SPAIN'S FINEST CAVA
• CHESS
SPANS FINEST CAVA
Kasparov's revenge
Raymond Keene
LAST WEEK I examined Kasparov's catas- trophic performances this year against his bete noire, the young Russian srandmaster Vladimir Kramnik. As we were going to press, Kasparov was about to face Kram- nik, yet again, in the Novgorod tourna- ment. With an average rating of 2700 this was the highest ranked tournament ever held. Kasparov rose magnificently to the occasion and won one of the most beautiful games of his entire career against his pre- cocious rival. Here is that brilliant win: Kasparov—Kramnik: Novgorod, August 1994; Sicilian Defence.
1 e4 c5 2 Ne3 Nc6 3 Nge2 Nf6 4 d4 cxd4 5 Nxd4 CS 6 Ndb5 d6 7 Bg5 a6 8 Na3 By a circuitous route the players have reached a main line posi- tion from the Pelikan or Sveshnikov variation of the Sicilian Defence. White's main alternative at this stage is 8 Bicf6 gxf6 9 Na3 b5 10 Nd5 when Black can choose between 10 ...f5 and 10
Bg7. 8 ... b5 9 Nd5 Be7 10 Bxf6 Bxf6 On the surface White has chosen a less trenchant course, but there is still plenty of scope for com- plications in future play. The chief theme of White's strategy at the moment is to dominate and blockade the light squares, in particular d5. 11 c3 0-0 12 Nc2 Rb8 13 h4 Although this idea is known, the advance h4 at this particular moment seems to be new. The intention is to mobilise White's king's took with maximum efficiency via h3, whilst also preparing the further advance of White's 'h' pawn as a battering ram to prise open the citadel of the black king. 13 h4 also sets a rather transparent trap, in that 13 ...Bxh4 fails to 14 Qh5. Previous theory indicated 13 Be2 Bg5 14 0-0 as in ICarnslcy—Lputian, Biel Interzonal 1993. 13 ...Ne7 14 Nx16+ An interesting moment. White's domination of the d5 square had appeared absolute but now he trades in this advantage in order to break up the pawns around Black's king. It is the hallmark of a great player to avoid clinging to an advantage that, as here, has passed its sell-by date. 14 ...gxf6 15
Qd2 Bb7 16 Bd3 d5 Astonishingly, Black himself now makes a breakthrough at d5, which had been White's major strong point. However, Black is still hampered by the fractured nature of his kingside pawn structure. 17 exd5 Qxd5 18 0-0-0 Kasparov sacrifices his a2 pawn, but Kramnik postpones its capture until he has driv- en White's bishop from its aggressive diagonal, d3-h7, where it is aiming directly at the black king. 18 ...e4 19 Be2 Qi(a2 The supine alterna- tive 19 ... Qxd2+ allows 20 Rxd2 followed by Rhdl when White's control of the open 'd' file gives him a vastly superior endgame. Over the next few moves Kasparov pours his forces into a frontal assault against the black king, while Kramnik retreats his queen to add to his defen- sive resources. 20 Qh6 Qe6 21 Nd4 Qb6 22 Ith3 fas Tucking his king into the corner so that the rook on 18 can also participate in the defence. 23 Bg4 Rg8 24 Ne61! The prelude to a brilliant coup. If now 24 ...fte6 25 Qxf6+ Rg7 26 Rd7 Rg8 27 h5 Nd5 28 Fticd5 Bxd5 and 29 h6 regains Position after 28 hxg6
the material with a fierce attack. 24 ...Rg6 25 Qf4 Re8 26 Rd6 Nd5 A fantastically complicated position, with both sides disdaining to move their threatened pieces. Kasparov now adds fuel to the flames by sacrificing his queen. 27 h5 Nxf4
28 hxg6 (Diagram) A superb finale. If Black now tries to defend with 28 ...Nc13 + White wins with
29 Rhicc13!! (not 29 1031 0x12 or 29 R6xd3 ficg6). After 29 Ithxd3!! Black is helpless. For example, 29 ...Qxf2 30 gxf7 Rf8 31 Rd8 or 29 ... exd3 30 yr17 and, ultimately, White wins a whole piece. Or 29 ... Qxd6 30 gxf7 Qb8 31 bre8/Q+ Qxe8 32 Rd8 also winning a piece. Finally the most diffi- cult variation of all, 29 ... Qa5 30 gxf7 Qa 1 + 31 Kd2 Qxb2+ 32 Kel when 32 ... Rf8 and 32 Bc6 are both met by 33 Rd8 Qc1+ 34 Bdl
and Black runs out of checks. 28 Qxd6 29 Rxh7+ Kg8 30 vcf7+ ICxh7 31 fite8/Q Black's king is now so exposed that further resistance is futile. 31 ...Nxe6 32 Bf5+ Kg7 33 Qg6+ K18 34 Qxf6+ Ke8 35 Bxe6 Qf8 and Black resigns.
Novgorod Tournament, August 1994 1 1 2 2 3 3 4 4 5 5 6 6 Kasparov (Rus) * * 'h 1/2 1 1/2 1/2 1 1 1/2 1 1/2 7 Ivanchuk (Ukr) '1/2 1/2 * 1 1/2 1/2 1/2 1 '1/2 1 1 7 Kramnik (Rus) 1/2 0 1/2 0 * * 1/2 1 1/2 1 1 0 5 Short (Eng) 0 1/2 1/21/2 0 1/2 ' V2 1/2 1/2 1/2 4 Shirov (Lat) Th 0 1/2 0 0 1/2 1/2 '1/2 * * 1 ih 4 Barem (Rus) 0 0 0 1 0 1/2 1/2 '1/2 0 * * 3 Once again, as during the Kasparov–Short championship a year ago, London has become the world chess capi- tal, as top players converge both for the Lloyds Bank Masters and the Intel Grand Prix. The latter is currently in progress. The field includes Kasparov, Short, Anand, Adams, Kramnik and the computer pro- gram Chess Genius 2. Tickets are still available for Friday's quarter-finals and the semi-fmals and final on Saturday. The venue is the Conference Forum, Sedgwick Centre, London El, nearest tube Aldgate East. For tickets and other details ring 071 388 2404. More on this next week.
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