FIDE World Championship
Analysis of Game 2
by GM Gabriel Schwartzmann
White: Gata Kamsky 1
Black: Anatoly Karpov 0
Played 8 June 96 in Elista, Kalmykia
1. e4It is well known that Kamsky plays all of the popular first moves, which makes him a player tough to play against. I was definitely expecting 1.e4, having in view the loss suffered in the previous game. Karpov's repertoire against 1.d4 includes the Nimzo Indian and Queen's Indian, both solid openings, which Karpov is known to play very well. Of course, Kamsky is trying to equalize the match, and having white is an advantage...
1. ... c6
1...c6 marks the Caro Kann Defense, developed by the German master Caro and Austrian Master Kann at the end of the 19th century. This opening has lately become Karpov's favorite, and despite this loss, I expect to see it again during this match. Considered a rather solid defense, in Karpov's hands it has often become a feared weapon. Kamsky has certainly spent long hours preparing more than one novelty against this opening.
The Caro-Kann is similar to the French in many respects. One important
difference, however, is in the fact that the bishop from c8 usually gets to see
more of the board than in the French, where the pawn on e6 blocks its view.
Very often in the Caro Kann, black will take the pawn on e4, so that the bishop
can develop to f5.
3. ed5
Kamsky's third move shows his desire to enter the Panov system. The Panov is known for the isolated pawn on d4 that often results after the trades in the center. Generally, it is considered that white retains a small advantage, but with accurate play black can solve most of his opening problems.
Very different from the hypermodernist opening ideas reviewed in the first game, both sides have clearly shown their intention to fight for the supremacy in the center. The square d5 can be considered the most important square in this position, and the fight for its control will continue throughout the game. Usually, if white manages to control d5, his advantage is important, on the other hand, black can often equalize just by building a strong blockade on d5.
4. ... Nf6
5. Nc3 e6
6. Nf3 Bb4
So far, each side has brought a new piece to control the center. Since black has run out of pieces to defend the d5 square, he starts disabling the opponent's attacking pieces. As opposed to the Nimzo Indian, black doesn't necessarily intend to take the knight from c3. He actually hopes that white plays Bd2, putting the bishop in an awkward position.
The first obvious characteristic of this game has appeared: the isolated pawn on d4. Believe it or not, this simple fact will affect the way both sides will continue to develop. Both Kamsky and Karpov have often played this type of positions, and just like a computer, the moment they see the isolated pawn, their brains will automatically recall all the standard ideas and strategies. I will tell you more about the play with and against the isolated pawn after another couple of moves.
Kamsky has deployed his two bishops in fighting positions. Actually the bishop on d2 is not very happy to be there, but for the moment it's the only way to relieve the knight on c3 from the pin. The bishop on d3, however, is already very strong and will become even more powerful the moment black castles. Even though Karpov is an expert at building fences around the opponent's pieces, this bishop will be very hard to close off.
9. ... Be7
Why is the bishop going back? Because black has to gain control of the g5 square if he has any desire to castle. The standard combinations with the sacrifice on h7 and Ng5 check are very dangerous in this type of positions. At the same time, the black bishop has already completed its duty. Since the pin is not effective anymore, he's got to find better things to do.
This a good moment to stop and look at the ideas that the two sides have, most of them typical for the isolated pawn positions. White has obviously more space. His pieces are better developed and seem to collaborate pretty well. His intentions of attacking the black king are no secret. Since he is better developed, white also desires to open the game, so he is very eager to push the d pawn to d5. Black, on the other hand, can not allow this to happen, so he has to continue keeping an eye on the d5 square.
At the same time, black wants to trade pieces. The more pieces leave the board, the less chances white has for a successful attack. And in the endgame, the isolated pawn can easily become a liability, that Karpov can't wait to cash in. Generally speaking, the weakness of the isolated pawn is felt more in the simple, cool positions lacking rich combinatorial possibilities. Adding to this the fact that Karpov enjoys that kind of positions, it is clar that Kamsky has to try keeping the game alive with combinations...
11. Qe2
Still a theoretical move, Qe2 prepares the maneuver of the queen in front of the d3 bishop, threatening checkmate on h7. Adding the queen to the attacking forces can definitely improve the success chances, so black is not going to let it happen...
I just said that white should try to avoid piece trades, and now Kamsky is doing just the opposite! The reason is very simple: in this position black's knight on f6 is the main defender of the black king, sort of his main bodyguard. Getting rid of him could make life much easier for white. At the same time, the knight on c3 hasn't been too active on the king's side, so Kamsky can afford to trade it.
12. ... Bd7
Even though the opening played was Caro Kann and not French, this bishop seems to be cursed to stay passive ... With not enough time to play 12...b6, because of 13.Nf6 Bf6 and 14.Qe4 with the threat of checkmate and taking the knight, the bishop has to get out to d7.
All the moves up to now have been played before. According to my database, 13...Rc8 is the first novelty. Another game played last year between Mortensen Erling and Danielsen Henrik in Denmark, featured 13...Qb6. After 14.Nf6 Bf6 15.Qe4 g6 16.Bh6 Bg7 17.Bg7 Kg7 18.h4, white obtained the initiative.
Karpov thinks that getting the queen out is not yet necessary, so he prefers to gain control of the open c file, thus keeping a choice of where to eventually place the queen.
The knight on f6 has grown tired of chatting with his counterpart on e4, so he is trying to find a new conversation partner.
15. Nc3
The white knight, however, seems to enjoy the company, so he is running after the black knight...
15. ... Nf6
A way of asking the white knight "do you like me that much as to agree to a draw?"
16. a3
Which of course, white bluntly refuses. The scope of a3 is very simple: it stops the knight on c6 from using the square b4 as a jumping point to the key square d5.
It looks like the knight on f6 has found a new friend...
17. ... Qa5?
Grave error that caused Karpov many problems. As I mentioned before, black has to try to prevent white from pushing his d pawn, just because the white pieces have such good positions, that in an open game their activity would be overwhelming. While Qa5 seems to do just that, by adding another control on the d5 square, it's just an illusion. Better would have been 17...Rfe8 defending the bishop on e7, and taking control of the e file in case of an opening of the center.
18. d5!
Kamsky immediately takes advantage of black's previous move. At first glance a pawn sacrifice, d5 is in fact the start to a nice combination, which allows white to win at least one pawn.
18. ... ed5
19...Nd5 would be followed by 20.Nd5. Then 20...Qd5 fails because of 21.Bh7; 20...ed5 is not much better because of 21.Be7 Re8 22.Bh7 Kh7 23.Ng5+ with winning attack; and 20...Bg5 faces 21.Ng5 ed5 22.Bh7 Kh8 23.Qh5.
19. Bf6
So white has finally managed to get rid of the king's bodyguard. Which means that the sacrifice on h7 becomes a very intersting possibility.
It is hard to know exactly which part of this nice, but simple, combination Karpov overlooked. In any case, Bh7 opens with tempo the d-file, which suddenly brings the rook on d1 into play, with very important consequences.
And here it comes! The rook suddenly attacks the queen and the bishop. The white pieces were much better prepared for this opening of the game, so they immediately gain control of the board. The bad position of the king on h7 also makes it subject to checks on g5, the h7-b1 diagonale, or the h file. Black is clearly in trouble!
21. ... Bc3!?
I am sorry I wasn't in Elista to see the reaction of the public to this amazing queen sacrifice. Actually it is not that surprising... The simple 21...Qc7 would have been followed by 22.Qd3 check and 23.Rd7 with an far from ideal position for black. Is it worth sacrificing the queen? Apparently, Karpov thought so and chances are he was right. The queen vs. rook and knight endgame is clearly better for white, but it looks like black might have better drawing chances.
22. Ra5
When Karpov gives you a queen, you have to take it! It happens so rarely, that no one can afford to miss such an opportunity.
Karpov prefers to lose his black squared bishop, and destroy white's pawn structure, instead of playing something like 23...Bb6 and losing the other bishop after 24.Qd3+ and 25.Qd7
24. ba5
Even though this is a very obvious move, it allows black to play 24...Bg4 and then 25...Bf3, which improves his position a lot. Trying to keep the knight would have been an interesting idea for Kamsky, and one way to do that would have been 24.Qd3!?, attacking the bishop on d7. If now 24...Bg4, white could play 25.Ng5 threatening mate on h7, and then take the bishop on a5. And against another move such as 24...Rfd8, white could also first play 25.Ng5 and then take on a5.
Very good and important move. Kamsky is aware of the fact that the chance of survival of the a5 pawn are very slim. So he prefers to sacrifice it on a6, doubling black's pawns on the a6 file. In this way white will have an undisputed majority on the king's side which should give hime good winning chances.
Taking back on a6 would be a grave mistake, since it would allow black to completely shatter white's pawn structure on the king's side after 26...Bf3
26. ... Bf3
27. Qf3 Rfe8
28. Ra1!?
Looks like a very strange move indeed. The reason Kamsky played it was his desire to avoid trading the rooks. He is aware of the fact that trading rooks is always an option for him, so he wants to try winning first with the rook, then eventually he might trade it. Of course 28.Re8 Re8 29.Qc6 doesn't work because of 29...Re1 checkmate. Why did he go to a1 though? I suppose he didn't want to be chased around on the b and d file, until he prepares a little opening for his king...
Resisting the temptation of starting an attack with 29.h4, Kamsky prefers to play it safe, at least until move 40, when he gets past the time control and has more time to think.
29. ... Rd8
30. Qc3 Rdd6
31. Rb1 Rd7
Black can not "start" anything. He has to try building a fortress that would protect him from the white queen. The knight will have to remain on c6 for the time being, to defend the a pawns, and the rooks will have to stay close, to defend the king and the knight.
32. Qc4 a5 33. Rb5 Rd1
This check doesn't do black any good, but in time trouble Karpov tries to make the time control without making any other significant weakness.
34. Kh2 Rd2 35. Rf5!
The white rook finds a goold place from where it can both attack and defend at
the same time.
35. ... Rd4
36. Qc3 Rdd6
37. Rc5 Rf6
38. Rc4 Rfe6
39. Rc5 Rf6
40. Qe3 Rfe6
41. Qg3 Rg6
42. Qb3!
Both Kamsky and Karpov, have only tried o get out of time trouble without committing themselves to any specific strategy. Now, Kamsky has found a way to penetrate the black defense, and he is immediately taking advantage of it.
42. ... Rgf6
43. Qb7 Rfe6
44. Qc7 Rf6
45. f4!
Beautiful play by Kamsky! First he placed his queen on c7, which practically paralyzes all the black pieces: neither rook can leave the 6th rank because the knight would fall, the knight can't budge because the pawns would fall, and the rook on d6 is also attacked. Now, and only now, does Kamsky start to push his king's side pawns. He knows that the f pawn is not going to checkmate, but if it restricts the activity of the black rooks, that would be enough to grow his advantage. Kamsky is beating Karpov in his own style!
Once again the power of the queen allows Kamsky to make this beautiful pawn "sacrifice". In this way he manages to break through black's fortress, exposing the king to the bad weather outside...
White finally offers to trade rooks, but in very degrading conditions. If black plays 47...Rf5, after 48.Qd6 he loses control of the 6th rank, which makes his position virtually unholdable.
47. ... Rde6
Karpov's way of saying "I am ready to trade the rooks if I keep the sixth rank"...
48. Rh5
...And Kamsky's way of saying "No way!"
48. ... Rh6
49. Qg3! Kf8
50. Rd5 Rhg6
51. Qf2! Rgf6
52. Qb2!
It seems that Karpov's lesson from the first game was not wasted on Kamsky. Understanding the importance of the a1-h8 diagonale, Kamsky places his queen on a good spot, controlling at the same time the b file.
52. ... Ke7
53. Rh5 Rh6
54. Rb5 Rhg6
55. Qc3 Kf8
56. Rh5 Rh6
57. Rf5 Rg6
58. Qf3! Rg7
Kamsky has finally achieved his goal: to interrupt the collaboration between the two rooks and the knight. In queen vs. other pieces endgames, it is very important for the side without the queen to try and keep a constant coordination between all the pieces, so that the queen can't capture anything. The breach of this network is very serious, and may lead to the decisive advantage Kamsky has been seeking.
The queen is now back on c7, but with a very important difference: black can not play Rf6 anymore! The very serious threat is 61.Qc8 followed by 62.Rh5, getting the king out of his comfortable home.
60. ... Kf8
61. Qc8 Ke7
62. Rd5
After getting the black king out, where the rooks can't help him, Kamsky brings his own rook, showing how much a rook and queen can do when they work together.
Kamsky has waited so long for this moment! He finally managed to pin one of the black rooks, and threatens Qh4 check. The end is very near!
63. ... Re4
64. Rh5 Ne7
65. Rh7
And Karpov resigned because after 65...Nf5 66.Rg7 Ng7 67.Qh6 after which he loses his knight and enters a completely lost endgame.
A very nice comeback for the young American. As expected, he outplayed Karpov on the tactical field with the beautiful 18.d5, and then played convincingly to prove that the match is by far not over. Karpov will once again have the white pieces on Monday, which means he will try hard to win. Is Kamsky going to stick with the Grunfeld, or switch to another opening? Come back on Monday morning and you will find out...
GM Schwartzman has been playing chess since he was two years old, and started playing tournaments at the age of four. He received his first international invitation by the time he was eight. Since then Gabriel has been invited to events in Germany, Switzerland, Austria, Belgium, the Netherlands, France, Spain, Denmark, Italy, Israel, Canada, as well as the USA.
In 1988 he became vice-world champion of the Under 12 years section, and in 1990 he won the bronze medal at the Youth World championship in Fond du Lac, Wisconsin. Currently 19 years old, Gabriel is the top ranked junior (under the age of 21) player in the United States.
GM Schwartzman is multi-talented, speaking Romanian, English, German and French very well. He also gets by in Russian and Spanish. Gabriel is also an accomplished Internet publisher - his Internet Chess Academy can be found at http://www.yourmove.com
You can send email to Gabriel at [email protected].