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(9) Karpov,A (2705) - Kasparov,G (2715) [D34]
World Championship 31th-KK1 Moscow (9), 05.10.1984
[King]
1.d4
d5
2.c4
e6
3.Nf3
c5
4.cxd5
exd5
5.g3
Nf6
6.Bg2
Be7
7.0-0
0-0
8.Nc3
Nc6
9.Bg5
cxd4
10.Nxd4
h6
11.Be3
Re8
12.Qb3
Na5
13.Qc2
Bg4
14.Nf5
Rc8
15.Bd4
Bc5
16.Bxc5
Rxc5
17.Ne3
Be6
18.Rad1
Qc8
19.Qa4
Rd8
20.Rd3
a6
21.Rfd1
Nc4
22.Nxc4
Rxc4
23.Qa5
Rc5
24.Qb6
Rd7
25.Rd4
Qc7
26.Qxc7
Rdxc7
27.h3
h5
28.a3
g6
29.e3
Kg7
30.Kh2
Rc4
31.Bf3
b5
32.Kg2
R7c5
33.Rxc4
Rxc4
34.Rd4
Kf8
35.Be2
Rxd4
36.exd4
Ke7
37.Na2
Bc8
38.Nb4
Kd6
39.f3
Ng8
40.h4
Nh6
41.Kf2
Nf5
42.Nc2
f6
[ 42...Bd7+/=
Geller] 43.Bd3
g5
44.Bxf5
Bxf5
45.Ne3
Bb1
46.b4
A very similar ending has been reached to Saidy-Fischer. The differences (apart from the reversal of colours): the defending side's queenside pawns are fixed and therefore weaker; but the kingside pawns are better placed to prevent White's king breaking through. They are somewhat as I discussed in Saidy-Fischer with the exception that the h-pawn has advanced - a slight drawback from Black's point of view. 46...gxh4?
Kasparov must have missed Karpov's reply. [ But what happens if Black does not capture on h4? Does White have significant winning chances? In Informator Geller gives simply 46...Bg6+/=
. Let's continue a little further from that point. (This has probably already been researched, but I don't have an analysis of the game to hand. In a way that might be a good thing: I'm not clouded by anyone else's thoughts, no matter how erudite!) 47.Kg2
Black can now choose to wait with (B1) 47...Ke6, or try to simplify the position with (B2) 47...gxh4. ( First let's look at the most direct method of play for White: 47.hxg5
fxg5
48.f4
gxf4
( 48...g4
49.f5
( 49.Ng2
Ke6
and White can't get through) 49...Bh7
50.Ng2
Bxf5?
( 50...Ke7!
51.Nf4
Kf6
52.Nxh5+
( 52.Nxd5+
Kxf5
53.Ke3
Kg5
54.Nf4
( 54.Nc7
h4
55.gxh4+
Kxh4=
) 54...h4
55.gxh4+
Kxh4
56.d5
Kg5
57.d6
Bf5
( 57...Kf6
58.d7
Ke7
59.Ne6
Kxd7
60.Nf8+
Kd6
61.Nxh7
Kd5
62.Nf6+
Kc4
63.Nd7+-
) 58.Nd3
Kf6
59.Nc5
Bc2
60.Kf4
Bd1
61.Nxa6
Ke6
62.Nc7+
Kxd6
63.Nxb5+
Kc6
64.Nc3
Bf3
Unless I'm very much mistaken, with only the knight to aid the pawns, this must be a draw.) 52...Kxf5
53.Ke3
Bg6
54.Nf4
Bf7
55.Nd3
Be6
56.Nc5
Bc8=
) 51.Nf4
Bh7
( 51...Bd7
52.Nxh5
Ke6
53.Nf4+
Kd6
54.Ke3+-
) 52.Ke3
followed by Nh5 and Kf4 +-) 49.gxf4
Ke6
50.Kg3
Bf7
51.Kh4
Kf6
52.f5
Be8
53.Nxd5+
Kxf5
54.Nc7
Bf7
55.Nxa6
Ke4=
It appears that Black has two satisfactory methods of defence to the immediate attempt at a breakthrough, so let's now look at the more subtle...) 47...gxh4
Black is not obliged to capture on h4, but White is going to play g4 anyway, followed, if necessary by f4. ( 47...Ke6
48.g4
gxh4
( 48...hxg4
49.fxg4
White moves the king to g3, then plays the Nh3 (for instance) forcing Black to capture on h4, so transposing to line 'B2'.; 48...Kd6
49.Kg3
Ke6
50.f4
gxh4+
51.Kxh4
hxg4
52.Kxg4
Be4
( 52...Bf7
53.f5+
Ke7
54.Ng2
Be8
55.Nf4
Bc6
56.Ne6
Bb7
( 56...Bd7
57.Nc7
) 57.Kh5
Bc8
58.Nf4
Bxf5
59.Nxd5+
Kd6
60.Nxf6
Ke6
61.Kg5
Bb1
62.d5+
Ke5=
) 53.f5+
Kf7
( 53...Kd6
54.Kh5
Ke7
55.Kg6
Bf3
56.Nf1
followed by Ng3-h5xf6 +-.) 54.Nf1
Bc2
I do not see how White gains access to the square c5 with the knight. The bishop blocks it out with accurate play.) 49.Kh3
transposes to the next variation 'B2'.) Although White no longer has the reply Ng2, there is... 48.g4!
hxg4
49.fxg4
Ke6
50.Kh3
Be4
51.Kxh4
Bg6
52.Ng2
Be4
53.Nf4+
Kf7
54.g5
( 54.Kh5
Bf3
) 54...Bf3!
( 54...Kg7?
55.Nh5+
Kg6
56.Nxf6+-
; 54...Ke7?
55.g6+-
; 54...f5?+-
; 54...fxg5+?
55.Kxg5
Ke7
56.Ng6+
Ke6
( 56...Bxg6
57.Kxg6
Ke6
58.Kg5
) 57.Ne5
Followed by Nc6 and Nb8 xa6.) 55.g6+
( 55.Nd3
Kg6
56.gxf6
Kxf6
57.Kg3
Bd1?
( 57...Be2
58.Nc5
Kf5
59.Kf2
( 59.Nxa6
Ke4=
) 59...Bh5
60.Ke3
Be8
61.Nxa6
Bd7
62.Nc5
( 62.Nc7
Bc6
63.Kf3
Kg5
) 62...Be8
, and in spite of the extra pawn, I don't see how White can win. Black's king cannot be forced away from its strong position.) 58.Kf4
; 55.Nh5
fxg5+
56.Kxg5
Bxh5
57.Kxh5
Kf6
58.Kg4
Kg6=
) 55...Kg7
56.Kg3
Be4
57.Kg4
Bxg6
( 57...Bh1?
58.Kf5
Be4+
59.Ke6
Bf3
60.Nxd5
Bxd5+
61.Kxd5
Kxg6
62.Ke6
f5
63.Ke5
Kg5
64.d5+-
) 58.Nxd5
Be4
59.Nc7
Kf7!
( 59...Bb7
60.d5
Kf7
61.d6
Bc8+
62.Kf4
Bb7
63.Kf5
Bc8+
64.Ke4
Bb7+
65.Kd4
Bc8
66.Kc5
f5
( 66...Bd7
67.Nxa6
f5
68.Nb8+-
) 67.Kc6
f4
68.d7
Bxd7+
69.Kxd7
f3
70.Nd5+-
) 60.Nxa6
Bd3
61.Nc5
Bf1
and it seems to me that Black is able to draw this position.
] 47.Ng2!
Creating an entry point for White's king - as we have already seen, the key to this ending. 47...hxg3+
48.Kxg3
Ke6
49.Nf4+
Kf5
50.Nxh5
Threatening Ng7-e8-c7, therefore the king must retreat. 50...Ke6
51.Nf4+
Kd6
52.Kg4
Bc2
53.Kh5
Bd1
54.Kg6
Ke7
55.Nxd5+
Ke6
[ 55...Kd6
would have been better according to Geller in Informator, but obviously by this stage Black is on the edge.] 56.Nc7+
Kd7
57.Nxa6
Bxf3
58.Kxf6
Kd6
59.Kf5
Kd5
60.Kf4
Bh1
61.Ke3
Kc4
62.Nc5
Bc6
63.Nd3
Bg2
64.Ne5+
Kc3
65.Ng6
Kc4
66.Ne7
Bb7
67.Nf5
Bg2
68.Nd6+
Kb3
69.Nxb5
Ka4
70.Nd6
CONCLUSION
I went a bit over the top with the analysis of this ending; hope you didn't find it too boring. I will probably discover that this has all been investigated before and with greater accuracy, but anyway, these are my findings:-
Black ought to be able to draw with 46...Bg6, either by sitting tight with 47...Ke6 or simplifying with 47...gxh4. However, in both cases, great accuracy is required, and in a practical game I would say that the odds of White winning are greater than that of Black drawing. If a (youthful) 'Kasparov' can blunder, then so can anyone. One thing is clear, having the pawn on h5 makes life more difficult for Black than if it were on its starting square.
1-0
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