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Inside Chess # 60
Veselin Topalov (2750) - Garry Kasparov (2785) [B83] Yerevan Olympiad (9), 1996 [Yasser Seirawan] 1.e4 c5 2.Nf3 d6 3.d4 cxd4 4.Nxd4 Nf6 5.Nc3 a6 6.Be2 Clearly Viswanathan Anand started a trend in his 1995 PCA Match with Garry Kasparov by employing this line versus the Najdorf Sicilian and Kasparov! 6...e6 7.a4 Nc6 8.O-O Be7 9.Be3 O-O 10.f4 Qc7 11.Kh1 Re8 This position has been a Kasparov favorite for nearly two decades! 12.Bf3 Rb8 13.g4 White embarks on a sharp line of play. The wise, old reminder, pawns dont move backwards, is worth noting. A more restrained line of play is 13.Qd2, developing before going whole hog on the kingside. White is making a serious strategic concession, because his king will have less shelter. Kasparov immediately counters in the center. 13...Nxd4 14.Bxd4 e5 15.fxe5 dxe5 16.Ba7 Ra8 17.g5 Rd8! An excellent move, vacating the e8-square. It is far too dangerous to win a pawn by 17...Rxa7? 18.gxf6 Bxf6 19.Nd5 Qc6 20.Nxf6+ gxf6 (20...Qxf6 21.Bh5) 21.Rg1+ Kh8 22.Qd2, as White has the attack. 18.Qe2 Ne8! Kasparov avoids 18...Rxa7 19.gxf6 Bxf6 20.Nd5 as in the above line. And 18...Nxe4? 19.Bxe4 Rxa7 allows 20.Bxh7+ Kxh7 21.Qh5+ Kg8 22.Qxf7+ Kh8 23.Qh5+ Kg8 24.g6 Bf6 25.Qh7+ Kf8 26.Rxf6+, winning. 19.Be3 Be6 A critical position for the entire line. With an eventual Nc3-d5, White can win the two bishops in an unbalanced pawn structure. But his pawns may get blocked, which would give Black a good game, e.g., 20.Nd5 Bxd5 21.exd5 a5! and Black sets up a dark-square blockade. 20.Qf2 Anticipating the possibility mentioned above, White readies himself to prevent the dark-square blockade and eyes the f7-pawn. 20...Qc4!

An elegant solution. Kasparov also anticipates the above middlegame. The text blockades Whites pawns on the queenside, while also covering the f7-pawn. 21.Bb6? This looks like a tactical miscue, but Black is kicking after 21.Nd5 Bxd5 22.exd5 f5! (22...e4 23.Bh5) 23.gxf6 Nxf6, with plans for ...e5-e4 to pick up the d5-pawn. The position is hard to evaluate, but 21.a5, clamping down the queenside, seems to be in order. 21...Rdc8 22.Be3 A rather embarrassing retreat. Perhaps Topalov intended 22.a5, but simply overlooked his hanging g5-pawn. If 22.h4, please re-read wise, old saying above. 22...Bc5! Taking advantage of the lost tempi to trade dark-squared bishops. Black has gained the upper hand. 23.Rad1 Bxe3 24.Qxe3 Qb4 25.Rd3 An awkward attempt to hold the position by tactical means. My friend IM Nikolay Minev has a theory that if a player has to resort to tactics to save the game, his position is bad. White invites 25...Qxb2 26.Rb1 Qa3 (26...Qxc2?? 27.Bd1) 27.Rxb7, though 25...Bc4 26.Nd5 Bxd5 27.exd5 Rxc2 28.Qxe5 Nd6 results in a nice position for Black. Apparently, Topalov felt he could save this ending. 25...Rd8?! A remarkable decision. Id have gone in for the above ending after 25...Bc4, as the f3-bishop is ineffective. 26.b3

Doing his best to patch up the queenside weakies. 26...Rd4! 27.Rfd1

number of pieces on the board, White seems strangely unable to prevent Black from improving his game. 45.Kh1 Ng6 46.Nc4 Bg8 47.Rf1 Qc7 48.Qg3 Bh7!

This allows Black to tie up his opponent. White is worse, but should try 27.Nd5 Bxd5 28.exd5 Rxd3 29.Qxd3 Nd6 30.c4 Re8 31.Bg2, with considerable groveling in the offing. Another try was 27.Ne2 Rxd3 28.Qxd3 Qe7 29.Qe3 Rd8, again with a better position for Black. 27...Rc8 28.R1d2 Qc5 29.Kg2 White has run out of effective moves. If 29.Nd5 Bxd5 30.exd5 Rxd3 31.Qxd3 Nd6, Black has the ending he wants. 29...b5! 30.axb5 axb5 31.Nd1! Topalov is doing his best to reorganize his pieces. He hopes for Rd3-c3, trading off Blacks active pieces. 31...Rxd3 32.Qxd3 f6! Black has maximized the queenside and needs room for his pieces on the kingside. The text reminds White that his king is without shelter. For Whites part, he is happy to rid himself of the weak g5-pawn. 33.gxf6 Nxf6 34.Ne3 Kh8! Kasparov shows superb restraint. White had threatened to intrude by Qd3-d6 and the text stops this idea cold. 35.c4 Topalov hopes for 35...bxc4 36.Nxc4 Bxc4 37.Qxc4 Qxc4 38.bxc4 Rxc4? 39.Rd8+ Ng8 40.Bg4 Rc6 41.Re8 with advantage. 35...bxc4 36.Nxc4 h6 37.Rc2 Qb5 Black continues his policy of tying up Whites pieces. 38.Rc1 Qc5 39.Rc2 Qb5 40.Rc1 Qb4 41.Qc3 Qe7! It is important for Black to keep the pieces on the board to take advantage of Whites king. 42.Qe3 Naturally, 42.Qxe5? Bh3+ 43.Kxh3 Qxe5 44.Nxe5 Rxc1 will cost White an exchange. 42...Nd7! Excellent play. Blacks knight has been ineffective throughout the game. Now it seeks greener pastures. 43.Be2 Rb8 44.Nd2 Nf8! I cant help but admire the way Kasparov is maximizing his pieces. Like links in a chain, Kasparovs plan takes shape. The f4-square is a lure for the f8-knight. Despite the limited

Now the real problems are about to occur. The e4-pawn is targeted. 49.Rf2 Nf4 50.Qe3 Bg8 51.Bf1 Rf8 Simply reinforcing the f4-knight and leaving it up to White to find a correct response. 52.Nd2?! And this isnt it. White should hang tough with 52.Qb6 Qe7 53.Qe3, leaving it up to Black to make progress. 52...Qc1 53.Nc4 Qa1 54.Qc5 Ne6 55.Qe3 Nf4 56.Qc5 Re8 57.Qe3 Bxc4 This capture has been a long time coming, but its effective. Whites pieces are completely tied up. 58.bxc4 Rd8!

Now the game is over. Blacks pieces are too dominant. 59.Qf3 Qe1 60.Qg3 Rd1 61.h4 Rd3 62.Qg1 Qxe4+ 63.Kh2 Qe3 0-1 An artistic finish. Black threatens ...Qe3-h3+ and mate next move. White has no adequate response. A beautiful game by Kasparov, which will go into the Sicilian Hall of Fame. Source: http://www.chesscafe.com/text/yaz60.pdf

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