SIMPSON'S
IN•THE-STRAND
CHESS
SIMPSON'S
IN-TILE-STRAND
D8-Day
Raymond Keene
A CURIOUS PHENOMENON exists predicated on the isolated observation of an unusual word, phrase or idea, which then suddenly seems to proliferate wherev- er one looks. Last week I gave the game which Kasparov won against Anand in the Moscow speed tournament. Perhaps the most striking point about this game was the sudden appearance of a white bishop in the middlegame on the d8-square, much like a drop in Shogi or Japanese Chess. The white bishop's materialisation on d8 effec- tively terminated the game and caused Anand's imminent resignation.
The uncanny thing here is that Kasparov's bishop drop on d8 was an echo of something very similar which had befall- en the world champion himself in the tour- nament at Amsterdam a few weeks earlier. In his game against the Bulgarian grand- master Topalov, who ultimately shared first prize with the champion, Kasparov had been shocked by the unexpected appear- ance of a white knight on the self-same d8- square straight out of the opening. Here is that game, one of the most fascinating of the year.
Topalov-Kasparov: Amsterdam, April 1996; Sicilian Defense.
1 e4 c3 2 Nf3 d6 3 d4 cxd4 4 Nxd4 Nf6 5 Nc3 a6 Introducing the Najdorf Variation, one of the most double-edged lines in contemporary chess. Topalov meets it with Nigel Short's favourite from the 1993 world championship match in London. 6 Bc4 e6 7 Bh3 Nbd7 8 f4 Nc5 9 0-0 Short never tried this move in his world title clash against Kasparov, resorting to 9 f5, 9 e5 and 9 Qf3. Kasparov now accepts the gauntlet and snatches White's proffered 'e' pawn. 9 ._ Ncxe4 10 Nxe4 Nxe4 11 f5 e5 12 Qh5 Qe7 This game was played in round one. Two rounds later Short also played Black against Topalov and reached the same position. In his game Short here improved with 12 ... d5 13 Rel Bc5 14 Rxe4 Bxd4+ 15 Be3 0-0 16 Rxd4 exd4 17 Bxd4 f6. It is possible that White can still defend this position but it is certainly Black who has all the chances and Short went on to win. There are two impor- tant variations in this line which justify Short's play. One is that if White varies with 15 Rxd4 (instead of 15 Be3 as played) then 15 Qb6 16 0g5 0-0 17 f6 Qxd4+ 18 Be3 Qg4 when Black wins. Alternatively 15 Khl Qf6 when again Black is on top. Kasparov probably rejected 12 ... d5 since he thought he had another refutation, but he had overlooked a key point. 13 Qf3 Nc5 Not 13 ... exd4 14 Rel. 14 Nc6 Qc7 15 Bd5 a5 16 Bg5 This move varies from a game Spanish TV Viewers in Consultation-Kasparov, played in 1991. Topalov's choice contains a drop of poison which Kasparov had completely overlooked. In the television game the Spanish viewers had tried 16 Be3 Ra6 17 Nd4 exd4 18 Bxd4 which is a highly dubious piece sacrifice. 16 -. Ra6 Kasparov repeats his earlier idea, failing to spot the difference. 17 Nd8 (Diagram) A horrible Position after 17 Nd8 shock for Black. White's knight, earlier immune from capture since ... bxc6 would have been met by Bxc6+ and Bxa8, now seemingly trapped, in fact has an outlet on d8 which sets up the addi- tional threat of a rampage through Black's posi- tion via f7. After this move Black is in fact lost. 17 .- f6 18 Nf7 Rg8 19 Be3 g6 20 Ng5 Rg7 21 fxg6 Rxg6 If 21 ... hxg6 22 Oxf6 Qe7 23 Qf3 and White wins. Kasparov therefore gives up his queen. 22 Bf7+ Qxf7 23 Nxf7 Kxf7 24 BxcS dxc5 25 Radl Be7 26 Rd5 Bg4 (Diagram) As grand- Position after 26 Rd5 Bg4 master Ian Rogers points out in the British Chess Magazine, White's next move is the only blemish on his otherwise faultlessly conducted attack. White should now have played 27 Qb3 for maxi- mum effect. 27 Qe4 Kg7 28 Rfd1 Bxdl 29 Rxdl Re6 30 Qf5 K17 31 Rel White's inaccuracy has made little difference since Black's position is technically lost_ 31 ... b6 32 h4 Rg7 33 Kfl Bd6 34 Kf2 Bc7 35 1(13 Ke7 36 Re4 Kf7 37 Rg4 Re7 38 Ke4 Ftxg4 + 39 Qxg4 Bd8 40 a4 Kf8 41 c3 Rg7 42 Qc8 Ke8 43 Qe6+ Kf8 44 g4 Rf7 45 h5 Rg7 46 h6 Rg6 47 Qd5 Be7 48 Kf5 Rxh6 49 Qb7 e4 50 Qb8+ Kf7 51 Qxb6 e3 52 Qe6+ Ke8 53 Qxe3 Rg6 54 Qe4 RgS+ 55 Kf4 Kd7 56 Qb7+ Ke6 57 Qc8+ Kfl 58 Qc7 h5 59 015 RxhS 60 Qxa5 Bd6+ 61 Ke4 f5+ 62 Kd5 Bel 63 Qc7 Rh6 64 a5 Rd6+ 65 Ke5 Rf6 66 Qc8 Black resigns Pre- empting the final humiliation of 66 ... f4 67 a6 f3 68 a7 f2 69 a8/Q fl/Q 70 0g8 mate.
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