Traps, Tricks & Mistakes: Kramnik Trapped in the Petrov
Recently American GM Fabiano Caruana is succeeding playing the Petrov Defence. Nevertheless, this opening is famous among top chess players because of the high rate of draws occurring in games where it appears. But top players work continuously in developing chess theory. And from time to time novelties appear which surprise even the best of the GM. This is exactly what happened in a game played between Anand and Kramnik, Sofia 2005. Both players enter in one variation of this opening.
In my opinion, I wouldn’t say that Anand was setting a trap with his move 16.Qc1. I would say that was Kramnik who was trapped himself by the logic and analysis of his previous games against Leko, where his plan worked well.
Dear readers, what do you think?