Clock Without Hands

Garry Kimovich Kasparov – Samuel Sevian

6th Champions Showdown: Chess 9LX; time control: 20 minutes plus 5 seconds per move; Saint Louis, September 10, 2023

rnnqbkrb/pppppppp/8/8/8/8/PPPPPPPP/RNNQBKRB w GAga - 0 1

Position #443

1. g3 c6 2. d4 d5 3. Nd3 g6 4. c3 Nd6 5. Nd2 Bd7 6. Bg2 Qc8 7. 0-0 Bf5 8. Nb3 Nc4 9. Qc1 0-0 10. f3 e5

11. e4 (11. g4 Be6 12. h3)
11. ... dxe4 12. fxe4 Bg4 13. Rf2 a5 14. a4 Qd8 15. h3 Bc8

16. Re2. Once again, Kasparov’s real problems aren’t so much on the board, but rather on the clock, he already being in very grave default of time. What follows is nothing more than a logical consequence of it.
16. ... b6 17. Bf2 Ba6 18. Qc2 Nd7 19. Rd1 Rc8 20. Ree1 Re8 21. Nbc1 Qc7 22. b3 Nd6

23. Ne2? (23. g4 Nb7 24. Bg3 b5⩱)
23. ... exd4 24. Bxd4 Nxe4 25. Bxh8 Kxh8 26. Kh2 Ndf6 27. c4 Rcd8 28. Nef4 Kg8 29. Qb2 Bc8 30. Rf1 h5 31. Nf2 0 : 1. Kasparov overstepped the time limit in a lost position as he was making his last move.

As his insecurity grew, Kasparov found it more and more difficult to cope with the clock. Photo: Lennart Ootes/Saint Louis Chess Club.