White: Deeper Blue
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Black: Garry Kasparov
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1.e4
As the London Chess Centre predicted! |
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e5
Kasparov continues his policy of non-aggressive chess against the computer.
He avoids his usual Sicilian, which he used in the last match without much
success. |
2.Nf3
The usual response attacking the pawn on e5. |
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Nc6
In the previous match Kasparov preferred the Petroff defence with 2...Nf6. |
3.Bb5
This initiates the Ruy Lopez opening, an opening named after a priest
born about 1530 from Zafra, Spain who was the leading player of his day. |
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a6
Challenging the bishop. It has been known for centuries that White
cannot win a pawn here with 4.Bxc6 dxc6 5.Nxe5 because Black can regain
the pawn with either 5...Qd4 or 5...Qg5. |
4.Ba4
Therefore the computer prudently retreats the bishop. |
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Nf6
This is standard development, attacking e4. |
5.0-0
White ignores the threat to his e-pawn. |
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Be7
If 5...Nxe4 then 6.d4 b5 (If 6...exd4 then 7.Re1 d5 8.Nxd4 threatening
9.Nxc6 and 9.f3 is good for White.) 7.Bb3 d5 8.dxe5 leads to the Open Variation
seen a number of times during the Karpov-Korchnoi World Championship matches. |
6.Re1
The computer now defends the vulnerable e-pawn. |
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b5
Defending against the threat of 7.Bxc6 and 8.Nxe5. However this is
a double-edged move which gains space, but leaves the pawn structure weakened
on the queenside. |
7.Bb3
The only move. |
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d6
Kasparov rejects the sharp Marshall counter gambit with 7...O-O 8.c3
d5!? 9.exd5 Nxd5 10.Nxe5 in favour of a solid positional game. |
| 8.c3
Preparing to build a centre with d4. This is much stronger than the
natural 8.Nc3. |
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0-0
Kasparov castles, no doubt pleased to have avoided any snap attacks
while the monarch was in the centre. |
9.h3
This commonly played move restricts Black from playing the pin Bg4
which puts annoying pressure on White's centre. |
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h6
Black wants to prepare a fianchetto of his bishop with 10...Re8 followed
by Bf8, g6 and Bg7 without allowing the annoying 10.Ng5 attacking f7. |
10.d4
This is the correct moment for this advance. |
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Re8
Continuing the plan outlined in the note to Black's ninth move. |
| 11.Nbd2
White begins to manoeuvre his knight to the kingside via f1 and g3 or
e3 in preparation for an all out kingside attack. |
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Bf8
The next stage in Kasparov's strategy. |
12.Nf1
The white knight continues on its journey. |
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Bd7
This is the first unusual move. More normal is 12...Bb7. 12...exd4
looks like it wins a pawn, but... 13.cxd4 Nxe4 14.Bd5!! would win a piece
for White. |
13.Ng3
The knight aims at the f5-square.
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Na5
Preparing to increase the pressure on White's centre with 14...c5. |
14.Bc2
Under no circumstances would White allow Black to exchange his offside
knight for the white bishop which should have a great future after the
game opens up at a later stage. |
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c5
The consistent move. |
15.b3
White restricts the scope of the a5-knight by denying it the c4-square.
Preparing to attack the Black queenside pawns with a4. |
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Nc6
The knight returns to the centre having allowed the advance of the
c-pawn. |
16.d5
A commital move, closing the centre. This is probably the best move,
however blocked positions are known to favour humans as the emphasis is
on strategical manoeuvering rather than tactical calculation. |
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Ne7
The knight has no future on the queenside and so Kasparov deploys it
to the kingside. |
17.Be3
Completing his development. |
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Ng6
This is a game of grand schemes. Kasparov is preparing to ease the
cramp in his position with an exchange of knights, therefore he temporarily
abandons his plan of fianchettoing his bishop on g7. |
18.Qd2
Clearing the first rank and connecting his rooks.
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Nh7
A new move!! The previous moves in this position are a) 18...Qc8 and
b) 18...a5:
a) 18...Qc8 19.Kh2 Qb7 20.a4 Reb8 21.a5 Rc8 22.b4 Rc7 23.Rac1 Re8 24.Bb1
Qc8 25.Red1 Kh8 26.Ba2 Kg8 27.Bb1 Qb8 28.Ba2 Rec8 29.Kg1 Be8 30.Bb1 Bd7
31.Ba2 Be8 32.Bb1 was drawn in Knezevic,B-Djuric,S/Paris op 1995.
b) 18...a5 19.a4 bxa4 20.bxa4 Qc7 21.Reb1 Reb8 22.Qc1 Ne7 23.Nd2 Be8
24.Nc4 Nd7 25.Bd3 Nc8 26.Na3 Ndb6 27.Nb5 Qd8 28.c4 Be7 29.Nf5 Bg5 30.Ra2
Bxe3 31.Qxe3 Bxb5 32.Rxb5 Ne7 33.Nxe7+ Qxe7 34.Qe1 Qa7 35.Qc3 Nd7 36.Rab2
Rxb5 37.Rxb5 Nb6 38.Be2 g6 39.g3 Kh7 40.f4 f6 and 1-0 in Adorjan,A-Scholl,E/Amsterdam
IBM 1971. |
19.a4
White expands on the queenside as Black has the fewest Black defenders
there. |
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Nh4
When you have no space - ease your congested position by exchanging
pieces! |
| 20.Nxh4 |
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Qxh4 |
| 21.Qe2
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Qd8
21...bxa4 is known to be a dubious idea in this type of position because
of the reply 22.b4!! which is much better than the automatic recapture
22.bxa4. Then after 22...cxb4 23.cxb4 White will recapture the Black a4-pawn
with 24.Bxa4 when the Black pawn on a6 will be very weak. Would the computer
have seen this?!? Perhaps it would have automatically recaptured the pawn
thereby losing its advantage. |
22.b4
Continuing his plan of undermining the queenside pawns. |
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Qc7
The queen has rushed back to the defence of the queenside. |
23.Rec1
This plans to blast open the queenside with 24.c4 when Black's queen
will find itself embarrassed on the c-file. |
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c4
Black is therefore provoked into blocking the c-file, however White
must now have a definite advantage because he can aim to increase the pressure
on the a-file while Black has no visible counterplay. The computer is better,
but does it understand its advantage? |
24.Ra3
Preparing to intensify the pressure on the a file by doubling his rooks. |
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Rec8
'Kasparov is floundering for a plan' - GM McDonald. |
25.Rca1
Now White threatens 26.axb5 forcing 26...Bxb5 when the black a-pawn
is left very weak. |
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Qd8
This defends the rook on a8 a second time and thereby allows 26.axb5
axb5 avoiding a weak pawn on a6. |
26.f4
It seems unnecessary to open a second front on the kingside. The correct
plan would have been to bring the queen to the a-file to reintroduce the
theme of axb5 forcing the reply Bxb5. This could have been acheived by
26.Bd1 planning to bring the queen to the a-file with 27.Qa2. |
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Nf6
The knight re-enters the fray. |
| 27.fxe5
This is another double-edged move, since, after the forced reply 27...dxe5,
Black suddenly has the excellent blockade square d6 for his knight and
the bishop which was blocked in by his own pawn on d6 can see daylight.
Indeed perhaps now Black will be able to exploit its x-ray attack on the
rook on a3 with a subsequent ...a6-a5. However the computer believes that
gaining a strong central protected passed pawn is the more important positional
factor at present. |
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dxe5 |
28.Qf1
A venomous move, carrying with it the subtle tactical threat 29.axb5
axb5 30.Rxa8 Rxa8 31.Rxa8 Qxa8 and the queen has been pulled from the defence
of the knight on f6. Now 32.Bxh6 nets a clear pawn, as after 32...gxh6,
Qxf6 regains the pawn. |
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Ne8
Manoeuvring the knight to the strong blockading square d6. |
29.Qf2
It should have been placed here last move. |
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Nd6
The knight arrives at its dream square. |
30.Bb6
Increasing his control of key squares. |
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Qe8 |
| 31.R3a2 |
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Be7
Seirawan, commentating at the Equitable Center said: 'Garry is clutching
his head, he is not satisfied.' |
32.Bc5
The computer is toying with the 'Carbon based life form'. |
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Bf8?!
Illescas says 'Kasparov doesn't know what to do'. |
33.Nf5
At last the preparations are complete and the computer goes for the
jugular. |
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Bxf5
Black prefers to keep his knight in order to preserve the blockade
on the d6 square. |
| 34.exf5 |
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f6
Stopping the break up of his kingside with 35.f6. |
35.Bxd6
White's only chance to win is to eliminate the dominant knight. |
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Bxd6 |
36.axb5
If 36.Qb6 then Rd8 (36...Bc7 37.Qe6+ Kh7 38.Qxe8 Bb6 is slightly better
for White.) 37.axb5 Rab8 38.Qxa6 38...e4 planning 39...Qe5 was interesting. |
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axb5
'Garry looks really unhappy and is being very expressive, shaking his
head and making faces' - Seirawan. Kasparov only has 20 minutes left. Hiarcs
evaluates 36...axb5 37.Qb6 Rxa2 38.Rxa2 Qd7 39.Ra6 Rd8 40.Ra7 Qe8 41.Ra5
e4 42.Rxb5 as a clear edge to White.
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| 37.Be4!! The winning move. It snuffs
out all of Black's counterplay. It appears that the computer has prevented
any possible pawn sacrifices revolving around the freeing e5 - e4 push.
Was this move merely based on an accumulation of ply, or was this an unprecidented
positional awareness by the Silicon Beast? |
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Rxa2 |
| 38.Qxa2 |
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Qd7 |
| 39.Qa7 |
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Rc7 |
| 40.Qb6 |
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Rb7 |
| 41.Ra8+ |
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Kf7 |
| 42.Qa6 |
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Qc7 |
| 43.Qc6 |
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Qb6+ |
| 44.Kf1 |
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Rb8 |
| 45.Ra6
Did Kasparov resign in a drawn position? Almost certainly - even if
it is not a draw, the position is certainly playable after 45...Qe3
Now if 46.Qxd6 Re8! and suddenly White cannot find an easy win.
Black is threatening a perpetual check. Everyone agrees that the best attempt
to win is 47.h4! giving the king some safe squares on the kingside,
however Black now has the astounding resource 47...h5! and there
seems to be no easy way for White to win.
Interestingly Deep Blue can try 46.Qd7+!? and now there are 2
tries:
a) 46...Be7?? 47.d6 White wins as Black cannot get a perpetual:
a1) 47...Qxe4. White now wins massive material or mates with
48.Qe6+ Kf8 49.dxe7+ Ke8 50.Qg8+ Kxe7 51.Ra7+ Kd6 (51...Rb7 loses to 52.Rxb7+
Qxb7 53.Qxg7+ picking up the queen.) 52.Qe6 mate.
a2) 47...Qc1+ leads nowhere after 48.Ke2 Qb2+ 49.Kd1 Qb3+ 50.Bc2
and there are no more checks.
a3) 47...Qf4+ also trying to draw by perpetual check eventually
loses after 48.Kg1 Qc1+ 49.Kh2 Qf4+ 50.g3 Qxe4 51.Qe6+ Kf8 52.dxe7+ Ke8
53.Qg8+ Kxe7 54.Ra7+ Kd6 55.Qe6#.
b) 46...Kg8! when 47.Qxd6 Rf8 and again the White king has problems
finding a haven. |
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Black Resigned |
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0 |
