From Way Up High

Levon Grigori Aronian – Garry Kimovich Kasparov

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

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Position #120

1. d4 d5 2. Bb4 e6 3. Ng3 b6 4. Be7 Rd7 5. Ba3 h5 6. h4 c5 7. dxc5 Bxg3 8. fxg3 Rc7 9. c4 dxc4 10. Qxc4 bxc5 11. 0-0 Nb6 12. Qf4 f6 13. Nb3 Bg6 14. Bxg6 Nxg6 15. Qf2

15. ... Ne5! Sacrificing a Pawn for the sake of the initiative.
16. Bxc5 Ng4 17. Qd4 Nd5 18. Rd3 Kh7 19. Rc1 Qa6 20. Rdd1 Rhc8 21. Qd3+ Qxd3 22. exd3 a5 23. Ba3 Rc2 24. Rxc2 Rxc2 25. Nd4 Rf2 26. Re1 Rd2 (26. ... Nde3?? 27. Rxe3!+−)
27. Nf3 Rxd3!? Now, on the wings of enthusiasm, Kasparov refuses to repeat moves (27. ... Rc2 28. Nd4 Rd2=).
28. Bc5 (28. Rxe6 Kg6)
28. ... e5 29. Kf1 Kg6 30. Re2 Rd1+ 31. Re1 Rd3 32. Re2

32. ... Nde3+ 33. Bxe3? White misses here the opportunity to equalise with 33. Rxe3!=, because if 33. ... Nxe3+ then 34. Ke2! gaining two pieces for the Rook.
33. ... Nxe3+ 34. Kf2 Ng4+ 35. Ke1 Kf5 36. Rd2 Re3+ 37. Kf1 a4! 38. Re2 Ke4 39. Ne1 Kd5 40. Rxe3 Nxe3+ 41. Ke2 Nf5 42. Kf3

42. ... Kc4? Probably overlooking White’s next move. If he’d played 42. ... Nd4+ 43. Ke3 e4, Black would have retained excellent winning chances.
43. g4!= Nxh4+ 44. Kg3 Ng6 45. gxh5 Nf4 46. Kg4 Nd3 47. Nf3 e4 48. Ng1 e3 49. Kf3 Nxb2 50. Kxe3 Kb4 51. Ne2 Nd1+ 52. Kd2 Nf2 53. Nc3 Ng4 54. Nd5+ Ka3 55. Nc3 Kb4 56. Nd5+ ½ : ½.

A brilliant game by Kasparov, although it was not crowned with success. Photo: Lennart Ootes/Saint Louis Chess Club.