Geometries and Relativities

Veselin Aleksandrov Topalov – Garry Kimovich Kasparov

Clutch Chess: The Legends; match game 9; time control: 25 minutes plus 10 seconds per move; Saint Louis, September 13, 2026

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Position 89

1. g3 c6 2. e4 g6 3. c3 d5 4. Nb3 Bd7 5. 0-0 dxe4 6. Qxe4 Bh3 7. Bg4 Bxg4 8. Qxg4 f5 9. Qe2 Nd7 10. d4 Qf6 11. N1d2 e5 12. Nc4 e4 13. Bd2 b5 14. Ne5 Nab6 15. c4 bxc4 16. Nxd7+ Nxd7 17. Qxc4 Qf7 18. Qa6 Nb6 19. d5 0-0 20. dxc6 Bf6 21. Rc2 Rfe8 22. Rfc1 Nd5 23. c7 Be5 24. Qa4

Not Kasparov’s best game, but not his worst so far either, as he survived all its gross disadvantages and could finally launch a rescue counterattack.
24. ... f4! 25. Qxe4 fxg3 26. fxg3 Bxg3 27. Qg2 Bxc7 28. Kh1 Rcd8 29. Rf1 Qe6 30. Nd4 Qe4 31. Qxe4 Rxe4 32. Nc6 Rde8 33. Rc5

33. ... Re2! Vintage Kasparov. Speculatively speaking, Black’s initiative may well appear dangerous enough to hunt for an adversary on the run.
34. Rxd5 Rxh2+ 35. Kg1 Ree2 36. Re1?? And Topalov falls in his ghosts’ eyes! The only move was 36. Ne7+! Rxe7 (any King's move would lead to disaster: 36. ... Kh8?? 37. Rd8+! Bxd8 38. Bc3+ and mate next, or 36. ... Kg7?? 37. Bc3+ Kh6 38. Ng8#) 37. Bb4 Ree2 38. Rf8+ Kg7 39. Rd7+ Kh6 40. Rxc7 Reg2+ 41. Kf1 Rxb2 42. Kg1 Rbg2+ 43. Kf1 Rxa2 44. Kg1 Rag2+ 45. Kf1 Rb2 46. Kg1 with a draw.
36. ... Bb6+ 37. Nd4 Reg2+ 38. Kf1 Rxd2 0–1.

We cannot stop time, but time can stop us. Photo: Austin Fuller/Saint Louis Chess Club.

The Old Guard

Garry Kimovich Kasparov – Veselin Aleksandrov Topalov

Clutch Chess: The Legends; match game 5; time control: 25 minutes plus 10 seconds per move; Saint Louis, September 12, 2026

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Position 668

1. c3 c6 2. d4 f6 3. e4 e5 4. f3 Bc7 5. Nd2 Nb6 6. a4 d5 7. a5 Nbd7? Gives White a large space advantage. The Knight should have gone to c4.
8. a6 b6 9. Nd3 Bd6 10. Bc2 Ng6 11. h4 h5 12. exd5 cxd5 13. 0-0-0 Bf7 14. Kb1 0-0-0 15. g3 Qf8 16. Ba4 exd4 17. cxd4 Rxe1 18. Rxe1 Kb8 19. Qh3 Be8 20. g4 hxg4 21. fxg4 Nf4 22. Nxf4 Bxf4 23. Bh2 Qd6 24. Bxf4 Qxf4

25. Qc3? In his prime, Kasparov wasn’t one to let his advantage slip away, but time is a merciless master. The winning move was 25. Qa3!, followed as soon as possible by either Re1-e7 or Qa3-e7 — it may be also noted that the Knight is taboo because of mate in three (25. ... Qxd2 26. Qd6+ Kc8 27. Qc6+ Kb8 28. Qb7#).
25. ... Bg6+ 26. Ka2 Nc5 27. Bb5 Ne4 28. Qc6 Qc7 29. Qxc7+ Kxc7 30. Rc1+ Kb8 31. Nb1 Nf2 32. h5 Bf7 33. Re1 Ne4 34. Nc3 Be6 35. Ka3. White shed a Pawn to ensure a draw. On the other hand, 35. Rg1 Ng5 would not give anything, either.
35. ... Bxg4 36. Nxe4 dxe4 37. Rxe4 Bxh5 38. Re7 Bf3 39. Rxg7 Rxd4 40. Rg8+ Kc7 41. Rg7+ Kb8 42. Rg8+ Kc7 43. Rg7+ ½–½.

Despite the outcome, one can’t help but note that Kasparov still plays chess better than most. Photo: Crystal Fuller/Saint Louis Chess Club.

On Contemporaneity

Garry Kimovich Kasparov – Veselin Aleksandrov Topalov

Clutch Chess: The Legends; match game 4; time control: 5 minutes plus 3 seconds per move; Saint Louis, September 11, 2026

rkbnnbqr/pppppppp/8/8/8/8/PPPPPPPP/RKBNNBQR w HAha - 0 1

Position 742

1. d4 d5 2. Nd3 f6 3. f3 Nc6 4. e4 dxe4? Leaves White in command of the centre. 4. ... e5! would be the proper reply.
5. fxe4 e5 6. d5 Nb4 7. a3 Nxd3 8. Bxd3 Nd6 9. c4 f5 10. Nc3! fxe4 11. Be2! As a corollary of his strategy, Kasparov temporarily sacrifices a Pawn to keep his strongholds in the centre. 11. Nxe4? Bf5 leads nowhere for White.
11. ... b6 12. Be3 Ba6 13. Qf1 c5? After this, Black’s position soon falls apart. However, if 13. ... Qf7 then 14. Qxf7 Nxf7 15. Nxe4 with a dominating position.

14. b4! g6 15. g4 Qf7 16. Qxf7 Nxf7 17. bxc5 bxc5 18. Rf1. From an aesthetic point of view, 18. 0-0 may be even more consistent with a “freestyle” (Fischerandom) attitude.
18. ... Nd6 19. Bxc5 0-0-0 20. Bxd6 Bxd6 21. Nxe4 Bc7 22. Kc2 Bb6 23. Rf6 Kb8 24. Kd2 Ba5+ 25. Ke3 Bc8 26. Rb1+ Ka8 27. Bf3 a6 28. d6 Ka7 29. c5 Bd7 30. Rf7 Rhf8

31. Nf6!! 1–0. For after 31. ... Rxf7 32. Rb7+ Ka8 33. Rxd7+ Kb8 34. Rxf7 mate follows in a few moves.

The Beast of Baku is back on stage again. Photo: Austin Fuller/Saint Louis Chess Club.

The Fischerandom Ordering

Viswanathan Anand – Garry Kimovich Kasparov

Clutch Chess: The Legends; match game 3; time control: 5 minutes plus 3 seconds per move; Saint Louis, October 8, 2025

rnkqbrnb/pppppppp/8/8/8/8/PPPPPPPP/RNKQBRNB w FAfa - 0 1

Position #635

1. e4 e6 2. g3 d5 3. f4 dxe4 4. Bxe4 g6 5. Nc3 Bc6 6. Bf3 Ne7 7. Bf2 Nf5 8. Qe2 Nd4 9. Bxd4 Qxd4 10. 0-0-0 0-0. Classically speaking, an anomalous position with heterogeneous castling has arisen in some particular way (how did the White dark-squared Bishop come out?), but of course that’s another story entirely!
11. Bxc6 Nxc6 12. Nf3 Qb6 13. Ne5 Rad8 14. Qe4? It doesn’t serve White’s cause.
14. ... f5 15. Qe2 Nxe5 16. fxe5 Rd4 17. Rf4 Rfd8 18. Rxd4 Qxd4 19. Re1 c6 20. Qe3 Bg7 21. Qxd4 Rxd4 22. d3 g5 23. a3 Kf7? An inaccuracy which allows White to reorganise and consolidate his army. 23. ... Rd7! 24. b4 Kf7 would have maintained Black’s advantage.
24. Ne2 Rd7 25. d4 c5 26. c3 cxd4 27. cxd4 h5 28. Kc2 Bh6 29. Kd3 g4 30. a4 Bg5 31. a5 h4 32. b4 a6 33. Rb1 Bd8 34. Nc3 Kg6 35. Na4 Be7 36. Nc5 Bxc5 37. bxc5

37. ... f4! 38. gxf4 Kf5 39. Ke3 Rg7 40. Rg1 Rg8 41. Rb1 Rg7 42. d5! exd5 43. Rb6. Threatening mate at f6.
43. ... g3 44. Kf3 Rg6!

45. Rxg6?? A catastrophic blunder in real no time. White could hope for salvation only by not exchanging Rooks: 45. hxg3! (or 45. Kg2! d4 46. hxg3 Rxg3+ with similar lines) 45. ... Rxg3+ (both 45. ... h3?? 46. g4+! Rxg4 47. Rf6# and 45. ... Rxb6?? 46. axb6 h3 47. c6 would be ruinous to Black) 46. Kf2 Kxf4 47. e6 (or 47. Rxb7 Kxe5) 47. ... Rg7 48. c6 bxc6 49. Rxc6 h3 50. Rc3 Rh7 51. e7! Rxe7 52. Rxh3 with a tablebase draw.
45. ... Kxg6 46. hxg3. 46. Kg2 gxh2 47. Kxh2 d4 is the same ending as in the game.
46. ...h3 47. g4 d4 48. f5+ Kg7 49. e6 h2 50. Kg2 d3 0–1.

“I expected him to be much quicker in the time trouble, and I think when we reached the critical moment of the game, there was basically a minute left, I did a better job”, Kasparov eventually said. Photo: Lennart Ootes/Saint Louis Chess Club.

New Free Style

Hikaru Nakamura – Garry Kimovich Kasparov

7th Champions Showdown: Chess 9LX; time control: 20 minutes plus 10 seconds per move; Saint Louis, October 29, 2024

nrqknbbr/pppppppp/8/8/8/8/PPPPPPPP/NRQKNBBR w HAha - 0 1

Position #238

1. f4 f5 2. b4 b5 3. a4 a6 4. a5 Nf6 5. Ba7 Rb7 6. Bd4 g6 7. g3 Bg7 8. Bg2 c6 9. Nb3 d6 10. Nf3 Bd5 11. 0-0 0-0 12. d3 Nc7 13. Bb6 Bxf3 14. Bxf3 Ncd5 15. c4 Nxb6 16. axb6 bxc4! 17. Qxc4+ d5 18. Qxa6 Qb8 19. Nc5 Rxb6 20. Qa4. Nakamura shows he isn’t interested in a draw by repetition, although perhaps he ought to have.
19. ... Qd6. 19. ... e5!? was also interesting, but probably Kasparov didn’t like allowing the White Knight to penetrate e6.
21. d4? Bad judgment. White should have broken up Black’s centre by 21. e4! so as to force a general liquidation and secure something near equality.

21. ... Ng4!? Stronger seems to be 21. ... Ne4! threatening both ... Bg7xd4+ and ... Ne4-d2 or ... Ne4-c3 at the same time.
22. Rfd1 Ne3 23. Rd3 Nc4 24. Kf2 Rbb8 25. e3 Ra8 26. Qb3 Rfb8 27. Rc1 Ra3 28. Qxa3 Nxa3 29. Rxa3 Rxb4 30. Ra8+ Kf7 31. Be2 Bf6. Now 31. ... Rxd4? doesn’t work due to 32. Nb7 followed by the check at d8.
32. Ra6? A tactical slip which could and should cost White the game. 32. Rca1 was called for, and would make White’s fortress a hard nut to crack.

32. ... Rxd4! 33. exd4. The point is that now Black can reply to 33. Nb7 with 33. ... Qb8! taking home what he did work for.
33. ... Bxd4+ 34. Kg2 Bxc5 35. Bf3 Kg7 36. Rc2 h6 37. Ra5 Bb6 38. Ra6 Bc5 39. Ra5 Bb6 40. Ra6 Bc5 ½–½. Maybe not enough time? 40. ... Qb4! 41. Rxc6 Qd2+ 42. Kh3 Bg1 43. Rxg6+ Kf8 44. Bg2 Qe2! was completely winning for Black.

Kasparov still showed flashes of his old brilliance, but his hand ultimately ran out of time. Photo: Lennart Ootes/Saint Louis Chess Club.

End to End

Garry Kimovich Kasparov – Leinier Domínguez Pérez

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

rnknqrbb/pppppppp/8/8/8/8/PPPPPPPP/RNKNQRBB w FAfa - 0 1

Position #559

1. e4 g5 2. f4 gxf4 3. Rxf4 Nbc6 4. g3 d6 5. Ne3 Ne6 6. Rf1 Ncd4?!

7. Nc3 c5 8. Nf5 0-0-0 9. Nd5 Nc6 10. c3 Nc7 11. Qe2 e6 12. Nxc7 Kxc7 13. Nh6 Kb8 14. 0-0-0?! By this Kasparov let much (or some) of his advantage slip. White ought to have castled on the h-side: 14. Be3! f6 15. 0-0! firmly holding the upper hand.
14. ... Bg7

15. Nxg8 Rxg8 16. Kb1 Rc8 17. d4 cxd4 18. cxd4 Rc7 19. Be3 e5 20. d5 Nd4 21. Qd3 Qd7 22. Rc1 Rgc8 23. Rxc7 Rxc7 24. Bg2 Qg4 25. Qd1 Qg6

26. g4?? (26. Qd3 Bh6 27. Bg1=)
26. ... Bh6!−+ 27. Bxd4. Desperation, but 27. Qd3 Bxe3 28. Qxe3 Qxg4 is also horrible for White.
27. ... Rc1+ 28. Qxc1 Bxc1 29. Bxe5 dxe5 30. Rxc1 Qxg4 31. Rc2 Qd1+ 32. Rc1 Qd3+ 33. Rc2 f5 34. exf5 Qxf5 35. b3 e4 36. d6 0 : 1. And once again Kasparov exceeded the time limit, even if in a resignable position (36. ... e3 37. Kc1 Qe5−+).

Fata Morgana

Samuel L. Shankland – Garry Kimovich Kasparov

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

rnbbqnkr/pppppppp/8/8/8/8/PPPPPPPP/RNBBQNKR w HAha - 0 1

Position #421

1. d4 d6 2. e4 e5 3. dxe5 dxe5 4. Ne3 Ne6 5. 0-0 0-0 6. a4 Bg5?! This is quite questionable.
7. Nd2 Nd7 (7. ... b6 8. b4 Nd7)
8. a5

8. ... Nf6?! (8. ... b5!? 9. b4!? c5!?)
9. b3 Qd8 10. Nec4 Re8 11. Bb2 Nd4

12. Nxe5! 12. Nf3 was also possible, and very strong, but Shankland bravely accepts the challenge.
12. ... Nxc2 13. Bxc2 Bxd2 14. Qe2 Bf4 15. Rad1 Qe7 16. Nd3

16. ... Bxh2+?? A total miscalculation. After 16. ... Bh6 17. Rfe1 Bg4 18. f3 Bd7 19. Qf2 White stands better, but the game goes on.
17. Kxh2 Ng4+ 18. Kg3 h5 19. Rh1 Qg5. That’s what Kasparov saw, but there’s no mate and the end is inglorious.
20. f4 Qg6 21. f5! Bxf5 (21. ... Qg5 22. Rxh5! Qxh5 23. Qxg4+−)
22. Nf4 1 : 0.

Kasparov ultimately fell victim to his own mirages. Photo: Lennart Ootes/Saint Louis Chess Club.

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

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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.

As Time Flies

Fabiano Caruana – Garry Kimovich Kasparov

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

nnqbrkbr/pppppppp/8/8/8/8/PPPPPPPP/NNQBRKBR w HEhe - 0 1

Position #45

1. d4 f6 2. c4 c5 3. d5 b5! In Benkö’s style.
4. cxb5 Bxd5 5. Nc3 Bf7 6. e4 a6 7. a4 axb5 8. axb5 d6 9. f4 Ba5 10. Bf2 Bc4+ 11. Kg1 Nc7

12. b6 Na8. Clearly not 12. ... Bxb6? because of 13. Na4 winning material.
13. Nb3 Bxc3 14. Qxc3 Nxb6 15. Na5 Bf7 16. b4 Na6 17. bxc5 Nxc5 18. h3 0-0 19. Kh2 Nbd7 20. Bg4 Qa6 21. Bf3 Rc8 22. Qd2 Rc7 23. Re3 Rb8 24. Ra1 Qb5 25. Rc3 Qb4 26. Qc2 Qb2 27. Qxb2 Rxb2 28. Be3 g6 29. e5 fxe5 30. Nc6

30. ... e4! 31. Bxe4 Nxe4? (31. ... Nf6! 32. Bf3 Nce4∓)
32. Nxe7+ Kf8 33. Nxg6+ hxg6 34. Rxc7 Be6 35. Ra4 Nec5 36. Rd4 Re2 37. Bc1 Ke7 38. Ba3 Kd8 39. Rc6 Ne4 40. Bxd6 Nxd6 41. Rcxd6 Ke7 42. Ra6 Bf5 43. Kg3 Nf6

44. Ra7+ Bd7 45. Kf3 Rb2 46. g4 Rb3+ 47. Kf2 Ke6 48. g5 Rb2+ 49. Ke1 Nd5 50. Rxd7 Nxf4 51. Ra7 Nxh3 52. Ra5 Rg2 53. Rb4 Nxg5 54. Kf1 Rg3 55. Rb6+ Kd7 56. Ra7+ Kc8 57. Rxg6 Ne4 58. Re6 Kb8 59. Rf7 1 : 0.

As was well summed up by International Master Konstantin Kavutskiy in his daily recap, “Caruana manag[ed] to flip the tables in the endgame after getting a much worse position against Kasparov”. Photo: Lennart Ootes/Saint Louis Chess Club.

Kairos Clock

Garry Kimovich Kasparov – 熊奕韬 (Jeffery Xióng)

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

nnqbbrkr/pppppppp/8/8/8/8/PPPPPPPP/NNQBBRKR w HFhf - 0 1

Position #41

1. d4 d6 2. e4 e5 3. dxe5 dxe5 4. Be2 Be7 5. c4 Nc6 6. Nc2 Nd4 7. Nxd4 exd4 8. Bd3 c5 9. f4 Bc6 10. Bg3 Re8 11. Nd2 Nc7 12. Qc2 0-0 13. Rf2 g6

14. f5. Now White could castle h-side while doubling Rooks on the f-file, which means that at least for now Kasparov wants his Rook on the h-file.
14. ... Bg5 15. Nf1 Na6 16. a3 Qd8

17. Qe2. 17. h4 seems more consistent; if 17. ... Be3 then 18. Nxe3 dxe3 19. Rf4 with good prospects for initiative.
17. ... Bh4 18. Qg4 Bf6. It goes without saying that 18. ... Bxg3?? 19. hxg3! would make White’s dreams come true.
19. Nd2 Nb8 20. 0-0 Nd7

21. Nf3?? A catastrophic mistake, but White was very much short of time.
21. ... h5 22. Qh3 Bxe4 23. Bxe4 Rxe4 24. Bd6 0 : 1. Kasparov exceeded the time limit while making his last move.

One has the feeling that Kasparov let his opponent get away. Photo: Lennart Ootes/Saint Louis Chess Club.

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

nbqrbnkr/pppppppp/8/8/8/8/PPPPPPPP/NBQRBNKR w HDhd - 0 1

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.

Time Travel

Ray Robson – Garry Kimovich Kasparov

6th Champions Showdown: Chess 9LX; time control: 20 minutes plus 5 seconds per move; Saint Louis, September 8, 2023

nqbrkbrn/pppppppp/8/8/8/8/PPPPPPPP/NQBRKBRN w GDgd - 0 1

Position #310

1. d4 Ng6 2. Ng3 d5 3. c3 c6 4. h4 h5 5. Bg5 Nc7 6. e3 Ne6 7. Bd3 Nxg5 8. hxg5 Qd6 9. Bf5? (9. Ne2! Nh4 10. Rh1 Nxg2+ 11. Kd2±)
9. ... h4 (9. ... Bxf5 10. Nxf5 Qh2 11. Ke2)
10. Ne2 Bxf5 11. Qxf5 e6 12. Qg4 e5 13. f4 exf4 14. exf4 Qd7 15. Qxd7+ (15. f5 Ne7 16. 0-0 g6! 17. Nf4 0-0-0!)
15. ... Kxd7 16. f5 Ne7

17. 0-0 Re8 18. Nc1 Nc8! 19. Nd3 Bd6 20. Nb3 b6 21. Nd2

21. ... f6! 22. Nf3 (22. c4 Ne7)
22. ... Bg3! 23. Nf2 Nd6 24. Ng4 Re4 25. Nf2 Re2 26. Ng4 Ne4 27. Rb1 Kd6 28. Rfd1 fxg5 29. Kf1 Rc2 30. Rd3 Rf8 31. Ne3 Rf2+ 32. Kg1

32. ... h3! 33. c4 Rh8 34. cxd5 h2+ 35. Kh1 Rxf3! 36. Nc4+ Kxd5 37. Rxf3 Kxc4 0 : 1.

Kasparov developed and kept his initiative with powerful consistency. Photo: Lennart Ootes/Saint Louis Chess Club.