SIMPSON'S
1N-THE-STRAND
SIMPSON'S
IN-THE-STRAND
Home turf
Raymond Keene
IN THE long-range battle between Kas- parov and Karpov to be recognised as the world champion, Kasparov has stolen a march on his rival. Officially, Karpov is champion of Fide, the World Chess Fed- eration, while Kasparov is champion of the Professional Chess Association. The latter body is more or less defunct, while the for- mer is still alive and kicking, has just organ- ised its own championship between Karpov and Kamsky, and has also been responsible for putting together the recently concluded Olympiad, or competition for national teams, in Erevan, the capital of Armenia.
One might, therefore, think that Karpov was in a strong position. That would not, though, be the case. Kasparov led the gold medal-winning team, Russia, in Erevan, was widely visible and, being of Armenian extraction himself, enormously popular. At all official ceremonies, even though Fide itself was presiding, Kasparov was always hailed as 'the world champion'.
Karpov's problem was that he simply did not compete in Erevan and thus lost out in the popularity stakes. There is only one team for which Karpov could legitimately play, namely Kasparov's own team, Russia. Inevitably, given that Kasparov still has the higher rating of the two, even after recent tournaments and matches, in which Karpov has been consistently successful, Kasparov would have played on top board. By accepting that situation, Karpov would have effectively undermined his own claim to be champion. But by not showing, he has allowed his own star to be eclipsed in front of a highly important and sensitive audi- ence, the elite players of every chess- playing nation on the planet.
This week's game is a sample of Kaspar- ov's trenchant play from the Olympiad. Kasparov—Sokolov: Erevan Olympiad, Sep- tember 1996; Scotch Opening.
1 e4 e5 2 Nf3 Nc6 3 d4 The Scotch is Kasparov's second-string weapon when he does not resort to the Ruy Lopez with 3 Bb5. 3 ... exd4 4 Nxd4 Nf6 5 Nxc6 bxc6 6 e5 Qe7 7 Qe2 Nd5 8 c4 Ba6 9 g3 In game eight of his world championship match against Anand last year Kasparov here played 9 b3 which was met by the shocking 9 ... g5. In this game Kasparov somewhat refines his move order. 9 ... g6 10 b3 It is essential to be able to play Bb2 to defend the pawn on e5. 10 ... Bg7 11 Bb2 0-0 12 Bg2 Rfe8 13 0-0 Nb6 Of course not 13 Bxe5 14 Qxe5 Qxe5 15 Bxe5 Rxe5 16 cxd5 when White wins material. 14 Rel d5 (Diagram) Position after 14 . . . d5
At first sight Black has successfully solved the problems of the opening. His pieces are all developed and his centre pawns are active. The problem with Black's position is that his pawns on c7 and c6 remain doubled, and therefore a long-term weakness. 15 Qc2 Black cannot now play 15 ... dxc4 on account of 16 Bxc6 forking his rooks. 15 ... Qc5 16 Nd2 RadS Again after 16 ...
dxc4 White has a pleasant choice between aug- menting the strategic pressure by 17 Racl or going for an immediate attack with 17 Ne4, 17 Racl d4 A committal decision, but White was threatening cxd5. Black speculates on creating a strong passed 'd' pawn, even though his doubled `c' pawns are now condemned as a permanent weakness. 18 Nf3 d3 19 Qd2 Bc8 20 h3 h5 21 Rcdl B15 (Diagram) If Black can maintain his Position after 21 . . . Bf5
bishop on f5 he will have sufficient counterplay. Kasparov now cuts across this plan with an inspired pawn sacrifice. 22 e6 Rxe6 If 22 ... Bxb2 the interposition 23 exf7+ is highly unpleasant. 23 Rxe6 Bxe6 Or 23 ...fxe6 24 Bxg7 Kxg7 25 Qg5 (threatening both 26 Qxd8 and 26 g4) 25 ... Qf8 26 g4 hxg4 27 hxg4 Be4 28 Qe5+ winning a piece. 24 Bxg7 Kxg7 25 Qc3+ ICg8 26 Rxd3 Rxd3 27 Qxd3 Nd7 The upshot of Kasparov's brilliant move 22 e6 is that simplification has arisen, in which Sokolov's dangerous passed pawn has dis- appeared without trace. Meanwhile, Black's queenside pawns now represent a decisive weak- ness. 28 Qc3 B15 29 Nd4 Qe5 30 Qd2 c5 31 NxfS Qx15 32 Qa5 Black can no longer defend his pawns. His only hope is a last-ditch attack against White's king, angling for a draw by per- petual check. 32 ...Ne5 33 Qxa7 h4 34 Qa8+ Kg7 35 Qe4 Q16 Black could not contemplate the trade of queens, since White's passed 'a' pawn would prove immediately decisive. But now he loses a second pawn and the game is over. 36 Qxh4 Black resigns.
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