Ruy Lopez closed variant in Kasparov vs Karpov game
In previous articles we saw how to play properly Ruy Lopez(Spanish game) chess opening. Today we'll see one interesting game which started with this opening from Chess Championship held in Lyon 1990 between Gary Kasparov and Anatoly Karpov. Kasparov won after well planned, great performed and unstoppable attack on black king. In previous articles we learnt how to play this opening properly. Two Grand Masters played closed variant of Ruy Lopez. 1.e4 e5, 2.Nf3 Nc6, 3.Bb5 a6, 4.Ba4 Nf6, 5.O-O Be7, 6.Re1 b5, 7.Bb3 d6, 8.c3 O-O, 9.h3 Bb7, 10.d4 Re8, 11.Nbd2 Bf8, 12.a4 h6, Kasparov (white) moved a pawn to make some space for his Rook. He had big plans for it which was to move it to g3 after they clear center a bit. 13.Bc2 exd4, 14.cxd4 Nb4, 15.Bb1 c5, 16.d5 After retreating of Bishop because of Knight attack and exchange of Pawns it looked like Kasparov is defending with a lot of peaces on line 1, while Karpov's Knight on left flank is dangerous. Kasparov blocked black's light Bishop with his central pawns practically making it non usable. 16 ... Nd7, 17.Ra3 f5, 18.Rae3 Nf6, 19.Nh2 Kh8, 20.b3bx a4, 21.bxa4 c4, 22.Bb2 fxe4, 23.Nxe4 Nfxd5, 24.Rg3 Big stage has been setup. Kasparov's bishops are in pair and black king is on dark bishop's diagonal. White rook is also on g3 targeting g7. Despite Karpov knight pair on left and extra pawn, Kasparov has initiative here. Deadly attack with follow soon. 24. ... Re6, 25.Ng4 Qe8, 26.Nxh6 Black can't remove knight from h6 with pinned pawn because king is on white dark bishop's line. Karpov didn't remove it with his rook too, but pushed pawn on c3 to stop covered dark bishop's attack. Kasparov sacrificed it and moved his queen on g4 to increase preasure on black king. 26 ... c3, 27.Nf5 cxb2, 28.Qg4 Bc8, 29.Qh4+ Ouch! That check must hurt! I wouldn't be in Karpov's skin after this. He has material advantage at the moment, but he has also big danger for his king. 29 ...Rh6, 30.Nxh6gx h6, 31.Kh2 Qe5, 32.Ng5 Black covered with Rook and sacrificed it, but it was not end of trouble because white knight is not threatening attack on king and queen at same time on f7. There is also check mate danger after f7. Karpov moved queen on f6 and Kasparov parked his rook at e8! 32 ... Qf6, 33.Re8 Bf5, Now comes beauty of Qxh6+ move after which black obviously can't remove it with bishop and if he does it with queen he would get checked on f7 and soon after will be in great danger. It's lose-lose situation for black. 34.Qxh6+ Qxh6, 35.Nf7+ Kh7, 36.Bxf5+ Qg6, 37.Bxg6+ Kg7, 38.Rxa8 Be7, This was complete demolition. 39.Rb8 a5, 40.Be4+ Kxf7, 41.Bxd5+ 1-0 Soon after Karpov surrendered Great play by Gary Kasparov and total demolition of black. Very well planned and performed attack. If you want to see this game move by move you can do it here. Thanks for reading.