Kasparov, Garry – Topalov, Veselin

CHESS CITY http://www.chesscity.com/ANALYSIS/Annotated/awesome.html The commentary is extracted from the book Awesome Chess Moves, by Eric Schiller (Cardoza, 2000). The commentary has been greatly reduced for this web publication, and most of the variations to the game are not included. Eric Schiller:

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Date: January 20, 1999
Location: Wijk aan Zee
Tournament: ?
Round:
Opening: B07 Pirc Defence
Submitted by: Schiller
Published on: February 9, 2020

[Event "?"] [Site "Wijk aan Zee"] [Date "1999.01.20"] [Round "?"] [White "Kasparov, Garry"] [Black "Topalov, Veselin"] [Result "1-0"] [ECO "B07"] [Annotator "Schiller"] [PlyCount "87"] [EventDate "1999.01.20"] [Source "TaL's Chess"] [SourceDate "1999.01.20"] {CHESS CITY http://www.chesscity.com/ANALYSIS/Annotated/awesome.html The commentary is extracted from the book Awesome Chess Moves, by Eric Schiller (Cardoza, 2000). The commentary has been greatly reduced for this web publication, and most of the variations to the game are not included. Eric Schiller: } 1. e4 d6 2. d4 Nf6 3. Nc3 g6 4. Be3 Bg7 5. Qd2 c6 6. f3 b5 7. Nge2 Nbd7 8. Bh6 Bxh6 9. Qxh6 Bb7 10. a3 e5 11. O-O-O Qe7 12. Kb1 a6 13. Nc1 O-O-O 14. Nb3 exd4 15. Rxd4 c5 16. Rd1 Nb6 17. g3 Kb8 18. Na5 Ba8 19. Bh3 d5 20. Qf4+ Ka7 21. Rhe1 d4 22. Nd5 Nbxd5 23. exd5 Qd6 { We end with a sacrifice that has been called one of the greatest ever played, and there is considerable justification for that high praise. Garry Kasparov has given us dozens of phenomenal moves in his carreer, and the pace is not slowing. He came up with the idea five moves before it was played. The Black king only seems to be safe at a7. There is a check at c6 available, but if you imagine the position without the pawns at c5 and d4, you can see that the doorways are open. It is true that Black doesn't have a dark square bishop, but there is always the queen. Unless it is exchanged, of course. } 24. Rxd4 { A whole rook is invested just to eliminate the pawns. } 24... cxd4 { Black could maintain an even game by declining, but Kasparov has been known to play ambitiously and Topalov could not see the brilliant conclusion. This is additional testimony to the depth of Kasparov's attacking vision. } 25. Re7+ { Topalov now makes a mistake that lets Kasparov show off. Hard to blame him, since his was the move most computer programs suggest. You'd have to be one of the greatest players (or programs) of all time to anticipate what iscoming! } 25... Kb6 (25... Kb8 26. Qxd4 Nd7 27. Bxd7 27... Bxd5 28. c4 { There will be no ...Ba2+ cheapo!} 28... Qxe7 29. Qb6+ Ka8 30. Qxa6+ Kb8 31. Qb6+ Ka8 32. Bc6+ 32... Bxc6 33. Nxc6 Rd7 34. Nxe7 Rxe7 35. Qc6+ Rb7 36. cxb5 {The queenside pawns win. }) 26. Qxd4+ 26... Kxa5 {Black has an extra rook and knight, but none of the pieces are defending the king. White doesn't have much attacking force, but pawns can fight too! } 27. b4+ 27... Ka4 28. Qc3 {The threat of Qb3# forces Black's reply. } 28... Qxd5 29. Ra7 Bb7 ( 29... Rd6 30. Kb2 30... Qd4 31. Qxd4 {and Black cannot recapture because the rook must guard a6. One very amusing variation is} 31... Rhd8 32. Qc3 Bd5 33. Qb3+ 33... Bxb3 34. cxb3#) 30. Rxb7 {Kasparov was not settling for a draw after 30.Qc7, the move many computers predicted. } 30... Qc4 {The obvious move, but it loses. Many pages of analysis have been devoted to the alternatives. Here is just a summary of the material put together by Michael Greengard, the famous Mig of the Internet, who prepared a compilation of human and machine analysis of this game for the internet. } (30... Rhe8 { was the best defense.} 31. Rb6 Ra8 32. Bf1 32... Re1+ 33. Qxe1 Nd7 34. Rb7 34... Ne5 35. Qc3 Qxf3 36. Bd3 Qd5 37. Be4 37... Qc4 38. Qe3 { Mig came up with this pretty line, and even though White could take the knight instead, you really should take a look for purely artisticpleasure!} 38... Ng4 39. Qb6 a5 40. Ra7 Qf1+ 41. Kb2 Qf6+ 42. c3 42... Qxc3+ 43. Kxc3 Rxa7 44. Qxa7 Kxa3 45. Qxa5#) 31. Qxf6 { Black will take the pawn at a3, which only slightly alters the picture. } 31... Kxa3 (31... Rd1+ 32. Kb2 Qd4+ 33. Qxd4 Rxd4 34. Rxf7 {gets the queens off but there is still the possibility of a bishop mate at b3 and the Black pawns are weak, so victory for White is a foregone conlcusion. }) 32. Qxa6+ Kxb4 33. c3+ {A little sacrifice, but an important one. White gets the queen to a1 with check. } 33... Kxc3 34. Qa1+ Kd2 35. Qb2+ Kd1 36. Bf1 { White cannot capture the bishop. The queen must not abandon e2, either, because of the possible mate there. } 36... Rd2 37. Rd7 37... Rxd7 38. Bxc4 {Black has no choice but to capture the bishop, though it costs him the rook at h8. } 38... bxc4 39. Qxh8 Rd3 40. Qa8 c3 41. Qa4+ Ke1 42. f4 f5 43. Kc1 Rd2 44. Qa7 {Black resigned.} 1-0