am eagerly waiting for Vishy to win. I am sitting and watching the game on net, can some one tell

Kramnik salvages some pride with this game....................

to vijayendra,
yes White is forced to give up his bishop, otherwise the c2 pawn become a Queen.

42.Rxb3 is a blunder:

42.Rxb3 Rxb3 43.Bxb3 Rxc7

41. ... Tc2 (only chance for advantage) 42. Txc2 bxc2 43. Lf1 (or 43. Lxe6) with small advantage for black.

why not immediately Rc2?

white wins

Ater 41.Rb2 its now pretty interesting.

How about 41...e5!? now?

to Raghu,
the rook endgame is slightly better for Kramnik, he is a pawn up.
Howerver the rules number 0 in chess tells us: the rook endgame is almost a dead draw.

Howver, Anand must show exact defence.

From game theory point of view, your qustion is verry hard to answer: to prove mathematicaly that one side can force a win is hard.

HE what is happening is anand won or its a draw ?

IF Kramnik cannot force a win he loses -- and I see no forced win here

41. ... Rc2 42. Rxc2 bxc2 43. Bb5 (43. Bxe6 Rb1+ 44. Kg2 c1=Q 45. Rxc1 Rxc1 46. Bxf5) c1=Q+ 44. Rxc1 Rxb5.

@Sumit Balan. After 41. e5 42. Kg2 Tb4 43. Tc8+ Kg7 44. Le6 black has nothing anymore.

to Sumit Balan,

41 ...e5 will not allow Kramnik to gain the bishop, for instance:

41. ... e5 42.Kg2 Rb4 43.Rc8+ Kg7 44.Be6 Rxc8 45.Bxc8 Kf6

and therefore Anand bishop is stronger than Kramnik passed pawn.

Kramnik is trying hard. Apart from Rb2 and giving pawn to get bishop any interesting lines. Impatient & curious to see the moves of these chess titans

Another draw.......

I think Anand has a safe way to escape to draw:
41. ..Rc2 42.Rxc2 bxc2 is forced.

And now 43.Bxe6!? (instead of 43.Bf1Rb1 44.Rxc2 Rxf1+ 45.Kg2 =+) 43. .. Rb1+ 44.Kg2 c1Q 45.Rxc1Rxc1 46.Bxf5.
This must be a draw.

After 42...Rc2 43. Rxc2 bxc2 44. Bf1 Rb2 I think White is lost as he cannot move the bishop or king and Black can just push e5. I don't see what White can do to stop it. But if Anand plays instead 44. Bxe6 Rb1+ 45. Kg2 c1=Q 46. Rxc1 Rxc1 47. Bxf5 Kg7 48. Bd3 then Black does not have a real plan to win. Even if Kramnik finds the tactics to exchange his rook for the bishop and both of Anand's pawns, as long as the White king stays closer to the h1 square, Black cannot queen. This should be a draw.

i think Rc4 pinned the bishop

42. ... h4! A draw.

White can draw safely now -- will he play for a win?

I really hope Kramnik will winn this on his birthday. Its looking good.

There are many ways to skin a cat and Kramnik is going to try all of them in this game. :-)

What about Bb5 here? Otherwise, black takes in G3 and plays Rg8.

Kramnik play is verry deep: with his h5-h4 he will play with the central pawns: if this does not work the endgame will be witout pawns, I mean A Rook+Bishop against a Rook. That is a theoretical draw. Howver, Topalov is still stronger

LOL@orange

Anand's 20. Kh1 is quite appealing if it doesn't turn out to be a blunder. These two guys have been trading blows in this game. Pretty cool.

@juliette
This is a free forum and people have the right to express themselves
in a respectful manner.

Hmm, Fritz is telling me that Black is better :S

Nd6 seems interesting, but black can play Bxd6 Pxd6,gxf4 Bf3 , Bxf3 Rxf3,and then he has e5!

anand has 30 mins and he's still thinking....kramnik has around 55 mins...

They can use minutes from next game , rule called 'borrow minutes' :)

hey happy diwali to all of you..

what will happen if they dnt complete 40 moves on time??....from what i can see....they'll both struggle...especially anand...

Very interesting position. White has many possibilities, but - according to Fritz - all are a little favourable for black. And Anand has some time trouble in choosing defense or counterattack