Game of the year | 3 January 2019

The time has come again when I award the accolade of most spectacular game of the year. It adds lustre if this is from one of the great matches. However, not one of the games from the London World Championship comes close to creating the requisite brilliance and drama. Instead, my choice falls on the game Aronian-Kramnik from the Fidé Candidates in Berlin.
 
Aronian-Kramnik: Fidé Candidates Berlin 2018; Ruy Lopez
 
1 e4 e5 2 Nf3 Nc6 3 Bb5 Nf6 4 d3 Bc5 5 Bxc6 This kind of ‘delayed exchange’ is a popular counter to the Berlin Defence  5 … dxc6 6 0-0 Qe7 7 h3 Rg8 (see diag 1) This is an extraordinary idea and shows an admirable flexibility of thought. White’s play has been a little passive and Kramnik alertly realises that he can exploit this with a rapid kingside advance. 8 Kh1 Nh5 9 c3 White needs a more robust response to Black’s aggressive plan.