Kasparov succeeds with Grunfeld Defence opening

Press, 3 December 1987, Page 52

Kasparov succeeds with Grunfeld Defence opening

By MICHAEL ROCKS Since introducing the Grunfeld Defence into his opening repertoire at the start of the 1986 world championship title match, Garri Kasparov had not managed to win a game with it. In 14 appearances, Kasparov had achieved 10 draws, and suffered four defeats. All this was to change, however, in the eleventh game of the current match.

The challenger, Aanatoiy Karpov, in what has been variously described as “the biggest blunder of his career,” or “the greatest blunder in world championship history” and so on, lost the eleventh game after losing a rook for a bishop while in a favourable position. The loss by Karpov meant that Kasparov took the lead in the match for the first time, although Karpov has since levelled. GRUNFELD DEFENCE Wbite: A. Karpov. Black: G. Kasparov. 1, d 4 Nf6 2, c 4 g 6 3, Nc3 d 5 4, cxds Nxds 5, e 4 Nxc3 6, bxc3 Bg7 7, Bc4 c 5 8, Ne2 Nc6 9, Be 3 0-0 10, 0-0 Bg4 11, f 3 Nas 12, Bxf7ch Rxf7 13, fXg4 Rxflch 14, Kxfl There is reason to believe

that Karpov has been playing 12 Bxf7ch for psychological reasons since the resulting position had previously been thought favourable for Black, because of the weakening of the White pawn structure, the bole on c 4, and the handing over of the initiative to Black. White’s extra pawn is not much compensation because it is doubled, and yet Kasparov has not been able to take advantage of the

situation 14. ... Qd6 15, Kg! Karpov varies from games five and seven where he played 15 e 5. 15, ... Qe6 16, Qd3 Qc4 17, Qxc4ch Nxc4 18, Bf2 cxd4 19, cxd4 e 5 20, d 5 Bh6 21, h 4 Bd2 22, Rdl Bas 23, Rd b 5 24, Rc2 Nd 6 25, Ng3 Nc4 26, Nfl Nd 6 27, Ng3 Nc4 28, g 5. Karpov turns down Kasparov's implicit draw offer through the repetition of the position. 28, ... Kf7 29, Nfl Nd 6 30, Ng3 Nc4 31, Kfl Again turning down the draw offer. White decides to go on the offensive. 31, ... Ke7 32, Bcsch Kf7

33, Rf2ch Kg 7 34, Rf 6 Bb6 35, Rc6? Nas! Karpov’s error loses the exchange. He now attempts to win the e-pawn to regain material equality. 36, Bxb6 Nxc6 37, Bc7 RfBch 38, Ke2 Rf 7 39 Bd6 Rd 7 Kasparov drives the offending Bishop away from the epawn.

40, Bcs Nas 41, Nfl Rc7 42, Bd6 Rc2ch 43, Kd3 Rxa2 44, Ne 3 Possibly 44 Bxesch was stronger. 44, ... Kf7 45, Ng4 Nc4 46, Nxesch Nxesch 47, Bxes b 4 48, Bf 6 b 3 49, e 5 Rxg2 50, e6ch KfB . Karpov'‘.“designed as he must give up his Bishop to prevent the b-pawn from queening. ♦ • * Officers elected at the annual meeting of the Canterbury Chess Club were:— President, Mr Murray. Sim; senior vice-president, Mr Michael Hampl; junior vicepresident, Mr Stephen Lukey; secretary, Mr Owen Thomson; treasurer, Mr Arie Nijman; committee, Messrs Gerard La Rooy, James McGahey, Robert van Nobelen, David Wells, John Wilkes.