SIMPSON'S
IN-THE-STRAND
SIMPSON'S
IN-THE-STRAND
Oblueterated
Raymond Keene
TALK of the town is Garry Kasparov's rematch against IBM's Deep Blue Mark II computer. The silicon beast, as it is now known, can see 1,000 million positions a second and has been upgraded by grand- master Joel Benjamin in its previously defi- cient area of chess strategy. Armed simply with the human brain, Kasparov is doing battle against this mighty monster, and when this article appears two games will remain to be played.
In game one, in spite of its improve- ments in the field of strategy, Deep Blue wrecked its position by a series of injudi- cious pawn advances. However, instead of sitting on the position, Kasparov invited tactical complications (the machine's tradi- tional forte) and only after briefly losing control did he reassert his authority.
For game two, Kasparov swiftly lured the machine into a blocked position. Sadly, though, it was the wrong type of blocked position, not one with an extensive and flexible pawn chain, where strategic errors could still be made, but one in which the machine was able to follow known theory for many moves and reach a stable struc- ture in which rash pawn thrusts were no longer possible. Having suffered heavy pressure for over 40 moves, Kasparov resigned, only to be shocked by the revela- tion that at that very moment he had over- looked a cunning draw by perpetual check.
Kasparov—Deep Blue: New York, Game 1, May 1997; Reti Opening.
1 Nf3 d5 2 g3 Bg4 3 b3 Nd7 4 Bb2 e6 5 Bg2 Ngf6 6 0-0 c6 Black constructs a seemingly fireproof central pawn constellation, while simultaneously striving to maintain free play for its minor pieces. 7 d3 Bd6 8 Nbd2 0-09 h3 Bh5 10 e3 h6 11 Qel Qa5 A decentralising move with the shallow threat of ... Bb4, which Kasparov easily parries. 12 a3 Bc7 13 Nh4 Kasparov's idea is to introduce the possibility of f4, expanding on the kingside.
13 ...g5 A strategic blunder. It is simply impossi- ble to wreck one's pawn structure like this in front of the king and Kasparov greeted this move with barely concealed mirth. Left to its own devices, though, and bereft of the crutch of opening theory, this is the kind of space- and time-gaining ploy the computer will indulge in, regardless of the long-term strategic perils. 14 Nhf3 e5 15 e4 Rfe8 16 Nh2 Qh6 17 Qcl The safe- ty-first measure 17 KM looks preferable. Kas- parov now evolves a long-range plan to seize control of the weakened f5 square with his knights. Nevertheless, this plan of campaign con- sumes much time and allows Deep Blue to stir up all sorts of tactical complications. 17 ...a5 18 Re! Bd6 19 Ndfl En route to f5. 19 ... dxe4 20 dxe4 Bc5 21 Ne3 Rad8 22 Nhfl g4 Also widely ridiculed, but strategically Black's position is already more than suspect, so sacrificing further structure for piece activity in this fashion is ulti- mately justifiable. 23 hxg4 Nxg4 24 13 Nxe3 25 Nxe3 White's plan is to play Khl and Nf5. Therefore, Deep Blue cleverly transfers its bish- op to g5 to pin White's knight from another angle. 25 Be7 26 Khl Bg5 27 Re2 a4 28 b4 f5 29 ex15 e4 White now has no choice but to jetti- son material. In compensation, though, Black's kingside has been decimated and shorn of its pawn protection. 30 f4 Bxe2 The main alterna- tive is 30 ... Bxf4 31 gxf4 and only now 31 ... Bxe2. Here Kasparov gave 32 Qgl Kh7 33 Rdl Bh5 34 Qh2 Bf7 35 Ng4 h5 36 Qh4 with a deci- sive attack. Surprisingly, though, there is an even faster win after 31 ...Bxe2 with the simple 32 Qd2 threatening both Qxe2 and devastation on the long dark diagonal with Qc3. 31 fxg5 Ne5 And not 31 ... hxg5 on account of 32 Nc4 Bxc4 33 Qxg5+ winning. Now, though, White is able to preserve his phalanx of kingside pawns, entrenched deep in the heart of enemy territory. 32 g6 Bf3 33 Bc3 It is important to defend the d2 square from future invasion by Black's rooks. Still, in spite of White's imposing pawn mass, Black himself has a passed pawn, an extra exchange and a powerful outpost square on f3. The situation does not look entirely clear, but Kasparov extracts the maximum from his chances. 33 ...Qb5 34 Qfl Qxfl+ 35 Rxfl h5 36 Kg! (Diagram) 36 ... K18 This move is a counsel Position after 36 Kgl of despair. If Black wishes to challenge White's hegemony, he must strike at White's blockading knight on e3, the lynchpin of his position. Hence, the best chance is 36 ... Ng4. If now 37 Rel Nxe3 38 Rxe3 Bxg2 39 Kxg2 Rd5 40 f6 Re6 and with Black's rooks coming around behind them, White's pawns are neutralised. Therefore, after 36 ...Ng4 White must play more radically, and in so doing he can force a win, though some of the variations are quite fantastic. The key move is the sacrificial 37 f6! If now 37 ... Re6 38 Bh3 Kf8 39 Bxg4 hxg4 40 Nf5, and with the cavalry's reinforcement, White's pawns are poised for the decisive advance. The main line is 36 ...Ng4 37 f6 Nxe3 38 f7+ Kf8 39 Bxf3!! and now a) 39 ... Mtn 40 Bxh5 when Black is sensationally help- less against the threat of g7+; b) 39 ... exf3 40 Rxf3 Rd 1 + 41 Kh2 Ng4+ 42 Kh3 Rhl + 43 Kg2 Rh2+ 44 Kgl. Here Black has run out of checks and again he is quite without a defence to the lethal threat of g7+. 37 Bh3 Kasparov swiftly precludes the threat of ... Ng4. Now there is no sensible antidote to the advance of White's pawns. 37 ... b5 38 Kf2 Kg7 39 g4 Kh6 40 Rgl The most brutal way of enforcing a mass corona- tion. 40 ...hxg4 41 Bxg4 Bxg4 42 Nxg4+ Nxg4+ 43 Rxg4 Rd5 44 f6 Rdl 45 g7 Black resigns.
Next week I shall give a full round-up of the match.
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