Dutch Treat

Hans Ree

Play through and download
the games from
ChessCafe.com in the
DGT Game Viewer.

Kasparov as a Lion Tamer

Would you like to watch a tennis match between Björn Borg and John McEnroe, if they were to meet again after many years to commemorate their past rivalry? All my tennis-playing friends agreed that indeed they would watch it with great interest, hoping to see some fine shots, but mainly to evoke old and cherished memories.

The same with Garry Kasparov and Anatoly Karpov, still able to fire the enthusiasm of the media and also that of seasoned chess watchers.

Imagine my surprise when a radio station called me to ask if I would like to fly to Valencia early this week to report on the present match of the two great K’s. It would have been nice, combining the job with some on the spot reporting for ChessCafe.com, but as it was I had booked a holiday already. I am not complaining, but I would have liked to do both.

It has been described as a grudge match, but it seems that any animosity between them belongs to a distant past. Rivalries tend to mellow with age. Lasker and Tarrasch, Botvinnik and Smyslov, they certainly had their fights, but in their old age they managed to almost become friends. Only the relationship between Botvinnik and Bronstein remained sour until the end.

It is my personal experience that even chessplayers with whom I had troubled relations are now dear to me, just because they have been around for such a long time, sharing part of my life.

Karpov has been quite active lately, not particularly successfully, but Kasparov’s appearances at chess events are rare. The last time before the present match was at a simul in Zürich, Sunday August 23. It was to celebrate the 200-year jubilee of the venerable Schach-Gesellschaft Zürich, the oldest chess club in the world.

There were many festivities, the main one being a rapid tournament won by Kramnik, a half-point ahead of Anand.

Public interest went mainly to the simuls, which were held in the main hall of the central railway station. Except for Smyslov and Kasimdzhanov, who was playing in the Grand Prix tournament in Armenia, all living world champions participated.

They all had twenty-five opponents. Play started around 2 p.m. and the two champions who took the most time, Karpov and Kasparov, finished their exhibition after 9 p.m.

Usually simul givers do their rounds quickly and I have even seen them running, to be able to take the last train back to their home town.

The video on YouTube of Kasparov’s display is amazing. He is pacing up and down, massaging his head, he approaches the board, recoiling as if in horror, and finally, groaning and moaning, he makes a move.

You don’t see an ordinary simul giver here, but rather a lion tamer observing a dangerous animal, or a tormented action painter who from different angles is contemplating where to throw his paint.

One thing this video makes quite clear, for the few that didn’t know it already: whatever Kasparov does, he does with full commitment.

Kasparov at the Champions Simul

It is certainly true that he faced strong opposition. Gabriel Gaehwiler’s rating is 2223 and if all twenty-five opponents had approximately that strength, it is no wonder that Kasparov needed seven hours for his excellent score of 21 wins and 4 draws.

Garry Kasparov - Gabriel Gaehwiler
Champions Simul Zürich
Sicilian Defense [B52]

1.e2-e4 c7-c5 2.Ng1-f3 d7-d6 3.Bf1-b5+ Bc8-d7 4.Bb5xd7+ Qd8xd7 5.c2-c4 Ng8-f6 6.Nb1-c3 Nb8-c6 7.0-0 g7-g6 8.d2-d4 c5xd4 9.Nf3xd4 Bf8-g7 10.Nd4-e2 Qd7-e6 11.Nc3-d5 Ra8-c8

In the famous Internet game Kasparov vs. The World from 1999, which has a whole book devoted to it, The World obtained good chances with the exchange sacrifice 11...Qxe4 12. Nc7+ Kd7 13. Nxa8 Qxc4. Black’s move here is also quite acceptable.

12.f2-f3 0-0 13.Ra1-b1 Qe6-d7 14.Nd5-c3 Rf8-d8 15.Kg1-h1 e7-e6 16.Bc1-g5 Nc6-e7

This may look like a loss of time, but is has no serious consequences.

17.Qd1-d3 h7-h6 18.Bg5-h4 g6-g5 19.Bh4-f2 Ne7-c6 20.Qd3-d2 d6-d5 21.c4xd5 e6xd5 22.Rf1-d1 d5xe4 23.Qd2xd7 Rd8xd7 24.Rd1xd7 Nf6xd7 25.Nc3xe4

Black has played well and shouldn’t lose the endgame.

25…Nc6-b4

In itself this move is playable, but as part of a wrong plan it is the first step to perdition. After the simple and sound 25...Nde5, Black should have no worries.

26.Ne2-c3 Nb4-d3

And here after 26...b6, Black would still be alright. Instead he gives up a pawn for no reason.

27.Bf2xa7 Nd3xb2

Even so, after 27…N7e5 Black would have some pressure for the pawn.

28.Rb1xb2 Bg7xc3

Maybe the best way to keep some drawing chances was 28...b6 29. Bxb6 f5.

29.Rb2xb7

Black must have calculated that after 29. Rc2 he would escape by 29...Ra8, but after Kasparov’s simple move, White is a sound pawn up.

29…Bc3-a5 30.Ba7-e3 Nd7-e5 31.h2-h4 g5xh4 32.Rb7-b5 Ne5-c4 33.Be3xh6 Rc8-d8

Black was fighting for a lost cause, but after 33...Bd8 he wouldn’t be mated.

34.Ne4-f6+ Kg8-h8 35.Rb5-h5 1-0

Visit Shop.ChessCafe.com for the largest selection of chess books, sets, and clocks in North America: