Chess
Mopping up
Raymond Keene
A s I write, Kasparov leads Smyslov in ra.their Candidates' final match at Vilnius by the score of 7-4 and now needs a mere 1 '/2 points to ensure his meeting Kar- pov later this year in the world champion- ship. What is noteworthy about the Vilnius contest is that Kasparov has gone even fur- ther in his espousal of the highly positional style of play which characterised his victory against Korchnoi. There have been very few tactical fireworks, just highly polished technique from the younger man, really beating the veteran ex-world champion at his own game. I have the feeling that this trend on Kasparov's part will continue, possibly even intensify, until he has en- countered Karpov. The same pattern emerged with the fiery Alekhine (Kasparov's model) who suppressed his tac- tical imagination until he had safely dispos- ed of Capablanca. Only then did he return to the risk-loving adventurous style which was his first love. Kasparov — Smyslov: Candidates' final, 9th game; Cambridge Springs Defence.
1 d4 d5 2 Nf3 Nf6 3 c4 c6 4 Nc3 e6 5 bg5 Nbd7 6 e3 Qa5 7 cxd5 Nxd5 8 Qd2 Significantly this is Alekhine's variation against the Cambridge Springs. 8 ... Bb4 Black can also play sharply with 8 ... Nd7-b6, but the complications which then arise have been worked out to favour White in the period since Alekhine invented the concept in 1935: 8 ... Nd7-b6 9 Rcl Nxc3 10 bxc3 Nd5 11 Bc4 Nxc3 12 0-0 (White cannot capture because of ... Bb4 with a winning pin) 12 ... b5 13 d5! bxc4 14 d6 f6 15 BM with a powerful at- tack. 9 Rd e5 10 a3 Bd6 H dxe5 NxeS 12 NxeS BxeS 13 b4 Bxc3 14 Qxc3! Just a complex way of exchanging Queens. 14 ... Nxc3 15 bxa5 Ne4 16 Bf4 0-0 17 f3 Nf6 18 e4 Re8 19 Kf2 a6 This deci- sion may be wrong. It is possible that Black should retain the possibility of ... b6, giving up one pawn to liquidate the entire Q-side, thus con- fining his defensive problems to the other side of the board. 20 Be2 Be6 21 Rbl Re7 22 Rhd1 Rae8 23 Rb2 Bc8 24 Rbd2 Rd7 25 Rxd7 Nxd7 26 g4 Nc5 r Be3 Nd7 28 g5 White has excellent winn- ing chances, based on his B-pair and mobile K-side pawn majority, which will eventually fur- nish a dangerous passed pawn. 28 ... Ne5 29 11d4 Ng6 30 Kg3 Nf8 31 114 Rd8 32 14 Be6 I Like the quaint Tass comment here: 'The black regrouped their pieces and, exchanging one pair of rooks, somewhat alleviated their position. The position, however, remains tight, especially because the N remains passive.' 33 Bc3 Rxdl 34 Bxdl Nd7 35 f5 Bc4 36 h5 (Diagram) White's pawns sail forwards in majestic and impressive fashion. Black can remain dormant no longer and must challenge their advance. 36 ... h6 37 gxh6 gxh6 38 e5 Nc5 39 Kf4 Bd5 40 Bc2 16 A ma- jor decision, but White threatened 41 e6 fxe6 followed by KeS. 41 e6 Kg7 42 Bb4 Nb3 43 Ke3 c5? 43 ... Kg8 gives better chances of survival. After 43 ... c5 Black's pawns forfeit their defen7 sive cohesion. 44 Bc3 Black sealed a move bin then resigned without resuming the game; 44 • " c4 45 Be4 Bxe4 46 Kxe4 Nc5 + 47 Kd5 or 44 • :.2 c445wBien4eaBscibly4 6 Bxc6 bxc6 47 e7 Kf7 48 E
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Smyslov — Kasparov: 10th game; Defence. N 66 1 d4 d5 2 Nf3 c5 3 c4 e6 4 cxd5 exd5 5 g3 4 Bg2 Be7 7 0-0 0-0 8 Nc3 Nc6 9 Bg5 cxd4 10 N115 h6 11 Be3 Re8 12 a3 Be6 13 Khl Bg4 14 f3 Bh5 Nxc6 bxc6 16 Na4 QcS 17 Bd4 Qe6 18 Relay; 19 Rc3 Bf6 20 e3 Bg6 21 Kgl Be7 22 Qd2 n Rel a5 24 Bfl h5 25 Reel Ne5 White's positinos looks dominating, but after exchanging Ine5 strong QB, Black creates counterplay. 26 10 Qxe5 27 Rxc6 lif6 28 R6c5 Qxe3 + 29 Qxe3 Rxhe-'5 30 RxdS Rxf3 31 Be2 Re3 32 BxhS Bxh5 33 1",44 g5 34 Nc3 Rd8 35 Rc2 Kg7 36 Kg2 Kg6 37 g41Ne 38 h3 Kasparov offered a draw at the 38th in°viri Tarrasch and Smyslov accepted. Black has she a paws but has great control of the board and White ' Rook is completely shut out of play.
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