Middlegame, Early Endgame
Emanuel Lasker once observed that games between top players of equal strength usually end in draws and are apt to be dull. Indeed, in 120 games in four title matches between these two titans from 1984 to 1988, one of the greatest rivalries in the history of chess, Kasparov led by a simple point. More than two-thirds of these games were drawn.
Obviously struggles between the two greatest players of an epoch are unlikely to hinge on gross errors. More likely, one of them will be outplayed on a high level. Kasparov-Karpov, Leningrad 1986, 22nd Match Game.
1 d4
Occupying d4 and hoping to get in e4 with a fine pawn center.
1... Nf6
Preventing 2 e4. A solid alternative was l. .. d5.
2 c4
Pressing d5 and the Queenside in general.
2... e6
Now if 3 Nc3, Black can play the Nimzo-Indian Defense with 3 . . . Bb4.
3 Nf3 Sidestepping the Nirnzo.
3 ... d5
Other choices are 3 ... c5 (Benoni Defense), 3 ... b6 (Queen's Indian Defense), and 3 ... Bb4ch (Bogo-Indian Defense).
4 Nc3
The most aggressive square for the Knight.
4... Be7
182 Modem Mlddlegame Lessons
Forcing the Bishop to declare its intentions.
6 Bxf6 Avoiding any loss of time.
6 ... Bxf6
Hoping to use the c-file for positional pressure.
8... c6
Fortifying dS while blunting somewhat White's potential c-file 9 Bd3
Usually the best square for the KB in the Queen's Gambit.
9... Nd7 White's edge to a minimum.
10... dxc4
The immediate 10 ••. e5 runs into trouble after 1 1 cxd5.
11 Bxc4
Now after e6-e5 White's Bishop will have excellent scope on the a2-t7 diagonal.
11 ••. eS
To allow the QB to come into play on the c8-h3 diagonal.
12 h3!
A fine strategic move which prevents Black from playing Bg4 (After Nb6).
12 ..• exd4
�lodem �liddlegame Les:som: Lesson Twen�· 183
Black must move the Knight to bring out the QB, but 12.-Nbl5 leaves eS under protected, so he exchanges in the process giving White an isolated d-pawn.
active.
13 exd4
The isolated d-pawn is not weak since White's pieces are very 13 .... Nb6
Gaining a tempo and allowing the QB into play.
14 Bb3
Best. 14 Bd3 allows 14 ... Be6 with a satisfactory game for Black.
14... Bf5
Black is almost caught up in development.
15 Ret
Now every White piece is deployed.
15... a5
To obtain some space on the Queenside, in some cases the Black QR may come into play via aS.
16 a3
To allow the KB to remain on the a2-f7 diagonal after a later a4.
16... ReS
Trying to reduce White's pressure by timely simplification.
17 Rxe8ch
Hoping the Queen will have to lose a tempo later, since on e8, Ret will sooner or later gain a tempo.
17... Qxe8
Black must now try to bring his QR into play.
18 Qd2 Heading for f4.
184 Modern Mlddlegame Lessons
White's Middlegame Plan
Several pieces have been traded and White seems to be the only one with a weak pawn (isolated d-pawn) but the first players' initiative is still bothersome for Black. White is going to use his d-pawn to control the important eS square, and after moves like Rel and Qf4, a subsequent NeS (working with the Bishop on b3) will create pressure on f7. Note thaL if Black ever captures a Knight on eS then dxeS will move the once isolated pawn to eS where it gains Kingside space and eyes the nice d6 square (which might become accessible to the other White Knight via Nc3-e4-d6). One final point: since White will be doing everything he can to create King side threats, he will avoid a Queen trade like the plague.
Modern Mlddlegame Lessons: Lesson Twenty 185
Black's Middlegame Plan
The only potentially weak point that Black can ever hope to at
tack in the White position is d4, but - aside from the fact that this pawn is well protected - Black will never be able to go after it since White's initia
tive is keeping the second player off balance. Black's dream, of course, is to gain control of the important d5 square by trading light-squared Bishops and the b6 Knight for its counterpart on c3. Then Black could take the initiative by placing his Rook on d8 or d5 and going after the d-pawn.
However, I have already said that White will never allow this to happen so Black's defense is by no means easy. He can consider ideas like •.. Qd7 followed by •.. Nd5 to close off the Bishop's a2-g8 diagonal (not too at
tractive here since a subsequent capture on d5 would leave Black's d-pawn weaker than White's and, while Black is following this plan, the e5 square would fall completely into White's hands); another plan is Nd7, a move that hopes to keep White out of e5. Then Black could try to get his Rook to the e-file and trade off the final pair of Rooks.
18... Nd7
Perhaps better was 18 .. .a4 19 Ba2, Qd7.
186 Modern Mlddlegame Lessons
Opening To Middlegame
Kasparov's sole advantage will be a more active White Knight after the middlegame is over against a somewhat passive Bishop. But the Knight, because it controls squares of both colors, is able to create mating threats in the endgame. Patiently and persistently Black is ground down in a game that is a test of wills as much as chess knowledge.
and hS.
19 Qf4!
Accurate. On 19 Ret, Black has 19 •.• Qb8 preventing 20 Qf4.
19... Bg6
Keeping the Kingside reinforced.
20 h4!
White steps up the pressure with this fine move which aims at g4 20 ...
To gain counterplay with ..• Qb6.
21 Na4
Qd8
Preventing Qb6 while allowing NcS in some variations.
21... hS!
Black defends well. The text prevents g4 and hS, e.g. 2l. .. Bh5?
22 g4, Bg6 23 hS, Bh7 24 NeS with a big advantage. Also, on 21. .. Qb8 White can continue 22 Qg4 (Threatening 23 Qxg6 and 23 Qxdl) 22 ... Nf8 23 hS, Bh7 24 NcS with a very strong game for White.
22 Re1
Controlling the important central e-file.
22... bS
Modern Mlddlegame Lessons: Lesson Twenty 187
Trying to stir up some counterplay.
23 Nc3 Back to the central zone.
23... Qb8
Due to White's Kingside attacking prospects, Black naturally would like to trade off the Queens.
24 Qe3
Removing Black's strong KB and consequently gaining more in
fluence on the dark squares (e5, g5 for example).
26... Nxf6
White's pieces are still more active. Black must defend with great accuracy.
27 bxa3
The tempting move 27 NeS allows Black dangerous counterplay after 27 ... a4!.
27 ••• NdS!
Forcing the following trade of White's active KB.
28 BxdS Otherwise the Bishop is lost.
28... cxdS
Since Black's d-pawn is fixed on dS, his Bishop is somewhat
"bad". On the other hand, White's Knight has several good squares (e5, c5, g5, f4, d).
29 Ne5
Occupying the fine eS outpost and threatening 30 Nxg6 and 31 Qe6ch winning the d-pawn.
29... Qd8
188 Modern Mlddlegame Lessons
On 29 .•• Qd6 30 Rcl is strong.
30 Qf3 Also good is 30 Qf4.
30... Ra6
Finally bringing the QR into the action.
31 Rcl
Shifting to the c-file with excellent opportunities to maraud the Black pawns not to mention possible back rank tactical ploys.
31... Kh7?!
To penetrate with the Rook to e8 while holding the h-pawn.
32... Rb6
Black rightly strives for active counterplay. After the passive 32 ••• Re6 White retains strong pressure with 33 ReS!.
33 Rc8
Now in some cases White might threaten to move both heavy pieces to the 8th rank with mating threats through Q or R to h8.
••• Rb3. but this was the better chance.
35 Ra8!
Pressuring Black's a-pawn.
35... Qe6!
Modem Mlddlegame Lessons: Lesson Twenty 189
The best move. On 3S •.• Ra6 White has 36 Nxf7! since 36 ... Qxg3 37 Rh8 is mate and 36 .•. Bxf7 allows 37 Qd3ch picking up the Ra6. Also
if 35 ... Rb3 then 36 Rh8ch! takes advantage of Black's unprotected Qd6.
36 Rxa4
Winning a pawn, but the position is still quite complex.
36... QfS
Trying to bring the Queen into a more active role.
27 Ra7
Seizing the 7th rank and allowing the outside passed a-pawn to advance.
37 • . • Rblch
Black must continue to counterattack, passive play is hopeless.
38 Kh2
White's King is now secure enough.
38... Rcl
In order to play Qbl with the idea of Rhlch.
39 Rb7 Preventing Qbl .
39 • • • Rc2
Threatening fl.
40 f3
On 40 Nf3 Black has 40 . . . f6! restricting White's Knight.
40... Rd2
Hoping to tie White to protecting his d-pawn.
41 Nd7!!
This brilliant move includes some deep tactical ideas.
190 Modern Mlddlegame Lessons
How The Player's Respective Plans Worked Out Black attempted to keep White out of eS and exchange pieces, but White was able to steer Black into a position where the remaining White Knight was clearly superior to the defending enemy Bishop. This advantage of the superior minor piece combined with White's more active Rook and Black's hunted King eventually led to a winning attack against the Black monarch. In the end, Black was unable to neutralize White's more active pieces.
Rule to be learned: Passive positions with no visible source of counterploy should be avoided at all costs. make sure that you always have some sort of active, positive idea to follow or you might discover that constructive moves will be very difficult to find. In this game even a superb player like Karpov was unable to cope with the defensive problems that the opening created.
how.
41. •• Rxd4
He might as well grab the pawn and hope he can hold out some-42 Nf8ch
Continuing to penetrate Black's Kingside.
42... Kh6
On 42 ... Kh8 or g8 43 Rb8 decides.
43 Rb4!!
White sees he can maintain the attack even if the Rooks are traded due to Black's vulnerable King position.
43... Rc4
Modern Mlddlegame Lessons: Lesson Twenty 191
On 43 ... Rxb4 44 axb4, d4 45 b5 White's attack will come through first - 45 ... d3 46 b6, d2 47 b7, dl=Q 48 b8=Q, Qcl 49 Nxg6, Qxg6 (49 ... fxg6 50 QhB mate) 50 Qh8ch, Qh7 51 Qgxg7 mate. Also, if 43 ... Rdl 44 Rb8, Bh7 45 Qg5ch! wins a piece.
44 Rxc4
White sees a winning tactic and so doesn't mind this trade.
44... dxc4
At first glance Black doesn't seem too bad off.
45 Qd6!
But this shot clarifies things 46 Qd2 and mate next is threatened.
45... c3
At least stopping Qd2ch.
46 Qd4
Now 47 Qe3ch is the threat. In view of the possible line 47 ... Bh7 48 Qxc3 with a sound outside passed pawn, Black decides to give it up.
Black Resigns.
192 Modem Mlddlegame Lessons