SIMPSON'S
IN-THE-STRAND
SIMPSON'S
IN-THE-STRAND
1 A1FAV,
CHESS
Pythonesque
Raymond Keene
KASPAROV'S MATCH against the IBM Deep Blue computer has created more public and media interest than any chess contest since the Kasparov—Short world championship of 1993. The world champi- on's narrow escape and eventual victory against the machine certainly aroused more passions than his somewhat anodyne despatch of the Indian grandmaster Anand in their official world title clash last autumn.
In order to win, Kasparov had to curb his normal attacking instincts and love of open positions. The correct strategy against com- puters is to switch to a pythonesque strate- gy of strangulation and gradual attrition, as Kasparov demonstrated in game two.
Kasparov—Deep Blue: Philadelphia, Feb- ruary 1996; Catalan Opening.
1 Nf3 d5 2 d4 e6 3 g3 The distinctive move of the Catalan formation, so named after its introduc- tion by the Polish grandmaster Savielly Tartak- ower at the Barcelona tournament in 1929. 3 ... c5 4 Bg2 Nc6 5 0-0 Nf6 6 c4 dxc4 7 Ne5 Bd7 8 Na3 cxd4 9 Naxc4 Bc5 10 Qb3 0-0 11 Qxb7 NxeS 12 NxeS Rb8 Grandmaster analysis dating from 1988 indicated that this position was adequate for Black. Kasparov now demonstrates that White still maintains a slight edge. 13 Qf3 Bd6 14 Nc6 Bxc6 15 Qxc6 e5 16 Rbl Rb6 17 Qa4 Qb8 18 Bg5 Bel A sensible decision. Accepting White's pawn sacrifice with 18 Rxb2 allows 19 Rxb2 Qxb2 20 Bxf6 gxf6 21 Qd7 followed by Qf5 and Be4 with a tremendous attack on the light squares against Black's shattered kingside pawns. 19 b4 Bxb4 Strangely, having resisted the temptation to snatch White's 'b' pawn on the previous move, Deep Blue now trades structure for material. The difference probably is that now White's attack develops along less forcing lines, so Deep Blue calculated that it could survive. The safest course here is 19 ... Rxb4 20 Rxb4 Qxb4 but after 21 Qxa7 White's bishop pair and passed 'a' pawn give him good chances. 20 Bxf6
gxf6 21 Qd7 At least this invasion does not now happen with gain of tempo but Deep Blue is so concerned by the threat of Qf5 or Qg4+ in con- junction with Be4 that it now gives back its pawn in order to drive away the white queen from the immediate proximity of Black's king. 21 ... Qc8 22 Qxa7 Rb8 23 Qa4 Bc3 24 Rxb8 Qxb8 25 Be4 Qc7 26 Qa6 Kg7 27 Qd3 Rb8 Black's defence here is remarkable. The computer is prepared to give up a pawn in order to create activity. If instead the paltry 27 ... h6 or even the miserly 27 ...Rh8 then White's attack continues apace with 28 Qf3 followed by Qf5 or Qh5 and moves like f4 to follow, hurling further resources into the attack against the black king. 28 Bxh7 Rb2 29 Be4 (Diagram) Ultimately, White's pawn on a2
Position after 29 Be4
cannot be retained. Although Black restores material parity by capturing White's 'a' pawn, there is a difference in quality between the white pawn on a2 and the black pawn on h7. One is an isolated and heavily blockaded wing pawn. The other was a key defender of the black king. The trade is clearly in White's favour. 29 ... Rxa2 30 h4 Qc8 31 Qf3 Ral 32 Rxal Bxal 33 Qh5 Qh8 The smoke has cleared. Material is now level,
but White has a dangerous passed 'h' pawn. Furthermore, Black's king is exposed and its pawn structure rigid. 34 Qg4+ It is absolutely crucial to White's plans that he does not exchange queens prematurely. 34 ...1Cf8 35 Qc8+ Kg7 36 Qg4+ Kf8 37 Bd5 Ke7 38 Bc6 Kf8 39 Bd5 Ke7 40 Qf3 Bc3 .41 Bc4 Qc8 42 Qd5 Kasparov has now achieved his first goal, the full alignment of his queen and bishop against Black's pawn on f7. The idea is not just to win this pawn, which of itself would not advance White's winning plans further, but to remove it with queens still on the board so that the shelter for the black king diminishes tangibly. 42 ...Qe6 43 Qb5 Qd7 44 Qc5+ Qd6 45 Qa7+ Qd7 46 Qa8 Qc7 47 Qa3+ Qd6 48 Qa2 Kasparov's subtle manoeuvre has finally succeeded in aligning his queen and bishop against the pawn on f7, in such a way that it can be captured without the trade of queens. In order to get counterplay Deep Blue now starts to push its central pawns, but this runs the risk that they will become further weakened. 48 ...f5 Possibly a better chance is the advance 48 ... e4 49 Bxf7 e3 when White must play 50 Qa7+ to keep his chances alive. 49 Bxf7 e4 50 Bh5 Qf6 51 Qa3+ Having won a pawn with his previous manoeuvre, Kasparov now regroups his forces for the final assault. 51 ...Kd7 52 Qa7+ Kd8 53 Qb8+ Kd7 54 Be8+ Ke7 55 Bb5 Bd2 56 Qc7+ Kf8 57 Bc4 Bc3 58 Kg2 Bel 59 Kfl Bc3 60 f4 After further manoeu- vres Kasparov finally strikes. The text intends to fix Black's pawn on f5 as a permanent weakness which can then be rounded up by the concerted attack of White's queen and bishop. 60 ... exf3ep 61 exf3 Bd2 If 61 ...f4 62 g4 and White's threats on f7 prevent Black from making any aggressive queen moves. 62 f4 For the second time White nails down the weakness on f5. 62 ... Ke8 63 Qc8+ Ke7 64 QcS+ Kd8 65 Bd3 Be3 66 QxfS With White two pawns up the rest is easy for Kasparov, since he can now afford an exchange of queens. 66 ... Qc6 67 QfS+ Kc7 68 Qe7+ KcS 69 Bf5+ Kb8 70 Qd8+ Kb7 71 Qd7+ Qxd7 72 Bxd7 Kc7 The last-ditch try 72 ... d3 hoping to stir up trouble in a line such as 73 Bb5 d2 74 Ke2 Bf2 is simply met by the advance of White's kingside pawns, e.g. 73 h5 d2 74 Ba4 with Ke2 to follow. 73 Bb5 Black resigns.
Previous page
