FIDE World Championship
Analysis of Game 10
by Grandmaster Walter Browne
assisted by IM John Grefe
White: Gata Kamsky 1
Black: Anatoly Karpov 0
Played 24 June 96 in Elista, Kalmykia
This analysis is provided as a public service by USChess Online ®,
a publication of the United States Chess Federation.
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 e7-e6 3. Ng1-f3 b7-b6 4. a2-a3 Bc8-b7 5. Nb1-c3 d7-d5 6. c4xd5 Nf6xd5 7. Bc1-d2 Nb8-d7 8. Qd1-c2 c7-c5 9. Nc3xd5
9.e2-e4 is much more common as Kamsky tried on an earlier occasion vs Karpov in a Rapid event which continued 9...Nd5xc3 10.Bd2xc3 c5xd4 11.Bc3xd4 Ra8-c8 12.Bd4-c3 a7-a6 13.Bf1-d3 Bf8-e7 14.0-0 ,but he eventually lost. A more recent game deviated with 11.Nf3xd4 a7-a6 12.g2-g3!? Qd8-c7 13.Bf1-g2 Bf8-e7 14.0-0= as in Akopian,V.-Gurevic,M. Haifa,95
9. ... e6xd5
In this rarely visited position black tried 9...Bb7xd5 10.e2-e4 Bd5-b7 11.Ra1-d1 (11.Bd2-c3 c5xd4 12.Nf3xd4 a7-a6 13.0-0-0 with double-edged play. Ibarra-Servat,95) c5xd4 12.Nf3-d4 a7-a6 13.Bd2-c3 Qd8-c7 14.Bf1-e2 Bf8-e7 15.0-0 0-0 16.f2-f3 Anastasia-dive,94
10. d4xc5
A novelty. 10.e2-e3 Bf8-e7 11.Bf1-d3 or 10.Bd2-c3 may well be seen in the near future.
10. ... b6xc5
In light of what happened I think black might want to try 10...Bfxc5 11.e2-e3 0-0 which looks fine.
11. e2-e3 Bf8-e7 12. Bf1-d3 g7-g6 13. h2-h4
Nice! As Karpov has compromised his Kingside Kamsky gives him no time for rest and threatens h5 putting pressure on g6 with ideas to open the h-line for an attack.
13. ... Qd8-b6 14. h4-h5 Be7-f6 15. Ra1-b1 Ra8-c8 16. Qc2-a4
Pinning the knight and ready to shuffle over to the impending action on the kingside.
16. ... Bb7-c6 17. Qa4-g4 Bc6-b5 18. Bd3-c2
Kamsky won't be able to castle now either, but he gave up that option a long time ago anyway.
18. ... a7-a5
Preventing a4-a5 or a4 and b4 combined, however I feel that the real threats are on the other side and the a5 pawn becomes a liability which will become clearer as the game progresses.
19. h5xg6
Keeping the tension with 19.Nf3-g5 was a serious alternative with the idea to sac the knight on f7 at the right moment.
19. ... h7xg6 20. Rh1xh8+ Bf6xh8 21. Nf3-g5 Bh8-f6
Black will never be able to drive the knight away with a pawn so f7 is under constant surveillance.
22. a3-a4 Bb5-c6 23. Ke1-f1
A very useful move! Safetying the king whilst preparing to open the e-line.
23. ... Ke8-e7
Karpov can't follow tit for tat so while the white king heads for cover Black's is stuck in the middle awaiting impending doom. 23...Ke8-e7 24.Ng5-h7+ Kf8-g7 25.Nh7xf6 Kg7xf6 26.Bd2-c3 is close to winning for white. Also note that Karpov's knight is pinned as 23...Rc8-d8 24.Bc2xg6 Nd7-e5 (24....Bf6xg5 25.Qg4-e6 wins) 25.Qg4-e6 wins.
24. e3-e4
Simple and strong. Once the e-line is opened Black's king will be in a sling!
24. ... Qb6-a6 25. Kf1-g1 Nd7-e5
25....d5-d4 26.e5! Nd7-e5 (26....Bf6xe5 27.Ng5xf7! Ke8xf7 28.Qg4xg6 Kf7-e7 29.Bd2-g5+ Ke7-f8 30.Bc2-f5! with the idea Bf5-e6 winning.) 27.Rb1-e1 with many threats, for instance: 27....Ke7-d8 28.Re1xe5 Bf6xe5 29.Ng5xf7 wins or 27....Ke7-d6 28.Ng5xf7 Ne5xf7 29.Qg4-e6+ Kd6-c7 30.Qe6xf7 wins and lastly 27....Ke7-f8 28.Ng5-h7 Kf8-g7 29.Qg4-f4 wins.
26. Qg4-f4 d5-d4
26...d5xe4? 27.Bd2-c3 (27....Ne5-d7 28.Bc3xf6+ Nd7xf6 29.Qf4-e5 wins a piece.) Bf6xg5 28.Qf4xe5 wins. Now 26....Qa6-c4 looks logical attacking the bishop while pinning the e-pawn yet...27.Rb1-c1 and white has threats to the queen, not to mention the king.
27. Ng5-h7 Bf6-h8
If the pawn on c6 moves white could snap off the a-pawn or play Qf4-g3! with deadly threats like Bd2-g5!
28. Qf4-h4+ f7-f6
28...Ke7-d7 29.Nh7-f6 Kd7-c7 (29...Kd7-e6 30.Bd2-g5 followed by f2-f4 or Qh4-h3 is a killer.) 30.Bd2-f4 wins
29. f2-f4 Ne5-d7
29....Ne5-c4 30.Bc2-d3 and the knight is lost.
30. Rb1-e1
30.e4-e5 would allow -Qa6-e2!
30. ... Qa6-c4 31. Bc2-b1 Ke7-d6
Karpov's only hope is to scurry his king over to the queenside before it gets mauled, but it's too late.
32. e4-e5+ f6xe5 33. f4xe5+ Nd7xe5
33...Kd6-c7 34.e5-e6 Nd7-b6 35.Qh4-e7+ Kc7-b8 36.Bd2xa5 with a superior position although there is probably something better. Also If: 33....Bh8xe5 34.Bd2-f4! d4-d3 (34....Rc8-e8 35.Nh7-f6! Nd7xf6 36.Qh4xf6 Re8-e6 37.Bf4xe5 winning.)35.Re1xe5! Nd7xe5 (35....Qc4-d4 36.Re5-e3+-) 36.Bf4xe5 Kd6-d5 37.Nh7-f6+ wins the queen.
34. Bd2-f4 Qc4-d5
34...Rc8-e8 35.Nh7-f6 Re8-e6 36.Qh4xh8+- Karpov's first and last threat!
35. Bb1-e4 Qd5-e6 36. Nh7-g5
The knight returns with lethal threats.
36. ... Qe6-e7 37. Be4xc6 Kd6xc6 38. Bf4xe5 Bh8xe5 39. Qh4-e4+
Winning a piece.
39. ... Kc6-d6 40. Qe4xg6+
More efficient than 40.Qxe5 Qxe5 41.Nf7 which is a slower way.
40. ... Kd6-c7 41. Ng5-e6+ Kc7-d6 42. Ne6-f4+ Qe7-f6
42...Kd6-d7 43.Qg6-f5 Kd7-d6 44.Qf5xc8 +-
43. Qg6xf6+ Be5xf6 44. Re1-e6+ Kd6-d7 45. Re6xf6 Rc8-b8 46. Nf4-d3 c5-c4
Karpov would probably have resigned against most GM's at this point. Maybe there is some bad blood between these guys.
47. Nd3-e5+ Kd7-e7 48. Rf6-f4
48.Rf6-c6 was more exact.
48. ... Rb8xb2 49. Ne5xc4 Rb2-b4 50. Rf4xd4 Rb4xa4 51. Kg1-f2 Ra4-a2 52. Kf2-f3 a5-a4 53. Nc4-e3 Ke7-e6 54. Kf3-e4 Ra2-a1 55. g2-g4 Ke6-e7 56. Rd4-d5 Ke7-f6 57. Rd5-a5 Kf6-g6 58. Ke4-f4 Kg6-f7 59. Ra5-a6 Resigns
Karpov resigned. A possible finish could've been 59....a4-a3 60.g4-g5 a3-a2 61.g5-g6+ Kf7-e7 62.Ne3-f5+ Ke7-d7 63.g6-g7+-