#538

Garry Kimovich Kasparov – Magnus Carlsen
3rd Fischerandom Chess (Online) Showdown; Lichess, September 11, 2020
rnkqbbnr/pppppppp/8/8/8/8/PPPPPPPP/RNKQBBNR w HAha - 0 1

Position #538

Their first game against each other in sixteen years, like in a time machine. 1. d4 d5 2. e3 Nf6 3. Nf3 e6 4. c4 a6 5. Nc3 dxc4 6. Bxc4 c5 7. dxc5 Bxc5 8. Qxd8+ Kxd8 9. Bd3. Kasparov exchanged Queens very soon, avowedly aiming for a draw, but hereafter he will play badly enough to end up in a hopeless ending. 9. ... Ke7 10. 0-0-0 Nc6 11. Ng5 Rd8 12. Nge4 Nxe4 13. Nxe4 Bb6 14. Bc3 f6

15. g4? This is the beginning of all White’s trouble. The immediate 15. Bc2 seems to keep things balanced. 15. ... Ba5 16. Bxa5 Nxa5 17. Bc2 Bc6 18. Rhg1 Nc4 19. Rxd8 Rxd8 20. g5 f5 21. Nc3 Ne5 22. f4 Nf3 23. Rg2 g6 24. Rf2 e5 25. e4 fxe4 26. Nxe4 Nd4 27. Ng3 Nxc2 28. Kxc2 Rf8 29. Ne2 Ke6 30. Kd2 Bb5 31. Rf3 Rf7. Of course, 31. ... Bxe2! 32. Kxe2 exf4−+ was infinitely simpler and easier. 32. Re3 Bxe2 33. Rxe5+ Kd6 34. Rxe2 Rxf4 35. Ke3 Rg4 36. Rd2+ Ke6 37. Rc2 Rxg5 38. Rc7 Rb5 39. Rxh7 Rxb2 40. a4 a5 41. h4 Rb4 42. Rh6

42. ... Kf7? His Majesty just goes the wrong side, thus enabling White to get a didactic draw. 42. ... Kd7!−+ was an easy win. 43. h5! gxh5 44. Rxh5 b6 45. Re5! Kf6 46. Re4 Rb3+. The King and Pawn ending also would be drawn. 47. Kd2 Kf5 48. Rh4 Ke5 49. Kc2 Rf3 50. Rh6 Rf6 51. Rxf6 Kxf6 52. Kd3 Ke5 53. Ke3 Kd6 54. Kd4 Kc6 55. Kc4 b5+ ½ : ½.

No matter whether classical or Fischerandom, “The trickiest part is how to position your Queen”, Kasparov then said. Screenshot from the live stream.