The story behind the game
Kramnik’s 2007 world championship win over Morozevich features connected passed pawns and a promotion, but the attack on his own king remains important. Follow the c-pawn’s attacks, the bishop exchange on a8 and the supporting b-pawn. The last exercise asks for a defensive move after White has already obtained a second queen.
Take these ideas to your next game
- An advanced pawn can attack major and minor pieces at once.
- Compare the support behind a promotion square.
- Connected passers can force a rook away from a blockade.
- After promoting, check the opponent’s mating threats again.
Read the complete annotated game
Full game transcript, including the result and the answers. Original explanations by chessgames.info; game score from the sources below.
c7 advances with a double attack on the back rank. Black’s queen has active replies and the d3-pawn creates counterplay. The pawn fork is a starting point for calculation, not an automatic promotion. Compare the safe queen replies and the threats to both kings in the saved variations.
Bxa8 exchanges the bishop for a rook on the long diagonal. The capture is useful together with the advanced pawns. Black’s remaining rook recaptures on a8, but that rook must now help control the promotion squares. Rebuild the position after the exchange and compare the roles of both white passers.
b6 strengthens the connected passed pawns. The two pawns create different problems for a blockading rook. In the recorded continuation, the b-pawn attacks that rook and the c-pawn promotes. Black’s queen and bishops still threaten the king, so the promotion race must be calculated with those threats included.
f3 blocks the dangerous diagonal with an attack on the queen. Having two queens does not give permission to ignore a mating threat. The black bishop and queen were preparing to cooperate near h1. This pawn move changes both the line and the queen’s choices; compare the legal defences before celebrating the extra material.
Result: 1-0. The recorded score ends here; it does not imply checkmate.
Think through the turning points
Move 17: Advance with a fork
Which advance by the c6-pawn attacks the queen on d8 and knight on b8? In the game: c7. c7 advances with a double attack on the back rank. Black’s queen has active replies and the d3-pawn creates counterplay. The pawn fork is a starting point for calculation, not an automatic promotion. Compare the safe queen replies and the threats to both kings in the saved variations.
Engine-supported alternatives
Qb2 Nxc6 bxc6 Qa5 c7 Bc3 Qa3 Qxc7 Bf4 Qc4 Bxa8 Bxa1 · +0.42 · depth 17
c7 · +0.37 · depth 17
Qb1 Bc3 Bb2 Bxb2 Qxb2 axb5 c7 Qxc7 Bxa8 Nc6 Rfe1 Bh3 · +0.35 · depth 16
Move 20: Take the rook along the long diagonal
Which capture by the g2-bishop reaches the rook on a8? In the game: Bxa8. Bxa8 exchanges the bishop for a rook on the long diagonal. The capture is useful together with the advanced pawns. Black’s remaining rook recaptures on a8, but that rook must now help control the promotion squares. Rebuild the position after the exchange and compare the roles of both white passers.
Engine-supported alternatives
Bxa8 Rxa8 Qxa6 Qxa6 bxa6 d2 Rab1 Bd6 a7 Bxc7 Rb7 Bd6 · +2.09 · depth 18
Rab1 Bc5 Bxa8 Bxe3 fxe3 Rxa8 b6 Nxb6 Qb4 Qxc7 Qxb6 Qxb6 · +1.46 · depth 18
a3 Bc3 · +0.81 · depth 18
Move 22: Connect the passed pawns
How can the pawn on b5 move forward to support the pawn on c7? In the game: b6. b6 strengthens the connected passed pawns. The two pawns create different problems for a blockading rook. In the recorded continuation, the b-pawn attacks that rook and the c-pawn promotes. Black’s queen and bishops still threaten the king, so the promotion race must be calculated with those threats included.
Engine-supported alternatives
b6 Nxb6 Qc6 Bh3 Qxb6 g5 Rfb1 a5 Rd1 gxf4 Rxd3 Re8 · +3.36 · depth 18
bxa6 · +3.17 · depth 18
Rab1 a5 b6 Nxb6 Qc6 Qf5 Qxb6 Rc8 a3 Bc5 Qa6 g5 · +2.69 · depth 18
Move 27: Find the defensive tempo after promotion
Black threatens play along the e4–h1 diagonal. Which pawn move blocks that line and attacks the queen on e4? In the game: f3. f3 blocks the dangerous diagonal with an attack on the queen. Having two queens does not give permission to ignore a mating threat. The black bishop and queen were preparing to cooperate near h1. This pawn move changes both the line and the queen’s choices; compare the legal defences before celebrating the extra material.
Engine-supported alternatives
f3 Qxe5 Qxd3 Bf7 Kh1 Bd6 Rad1 Bb8 Qcf5 Qxf5 Qxf5 Ba7 · +7.02 · depth 19
Qxf8+ Bxf8 f3 Qxe5 Qxd3 Bxb7 Rad1 Kh8 Kh1 h6 Rb1 Bd5 · +5.08 · depth 19
Qe6+ Bxe6 · +3.73 · depth 19
Every piece has a part to play.
Kramnik’s 2007 world championship win over Morozevich features connected passed pawns and a promotion, but the attack on his own king remains important. Follow the c-pawn’s attacks, the bishop exchange on a8 and the supporting b-pawn. The last exercise asks for a defensive move after White has already obtained a second queen.
Look a little deeper
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Accessible evaluation values & provenance
Stockfish 17.1 · 75,000 nodes per position; 1,000,000 at key moments. Actual depth 12–19. Positive centipawns favour White; mate scores remain separate. Selective search is evidence, not proof.
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