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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 |