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(875533) Kasparov,G (2851) - Polgar,J (2658) [B90]
Corus 2000 Wijk aan Zee (13), 30.01.2000
[Rohde]
1.e4 Kasparov has played beautifully in this tournament and is a point ahead of Kramnik and Leko. This will likely be a very tense game. 1...c5 Polgar exclusively relies on the Sicilian Defense. 2.Nf3 d6 Polgar used to prefer the ... e6 systems. 3.d4 When White against the Sicilian, Kasparov always plays the Open Sicilian. 3...cxd4 4.Nxd4 Nf6 5.Nc3 a6 Polgar plays the very sharp Najdorf Variation, which is also Kasparov's favorite line. 6.Be3 This can serve as a prelude to the English Attack with f2-f3 and g2- g4. 6...Ng4 A variation that has been frequently discussed between Kasparov as Black and Shirov as White. Also popular are 6 ... e6 7 f3, the English Attack and 6 ... e5. 7.Bg5 In this line, White hopes to prove that the g4 knight is misplaced. He can be encouraged by the fact that Black has no pressure against d4, as is often the case in this type of position. 7...h6 8.Bh4 g5 If Black does not play this, the excursion to g4 has been a waste of time. 9.Bg3 Bg7 10.h3 The older line 10 Be2 h5 has not been that successful for White due to Kasparov's efforts as Black. 10...Nf6 11.Bc4 The bishop takes a more active position than usual in this variation. 11...Qb6 A naturally appealing move putting pressure on both b2 and d4 at a time when the White dark-squared bishop is far away. 12.0-0 Kasparov ignores Black's threats. 12...0-0 Polgar believes him. Both 12 ... Nxe4 13 Nxe4 Qxd4 14 Qe2, and 12 ... Qxb2, as 13 Ncb5 axb5 14 Nxb5 Qb4 survives, were risky but not outlandish. 13.Nde2 By retreating this knight, the e-pawn is protected from the move ... Nf6xe4. If Polgar wants the b-pawn, then she will have to be prepared to waste a lot of time after 13 ... Qxb2 14 Bb3 Qa3 or 14 a4 Qb6. 13...Qxb2 Polgar captures the pawn! This is probably the right decision as on 13 ... Nc6 14 Bb3 White has a riskless position with good chances. 14.Bb3 The most sensible way to consolidate, threatening a2-a4. On 14 Rb1 Qa3, a later ... Qa3-c5 will hit the c4 bishop anyway. 14...Qa3 This move was forced. 15.f4 Immediately going to work on opening lines. A fierce battle has taken shape. 15...Nc6 Polgar decides she would rather live with a weakness on g5 which can be defended by her queen across the fourth rank then activate White's pieces with 15 ... gxf4. 16.Kh1 By moving away from the potential check on c5, Kasparov threatens 17 e5 and then he would cruise in with Nc3-d5. 16...Be6 Covering d5 and connecting her rooks. If White exchanges on e6 then Black will gain additional defensive space. 17.Qd3 Opening a route to g6 in lines such as 18 Bxe6 fxe6 19 e5. 17 ... Rad8 seems right, as then 18 Bxe6 fxe6 19 Qc4 is met by 19 ... d5. 17...Rac8 This deals with 18 Bxe6 fxe6 19 Qc4 by means of 19 ... d5 20 cxd5 Nb4. But less clear is 19 e5 in this variation. 18.fxg5 Kasparov makes a target out of the pawn on g5. 18...hxg5 19.Nd5 This move cuts off defense of g5 from across the fourth rank. If 19 ... Bxd5 20 exd5 and the White queen gets access to f5. 19...Rfe8 This gives freedom to the knight on c6 from defending e7. 20.Rad1 On 20 Qe3, taking a poke at g5, Black can play 20 ... Nh7. 20...Nb4 Bringing another piece to bear on the problem of the knight on d5. 21.Qf3 Not very impressive was 21 Nxb4 Qxb4 22 Bxe6 fxe6 as 23 Nd4? cannot be played due to 23 ... Rc3. But 21 Qe3 seems to me better than the threatless 21 Qf3. 21...Nbxd5 21 ... Nxc2? would be met not by 22 Rc1? Bxd5 23 exd5 Nd4! but by the destructive 22 Nxe7+! Rxe7 23 Bxd6. 22.exd5 Bd7 Black is doing great here. 23 Nd4 runs into 23 ... g4. Again in this tournament Kasparov is struggling to find full compensation for his pawn. 23.c3 The game is entering a new phase. This move gives the b3 bishop potential access to c2. 23...a5 Slightly paradoxical, as the b3 bishop may be heading to c2 anyway. But Polgar wants to keep White busy, not giving him time for a move like Qf3-e3. To be considered was 23 ... g4. 24.Qd3 Taking away b5 from the Black bishop and lining up on the big c2-h7 diagonal. 24...a4 The position is becoming very complicated, but Polgar does not believe great danger lies in allowing the diagonal battery. 25.Bc2 Qc5 restoring the idea of ... Bd7-b5. Now 26 Rf6 exf6 27 Qh7+ Kf8 may not work for White. But on 25 ... Qxa2 26 Rxf6 would be very dangerous after the forced 26 ... Bxf6 27 Qh7+ Kf8 28 Nd4 with the idea of 29 Ne6+ and 30 Bg6. 26.Rxf6 Kasparov sacrifices the Exchange! It appears that otherwise his game is quite bad. 26...exf6 This was not automatic but it seems that 26 ... Bxf6 27 Qh7+ Kf8 28 Nd4 with the idea of 29 Ne6+ and 30 Bg6 was very dangerous. 27.Qh7+ Kf8 28.Nd4 The critical position. Now 28 ... Re3 29 Bf2 Qxc3 seems like a reasonable defense. 28...Re5 The safest move, but Black seems to retain winning chances. The dangerous dark-squared bishop is eliminated although we may be heading to opposite-colored bishops. 29.Bxe5 White has nothing better here. Now 29 ... dxe5 30 Nf5 leaves Black's g7 bishop buried, but 29 ... fxe5 may allow 30 Ne6+. 29...fxe5 Polgar felt 29 ... dxe5 30 Nf5 does not offer enough winning chances. 30.Ne6+ This move is possible now, and also necessary as 30 Nf5 Bxf5 is poor for White. 30...Bxe6 Definitely not 30 ... fxe6? 31 Rf1+. 31.dxe6 Rc7 Lending emergency assistance to f7. 32.Bxa4! Amazingly, Kasparov has for now reestablished material equality! 32...d5 A very complex idea, to bring the queen into the defense, as right now 33 Rf1? fails to 33 ... Qc4. Apparently 32 ... fxe6 may have been insufficient due to 33 Be8!? stopping the rook from getting to f7. Then 33 ... Kxe8 34 Qg8+ Bf8 35 Rf1 d5 36 Qxe6+ would be very messy. 33.Qf5 With this Kasparov has retaken the dynamic initiative. 33...Qc4 Finding new possibilities for the queen which has been a spectator. 34.Bd7 Threatening mate. 34...Qf4 35.Qb1 Now White is menacing Rd1-f1. It looks like Black is in trouble. 35...fxe6 Offering queen for rook and bishop after 36 Rf1 Rxd7. 36.Bxe6 Kasparov prefers to continue the attack. The Black position is falling apart. 36...Ke7 To get away from that awful pin. 37.Bxd5 White is a pawn up with a very strong attack. 37...Rd7 The problem with 37 ... e4 was 38 Qb4+. 38.c4 Now the bishop and c-pawn make a rock-solid formation and the threat is 39 Qb4+. 38...Qe3 Now 39 Re1 is crushing as the queen must soon decide which flank she will try to defend. 39.Qh7 Kd8 40.Rb1 Conducting the attack from both flanks. The threat is 41 Qg8+. 40...Qf4 Hanging on for the minute, but there is no way this can last. 41.Be6 To disrupt the coordination of Black's defense. 41...Re7 42.Bg4 Now the theme is 43 Qg8+ Bf8 44 Qd5+ and if 42 ... Qxc4 43 Qf5 looks decisive. 42...Rf7 To block the maneuver Qh7-g8- d5. 43.Qd3+ A switch. Now 43 ... Ke7 44 Qd7+ and 43 ... Ke8 44 Bh5 are out, and if 43 ... Qd4 44 Qg6 should end it, so I think 43 ... Kc7 is forced. 43...Qd4 On 43 ... Kc7 44 Qd5 is very scary. 44.Qg6 Threatening both the rook and Rb1-d1, and if 44 ... Qf4, 45 Qd6+ ends it. 1-0
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