DRAW!?

I guess it was no real surprise that Game 1 of the World Championship match was a draw between current World Champion Anand and former World Champion Kramnik.

Here is GM Susan Polgar's commentary:

GM Kramnik (2772) - GM Anand (2783) [D10]World Championship, 14.10.2008

1.d4 d5 2.c4 c6 3.Nc3 Nf6 4.cxd5 cxd5 5.Bf4 Nc6 6.e3 Bf5 7.Nf3 e6 8.Qb3 Bb4 9.Bb5 0–0 10.Bxc6 Bxc3+ 11.Qxc3 Rc8 12.Ne5 Ng4 13.Nxg4 Bxg4 14.Qb4 Rxc6 15.Qxb7 Qc8 16.Qxc8 Rfxc8 17.0–0 a5 18.f3 Bf5 19.Rfe1 Bg6 20.b3 f6 21.e4 dxe4 22.fxe4 Rd8 23.Rad1 Rc2

Even though Black is down a Pawn, he has enough compensation with his Rook activity as well as Bishop opposite color.

24.e5 fxe5 25.Bxe5 Rxa2 26.Ra1 Rxa1 27.Rxa1 Rd5 = 28.Rc1 Rd7 29.Rc5 Ra7 =

I think the players are just playing on to make move 30. I do not see serious chances for either side to score a full point in this game.

30.Rc7 Rxc7 31.Bxc7 Bc2 32.Bxa5 Bxb3

This is a drawn position. I don't expect the players to continue this position much longer.As expected, the players agreed to a draw here.