SIMPSON'S
412 CHESS ,A
SIMPSON'S
IN-THE-STRAND
Indian sign
Raymond Keene
AFTER HIS victory in the world champi- onship match last year Kasparov appears to have established a psychological domi- nance over his former challenger, the Indian grandmaster Viswanathan Anand. In their subsequent encounters over the past few months Anand has been continu- ally on the run against the champion. In their match, the Scheveningen variation of the Sicilian Defence presented a usually solid bulwark against White's initiative. However, in their most recent game from the Moscow speed tournament at the end of last month, Kasparov demonstrated that even this reliable variation is not without its dangers.
Kasparov—Anand: Moscow Speed Tourna- ment, 1996; Sicilian Defence.
I e4 c5 2 Nf3 d6 3 d4 cxd4 4 Nxd4 Nf6 5 Nc3 a6 6 Bet e6 7 f4 Be7 8 0-0 0-0 9 Be3 Qc7 10 g4 This bold thrust indicates that Kasparov is planning an immediate and all-out assault against Black's kingside. Quieter moves such as 10 a4, 10 Bf3 or 10 Khl have not, in the past, proved sufficient to blast Black's bastions. 10 ...Re8 11 g5 Nfd7 12 Bd3 This is the key component of Kasparov's new plan. The idea is to hit Black at once with direct attacking moves such as Qh5 combined with Rf3 to h3. In contrast, alternatives such as 12 Bh5 g6 13 Bg4 or 12 Bf3 followed by Bg2 are less efficient at clearing a path for the white queen.12 ...Nc6 13 Qh5 g6 14 Qh4 Bf8 15 R13 Bg7 16 Nde2 b5 17 Rh3 Nt8 18 f5 White's advance commences in earnest. A variation to avoid now for Black is 18 ... exf5 19 Nd5 Qd8 20 Nf6+ Kh8 21 Qxh7+ Nxh7 22 Rxh7 checkmate. Even the superior alternative 20 ... Bxf6 21 gxf6 still leaves Black facing the major threat of Bg5 followed by Qh6 exploiting the imprisonment of Black's king. 18 ... Ne5 19 f6 Bh8 By playing f6 White abandoned any immediate ambition of checkmating the black king, but with Black's bishop now marooned on h8 White can simply play a standard middlegame virtually a piece ahead. 20 a3 Rb8 21 b4 Such a move by White in the Sicilian Defence is normally a sign of weak- ness, since it cedes Black vital squares in the 'c' file. Here, in contrast, White is virtually playing with an extra piece so moving the 'b' pawn is quite justifiable. 21 ...Bb7 22 Rfl RbcS 23 Bd4 A false start which White soon repairs. 23 ...Nc6 24 Be3 Ne5 25 Rf4 Qd7 26 Qh6 Nxd3 27 cxd3 e5 28 RH It is tempting to play 28 Rfh4 Qe6 29 Qxh7+ Nxh7 30 Rxh7 but then Black could defend with the counter-sacrifice 30 ... Bxf6 eliminating White's mating net. Kasparov's course is more prudent and maintains his grip. 28 ... Rc7 29 Bb6 Rc6? A fatal error which allows the game to come to a sudden conclusion. Black had to play 29 ... Rcc8 in order to meet 30 Nd5 with 30 ...Bxd5. 30 Nd5 Bc8 31 Re3 Qb7? (Diagram) A further error which overlooks Position after 31 . . . Qb7?
White's spectacular riposte. 32 Bd8! A horrible shock for Black. This move is more like a drop in Shogi, or Japanese chess, where the opponent's captured pieces can be reintroduced into the game at will, but on the capturer's side! The sud- den and unexpected emergence of White's bish- op on d8 ends matters at once for if 32 ... Nxd8 33 Ne7+ wins Black's queen. 32 ...Ne6 33 Ne7+ Rxe7 34 fxe7 Qd7 35 Rh3 Black resigns The threat of Qxh7 mate can scarcely be parried.
Chess Puzzle No. 4 The above position is taken from a game by Adolf Anderssen, the victor of the famous King's Gambit played at Simp- son's-in-the-Strand, London 1851, which earned itself the title of 'The Immortal Game'. In this position, which also started life as a King's Gambit, Anderssen is play- ing Black. Can Black to move win? I only require the first move of the solution.
Entries on a postcard, please, clearly marked 'Chess Puzzle No. 4', by 20 May. Entries can also be faxed on 0171 242 0603. The prize is an invitation to lunch or din- ner at Simpson's-in-the-Strand with me, plus a game of chess. All first-time entrants will also receive a complimentary copy of the British Chess Magazine.
The solution to Chess Puzzle No. 3 was 1 d4, forcing the win of a piece, since if White's knight moves ... Qa5+ forks White's king and bishop. The winner was Mr R. F. Tindall of Cambridge.
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