Games: Chess

Garry Kasparov won a very powerfully played game against Viswanathan Anand in the third round at Linares, after Anand had played a new idea in the opening that seemed, at first glance, to secure him a perfectly level game as Black.

The new move was 11...Rg8, in place of the rather uncomfortable 11...Kf8 that Karpov and others have played in this position. The rook move had apparently been neglected because of the obvious reply 12.Bxh6, but Anand had noticed that after 12...Nf6 White has nothing better than a draw with 13.Qg5 (13.Qh4 Rh8 wins for Black) 13...Bf8 14.Qf4 Bd6 15.Qg5.

Kasparov's 12.Nd2! was a very far-sighted move, appreciating the nuisance value the knight would have on c4 in the simplified position after the exchange of central pawns. Anand's 19...g5 and 20...Bf4 was a bold solution to Black's minor problems, but the cure may have been worse than the disease. 22.Bf5! pinpointed the weakness of Black's plan beautifully. After 22...Bxf5 23.Bd6+ or 22...Bxc4 23.Rxe8 White is well on top.

As the game went, Anand must have hoped for 25.Qxh6 b5 when Black gains a useful initiative for his pawn, but Kasparov instead increased his grip on the position.

The end came suddenly. After 35.Rd7, the threat is 36.Qxe6 and Black has no good move. 35...Qg8 36.Qf6 just increases his discomfort, while on 35...Qg5 36.Qxg5 hxg5 37.Nf6 the passed white h-pawn is a winning advantage.

White: Garry Kasparov

Black: Viswanathan Anand

1 e4 c6 19 Kb1 g5

2 d4 d5 20 h4 Bf4

3 Nd2 dxe4 21 Bxf4 gxf4

4 Nxe4 Nd7 22 Bf5 Nf8

5 Ng5 Ngf6 23 Qh5 Kb8

6 Bd3 e6 24 Bxe6 Nxe6

7 N1f3 Bd6 25 a4 Qe7

8 Qe2 h6 26 Qe5+ Qc7

9 Ne4 Nxe4 27 Qh5 Qe7

10 Qxe4 Qc7 28 b3 Qf6

11 Qg4 Rg8 29 Ne5 Re7

12 Nd2 Nf6 30 Ng4 Rxd1+

13 Qf3 e5 31 Rxd1 Qg7

14 dxe5 Bxe5 32 f3 Re8

15 Nc4 Be6 33 Qf5 Ka8

16 Bd2 0-0-0 34 h5 Rf8

17 0-0-0 Nd7 35 Rd7 resigns

18 Rhe1 Rhe8