CHESS
Tilburg trophies
Raymond Keene
IN SPITE of losing to Swidler (see last week's column), Kasparov still tied first in the strong tournament at Tilburg in Hol- land. En route, he won a number of power- ful games. This week I give two examples. Kasparov–Polgar: Nimzo-Indian Defence.
1 c4 e6 2 Nc3 d5 3 d4 Bb4 4 e3 c5 5 a3 Bxc3+ 6 bxc3 Nf6 7 cxd5 exd5 8 f3 After some transposi- tions a position from the Saemisch variation of the Nimzo-Indian has arisen. Black's develop- ment is good, but White's central and kingside pawns are all ripe for expansion. 8 ...c4 Prematurely releasing the pressure from White's centre. Stronger is 8 ... Bf5. 9 Ne2 Nc6 10 g4 With the centre locked this wing advance is high- ly dangerous for Black. 10 ... h6 11 Bg2 Na5 12 0-0 Nb3 13 Ra2 0-0 14 Ng3 Bd7 15 Qel Re8 16 e4 Now Kasparov expands his initiative to the central zone. 16 ... dxe4 Polgar decides to snatch the gambit pawn Kasparov has offered. 17 fxe4 Nxg4 18 Bf4 Qh4 19 h3 Nf6 20 e5 Kasparov's sacrifice has been a complete success in a strategic sense, so Polgar should now have fought back tactically, exploiting the pin in the e- file against White's queen. By taking her courage in her hands and snatching the second pawn with 20 ... Bxh3 she could have made a real fight of it, e.g. 20 ...Bxh3 21 Bxh3 Qxh3 22 Rg2 Nd5. White's best is probably 20 ...Bxh3 21 Bxh3
Qxh3 22 Rh2 Qe6 23 Rg2 with complicated attacking chances for a two pawn deficit. 20 ...Rad8 21 Qf2 Nh5 (Diagram) Kasparov has been allowed to mass his forces against Black's king, and now he unleashes a tornado against the traditionally weak f7 point. 22 Bxh6 Re7 If 22 ... gxh6 23 Qxf7+ Kh8 24 Nxh5 or if 22 ... Qxg3 23 Qxf7+ Kh8 24 Qxh5 gxh6 25 Qxh6+ Kg8 26 Rf6 is crushing. 23 Nf5 Qxf2+ 24 Rfxf2 Re6 If 24 ... gxh6 25 Nxe7+ wins or 24 ... Bxf5 25 Rxf5 gxh6 26 Rxh5. 25 Be3 Bc6 26 13f1 To preserve the bishop pair and attack Black's pawn on c4. 26 f6 Utter desperation for if 26 ... b5 27 Be2 g6 28 Nh6+ and wins. 27 Bxc4 Bd5 28 Be2 This is still decisive. 28 ... fxe5 29 Bxh5 exd4 30 Bg5 Rd7 31 Rae2 Be4 This surrenders without a fight but if 31 ... dxc3 32 Rxe6 Bxe6 33 Ne7+ is crushing. 32 Nxd4 Black resigns.
Van Wely–Kasparov: English Opening.
1 c4 e5 2 Nc3 Nc6 3 e3 Nf6 4 a3 Unambitious and hardly likely to cause Kasparov.much trou- ble. 4 Nf3 is normal. 4 ... g6 5 b4 Bg7 6 Bb2 0-0 7 d3 Re8 8 Qc2 d5 9 cxd5 NxdS The upshot of the opening is that Black has obtained a good varia- tion of the Sicilian Defence with reversed colours. In particular White faces problems based on his lack of development and the inse- cure position of his king in relation to Black's king's rook. 10 NxdS Qxd5 11 Ne2 f5 12 Nc3 13 Na4 Be6 14 Nc5 Bd5 15 b5 (Diagram) If 15 Nxb7 Black can choose between 15 ...Nd4 and 15 ...Nxb4, with good play in both cases. White's move provokes Kasparov into a themat- ic sacrifice to exploit White's lack of mobilisa- tion. 15 ...Nd4 16 exd4 exd4+ 17 Be2 An unfor- tunate necessity in as much as 17 Kd2 Bh6+ 18 Kdl b6 19 Na6 Bb3 would win White's queen. 17 ... Bxg2 18 0-0.0 He must, otherwise Black plays ...Bf3 with a deadly pin. 18 ... Bxhl 19
Rxh1 Qd5 20 Rel This self-pin may seem strange but if 20 Rdl Rxe2 wins on the spot. 20 ...Re5 Intensifying the pressure against White's knight while simultaneously preparing to double rooks in the e-file and re-establish the pin. 21 Qb3 Qxh3 22 Nxb3 Rae8 23 Kdl RxbS With rook and three pawns against bishop and knight Black's material advantage is already overwhelming. 24 Bf3 Rxel+ 25 Kxel c6 And not 25 ...Rxb3 26 Bd5+. 26 Bdl a5 27 Bxd4 a4 28 Bxg7 Kxg7 It would be wrong to play 28 ... axb3, even though this gives Black a passed pawn, response would set up a permanent blockade- White would follow with Kd2 and Kc3 and sud- denly find himself back in the game. 29 Nd2 Re5+ 30 Be2 b5 31 Kdl Rd5 32 Kc2 g5 33 Bf3 Rd6 White's problem, even though he has won back one pawn, is that he has weaknesses right across the board. The white pawns on f2 and h2 are now revealed as potential future targets. 34 h3 Kg6 35 Nbl h5 36 Nc3 g4 37 Bg2 Kf6 38 hxg4 hxg4 39 d4 Kg5 40 Kd3 Rh6 41 Ke2 f4 42 Be4 Rh3 43 Kd2 Rh2 44 Kel g3 45 fxg3 fxg3 46 101 Rf2+ 47 Kg1 b4 Having made maximum pro- gress on the king's flank Kasparov inaugurates a classic breakthrough on the opposite wing to create a further passed pawn. 48 axb4 a3 49 d5 Kf4 50 Bg6 If 50 dxc6 a2 51 Nxa2 Kxe4 52 c7 Rc2 or 52 Nc3+ Kf3 53 c7 Rc2 again with an easy win. 50 ... cxd5 51 NxdS+ Kg5 White resigns White's minor pieces are too scattered to cope with Black's a-pawn.
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