About the series
Miniatures to Memorize is a series of short games (30 moves or fewer) that I highly recommend beginner- and intermediate-level players to commit to memory. Some games show how to quickly punish your opponent’s natural-looking but inaccurate moves, while others demonstrate how easily you can go wrong and completely blunder your game. Even if you’re in the world top 20.
Follow along on a physical chess set. I cannot stress this enough. Only if you don’t have one right now, go to the lichess study.
Why should you memorize this game?
From White’s perspective, this game shows how to win not by force of tactics alone, but through cumulative pressure. Piece exchanges, centralization, and targeting weak squares create the conditions for a sudden tactical strike. Kramnik teaches that patient maneuvering can transform into a decisive attack almost without warning.
From Black’s perspective, the lesson is humility in defense. Carlsen underestimated how awkward his pieces became after …Ba8. Even small inaccuracies in coordination can snowball into a lost position. It’s a warning that defending passively against a world-class technician is courting disaster.
Game Details
White: Vladimir Kramnik
Black: Magnus Carlsen
Dortmund Sparkassen 2007, Dortmund, GER
June 27, 2007 Round 4
Catalan Opening: Closed Variation (E06)
Context
In 2007, Magnus Carlsen was still the teenage prodigy learning how to navigate the shark tank of elite chess. His opponent, Vladimir Kramnik, was the reigning World Champion—renowned for his precise positional style and ability to squeeze blood from the most innocuous positions.
This game from Dortmund is a miniature example of Kramnik’s artistry. Facing a young Carlsen trying his hand at the Queen’s Indian, Kramnik used his hallmark clarity: exchanging pieces into an apparently harmless middlegame, only to unleash a simple yet crushing tactical finish. It’s a reminder that against Kramnik, even one slip in the balance could be punished ruthlessly.
Pull out your chess set
If you don’t have one handy, follow along on Chessgames.
1. Nf3 Nf6 2. c4 e6 3. g3 d5 4. d4 Be7 5. Bg2 O-O 6. O-O dxc4
Carlsen chooses the early capture, a Queen’s Indian idea. Black hopes to hold onto the pawn or at least inconvenience White.
7. Qc2 a6
Magnus plays cautiously. The main idea is …b5 to support the pawn on c4.
8. Qxc4 b5 9. Qc2 Bb7 10. Bd2 Nc6 11. e3 Nb4
Carlsen wastes no time in chasing the White queen and occupying b4. Black is active, but Kramnik will calmly diffuse this.
12. Bxb4 Bxb4 13. a3 Be7 14. Nbd2 Rc8
Both sides complete development. Notice how Kramnik doesn’t overextend—he simply builds pressure patiently.
15. b4 a5 16. Ne5 Nd5
Here is the first real confrontation. Carlsen stakes his knight in the center, hoping to seize initiative. But White’s coordination is better.
17. Nb3 axb4 18. Na5 Ba8
Carlsen’s bishop retreats awkwardly. Already his pieces lack harmony—especially the Ba8 stuck behind its own pawns.
19. Nac6 Bxc6 20. Nxc6 Qd7 21. Bxd5 exd5
Kramnik exchanges pieces in his typical fashion. Notice: every exchange leaves Carlsen with slightly weaker pawn structure and less activity. White retains both clarity and control.
22. axb4 Rfe8 23. Ra5 Bf8 24. Ne5 Qe6
A key turning point. Black has doubled rooks available but little activity. White, however, has targeted b5 and the weak back rank.
25. Rxb5 Rb8 26. Rxb8 Rxb8
The simplification appears harmless—yet Kramnik has foreseen the tactical nuances.
27. Qxc7 Bd6 28. Qa5!
A devastating precision move. Instead of greedily exchanging further, Kramnik plays Qa5, pinning the rook and threatening both Qxd5 and Rxb8.
- If 28…Bxb4, then 29. Rb1! skewers the queen and bishop, and Black collapses.
- If 28…Rxb4, then 29. Qd8+ Bf8 30. Nd7! wins immediately.
Carlsen realizes resistance is futile.
28…Bxb4 29. Rb1 Qd6 30. Qa4 1-0
The final blow: Black cannot avoid catastrophic material loss. The queen is tied to the defense of b4 and the rook is pinned. Magnus resigned—Kramnik’s clarity had left him utterly tied up.
From my Chess Journal, dated 28-June, 2023
Minakhi Misra 