CHESS
1Seville n the past I have had some harsh words for Kasparov's Grunfeld Defence. He sticks to it religiously as an antidote to Karpov's favourite 1 d4, yet Kasparov's score with Black is not particularly im- pressive. He has lost games 5, 17 and 19 from the 1986 match and game 5 here. Along with numerous draws this is not an attractive proposition.
However, in recent games in Seville the Grunfeld's stock has been rising, Kasparov has been demonstrating theoretical equal- ity for Black in a number of key lines. He actually notched his first Black win in game 11 and games 13 and 15 have been some of the sharpest and most exciting these two great champions have created.
Karpov-Kasparov: Game 15, Grunfeld Defence.
1 d4 Nf6 2 c4 g6 3 Nc3 d5 4 Nf3 Bg7 5 Qb3 Karpov reverts for the first time to the variation which netted him the most points in their previous match. Of course, in the interim, ICasparov has been refurbishing his arsenal but in this game it is Anatoly who comes up with the new move. 5. . . dxc4 6 Qxc4 0-0 7 e4 Na6 The Prins variation, as used in game 19 from Leningrad, a great Karpov triumph. 8 Be2 c5 9 d5 e6 10 0-0 exd5 11 exd5 Bf5 As usual in Karpov-Kasparov Grunfelds Black has chal- lenged the White centre and as a result White has obtained an isolated but passed and poten- tially dangerous 'd' pawn. 12 Rdl Varying from game 19 at Leningrad where Karpov had won with 12 Bf4. In the intervening year, though, Kasparov had improved Black's play, notably in games against Djandjava and Beliavsky. Karpov therefore tries out a new and sharper plan. 12 • • . Re8 13 d6 A very ambitious thrust, reminis- cent of game 13 and indeed of earlier Grunfelds
Green fields
Raymond Keene
(e.g. game 5, London, 1986) between these two players where Karpov has established a passed pawn on d6. Of course, White has to make sacrifices to achieve this rapid advance, especial- ly in terms of conceding Black a lead in development based on harassing the exposed white queen. 13. . . h6!! Kasparov invested 23 minutes on this which denies White access to the g5 square for either his queen's bishop or king's knight. It looks strange to play a semi-waiting move in such a volatile situation, but this clearly ejected Karpov from his prepared analysis and forced him to think for 29 minutes. White's next prepares a haven for his queen's bishop on h2 so that it can stay in touch with the d6 pawn should Black ever play . . . Nh5. 14 h3 NM 15 Bf4 The position has become horrifically complicated. Here, for example, it is too dangerous to play 15 Qxc5 Nc2 16 Rbl Nd7 with terrible threats against White's discoordinated forces. 15 . . . Nd7 16 Rd2! The introduction to a splendid and deeply conceived regrouping manoeuvre. White's queen is chased ignommously back to base, but the important thing is that the d6 pawn survives in all its glory. 16 . . . a6 Preparing pawn expansion with a vengeance. For a while to come Black appears to be dictating events. 17 Qb3 b5 18 Qdl c4 19 a4 Nc5 Taimanov, the distinguished Soviet Grandmaster and commen- tator, criticised this move as premature, recom- mending instead 19 . . . Rb8. In that case, however, White can gain distinct counterch- ances with 20 axb5 axb5 21 Ra7 Qb6 22 Rc7. 20 axb5 Nbd3 Black's initiative reaches its crescen- do. It is curious how themes seem to recur in games between these two great champions. This position, for example, calls to mind strongly game 16 of their 1985 match (Karpov White)
and game 16 of their match last year (Kasparov White). Common features are a white passed pawn on d6 and a black knight penetrating to the d3 square. 21 Bxd3 Nxd3 22 Rxd3 This exchange sacrifice is obligatory. If White's bishop on f4 moves Black will win with . . . Nxb2. 22 . . . cxd3 This is probably over-ambitious. Black should play 22 . . . Bxd3 when 23 Rxa6 is OK for White. The position would be in dynamic equilibrium. 23 Nd5 The start of a tremendous counterattack which brings Karpov to the verge of victory. 23. . . axb5 24 Ne7+ This is much stronger than 24 Rxa8 Qxa8 25 Nc7 when White regains the exchange but faces a highly dubious endgame. This way White eliminates Black's passed pawn, whilst retaining his own. 24 . . . Kh7 25 Rxa8 Qxa8 26 Nxf5 gxf5 27 Qxd3 Qe4 28 Qxb5 Ra8 Karpov has great compensation for the lost exchange and it is now Black who is struggling for the draw. Note that Black could not capture White's bishop on f4 since his rook is en prise to the white queen. 29 Bd2 Rightly avoiding 29 Bg3? f4 30 Bh4 Ra 1 + 31 Kh2 Obi with a mating attack. 29. . . Rd8 30 Qc5 Qe6 31 Bf4 Bxb2 32 Nh4 Bf6 33 Qxf5+ This leads to a clearly drawn ending where Black can always sacrifice his rook for White's passed 'd' pawn plus White's knight. If, however, 33 Nxf5 Rc8 34 0b5 Qel + 35 Kh2 Qxf2 36 Be3 is very unclear while 34 Qa5 Bd8 35 Qb5 Qe 1 + leads to similar variations. In the mutual time scramble to reach move 40 Karpov obviously did not want to take any chances. 33. . . Qx15 34 Nxf5 h5 35 g4 hxg4 36 hxg4 Kg6 37 Kg2 Bb2 38 Ne7+ K1'6 39 Nc6 Rd7 40 Nb8 Rd8 41 d7 Ke6 Now White could play 42 Bc7 but 42. . . Rxd7 43 Nxd7 Kxd7 is an absolutely dead draw. The extra pawn in such positions is meaningless. 42 Kf3 Ba3 Somewhat surprisingly, instead of agreeing a draw Karpov now sealed his 43rd move. 43 Bc7 Draw agreed.
Following this draw, game 16 was won by Karpov to bring the scores level at 8-8 with 8 more game to play.
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