#439

Levon Grigori Aronian – Garry Kimovich Kasparov
3rd Fischerandom Chess (Online) Showdown; Lichess, September 13, 2020
rnbnqkrb/pppppppp/8/8/8/8/PPPPPPPP/RNBNQKRB w GAga - 0 1

Position #439

1. d4 0-0 2. c4 Ndc6 3. d5 Ne5 4. b3 e6 5. 0-0. Aronian apparently is anxious to castle, too — however, 5. d6! might have been a powerful exception. 5. ... d6 6. Nbc3 Na6 7. g3 exd5 8. Nxd5 Bh3 9. Bg2 Bxg2 10. Kxg2 c6 11. N5c3 f5 12. f3 Rd8 13. Nf2 Nb4 14. Rb1 g6 15. Bh6 Rf7. Or 15. ... Nf7 16. Bxf8 Nc2 17. Qd2 Ne3+ winning back the Exchange with equality, as in the game. 16. Rd1 Rfd7 17. Bg5

17. ... Nf7 18. Bxd8 Nc2 19. Qd2 Ne3+ 20. Kg1 Rxd8 21. Rc1 Nxf1 22. Kxf1 Qe7 23. Kg2 Ng5 24. f4 Ne6 25. e4 Nd4 26. Re1 Re8 27. Ne2 Qg7 28. Nxd4 Qxd4 29. Qc2 Qc3 30. Qxc3 Bxc3 31. Re2 Bd4 32. Rd2 Bxf2. Black is not in the mood to argue: the Rook endgame is obviously drawn. 33. Kxf2 Rxe4 34. Rxd6 Kf7 35. Rd7+ Re7 36. Rxe7+. The King and Pawn endgame, if possible, is even more drawn. 36. ... Kxe7 37. Ke3 c5 38. Kd3 Kd6 39. Kc3 a5 40. a4 b6 41. Kd3 Ke6 42. Ke3 Kf6 43. Kf3 h6 44. h4 h5 45. Ke3 Ke6 46. Kf3 Kf6 47. Ke3 Ke6 48. Kf3 Kf6 ½ : ½.

Today Kasparov gave himself the satisfaction of castling at move 1! Screenshot from the live stream.