A long time in advance, Jan knew that he would face the world champion on board 1. Thus, his preparation was perfect. The task was clear: holding on. When I talked over the battle plan with Jan on more time the night before, it was good to see that against every opening he had found the perfect equalizer!

1. e4 e5 2. Nf3 Nc6 3. d4 exd4 4. Nxd4 Bc5 5. Be3 Qf6 6. c3 Nge7 7. g3!? Jan has a lot of experience with this variation. He beat e.g. Stefanova and Beliavsky with it. Recently also Ivanchuk tried this in itself innocent move, again Leko. After some difficulties the Hungarian managed to draw that game. 7... d5 8. Bg2 dxe4 9. Nd2!? In earlier games White mostly opted for 9.0-0. For example: 9. O-O O-O 10. Nd2 Bxd4 11. cxd4 Be6 (11... Qg6 12. Nxe4 Be6 13. Nc3 Rfd8 14. Re1 a6 15. Rc1 Nd5 16. Ne4 Nxe3 17. fxe3 Bd5 18. Nc5 Bxg2 19. Kxg2 Ne5 20. Qc2 b6 21. Ne4 Ng4 22. Nf2 Nxf2 23. Qxg6 hxg6 24. Kxf2 Rd7 25. Rc6 Re8 26. Rec1 Ree7 27. b4! with a technically won position in Smeets-Stefanova, Wijk aan Zee 2005.) 12. Nxe4 Qf5 13. Nc3 Rad8 14. Be4 Qa5 15. a3 Nd5 16. Qc2 Nxc3 17. bxc3 Qh5 18. Bf4 Rd7 19. Qd1 Bg4 20. f3 Bh3 21. Re1 Nd8 22. g4 Qh4 23. Qd2 Ne6 24. Bg3 Qf6 25. Be5 Qe7 26. Bf5 g6 27. Qh6 and White's attack proved decisive in Smeets-Beliavsky, Enschede 2005. Less investigated is the agressive 9. Nb5!? Bxe3 10. Nxc7+ Kf8 11. fxe3 for example 11... Rb8 12. Nd5 Qg5 13. Nf4 Qc5 14. O-O g5 15. Nh5 Be6 16. Nd2 Qxe3+ 17. Rf2 Rd8 18. Qe1 Qxe1+ 19. Rxe1 Bxa2 20. Nxe4 with excellent compensation in Klovans-Romanishin, Odessa 1974. With the text move White wants to take back on e4 as soon as possible. 9... Bb6 10. Nxe4 Qg6 11. O-O O-O 12. Nc5! Smeets holds on to his task, with this equalizer! By the way this was all still preparation. 12... Nxd4 12... Bxc5 13. Nxc6 Bd6 14. Nxe7+ Bxe7 15. Re1 is annoying for Black. 13. Bxd4 Nc6 14. Re1 Nxd4 15. Qxd4 15. cxd4!? must certainly be considered, because it's difficult to develop the bishop on c8 so White might have a small advantage. 15... c6 16. a4 a5 17. Qe5 h6 18. Rad1 Bg4 19. Rd2 After 19. Rd6 comes the strong 19... f6! (19... Qc2!? 20. Be4 Qxb2 21. Rb1 Qxb1+! 22. Bxb1 Rfe8 23. Qf4 Bxc5 24. Rxh6! with an unclear position.) 20. Qd4 Rae8 and Black has the initiative. 19... Bxc5 Here Kramnik misses a chance to bring new life into the game. With again 19... f6 he could have grabbed the initiative: 20. Qf4!? (20. Qd4 Rad8 21. Qc4+ Qf7 22. Qxf7+ Kxf7 23. Rxd8 Rxd8 24. Nxb7 Rd2 gives Black a big advantage.) (20. Qe4 Rfe8!) 20... Rae8 21. Rxe8 Rxe8 22. h3 Bc8 and White must play carefully to keep the position balanced. 20. Qxc5 Rfe8 21. Rxe8+ Rxe8 22. h3 Qf5 23. Qxf5 Bxf5 24. b4 axb4 with a draw offer, there's no music left in this position. 1/2-1/2