Chess: Kasparov's soul-destroying recipe

SEND your opponent to bed at night thinking that he has just missed a win, then let him wake after a turbulent sleep to the information that it was probably a draw anyway. That appears to be Garry Kasparov's soul-destroying recipe to fill the space between games, and it seems to be working.

Take game 14, for example. From the opening, Short had methodically been clearing away the debris that stopped his Q-side pawns advancing and in the diagram position they finally seemed ready to run. Yet instead of playing 34. c5, he went on the defensive with 34. Qd2 and was luck to be let off later with a draw.

Short himself described 34. Qd2 as 'stupid', though he is perhaps being too harsh on himself. In such a position, one ought to feel that 34. c5 is the correct move, but if, on analysing it, all lines seem to lead to a loss, then all one can do is play something else.

As soon as the game was over, Kasparov rattled out some wondrous variations to show that 34. c5 would have led to a win. Black has two ways to distract White before the pawns rumble on to victory. The more direct try is 34 . . . f4 35. c6 f3, but after 36. g4 White's threats of cxd7 or Qf5 must win. The more subtle 34 . . . f4 35. c6 Nf6 36. Qd2 f3 also seems to win for White after 37. Qc2] (37. d7 e3] 38. dxe8=Q+ Nxe8 is far less convincing).

If 34 . . . f4 is no good, Black must try 34 . . . Re5 35. Qa8+ Kh7 36. c6 when Kasparov analysed 36 . . . Rc5 37. cxd7 Rc2 38. g4 fxg4 39. Qe8 Qf5 40. Rf1 to a win for White. So Short went to bed lamenting his missed opportunity.

The next morning, Kasparov changed his mind. After 34. c5 Re5 35. Qa8+ Kh7 36. c6 Black plays 36 . . . Rb5] instead of Rc5, and now 37. cxd7 Rb2 38. g4 fxg4 39. Qe8 Qf5 40. Rf1 Qc5+ 41. Kh1 Qc2] wins for Black. So White must play 37. Qxa6 Rb2 38. Qf1 which Kasparov analyses to a draw.

Probably they will still be arguing about the position 20 years from now. It is the sort of position that can churn up endless tactical variations, even when it appears to have been analysed to exhaustion. In the meantime we can only stand in awe of Kasparov's perfect control of the flow of information.

In game 15, Short played a perfectly horrible move in Kasparov's time-trouble, letting faulty calculation overrule his better judgment. It is very demoralising when even your missed wins are snatched away.

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