Chess Strategy

Only few weeks ago, a sudden news that Garry Kasparov and Anatoly Karpov are playing a “rematch” stirred the spirits around the globe. Nowadays the match is ongoing, alas with rapid and blitz games, but we’re ready to accept what gives. Even a huge number of mainstream media are reporting about their legendary rivalry.

I had the pleasure to comment the rapid games on Chessdom.com, splitting the work with Jason Juett. My colleague covered day one with first two games, and I have to admit that he did the job much better than myself.

Commenting on the top players’ games is a difficult and stressing assignment, as it is very easy to make a slight, but unforgettable mistake. Not to mention the speed of the rapid games which makes it impossible to look back and doublecheck the written.

Kasparov won the rapid mini-match by 3-1 and on Thursday they play additional eight blitz games. In my opinion, the second game was the best as we’ve seen Kasparov annihilating the opponent with his trademarked brute force. I present the real-time commentary by Jason Juett, as originally posted on Chessdom.

1.d4 d5 2.c4 e6 3.Nc3
Kasparov hopes to play the Exchange QGD and maintain a slight edge throughout the game.

3… Be7
This is a clever move order to avoid the line 3…Nf6 4.cxd5 exd5 5.Bg5.

4.cxd5 exd5 5.Bf4
So now White has to develop the bishop this way.

5… c6 6.Qc2
Kasparov prevents the bishop from coming out to f5. It’s also possible to play 6.e3 Bf5 7.g4!? and try to exploit the bishop being exposed, but Kasparov prefers to play simply this time.

6… Bd6 7.Bxd6 Qxd6 8.e3 Ne7 9.Bd3 Nd7 10.Nge2
White often hopes to play f3 and e4 in this variation, so that is a reason to place the knight on e2 instead of f3. Karpov retains a solid position for the moment, but I think White has a slight pull. The problem for Black in the Exchange QGD is that he has no real good pawn breaks, while White can play for two good plans: either f3 and e4, or planing for a minority attack on the queenside with b4-b5.

10… h6
The novelty. Karpov wishes to castle without dropping h7. In earlier games this aim was achieved by playing the more obvious Nf6, but apparently Karpov wants that knight elsewhere.

11.O-O O-O
Kasparov must be spending time now thinking about which plan he’s going to go for. It is not easy coming up with a plan for Black. ..c5 is a break that probably does more harm than good, leaving d5 really weak. Black’s idea break (accordant to the pawn structure), f5-f4, is usually very impractical to try to achieve.

12.a3
Looks like Kasparov is going for the minority attack. He’ll follow up with b4 and b5 eventually, and then attacking Black’s queenside.

12… a5
Stopping the expansion for a moment, but it cannot be permanently stopped, with supporting moves like Rab1 always available. Kasparov could also now switch back to the f3 plan if he wishes, a3 no longer being a waste of time in that case since it was answered by …a5.

13.Rad1
This seems to signal a switch to the f3 and e4 plan, announcing that the rooks are probably going to go on d1 and e1, lending support to White’s center.

13… b6
It would be nice to trade the light bishops off with …Ba6, but the move is also slow.

14.e4
Kasparov vigorously answers and breaks open the center. 14.f3 also seemed logical, but I like Kasparov’s choice.

14… de4 15.Ne4 Qb8 16.N2c3
The White position looks pretty attractive. The only potential weakness, the pawn on d4, is far from easily attackable. It also seemed possible to think about putting the knight on g3. Black’s kingside lacks defenders and this may develop into a subject of great concern over the next several moves.

16… Ba6
Karpov trades off a potentially dangerous White piece, but on the other hand now Kasparov has 17.Bxa6 Rxa6 18.d5, liquidating the d4 pawn.

17.Ba6 Ra6 18.d5 Nd5 19.Nd5 cd5 20.Rd5 Ra7
Of course, the position is dead even as far as pawn structure goes, but White is much more active and Black will need to make some concessions. At the moment he has some difficulties with his attacked knight.

21.Qd2
This was to be expected, as 20…Rd8? would just invite a big pin on the d-file.

21… Nc5
This gives up a pawn, but more importantly walks into a mega-tactic with 22.Nf6+!!.

22.Nf6
Kasparov finds it! Now 22…Kh8 23.Rh5 is no good for Black, so he must capture.

22… gf6 23.Qh6
Now the threat is Rh5 with unstoppable mate. 23…f5 The only answer.

23… f5 24.Qg5
Most accurate. After 24.Rxf5?, Black would have 24…f6 keeping him in the game.

24… Kh8 25.Qf6+ Kg8 26.Rxf5 Ne4
The only answer to the threat of Rg5+.

27.Qh4
Another great move. Now the knight is hit and there’s a threat of Qg4+ and Rh5#.

27… Re8
Of course Black could play like a computer and give back the knight, but then it’s hopeless playing two pawns down with a bad position.

28.Rh5
Now the threat is Rh8+ Kg7 Qh6#.

28… f5
Freeing f7 for the king, but it is all over now. At the very least, White can check on h8, then check on h7 with the queen and play Rxe8, winning material due to the Ra7 also being attacked. Karpov resigns. Again a rather unfortunate game for him, but I’m very impressed by the way that Kasparov handled the game. A good opening, then achieving a freer position with the d5 break, topped off with a nice combination. Well, that’s all for today. This has been Jason Juett bringing you live commentary on Chessdom.com! 1-0