ChessMoves

May 2001 Newsletter of the British Chess Federation Online Edition

ChessMoves May 2001 - Game 1











Position after:

White: Terence Chapman
Black: Garry Kasparov
Charity Odds Match, London 2001 Game 1
(Remove Black's a- and h-pawns)

1 Nf3 d5 2 d4 c6 3 c3 Bf5 4 Bf4!
Excellent strategy - it looks like Terence Chapman's in-depth preparation with his team was time well spent. Nice and solid, the London System (d4, Nf3 and Bf4) is one of the hardest openings to break down at the best of times - never mind when you already have a two pawn disadvantage.
4...Nd7 5 e3 Qb6
The first sign of aggression - Kasparov attacks the b2-pawn.
6 b3 Ngf6 7 Bd3 g6 8 Qc2 e6 9 Nbd2 Nh5
And the first small sign of Chapman having to make the tiniest of concessions. Now after 10 Bg3 Nxg3 White would have to play 11 fxg3 - a consequence of Black not having an h-pawn.
10 0-0 Nxf4 11 exf4 Qc7 12 Ne5
12 g3 would have continued the super-solid approach, but Chapman's move, seeking further exchanges, is also reasonable.
12...Bxd3 13 Qxd3 g5!
Characteristically Kasparov seizes his chance - this had to be done before the position became too simplified.
14 fxg5
14 Nxd7? Kxd7 and the pawn on f4 is lost - 15 fxg5?? Qxh2 is mate. 14...Nxe5 15 dxe5 Qxe5 16 Nf3 Qf4!?
Interestingly, Kasparov allows White to force an exchange of queens.
17 Qd4!
A good practical decision. 17 g6, playing to attack Black's king, was another option, but it makes sense to exchange queens with a two pawn advantage.
17...Qxd4 18 Nxd4
Here Kasparov preferred 18 cxd4. 18...Ra3 looks troublesome, but following 19 h4 Bd6 20 g4 Ke7 21 h5 Rha8 22 Kg2! Rxa2 23 Rxa2 Rxa2 24 h6 Black has to worry about White's advanced h-pawn, for example 24...Kf8? 25 Rh1 Kg8 26 h7+ Kh8 27 g6! fxg6 28 Ng5 and White wins with Nf7+.
18...Ba3 19 Ne2
Both Nigel Short and my computer Fritz suggested the very materialistic 19 Rfb1, preventing an annoying ...Bb2.
19...Ke7
19...Bb2 is too early. After 20 Rad1 Rxa2 21 Rd2 Ke7 22 Nc1! White wins material.
20 g3
Sacrificing a pawn, although after 20 Rfb1! e5 21 g3 Rh3 22 Kg2 Rah8 23 Rh1 Black is running out of ideas.
20...Bb2 21 Rad1 Rxa2 22 Rd2 Rha8 23 Kg2 c5 24 h4 b5 25 h5 Kf8 26 Kf3?!
After 26 Rb1 Ba1 27 Rxa2 Rxa2 28 Kf3 Bb2 29 g4! White keeps a clear advantage.
26...R8a3 27 Kg4!?
Now it gets extremely complicated. The other choice was 27 Nc1, but Black is still well in the game after 27...Bxc1 28 Rxa2 Rxa2 29 Rxc1 Ra3.
27...Rxb3 28 Nc1 Ra4+!
Chapman had missed this.
29 f4 Bxc1 30 Rxc1 Kg7 31 h6+ Kh7?!
31...Kg6! seems to gain time, as after 32 Rh1 Kh7 the c-pawn is unprotected.
32 Kh5 b4
32...Rc4 33 f5! is very strong, for example 33...exf5 34 Rxd5 Rbxc3 (or 34...Rb2 35 Rh1 Rxc3 36 Rd7 and White wins) 35 Rxc3 Rxc3 36 Rd7 Kg8 37 Rd8+ Kh7 38 Rf8+- b4 39 Rxf7+ Kg8 40 g6 and Black can resign.
33 cxb4?
33 f5! would have left Black struggling to find the best move:
a) 33...bxc3? allows a delightful winning sequence with 34 g6+ Kg8 (34...fxg6+ 35 fxg6+ Kh8 36 Rf2 Rb8 37 g7+ Kg8 38 Rcf1 Raa8 39 Kg6 mates) 35 h7+ Kg7 36 f6+ Kh8 37 g7+! Kxh7 38 Kg5 (38 Rh1 is deadly but I prefer this route) 38...Rh4 39 Ra2 Rh3 40 Rh1!! Rxh1 41 Ra8.
b) 33...exf5! 34 Rxd5 Rb2! (threatening mate - 34...Rxc3? 35 Rxc3 bxc3 36 Rxf5 Kg8 37 Rxc5 is winning for White) 35 Rxf5 Rh2+ 36 Kg4 bxc3+ 37 Kf3 Kg6 38 Rxc5 f5 39 gxf6 Ra6 and Black draws - Kasparov. After 40 R1xc3 Rxf6+ 41 Kg4 Kxh6 the extra g-pawn is not enough.
33...Rxg3 34 bxc5??
A blunder in a difficult position. 34 Rxc5 draws after 34...Rxb4 35 Rc7! (35 Rf2 Rh3+ 36 Kg4 Rbb3 37 Rg2 is also drawn) 35...Rxf4 36 Rd3! Rg2 (36...Rxd3? 37 g6+ mates next move, while 36...Rgg4 allows 37 Rxf7+) 37 Rd2! etc.
34...Rxf4
Threatening mate - it's all over.
35 Rh2 f6!
Again threatening mate.
36 gxf6 Rxf6 37 Kh4 Rg8 0-1



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