GM
Garry Kasparov (2750) - GM Anatoly Karpov; (2730)
[C20]
FIDE World Championship Match
Leningrad, (RUS); (Game #16), 1986.
[A.J.G.]
One of the great games of World
Championship play. (Seriously!!)
While not a
perfectly-played game, it is a
magnificent struggle with an
incredibly brilliant combination.
I would even go so far to say that
this gem of a game would probably
go into my list of:
"The Ten (10) Best Ruy Lopez
Games ... of All Time!!!!!"
This game is from their series
of World Championship Matches.
(These players played a total of like 5 WCS matches!).
1.e4
e5; 2.Nf3
Nc6; 3.Bb5, {Diagram?}
The Ruy Lopez, a regular staple of
all the great Master's repertoires.
[ Kasparov was later to single-
handedly revive the Scotch
Opening that begins
with:
3.d4!?, {Diagram?}
with an interesting and complex
game. ].
3...a6; 4.Ba4
Nf6; 5.0-0
Be7; {Diagram?}
The Closed Variation.
(Black develops, and keeps
the center closed.)
[ The move: 5...Nxe4!?; {Diagram?}
leads to the "Open Variation." ].
This is all "Main-Line" up until
the 9th move.
6.Re1
b5; 7.Bb3
d6; {Diagram?}
Black continues to protect or
'strong-point' the e5-square.
[ Black can also play:
7...0-0!?; 8.c3
d5; 9.exd5
Nxd5; 10.Nxe5,
{Diagram?}
which is
the famed opening
known as, "The Marshall Gambit." (See any good opening book.)
You could also visit
my Geo-Cities web-site
and find my "Best Games" Page.
Then go to the game,
Capablanca - Marshall; New York 1918. This game contains
a
fairly complete opening survey
- if you don't have a copy of MCO. ].
8.c3
0-0; 9.h3
Bb7!?; {Diagram?}
The Zaitzev Variation ... one of Karpov's favorite lines.
He is also
a great specialist in these lines.
Some of the other choices for
Black are moves like ...h6; ...Re8;
...Nd7; (Keres)
...Nb8; (Breyer)
and of course, ...Na5. (Tchigorin.)
[ The most venerable line here
is the Tchigorin Variation that
is begun with: 9...Na5!?,
{Diag?}
This line was originated by one
of the greatest players of all time,
Mikhail Tchigorin of Russia.
(Probably the oldest and most
respected of all defenses to the
main lines of the Ruy Lopez.) ].
The next series of moves is all 'book' ... the contestants had
played this
particular lines
many times before.
10.d4
Re8; 11.Nbd2!?
Bf8; 12.a4
h6; 13.Bc2
exd4!?; 14.cxd4
Nb4; 15.Bb1
c5;
16.d5
Nd7; 17.Ra3!,
{See the diagram just below.}
An extra-ordinary move. This rook
will come to e3 and aid in the future,
planned attack
against the Black
King.
[ 17.Nb3!?
].
17...c4!?; {Diagram?}
Black activates his Queen-side
majority. (In a later match, the
players were to explore the
very
fascinating possibilities that arise
after the move, 17...f5.)
[ Black can also play:
17...f5!?; {Diagram?}
with an interesting game. ].
18.Nd4!, (TN?)
{Diagram?}
Kasparov improves over a game
that was played earlier in this match.
[ The move 18.axb5!?, {Diagram?}
led to an interesting game.
(Game # 14 of the same match.)
Now MCO gives the line of: 18...axb5; {Diagram?}
The end of the column.
19.Nd4
Rxa3;
20.bxa3
Nd3; 21.Bxd3
cxd3; 22.Re3
Nc5!?; This is interesting, as is ...Ne5.
(22...Ne5!?; 23.N4f3,
"+/=") 23.Bb2
Bc8!?; {Diagram?}
I am not sure about this.
(Better was: >/= 23...Qa5!;
"~") 24.Nc6
Qh4; 25.Bd4,
"+/=" {Diagram?}
White has a small, but secure,
advantage from this position.
GM Viswanathan Anand - GM Alexander Beliavsky;
Madrid/ESP/1998.
[ See MCO-14;
page # 89,
column # 31, and note # (h.) ] ].
18...Qf6; (Maybe -
'!') {Diagram?}
Karpov springs a prepared line
of his own. (TN?)
19.N2f3
Nc5; {Diagram?}
Black overloads the d3-square.
(Kasparov said later that the
immediate ...Nd3; might have
been better.)
[ A different possibility is:
19...Nd3!?; 20.Bxd3
b4!; 21.Bxc4!
bxa3;
22.b3,
{Diagram?}
White has tremendous
compensation for the material
sacrificed.
(But no more.
The game was eventually drawn.)
GM Viswanathan Anand - GM Gata
Kamsky;
PCA Candidates Match, Las Palmas/ESP/1995.
].
Kasparov now decides to win
a pawn.
20.axb5!?
axb5; 21.Nxb5
Rxa3; 22.Nxa3
Ba6; 23.Re3!, {Diagram?}
A nice rook luft.
[ 23.Qd2
].
23...Rb8!?; {See
the diagram just below.}
As a prelude to ...Nd3; Black lines
up White's b-pawn.
[ Playable was: 23...Nbd3!?
].
Kasparov now throws material
considerations and caution to the
wind, and plays
to keep the
initiative.
24.e5!!
dxe5; 25.Nxe5
Nbd3?!; {Diagram?}
While this appears to be the natural-
looking move, (pressuring the White
b-pawn);
this move is actually an
error. ('?') Correct was 25...Ncd3.
[ Correct was: >/= 25...Ncd3;
"=" ].
26.Ng4!?, {Diagram?}
While this looks very promising, it
is not the best move here.
('?' - GM John Nunn/FM Graham Burgess.)
[ It was later discovered that by
playing the move, 26.Qc2!,
"+/" {Diagram?}
White would have probably
(eventually) reached a won
position. ].
Now comes a very fine tactical
sequence. In the ensuing complications
White realizes he
must attack Black's
King and that the Knight is the better
attacking piece in this position.
26...Qb6!; 27.Rg3!
g6!; 28.Bxh6!
Qxb2; (!) 29.Qf3!,
{Diagram?} (Maybe - '!!')
White prepares to make a final
'big push' on the King-side.
[ 29.Bxd3!?
].
29...Nd7!?, (Maybe - '?!')
{Diagram?}
Burgess and Nunn says that this
move is an error (dubious/inferior) here. ('?!')
(But it is the first choice of many
computer programs in the year,
2000.)
Karpov probably errs here. He said
after the game he saw at least one
forced draw,
but thought he had real
winning chances.
[ It is a draw after: 29...Bd6!?; ('!')
30.Be3!
Bxg3; 31.Nf6+
Kg7; 32.Qxg3
Kxf6!?;
This could be forced.
33.Bxd3
Nxd3; 34.Qh4+
Ke5; This is probably forced as well.
35.Qe7+
Kxd5; {Diagram?}
Again, this is forced. (35...Kf5??;
36.g4#
)
36.Qd7+, ('=')
etc. {Diagram?} It's a draw by perpetual check. (This is just one four
distinctly
different drawing lines I have
found from the position after
White's 29th move!!)
[ The Mammoth Book Of ] "The
World's Greatest Chess Games."
By GM John Nunn,
GM John Emms, and FM Graham Burgess.
[ Copyright (c) 1998.
(©) Robinson Publishing Co. (UK)
(©) Carroll & Graf Books. (USA) ] ].
White now weakens the dark squares
around the Black King by exchanging
off the dark-squared Bishop.
30.Bxf8, ('!') 30...Kxf8;
{See the diagram just below.}
Right after this game was played, I gave this position to Novag boxes and various
computer programs. They all evaluated this position - after extremely lengthy analysis -
as being completely won for the second player. (!!)
31.Kh2!!,
{Diagram?}
One of the most amazing 'quiet'
moves of all time. It takes a real
genius to play a move like this.
[ 31.Nh6!?
].
31...Rb3!; {Diagram?}
This is undoubtedly the best
move in this position, according
to Burgess and Nunn.
[ Black loses after:
31...Qxa3?!; 32.Nh6
Qe7; 33.Rxg6
Ke8; {Diagram?}
This is forced.
(33...Rxb1??; 34.Rg8#
Or 33...Qe5+?!;
34.g3
Rxb1??; 35.Qxf7#
).
34.Bxd3!
Qe5+; 35.g3
fxg6; 36.Bxg6+
Ke7; {Diagram?}
Black has no choice.
(36...Kd8??; 37.Nf7+,
("+/-"))
37.Qa3+
Kf6; {Diagram?}
No matter where Black
goes,
he is forked. 38.Ng4+,
("+/-") {Diagram?}
The Knight fork wins Black's
Queen
in this position.
(Just one of thousands of possible
different possible variations.) ].
32.Bxd3!, {Diagram?}
Kasparov, with less than 10
minutes remaining on his clock,
finds the best line and now feels
he has nothing to fear.
[ 32.Nxc4!?;
or 32.Nh6!?
].
32...cxd3!?; {Diagram?}
A very reasonable-looking move
... in fact, it looks like it is winning.
(But Nunn and Burgess brand this
move as inferior. '?!')
[ 32...Rxa3!?;
or 32...Rxd3!?
].
33.Qf4!, {Diagram?}
Kasparov finds the most precise
way of continuing the attack.
[ 33.Nh6
].
33...Qxa3?!, (Probably - '?')
{Diagram?}
Poor Karpov, still chasing the
phantom of the win, makes an
error. (The losing move.)
But we can forgive him for many
reasons, mainly: he was short
of time and the win is very,
very brilliant ... and hard to see.
'?' - Burgess and Nunn.
[ Interesting was: 33...Rxa3!?;
(Maybe - '?!' or even '?')
but White wins after:
34.Rf3!
Qb8; 35.d6
Qe8; 36.Re3
Qc8; 37.Re7
Bc4;
38.Qh6+
Kg8; 39.Rxd7
Qxd7; 40.Nf6#
The best line was probably:
>/= 33...d2!;
34.Nh6
Nf6; 35.Qd6+,
{Diagram?}
with a continuing initiative.
(But it is unclear if White
can force the win.)
- GM Garry Kasparov.
{The main line of Garry's analysis
continues to nearly
move sixty ...
and ends in stale-mate!!}
(Also a good line would be: 35.Rxb3!?,
"~" {Diagram?}
with a strong attack
for White.
- Burgess and Nunn.)
].
34.Nh6!, {Diagram?}
This move appears - at a first
look - to be a terrible failure.
But it has many hidden points
to it.
[ 34.Rf3!?
f5!; "=/+" ].
34...Qe7!?; {Diagram?}
With his flag virtually hanging,
Black has no time to contemplate
the various alternatives.
(...f6; or ...Ne5.)
[ 34...f6!?;
35.Rxg6, "+/" {Diagram?}
(Maybe "+/-") ].
35.Rxg6
Qe5; {Diagram?}
Black appears - at first glance -
to have forced an exchange of
Queens and adequately
defended
his position.
I wish to point out that MOST of
the GM's who were following
this game
thought that BLACK
was winning here!!!
(White's 37th move was the move
which must have aroused them
from their slumber!)
36.Rg8+
Ke7; 37.d6+!
Ke6; {Diagram?}
Ugh, this is forced.
Karpov might have resigned here,
but is carried through by inertia
until after
the time control is reached.
[ 37...Qxd6?; 38.Nf5+, ("+/-")
Black loses his Queen to a fork. ].
38.Re8+
Kd5; 39.Rxe5+
Nxe5; 40.d7
Rb8[]; 41.Nxf7,
{Diagram, just below.}
Black Resigns, his game is
completely hopeless.
[ After the moves:
41.Nxf7
Nxf7; 42.Qxb8,
"+/-" {Diagram?}
its an easy win for White. ]
This is one of the most complicated
games I have ever analyzed. It is
one of Kasparov's
greatest triumphs,
and also (favorably) shows his
incredible tactical prowess.
My annotations here are based mostly
on the Mammoth Book of the world's
{100}
best chess games.
(See the note after Black's 29th
move.)
{ Possibly because of all the tactical
miscues, this game was not included
on
GM Andy Soltis's book on the 100
best games of the 20th century. }
Copyright (c) A.J. Goldsby I. Copyright (c) A.J.G; 2002.
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