SIMPSON'S
IN-THE-STRAND
SIMPSON'S
IN•THE-STRAND
Mind over matter
Raymond Keene
AT THE MOMENT two great players, Garry Kasparov and Anatoly Karpov, both claim the world championship, Kasparov through the Professional Chess Association and Karpov through Fide, the World Chess Federation. There are various ways of split- ting the deadlock, one being by ratings. The current rating list published by Fide in November puts Kasparov in the lead with 2794 to Karpov's 2762. A second route is by results between the two in tournaments. Sadly, they have not played a game against each other in tournament chess since 1994, but this situation will soon be rectified when the two meet in the category 20 tour- nament set up for Las Palmas and due to start on 8 December.
This week's games preview what we may well see in Las Palmas, giving one win each for the two rival champions. The first game typifies the clash of style of the world's two best players. Karpov is 'essentially repres- sive' while Kasparov is 'basically revolu- tionary' in their respective approaches to the solution of chessboard problems. Their conflict is seen as one of materialism versus sacrifice. Time after time in their games Kasparov has sacrificed pieces. In game 11 of their match in Moscow 1985, which made Kasparov the youngest world cham- pion ever, he even parted with his queen, the most powerful piece, to launch a devas- tating attack. In sharp contrast, Karpov has to entrench himself and absorb the shock attacks.
Kasparov-Karpov: World Championship, Moscow, 1985, Game 11; Nimzo-Indian Defence.
1 d4 Nf6 2 c4 e6 3 Nc3 Bb4 4 Nt3 0-0 5 Bg5 c5 6 e3 cxd4 7 exd4 h6 8 Bh4 d5 9 Ra dxc4 10 Bxc4 Nc6 11 0-0 Bel Karpov's opening play has been unpretentious. In fact, he has even mislaid a tempo since he once obtained the same position against Viktor Korchnoi (via a different move order, evidently) but with Black to move! However, Black's position is solid in spite of this. 12 Rel b6 13 a3 Bb7 14 Bg3 Rc8 15 Bat Bd6 16 d5 A do or die attempt, quite in Kasparov's style. White could try 16 Bh4 to build up slow pres- sure. The more ambitious text will either blast Black from the board or lead to premature sim- plification and a draw. 16 ... Nxd5 17 NxdS Bxg3 18 hxg3 exd5 19 BxdS Qf6 20 Qa4 Rfd8 21 Rcdl Rd7 22 Qg4 After the game, Kasparov told me that he was sure Karpov would make the mistake he now does and, of course, there is a cunning refutation lying in wait. Evidence of psychic powers at the chessboard? 22 ... RcdS (Diagram)
Position after 22 . . . Rcd8 The expected blunder, Karpov was quite oblivi- ous to the bombshell about to burst over his head. 22 ...Rdd8 is the right response. 23 Qxd7 A murderous queen sacrifice, almost out of the blue. 23 ...Rxd7 24 Re8+ Kh7 25 Be4+ Black resigns Black faces either mate or hideous mate- rial loss, e.g. 25 ...g6 26 Rxd7 Ba6 27 Bxc6 Qxc6 28 Rxe7 checkmate. Karpov-Kasparov: Belfort 1988; Griinfeld.
1 d4 Nf6 2 c4 g6 3 Nc3 d5 4 cxd5 NxdS 5 e4 Nxc3 6 bxc3 lIg7 7 Bc4 c5 8 Net Nc6 9 Be3 0-0 10 0-0 lig4 11 f3 Na5 A standard defence, and one that had been debated in previous Karpov–Kasparov games. For decades no one had seriously consid- ered that White could now grab a pawn, but Karpov proves that a small in-between move does have considerable prospects for White. 12
Bxf7+ Rxf7 13 fxg4 + 14 Kxfl White is a pawn ahead but his king is temporarily displaced and his pawns scattered. However, Karpov is a past master at the art of consolidation with extra material. 14 ... Qd6 15 e5 This weakens the light squares but has the advantage of cementing Black's bishop out of play. 15 ... Qd5 16 Bf2 Rd8 17 Qa4 A new idea, to which Kasparov responds inaccurately. 17 ...b6 Best is 17 ... Rf8 when 18 Qxa5 is refuted by 18 ... Qf7. 18 Qc2 Rf8 19 Kgl Qc4 20 Qd2 Qe6 21 h3 Nc4 22 Qg5 h6 23 Qcl Qf7 24 Bg3 g5 A desperate search for counter- play which simply weakens the light squares around his kingside. Watch now as Karpov's seemingly defence-orientated forces converge for a sudden swoop on the black king. 25 Qc2 Qd5 26 Bf2 b5 27 Ng3 Rf7 28 Rel b4 29 Qg6 Kf8 30 Ne4 Rxf2 (Diagram) A pawn down already Position after 30 . . . Rrf2
and with his defences penetrated, Kasparov tries a last-ditch sacrificial solution, but Karpov brushes it aside with aplomb. 31 Kxf2 bxc3 32 QfS+ Kg8 33 Qc8+ Kh7 34 QxcS Qf7+ 35 Kgl c2 36 Ng3 Bf8 37 Nf5 Kg8 38 Rcl Black resigns.
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