White: Anatoly Karpov



Black: Gata Kamsky







Played 22 June 96 in Elista, Kalmykia

GM Gabriel Schwartzman is in New Jersey to compete in the Interplay US Junior Invitational Championship, and will resume doing coverage in early July. Meanwhile, we wish him the best of luck! In his absence well known Grandmaster Walter Browne will be providing the post-game coverage, assisted by IM John Grefe.

 1.  d2-d4   Ng8-f6



 2.  c2-c4    g7-g6



 3. Nb1-c3    d7-d5



 4. Ng1-f3   Bf8-g7



 5. Qd1-b3    d5xc4



 6. Qb3xc4   O-O



 7.  e2-e4    a7-a6



 8.  e4-e5    b7-b5



 9. Qc4-b3   Nf6-d7



10. Bc1-e3    c7-c5



11.  e5-e6    c5-c4

11. ... cd4!? 12. Nxd4?! - (12. exd7, dxc3 [12 ... dxe3 13.exc8(Q) exf2+ 14. Kxf2 Qb6 isn't so clear] 13. dxc8(Q) cxb2 14. Rb1 [14. Qxd8 bxa1(Q) 15. Qd8-d1 and black -+ is winning] Qxc8 15. Bd3 += and white is better with the option of Be4 later. Also the b-pawn is doomed.) Also 11. ... fe6 12 dxc5 favors white.

12.  e6xf7+  Rf8xf7



13. Qb3-d1

If 13. Qc2 black would gain a valuable tempo later with ... Bf5.

13. ...      Nd7-b6

14. ... Rf5 15. a4! b4 16. a5 looks favorable for white +-.

14. Nf3-e5   Rf7-f8



15.  a2-a4

The timid 15. Be2 Bb7 16. O-O nd5! 17. Nd5 Bd5 18. a4 Nc6 allows black to consolidate. It's normal for white to play a move like 15h4 attacking on the Kingside, but Karpov shows why he has been at the top of World Chess for 20 years. Unexpectedly he undermines the Queenside in a destructive fashion. With the text the b5 pawn must go and then the c pawn. Besides undermining the Queenside white will capture the c-pawn with tempo!

15. ...       b5-b4



16.  a4-a5

16. Ne4 Be6 17. Ng5 Bd5 18. a5 N6-d7 19. Nxc4 (19. Bxc4? Nxe5 20. Bxd5 Qxd5 21. dxe5 Qxg2) ... Nc6 may favor white, but is unnecessarily complicated and not Karpov's style.

16. ...       b4xc3



17.  a5xb6    c3xb2



18. Bf1xc4+  Kg8-h8

If 18. ... e6 Black would lose the option of Bf5 later.

19. Ra1-b1   Qd8xb6



20. Qd1-d2

After 20. Qd2 white will round up the b-pawn and has better development and a safer king.

20. ...      Nb8-d7



21. Rb1xb2

21. Nf7 Rxf7! 22. Bxf7 Rb8 23. O-O a5 and Karpov would have good reason to worry about the two pawns.

21. ...      Nd7xe5



22. Rb2xb6

22. de5 Qc7 attacking the Bishop and pawn forces 23 Bd5 Rb8 24. Rxb8 Qxb8 25. f4?! allows ...Rd8!, a very strong pin. With the text white has all the chances.

22. ...      Ne5xc4



23. Qd2-b4   Nc4xb6



24. Qb4xb6    a6-a5



25. O-O       a5-a4

Without this outside pawn black has little counterplay and would eventually lose.

26. Rf1-a1   Bc8-f5



27.  h2-h4    e7-e6

27. ... e5? 28de5 Be5 29. Bd4 Bxd4 30. Qxd4 Kg8 31. Rxa4 must win sooner or later. Also, if: 27. ... Rfb8 28. Rxa4! Rxb6 29. Rxa8 Bf8 30. Bh6 Rf6 31. Bxf8 wins for white. 27. ... a3? 28Qb3!

28. Be3-f4

Forcing Black into a passive position. Note that 30. ... Bxd4?? loses to 31. Be5+-.

28. ...      Bf5-e4



29. Bf4-d6   Rf8-c8



30. Qb6-b5   Be4-c6



31. Qb5-b4   Kh8-g8



32. Ra1-a3   Ra8-a6

A weak move 32. ... Be8 was necessary as 33. h5?! gh5 34.Rg3 Bg6 with some hope, yet 33 Rg3 is better.

33. Qb4-c4   Rc8-a8



34. Qc4xe6+  Kg8-h8



35. Bd6-e5   Bg7xe5



36. Qe6xe5+  Kh8-g8



37.  h4-h5   Bc6-e8



38.  h5-h6   Ra6-a7



39.  d4-d5

Did Karpov really miss 39. Qe6+ winning a rook?

39. ...      Ra7-b7



40.  d5-d6   Ra8-d8



41. Ra3-f3   Resigns

Too many threats. A nice technical win by Anatoly Karpov.