White: Gata Kamsky     0.5



Black: Anatoly Karpov  0.5







Played 28 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.  e2-e4    c7-c6



 2.  d2-d4    d7-d5

The ultra-solid Caro-Kann has been Karpov's number one defense to 1.e2-e4 for many years. Occasionally he plays 1...e7-e5 and enters the drawish Petroff Defense after the normal 2.Ng1-f3 with 2...Ng8-f6, but he seems to have abandoned the more double-edged Zaitsev Variation of the Ruy Lopez.

 3. Nb1-d2    d5xe4



 4. Nd2xe4   Nb8-d7



 5. Ne4-g5

Since Black is planning to challenge this knight next move with ...Ng8-f6, White tries an unusual looking move to try to disturb the smooth development of Black's pieces.

 5. ...      Ng8-f6



 6. Bf1-d3    e7-e6



 7. Ng1-f3   Bf8-d6

Karpov has set up the classic Caro-Kann pawn structure, a hard formation to breach. One reason for this is that Kamsky lacks pawn breaks to open the position, and piece play alone is rarely enough to get the job done.

 8. Qd1-e2    h7-h6



 9. Ng5-e4   Nf6xe4



10. Qe2xe4   Nd7-f6



11. Qe4-e2   Qd8-c7



12. Bc1-d2    b7-b6



13. O-O-O    Bc8-b7

The players have repeated game eight for the first thirteen moves. The interesting continuation there was 14.Nf3-e5 c6-c5 15.Bd3-b5+ Ke8-e7 16.d4xc5!?, since 16...Bxe5 loses to 17.c5xb6 a7xb6 18.Qe2xe5!! Qc7xe5 19.Bd2-b4+. Another main line on move fourteen runs 14.Kc1-b1 Ra8-d8 15.c2-c4 0-0 16.Bd2c3, with two recent key games from Groningen 1995: (1) Z. Almasi-Adams went 16...Qc7-e7?! 17.g2-g4 c6-c5 18.Rh1-g1 with attacking chances for White; (2) Almasi-Karpov varied with 16...Rf8-e8N 17.g2-g4 c6-c5 18.Rh1-g1 Bb7xf3 19.Qe2xf3 c5xd4 with sharp play.

14. Rh1-e1

This looks like a novelty. It appears Kamsky will forego sharp kingside play for central pressure while not spending a tempo to get his king to a more secure square at b1.

14. ...      O-O



15.  g2-g4

But now the youthful challenger reverts to the thematic plan for this variation, a direct attack on the king. Will the presence of his own king at c1 rather than b1 hurt him? Probably.

15. ...       c6-c5

Karpov's sense of danger doesn't fail him, though there's little point in grabbing the pawn at g4 when he's already three points ahead in this twenty-game match. If 15...Nf6xg4? 16.Ne5! [16.Re1-g1 f7-f5! is less clear, e.g., 17.Qe2xe6+ Kg8-h8 18.Rg1xg4 (18.Bd3xf5? Bb7-c8 wins) 18...Rf8-f6 beats back the threats] 16...Ng4-f6 [16...Ng4xe5 17.d4xe5 Bd6-e7 18.Re1-g1 Kg8-h8 19.Qe4 wins] 17.Re1-g1 Kg8-h8 18.Rg1-g3 [18.Rg1xg7!? may work but it's messy] with the ideas of Rd1-e1 and Rg3-h3 give Kamsky a raging attack.

16.  g4-g5

16.d4xc5 Qc7xc5 17.Bd2-e3 (To chase the queen away from its command of g5) 17...Qc5-c6! 18.Nf3-d4 Qc6-a4 19.Kc1-b1 Nf6-d5 is fine for Black.

16. ...       h6xg5



17. Nf3xg5

Not 17.Bd2xg5? Bd6-f4+! [The ambitious 17...c5-c4? could go down in a blaze of glory after the plausible line 18.Bg5xf6 c4xd3 19.Rd1xd3! Bd6-f4+ 20.Kc1-b1 g7xf6 21.Re1-g1+ Kg8-h7 22.Nf3-e5! f6xe5 23.Qe2-h5+! Bf4-h6 24.Qh5xh6+! Kh7xh6 25.Rd3-h3 mate!] 18.Bg5xf4 [18.Kc1-b1? loses a piece to 18...Bb7xf3] 18...Qc7xf4+ 19.Nf3-d2 c5xd4, when Black is on top. These lines show the relevance of Kamsky's king being at c1 rather than b1.

17. ...      Bd6-f4

Karpov has a more ambitious but more complex try in 17...c5xd4 18.h2-h4 Bd6-f4 [18...e6-e5!? may also be strong] 19.Re1-g1 Bf4xd2 20.Qe2xd2 [20.Rd1xd2 Qc7-f4 21.h4-h5 Kg8-h8 and White's attack will come to a standstill with Karpov's domination of the dark squares] 20...Nf6-h5 21.Rg1-g4 Qc7-h2!, and if 22.Rd1-g1, f7-f5 it's over.

18.  h2-h4   Ra8-d8

18...c5xd4 could transpose to a line given above but Karpov prefers to get another man to the vital sector at once.

19.  d4xc5    b6xc5



20. Bd2-e3

If Kamsky doesn't have anything better than this harmless bishop move his opening must be stamped a failure. But 20.Re1-g1 is squashed by 20...c5-c4! 21.Bd3xc4 Rd8xd2! 22.Rd1xd2 Bf4xd2+ 23.Kc1xd2 Qc7-f4 24.Kd2-d1 Rf8-d8, when it's Karpov on the attack.

20. ...      Rd8-d4

The fine centralization 20...Rd8-d4! shows that Karpov is taking over the initiative. From here the rook will menace Kamsky's h-pawn and can also swing over to the kingside to reduce White's attacking options. Black's active, well placed pieces prevent Kamsky from generating any serious threats against the king.

21. Re1-g1   Bf4xe3



22.  f2xe3

On 22.Qe2xe3 Qc7-f4 Kamsky will drop his h-pawn in a hopeless endgame. He must try for complications even if it turns out they lose more quickly if Karpov doesn't fall for anything.

22. ...      Rd4xh4



23. Rd1-f1   Qc7-e5

23...Rh4-h2 looks powerful, as after 24.Rf1-f2 Rh2xf2 25.Qe2xf2 Qc7-e5 it's hard to see how Kamsky could strengthen his attack.

24. Qe2-f2   Rh4-h6

This passive retreat makes it harder for Karpov to capitalize on his advantage. Again, the aggressive rook sortie to h2 looks good, e.g., 25.Qf2-f4 [25.Qf2xf6 fails to 25...g7xf6!] 25...Qe5xf4 26.Rf1xf4 Nf6-d5 27.Rf4-a4 Nd5xe3, with excellent endgame prospects.

25. Rg1-g3   Bb7-e4

Kamsky has more chances of salvaging a draw in a major piece ending, but Karpov was starting to feel the renewed heat against his king and tries to pare down the assault force.

26. Rf1-g1    g7-g6

The mistake 26...g7-g6? gives Kamsky a fighting chance. 26...Be4xd3 27.c2xd3 [not the overly tricky 27.Ng5-f3? Nf6-e4! 28.Rg3xg7+ Qe5xg7 29. Rg1xg7+ Kg8-g7 30.Qf2-g2+ Rh6-g6, and Black wins] 27...Nf6-d5 [or 27...g7-g6] keeps Karpov in command, though Kamsky could still muddy the waters. 26...Rh6-g6 27.Ng5xe4 Nf6xe4 28.Bd3xe4 Rg6xg3? 29.Qf2xg3 would be one way for the FIDE world champion to blow a piece, as he cannot recapture on e4.

27. Rg1-f1   Kg8-g7



28. Qf2xf6+

With 28.Qf2xf6+! Kamsky forces a transition to an endgame that maximizes his drawing opportunities.

28. ...      Qe5xf6



29. Rf1xf6   Be4xd3



30. Rf6xf7+

The hanging pieces on both sides give Kamsky new life. Riskier would have been 30.Rf6xe6 f7xe6 31.Ng5xe6+ Kg7-f7 32.Ne6xf8 Bd3-f5 because of the knight is cut off behind enemy lines.

30. ...      Rf8xf7



31. Ng5xf7   Rh6-h1



32. Kc1-d2   Bd3xc2

Karpov has emerged from the skirmish a pawn ahead but Kamsky's frisky knight can go after the four isolated Black pawns. He must keep a close watch, however, on the passed g-pawn.

33. Nf7-d8   Rh1-h2

33...Bc2-f5 could transpose to the game continuation but would allow the additional possibility of 34.e3-e4 Rh1-h2 35.Kd2-e3.

34. Kd2-c3   Kg7-f6

A different type of game results after 34...Bc2-f5 35.e3-e4 Rh2-h3 36.Rg3xh3 Bf5xh3 37.Kc3-c4 Kf7-f6 38.Nd8-c6! [38.Kc4xc5 Kf6-e5! gets White into trouble.] White can get a passed pawn of his own while keeping his king within range of the dangerous g-pawn. It would be a tough position to play for both sides.

35. Nd8-b7   Bc2-f5



36. Nb7xc5

This looks risky but Kamsky knows what he's doing.

36. ...      Rh2-c2



37. Kc3-d4   Rc2-d2



38. Kd4-c3   Rd2-c2



39. Kc3-d4    e6-e5

This lets the White king in but Kamsky is threatening e3-e4.

40. Kd4-d5   Rc2-d2



41. Kd5-c4   Rd2-c2



42. Kc4-d5   Rc2-d2+



43. Kd5-c4

Kamsky doesn't want to send his king to c6 on what could turn out to be a wild goose chase.

43. ...       g6-g5



44.  e3-e4   Bf5-c8

From here the bishop can support the passed pawn. If Karpov can get this pawn to g4 and his king to g5, threatening to invade at f4, he'll be back in the driver's seat. But he lacks a tempo or two to accomplish this and Kamsky's careful defense holds the balance. A hard-fought game.

45. Kc4-c3   Rd2-d1



46. Rg3-f3+  Kf6-g7



47. Nc5-d3    g5-g4



48. Rf3-g3   Kg7-f6



49. Nd3-f2

This forces a liquidation after which the inevitable draw becomes obvious.

49. ...      Rd1-c1+



50. Kc3-d2   Rc1-a1



51. Nf2xg4   Bc8xg4



52. Rg3xg4   Ra1xa2



53. Kd2-c3   Ra2-a4



54.  b2-b4   Draw