Karpov,Anatoly (2720) - Kasparov,Garry (2700) [B44]

World Championship 32th-KK2 Moscow (16), 15.10.1985

[CM Mateusz Dubinski]

I have been admiring Kasparov's style since I started playing chess. Those times he was the reigning World Champion. That's why I have decided that my first article in this Group has to contain one of his masterpieces. Elder chess fans probably remember famous championship matches "K-K", Karpov-Kasparov. I hope you all know the whole story but let me write few words about it. Karpov became the World Champion in 1975. Why "became" instead of "won"? Fischer (11th World Champion) never showed up to defend his title. However nobody ever doubted he deverved it because he won over 100 international tournaments! He was a master of strategy, endgames, defence and so on. Few years later, in 1984, he was challenged by young player from Baku. His name was Garry Kasparov, he was only 21 years old and he was a student of the famous Botvinnik Chess School. The match's rules were very simple. First player to win 6 games won the title and draws did not matter. Karpov, as he was far more experienced at that level than his opponent, quite fast took a lead 5–0. Then Kasparov managed to win 3 games. Both players were exhausted and they both knew that the title was very close and wanted to keep going their fight. Nevertheless then FIDE President, Florencio Campomanes, announced that whole match was interrupted and players would begin a new one in few months. It is worth mentioning that, apart from 8 games that brought a result (5-3), players drew 40 games, what gives us an enormous number of 48 games! The second match's rules differed from the first one's. There were only 24 games to play and a simple rule: "the winner takes it all". In case of a draw (12–12) Karpov would have preserved the title. Apart from other games I would like to present my favourite one. Some people call the opening that was played "Kasparov's Gambit". Please take a seat comfortably and let us start... 1.e4 Those times Karpov used 1.e4 pretty frequently but he stopped playing it later... 1...c5 Diagram

....but the Sicilian Defence was Kasparov's main weapon until the end of his brilliant career. 2.Nf3 e6 3.d4 cxd4 4.Nxd4 Nc6 The name of an opening we can see is Paulsen. It is found very solid. Black does not move with d-pawn for now for more flexibility in the future. 5.Nb5!? Diagram

Very interesting idea. White has just made second move in a row with the Knight. We all have been taught that we should avoid it. The question is: why does Karpov break one of the fundamental rule? How can we justify it? You need to know that Karpov was known from playing more startegically than tactically. That's why he tried to play calm positions. His plan is to proceed c2-c4 in order to take control on the centre. Why cannot white play 5.c4 now? Let me present you my game that I am really proud of. It is going to show you "why". 5...Nf6 6.Nc3 Bb4! Diagram

Do you remember my comment concerning not making a move with the d-pawn in order to have a flexibility? That is the proof! The bishop goes to b4 and pins the knight. What is black threatening to? 7.f3 Seems to be the only one. If white is forced to make moves like this black can be really satisfied with the opening. Why? It is black who has an initiative. That means that black makes threats whereas white can only defend. 7...d5! How to make a progress when you are a player of level 1500–1900? Just obey the rules. One of basic rules for intermediate players sounds: play in the centre! 8.exd5 exd5 9.Nxc6 bxc6 10.cxd5 Diagram

Now it seems that white would catch up with a development but... 10...0–0!! A surprise. Let us evaluate the position. Black has sacrificed a pawn but he has fulfilled all his opening "duties". He has made a castle, developed almost all light pieces and played in the centre. What about white? Only one piece developed, no castling, open king. 11.Be2 Qb6! Black's purpose is to prevent white from castling and keep his pieces in the centre. 12.Bd2 Re8 Another pin. A pressure is increasing... 13.Na4 Qa5 14.Bxb4 Qxb4+ 15.Kf2 Nxd5 16.Re1 Seems that things are going well and well for white. Some pieces were exchanged and the king is going to make an artificial castling. 16...Ne3 17.Qb3 Qd4 An offer to exchange queens has to obviously be declined in order to keep attacking chances alive. 18.Kg1 Nd1+!! Diagram

And white resigned. Why? Please answer in comments. Leczek-Dubinski, Leba 2007.

5...d6 Black was forced to play d7-d6 so now white can play c2-c4. 6.c4 Nf6 7.N1c3 a6 8.Na3 Diagram

That is the critical position. Now Kasparov made a very controversial move that (in my opinion) significantly helped him to win the title. 8...d5?! Diagram

From a psychological point of view that move was ingenious. As I mentioned Karpov preffered calm positions so it is understandable that Kasparov was supposed to complicate the position. Of course black can play 8....Be7 what would cause "the Hedgehog structure" (a6,b6,d6,e6) that would be preferable for Karpov. 9.cxd5 exd5 10.exd5 Nb4 11.Be2 A novelty that was prepared by Karpov's staff. As he was playing with white pieces he could not be satisfied with a draw. 4 games earlier Karpov played 11.Bc4 Bg4 12.Be2 Bxe2 and after some exchanges the game ended up in a draw 13.Qxe2+ Qe7 14.Be3 Nbxd5 15.Nc2 Nxe3 16.Nxe3 Qe6 17.0–0 Bc5 18.Rfe1 0–0 1/2 - 1/2 Karpov-Kasparov, 1985, 12th game of the match. 11...Bc5 Diagram

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12.0–0? We can see very rare situation that a castling is a mistake. Better was 12.Be3!! this move looks very strange at first sight but after 12...Bxe3 white does not taking a bishop back 13.Qa4+!! Bd7 14.Qxb4± and white has a "pure" pawn more. Karpov was really upset that his associates had not figured it out during a preparation.

12...0–0 13.Bf3 Bf5 Black is one pawn behind but an activity of his pieces recompenses it. 14.Bg5 Re8 15.Qd2 b5! Diagram

Very important idea. Black's purpose is to prevent white from catching up with a development and activating his pieces. The pawn on b5 takes back the c4 square. 16.Rad1 Nd3 Very annoying move. The knight cannot be attacked. 17.Nab1 Since Karpov is made to make move like this Kasparov can be really happy. He achieved what he had been dreaming of: very complicated position with real attaching opportunities. 17...h6 18.Bh4 b4! 19.Na4 Another white piece that was made to go to the rim. Kasparov is fulfilling his plans step by step. 19...Bd6 Of course black should not let white get rid of the weak knight. 20.Bg3 Rc8 A masterpiece. The last piece has just been placed comfortably whereas white has problems with moving his pieces. 21.b3 Diagram

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21...g5! There is a pronciple that I find really useful for players at intermediate level: when the centre is stable and you have a better position you are entitled to begin an action on a flank. 22.Bxd6 Qxd6 Black does not mind exchanging bishops. The Bg3 was the most active piece in white's camp. 23.g3 Diagram

Which of black's pieces is not working as effective as the others are? 23...Nd7 Of course the Nf6. So let us transfer it onto a better square. Black has time for that because white is vulnerable, he cannot make any active move. 24.Bg2 Qf6 25.a3 a5 Of course! Kasparov does not let Karpov create any counterplay. 26.axb4 axb4 27.Qa2 Bg6 28.d6 g4 29.Qd2 Kg7 30.f3 Qxd6 31.fxg4 Qd4+ Diagram

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Let us compare both sides' activity. Black's pieces are all active. They are cooperating with each other perfectly. Each and every of them is harmful for white and ready to enter white's position. What about white's pieces? The most active is Bg2 that is completely inactive. I think it is a good description of Karpov's position. 32.Kh1 Nf6 Now the Knight is coming back. 33.Rf4 Ne4 Diagram

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Now white cannot avoid losing material. 34.Qxd3 Nf2+ 35.Rxf2 Bxd3 36.Rfd2 Qe3 37.Rxd3 Rc1 38.Nb2 Qf2 39.Nd2 Rxd1+ 40.Nxd1 Re1+ And Karpov resigned.To sum up, Kasparov surprised Karpov with extraordinary risky opening. He took the game over thanks to endless initiative. He took a risk and succeeded. What about Karpov? He was one of the greatest defensive player ever so defeating him by Garry was all the more impressive. Thanks to this game I believe that attacking style can beat any other. 0–1

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