#902

Maxime Vachier-Lagrave – Garry Kimovich Kasparov
3rd Fischerandom Chess (Online) Showdown; Lichess, September 13, 2020
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Position #902

1. d4. A “rated” game of theoretical significance went instead 1. e4 e5 2. d4 d6 3. Nf3 Ng6 4. Bc4 Be6 5. Bxe6 fxe6 6. dxe5 dxe5 7. Qxd8+ Rxd8 8. Ng5 Re8? (8. ... Rd6! Δ 9. Nxh7 0-0-0! gave Black excellent compensation for the Pawn) 9. Nxh7± Gashimov – Gutman, 6th FiNet Rapid Open, Mainz 2007. 1. ... d5 2. Nf3 Nf6 3. Ne5 Nd7 4. Ng3 Nxe5 5. dxe5 Ng6 6. f4 e6 7. e4 dxe4 8. Bb5 c6 9. Qxd8 Rxd8 10. Bf1 b6 11. Nxe4 Be7 12. g3 Bb7 13. a4 c5 14. Nc3 Bf8 15. a5 Ne7 16. Bd3 Nf5 17. b3 h5 18. Kb2 Be7 19. Bd2 Nd4 20. Be3 Bc6 21. Red1 Kc7 22. Be4 b5. After struggling a bit with his coordination, Kasparov has finally reached an optimal position and can now look to the future with confidence.

23. Bxc6 Kxc6 24. Ne4 Nf5 25. Bf2 a6 26. c3 Rab8 27. Kc2 Rd5 28. h3 Rbd8 29. Rd2 Rxd2+ 30. Nxd2 g5 31. fxg5 Bxg5 32. Ne4 Be3 33. g4 hxg4 34. hxg4 Bxf2 35. gxf5 Be3 36. Rf1 Rd5 37. fxe6 fxe6 38. Rf3 Bg1 39. c4 Rxe5 40. Kd3 bxc4+ 41. bxc4 Rf5 42. Rh3 Bd4 43. Rh6 Rf3+ 44. Kc2 Re3 45. Rxe6+ Kd7 46. Nxc5+ Bxc5 47. Rxa6. A draw is on the board, but... 47. ... Ra3 48. Rg6 Rxa5 49. Kd3 Ra1 50. Rg5 Kc6 51. Rd5 Rd1+ 52. Kc2 Rh1 53. Kc3 Rh3+ 54. Kc2 Bb4 55. Rd3 Rh8 56. Rd5 Bd6 57. Kc3 Rh4 58. Kb3 Rh3+ 59. Kc2 Bc5 60. Kb2 Bb4 61. Rb5 Bc5 62. Kc2 Bd4 63. Rb3 Rh2+ 64. Kd3 Bh8 65. Rb8 Rh3+ 66. Ke4 Rh4+ 67. Kd3 Bf6 68. Rb5 Rh3+ 69. Kd2 Rh2+ 70. Kd3 Rh3+ 71. Kd2 Rc3 72. Rf5 Bd4 73. Rh5 Rxc4. Kasparov keeps tormenting Vachier-Lagrave for a long time, as the Rook and Bishop versus Rook endgame, despite being theoretically drawn, may be difficult to draw. 74. Kd3 Ra4 75. Rf5 Kd6 76. Rh5 Be5 77. Rf5 Kd5 78. Rf3 Bf4 79. Kc2 Ke4 80. Rc3 Be5 81. Kb3 Ra8 82. Rh3 Kd5 83. Rh5 Rb8+ 84. Ka4 Rb1 85. Ka5 Rb2 86. Rg5 Kd4 87. Ka6 Rb1 88. Rh5 Kd5 89. Ka5 Ke4 90. Ka6 Bd4 91. Rb5 Ra1+ 92. Ra5 Rg1 93. Rh5 Kd3 94. Kb5 Rb1+ 95. Kc6 Kc4 96. Kd6 Rb3 97. Ke6 Rf3 98. Rf5 Re3+ 99. Kd6 Ra3 100. Ke6 Ra6+ 101. Kf7 Kd3 102. Rf4 Ke3 103. Rh4 Be5 104. Rb4 Bd4 105. Rb1 Ke4 106. Re1+ Kd5 107. Rd1 Rf6+ 108. Ke7 Rf2 109. Kd7 Rf5 110. Ke7 Rf2 111. Kd7 Rf7+ 112. Kd8 Rh7 113. Rd2 Ke5 114. Rd1 Bc5 115. Rd7 Rh6 116. Rd1 Ke6 117. Kc7 Ke5 118. Kd7 Bd4 119. Re1+ Kd5 120. Rd1 Rh7+ 121. Kd8 Rg7 122. Rd2 Rh7 123. Rd1 Rg7 ½ : ½.

Just for the record — Magnus Carlsen shared first prize with Hikaru Nakamura, while Fabiano Caruana tied for third with Levon Grigori Aronian. Kasparov finished 8th out of 10, which, considering his age and retirement status, can well be worth a victory! Screenshot from the live stream.

#274

Garry Kimovich Kasparov – Wesley So
3rd Fischerandom Chess (Online) Showdown; Lichess, September 13, 2020
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Position #274

A sound strategy, ably carried out, enabled Kasparov to extinguish the ambitions of So, who yet is the reigning Fischerandom World Champion. 1. b3 Nf6 2. g4 h6 3. h4 g6 4. Nc3 Bg7 5. g5 hxg5 6. hxg5 Qxh1 7. Rxh1 Nh5 8. e3 b6 9. Bg2 Bxg2 10. Nxg2 e6

11. Ne2. The strategic alternative was to castle (0-0-0), but, after all, it wouldn’t make any difference. 11. ... Bxa1 12. Rxa1 d5 13. Nef4 Nxf4 14. Nxf4 Ke7 15. Rh7 Nd7 16. Ke2 c6 17. Rah1 e5 18. Ng2 Nf8 19. Rh8 Ne6 20. Rxg8 Rxg8 21. f4 exf4 22. exf4 f6 23. Rh7+ Rg7 24. Rxg7+ Nxg7 25. Nh4 Ne6 26. Ke3. Of course, 26. Nxg6+?? Kf7 would cost a Pawn and the game. 26. ... fxg5 27. fxg5 Nxg5 28. Nxg6+ Kf6 29. Nf4 Ke5 30. d4+ Kd6 31. c4 dxc4 32. bxc4 c5 33. Nd3 cxd4+ 34. Kxd4 Ne6+ 35. Kc3 Kc6 36. Nb4+ Kc5 37. Nd3+ Kc6 38. Nb4+ Kc5 39. Nd3+ Kc6 ½ : ½.

After all, a draw against a World Champion was a success for both of them! Screenshot from the live stream.

#439

Levon Grigori Aronian – Garry Kimovich Kasparov
3rd Fischerandom Chess (Online) Showdown; Lichess, September 13, 2020
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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.

Chaos Clock

Garry Kimovich Kasparov – Hikaru Nakamura
3rd Fischerandom Chess (Online) Showdown; Lichess, September 12, 2020
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Position #665

1. f4 d5 2. g4 e6 3. Nf3 Nf6 4. Qg1 Be7 5. d3 Bd6 6. Bd2 Nc6 7. Nc3 a6 8. e4! dxe4 9. dxe4 Bb4 10. e5. Kasparov came out with a big strategic advantage, and Nakamura must already jump through hoops for his survival. 10. ... Nd7 11. a3 Be7 12. Be2 f6 13. exf6 Bxf6 14. Ne4 Bg6 15. Nxf6 gxf6 16. 0-0-0. 16. Nd4! was also very strong. 16. ... 0-0-0 17. Bc4. White was yet in time for 16. Nd4! going for a big result. 17. ... Qg8 18. Qe3 Bf7 19. Qc3. If nothing else, Her Majesty’s artificial maneuver just serves to illustrate what Kasparov himself called one of the trickiest parts of chess. 19. ... Nc5 20. Qxf6 Ne4 21. Qh4 e5

22. Bd3? But — what a tremendous mistake! 22. Bxf7 Rxf7 23. Qe1 more or less would hold everything together. It is obvious, however, that Kasparov overlooked Black’s next move: 22. ... Bg6!−+ (Δ ... Qg8-a2) 23. Kb1 Nxd2+ 24. Rxd2 e4 25. f5 exd3 26. fxg6 dxc2+ 27. Rxc2 Qxg6 28. Qe1 Qxg4 29. Rcf2 Rf4 30. Ka1 Re4 31. Qc3 Rde8 32. Rc1 Kb8 33. Qf6 Rc4 34. Rd1 Rf4 35. Qc3 Ref8 36. Rd3 Qh5 37. Re3 Nd4 38. Re7 Nc6 39. Re3 a5 40. Rd3 a4 41. Re3 Na5 42. Ne5 Qd1+ 0 : 1.

Once again, after dominating the very early middle game — as the openings in Fischerandom chess may be termed — Kasparov fell through tiredness, losing another bitter game. Screenshot from the live stream.

Too Many Thoughts, Not Enough Ink

Leinier Domínguez Pérez – Garry Kimovich Kasparov
3rd Fischerandom Chess (Online) Showdown; Lichess, September 12, 2020
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Position #95

1. g3 c6 2. f4 g6 3. Nc3 Nb6 4. Nb3 f5 5. 0-0-0 d5! 6. Bf2 N8d7 7. Qg1 e5! 8. fxe5 Bxe5 9. Nc5 Rc7! It’s interesting to note that Kasparov carefully omitted, from move 5 onwards, to make the symmetrical a-side castling (0-0-0), instead developing out of any standardisation. 10. Nxd7 (10. Nd3 Bd6 11. g4 f4!?∞) 10. ... Kxd7 11. Bd4 Nc4 12. Bxe5 Rxe5 13. Qd4. The immediate 13. Nb1 (Δ b2-b3) was decidedly called for.

13. ... Qb4 14. Nb1 c5. Black seized the upper hand, but strangely he will not be able to turn it into something more tangible. 15. Qc3 d4 16. Qb3

16. ... Kd6. “The King is a strong piece”, as Steinitz used to say. 17. e4 Rce7 18. Qxb4 cxb4 19. b3 Na3 20. Nxa3 bxa3 21. d3 Bd5 (21. ... a5!? 22. Rf1 Rc7∓) 22. Rf1 Bc6 23. Rf4 fxe4 24. Bxe4 Bxe4 25. dxe4 Kc5 26. Re1 g5 27. Rf8 Rxe4 28. Rxe4 Rxe4 29. Kd2 Re5 30. Rf7 Kc6 31. Rxh7 Rf5 32. Ke2 Rc5 33. Kd2 Rf5 34. Ke2 Rc5 35. Kd2 Rf5 ½ : ½.

A non-absolute advantage sometimes can be not enough, no matter whether classical or contemporary chess. Screenshot from the live stream.

Back in Time

Garry Kimovich Kasparov – Fabiano Caruana
3rd Fischerandom Chess (Online) Showdown; Lichess, September 12, 2020
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Position #496

Last year Kasparov was severely defeated by Caruana in an individual chess960 match, in spite of him having often outplayed his younger opponent. He hopes for a better luck this time with a different format. 1. c4 c5 2. b3 b6 3. Ngf3 Nef6 4. d4 e6 5. 0-0 Ne7 6. Qd2 Ng6 7. Nd3 Qe7 8. Rfd1 cxd4 9. Nxd4 0-0 10. Qb4 Bd6 11. Qc3 Rfe8 12. Nb5 Bb8. No doubt something’s gone wrong with White’s opening. Maybe they both were thinking of a classical two Bishops sacrifice, but Black, by virtue of his better placed Knights, is the only one who has any real chances of attack.

13. Qb4? An oversight that loses a Pawn. In any event, also after 13. f3 a6 14. Nd4 d5 White has reasons not to be content. 13. ... d6? Caruana graces his illustrious opponent’s débâcle: 13. ... Bxh2+! 14. Kf1 (not 14. Kh1? Rc5!! 15. Nxc5 Ng4−+ nor 14. Kxh2? Ng4+ 15. Kg1 Qh4 16. e3 e5!−+ with an irresistible attack in both cases) 14. ... d6 leaves Black with a Pawn up and the attack retained. 14. f3 a6 15. Nd4 a5 16. Qe1 d5 17. cxd5 Nxd5 18. Rxc8 Rxc8 19. Rc1 Rd8 20. Nc6 Bxc6 21. Rxc6 Qg5 22. g3 h5 23. Qc1 Qe7 24. Rc8 h4 25. f4 Bd6 26. Qc6 Qf8 27. Rxd8 Qxd8 28. Qc4 Bf8 29. Bd4 h3? Clock time calls for bluffs, tricks, and mistakes. Probably best was 29. ... b5! 30. Qxb5 Ndxf4! 31. Bb6! Nh3+! 32. Kg2 Qa8+ 33. Kxh3 Qh1 34. Ne1! Qf1+ 35. Ng2 Qxb1= with a precarious equilibrium. 30. Nf2+− b5 31. Qd3 Nb4 32. Qe4 Qc7 33. Nxh3 Nd5

34. Qd3? Once again, biological and clock time favour the youth. The young Kasparov would never have missed moves like 34. f5!+− or 34. Ng5!+− winning by force. 34. ... Bc5. And, as if it were not enough, Kasparov had a mouse slip: 35. Qc2?? Of course, by 35. Kg2 Qc6 36. e4 Nb4∞ the game would go on. Afterwards Kasparov explained the reasons behind his slip: it all started at move 34, when instead of 34. Qc2 (his intended move and quite a good one), the Queen ended up on d3. He vainly attempted to drag it back to c2, which was registered as a premove — a losing blunder after Caruana’s 34. ... Bc5: “It happened in a split of a second... computer played 35. Qc2 not me”. 35. ... Bxd4+ 0 : 1.

As with last year, this year, too, age made a difference only in terms of results. Screenshot from the live stream.

#299

Pyotr Veniaminovich Svidler – Garry Kimovich Kasparov
3rd Fischerandom Chess (Online) Showdown; Lichess, September 11, 2020
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Position #299

1. g3 g6 2. c4 f5 3. d3 d6 4. Bc3 Nf6 5. Nf3 Bc6 6. 0-0 0-0 7. b4 b6. Quite a hypermodern game, featuring quadruple fianchettoes! 8. a4 Nbd7 9. Nbd2 (9. a5!) 9. ... e5 (9. ... a5! 10. bxa5 Nc5) 10. a5 a6 11. axb6 cxb6 12. Qa3 Bb7 13. b5 Nc5 14. bxa6 Qxa6 15. Qxa6 Bxa6 16. Ra1 e4 17. d4 Bxc4 18. Nxc4

18. ... Ncd7? Very interesting was 18. ... Ne6! 19. Nfd2 d5 20. Bb4 dxc4 21. Bxf8 Kxf8 with strong compensation for the Exchange. 19. Nfd2 b5. Now the Exchange sacrifice is far less effective due to the misplaced Knight on d7: 19. ... d5 20. Bb4 dxc4 21. Bxf8 Kxf8 22. Ra7 would clearly favour White. 20. Nxd6 Rxc3 21. Nxb5 Rc2 22. Rfd1 e3? Very mysteriously Black gives up a second Pawn for nothing. He ought rather to have played 22. ... Rfc8 hoping to make it hard for White to take advantage of his extra Pawn. Now, it’s very easy for Svidler to prove victory: 23. fxe3 Bg7 24. Na3 Rc3 25. Nf1 Rb8 26. Rdc1 Rcb3 27. Bf3 Bh6 28. Nc4 Nb6 29. Nxb6 R3xb6 30. Kf2 Re8 31. Rc3 Rbe6 32. Ra7 R6e7 33. Rxe7 Rxe7 34. h3 Bg5 35. h4 Bh6 36. Nh2 g5 37. hxg5 Bxg5 38. g4 Bh4+ 39. Kg2 Bg5 40. gxf5 Bxe3 41. d5 h5 42. Nf1 Bf4 43. Rc6 Kg7 44. Re6 Rxe6 45. fxe6 Kf8 1 : 0.

Kasparov apparently felt the tiredness climb onto his hands in his round 3 game against Svidler. Screenshot from the live stream.

#538

Garry Kimovich Kasparov – Magnus Carlsen
3rd Fischerandom Chess (Online) Showdown; Lichess, September 11, 2020
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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.

#71

Alireza Firouzja – Garry Kimovich Kasparov
3rd Fischerandom Chess (Online) Showdown; Lichess, September 11, 2020
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Position #71

The 3rd edition of the Saint Louis Chess Club’s Fischerandom Chess Showdown is exceptionally held this year online due to the COVID-19 pandemic. The format is a 10-player round robin at a rapid time control of 20 minutes plus 10 seconds per move. 1. g3 d5 2. d4 g6 3. Nc3 c6 4. Nb3. 4. Bf4 Na6 5. e4 e5! gave Black no problems in Domínguez Pérez – Nakamura, 3rd Fischerandom Chess (Online) Showdown, Lichess, September 11, 2020. 4. ... f5! (4. ... e5 5. dxe5 Bxe5 6. e4⩲) 5. f3 Nc7 6. Qf2 Ne6 7. Bd2 Nd7 8. 0-0-0 Nb6 9. Kb1. It makes room for the Bishop at c1. 9. ... Qf6 10. Bc1 Nc4 11. Rge1 0-0 12. Qg1 (12. Bg2 Nc7=) 12. ... f4! 13. gxf4 Nxf4 14. e3 Nh3 15. Qg3 Qg5 16. Rf1 Qxg3 17. hxg3 e5 18. dxe5 Bxe5 19. f4 Bg7 20. Rde1. 20. Bg2 h5 should lead to similar play as in the game. 20. ... g5 21. Bg2

21. ... Bf5. Both 21. ... Na3+ and 21. ... h5 give Black a very comfortable play. The text may be motivated by considerations of psychological order. 22. Nd4 Bxd4?! Objectively speaking, Black has nothing better than 22. ... Bg4, but Kasparov does not hesitate to unbalance the situation, trusting in his own intuition under intense time pressure. 23. exd4 g4 24. b3 Nd6 25. Ba3 Rf7 26. Re5. White dominates the board. 26. ... h5 27. Kb2. If 27. Nxd5!? cxd5 28. Bxd5 there may follow 28. ... h4! 29. gxh4 Ne4 30. Bxf7+ Kxf7 31. Re1 Rd5! 32. Rxd5 Nc3+ 33. Kb2 Nxd5 34. Re5 Bc8 35. Rxd5 g3 36. Re5 g2 37. Re1 g1=Q 38. Rxg1 Nxg1 39. d5 Nf3 with a likely draw. 27. ... Kg7 28. Bxd6 Rxd6 29. Nd1 Re6 30. Ne3 Rxe5 31. dxe5 Kg6 32. c4?? This throws away any advantage White has. After 32. Kc3 followed by Kc3-d4 Black had very little, if any, hope of saving the day. 32. ... d4 33. Nxf5 Kxf5

34. Re1? And Firouzja finally cracks under time pressure. 34. Rh1 h4 35. Bxh3 gxh3 36. e6! seems to be good enough for a draw. 34. ... h4! 35. Be4+ Ke6 36. f5+ Kxe5 37. Bd5+ Kf6 38. Bxf7 Kxf7 (38. ... hxg3−+) 39. Re2 hxg3 40. Rg2 Kf6 41. Rxg3 Kxf5 42. c5 Kf4 43. Rd3 g3 44. Rxd4+ Ke3 45. Rh4 Nf2 46. Rh7 g2 0 : 1.

Kasparov won despite the forty years of difference. Screenshot from the live stream.

Back to the Future

The 3rd Fischerandom Chess Showdown starts tomorrow, Friday, being organised, as usual, by the Saint Louis Chess Club, but hosted online on Lichess due to the COVID-19 pandemic. As in the first two editions, 13th World Chess Champion Garry Kimovich Kasparov is going to challenge The Best of Youth of the board, including world numbers one and two Magnus Carlsen and Fabiano Caruana. The format is a 10-player round robin at a rapid time control of 20 minutes plus 10 seconds per move. The other participants are (in alphabetical order): Levon Grigori Aronian, Leinier Domínguez Pérez, Alireza Firouzja, Hikaru Nakamura, Wesley So, Pyotr Veniaminovich Svidler, and Maxime Vachier-Lagrave. The prize fund is $150,000. For further details, please visit the dedicated web page here.

Fischerandom Mode

• Leonard Barden, Chess: Garry Kasparov and Magnus Carlsen to meet for first time in 16 years, The Guardian, August 28, 2020

Garry Kasparov will make a rare cameo appearance when the legend, now aged 57, takes on the reigning champion, Magnus Carlsen, in the 10-player Champions Showdown invitation organised by St Louis from 11–13 September. This will be an historic clash, even though it is only online random chess. The two world champions, widely considered the best players of all time, have faced each other in only one previous official event. That was at rapid and blitz chess in 2004 in Reykjavík, when Carlsen was aged 13 and Kasparov 41, a year before his retirement. [Read more].

Choreographing Difference

The Saint Louis Chess Club has finally announced its seasonal Champions Showdown, which this year will be held online due to the COVID-19 pandemic. There will be two formats as usual: Fischerandom chess (a.k.a. chess960) and rapid & blitz from September 11–19. The Fischerandom showdown, in particular, will feature ten superstars, including 13th World Chess Champion Garry Kimovich Kasparov, the World Chess Champion in office Magnus Carlsen and world number two Fabiano Caruana, who, from September 11–13, will compete online for a $150,000 prize fund. For further details have a look at the press release.

Arrow of Time

Garry Kimovich Kasparov – Fabiano Caruana

2019 Champions Showdown: Chess 9LX; match game 9 (5+5); Saint Louis, September 5, 2019

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Position 372

Usually blitz games should not be regarded as a chess “model”, but this does not apply to 13th World Chess Champion Garry Kimovich Kasparov, who may have lost the match against world No. 2 Fabiano Caruana (29 years younger than him), but he definitely won the creativity score, so as only a young heart could do. 1. c4 c6 2. Nf3 f5 3. d4 d6 4. 0-0 Nf6 5. b3 0-0 6. Bb2 Nc7 7. g3. Kasparov has a clear idea on how to develop his cornered Queen, and very probably Caruana would have done right in making the same (with 7. ... g6). 7. ... h6?! 8. Nc2 g5? Black preferred, instead, this “extended fianchetto” that will turn out to be really too compromising. 8. ... g6 was still a lesser evil, although after, for instance, 9. Ne3 White could also claim a powerful advantage. 9. d5! c5? Black ruefully delivers the keys of his castle to White’s dominant Bishops, but he can not regret it, since there weren’t better things to do. 10. Ne3 f4 11. Nf5 Bxf5 12. Bxf5 Qg7 13. Qg2 Nce8 14. Kh1 g4 15. Nh4 Qg5 16. Bc1 Nh5 17. Be6+ Kh8 18. Qe4 Kg7 19. Nf5+ Kh8 20. gxf4 Qg6 21. Bb2+ Kh7 22. Rg1 Nef6 23. Bxf6 Rxf6

Kasparov now finishes the game with youthful energy: 24. Rxg4! Rxe6 25. Qxe6 Qxg4 26. Qxh6+ Kg8 27. Rg1 1 : 0.

Even two people who grow up speaking different languages can say the same thing. Photo © Lennart Ootes/Chess Club and Scholastic Center of Saint Louis.

Hitchhiking

Garry Kimovich Kasparov – Fabiano Caruana

2019 Champions Showdown: Chess 9LX; match game 9 (30+10); Saint Louis, September 4, 2019

nrnkqrbb/pppppppp/8/8/8/8/PPPPPPPP/NRNKQRBB w FBfb - 0 1

Position 175

1. f4 f5 2. g3 g6 3. d3 Nab6 4. c4 d6 5. Nc2 e5 6. fxe5 Bxe5 7. Qa5 Qa4 8. Nb3 c6 9. Bd4 Qxa5 10. Nxa5 Ne7 11. Kd2 Kc7. It’s like if they had agreed to switch from chess960 to a kind of shuffle chess, without castling. 12. b4 f4

Now Kasparov makes a powerful breakthrough into his opponent’s court: 13. c5! Nd7 14. gxf4 Bxf4+? Caruana would have retaken with the Rook if only he had suspected what was on Kasparov’s mind. 15. Rxf4! This not obvious sacrifice of the Exchange is the tactical pointe of White’s 13th move and gives him a great advantage. 15. ... Rxf4 16. cxd6+ Kxd6 17. Bxa7 Ra8 18. Be3. The win should be quite easy, but once again Kasparov is tremendously short of time. 18. ... Rff8 19. Bh6. Not bad, but 19. Nxb7+ Kc7 20. Na5+− looks simpler and stronger. 19. ... Rfe8? Black’s best chance was to give back the Exchange by 19. ... b6, as after 20. Bxf8 Rxf8 21. Nb3± White should content himself with a solid Pawn ahead. 20. Nxb7+ Kc7 21. b5? Again, 21. Na5+− was White’s best, and if 21. ... Bxa2 then 22. Bf4+ followed by Rb1-c1 and Nc2-d4. 21. ... Ra4 22. Nb4 Nd5? Correct was 22. ... Kxb7 23. bxc6+ Kc8 24. cxd7+ Kxd7 with a kind of dynamic balance. 23. bxc6 Rxb4 24. cxd7 Kxd7 25. Nc5+ Kd6 26. Rxb4 Nxb4 27. Ne4+ Ke6 28. Nc3 Kf5 29. a3. In spite of Black’s material compensation, White’s endgame is much better because of his three passed Pawns, but the mutual crisis of time is to play its tragic role, turning a tense fight into a comedy of mistakes. 29. ... Na6 30. Bc6 Rb8 31. Bd7+ Be6 32. e4+ Kf6 33. Bxe6 Kxe6 34. Bf4 Rb2+ 35. Ke3 Rb3 36. Kd2. 36. Kd4 Rxa3= does not make that much difference, but it is aesthetically more to the point. 36. ... Rxa3 37. d4 Nb4 38. d5+ Kd7 39. e5?? Ra5?? (39. ... Rxc3!−+) 40. e6+ Ke7 41. Bc7 Ra6 42. Ke3 Ra3 43. Kd4 Nc2+?? And this is the last gross mistake of a young man. 43. ... Rxc3 was still good enough for a draw. 44. Ke5+− Rxc3 45. d6+ Kf8 46. d7 Re3+ 47. Kf6 0 : 1. “Even an old Ferrari needs time to warm up!”, Kasparov said before sitting at his board today, but, as may happen with fast racing machines, the one-off sports car ran out of gas in the very last lap. Kasparov’s clock flag fell — metaphorically speaking — just a few moves before mate. After 47. ... Rf3+ 48. Ke5 (48. Kg5 wins as well: 48. ... Rd3 49. Bd8+−) 48. ... Re3+ 49. Kf4 Rd3 50. Bd8+− Black is out of tricks.

Kasparov is about to move his King at f6 with a win in sight, but like clockwork, his time has come to an end. Photo © Lennart Ootes/Chess Club and Scholastic Center of Saint Louis.

The Cosmic Egg Timer

Fabiano Caruana – Garry Kimovich Kasparov

2019 Champions Showdown: Chess 9LX; match game 5 (30+10); Saint Louis, September 3, 2019

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Position 690

On the second day of his chess960 showdown with Caruana, Kasparov, being behind 5–1 in spite of his brilliant play, needed absolutely to subvert and overwhelm the biological laws of nature. 1. b4 Ngf6 2. Ngf3 e6 3. g3 Be7 4. Bg2 d5 5. Nd3 Nd6 6. 0-0 0-0 7. Nde5 Nd7. 7. ... c5 was also interesting. 8. Nxd7 Qxd7 9. d3 b6 10. b5 c5. White’s b-Pawn is obviously taboo due to Qc1-b2 with the double threat of Qb2xg7# and Qb2xb5. 11. c4 f6! If 11. ... d4?! then 12. Ne5 gaining possession of the c6-square. 12. a4 d4 13. e4 a5! 14. Nd2 f5! 15. Qe1. After 15. e5 Nf7 16. Bxa8 Rxa8 17. f4 g5! Black’s initiative would soon become troublesome. 15. ... e5!

16. exf5. Not an easy decision to make, but 16. Qe2 f4 was not an easy one either. 16. ... Qxf5. Once again Kasparov dominates the board and once again he has almost no time left for anything else but hoping for mercy. 17. Bxa8 Rxa8 18. Rb3 Bg5. With time ahead of him, Kasparov would have probably maintained both the tension and the initiative with ... Rf8-f7 followed by ... Ra8-f8, but now he must be content with what his opponent concedes. 19. Ne4 Nxe4 20. Qxe4 Qxe4 21. dxe4 h5 22. h4 Bh6 23. Kg2 Rf6 24. Bb2 Raf8 25. f3 Kh7 ½ : ½.

As they say, it’s not whether you win or lose, it’s how you play the game. And thus, even this evening Kasparov gave proof of his extraordinary chess talent. Photo © Lennart Ootes/Chess Club and Scholastic Center of Saint Louis.

So Far, So Good

Wesley So – Veselin Aleksandrov Topalov

2019 Champions Showdown: Chess 9LX; match game 6 (30+10); Saint Louis, September 3, 2019

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Position 690

1. c4 c5 2. b3 b6 3. Ngf3 Ngf6 4. g3 Qc7 5. Bg2 d6 6. Nc2 e5 7. 0-0 Be7 8. e3 e4? (8. ... Nd7 9. d4!⩲↑) 9. Ng5 Rf8 10. f3! exf3 11. Nxf3 0-0-0. It was probably not safe to rest in the centre, but His Majesty is not safe here either. 12. b4! Be4 13. Rd1 Qb7

14. Nce1! A devastating Exchange sacrifice which rings the bell for an instant plot twist. 14. ... Bxb1 15. Qxb1. Game over. 15. ... Qc7 16. Nd3 h6 17. a4 g5 18. a5 Nd7 19. axb6 Nxb6 20. bxc5 dxc5 21. Nfe5 Rd6 22. Nxc5! Qxc5 23. d4 Qa3 24. c5 Qxe3+ 25. Kh1 Nc7 26. cxd6 Bxd6 27. Qf5+ Kd8 28. Nxf7+ 1 : 0.

The match between So and Topalov is most exciting in spite of the age gap. Photo © Austin Fuller/Chess Club and Scholastic Center of Saint Louis.

Unfinished

Fabiano Caruana – Garry Kimovich Kasparov

2019 Champions Showdown: Chess 9LX; match game 2 (30+10); Saint Louis, September 2, 2019

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Position 366

After a very nervous first game, which 13th World Chess Champion wasn’t able to turn into something more like a happy ending due to his injudicious time management, in the second game Kasparov just looked for a sharper play, as in his youthful days. 1. Nb3 d5 2. e4 d4!? 3. f4 e5!? 4. fxe5 Qxe5? At first sight Black has hardly anything better than 4. ... c5 (in which case there might follow 5. Qg3 with a somewhat better game for White), but the facts will prove Kasparov right. 5. Ng3? Caruana’s calculations are usually very careful, so maybe he had a very good reason not to play 5. Be2! (with the threat of Be2-g4+), which was given by the engines as a winning move. 5. ... f6 6. d3 c5 7. c3 Nc7 8. Kc2!? Rd7. They both want to castle on the a-side, White by hand, Black by “Rook-move-only”. It’s quite obvious that Black’s position is already much more comfortable. 9. Nf5 0-0-0 10. Bf2 Ng6 11. cxd4 cxd4 12. Rbc1? After this “planned semi-castling” White will soon end up with a shattered King’s castle. Better seems to be 12. Nfxd4 Rxd4 13. Nxd4 Rxd4 14. Bxd4 Qxd4 with an unbalanced but not too unclear game (as Black’s light pieces definitely inspire more trust). 12. ... Kb8! Karpovian prophylaxis. 13. Kb1 Bxb3! 14. axb3 Qb5 15. Rc4 Ne6! 16. b4 Ne5 17. Bg3 g6 18. Nh4 Bd6 19. Bxe5 fxe5 20. Nf3 Rc7 21. g3. This gives Black’s Rooks too much plenty of scope on the f-file, but 21. Rdc1 Qa4∓/−+ was likewise quite bad for White, so no regret in the end. 21. ... Rf8 22. Be2 Rcf7 23. Rdc1 a5! Black opportunely makes a hole for his own King, so as to actually threaten ... Rf7xf3. 24. Qd1 Bxb4 25. Qb3 Rxf3! 26. Bxf3 Rxf3. Kasparov has literally destroyed his young opponent (who after all is world No. 2 in classical chess), by virtue of his formidable talent which could express itself freely in the improvised “contemporaneity” of chess960. 27. Rc8+ Ka7 28. Qxe6 Bc3 29. Qa2. 29. R1xc3 dxc3 30. Rxc3 Rxd3−+ is just a little tougher. 29. ... Rxd3 30. Rc4

30. ... Bxb2?? What a blunder! Apparently, both in classical and Fischerandom chess it may take only one move to make a difference between winning (30. ... Re3!−+) and losing (30. ... Bxb2??+−) a game. 31. Rc5+− Qb4 32. Rxa5+ Kb6 33. Ra4 Qb3 34. Qxb2 1 : 0. A beautiful, if unfortunate, game by Kasparov.

Today Kasparov made great play of his sense for the initiative, but age and time told him that it was not yet enough. Photo © Lennart Ootes/Chess Club and Scholastic Center of Saint Louis.

Never take a joke too far

The time has come for chess enthusiasts to start the countdown for the 2019 Champions Showdown: Chess 9LX, which will be staged as usual at the Chess Club and Scholastic Center of Saint Louis from September 2–5, featuring the return of 13th World Chess Champion Garry Kimovich Kasparov, who will take on Fabiano Caruana in a 20-game blitz and rapid match at chess960 (a.k.a. Fischerandom chess).

Garry Kimovich Kasparov (@Kasparov63)

五分鐘短劇 (Five-Minute Plays)

Magnus Carlsen – 丁立人 (Dīng Lìrén)
7th Sinquefield Cup; tie-break game 4 (5+3); Saint Louis, August 29, 2019
Spanish Game C84

After two draws in the first two rapid tie-break games, 丁立人 (Dīng Lìrén) has neatly won both the two blitz games — at a time cadence in which Carlsen is generally considered unbeatable — thus becoming the first Chinese player to ever win the élite super-rich Sinquefield Cup, and also mooting his challenge to the Norwegian king for a World Chess Championship match. 1. e4 e5 2. Nf3 Nc6 3. Bb5 a6 4. Ba4 Nf6 5. 0-0 Be7 6. d3 b5 7. Bb3 d6 8. c3 Na5 9. Bc2 c5 10. d4 cxd4 11. cxd4 0-0 12. h3 Re8 13. d5 Bd7 14. Nc3 Qb8 15. Bd3 Rc8 16. Ne2 Nb7 17. g4!? Nc5 18. Ng3 Nxd3 19. Qxd3 b4 20. Re1 Qb5 21. Qd1 Rc7 22. Be3 Rac8 23. Nd2 g6 24. b3 Qb7 25. Nc4 Bb5 26. Na5 Qb8 27. Qd2 Rc3 28. a3 bxa3 29. Nc6 Bxc6 30. Qxc3 Bxd5 31. Qa5 Bxe4

After losing the 3rd blitz game, Carlsen, in a “must-win” situation, flings himself against the wall: 32. g5? This could lead to a draw by force, which for Carlsen is equivalent to a defeat. Hence White had to prefer something like 32. Nxe4 Nxe4 33. Qxa3 just to “keep on playing”. 32. ... Ba8! 33. Qxa6? In his understandable desperation Carlsen cannot afford to content himself with 33. gxf6 that after 33. ... Qb7 34. Kf1 Qg2+ 35. Ke2 Qf3+ allows Black perpetual check. 33. ... Nd5 34. Ba7 Qc7 35. Rec1 Qxc1+ 36. Rxc1 Rxc1+ 37. Kh2 Bc6 38. Qxa3 Bxg5 39. Qxd6? Bf4 40. Bc5 Ne7! 0 : 1. “Yesterday I was playing a tournament. Today I played a match” 丁立人 (Dīng Lìrén) eventually said.

“I gotta say, he was a lot better than I was today”, Carlsen finally said. Photo © Lennart Ootes/Grand Chess Tour.