Shirov, Alexei – Kramnik, Vladimir

2736 2004 · Draw

Shirov (2736) versus Kramnik (2777), 2004: a Sveshnikov in its sharpest guise, with 9.Bxf6 gxf6 wrecking Black’s pawn structure straight out of the opening. Both sides follow theory for a long stretch, then manoeuvre without ever handing the other a target — 88% at least good moves for White, 84% for Black, and not a single inflection flagged by the engine at depth 25. Kramnik opens lines with ...e4 and ...f4, Shirov answers Bxe4 and regroups, and the balance holds all the way to the final move played, 32...bxc3, before the draw. The lesson: in a line this sharp, the half point comes from consistency, not from one brilliant stroke.