Challenger Kasparov was off at the wire in renewed world play. Karpov, taken by surprise, quickly turns the tables
Challenger Gary Kasparov started quickly in his world championship match with Anatoly Karpov, winning the first game Sept. 3 in Moscow's Tchaikovsky Concert Hall. The champion recovered, however, drawing two contests, winning Games 4 and 5, and drawing the next five, to maintain a 51/2-41/2 lead at this writing. This is a replay of their controversial 1984-85 match, which was aborted by World Chess Federation president Florencio Campomanes last February. This time, victory goes to the first player to win six games or score 121/2 points; there will be a limit of 24 games. A tie match be tied, Karpov will retain his title.
Kasparov surprised early in the first game with his choice of 3. N-QB3, which allows the Nimzo-Indian Defense. In the past, he has always avoided this by first developing his King knight. A few moves later, Karpov consumed much time before choosing a dubious reply to Kasparov's seldom-played variation. This turned out to be grist for Kasparov, who, with energetic and precise play, ground out the point without further errors by Karpov. Nimzo-Indian Defense Kasparov Karpov Kasparov Karpov
1. P-Q4 N-KB3
2. P-QB4 P-K3
3. N-QB3 B-N5
4. N-B3 P-B4 (a)
5. P-KN3 (b) N-K5
6. Q-Q3 Q-R4
7. QxN BxN ch
8. B-Q2 BxB ch
9. NxB Q-N3 (c) 10. PxP! QxNP 11. R-QN1 Q-B6 (d) 12. Q-Q3 QxQ (e) 13. PxQ N-R3 14. P-Q4 R-QN1 15. B-N2 K-K2 16. K-K2 R-Q1 17. N-K4 P-QN3 18. N-Q6 N-B2 (f) 19. R-N4 N-K1 20. NxN KxN 21. KR-QN1 B-R3 22. K-K3 P-Q4 (g) 23. PxP, e.p. R/N-B1 (h) 24. K-Q3 RxQP 25. R-R4 P-QN4 26. PxP R-N1 27. R/4-N4 B-N2 28. BxB RxB 29. P-QR4 K-K2 30. P-R4 P-KR3 31. P-B3 R-Q4 32. R-QB1 R/2-Q2 33. P-QR5 P-N4 34. PxP RxKNP 35. P-N4 P-R4 36. P-N6 PxQNP 37. PxNP R-QN2 38. R-B5 P-B4 39. PxRP RxRP 40. K-B4 R-R1 41. K-N5 R-R1 42. R/4-B4 Resigns (i)
A. This is the sharpest and most common move. Very playable is also 4. . . . P-QN3, which transposes into the Queen's Indian Defense. Less good is 4. . . . O-O because of the uncomfortable pin 5. B-N5.
B. Romanishin's move. In light of what follows, it seems Karpov should now have played 5. . . . PxP; 6. NxP, N-B3, which transposes into an acceptable branch of the English Opening.
C. For a world champion to violate simple precepts of development, he must have a concrete variation in mind. Here he obviously miscalculates.
D. The RP is indigestible after 11. . . . QxP; 12. Q-Q4, O-O; 13. Q-B3, Q-R3 (else 14. R-R1 traps the queen); 14. B-N2, P-Q4; 15. PxP, PxP; 16. BxP, and White is well on top.
E. The endgame is very bad but the exchange is forced, since 12. . . . Q-R4 allows the paralyzing reply 13. Q-Q6, and after other queen moves 13. N-K4, aiming at the hole on Q6, is devastating.
F. Not 18. . . . PxP; 19. NxB ch, when 20. B-N7 wins the exchange.
G. 22. . . . R/Q1-B1 is unavailing against 23. P-QR4 and 24. P-R5, and 22. . . . R/N1-B1 costs the bishop after 23. R-R4.
H. Other moves, including 23. RxP, are effectively countered by 24. P-B5, but now White wins a clear pawn and the rest is a matter of technique. Karpov continues until the adjournment, then resigns without continuing.
I. White will force the exchange of one rook with 43. R-B7 ch, when the QNP becomes a candidate for promotion.
International Grandmaster Arthur Bisguier is a former US champion and has won or shared the US Open title five times.