Chess
Holes in six
Raymond Keene
After a week of short draws and post- ponements, interest in the World Championship is shifting back to the ear- lier phase of decisive encounters. Indeed, the epic Game 6 is now perceived as the turning point which dashed Kasparov's confidence. After a somewhat suspect opening the challenger built up one of those electric attacking positions which have established his reputation as Alekhine's natural heir, yet a series of weak moves ruined his prospects of a win and then threw away the draw. This week I re-examine certain critical positions from Game 6, in the light of new discoveries made while I was in Moscow.
Kasparov-Karpov: Game 6 Position after 21 Qdl
When I first saw this position I felt that White had few attacking chances and had generally forfeited the initiative, yet a few moves later White is probably winning! The explanation lies in Karpov's next move, 21 . . . Rc8? which should have been replaced by 21 . . Bb2! stifling White's QB and releasing some of Black's jumbled army on the 'a' file.
Position after 26 . . . Nxa2
Here Kasparov played 27 Nc6? Yet 27 Nf5! may win, e.g. 27 . . . Bf8 28 d6; 27 . . . Rd l 28 Rxcl Bxcl 29 d6 Bg5 30 h4 Bd8 31 Ne7+ Kf8 32 Nc6 Ke8 33 Bh3; 27 .. . Bb4 (the most difficult and attractive line) 28 Re2 Ncl (28 . . . Re! + 29 Bfl threatens Re8+) 29 Re4 Nb3 (29 . . . Bf8 30 Nh6+! wins followed by Rg4+) 30 Bxg7 Rcl+ 31 Bfl Rxfl+ 32 Kg2! and Black has manY problems.
Position after 31 . . Nc3
Here White could have drawn with 32 Bd7! Rd8 33 Bc6 (threatening d7) 33 . . .Bc8 34 Nxb5. (This variation was also pointed out by reader Richard Eales).
Position after 60 . Kf3
Finally, Najdorf mentions 61 f6 as a better drew try but refutes as follows: 61 f6 Kxg3 62 Rh6142 63 Rg6 g3 64 Kdl Rf5 65 Ke2 Re5+ 66 Kd3 843 67 R1i6 g2 68 Rg6 Rd5+ 69 Kc4 Rh5 70 Kd4 (70 f7 Rf5 71 Rg7 Kf2 72 Kd4 g1=Q wins) 70 . • Rf5 71 Kd3 Rf4 wins.
The English team sets off today for the
Olympiad in Greece. I am representing the BCF at the Fide Congress and am als° functioning as a member of the Appeals Commission, so if any spectacular results occur, Spectator readers will be among the best informed. Thanks once again to pult" can Lawrie for sponsoring our players.
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