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The Test of Time

Garry Kasparov

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www.thuvien-ebook.com

The Test of Time

Garry Kasparov

tambao sưu tầm chuyển ebook

Mục lục

The Test of Time

by

GARRY KASPAROV

Translated by K. P. NEAT

Preface

Within the Space of a Few Years

My First Encounter with a Grandmaster

Kasparov-Lutikov

Daugavpils, 1978

Elimination Tournament to the USSR Championship

Kasparov-I. Ivanov

Sicilian Defence

Informator Prize-winner

Kasparov-Palatnik

Alekhine's Defence

Moscow, 1979

7th USSR Peoples' Spartakiad

In Search of the Truth....

Veingold-Kasparov

King's Indian Defence

Kasparov-Butnoryus

Bogo-Indian Defence

Minsk, 1979

47th USSR Championship, Premier League

The New "Discovery of America"

Kasparov- Yusupov

Ruy Lopez

Kasparov-Georgadze

Philidor's Defence

Skara, 1980

European Team Championship

Kasparov-Pribyl

Grunfeld Defence

Kasparov-Vukic

Caro-Kann Defence

Baku, 1980

USSR Central Chess Club International Tournament

Kasparov-Zaitsev

Queen's Gambit

Through the Pawn Barricade

Kasparov-Torre

How Should One Play in the Last Round?

Kasparov-Martinovic

Queen's Pawn Opening

Dortmund, 1980

World Junior Championship

The Price of Attack

Kasparov-Akesson

Queen's Indian Defence

Tempone-Kasparov

English Opening

Malta, 1980

24th Olympiad

Kasparov-Marjanovic

Queen's Indian Defence

Kasparov-Ligterink

Queen's Indian Defence

Hết Phần 1 (2-50 page của TTOT nguồn PDF)

PERGAMON RUSSIAN CHESS SERIES

General Editor: Kenneth P. Neat Executive Editor: Catherine Shephard

AVERBAKH, Y.

Chess Endings: Essential Knowledge

Comprehensive Chess Endings

Volume 1: Bishop Endings & Knight Endings

Volume 2: Bishop v Knight Endings, Rook v Minor Piece Endings

BOTVINNIK, M. M.

Achieving the Aim

Anatoly Karpov: His Road to the World Championship

Half a Century of Chess

Selected Games 1967-70

BRONSTEIN, D. & SMOLYAN, Y. Chess in the Eighties

ESTRIN, Y. & PANOV, V. N. Comprehensive Chess Openings

GELLER, E. P.

The Application of Chess Theory

KARPOV, A.

Chess at the Top 1979-1984

KARPOV, A. & GIK, Y. Chess Kaleidoscope

KARPOV, A. & ROSHAL, A. Anatoly Karpov: Chess is my Life

LIVSHITZ, A.

Test Your Chess IQ, Books 1 & 2

NEISHTADT, Y. Catastrophe in the Opening Paul Keres Chess Master Class

POLUGAYEVSKY, L. Grandmaster Preparation Grandmaster Performance

SHERESHEVSKY, M. I. Endgame Strategy

SMYSLOV, V.

125 Selected Games

SUETIN, A. S.

Modern Chess Opening Theory

Three Steps to Chess Mastery

TAL, M., CHEPIZHNY, V. & ROSHAL, A. Montreal 1979: Tournament of Stars

VAINSTEIN, B. S.

David Bronstein: Chess Improviser

The Test of Time

by

GARRY KASPAROV

Translated by K. P. NEAT

PERGAMON PRESS

OXFORD • NEW YORK • BEIJING • FRANKFURT SAO PAULO•SYDNEY•TOKYO•TORONTO

English translation copyright © 1986 K. P. Neat

All Rights Reserved. No part of this publication may be reproduced, stored in a retrieval system or transmitted in any form or by any means: electronic, electrostatic, magnetic tape, mechanical, photocopying, recording or otherwise, without permission in writing from the publishers.

First edition 1986 Reprinted 1986

Library of Congress Cataloging in Publication Data

Kasparov, G. K. (Garri Kimovich)

The test of time.

(Pergamon Russian chess series)

includes indexes.

1. Chess—Collections of games. 2. Chess—Tournaments—

Soviet Union. 3. Chess—Tournaments—Europe.

I. Title    II. Series.

GV1452.K366    1986    794.V5    85-23804

British Library Cataloguing in Publication Data

Kasparov, G. K.

The test of time.

1. Kasparov, G. K. 2. Chess—Collections of games

I. Title

794.T59        GV1439.K3/

ISBN 0-08-034043-1   Hardcover ISBN 0-08-034155-1   Flexicover

Typeset by W. Turner & Sons Ltd., Halifax

Printed in Great Britain by A. Wheaton & Co. Ltd., Exeter

Typeset by W. Turner & Sons Ltd., Halifax

Printed in Great Britain by A. Wheaton & Co. Ltd., Exeter

Preface

A collection of annotated games usually expresses a player's creative beliefs. Clearly seen in the commentaries are his playing conceptions and his approach to a wide range of problems associated with chess. This book too is no exception, but a certain novelty in the laying out of the material necessitates a preliminary explanation, regarding the structure of the games collection and the way in which it was compiled.

My chess philosophy has largely developed under the influence of Ex-World Champion Mikhail Moiseevich Botvinnik. I am sure that the five years I spent at Botvinnik's school (1973-1978) played a decisive role in my formation as a chess player and determined the path of my subsequent improvement. Especially important, in my opinion, was the assimilation of Mikhail Moiseevich's main "axiom" regarding the necessity for constant analytical work, in particular the thorough analysis of one's own games. By strictly observing this rule, with the years I have come to realize distinctly that this provides the foundation for the continuous development of chess mastery. However, by no means everyone shares this opinion. Thus in recent times, due to the continuing growth in chess information and the number of chess events, more and more has been said about the "superfluousness" of purposeful research work. But can the further development of chess really involve a rejection of its scientific study?!

The first year of my adult chess career (1978) can well be regarded as the start of my experience as an annotator, although it was restricted to my own games. But after the

commencement in Baku of the periodical Shakhmaty, my journalistic work became more regular (during the period 1981-1984 all the tournaments in which I participated were covered).

It is obvious that a great deal of work on the annotating of games is bound to result in some analytical mistakes. In addition, the rapid development of opening theory introduces its corrections. Therefore, within some interval of time, practically any commentary needs, if not to be rewritten, then at least to be supplemented and corrected. It is on this principle that the book is constructed. The basic commentary, i.e. that written immediately after the event, has in general been left unchanged (not counting stylistic "cosmetics" and small corrections to variations). But in places where the old commentary has needed overhauling or explaining, new comments have been added in a different typeface (italic). In these, the result of the present-day analysis of these games is essentially included.

Thus this unusual double commentary gives a clear impression of the mistakes committed, of the re-evaluations which have occurred, and of changes in the views of the author himself during the intervening period. I think that, thanks to this construction, the book may be effectively used for instructional purposes (for players of high standard).

In conclusion, I should like to thank all those who helped in the compilation and rapid publication of this book.

Garry Kasparov

Contents

Within the Space of a Few Years M. M. Botvinnik     ix

My First Encounter with a Grandmaster          1

Daugavpils, 1978 (Elimination Tournament to the USSR Championship)      4

Moscow, 1979 (7th USSR Peoples' Spartakiad)         8

Minsk, 1979 (47th USSR Championship, Premier League)     13

Skara, 1980 (European Team Championship) 18

Baku, 1980 (USSR Central Chess Club International Tournament)     23

Dortmund, 1980 (World Junior Championship)          33

Malta, 1980 (24th Olympiad)  38

Memorable Moments in February (Match-Tournament of USSR Teams)       43

Lucky or Unlucky? (Moscow International Grandmaster Tournament)           52

Through the Prism of Analysis (USSR Team Championship) 62

Graz, 1981 (World Junior Team Championship)        69

Two Weeks in Tilburg (Tilburg Grandmaster Tournament)    77

When a Photo-finish is not Demanded (49th USSR Championship, Premier League)   81

Super-Tournament in Bugojno 98

Vll

Postscript to a Prologue (Moscow Interzonal Tournament)    108

And Once Again the Strongest! (25th Olympiad)        119

Expectations and Surprises (Candidates Quarter-final Match v. Belyavsky)  138

The Duel Continues! (USSR Spartakiad)        148

From the Ridiculous ... to the Sublime (Niksic Grandmaster Tournament)     153

News, Facts and Comments (Candidates Semi-final Match v. Korchnoi)       161

The Test of Time (Candidates Final Match v. Smyslov)         192

Appendixes

Biographical Details   209

Tournament and Match Results           210

Annotations     211

Index of Kasparov's Opponents           213

Index of Openings       214

Within the Space of a Few Years

In the Winter of 1978 there were arguments over whether to invite 14-year-old candidate master Garry Kasparov to the Sokolsky Memorial Tournament. After all, it was only masters who were supposed to be playing there! An exception was made, he was invited, and the young player in fact won the tournament, surpassing the master of sport norm by 3^1/2 points.

This book is a collection of games from the period 1978-1984, annotated by Kasparov after the events. Of course, at the time he chose the games and endings which were the most interesting, but chess advances, and now he has had to write annotations to his annotations.

Garry Kasparov is on the right path: analyses of games should be published by a player not only to afford pleasure to the readers, but also, by putting forward the results of his work to their strict judgement, to be able to use the readers' criticisms to check the objectivity of his searchings. This is an essential step for anyone who wishes to become a researcher in chess. In this way creative and competitive successes can be raised,  and the  very maximum possible "squeezed" out of his talent— provided there is talent! With regard to the present author, about this there is no doubt. . . .

This book gives 86 games and 14 endings. Over the six-year period Kasparov played many more — the selection was strict. Years will pass, creative successes will be multi¬plied, and then in new collections possibly not all the games given here will survive. . . .

From time to time the research tendency of the Soviet Chess School has been subjected to criticism. Thus in 1950 Levenfish held that a player's preparation would reduce the significance of improvization and of the general creative element in chess. It is sometimes asserted nowadays that this tendency has grown obsolete, and that it was suitable only for the "horse and cart era". But practice is the criterion of truth, and it remains a fact that a player's preparation, his research work, leads to a raising of his practical competitive results.

That is how Garry Kasparov operates. We wish him success, and hope that other young masters will follow him!

M. M. BOTVINNIK

IX

My First Encounter with a Grandmaster

In the biography of any chess player there will no doubt be found tournaments and games which he regards as memorable. The number of events in which I have competed can for the moment be counted almost on the fingers of one hand. But I will remember the Sokolsky Memorial Tournament all my life. Here I achieved the master norm, and the game from the last round also sticks in my memory— for the first time I played "one-to-one" against a grandmaster.

Kasparov-Lutikov

Queen s Pawn Opening Sokolsky Memorial Tournament, Minsk, 1978

1d4 Nf6 2 Nf3 d6

It seems to me that the more specific 2 ... g6 is also a more flexible continuation, since the d7 pawn retains its freedom of choice (3 Nc3 d5!). But now White acquires an additional possibility, forcing the opponent as though to plan anew the opening development of his forces.

3 Nc3 Bg4

Cunning against cunning! Avoiding both the Pirc Defence (3 ... g6) and Philidor's Defence (3 ... Nbd7 4 e4 e5), Black chooses a rare continuation.

4 e4 Nbd7?

Positionally a highly risky continuation. But perhaps this was a test of the "seriousness" of my intentions in the last round? In order to attempt to refute Black's idea, I was obliged to decide on the sharp advance of my e-pawn, in a situation where I would have been quite happy with a draw. But in my first encounter with a grandmaster I very much wanted to play "good" chess, and I made up my mind.... Instead of 4 ... Nbd7, 4 . . . e6 or even 4 ... c6 is sounder.

5 e5 Ng8

The knight has to retreat, since 5 ... dXe5

6 dXe5 BXB 7 QXf3 NXe5 8 QXb7 is too unfavourable for Black.

6 h3 BXf3

On 6 ... Bh5 I was going to continue 7 g4 Bg6 8 h4, intending e5-e6 at the most favourable moment.

7 QXf3 c6 8 Bf4

White wishes to provoke . . . d5, and only then carry out the obstructive pawn sacrifice. But the attempt to open up the position by 8 eXd6 eXd6 9 c5 came seriously into consideration, after which 9 ... c5 10 Bf4 could have given Black serious difficulties over the defence of his d6 pawn.

8          ... d5

Now White's plan is fully justified. 8... e6 9 eXd6 Ndf6! would have set him more difficult problems, although even then after10 0-0-0 BXd6 11 Be5! he has an obvious positional advantage.

9 e6 fXe6 10 Bd3 Ngf6 11 Qe2

For the moment Black's extra pawn is merely hindering his development, and is obviously doomed. The attempt to exchange it-11...Qb6 12 0-0-0 0-0-013QXe6QXd4 — is refuted by the pretty but routine stroke 14QXc6+!

11 ... g6 12 QXe6 Bg7 13 0-0

A debatable decision, which White came to after reasoning that the opponent's defences would not be cracked by crude pressure down the e-file, and that operations would also be required on one of the flanks. I already had in mind the general idea of a pawn offensive on the Q-side, and so I decided to hide my king away on the opposite wing. But now I think that Q-side castling would have been both a more logical, and a stronger continuation.

13 ... Nh5 14 Bg5?!

When playing 13 0-0 I had intended this active bishop move (instead of 14 Be3), assuming, mainly on general grounds, that Black would find it difficult to decide on the pawn capture 14 ... BXd4. After reassuring myself with the variation 15 NXd5 cXd5 16 Bb5 Nf6 17 Radl Qb6 18 BXd7+ etc., I decided that the white rooks would find suitable employment for themselves on the central files. But in later analysis it was discovered that by 16 ... a6 (instead of 16 ... Nf6) Black could have threatened to free himself from the pin, which in combination with the threat of ... Nc5 would have enabled him to parry the attack (17 Rael aXb5 18 BXe7 Qb6 19 QXd5 Be5!).

Obviously, instead of 15 NXd5? White should simply play 15 Rfel, e.g. 75 ... Bf6 16 BXf6 NhXf6 (16. . .NdXf6?17g4) 17 Na4, with good play for the pawn.

14 ... Nf8 15 Qg4 Nf6 16 Qe2 Qd6 17 Rael

By returning the pawn Black has only slightly improved his position. His forces are still scattered, his development is not complete, and the threat of trouble along the e-file has by no means disappeared. The problem of deploying his rooks was solved very simply by White: after the advance f2-f4-f5 the opening of the f-file is very much a reality, and therefore the rooks stand best at fl and el.

17        ... e6

Black prevents the advance of the white f-pawn, but at the same time condemns himself to passive defence. However, 17 ... Kf7 18        Bh4! Ne6 19 Bg3 looks dangerous for him, after both 19 ... NXd4 20 Qe3 Qb4 21 a3 and 19... Qd7 20 Be5 followed by Q-f4-f5.

18 Na4

In this way White opens a second front on the Q-side, trying there too to create targets to attack.

18        ... Kf7 19 b4 b6

Of course, not 19 ... QXb4 because of 20 Nc5, with a mass of dangerous threats.

20 Qd2 Re8 21 Bf4 Qe7

Black cannot prevent White's planned offensive. 21... Qd7 is strongly met by 22 c4 dXc4 23 BXc4, when 23 ... b5 24 Nc5 is not possible, and the position after 23 ... Nd5 24 Be5 is also pretty cheerless.

22 b5 Qa3

At e7 the queen merely hinders the remaining pieces from regrouping. On 22 ... c51 was intending to continue 23 dXc5 bXc5 24 c4, opening up the game.

23 Nc3 c5 24 Nbl!

The return home of the knight is perhaps the strongest move of its career. It transpires that the queen's sortie to a3 has not prevented the opening up of the centre.

24        ... Qa4

There is no choice. 24 ... Qb4 can be simply met by 25 QXb4 cXb4 26 Bd6, while after 24 ... QXa2 25 Nc3 the queen is trapped.

25 dXc5 bXc5 26 c4! N8d7

Of course, 26 ... dXc4 is not possible due to 27 Nc3, while after 26 . . . d4 the black queen is again imprisoned.

27 Nc3 Qa5 28 Qc2 Qd8

Now there is nothing for the queen to do on its own wing. 28 ... e5 is strongly met by

29        Bd2! d4 30 Ne4 Qb6 31 Ng5+.

29        Bg5 Nb6 30 a4

The threat of the a-pawn's further advance does not allow Black time to regroup, e.g.

30        ... Qc7 31 cXd5 eXd5 32 a5 Nbd7 33 NXd5 NXd5 34 Bc4.

30        ... dXc4 31 Be4 Re7 32 a5

The alternative way of continuing the attack was by 32 Bc6 and then Rdl.

32 ... Nbd7 33 Bc6 Nb8 34 Rdl QXa5 35 Ne4 Rf8!

At last this rook comes into play, clearing the way for the king to go to g8. There appears to be a real prospect of Black consoli¬dating his position, while White is restoring the material balance. But here I noticed a drawback to the placing of the black rooks.

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36 Bf4!

Like a pendulum, this bishop has been oscillating all the game between f4 and g5, each time disrupting more and more the opponent's defences. This last oscillation leaves Black in a critical position. Since 36 ... e5 is not possible, he is forced to allow the invasion of the white pieces.

36 ... NXc6 37 bXc6 Ne8

37... NXe4 38 QXe4 Bd4 was rather more tenacious.

38 Rd7! RXd7 39 cXd7 Nf6 40 Nd6+ Ke7 41 NXc4

The other highly promising continuation was 41 Nb7.

41 ... Qa6 42 Bd6+ KXd7 43 BXf8 BXf8

In spite of the approximate material equality, Black's position remains difficult. It is impossible for him to defend his king and to keep all his weak pawns intact.

44 Qd3+ Ke7

After 44... Kc7 45 Re 1 the e6 pawn is soon lost.

45 Rdl Nd5 46 Qe4 Kf7

46        ... Nc3 is bad because of 47 Qh4+ etc.

47 Ne5+ Kg8 48 Nd7 c4 49 Rbl Qd6

Black parries the threat of Rb8, and in

passing sets a "trap" 50NXf8 Nc3, into which White could perfectly well have fallen — 51 Qa8 NXbl 52 NXe6+ Kf7 53 Ng5+ Ke7 54 Qb7+ followed by QXbl, winning. But since, in the heat of the battle, we had rushed past the time control, and neither was taking the initiative to adjourn the game, I followed another path, one planned beforehand, where it was the activity of the rook that nevertheless decided matters.

50 Rb7 c3 51 NXf8 KXf8 52 RXh7 Qf4

By the threat of perpetual check Black exchanges the queens and saves himself from a mating attack. But the resulting ending is hopeless for him: his passed pawns are doomed.

53 QXf4 NXf4 54 Kfl a5 55 Ra7 Nd5 56 RXa5 Kf7

With a last trap - 57 Ke2 Nf4+ 58 Kf3? c2 59 Rc5 Nd3 60 RXc2 Nel+ and it is Black who wins. But. . . .

57 g3

Black resigns.

Daugavpils, 1978

Elimination Tournament to the USSR Championship

Kasparov-I. Ivanov

Sicilian Defence

1 e4 c5 2 Nf3 Nc6 3 d4 cXd4 4 NXd4 g6 5 c4 Bg7 6 Be3 d6 7 Nc3 Nh6 8 Be2 0-0 9 Qd2

In my opinion, another promising development plan is 9 0-0 f5 10 Qd2 Ng4 11 BXg4 fXg4.

9 ... Ng4 10 BXg4 BXg4 11 0-0 Qa5 12 Racl Rfc8 13 b3 a6 14 NXc6 RXc6

14        ... bXc6 is unfavourable because of 15 c5!

15        Bh6 Rac8

But not 15... Bh8? 16Nd5 Qd8 17 Qg5!, or 15 ... b5? 16 BXg7 KXg7 17 Qg5!

16 BXg7 KXg7 17 f4?!

In spite of the exchanges, the position has not lost its sharpness. After 17 Qb2! f618 Nd5 White evidently stands a little better, but I was in too much of a hurry, and the evaluation immediately changed.

17        ... f6!

Now the gains resulting from the advance of the f-pawn are unclear, whereas the threat of ... b5 is unpleasant. White decides to complicate the play at the cost of his c-pawn.

18 Khl b5 19 f5 g5

The incautious capture 19 ... bXc4 would

(altogether — 64 competitors)

* Places arranged in order of Buchholz scores.

have lost a piece - 20 b4! QXb4 21 h3.

20 Qf2

If 20 Qb2 bXc4 21 b4, then 21 . . .Qe5!

20 ... bXc4 21 Nd5 cXb3 22 RXc6 RXc6 23 Qa7!

White planned this raid before making his 18th move. Now the knight in the centre and the queen rampaging in the enemy rear compensate by their activity for the lost material.

23 ... Qd8 24 aXb3 Be2! 25 Rel Bb5 26 h4

Of course, 26 QXe7 would have favoured Black, but now I considered that 26 . . . h6 with the possible sequel 27 Rdl Kf8 28 Kh2 Rc2 29 e5! Qd7! (29 ... dXe5? 30 Nf4!) 30 QXd7 BXd7 31 eXf6 was the most solid, and would give equal chances. Not wishing to tempt fate against an opponent who before this had won six games in a row, I offered a draw, but it was not accepted.

26        ... gXh4?!

This reply weakens the king's position and gives the white rook a clear objective.

27 Qf2 Kh8 28 QXh4 Rc2

Black has got rid of the threats to his e7 pawn and has activated his rook, but he

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stands worse in view of the impending danger to his king.

29 Re3?

A natural manoeuvre, but at the same time a mistake, which loses White his advantage. After 29 Nf4! Black would have been unable to transfer his queen to f8 and bishop to f7, and would evidently have lost, e.g. 29... Be8 30Ne6Qa5 31 Qg3, or 29 ... Qe8 30Re3 Qf7 31 Rg3.

29 ... Qf8! 30 Rh3 Qg7 31 Rg3 Qf8 32 Nf4 Be8!

Now Black's defences hold. After 33 Ng6+ BXg6 34 fXg6 Qg7 he has everything in order.

33 Ne6 Qf7 34 Kgl

Had he caught the queen by 34 Rg7, White would have risked losing. Realizing that my advantage had gone, I set a last trap.

34        ... Qh5!

After 34 ... Bd7 35 Nd8 Qf8 the game would have been immediately decided by 36 Qh6!, but by now Black is firmly on the correct path.

35 QXh5 BXh5 36 Rg7 Re2!

The draw now becomes obvious, whereas after 36 ... Rc7? 37 g4! White would unexpectedly have trapped the bishop.

37 RXe7

White too is on the alert: 37 g4? RXe4! 38 gXh5 RXe6 39 h6 Re5 40 Rf7 Kg8 41 Rg7+ Kffi 42 RXh7 RXf5 43 Rh8+ Kf7 44 h7 Rh5, and Black wins.

37 ... RXe4 38 Ra7 h6 39 Ra8+ Kh7 40 Ra7+

Drawn.

Informator Prize-winner

The following game was judged to be one of the best in the 26th volume of Sahovski Informator.

Kasparov-Palatnik

Alekhine's Defence

1 e4 Mf6 2 e5N d5 3 d4 d6 4 Nf3 g6 5 Bc4 Nb6 6 Bb3 a5

This system of play is often employed by players from Odessa. Although after 7 e6 BXe6 8 BXe6 fXe6 9 Ng5 Nc6 10 NXe6 Qd7 11 Qe2 theory promises White a solid advantage, my opponent had succeeded previously in demonstrating the viability of Black's position. Therefore I decided to choose another continuation, one which in my opinion is not at all bad.

7 a4 Bg7 8 Ng5

Now 8 . .. d5 leads to a well known position with the moves a2-a4 and . . . a5 included. In the main variation, where White plays 9 f4 and subsequently exploits his advantage in space, the weakening of the b4 square (after the possible exchange of c-pawns) may give Black counterplay. But I was intending to continue differently: 9 0-0 0-0 10 Rel Nc6 11 c3 f6 12 eXf6 eXf6 13 Ne6, retaining a slight advantage.

8... e6!?

This move, which had never previously been played, was made by Palatnik without much thought, which somewhat perturbed me. After convincing myself that a direct refutation of Black's plan was not possible (9 Qf3 Qe7 10 Ne4 dXe5 11 Bg5 Qb4+! - the inclusion of the moves a2-a4 and ... a5 has deprived White of the possibility of 12 c3*), I began to seek a sensible plan of action. There essentially turned out to be no choice, and so there followed:

9 f4 dXe5 10 fXe5 c5 11 0-0?! 0-0?!

What could be more natural than castling, but in fact White committed an inaccuracy and Black failed to exploit it. After 11 ... QXd4+! 12 QXd4 cXd4 13 RXf7 (13 NXf7 0-0 14 Nd6 RXfl-h 15 KXfl Bd7 16 NXb7 Na6!) 13 ... BXe5 14 Rfl Nc6 Black would have escaped from all his difficulties. For his part, White could have avoided all this by the simple 11 c3 cXd4 12 0-0! etc.

12 c3 Nc6?

A blunder, after which White's initiative becomes threatening. It was essential to play 12 ... cXd4 13 cXd4 and only now 13 ... Nc6. White could have continued 14 Nf3 f6 15 Nc3!? fXe5 15 Bg5, with good compensation for the pawn after the possible sequel 16... Qe8 17 dXe5 NXe5 18 NXe5 RXfl-h 19

* It would seem that 12 Nbd2 eXd4 13 c3orl2... QXd4 13 0-0-0 would nevertheless have given White a dangerous intitiative.

QXfl BXe5 20 Rel Bd4+ 21 Khl.

13 Ne4! Nd7

Alas! The capture on d4 loses quickly: 13... cXd4 14 Bg5 Qd7 (14. . . Qc7 15 cXd4)

15 Nf6+ BXf6 16 BXf6 dXc3 17 Qcl.

14 Be3!

The attempt to take the black position by storm could have ended in failure: 14 Bg5 Qb6 15 Nf6+ Kh8 16 Rf4 cXd4 17 Rh4 BXf6 18 eXf6 dXc3+ 19 Khl cXb2 20 Ra3 Qc5. White therefore reinforces his centre and prepares to develop his remaining pieces. 14... Qb6 can be well met by either 15 Bf2, or 15 Na3 cXd4 16 Nc4.

14        ... Ne7

Black hopes to overcome his difficulties by covering his weakened K-side with his knight and fianchettoing his white-squared bishop.

15 Bg5!

This unexpected reply upsets Black's plans. To drive away the bishop he will have to go in for a further weakening of his K-side.

15        ... cXd4

It never rains but it pours! It turns out that the bishop cannot be driven away without first freeing the c3 square for the white knight. The point is that after 15 ... h6 16 Bh4 g5 White has the decisive 17 BXg5 hXg5 18 Qh5, whereas the exchange in the centre eliminates this danger: 15 ... cXd4 16 cXd4 h6 17 Bh4 g5 18 BXg5? hXg5 19 Qh5 NXe5!

16 cXd4 h6 17 Bh4 g5 18 Bf2 Ng6 19 Nbc3 Qe7

Trying to free himself by. . . f5. Naturally, White prevents this.

20 Bc2 b6 21 Be3

Thanks to the efforts of this bishop Black's position has an unattractive appearance, and one senses that the decisive blow is not far off.

21        ... Ba6 22 Rf2 Nh8

Black makes a last attempt to free himself — he again prepares . .. f5, and therefore he removes his knight from the oppressive glare of the bishop at c2. But White is all prepared .... (see diagram)

23 BXg5! hXg5 24 Qh5 f5

It is not possible to withstand the onslaught after 24... f6 25 NXg5 Rfc8 26 Bh7+

Position after 22 . . . Nh8:

XABCDEFGHY
8r+-+-trksn(
7+-+nwqpvl-'
6lzp-+p+-zp&
5zp-+-zP-zp-%
4P+-zPN+-+$
3+-sN-vL-+-#
2-zPL+R+PzP"
1tR-+Q+-mK-!
xabcdefghy

Kf8 27 Nce4.

25 NXg5 Rf7!

The most tenacious defence. Black loses immediately after both 25 ... Rfd8 26 RXf5!, and 25 ... Rfc8 26 Qh7+ Kf8 27 NXe6+ QXe6 28 BXf5. But I was astonished by the offer of a draw which followed 25. . . Rf7. It is patently obvious just how strong the white attack is.

XABCDEFGHY
8r+-+-trksn(
7+-+nwqpvl-'
6lzp-+p+-zp&
5zp-+-zP-zp-%
4P+-zPN+-+$
3+-sN-vL-+-#
2-zPL+R+PzP"
1tR-+Q+-mK-!
xabcdefghy

26 BXf5!!

The crux of the combination. The sacrifice of the second bishop conclusively destroys the black king's defences.

26 ... RXf5

After 26 ... eXf5 the game would have been decided by the advance of the e-pawn, supported by all the white pieces: 27 Nd5 Qe8 28 e6 Rf6 29 Qh7+ Kf8 30 e7+.

27 RXf5 eXf5 28 Nd5

Things have unexpectedly become tight for the black queen. There remains only one square where, not for long, it finds salvation.

28        ... Qe8 29 Qh7+ Kf8 30 QXf5+ Kg8

Or 30 ... Nf7 31 Ne6+ Kg8 32 Qg6.

31 Qh7+ Kf8 32 Ra3!

32        Nc7 would also have won, but I wanted to conclude the game by a direct attack.

32        ... Rc8

Or 32 ... Qg6 33 Rf3+ Ke8 34 Qg8+ Bf8 (34 ... Nf8 35 RXf8+! BXf8 36 Nf6+) 35 Nc7+ Kd8 (35 ... Ke7 36 Rf7+) 36 Nce6+ Ke7 (36... Kc8 37 RXf8+) 37 QXg6 NXg6 38 Rf7+ Ke8 39 Nc7+ Kd8 40 Nge6+ Kc8 41 NXa8 etc.

33 Rf3+ Nf6

A gesture of despair, but 33 ... Nf7 34 RXf7+ QXf7 35 NXf7 Rcl+ 36 Kf2 Rfl+ 37 Kg3 RXf7 also loses material after 38 Qh4!

34 h3!

The most clear-cut, although 34 RXf6+ BXf6 35 NXf6 Rcl+ 36 Kf2 Qg6 37 QXh8+ Ke7 38 Nd5+ Kd7 39 e6+ would also have won.

34 ... Qg6 35 RXf6+ BXf6 36 Ne6+ Ke8 37 NXf6+

Here Palatnik stopped for an instant (he had made the last few moves hastily in time trouble), made a despairing gesture as if to show that there was nowhere further to go, and stopped the clocks.

An impressive and crushing win! Under the impression of it, I for a long time considered 23 BXg5! to be the shortest path to White's goal. Indeed, the subsequent events develop by force, and in all variations the sacrifices are correct. But the thought would not leave me that I could have managed without playing "brilliantly". And then one day I discovered another solution to the position after 22 ... Nh8, which does not involve any sacrifices: 23 h4 gXh4 24 Qg4! f5 (24 ... Ng6 25 Qh5) 25 eXf6 NXf6 26 NXf6+ RXf6 27 RXf6 QXf6 28 Qe4! Rd8 29 Qh7+ Kf8 30 Nb5! with a decisive attack. This path is undoubtedly simpler, but then there would not have been the fireworks with the sacrifice of the two bishops, and an attack in which all (!) the white pieces took part. Now, two years later, the experience acquired in tournament battles would have suggested to me this path (23 h4). But, at any rate, by its tempestuous, "emotional" course, this game afforded me much pleasure. And not only me.. . .

Moscow, 1979

7th USSR Peoples' Spartakiad

In Search of the Truth....

Veingold-Kasparov

King's Indian Defence

1d4 Nf6 2 Nf3 g6 6 Be2 e5 7 d5 a5

Nowadays this is the most popular plan for Black, hindering White's offensive on the Q-side.

8 Bg5 h6 9 Bh4 Na6 10 0-0 Qe8 11 Nd2

11 Nel is weaker, after which Black can obtain good play in two ways: 11 ... g5 12 Bg3 NXe4 13 NXe4 f5 (Polugayevsky-Bukic, 1971) or 11 ... Bd7 12 Nd3 Nh7 13 f3 b6 14 Qd2 f5 (Hamann-Uhlmann, 1974).

11 ... Nh7 12 a3 f5?

For a long time the best was considered to be 12 ... Bd7 13 b3 h5 14 f3 Bh6 15 Bf2 Qe7 16 Qc2 h4 17 Rfdl f5 18 Rabl Qg5 (Petrosian-Stein, 1967). The exchange of black-squared bishops, as in the game Udovcic-Hort (1969), was also deemed to be safe for Black: 15 Rbl Be3+ 16 Bf2 Bc5 17 BXc5 NXc5 18 b4 aXb4 19 aXb4 Na4 =. True, a game Antoshin-Vasyukov (1978) cast doubts on this evaluation: 17 Nb5 Qb8 18 Qcl c6 19 BXc5 NXc5 20            Nc3 Nf6 21 f4 Qa7 22 Khl, and the weakened position of the black king begins to tell.

A new idea was revealed by Westerinen (Black) in a game with Timman in 1977: 12 ... Bd7 13 b3 f5!? 14 eXf5 BXf5 15 Rel g5 16 Bg3 Nf6 17 Nfl Nc5, and Black seized the initiative. It was this plan that I wanted to try, but.... I forgot to include the moves 12 ... Bd7 13 b3 before advancing my f-pawn.

13 eXf5 BXf5 14 g4!

This is the whole point! The knight at c3 is defended, and Black cannot land the counter-blow ... e4!. He is forced to withdraw his bishop from its active position and give up his control over e4. Such a ridiculous losing of the opening battle upset me and, as the course of the game shows, partly prevented me from making a sober assessment of what was happening.

14 ... Bd7 15 Nde4 a4

Black's only achievement in this unattractive position. Had White managed to play b2-b3, his Q-side offensive would have developed unhindered. But how should the resulting position be assessed? During the game, depressed by my mistake on move 12, I considered Black's position to be poor. Veingold, as it later transpired, assessed the situation quite differently, reckoning that everything was relatively all right for Black. The most accurate assessment was given by Botvinnik: "White for a long time holds a strategic initiative, and if he does not go wrong he will be able to dictate his conditions. Black's position, although passive, is solid, and with accurate defence it is unlikely that he should lose".

16 f3 b6 17 Bd3 Bf6

With his last move White probed a weak point in Black's position — his g6 pawn, and prevented 17 ... Nc5 (18 NXc5 bXc5 19 Qc2). Therefore it is natural that Black should want to defend the weak pawn with his king, and at the same time to activate his king's bishop (see diagram).

18 NXf6+!

When this move was reproduced on the demonstration board, grandmaster Gufeld — a passionate supporter of the bishop at g7 —

Position after 17 . . . Bf6:

XABCDEFGHY
8r+-+qtrk+(
7+-zpl+-+n'
6nzp-zp-vlpzp&
5+-+Pzp-+-%
4p+P+N+PvL$
3zP-sNL+P+-#
2-zP-+-+-zP"
1tR-+Q+RmK-!
xabcdefghy

came up to me and exclaimed: "Criminal!". Who?", I asked. "Both of you!". At the time this episode merely made me laugh. . ..

The exchange by White of his finely-placed knight at e4 for the bishop is the result of a correct evaluation of the position: the King's Indian bishop was playing an important role in the defence of its king, and after its transference to g5 it could have become a powerful force. But at the board I thought that the exchange was in favour of Black, and I saw the main danger in the variation 18 BO Nc5 19 NXc5 bXc5 20 Ne4, although I considered the position after 20... Bg5 to be acceptable.

18 ... NXf6 19 Qd2 Nc5 20 Bc2 Kg7?

By this time I had convinced myself that Black's prospects were not after all so cheerless, and I quickly went to the other extreme — I began to overrate my chances. I rejected the correct 20... g5, not wishing to allow the perpetual check after 21 BXg5 hXg5 22 QXg5+ Kh8 23 Qh6+ Kg8 24 Qg5+ (but not 24 g5 Qh5 or 24 f4 Qe7). Black would have had the most difficult problems to solve after 21 Bf2! Kf7! (21... Qe7 22 h4 Qg7 23 Be3 ±) 22      h4 Rg8 23 hXg5 hXg5 24 Be3 Ke7 25 BXg5 Qf7. White probably retains the advantage, but playing for a win would involve some risk in view of the insecure position of his king, e.g. 26 Ne4 NXe4 27 BXe4 Qg7 28 BXf6+ QXf6 29 RO Rh8, or 27 fXe4? RXg5 28 QXg5 Rg8.

21 Rael

Simple and strong. Unexpectedly (to me) it transpired that the threat of f3-f4 was very dangerous. 21 ... Qf7 does not help: 22 f4 eXf4 23 QXf4 g5 24 BXg5 hXg5 25 QXg5+ Kh8 26 RXf6, and wins. After lengthy reflection I managed to find an interesting possibility.

21 ... Nb3!

XABCDEFGHY
8r+-+-+ksn(
7+-+n+rvl-'
6lzp-+p+-+&
5zp-+-zPpsNQ%
4P+-zP-+-+$
3+-sN-+-+-#
2-zPL+-tRPzP"
1tR-+-+-mK-!
xabcdefghy

At the cost of a pawn Black tries to eliminate the dangerous white-squared bishop and to parry the attack. It is dangerous to accept the sacrifice: 22 BXb3 aXb3 23 Qdl? g5 24 Bg3 h5 25 h3 Qg6 26 QXb3 hXg4 27 hXg4 BXg4! 28 fXg4 Qd3 29 Bh2 NXg4 30 Qdl Qh3 31 Qe2 Rh8, or 29 Kg2 Ne4! 30 Bh2 RXfl 31 RXfl QXfl+!

22 Qd3?

On the threshold of time trouble White does not want to take risks, and he offers to repeat the position (22 ... Nc5), perhaps merely with the aim of trying to clarify the opponent's intentions. The only way to cast doubts on Black's idea was by the energetic 22 BXb3 aXb3 23 f4!, when to maintain his hold on e5 Black has to resort to extreme measures — 23 ... g5. Now nothing is achieved by 24 fXg5 NXg4 25 RXf8 QXf8 26           Rfl Qe8 27 h3 Qh5. Correct is 24 fXe5! NXg4 25 RXf8 QXf8 26 e6 Ne5 (26 ... gXh4 27        Qg2! Qf4 28 h3) 27 RXe5 dXe5 28 Bg3 Be8 29 BXe5+ Kh7 30 BXc7 Qf5, and although the open position of the white king gives Black certain counter-chances, the formi-dable central pawns give White a big, and possibly decisive advantage.

The indecisive 22 Qd3 allows Black to set up defensive lines.

22        ... g5 23 Bg3

23        Bf2 is evidently more accurate.

23 ... Nc5 24 Qd2 Qf7 25 h4 Nh7 26 BXh7 gXh4!?

Black could have given up a pawn: 26 ... KXh7 27 hXg5 hXg5 28 QXg5 Qg6 with an acceptable position.

27 BXe5+ dXe5 28 Bbl Qf4!

The only move (28 ... Qf6? 29 f4! eXf4 30 Qc2 Rf7 31 RXf4!), after which the exchange of queens is inevitable, since 29 ... Qg3+ is threatened, and 29 Qg2 is unpleasantly met by 29 ... h5.

29 QXf4 RXf4! 30 RXe5 Raf8

Only by activating his forces to the maximum can Black gain sufficient counter-chances. There was no time to restore the material balance: 30 ... RXc4? 31 Re7+ Kf6 32 Rh7.

31 Re7+

XABCDEFGHY
8-+-+-tr-+(
7+-zpltR-mk-'
6-zp-+-+-zp&
5+-snP+-+-%
4p+P+-trPzp$
3zP-sN-+P+-#
2-zP-+-+-+"
1+L+-+RmK-!
xabcdefghy

31        ... R8f7?

A mistake, which reduces to naught all Black's efforts. By retaining both rooks, he could have avoided defeat, e.g. 31 ... Kg8! 32 Ne4 BXg4 33 NXc5 bXc5 34 RXc7 BXO 35 RXc5 Rg4+ 36 Kh2 Rg2+ 37 Kh3 Rg7, or 34 Be4 Bh3 35 Rf2 R8f7 36 RXf7 KXf7, and Black has nothing to fear.

32        RXf7+ KXf7 33 Ne4?

In the time scramble Veingold also goes wrong. 33 Be4! would have consolidated his advantage, whereas after 33 Ne4? Black has a clear draw by 33 ... NXe4 34 BXe4 (34 fXe4? RXfl+ 35 KXfl Kf6, and it is only White who is in danger of losing) 34... Kf6! and. . . Ke5.

33 ... Nb3?

Not long before, by moving from c5 to b3, this knight saved the black position when it was on the point of collapse. The repetition of the move proves fatal. To this day I cannot understand what caused me to make such a ridiculous move. I was obviously unable to withstand the tension in a game which had been difficult for me from the very start.

34Kf2

A precise move, which essentially concludes the game. Black is without both a pawn, and any activity — he has only weaknesses. The finish was:

34... BXg4 35 Ke3 Rf5 36 Rf2 Bh5 37 Nd6+ cXd6 38 BXf5 Kf6 39 Bc2 Nc5 40 Rh2 Kg5 41Bdl

Here the time scramble ended, and I sadly had to admit that there was only one possible outcome — 1-0. A just result! Each received his desserts. White tenaciously clung on to the bird in the hand (the initiative), while Black vainly chased after the two in the bush ....

But perhaps grandmaster Gufeld was right, when he maintained that all Black's misfortunes began with the exchange of his king's bishop?!

Kasparov-Butnoryus

Bogo-Indian Defence

1 d4 Nf6 2 c4 e6 3 Nf3 Bb4+ 4 Nbd2

White has two roughly equivalent continuations: 4 Bd2 and 4 Nbd2, but I like the latter.

I now prefer 4 Bd2, but I still agree with the first half of the sentence.

4 ... 0-0 5 e3 b6

The alternative is 5 . . . c5 6 a3 BXd2+ 7 QXd2 b6 8 Be2 d5 9 0-0 Ba6 10 dXc5 bXc5 11 b3 with a slight advantage. White can also consider the unpretentious 6 dXc5 BXc5 7 Bd3 Nc6 8 a3 a5 9 b3.

6 Bd3 Bb7 7 0-0 d5 8 a3 BXd2

8 ... Bd6 is unpleasantly met by 9 b4 c5 10bXc5bXc5 11 Rbl!

9 BXd2

9 NXd2 is tempting, so as after 9 ... Nbd7 10 cXd5 eXd5 11 b4 to develop the bishop at b2, e.g. 11 ... c5 12 dXc5 bXc5 13 Bb2 with the advantage, but 10 ... NXd5 11 Nf3 c5 gives Black a satisfactory game.

9 ... Nbd7 10 cXd5 BXd5

After 10 ... eXd5 11 b4 Black has an unpromising position.

11 b4 c5 12 Rcl!

12 dXc5 bXc5 13 Bc3 Ne4 14 Bb2 is also possible, since after the interposition 12 ... BXf3! 13 gXf3 bXc5 White's two bishops compensate for the weakening of his king's

pawn screen. 12 Bc3? is unconvincing: 12 ...Ne4 13 Bb2 c4 etc.

12        ... cXd4

Black reckons that his active minor pieces and the weakness of the c4 square will give him good chances, but he fails to take into account the strength of the two bishops as the position opens up, as well as the weakness of the c6 square. However, he did not have anything better. 12 ... BXB 13 QXB cXd4 14 eXd4 leads to a position where a draw for Black is the limit of his dreams, and 12 ... Rc8 is unpleasantly met by 13 Ba6!

13 NXd4 Ne5 14 Ba6!

Conclusively seizing control of the c-file. Weaker is 14 Be2 Ne4 15 Bel Nd6!

14        ... Ne4 15 Bel

The two bishops must be retained; after 15 B NXd2 16 QXd2 Qe7! 17 e4 Bb7 18 BXb7 QXb7 the chances are equal, e.g. 19 f4 Ng6 20 f5 Ne5!

15        ... Qg5?!

Black tries to solve his difficulties by tactical means, but he goes out of the frying-pan into the fire. However, the natural 15... Nd6 would also have left White with the advantage after 16 Qe2! Nf5 17 Bc3.

16 f4 Qg6 17 fXe5 Nc5 18 Bg3 NXa6

18        ... Qe4 does not work, since after 19 Qe2 NXa6 20 Rf4! QXe5 21 Rg4 White

remains a piece up. But now it appears that Black has everything in order (see diagram).

19 Nf5!

Exploiting the immunity of his knight

Position after 18 . . . NXa6:

XABCDEFGHY
8r+-+-trk+(
7zp-+-+pzpp'
6nzp-+p+q+&
5+-+lzP-+-%
4-zP-sN-+-+$
3zP-+-zP-vL-#
2-+-+-+PzP"
1+-wQR+RmK-!
xabcdefghy

(after 19 ... eXf5 20 QXd5 the difference in strength between the remaining bishop and knight is too great), White transfers it to d6, where it will severely restrict the mobility of the black pieces and assist the advance e3-e4.

19 ... Rae8

19        ... Qg5 is completely bad because of

20 h4! Qd8 21 Nd6.

20 Nd6 Re7 21 Rf4!

Transferring the rook to the fourth rank, where it will be able to attack the enemy king, and also preparing to triple (!) heavy pieces and put pressure on the f7 pawn. At the same time Black has to defend against the threat of 22 Rg4 Qh6 23 Bf4 Qh5 24 RXg7+.

21... h5 22 e4 Ba8 23 Bh4 Rd7

Not 23 ... f6 24 eXf6 gXf6 25 Rc3, when White develops a very strong attack.

24 Rc3 Qh6

On 24 ... Nc7 White had the following attacking plan: 25 Rg3 Qh7 (25 ... Qh6 26 Bg5 Qh7 27 Rh4 g6 28 Bf6) 26 Rg5!? g6 27 Qa4 b5 28 QXa7, with a decisive advantage after both 28 ... Nd5 29 QXd7 NXf4 30 QXb5 and 28... f5 29 eXf6 RXd6 (29... Nd5 30 f7+) 30 f7+ RXf7 31 Qb8+.

25 Qfl Nc7 26 Rcf3!

26 Rg3 Ne8 27 Bg5 Qh7 28 NXe8 RXe8 29 Bf6 g6 is also strong, but in this case Black still retains some hope.

26 ... f5

Black could hardly afford to give White two further tempi- 26... Qg6 27 Rg3 Qh7 28 Bf6 g6, although White is not obliged to follow this path, and can prefer the immediate 27 Bf6.

XABCDEFGHY
8l+-+-trk+(
7zp-snr+-zp-'
6-zp-sNp+-wq&
5+-+-zPp+p%
4-zP-+PtR-vL$
3zP-+-+R+-#
2-+-+-+PzP"
1+-+-+QmK-!
xabcdefghy

27 eXf6!

The calculation of this continuation took me more than 30 minutes, although it was clear that the resulting complications would favour the better mobilized forces. All this time I was seeking the clearest way to win.

27... RXd6

The alternative 27 ... e5 meets with a pretty reply: 28 Qc4+ Kh7 (bad is 28 ... Bd5 29 eXd5 eXf4 30 Nf5) 29 fXg7 eXf4 30 Nf5! (30 gXf8=Q QXf8 is not so clear) 30... Rdl+ 31 Rfl RXfl+ 32 KXfl Qe6 33 gXf8=N+! etc.

28 f7+ Kh7 29 Be7 e5 30 BXf8

After 30 Rf5 RXf7 31 RXf7 Rg6 and then .. .Ne6 Black has some chances of saving the game.

30 ... eXf4 31 BXd6

Weaker is 31 Be7 (31 RXf4? Rf6!) 31 ... Rf6! 32 f8=Q RXf8 33 BXf8 Ne6, while after 32 BXf6 QXf6 33 RXf4 Qd4+ 34 Khl Ne6 35 f8=Q NXf8 36 RXf8 BXe4 White has some technical difficulties, which I wanted to avoid by retaining the e4 pawn for the endgame.

31 ... QXd6 32 Qd3 Qe7 33 Qc4

33 Qd7 QXd7 34 f8=N+ was also pretty strong, but I decided not to exchange queens.

33 ... Kh6

33... b5 is also completely hopeless: 34 f8=Q QXf8 35 QXc7 BXe4 36 RXf4 Qe8 37

Rf7 Qg8 38 QXa7, while if 33 ... Ne6 34 QXe6.

34 RXf4

34 f8=Q QXf8 35 QXc7 g5 36 Rd3 would have been the simplest way to win.

34 ... Ne6 35 Qc8

Now it is not so clear: 35 QXe6 QXe6 36 f8=Q BXe4.

35... Qd6 36 Qh8+ Kg6 37 f8=N+ NXf8 38 QXf8 Qdl+

Or 38 ... Qd4+ 39 Kfl Qdl+ 40 Kf2, and then as in the game.

39Kf2

Also good is 39 Rfl Qd4+ 40 Qf2 QXe4 41 Qf7+ Kh6 42 Qf4+ with a won ending, but for a long time I had been determined not to give up my e4 pawn.

39 ... Qd2+ 40 Kg3 Qel+ 41 Kh3

The e4 pawn is immune: 41 ... BXe4 42 Qe8+ (this is why the check at h8 was needed). Here Black adjourned the game, but then resigned without resuming.

Minsk, 1979

47th USSR Championship, Premier League

The New "Discovery of America"

Kasparov- Yusupov

Ruy Lopez

1 e4 e5 2 Nf3 Nc6

Until recently Yusupov's repertoire included the sharp Chelyabinsk Variation of the Sicilian Defence and the quiet Petroff s Defence. But in the USSR Championship (1st League) Artur had employed the currently popular Open Variation of the Ruy Lopez.

3 Bb5 a6 4 Ba4 Nf6 5 0-0 NXe4 6 d4 b5 7 Bb3 d5 8 dXe5 Be6 9 Be3

The main lines arising after 9 c3 or 9 Nbd2 Nc5 10 c3 d411 Ng5!? were undoubtedly well known to Yusupov, and so I chose a little-studied continuation.

9 ... Be7

The Encyclopedia of Chess Openings (ECO) recommends 9... Na5, promising Black easy equality, but a game Kupreichik-Slutsky (1979) did not confirm this assessment: 10 Nd4 Qd7 11 Qel NXb3 12 aXb3 Be7 13 b4 c5 14 NXe6 fXe6 15 f3 ±.

Of course, this comment and the previous one are out of date. Today 9 Nbd2 Nc5 10 c3 d4 11 Ng5 can in no way be regarded as a "main" line  (the   World  Championship Match  in Merano brought to the forefront 11 BXe6NXe6 12 cXd4 NcXd4 13 Ne4 and 13 a4, while instead of 10 . .. d4 Black often plays 10 . . .Bg4). The continuation 9 Be3 has become popular, ECO (its second edition!) no longer recommends 9... Na5, and after 9... Bel the most accurate is reckoned to be 10 c3 Nc5 (10... 0-011Nbd2) HBc2, avoiding 10 Nbd2 Nc5 (11 c3 Nd3!).

10 Nbd2 0-0 11 c3

11 NXe4 is harmless: 11... dXe4 12 BXe6 fXe6 13 Nd2 Qd5 14 Qg4 NXe5 15 QXe4

Rad8. Apart from this, Black has the interesting possibility of 12 ... eXD, e.g. 13 Bd5

NXe5! or 13Qd5Nb4 14QXd8RaXd8 15Bb3 c5.

11... Bg4

11... NXd2 12 QXd2 Qd7 is sounder. As it transpired after the game, the bishop move and the variations associated with it are examined in considerable detail in ECO. Butat the board, from this point both players were "discovering America". . . .

12 NXe4 dXe4 13 Qd5 eXf3

After the game, evidently under the impression of what had happened, Artur maintained that the ending arising after 13 ... QXd5 14 BXd5 eXD 15 BXc6 fXg2 16 KXg2 Rad8 is not dangerous for Black. This, of course, is not so, and the undermining 17 a4 gives White a clear advantage.

14 QXc6 fXg2 15 QXg2 Qd7 16 Bh6! gXh6 17 f3 h5?

This in fact is an "innovation"! Now Black's difficulties mount. The best path is that indicated in ECO: 17 ... Bc5+ 18 Khl Rae8. At the same time the following line is certainly no good: 17 ... Kh8 18 fXg4 Rg8 19 h3 h5 20 RXf7 hXg4 21 Qe4!

18 Radl Qf5 19 fXg4 QXe5

XABCDEFGHY
8r+-+-trk+(
7+-zp-vlp+p'
6p+-+-+-+&
5+p+-wq-+p%
4-+-+-+P+$
3+LzP-+-+-#
2PzP-+-+QzP"
1+-+R+RmK-!
xabcdefghy

It is hard to attach a question mark to this move - the defence after 19... QXg4 20 Rd7 must have seemed decidedly thankless to Yusupov. The capture on e5 leaves Black with the hope of equalizing, should White make the slightest inaccuracy. Thus nothing is achieved by 20 RXf7 Kh8!, or 20 Rf5 Qe3+ 21 Khl Rad8 22 Rdfl Kh8.

20 Rdel!

Essentially, the deciding move. The pre-carious position of Black's king and the lack of co-ordination between his pieces allow White to conclude the game within a few moves.

20 ... Qc5+ 21 Khl Rad8?

This loses a piece, but 21 ... Rae8 22 Rf5 Qd6 also fails to save Black. Now the tempt¬ing 23 RXf7 RXf7 24 gXh5+ Kf8 25 Rgl leads after 25 ... Bh4! 26 Qg8+ Ke7 27 QXf7+ Kd8 28 Rdl Rel+ to an ending with drawing chances for Black. "Stronger" is 23 gXh5+ Kh8 24 RXf7 RXf7 25 BXf7 Rf8 26 Rgl with inevitable mate. White also has a decisive attack after 21 ... Bh4 22 Rf5 Qd6 23 Refl.

22 Rf5 Qd6 23 Rd5 Qg6 24 RXe7 RXd5 25 BXd5 hXg4 26 Qe4 QXe4+ 27 BXe4 Rd8 28 RXc7 h5 29 Bc2 Rd5 30 Bb3 Rf5 31 Kg2 a5 32RXf7

After 15 minutes' thought I decided that this was the quickest way to force Black's capitulation.

32 ... RXf7 33 Kg3 a4 34 BXf7+ KXf7 35 Kh4 Kg6 36 b3 a3 37 c4 bXc4 38 bXc4 Kf5 39 KXh5 Ke4 40 KXg4 Kd4 41 h4

White promotes his pawn two moves earlier.

Black resigns.

Kasparov-Georgadze

Philidor's Defence

1 e4 e5 2 Nf3 d6

The opening moves of the Tbilisi grandmaster came as a surprise to me. As far as I am aware, in recent years Georgadze has been faithful to 1 ... c5.

3 Bc4 Be7 4 d3

I decided to answer cunning with cunning, by choosing an unusual plan of development, after which for a long time Black has to manoeuvre without any specific aim, in a situation which would be unfamiliar to a supporter of the Sicilian Defence.

4... Nf6 5 c3 0-0 6 0-0 c6 7 Bb3 Be6 8 Bc2

This retreat is the logical consequence of

White's opening strategy. He is playing the Ruy Lopez. But what is Black playing?

8 ... h6

It is natural that Black should want to preserve his bishop from exchange. It is reckoned that in such a situation he is not obliged to lose time, since 8... Nbd7 9 Ng5 is not dangerous in view of 9 ... Bg4. But after 9 Rel Qc7 10 d4 Re8 11 h3 there does not appear to be a more suitable continuation than 11 . . . h6.

9 Rel Nbd7 10 Nbd2 Qc7 11 d4

Of course, the advance . .. d5 should not be allowed. Now Black could have played ll...Bg4(e.g. 12h3Bh513NflNh7),but he chooses a restrained system of development, which for the moment does not oblige him to determine his plans.

11 ... Rfe8 12 h3! Nf8 13 c4

After first restricting Black's possibilities on the K-side, White unexpectedly changes the pattern of the strategic battle. Instead of play on the K-side, he begins operations aimed at seizing space in the centre. Since the exchange 13 ... eXd4 gives White excellent chances - 14 NXd4 Qb6 15 N2f3! BXc4 16 Nf5! - Black allows the further advance of the d-pawn.

13 ... Ng6 14 d5 Bd7

XABCDEFGHY
8r+-+r+k+(
7zppwqlvlpzp-'
6-+pzp-snnzp&
5+-+Pzp-+-%
4-+P+P+-+$
3+-+-+N+P#
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15 Nbl!

Less was promised by the transfer of the knight via fl, since this would have weakened White's fighting potential on the Q-side. He now plans an offensive withNc3, Bd2, b2-b4 etc. Incidentally, among my memorable games this is the third where in many respects the outcome was decided by the transfer of a knight via bl. But while, for example, in my very sharp encounter with L. Zaid (Leningrad, 1977) I carried out the manoeuvre Nc3-bl-d2, here White's advantage is consolidated by the reverse manoeuvre.

In my game with Lutikov (cf p.l) the knight retreated from c3 so that, after allowing the c-pawn to advance (c2-c4), it could then return to intensify the pressure on the centre. There is no reason to be proud about the knight ma-nouvre in the meeting with Zaid, but in itself this game is interesting: 1 e4 c5 2 Nf3 d6 3 d4 cXd4 4 NXd4 Nf6 5 Nc3 a6 6Bg5 e6 7f4 Qb6 8 Qd2 QXb2 9Nb3 Qa3 10BXf6gXf611 Be2 Nd7 12 0-0 h5 13 Qd4I? (with the transparent threat of 14 Nbl; 13 Khl Be7 14 Radl or 14 Rabl is better) 13.. . b514Nbl?!Qa415c4b4 16/5 Be7 17 fXe6 fXe6 18 Nld2 Qc6 (the position, of course, is in Black's favour, and it is only the precarious future of the black king that inspires White) 19 a3 bXa3 20 Khl Rb8 21 RXa3 Qb6 22 Qal Ne5 23 c5 dXc5 24 Nc4 Qc7 25 Nbd2 NXc4 26 NXc4 Rb4 27 e5! (in this stage of the game Zaid is manifestly unsuccessful — his position is on the verge of collapse! And although subsequently both players make errors, the attack on the king brings White victory) 27. . .fXe5 28Qdl Bd729RXa6h4 30 h3 Rg8 31 RXe6 Kd8 32 RXe5 RXc4 33 Qd5 RXg2 34 BXc4 Rg3 35 Qa8+ Qc8 36 Qa5+ Ke8 37Bf7+Kf8 38 Be6+Kg7 39 QalKh6 40 Qcl+ Bg5 41 RXg5 Qc6+ 42Bd5RXh3+ 43Kg2, and Black resigns.

15... Bf8

Black does not sense the danger. In search of counter-chances he should have opened the c-file - 15 ... cXd5 16 cXd5, and after 16 ... b5! begun counter-play on the Q-side, with the following piece set-up in mind: ... Rec8,  ... Qb7 and  ... Bd8-b6(a5).

16 Nc3 c5?

And this is a strategic blunder. Even after the loss of time he should have reverted to the plan with  ... cXd5.

17 Ba4!

With the given pawn formation in the centre, this exchange favours White, since the prospects for the two remaining bishops are by no means equivalent.

17        ... a6 18 BXd7 NXd7

18        ... QXd7 was a little better, to which White could have replied 19 a4, depriving Black of counter-play. But 19 a3 b5 20 Be3 appealed to me more, allowing Black to open up the Q-side. In the imminent battle there White would have had more pieces.

19 g3 Be7 20 h4 Nf6 21 Nh2 Qd7 22 a4 Qh3 23 Qf3 Qd7

The queen's futile sortie to h3 is explained by a demonstration of activity before the offer of a draw on move 22, and a sober assessment of the situation after White's refusal. A more tenacious resistance could have been offered by 22... Bd8, although 23 a5 b5 24 aXb6 BXb6 leads to an obvious advantage for White. But in time trouble it is not easy to take such a committing decision, and Georgadze, abandoning any ideas of counter-play, decides to defend passively, relying on the strength of his pawn chain.

24 a5 Nf8 25 Bd2 Rec8 26 Nfl

Black's tragedy is that, under conditions of extremely restricted manoeuvring space, he has to parry the threats of the much more mobile white army. Now 27 Ne3 is threatened.

26        ... Ng4

The black queen is now tied to the d7 square, and it becomes impossible to move the knight from f8 across to the Q-side. This is exploited by White, who immediately opens up the position on this part of the board.

27 Na4 Bd8 28 Reel Rab8

XABCDEFGHY
8-trrvl-snk+(
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6p+-zp-+-zp&
5zP-zpPzp-+-%
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29 b4

The start of the decisive offensive.

29 ... cXb4 30 BXb4 h5

Perhaps Black should have tried his chance in an open battle: 30 ... b5 31 aXb6 BXb6 32 c5 dXc5 (32 ... Ba7 33 c6!) 33 BXc5 BXc5 34 NXc5 RXc5. True, after 35 RXc5 Rb2 36 Ne3! NXf2 37 Rc2! the battle concludes, but after 30 ... h5 it essentially does not even begin.

31Nb6

The soundest continuation with the opponent in time trouble. 31 Qd3 was also good enough, e.g. 31 ... b5 32 aXb6 BXb6 33 NXb6 (33 c5 Ba7!) 33 ... RXb6 34 Ba3 Qb7 35 c5 Rb3 36 c6, but I did not want to allow Black even a glimmer of counter-play.

31        ... BXb6 32 aXb6

Now the main events develop on the c-file, and if it should be opened the b6 pawn will provide White with an outpost at c7.

32        ... Qe7 33 Qa3 Rd8

When your flag is hanging it is difficult to decide on a move like 35 ... Rc5!, but this was the last hope of a defence — 34 BXc5 dXc5 35 Ne3 NXe3 36 QXe3 Nd7.1 think that after 37 d6! White is bound to win.

34 f3 Nh6

34        ... Nf6 is strongly met by 35 Ne3.

35 c5 dXc5 36 BXc5 Qf6 37 Kg2 Re8 38 Be3 Nd7 39 Rabl Qe7

This loses material, but it was also very difficult to hold on after 39 ... Rbc8 40 Rc7 RXc7 41 bXc7 b5 42 d6.

40 QXe7 RXe7

Here the flag on Black's clock fell, and the controllers cut short the game. However, the obvious 41 Rc7 would have led to the immediate collapse of Black's position.

Tseshkovsky-Kasparov

Sicilian Defence

1 e4 c5 2 Nf3 e6 3 d4 cXd4 4 NXd4 Nc6 5 Nb5 d6 6 c4 Nf6 7 Nlc3 a6 8 Na3 Be7 9 Be2 0-0 10 0-0 b6 11 Be3

A well known position, favourable for White. Thus in the game Georgadze-Polu-gayevsky from the previous year's Championship (Tbilisi, 1978) Black encountered great difficulties after 11. .. Bb7 12 Qb3 Nd7 13RaclRe814RfdlNc515Qc2Bf616Nabl! One can also recall the earlier game Karpov-Olafsson (Amsterdam, 1976). It seemed to me that Black's difficulties stemmed from the poor position of his queen's knight, the place for which is at d7. Therefore.. . .

11        ... Ne5!?

To those who are concerned by the loss of time involved with this manoeuvre, one can point to the knight at a3! The idea of. . .Nc6-e5-d7 had already been tried (after the preparatory 11 ... Bb7 12 Rcl) in the game Tseshkovsky-Ribli (Riga, 1979). It all worked out well for Ribli, and so in our game Tseshkovsky acts more aggressively.

12 f4 Ned7 13Bf3 Bb7 14 Qe2

XABCDEFGHY
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14        ... Qc7?! 15 Racl

White's plan includes g2-g4, to which Black would like to reply .. . d5. But 14 ... Qc7 hinders this counter-blow, since the opposition of the black queen and the white rook on the c-file may tell. 14 ... Re8 was more precise, and if 15 Radl, only then 15... Qc7. Nevertheless, after 40 minutes' thought I came to the conclusion that, in spite of this inaccuracy, Black has quite good counter-play.

15        ... Rac8 16 g4 Nc5 17 Qg2 d5!

Perhaps 17 ... g5!? 18 fXg5 Nfd7 19 Be2 Ne5 is also acceptable.

This pawn sacrifice now seems dubious to me,

18 e5!

Of the three paths this is the only correct one. Both on the left path (18 eXd5), and on the right (18 cXd5) White would have won material, but:

(1)       18 eXd5 Nd3 19 g5! (19 Rcdl NXf4 20 BXf4 Bc5+! 21 Khl QXf4) 19 ... Bc5! 20 BXc5 QXc5+ 21 Khl NXd5! 22 cXd5 NXcl 23 RXcl b5 with the initiative.

(2)       18 cXd5 Nd3 19 d6! BXd6 20 Nd5 NXd5! 21 RXc7 NXe3 22 Qe2NXf4 23 QXe3 RXc7 with sufficient compensation for the queen.

18 ... Nfe4 19 cXd5 eXd5 20 b4

Things would hardly have been changed by 20 Rfdl Rfd8 21 b4 NXc3 22 RXc3 d4!

20 ... NXc3 21 RXc3 d4

A pawn sacrifice prepared long ago, leading to a position in which White will have certain difficulties: unco-ordinated pieces, and advanced pawns which may prove vulnerable. In general, Black has every reason to count on maintaining the balance.

22 BXd4 Qd7 23 Nc2!

Undoubtedly stronger than 23 Be3 BXf3 24    QXf3 Na4 25 RXc8 RXc8.

23        ... BXf3 24 RcXf3 Ne6 25 Be3 f5

At the board it seemed to me that this move, breaking up the phalanx of white pawns, was the strongest. But now I think that 25 ... Rc4 would have been at least as good, e.g. 26 f5 Ng5 27 Rf4 Rfc8 28 Nd4 Rc3.

26 eXf6 BXf6 27 Khl

This prophylaxis is necessary. Nothing is achieved either by 27 f5 Ng5, or by 27 g5 Be7 (27 ... BXg5? 28 fXg5 RXB 29 QXB RXc2 30 BXb6), when the white pawns are halted (28 f5? NXg5).

27        ... Qd5

Centralization. ... 27 ... Qc7 was also satisfactory.

28 a3 Qc4

There is not time for 28. . .b5:29Bgl!,and the knight at c2 acquires wonderful prospects.

29 f5

After 29 Nel Nd4 Black has a pretty good position, and so White offers to go into an equal ending.

29 ... QXc2 30 QXc2 RXc2 31 fXe6 Rc6 32 a4

Drawn.

Skara, 1980

European Team Championship

Kasparov-Pribyl

Grunfeld Defence

1 d4 Nf6 2 c4 g6 3 Nc3 d5 4 cXd5 NXd5 5 e4 NXc3 6 bXc3 Bg7 7 Nf3 b6

Usually 7 ... c5 is played. The pawn advance to b6 has occurred after 7 ... 0-0 8 Be2, but in this situation, as far as I am aware, this is the first time it has been played.

8 Bb5+ c6 9 Bc4 0-0 10 0-0

10 Qe2 should possibly have been considered, preventing the exchange of white-squared bishops, but I thought that even without these pieces White would have good prospects.

10 ... Ba6 11 BXa6 NXa6 12 Qa4

An inaccuracy. The simple 12 Bg5 Qd7 13 Qd2 was stronger — White's solid centre and the poor position of the knight at a6 ensure him a stable advantage.

12 ... Qc8 13 Bg5 Qb7 14 Rfel e6

At the board it was not easy to decide which was better: 14 ... e6 or 14 ... Rfe8. The two moves are probably equivalent.

15 Rabl c5

Practically forced — 16 c4 was threatened. The preliminary 15 .. . h6 would have met with the unpleasant reply 16 Be3, preventing

16 d5!

If White makes the further preparatory move 16 Redl, he can easily lose the initiative after ... f5.

16 ... BXc3 17 Redl eXd5 18 eXd5

White's positional plusses fully compensate for his material deficit. He has a strong passed pawn, and the opponent's pieces are badly placed, especially the knight at a6.

18        ... Bg7

If Black first attends to his knight, then 18... Nc7 can be met by 19 Be7 Rfe8 20 Qd7, while after 18 ... Nb8 White has a choice: he can either regain his pawn (19 Qc4 Bg7 20 QXc5), or continue the attack — 19 Qh4.

19 d6 f6

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20 d7!

After 20 Bf4 White undoubtedly has sufficient compensation for the pawn. The piece sacrifice which he offers might be considered debatable, but even now, after a serious and calm analysis, it appears correct to me. And how much more difficult it must have been for Black to work things out at the board.

20 ... fXg5

The critical continuation. In addition, I considered the following possibilities:

(1)       20 ... Nb4 21 Qb3+ Kh8 22 Ne5 fXe5

23 d8=Q RaXd8 24 RXd8 RXd8 25 BXd8, and White's advantage is obvious.

(2)       20... Rad8 21 Qc4+ Kh8 22 Ne5! fXe5 23 BXd8 RXd8 24 Qe6! Qb8 (no better is 24 ... Nc7 25 Qe7 Qb8 26 Rb3 e4 27 Rd6 Bf8 28 Qf6+ Bg7 29 Qf7) 25 Rb3 c4 26 Rh3 Nc5 27 QXg6 h6 28 Rg3.

(3) 20 ... Kh8, when White has the quiet 21 Bf4, but he can also reply 21 Qc4, and Black has nothing better than 21 ... fXg5, transposing into the events in the game.

21 Qc4+ Kh8 22 NXg5 Bf6

The only move. 20... Bd4 would have lost immediately to 21 RXd4 cXd4 22 QXd4+ Kg8 23 Ne6.

23 Ne6 Nc7

Again forced. 21. . .Nb4isbad:22Qf4Nc6 (22 ... Nd5 23 Qd6) 23 NXf8 RXf8 24 d8=Q NXd8 25 RXd8.

24 NXf8 RXf8 25 Rd6

There was also the possibility of going into an ending: 25 QXc5 QXg2+ 26 KXg2 bXc5 27 Rb7 Ne6 28 Rd6 Nf4+ 29 Kf 1 Bd8 30 RXa7 with an obvious advantage. But I wanted to achieve more.

25... Be7

This allows a spectacular development of the attack. However, Black's game was very difficult, e.g. 25 ... Bd8 (or 25 ... Qb8 26 Rbdl Qd8 27 Rc6 Bg7 28 h4, and he is in zug-zwang) 26 h4 Qa6 27 Qc3+ Kg8 28 Qc2 (not allowing the queen out). The calamitous nature of Black's position is illustrated by the variation 28 ... BXh4 29 RXg6+.

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26 d8=Q!

Paradoxically, White gives up the pride of his position — his passed pawn. In the subsequent forcing play the black pieces prove to be unco-ordinated.

26 ... BXd8

26        ... RXd8 loses to 27 RXd8+ BXd8 28 Qf7 Qd5 (the only defence against the mate) 29 QXd5 NXd5 30 Rdl.

27        Qc3+ Kg8 28 Rd7 Bf6 29 Qc4+ Kh8 30 Qf4

The tempo play has come to an end, and White regains his piece. The best for Black now was 30 . . . Bg7 31 QXc7 QXc7 32 RXc7 Bd4 33 Rfl, although this ending is almost certainly lost.

30 ... Qa6? 31 Qh6

Black resigns. There is no defence against the mate.

Kasparov-Vukic

Caro-Kann Defence

1e4 c6

As it turns out, the opening repertoires of the two players have much in common. Against 1 d4 the Yugoslav grandmaster regularly fianchettos his black-squared bishop (at Banja Luka in 1979 I was obliged to play against the King's Indian Defence), and against 1 e4, along with Alekhine's Defence, Vukic also employs the Caro-Kann with 4... Bf5.

2 d4 d5 3 Nd2 dXe4 4 NXe4 Bf5 5 Ng3 Bg6 6 h4 h6 7 Nf3 Nd7 8 h5 Bh7 9 Bd3 BXd3 10 QXd3 e6 11 Bd2 Qc7 12 0-0-0 Ngf6 13 Ne4 0-0-0 14 g3

These last two moves were introduced by Yefim Geller. This plan is the most unpleasant one for Black, as I found out for myself in our game from the 46th USSR Championship.

14 ... NXe4 15 QXe4 Be7

Recommended by the Encyclopaedia of Chess Openings. I consider that the search for equalizing paths should be made in variations such as 15 ... c5 16 Bf4 Bd6, or 15 ... Nf6 16 Qe2 Bd6 17 c4 c5.

It would seem that the path to equality is narrower than I thought at the time — 75 ... c5?l is strongly met by 16 dXc5! NXc517 Qc4!, with the threat of Bf4!

16 Kbl Rhe8 17 Qe2!

Nothing is achieved by 17 c4 c5 18 Bf4 Bd6 19 Ne5 Re7!

17... Bd6 18 Rhel Re7

Against Geller I played 18 ... Nf6 19 Ne5 c5 20 dXc5 BXe5 21 QXe5 QXe5 22 RXe5 Rd4, and this ending, which is undoubtedly inferior for Black, I managed to draw. I think that 20 Bel promises White even more. By the move in the game Vukic prepares .. . e5 (the immediate 18 ... e5 can be met by 19 c4 e4 20 Nh4 Nf6 21 Nf5 Bf8 22 Bc3 with an obvious advantage).

19 c4 c5 20 Bc3 Nf6

On 20 ... cXd4 White has the unpleasant 21 BXd4! Bb4 22 Rhl e5 23 Be3.

21 Ne5 cXd4 22 RXd4

An inaccuracy, which went unnoticed. White has a clear advantage after 22 BXd4 BXe5 23 BXe5 RXdl+ 24 RXdl Qc6 25 g4 Rd7 26Rel!

22... BXe5 23 RXd8+ QXd8 24 BXe5  Rd7?

A routine move. Black seizes the d-file, which he does not need. 24 ... Qa5! was correct, tying down the opponent's pieces. But now White prevents this possibility and sets up the pawn chain f3-g4-h5.

25 Bc3 Qb6 26 g4 Qd6

Black plays without any definite plan, and in addition allows the tactical blow 27 g5 hXg5 28 h6. But this variation did not appear altogether convincing to me (28 . . . Qf4 29 hXg7 Rd8), and I decided not to deviate from my intended plan.

27 f3 a6 28 a4! Qd3+?

Of course, only by retaining the queens did Black have any chance of counter-play, bearing in mind the open position of the white king.

29 Kcl Kc7

29. . . Ne8 30 QXd3 RXd3 31 Rf 1 f6 32 Kc2 Rd7 33 Rel Nc7 34 f4 would hardly have changed anything, but it was still possible to return the queen to d6.

30 QXd3 RXd3 31 Rfl Kc6 32 Kc2 Rd7 (see diagram) 33 a5!

33 b4 looked tempting, and if 33 ... b5? 34 BXf6 gXf6 35 Rdl! with a winning position: 35 ... Re7 36 aXb5+ aXb5 37 c5, or 35 ... RXdl 36 aXb5+ aXb5 37 KXdl, or 35 ... bXa4 36 b5+ aXb5 37 cXb5+ Kc7 38 b6+ Kc6 39 RXd7 KXd7 40 f4. But 33 .. . a5! would have given Black counter-chances. After 33

Position after 32 . . . Rd7l:

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a5! the ending, in my opinion, is lost for Black — he is markedly cramped, and the balance of forces remaining on the board is the ideal one for White.

33 ... Ne8 34 Rel Rd6 35 f4 Nf6?

One can understand Vukic aiming to prevent g4-g5, after which the sacrifice at g7 becomes a possibility in various lines, e.g. 35 ... Kd7 36 g5 Rc6 37 Rdl+ Kc8 38 BXg7! But, engaged in a difficult defence, the Yugoslav grandmaster forgot for an instant about the defects of his pawn structure and the unfortunate position of his rook at d6. The retribution followed immediately.

36 BXf6 gXf6 37Rdl!

Black resigns, since in the pawn ending White creates passed pawns on both flanks.

Spiridonov-Kasparov

Queen's Pawn Opening

1 Nf3

Yet again! For the third time in this tournament I was obliged to solve one and the same problem: how after 1Nf3 to obtain an interesting position with a complicated (without simplification) struggle.

1 ... g6 2 d4 Nf6 3 Bg5 Bg7 4 Nbd2

Solid and sound! To drag White out of his entrenchments, it is clear that a lure is needed — the illusion of an "advantage".

4 ... c5 5 BXf6

And White begins to fight for an advantage, although, in my opinion, 5 e3 is more in the spirit of the position. To this I was intending to reply 5 . .. b6.

5... BXf6 6 Ne4 BXd4

6          ... Qb6 is objectively stronger, but after 7 NXf6+ QXf6 8 e3 there is little prospect of complicating the play. 6 ... Qa5+ 7 c3 BXd4 does not work because of 8 b4.

7 NXd4 cXd4 8 QXd4 0-0 9 c4

9 e3 is passive: 9 ... Nc6 10 Qd2 d5 11 Nc3 e6 with an excellent game, while 9 0-0-0 woud have been too sharp.. . .

Although in practice it is 9 0-0-0 that would have caused Black the most trouble.

9 ... Nc6 10 Qd2 d6 11 Nc3

White plans e2-e4. To avoid ending up in a positional bind, Black is obliged to hurry.

11 ... Be6 12 e4 Qb6!

12... f5 is much weaker in view of 13 eXf5 RXf5 14 Be2 Ne5 15 b3. The queen move creates the threat of ... Qd4, transposing into a favourable ending, and yet this path (13 Be2 Qd4 14 Rdl QXd2+ 15 RXd2) was the best for White. 13 Nd5 BXd5 14 eXd5 Nd415 Rdl looks good for him, but Black has an interesting tactical possibility: 15 . . . e5! 16 dXe6 Rfe8 17 QXd4 RXe6+ 18 Be2 Rae8 19 0-0 QXd4 20 RXd4 RXe2 with advantage.

This comment needs to be corrected: 13 Be2 is hardly the best, for the reason that 13 Nd5 BXd5 14 eXd5 Nd4 15 0-0-0! (but not 15 Rdl?) 15 ...e5 16 dXe6NXe6 17 Bd3 would have given White a fairly attractive position.

13 Rdl?

Now, exploiting his lead in development, Black seizes the initiative.

13 ... Ne5 14 b3 f5!

XABCDEFGHY
8r+-+-trk+(
7zpp+-zp-zpp'
6-wq-zplzp-+&
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3+PsN-+-+-#
2P+-wQ-zPPzP"
1+-+RmKL+R!
xabcdefghy

Here Spiridonov thought for a long time. Indeed, variations such as 15 eXf5 RXf5 16 f4 Raf8, or 15 Nd5 BXd5 16 QXd5+ Kg7, or 15 f4 Ng4 16 h3 Qe3+ 17 QXe3 NXe3 18 Rd3 Nc2+ 19 Kd2 fXe4 20 NXe4 Bf5! are not very com¬forting for White. His best was 15 eXf5 RXf5 16 Qd4, although after 16... QXd4 17 RXd4 Raf8 18 Rd2 Rf4 White still has difficulties over the development of his pieces. Hoping later to undermine Black's position in the centre, Spiridonov decided to allow ... f4.

15 Be2 f4 16 Nd5 BXd5 17 QXd5+ Kg7 18 0-0

White has completed his development, but at what a price! The powerful knight at e5 against the bishop at e2! White's only hope is the c4-c5 break, e.g. 18 ... a5 19 c5 QXc5 20 QXc5 dXc5 21 Rd5 Kf6 22 RXc5. Black should have played 18 ... Kf6!, and after the forced 19 b4 QXb4 20 Rbl Qa3 21 RXb7 Rab8! his advantage is obvious.

18 ... Rac8? 19 b4! QXb4 20 Rbl Qa3 21 RXb7 Kf6

Now this is no longer so strong, as White controls the b-file.

22        h4 h6

The threat was 23 Bg4! Now after 23 Qd2 g5 24 Rb3 Qc5 25 Rb5 White could have driven the black queen from its strong pos¬ition and gained reasonable counter-chances. The following day Spiridonov suggested that White could have seized the initiative by 23 Qd2 g5 24 g3, when 24 ... f3 is not possible due to 25 Rb3.1 could only regret that he did not find this possibility during the game: 24 g3? f3! 25 Rb3 Qa4 26 BXf3 QXb3!

23 Rdl?

A pretty trap (23 ... QXa2? 24 QXd6+!), but now White's game goes downhill.

23        ... Rb8!

Mistakes must be corrected!

24 Rc7 Rfc8 25 RXc8 RXc8 26 Qb7 Qc5 27 Qb2?

White could still have put up a resistance after 27 Rbl.

27 ... Qb6! 18 Qcl g5 29 Rd5 e6 30 hXg5+

It would have been better not to open the h-file, but, short of time, Spiridonov tries to reduce the number of moves remaining before the time control.

30... hXg5 31 Rdl Ke7! 32 Qc2 Rb8 33 Qa4 g4 34 Qa3 Qc5 35 Qc3 (the ending is obviously quite hopeless for White) 35 ... g3 36 Rfl

Here, just in case, I spent ten minutes  working out the straightforward winning variation, since I had already had some dismal experience in the playing of decided positions in my opponent's time trouble.

36 ... gXf2+ 37 RXf2 Rbl+ 38 Bfl Qe3 39 QXe3 fXe3 40 Rc2 NXc4

White resigns.

Baku, 1980

USSR Central Chess Club International Tournament

Kasparov-Zaitsev

Queen's Gambit

l d4d5 2 c4 e6 3 Nc3 Nf6 4Bg5 Be7 6 Nf3 h6 7 Bh4 b6

On the board we have one of the currently most popular opening systems, devised by Tartakower, and later developed by Bon-darevsky and Makogonov. Searches for an opening advantage for White are now mainly associated with 8 Qb3*. In this game I decided to try a sharp plan with castling on opposite sides.

8 Qc2 Bb7 9 BXf6 BXf6 10 cXd5 eXd5 11 0-0-0 c5 12 dXc5 Nd7!

Until recently theory regarded the pos¬ition arising after 12... bXc5 13 NXd5 BXd5 14 Bc4 Nd7 15 RXd5 Rb8 16 b3 as promising for Black, but the  two games Lapenis-

* To judge from tournament games of recent years, the choice between 8 Qb3, 8 Qc2, 8 Rcl, 8 Be2 and 8 Bd3 has become exclusively a matter of taste.

A. Petrosian (1979) and Gavrikov-Lputyan (1980) refuted this assessment. In the first, after 16 ... Qe7 17 h4! Nb6 18 Re5! Qc7 19 Re4 White retained his extra pawn and main¬tained the blockade at c4. In the second, Black continued 16... Qc7 17 Kdl Rfc8, and after 18 Ke2? Nb6 19 Rd2 NXc4 20 QXc4 Rb4 21 Qa6 c4 22 bXc4 Bc3 23 Rc2 Rb6 24 Qa4 Rb4, the game ended in a draw, whereas the obvious 18 Nd2! (the blockade at c4!) would have given White a clear advantage.

Black naturally began basing his hopes on 12 ... Nd7. As was shown by the game Lapenis-Klovan (1979), his initiative after 13 cXb6 QXb6 at least compensates for White's minimal material advantage. Little is also promised by the play against an isolated pawn (13 c6). True, in the game Nikitin-Kirpichnikov (1980) White gained an advan¬tage: 13 c6 BXc6 14 Nd4 Bb7 15 Be2 Rc8 16 Kbl Nc5 17 Bg4 Ra8 18 BO, but Black's play can be improved (for example, 15 ... a6 followed by ... b5 is interesting)!. When analysing  beforehand  the  position  after

12 ... Nd7, I came to the conclusion that White could fight for an advantage by 13 NXd5.

13 NXd5 NXc5

White also had to reckon with 13 ... Rc8, when the following moves are practically forced: 14 NXf6+ QXf6 15 RXd7 BXf3 16 gXfi RXc5 17 Bc4. If now Black is tempted by the pawn, White's threats become imposing: 17 ... QXf3 18 Rgl Qc6 19 Rd4 b5 20 Qc3!g6(20. . .bXc4 21RXg7+!;20. . .g5 21 h4) 21 RXg6+!! QXg6 22 BXf7+ RXf7 23 Rd8+ etc. Stronger is 17 ... Rfc8, offering White the choice between a queen ending with an extra pawn, but practically without any winning chances (18 Rhdl RXc4 19 Rd8+ RXd8 20 RXd8+ QXd8 21 QXc4 Qg5!), and a very sharp position which is difficult to assess (18 b3 b5 19 Rhdl bXc4 20 b4). I was intending to take the second path, which of course involves some risk, but also promises White chances of success.

14 Bc4

The tempting 14 Qf5 meets with a strong reply: 14 ... Qc8! 15 NXf6+ gXf6 16 QXc8 RaXc8 17 Kbl Ne4 with the better game.

14... b5 15 NXf6+

15        BXb5 BXd5 16 Bc4 meets with a pretty refutation involving a queen sacrifice —16... Be4! 17 RXd8 RfXd8 18 Qe2 Rac8, and Black's attack is irresistible. And after 15 Bb3 Rc8 (15 ... a5 is also good) 16 Kbl NXb3 17 QXb3 Rc5, by driving the knight at d5 from its dominating position, Black again obtains an excellent game (18 e4 Re8 19 Rhel RXe4).

15... QXf616 Bd5 Rac817 Kbl Na418 Qe2 BXd5 19 RXd5

The menacing position of the knight at a4, together with the not altogether secure position of the white king, promise Black counter-play, with which, however, he has to hurry, since in a move or two White will

† Very recently the discussion around the 16 c3 variation again flared up in connection with 15 g41? (instead of 15 Be2). But not for long—successes for White gave way to failures (cf, for example, Ubilava-Kharitonov, USSR Championship 1st League, 1983). Not satisfied with the evidence as to the soundness of his position after 15 g4, Black has also tried 14 . . . Rc8!?, which has worked out quite well! (cf Sturua-Markov, 1983).

manage to consolidate his position. In my analyses I had assessed the resulting situation to be in my favour, on the basis of the variations 19 ... Qg6+ 20 e4 QXg2 21 Rgl Qh3 22 Rg3 Qe6 23 Nd4 Qf6 24 Nf5, or 20... Rfe8 21 Rel QXg2 22 RXb5.

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Rc4!

A brilliant move, which immediately changes the picture. While strengthening the threat of. . . Qg6+, Black has also created two more — ... Rfc8 and, in particular, . . . Rb4. Capturing the b-pawn with 20 RXb5 gives him a terrible attack after 20 ... Rfc8, e.g. 21 Ne5 Qa6! 22 NXc4 QXb5 23 Rcl RXc4! 24 RXc4 Nc3+, winning the queen. 20 Nd4 is also weak because of 20 ... Qg6+ and 21 ... QXg2. White's reply is forced.

20 Rd4 Rfc8

It is now completely clear that Black has full compensation for the sacrificed pawn. But in spite of the failure of my opening, I was far from despondent — the battle was only just beginning, and Zaitsev had little more than 20 minutes left on his clock.

21 Rhdl

21 Qd3 (21 ... Rc2 22 Rd8+) appears to parry the attack and leave White with a material advantage, but the unexpected 21 . . . Nc5! creates irresistible threats: 22 RXc4 NXd3 23 RXc8+ Kh7 24 Rc2 Qg6, or 22 Qe2 Qg6+ 23 Kal Rcl+! 24 RXcl Nb3+ 25 aXb3 RXcl+ 26 Ka2 Qbl+ 27 Ka3 b5 28 Rd8+ Kh7 29 Ng5+ (29 Qd3+ QXd3 30 RXd3 Ral mate) 29 ... Kg6 30 Rd6+ f6. It is also difficult to defend after 21 RXc4 bXc4.

By 21 Rhdl White agrees to give up his queen for two rooks. At first sight the position after 21. . . Rc2 22 QXc2 RXc2 23 KXc2 favours Black: he is threatening to destroy the opponent's K-side - 23 ... Qg6+* 24 e4 QXg2 25 Ne5 QXf2+ 26 Rld2 Qe3. But White's plan is not quite so bad as this, and by 24 Kd2! NXb2 25 Rcl QXg2 26 Ke2 he maintains the balance.

Not seeing any real gains after 21 ... Rc2, my opponent, who up till now had played splendidly, makes a bad mistake — he overrates his chances. With his next two moves Black restores the material balance, but....

21 ... Qg6+? 22 Qd3 QXg2 23 Qf5!

Unexpectedly White has managed to line up his forces, and things have become uncomfortable for the black king, even behind its pawn defences. To weaken the force of the counter-attack, Black should have exchanged queens (23 ... Qg6), agreeing to a disagreeable ending, in which his chances of a draw and of a loss would have been roughly equal. Zaitsev declines to defend this ending, and decides to try his luck with the queens on, in the process setting some clever traps.

23        ... Rf8? 24 Rd8!

24        Rgl looked very tempting, in the hope of 24 ... QXf2 25 Rd2 QXe3 26 RXg7+!, mating. But it was in this case that Black's first "bomb" would have exploded: 24 ...Rc5! 25 Qe4 Rfc8! 26 a3 Qh3, and he is out of all danger.

24 ... Rc7 25 RXf8+ KXf8 26 Nd4!

Nothing decisive is achieved by either 26 Ne5 Qg5, or 26 QXb5 Rc8 27 Ne5 Nb6, when Black brings up his reserves.

26        ... Re7 27 NXb5

This move would also have been decisive after 26 ... Kg8. In taking the pawn with the knight, White avoids a last trap, set by the opponent who was by now in serious time trouble: 27 QXb5? Nc3+!

27        ... RXe3

27 ... g6 is most simply met by 28 Qf4,

* 23 . . . Qe6l? is more cunning, and possibly stronger.

when the knight and the h6 pawn are both attacked.

28 Nd6 Rf3

After 28 ... Kg8 29 Qc8+ Kh7 30 Qc2+ Black loses his venturesome rook.

29 Qc8+ Ke7 30 Qe8+ Kf6

Black resigns, without waiting for the obvious 31 QXf7+ with a quick mate. The once threatening knight at a4 remains for him as a mere memory of the fine song, which he cut short in mid verse by being tempted by the g2 pawn.

Kasparov-Csom

Nimzo-Indian Defence

1 d4 Nf6 2 c4 e6 3 Nc3 Bb4 4 e3 c5 5 Ne2 cXd4 6 eXd4 0-0

Two surprises at the very start! The Hungarian grandmaster very rarely employs the Nimzo-Indian Defence, and now instead of the usual 6 ... d5 he plays a move with a dubious reputation.

7 a3 Be7 8 d5

Less is promised by 8 g3 d5 9 c5, while in addition, during the game I did not like the look of 8 ... Qc7!?

8... eXd5 9 cXd5 Re8 10 g3 Bc5 11 Bg2

Here my opponent, who up till now had played quickly, sank into thought. Strangely enough, this natural bishop move is an innovation! The Encyclopaedia of Chess Openings quotes the game Polugayevsky-Kholmov (1961), in which after 11 Na4 Bf8 12 Bg2 d6 13        0-0 Nbd7 14 Be3 Ne5 15 Bd4 White obtained the better position. This is all correct, but after 11. . . b6! how is White to play? He can hardly be satisfied with 12 NXc5 bXc5 13 Bg2 Ba6 14 Be3 Ng4.1 fancy it was this idea that the Hungarian grandmaster had in mind.

11... d6

After convincing himself that the direct attack on f2 does not achieve anything, Csom continues his development. In fact, the variation 11 . . . Ng4 12 0-0 Qf6 13 Nf4 NXf2 14RXf2 BXf2+ 15 KXf2 g5 16 Ne4 Qb6+ 17 Be3 QXb2+ 18 Kgl is pretty depressing for Black, while after 12 ... Qb6 White can choose between a tempting pawn sacrifice —13 Ne4 RXe4 14 BXe4 NXf2 15 RXf2 BXf2+

16 Kg2 with a fine game (16... d617 BXh7+), and simple defence — 13 Qel.

12 h3!

The exchange of the c8 bishop for the knight at e2 (12 0-0 Bg4) must not be allowed. The knight has a more promising future than might appear at first sight.

12 ... Bf5 13 0-0 Nbd7

It is hard to attach a "?" or even "?!" to this natural move, but it is in fact the initial cause of Black's subsequent difficulties. It can be confidently stated that 13 ... Ne4 was stronger. Black did not want to part with his bishop at c5, but in fact 13 ... Ne4 14 Na4 Nd7 would have given him satisfactory piece play.

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14 g4!

The advance of the K-side pawns is perfectly well-founded — it severely cramps the black knights (which as it is have restricted manoeuvring possibilities). In addition, the bishop at c5 will be unable to take any part in the coming battle. From this point Csom began spending longer and longer over his moves. White's plan of attack came as such a surprise to him, that he could find no way of countering it.

14        ... Be4

It is unlikely that 14 ... Bg6 15 Ng3 Ne5 16 g5 Nfd7 17 Nce4 is any better — the efficiency of the black pieces is close to zero, and White threatens to advance his h-pawn.

15Ng3 BXg2 16 KXg2 Nf8 17 g5 N6d7 18 h4 Ne5

It would seem that the last chance of obtaining counter-play was the plan involving 18 ... Rc8, 19 ... Bb6 and 20 ... Nc5, not conceding the e4 square without a fight.

19 h5!

Black's pieces are restricted to the maximum extent, and now White's threats begin to take shape. Along with the direct Nce4 and h5-h6, the idea of Nce4, b2-b3 and f2-f4 also looks strong. After half an hour's thought, Csom realized that further passivity would lead to a rapid defeat, and so he decided to undermine White's pawn tandem. The situation becomes sharper, but.. .. not for long.

19... f6 20 Nce4! fXg5 21 BXg5 Qb6 22 h6

White has an overwhelming superiority in force on the decisive part of the battlefield. The part of the game after 19 ... f6 does not require any particular commentary. Black was all the time choosing the least evil. Note that 20 ... Nfd7 is very strongly met by 21 f4 Nf7 (or 21 ... Nc4 22 Qd3 b5 23 b3) 22 g6, while after 20 ... Qd7 there comes h5-h6 with even greater effect.

22 ... Nf7 23 hXg7 Nd7

Black defends only against the immediate threats, but against the transference of the white army to the K-side he is powerless.

24 Nf6+ NXf6 25 BXf6

Threatening, among other things, 26 b4,

winning the ill-fated bishop.

25... Qb5 26 Rhl Bb6 27 Qf3!

White simply prepares to double rooks on the h-file.

27... Ne5

This allows a spectacular finish, but 27 ... Bd8 was by no means better: 28 Bc3 Ne5 29 Qf5 QXd5+ 30 Ne4 with inevitable mate.

28 Nf5!

The knight from e2 also has its say, creating the threat of a rather unusual (for a practical game) mate. Of course, 28 Qf5 would also have won.

28 ... Nf7 29 RXh7!

Black resigns. As the reader will notice, not a single mark (question or exclamation) has been attached to any of Black's moves, and a purely subjective opinion has been given about some of them. It seems to me that the outwardly harmless inaccuracy 13 ... Nbd7 was already the start of Black's catastrophe. Or perhaps one should "dig" even deeper, and agree with ECO that 6 ... 0-0 is not good enough to equalize? However, the way one relates to Black's moves is a matter of taste, and it is well known that "one man's meat is another man's poison".

This conclusion now strikes me as being provocative, but at the time it fitted in well with the logical plan that had been constructed! Since then much has changed (even the "meat" and the "poison". . . .).

Firstly, in the game Chandler-Andersson (1980) Black found a successful arrangement of his pieces: 12 . . . a6l 13 0-0 Nbd7 14 Nd4 Ne5 and . . . Bd7 with good play. So that Black's inaccuracy (mistake?) must be considered to be 12 . . . Bf5, which gave White tempi to develop his offensive on the K-side.

White's attempts to demonstrate the dubious nature of 6. . . 0-0 have been associated with 10 Be3 and 10 d6. In the first case the play develops in his favour after 10. . . d6, or 10. . . Ng4 11 Bd4 d6 (or 11... Bf6), but Adorjan's idea of 11. . . Nh6!!(with the threat of. . . Nf5) practically forces White to go in for extreme measures: 12 g4 d6 13 h3 f5 µ (Groszpeter-Adorjan, 1983), or 12 Ng3 BXa3+ 13 Be2 BXb2 14 Nb5 «> (Ree-Ligterink, 1984).

In certain games, on the other hand, the gambit line 10 d6 Bf811 g3 Re612 Bg2 RXd6 13 Qc2 has given White a position with a wealth of chances. Another problem situation can arise on the initiative of Black, who has taken up 9. . . Bc5l? (instead of 9. . . Re8).

Today, four years later, there is in general no question of talking about 6 ... 0-0 having a "dubious reputation". An interesting thought is what will have happened to this move within another four years?

Through the Pawn Barricade

A curious position arose in the following game (see diagram).

Almost without thinking, Torre played 41 ... Bh6, and after 42 Ng4 the game was adjourned. The analysis of this position

Kasparov-Torre

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(with my trainers A. Nikitin and A. Shakarov) proved very interesting. It is obvious that Black cannot prevent the white pawn from reaching h6, after which the knight at e8 will be crippled. At first the winning plan appeared simple, e.g. 42 ... Kg7 43 NXh6 KXh6 44 Bd2+ Kg7 (of course, not 44 ... KXh5 45 Kh3, mating) 45 h6+ Kf7 46 Bel (or 46 Bc3), then the knight is transferred to e4, and after KB and Rg2. the advance of the g-pawn is decisive. There are also no difficulties in the variation 42 ... Bg5 43 h6 e4 44 Nf4 BXf4 45 gXf4 Nd7 46 Rfe2, when White picks up the e4 pawn, transfers his king to d3, knight to h5, and rook from a2 to e2, and then wins either by Nh5-g7, or by doubling rooks on the e-file.

But later it was found that after 42 ... Kg7 43 NXh6 KXh6 44 Bd2+ Kg7 45 h6+ Kf7 46 Bel Black can obtain counter-play by 46 ... Nd7 47 Rfe2 e4 and then . . . Ne5. More precise is 46 Bc3 — although the exchange of the bishop for the knight at e5 is undesirable (the knight at e8 comes back to life), never¬theless the dangerous knight must be kept under fire.

It became obvious that Black cannot delay the advance of his e-pawn: 46 Bc3 Nd7 47 Rfe2 e4 48 Nf2 Ne5 49 BXe5 fXe5 50 NXe4 Ke7 51 Ra6! RXa6 52 bXa6 Ra7 53 Ra2 Nc7 54 g4 RXa6 55 RXa6 NXa6 56 g5 with a straightforward win. The path for White is much more tortuous after 46 ... e4! 47 Nf4 Nd7 48 Ne6 Ke7. Now nothing is achieved by 49 Rfe2 Ne5 50 RXa7 RXa7 51 RXe4 Ra3 52 BXe5 dXe5 53 Rg4 Ra2+ 54 Kh3 Ral. White consolidates his advantage by the surprising 49 Rae2!, conceding the a-file, but retaining both rooks, when these are some characteristic variations:

49 ... Ra3 50 RXe4! RXc3 51 NXc5+ Ne5 52 NXb7 Ra3 53 c5! dXc5 (53 ... bXc5 54 b6) 54 d6+ NXd6 55 RXe5+ fXe5 56 f6+, or 50. . .Ne5 51BXe5dXe552Rg4Rba7 53Rg8 Rc3 54 Rh8 (54 Kh2 Raa3 55 Rg2 ±) 54 ... Raa3 55 RXh7+ Kd6 56 Nf8! RXg3+ 57 Kh2 Rh3+ 58 Kgl Rhg3+ 59 Rg2. If 52 ... Kd6 (instead of 52 ... Rba7), then 53 Rg8 Re7 54 Ng7! Kd7 55 NXe8 RXe8 56 Rg7+ Re7 57 d6! RXg7 58 hXg7 Ra8 59 Kf3 Rg8 60 Ra2 KXd6 61 Ra7 h5 62 Rf7! (but not 62 Ke4 h4 63 gXh4 because of 63 ... RXg7!).

After 49 ... Ra4 50 RXe4 Ne5 the advance of the g-pawn is decisive — 51 g4! RXc4 52 RXc4 NXc4 53 g5 Ne3+ 54 Kgl NXd5 55 g6 Rb8 56 gXh7 Nec7 57 Rg2 NXe6 58 Rg8. The following little ruse also does not help Black: 49 ... Ra4 50 RXe4 Ne5 51 g4 Ra3.

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Now after 52 BXe5 dXe5 the white rook's path to g8 is blocked. But 52 g5! breaks through Black's defences: 52 ... RXc3 53 g6 Rb8 (53 ... Nc7 54 Nd8!) 52 Ra2, when, in spite of his extra piece, he is helpless. 52 ... fXg5 is also bad because of 53 RXe5! RXc3 (53 ... dXe5 54 BXe5 Raa7 55 f6+ Kf7 56 NXg5+ Kg6 57 f7) 54 f6+! NXf6 55 RXg5 Ne8 56 Rg7.

All that seemed required now was to polish up some secondary variations, and I could go along to the resumption for a sure point. However, the resumption of this game was postponed: Torre, who had arrived late for the tournament, had some postponed games to play. Mentally "resuming" the game, I suddenly thought: "But what if Black should disrupt the co-ordination of the white pieces after 46... e4 47 Nf4, by advancing his doomed pawn — 47 ... e3 ?"

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After 48 Rfe2 Nd7 49 Ne6 Ke7 White is denied his favourable regrouping, whereas Black carries out his plan. We promptly got down to work, but. ... in every variation a defence was found for Black. We were on the point of returning to 46 Bel, when after 46... Nd7 47 Rfc2 (defending the c4 pawn) it appeared that 47 ... e4 48 Nf2 e3 49 Ng4 (49 ... Ne5 50 NXe3) promised success, but here too the desperate throw 49 ... e2! causes confusion in the white ranks: 50 RXe2 Ne5 51 Ne3 Nd3. After once again weighing up the variation 46 Bc3 e4 47 Nf4 e3! 48 Rfe2 Nd7 49 Ne6 Ke7 50 Ra6 RXa6 51 bXa6 Ra7 52 RXe3 Ne5 53 BXe5 dXe5 54 Ra3 Nd6 I concluded that the adjourned position was probably drawn. There only remained the hope that either Torre had not sealed 42 ... Bg5, or that he would not find 47 . . . e3!

But it is all very well hoping, and I still had the idea that White's play could somewhere be improved (seeing as there was still sufficient time for analysis). It turned out that in this last variation after 54 ... Nd6 55 Ra4 NXf5 White has an excellent move — 56 Nc7!

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We again sat down at the board, not yet imagining where this path would lead us. Black has three reasonable replies — 56 ... Nd6, 56 ... Nd4 and 56 . . . Kd7 - and each requires a thorough examination. Several hours of analysis, during which we had to make our way through a maze of intricate variations, gave the following results:

(1)       56... Nd6 57 Nb5 Ra8 (57 ... NXb5 58 cXb5 f5 59 g4!) 58 NXd6 KXd6 59 KB (59 g4 e4!) 59 ... f5 60 g4 e4+ 61 Kf4 fXg4 62 KXg4 (62 KXe4? Kc7 63 Kf4 b5!) 62 ... Kc7 (62 ...Ke5 63 a7! Kd4 64 d6 e3 65 d7? e2 66 Ral KXc4 67 Kf3 Kd3 68 Ra3+ Kd2 69 Ra2+ Kd3=; 65 KB! Kd3 66 Ra3+ Kd2 67 RXe3 Rf8+ 68 Ke4 Re8+ 69 Kd5 KXe3 70 d7)63 a7! b5 64 cXb5 Kb6 65 d6 KXb5 (65 ... e3 66 d7 e2 67 Re4) 66 RXe4 RXa7 67 Re7 Ra6 (67 ... Ral 68 RXh7 Kc6 69 Rh8) 68 d7 Rd6 69 RXh7 c4 70 Re7 c3 71 h7 c2 72 h8=Q cl=Q 73 Qb8+. This is the longest variation. It should be added that Black is not saved either by 66... Kc6 67 Re7 c4 (67 ... KXd6 68 RXh7 c4 69 Kf3 c3 70 Ke2!) 68 RXh7 c3 69 Rc7+ KXd670 RXc3 RXa7 71 Rh3, or earlier by 59 ...Kc7 60 Ke4 b5 61 cXb5 Kb6 62 Kf5 KXb5 63 Ral c4 64 d6.

(2)       56... Kd7 57 Nb5 Ra8 58 a7 Nd4 (58...Nd6 59 NXd6 KXd6 60 KB Kc7 61 Ke4 Kb7 62 Kf5 RXa7 63 RXa7+ KXa7 64 d6 Kb7 65 KXf6) 59 Ra6! NXb5 60 cXb5 f5 61 KB c4 62 Ke3 Kc7 63 d6+ Kb7 64 Ra4!

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Zugzwang!

(3) 56 ... Nd4 57 Nb5 Ra8 58 d6+ Kd7 59 Nc7 Ra7 60 Nd5 KXd6 61 NXb6 Kc6 62 Nc8 Ra8 63 Ne7+ Kd6 64 Nd5 Ra7 (65 Nb6 was threatened) 65 NXf6 Nf5 66 NXh7 NXh6 67 Nf6 Nf5 68 Ne4+ Kc6 69 Ra5. The white knight's acrobatic pirouettes make a strong impression. No better for Black is 60 ... b5 61 cXb5 NXb5 62 Nb6 Kd8 63 d7 Nd4 (63 ... Kc7 64 Ra5) 64 Nc8! Ra8 65 a7 Nc6 66 Rg4 Kc7 67 Rg7 c4 68 RXh7 c3 69 d8=Q+! KXd8 70 Rg7.

I went along to the resumption confident now of victory, and eager that Black should have sealed 42 ... Kg7, so that I could demonstrate the beauty of our deep analysis. But alas. . . .

42 ... Bg5 43 h6 Re7 44 Rfe2 Kf7 45 Ndf2 Bel 46 Ne4 Red7

Now the exchange of all the rooks leads to a win: 47 RXa7 RXa7 48 Rel Ra2 49 KB Bg5 (49. . .Rc250Re2)50RalRXal51BXalBcl 52 Ke2 Nd7 53 Kdl Ba3 (53 ... Bg5 54 Bb2 followed by Ke2-B and at a convenient moment NXg5) 54 Bc3 Bb4 55 Bb2 - the black bishop is shut out of the game, and White can prepare the g3-g4-g5 break¬through undisturbed (the knight from g4 goes to h5, the king to B, and the bishop to cl etc.). But I decided to remove my king from a possible check at a2, and at the same time set a pretty trap, which I had noticed during the resumption.

47 Kf3 Ke7

47 ... Ba3 is more tenacious, after which White wins as follows: 48 Ral Bb4 49 Rea2 Ra5 50 RXa5 bXa5 51 BXb4 aXb4 52 b6! Ke7 53 Ra7 b3 (53 ... Kd8 54 Ke2 and the king goes across to the Q-side) 54 Ngf2 b2 55 Nc3 Kd8 56 Nfe4 Kc8 57 Ra2 Rb7 58 RXb2 Nd7 59 Nb5 RXb6 60 Ra2 Kd8 61 Ra7 followed by Kg4-h5, g4-g5, and Black is helpless. 48 RXa7 RXa7 49 Rel Bg5 50 NXg5 fXg5

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51 NXe5! dXe5

Or 51 ... Ra3 52 Ng6++ Kd8 53 Re3.

52 BXe5 Nd6

Against the threat of a discovered check there is no good defence (52... Ra3+ 53 Kg4 Nd7 54 Bb2+), but now it is the turn of the white pawns.

53 f6+ Kd7 54 BXd6 KXd6 55 Re6+ Kc7 56 f7 Ral 57 Ke2

Black resigns.

But couldn't Black have set up a fortress by 41 . . . h6 ? The pawn barrier looks impenetrable, but White carries out the following plan (I will omit Black's moves: they do not alter the position): Ng4, Rfb2, Bd2 (here the black king goes to h7), Kf3-e4, Nd3-el-f3-h4-g6, the king goes to b3 and all the rooks are exchanged, then the king returns to the centre and after Ng6-e7-c6 (the black knight goes to d7), Ng4-h2, g3-g4, Nh2-f3-h4-g6 White places his knights at c8 and e6 and his king at d3, after which the sacrifice at b6 is decisive (NXb6 NXb6, Ba5 Nd7, b5-b6-b7, Ne6-d8-c6 and Kd3-a7). There would appear to be no way for Black to oppose this lengthy plan.

How Should One Play in the Last Round?

Kasparov-Martinovic

Queen's Pawn Opening

Before the last round, in which this game was played, I was leading Belyavsky by half a point. I had no great doubts about the result in the Belyavsky-Garcia game (and indeed, within two hours after the start of the round, this game was essentially decided). My preparation was easy: against 1 e4 Martinovic plays the Sicilian Defence, and against 1 d4 — the King's Indian Defence. There was a great temptation to go in for a cut-throat battle in the Najdorf Variation (the only one which Martinovic will entertain), but then I settled for a system leading to a complicated positional struggle. In this I took account of the fact that Martinovic regularly gets into time trouble, and in the Najdorf Variation he would be able to make the first 15-20 moves within a few minutes.

1 d4 Nf6 2 Nf3 g6 3 Bg5

This variation has a harmless reputation, but a convincing win for White in the game Balashov-Sax (1979), and also Georgadze-Van der Wiel (1979) which repeated it almost move for move, showed that everything is not so simple.

3 ... Bg7 4 Nbd2 d6

Of course, the choice of move here is a matter of taste. Martinovic makes the most "King's Indian" move, but to me 4 ... c5 seems more logical (cf. p.20).

5 e4 0-0 6 c3 Nbd7 7 Be2 e5 8 dXe5

White gives up his pawn centre for the sake of depriving the bishop at g7 of all prospects. 8 0-0 Re8 9 Qc2 is also perfectly possible (Balashov-Vukic, Bugojno, 1978).

8... dXe5

After 8 ... NXe5 9 NXe5 dXe5 the character of the position is not essentially changed.

Nevertheless, after the exchange of a pair of pieces it would have been easier for Black to manoeuvre.

9 0-0 b6

Inwardly I became all of a tremble: was this game destined to add to the contents of the curiosity box, as Martinovic, lulled by the outwardly unpretentious manoeuvres of the white pieces, became the third victim after Sax and Van der Wiel? But Black's choice is easily explainable — the plan with the double fianchetto is the most natural.

10 Rel Bb7 11 Qc2 h6 12 Bh4 Qe7 13 Bfl Rfe8

Alas! I wasn't able to win the point "by familiar means". The modest rook move sig¬nificantly improves Black's game. In the aforementioned games the routine 13 ... Rfd8 led to great difficulties after 14 Nc4 Qe6 15 Nfd2 Qg4 16 BXf6! BXf6 17 Ne3 Qe6 18 Bc4 Qd6 19 Radl c6 20 Nf3 Qe7 21 Ng4 Bg7 22 Qd2 Kh7 23 Qd6! (the divergence in the later stages of these games did not reflect on the results). 13 ... Rfe8 deprives .White of such a possiblity — the e5 pawn is defended, and Black simply plays 16 ... NXf6. White also achieves nothing by 16 Bg3 (instead of 16  BXf6) 16 ... Nh5 17 f3 Qg5 18 Bf2 Nf4 19 Khl h5.

14 b4

Black is restricted in his actions, whereas White has prospects in the centre and on the Q-side, which for the moment, however, are rather obscure. Here real targets for attack still have to be created, and the advance of the b-pawn pursues this aim.

14... a6

I thought that 14... a5 15 a3 Ra7 was more probable, when I was intending 16 Bd3 Rea8 17 Qb2 — the black rooks are stuck over on the Q-side. The move played leaves ... a5 as a possibility (e.g. in the event of a2-a4), and prepares the other undermining move... c5.

15 Nc4 Rac8?

Martinovic, who had spent an hour and a half on his first 14 moves (the choice of opening strategy was correct!), played this last move almost without thinking, and... . made his first (and, probably, his only) serious mistake. Correct was 15 ... Qe6 16 Nfd2 c5 (but not immediately 15 ... c5 in view of 16 Radl cXb4 17 Nd6) - now White cannot exploit the weakening of the d6 square. After 17 Ne3 cXb4 18 cXb4 Rac8 19 Qbl or 17 a3 Rac8 18 f3 the positions reached are quite acceptable for Black, but in my opinion they nevertheless leave White with better chances of seizing the initiative. Black's mistake allows White to set up a bind on the Q-side.

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16 a4! Qe6 17 Nfd2 Nh5

Black tries to initiate counter-play on the K-side, but in doing so he moves' his pieces away from the defence of some important squares.

18 f3!

18 Ne3 Bf6 19 Bc4 Qe7 20 Bd5! c6 21 BXf6 NhXf6 22 Bb3 was tempting, when the weakness of Black's d6 and his Q-side are appreciable. But 19 ... Qd6! allows him to defend successfully.

18... Bf6?!

Consistent, but even so the bishop should have taken up a more modest post at f8, where it keeps the Q-side under fire.

19 Bf2 Bg5 20 Ne3 Ndf6 21 c4!

With this move White reveals all the drawbacks to the black position. A number of positional threats have unexpectedly appeared: Nd5, a4-a5 and c4-c5.

21 ... c6 22 Nb3 Nd7

Short of time, Martinovic makes natural moves, and seemingly covers all the threatened points. But, as often happens in such situations, tactics come to the aid of strategy.

23 c5 b5 24 Redl Be7 25 Nc4!

The knight breaks through to d6 with decisive effect. 25 Nf5! was even more energetic. I imagined that there was something unclear in the variation 25 ... gXf5 26 eXf5 Qf6 27 RXd7 Rb8 28 Rddl Bc8, but the illusions of the last round were quickly dispelled at home: the assessment of the position after 29 Bd3 Nf4 30 Be4 Qg5 31 Bel is not in doubt.

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25 ... Rc7 26 Nd6 Rb8 27 aXb5 cXb5

After 27 ... aXb5 28 Ra7 there is no defence against Na5, but now Black's downfall is the weakness of his a6 pawn.

28        NXb7 RbXb7 29 Qa2!

Preparing the advantageous exchange of queens. Need it be said that Black was already in time trouble. . . .

29        ... Nb8 30 Na5 QXa2 31 RXa2 Ra7

Or 31 ... Rd7 32 Rd5 etc.

32 c6 Ra8 33 Rc2! BXb4 34 Rd8+ Kg7 35 Bb6 BXa5 36 BXa5 RXc6 37 RXb8

Of course, 37 RXc6 NXc6 38 RXa8 NXa5 39 RXa6 would also have won.

37 ... RXb8 38 RXc6 b4 39 Bc7

Black resigns.

Dortmund, 1980

World Junior Championship

The Price of Attack

Kasparov-Akesson

Queen's Indian Defence

1 d4 Nf6 2 c4 e6 3 Nf3 b6 4 a3

A continuation which leaves Black with a wide choice of possibilities: 4 ... Ba6, 4 ... c5, 4 . . . d5 or 4 . . . Bb7.

4 ... Bb7 5 Nc3 d5 6 cXd5 NXd5

One of the most popular replies to the 4 a3 system. I think that White's strong pawn centre gives him the better chances, and that the usual 6 ... eXd5 is more solid.

Of course, 6. . . eXd5 is more solid, and after 6.. . NXd5 White has a mobile centre, but for an objective assessment of the chances other factors must also be taken into account. I refer the reader to the first game of my match with Korchnoi (p. 162).

1 e3 Be7 8 Bb5+ c6 9 Bd3 NXc3 10 bXc3 Nd7 11 e4 c5 12 0-0 cXd4?!

12... 0-0 is more accurate, maintaining the tension in the centre until White deter

mines the  position  of his black-squared bishop.

13 cXd4 0-0 14 Qe2 Rc8 15 Bb2

All the white pieces are ideally placed, whereas Black still has to find a convenient post for his queen.

(altogether — 58 competitors)

* Places arranged in order of Buchholz scores.

15... Qc716 Qe3 Nf6 17 Ne5 b5!† 18 f4 Qb6

Black has managed to find a post for his queen, but at the cost of considerable concessions in the centre. Realizing that within a few moves White's attack on the K-side may become threatening, Black tries to reduce the attacking potential by exchanging a pair of bishops. It is against this that White's next few moves are aimed.

19 Khl b4 20 aXb4 BXb4 21 Rabl!

Preventing 21 ... Bc3 and creating the threat of Ba3.

21... a5 22 Qe2!

A no less important role in the attack will be played by the white-squared bishop (22 f5 Ba6!).

22... Qa7‡ 23 f5 Qa8

Black has set up pressure on the centre, but his pieces (in particular his queen) are too far away from the K-side, a factor which I thought White could advantageously exploit.

24 d5?!

24 fXe6 fXe6 25 d5 eXd5 26 Ng4 was stronger. White's position also looks pretty menacing after 24 fXe6 fXe6 25 Rf4. The hasty move in the game allows Black to repulse the first wave of the attack.

I would now definitely prefer 24 fXe6 fXe6 25 Rf4!, since the consequences of 25 d5 eXd5 26 Ng4 NXg4 27 QXg4 Rc7! are unclear (although after 28 e5 White does have compensation for the pawn).

† Black shouldn't so readily have put up with the knight at e5. Possible was 17 . . . Nd7!? (or a move earlier 16 . . . Qb8orl6... Bd6) 18/4 (18 Racl Qd6) 18... NXe5 19 fXe5 Qd7, and there is no clear way for White to develop his initiative.

‡ It was more consistent to continue playing for the exchange of bishops - 22 . . . Ra8f? 23 f5 Ba6 24fXe6 fXe6, or 23 Rbcl Rac8!

24 ... eXd5 25 Ng4 NXg4 26 QXg4 f6

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Now the thematic 27 e5 meets with the simple 27 ... Bc3. To maintain his attack White has to go in for extreme measures, and so after 45 minutes' thought there followed:

27 BXf6!

Annotating this game in the 30th volume of Informator, I attached a "!?" sign to 27BXf6, and suggested 27 e5 Bc3 28 e6 "with compensation. . . .". This latter evaluation is correct, but as regards the "!?" sign, this is only an approximation to the truth. "?!" would be closer to it. . . .

By sacrificing the bishop, White clears the way for his pawns, which acquire formidable strength. In addition 27 BXf6 sharply changes the character of the play, which, in view of the restricted time available, often proves unpleasant for the opponent. I myself was able to calculate only as far as a draw — this was the price of the over-hasty 24 d5.

27 ... RXf6 28 e5 Rh6?

Black promptly makes a mistake, moving his rook to the wrong square. The best defence was 28 ... Rf7 29 f6 Rcf8! (see diagram)

White is unsuccessful, for example, with the direct attack 30 BXh7+? KXh7 31 Rf5 Bd2!, when Black defends successfully. 30 Rf3! is stronger, when Black has a choice:

(1) 30. . .Kh8 31Rh3 gXf6 32 BXh7! RXh7 33 RXh7+ KXh7 34 Rb3!

(2) 30 ... Qc8 31 Bf5 Qc4 32 Rf4 Qa2 33

Rbfl, and there is no defence.

(3) 30 . . . Bd2 31 Rh3.

Position after 29 . . . Rcf8! (variation)

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(4)       30 ... d4 31 Rg3!, and the threats ofe5-e6 and Qh5 are irresistible.

(5)       30 ... Bc8! (the strongest continuation) 31 Qg5! Kh8 (31 ... Be6 32 Rg3 g6

33 Qh6 Kh8 34 BXg6) 32 RXb4! gXf6! 33 Qh6 aXb4 34 BXh7 Bg4!! 35 Bbl+ Kg8 36 eXf6 BXf3 37 Qg5+ with a draw.

Of course, this last variation is not easy to calculate, and the move 28 ... Rh6? is easily explainable.

In this last variation things are even more complicated — it is not obligatory. Instead of 31. . . Kh8 Black can play 31. . . Qa7 32 Rbfl g6 (averting the drawing combination which works in the event of 32. . . Be6 or 32. . . Qd4: 33fXg7RXg7 34RXf8+ BXf8 35RX/8+ etc.) 33 Qh6 Be6 (or 33 . . . Kh8 34 BXg6 Rg8 35 BXf7 QXf7 36 Rcl d4 37 Rg3 with unclear chances) 34 Rg3 Kh8 35 BXg6 Rc7 (not 35. . . Rg8? 36BXf7 QXf7 37 Rg7!) 36Bd3! (threatening 37 Rg7) 36... Bc8 (36... Rg8? 37 f7!) 37 h3 Rg8 (37 ... a4 38 Rf4) 38 e6!? BXe6 (38 ... RXg3? 39 J7) 39 f7 RX/7 40 RXg8+ KXg8 41 QXe6 with a probable draw. But this variation too is not forced, and therefore a precise evaluation of the bishop sacrifice is difficult.

29 f6 Rc7 30 e6

The other tempting continuation, 30Rbcl Qd8 31 Qe6+ Rf7 32 Bb5!, is less clear in view of 32. . .gXf6!33Be8Qe7 34BXf7+QXf7 QXf7+ KXf7 36 Rc7+ Ke6.

30... Qd8!

Black decides to give up his rook for the two dangerous pawns, and thus successfully avoids the spectacular debacle which was possible after 30. . . Qf8 31 f7+ Kh8 32 RXb4! aXb4 33 QXb4! Rc8 34 QXf8+ RXf8 35 e7, or 30... Qb8 31 h3 Bc8 32 RXb4! QXb4 (32 ... aXb4 33 f7+ Kf8 34 QXg7+!) 33 e7! BXg4 34 f7+. Black also fails to save the game after 30 ... Kh8 31 Qg3! Qc8 32 Rbcl! Bd6 33 RXc7 QXc7 34 f7.

31 e7 RXe7 32 fXe7 QXe7 33 Rbcl Qd8?

In time trouble Black does not find the best reply 33 ... Qe6!, which forcibly takes play into an ending favouring White: 34 QXe6+! (34 Bf5? Qe5!) 34 ... RXe6 35 Rc7 Re7 36 RXe7 BXe7 37 BXh7+! KXh7 38 Rf7 Bb4 39 RXb7 d4 40 Rd7 Bc3 41 Kgl! Now things do not get as far as an ending.

34 Qf5 Qb8

It was disappointing that Akesson did not allow the spectacular conclusion to the game after 34 ... Bd6 35 Qf7+ Kh8 36 h3 Bc8 37 Rc7!

35 Qf7+ Kh8 36 Rc7

Black resigns.

Tempone-Kasparov

English Opening

1 Nf3 Nf6 2 g3 g6 3 b3 Bg7 4 Bb2

In junior events I quite often encountered this dangerous system. Although theory promises Black equality after 4 . . . d6, and then at a convenient moment. . . e5, practice shows that all is not so simple. Therefore I began employing another system of development, which proved to be quite a good reply to the "double fianchetto".

4 ... c5 5 c4 d6 6 Bg2 e5

This part of the game requires some explanation. 4. . . c5 was played with the intention of creating a strong centre after 5 . . . d5. White prevented this by 5 c4. But the attempt also to prevent 6 . . . e5, which restricts the bishop at b2, is dubious. On 6 d4 Black has the unpleasant 6 . . . Ne4!

7 0-0 Nc6 8 Nc3 0-0

This position was also reached in two other games of mine: Kharitonov-Kasparov (Moscow, 1977) and Webb-Kasparov (Skara, 1980). The English player decided to advance d2-d4 immediately, but after 9 e3 Bf5 10 d4 (10 d3 is better) 10...e4! ll Ng5 Re8 12 dXc5 dXc5 13 Nb5 Re7! Black obtained a promising position. Kharitonov played more successfully: 9 d3 Ne8!? 10 Qd2 Nc7 11 Nel Be6 12 Nd5 Qd7 13 e3, but I think that even in this case Black has everything in order.

Tempone chooses a similar plan, but White is unable to occupy d5 just as he pleases.

9d3 Ne8

An important part of Black's plan. At c7 the knight is better placed than at f6: it frees the path of the f-pawn, while not losing control over d5.

10 Nd2 Nc7 11 e3?! Be6 12 Rcl

As a result of his inaccuracy on the 11th move, White has had to resort to an artificial way of preventing. . . d5.12 Nd5? is not possible because of 12 ... BXd5 13 cXd5 Nb4, winning a pawn. Therefore 11 a3 Be6 12 Nd5 would have been preferable.

12... Qd7 13 Rel?!

White values his g2 bishop too highly. He should have been thinking about 13 Nde4 h6 14 f4 or even the immediate 13 f4.

13... Rad8 14 Nde4

White is already in some difficulties. The position after 14 a3 d5 15 cXd5 NXd5 16 NXd5 BXd5 17 Ne4 b6 obviously could not satisfy him.

14... h6 15 f4 f5 16 Nf2 eXf4 17 gXf4

One of the critical positions of the game.

Now 17 . . . d5 does not work because of 18 cXd5 NXd5 19 NXd5 BXb2 20 RXc5 Ba3 21 b4! NXb4 22 Ra5! BXd5 23 BXd5+ NXd5 24 RXa3. But the simple 17 . . . b6 would have given Black a splendid game, e.g. 18 Qd2 d5 19 cXd5 (or 19 Ne2 BXb2 20 QXb2 d4! 21 e4 Ne8) 19 ... NXd5 20 NXd5 BXd5 21 BXg7 QXg7 22 BXd5+ RXd5 23 Qc3 QXc3 24 RXc3 g5! Underestimating my opponent's possibilities, I made a succession of routine or, more precisely, weak moves, after which the situation changed sharply.

17 ... Qf7?!

Beginning the preparation of. . , g5, but in any case this move would have been better made immediately. 17... g5 18 fXg5 hXg5 19 Nh3 Bf6 or 19 Qh5 g4 is hardly dangerous for Black.

18 Qd2 g5?! 19 Ne2!

Holding the f4 point and exchanging the black-squared bishops. Now the opening up of the game on the K-side threatens to rebound on Black: his king is less securely covered.

19... d5?

Not sensing the danger, Black follows a suicidal course.

20 BXg7 QXg7 21 Khl

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Logically avoiding the complications arising after 21 cXd5 BXd5 22 RXc5 BXg2 23 KXg2 Nd5! But instead of 21 Khl, more energetic was 21 Ng3!, e.g. 21 ... gXf4 22 Nh5 fXe3 23 RXe3 with a formidable attack.

Here at last I examined the situation critically, and drew some unfavourable conclusions. Black's badly placed pieces and the vulnerability of his centre force his position to be assessed as difficult. After prolonged thought I decided that the course of events could be changed only by a radical improvement in the placing of the minor pieces, in particular the black cavalry. To carry out this plan I had to weaken my Q-side and concede the centre, but I considered that the creation of chances on the K-side was the most important task.

21 ... dXc4! 22 bXc4 Ne8!

From f6 the knight will control the centre squares and prevent the unpleasant manoeuvre Ng3-h5.

23 Qc3! Nf6 24 d4

White too does not stand still, and energetic measures are required of Black to create counter-play.

24... Bc8?!

The correct idea, but incorrectly executed. 24 ... Ne7! should have been played, after which 25 BXb7? Ned5! 26 BXd5 NXd5 27 cXd5 BXd5+ 28 e4 fXe4 is unfavourable for White, while in the variation 25 d5 Bc8 26 Qa3 Ng6 27 QXc5 Nh4 28 Rgl b6 29 Qd4 b5! or 29 Qb4 Rde8 Black obtains fair counter-chances. Now, however, 25 dXc5! would have given White an obvious advantage, e.g. 25... Ne7 26 Rcdl Ng6 27 Rd6! Nh7 28 Bd5+ etc. But, not wishing to part with his fine centre, Tempone played

25 Rcdl?!

and unexpectedly offered a draw. The move played loses White the greater part of his advantage, but does not spoil his position to the extent that Black has any real grounds for playing for a win. But nevertheless I decided to risk playing on.

25... cXd4 26 eXd4?

It was on this natural move that Black was counting when he declined the draw. 26 NXd4 would have left White with the better chances. Tempone assumed that his pawn would advance to d5, cramping Black, his knight would go to d4, and Black's counter-play would not even make an appearance .... But here my opponent's pleasant thoughts were interrupted by

26... Ne7!

which sharply changed the evaluation of the position. It is obvious that the knight ma¬noeuvre . .. Ng6-h4 may cause White serious trouble. From h4 the knight will be attacking the bishop at g2 — one of White's most important pieces. It was now time to think about defensive measures, but Tempone does not display the slightest sign of concern.

27 d5 Ng6 28 Nd3

White limits himself to natural moves, still under the impression of the former power of his position. But his choice of continuation was alreasy causing some difficulty. Thus he could not have been happy with 28 fXg5 hXg5 29 Nh3?! Qh6! 30 Qg3 Ng4 with a strong attack, or 28 fXg5 hXg5 29 Nd4 Nf4! with advantage to Black (e.g. 30 Rgl Rde8 31 Nd3 Ng4!). Of course, had White foreseen the coming events he would undoubtedly have played 28 a4.

28 ... Nh4 29 Rgl

During the last six moves the position has changed sharply, and the black knights have taken up posts not far from the white king's residence, but to land the decisive blow Black still has to bring into play his last reserve — the bishop at c8.

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29... b5!

The triumph of Black's plan! The white centre collapses, and Black's minor pieces, which earlier were huddled together at e6, c6 and c7, acquire terrible strength.

30 Ne5 bXc4 31 QXc4 Bb7 32 d6+ Kh7!

32... Kh8 33 BXb7 QXb7+ 34 Qc6 Ne4

was tempting, but after 35 Rgel! the position

becomes unclear.

33 BXb7 QXb7+ 34 Qc6 QXc6+ 35 NXc6 Ne4!

By creating a mating threat of rare construction, Black picks up the dangerous pawn at d6.

36Rgfl

36 Rgel!? justifies itself after 36 ... Nf2+ 37 Kgl NXdl 38 RXdl, but Black has no need to exchange his powerful knight for the passive white rook. He retains an obvious advantage after 36 ... RXd6 37 RXd6 NXd6 38 fXg5 hXg5 39 Ned4 Ne4, or, even stronger, 36 ... Rc8! 37 d7 RXc6 38 d8=Q RXd8 39 RXd8 Rc2! with a decisive attack, e.g. 40Nd4 Rg2! (40 ... Nf2+ 41 Kgl Nh3+ 42 Khl Rg2 43 Rd7+ Kg6 44 Rd6+ Kh5 45 RXh6+! KXh6 46 NXf5+ is less clear) 41 RXe4 fXe4.

36... RXd6

Here 36 ... Rc8 does not have the same strength, in view of 37 Ned4!, when 37 ... NXd6 is not possible because of 38 Ne6!

37 RXd6 NXd6 38 fXg5 hXg5 39 Rdl Re8!

The retreat of the knight would have given

White some chances, but Black does not even think of moving it, and continues his attack.

40 Ned4 Re3! 41 Kgl Ne4

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The black pieces (especially the knights!) have taken up dominating posts, and have created an unusual sort of cage for the white king. Now the win is achieved either by transferring the rook to the second rank, or by advancing the f- and g-pawns.

41 Rbl Rd3 42 a4 Rd2

White resigns.

Malta, 1980

24th Olympiad

Kasparov-Marjanovic

Queen's Indian Defence

1 d4 Nf6 2 c4 e6 3 Nf3 b6 4 g3 Bb7 5 Bg2 Be7 6 0-0 0-0 7 d5!?

A pawn sacrifice which became fashionable after a win by Polugayevsky in the 12th game of his 1980 Candidates Match with Korchnoi. The normal 7 Nc3 Ne4 promises White little.

7... eXd5 8 Nh4!

This is Polugayevsky's innovation.

8... c6 9 cXd5 NXd5 10 Nf5 Nc7

In the aforementioned game Black failed to guess at his opponent's intentions, and quickly ended up in a difficult position: 10... Bc5 11 e4 Ne7 12 NXg7! KXg7 13 b4.

Marjanovic chooses a more logical continuation.

11 Nc3 d5

White also gained the advantage after 11... d6 12 Bf4 Ne8 13 Qd2 Na6 14 Radl in

Sveshnikov-Platonov, Tashkent, 1980.

During its short life this gambit has been subjected to a serious practical testing, and Black has found ways to equalize. Here is a recent example: 11. . . Ne812 Bf4Na613 Qd2 d514 e4Nac715 Radl Bf616 eXd5 NXd517 NXd5cXd518Ne3Nc719BXc7QXc7, drawn (Timman-Karpov, 1983).

12 e4 Bf6

White also maintains strong pressure after 12... dXe4 13 NXe4. But now we have transposed into a position from the game Razuvayev-Makarichev (Tbilisi,  1978), in which White played 13 Qg4 and did not achieve anything.

In the game Kishnev-Kholmov (1981) Black immediately returned the pawn — 12... Nd713 eXd5 NXd5 14 NXd5 cXd5 15 BXd5 BXd5 16 QXd5, and after 16. . . Bf6 17 Bf4 Nc5 18 Bd6 Re8 19 Radl Qd7 20 Qf3 Qb7 the tension had gone from the position.

13 eXd5!

The prosaic regaining of the pawn by 13 Bf4 d4 14 NXd4 BXd4 15 BXc7 QXc7 16 QXd4 c5! gives only equal chances, while the tempting 14 e5 dXc3 15 eXf6 QXf6 16 NXg7 QXg7 17 BXc7 cXb2 18 Rbl is sufficient only to give compensation for the material lost.

13... cXd5

After 13 ... NXd5 White could have regained his pawn while maintaining a positional superiority (14 NXd5 cXd5 15 Ne3 Nc6 16 NXd5). It is understandable that Marjanovic should prefer to retain his extra material, especially since no particular danger for Black is apparent.

14 Bf4 Nba6 15 Rel Qd7

It is strange that such a natural move should prove to be a blunder. The best defence was 15 ... Nc5, when White would still have had to demonstrate the correctness of his sacrifice.

Subsequent games have shown both 15 . . . Nc5 and 75 ... Bc8 to be acceptable. But also 15            . . . Qd7 is by no means a "blunder"! This was made by Marjanovic only on the next move. If instead of the plausible 16. . . Kh8?, he had had the sense to move his queen back — 16. . .Qd8I, the outcome of the game would have remained unclear.

16 Bh3

Not 16 Qg4 Bc8 17 Ne7+ QXe7.

16 ... Kh8

Black has insuperable difficulties after 16... Qc6 17 Rcl Nc5 18 Be5! The following

is a piquant variation: 18 ... Rfe8 (18 ... d4 19 Ne4) 19 Nd4, and the queen is lost.

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17 Ne4! BXb2

Now the attack becomes irresistible, but was there a better defence?

18 Ng5!

The concentration of white pieces on the K-side far exceeds the defensive resources of the black king.

18... Qc6

On 18 ... Ne6 White wins most simply by 19 Nd6, with the additional threat of 20 Qc2.

19 Ne7 Qf6 20 NXh7! Qd4 21 Qh5 g6 22 Qh4

Here Marjanovic could have resigned, but he unexpectedly removed from the board the one white piece which was spoiling the overall picture, by not participating in the play.

22 ... BXal 23 Nf6+

Black resigns in view of 23 ... Kg7 24 Qh6+ KXf6 25 Bg5 mate.

Kasparov-Ligterink

Queen's Indian Defence

1 d4 Nf6 2 c4 e6 3 ND b6 4 g3 Bb7

Ligterink usually plays 4 ... Ba6. In this game he evidently wanted to repeat some position from my game with Marjanovic, which had taken place in the previous round. But White chooses a different path.

5 Bg2 Be7 6 Nc3 Ne4 7 Bd2 Bf6 8 0-0

This and the following move cannot be transposed: 8 Rcl? BXd4!

8... 0-0 9 Rcl c5

9... d6 is more often played, and after 10 d5 NXd2 11 NXd2 either 11 ... e5, or first 11 ... BXc3. In both cases White retains a minimal positional advantage.

10 d5 eXd5 11 cXd5 NXd2 12 NXd2 d6

Black seems to have coped successfully with his opening problems. He has the two bishops and quite good prospects on the Q-side. But with his next move White reveals his trumps — a powerful knight in the centre and the possibility of an attack on the other side of the board.

13 Nde4!

After the routine 13 Nc4 Ba6 Black does indeed have everything in order.

13... Re8

Agreeing to the exchange of his important bishop. On 13 ... Be7 (which would have been more critical) Ligterink was possibly afraid of the attack 14 f4 Nd7 15 g4 Nf6 16 Nf2. Even so 13 ... Na6 was preferable (instead of 13 ... Re8), trying to develop the Q-side pieces as quickly as possible.

14 Qd2 a6

Played not with the aim of preparing .. . b5, but to defend the d6 pawn (Nb5 is not possible). But now the b6 point is weakened, and the knight at b8 is deprived of a convenient square. These drawbacks are emphasized by the following move.

15 b4!

Unexpectedly White begins play on his opponent's traditional part of the board. This idea was prompted by the poor co-ordination of the black pieces and the possibility of an attack on the d6 pawn. Now 15 ... cXb4 is unfavourable because of 16 NXf6+ QXf6 17 Ne4 and 18 QXb4.

15... Be7

This defence is already too late, since during the last two moves the position has changed a great deal in favour of White.

16 bXc5 bXc5 17 Qf4

The main aim is not to allow the knight at b8 to come out.

17... Qc7

Black does not lose hope of letting out the knight. If he should succeed in this, his game will immediately be improved.

18 Na4 Qa5

Hết Phần 1 (2-50 page của TTOT nguồn PDF)