Chess

Consolidation

Raymond Keene

After the tempestuous events of Games 2 and 3, the following two world championship games ran a considerably quieter course. In Game 4 Kasparov sub- jected the champion to uncomfortable

pressure, but he never quite looked as if he would break through, while in Game 5 Kasparov rapidly blunted the force of Karpov's 1 e4 and a draw was soon agreed. This kind of game may be fascinating for the connoisseurs of the latest opening nuances, but it is fairly low-key stuff for the majority of enthusiasts. This week then, I will concentrate on Game 4, and return briefly to a complex episode from the exciting second game.

Incidentally, Eric Schiller has sent me the following touch of local colour from Moscow: 'Before the start of Game 5, the players adopted their customary positions — Karpov gazed out into the hall while Kasparov stared intently at the board. The veteran Najdorf was clearly delighted that

Kasparov chose his variation of the Sicilian. At move 12 Kasparov's second, Nikitin, was calmly reading a newspaper, but it almost

fell from his hands when he saw Karpov's passive 13th move. Neither side took any chances'.

Kasparov-Karpov: Game 4, 21-22 September; Queen's Indian Defence.

1 d4 Nf6 2 c4 e6 3 Nf3 b6 4 g3 Ba6 Not wishing to play 4 . . . Bb7 and repeat the adventures of Game 2. 5 b3 Bb4+ 6 Bd2 Be7 Leaving White's QB a trifle awkward on d2; the inferior 6 . . . Bxd2+ was tried in Kasparov-Hiibner, Bugojno 1982. 7 Bg2 Bb7 Sacrificing a tempo to challenge White's KB. 8 Nc3 d5 9 cxd5 exd5 10 0-0 0-0 11 Bf4 Na6 12 Qc2 c5 The natural freeing move, though there is a long-term danger that Black's pawn on d5 will lack support; 12 . . . c6 would bolster it up, but looks passive. 13 Rfdl Qc8 14 Bey Rd8 15 Racl 15 Ng5 looks aggressive, but 15 . . Nb4 forces the ugly 16 Qbl , blocking in White's QR. However, 15 Nh4 is interesting, threatening to invade on f5. 15 . . . Ne4 16 Qb2 Qe6 17 Nb5 B18 18 Bf4 Qe8 19 a4 Bc6 20 dxc5 bxc5 21 Ne5 Opting for a pawn sacrifice to enliven his bishops. 21 . . BxbS 22 axb5 Nb4 If 22 . . . Qxb5 23 Rxd5 Rxd5 24 Bxe4 is possible, though hardly devastating. 23 Qb1 Nf6 24 Nc6 Nxc6 25 bxc6 Qxc6 26 Bg5 a5 If 26 . . Be7 27

'Don't von think

it might be open

to misinterpretation. boyo?'

Bxf6 Bxf6 28 Qf5 g6 29 Bxd5 regains the pawn under slightly more favourable circumstances. The text makes room for Black's QR. 27 BO Qxf6 28 Bxd5 White has a very slight edge — his B is more active and he has potentially mobile K-side pawns. But Najdorf and PolugaievskY. spectating, already dismissed the position as a draw. 28 . . Ra7 Not 28 . . . Rb8? 29 Qa2! 29 Rc4 Qb6 30 Qc2 Rad7 31 e4 Kh8 32 Kg2 f5 33.r3 g6 34 Rc3 Qc7 35 Rcd3 fxe4 36 fxe4

White

has chances to invade down the 'f' file, but he has no real targets there. 37 Rcl Rc8 38 Rf3 Qe5 38 Rcfl Qd6 40 Qe2 Ra7 41 Qe3 The adjourned position. Black would like to play 41 . . a4 but then he must take account of 42 b4 a3 43 Bat blocking the black pawn, or 42 bxa4 Rxa4 43 RI/ Rc7 44 Rxc7 Qxc7 45 Rf7 Qd6 46 Qb3 Rb4 47 Qa3, with possibilities of infiltration all over the board. 41 . . . Qe5! 42 R1f2 Perhaps 42 h4, but itdoes not clearly accomplish anything and me; just weaken White's position. 42 . . . a4 431004 Rxa4 44 Rf7 Rb4 Preparing . . . Rb2 in sonic cases. Kasparov now offered a draw which Karpov accepted. A game which makes me fee; we are now in for some iron-hard positiona chess on the lines of Alehkine-Capablanca 1927.l Game 2: Position after 40 Rxg6 White: Kasparov — Black: Karpov Last week I suggested that on the final move before the time-control (a notorious moment for committing errors) Karpov could have won with 40 . . . Nxf6 instead of 40 . . . R5xf6 as played,; Subsequently, reader Julian Hardinge sh me the remarkable save: 40 . . . Nxf6 41 Qh„t Ne4 42 Bd4+ Qxd4+ 43 Nxd4 Rxfl+ 44 oi; R8f2+ 45 Rg2! or 40 . . . Nxf6 41 Qh6!? NO."; Qxf8+! Rxf8 43 Rxg4 which is not clear at all .1/ then proposed this variation on the BBC 2 TN show as viable for White. Unfortunately, it was later discovered that 41 . . . Ng8!, a subtle retreat which Karpov must also have over- looked, blows White sky-high. Another sugfejs,.; lion is 40 . . Rxf2, but then 41 Qxf2 hxgo Qh4+ Kg8 43 0c4 keeps White alive. Of course,

41 . . . Ng8! above makes this redundant.