[Event "GMA, Wijk aan Zee NED"]
[Site "?"]
[Date "2003.??.??"]
[Round "4"]
[White "Karpov,An"]
[Black "Polgar,Ju"]
[Result "0-1"]
[Annotator "Hathaway"]
[BlackElo "2700"]
[ECO "E12"]
[PlyCount "66"]
[WhiteElo "2685"]

1. d4 Nf6 { These two have played a couple of terrific games in recent events, so this one could be interesting too. } 2. Nf3 { Why would Karpov play this move? It usually initiates a Colle System (e2-e3, Bf1-d3) , Torre Attack (Bc1-g5) or London System (Bc1-f4) and Karpov doesn't generally play any of those. I suppose he wants to see if Polgar intends to play a particular set-up or will reconsider over the board and perhaps play another set-up. } ( 2. c4 { is much more common, though not provably any better } ) 2... e6 ( 2... c5 { is also interesting and preserves the option of ...g7-g6, ...Bf8-g7 without weakening d6 &f6 } ) 3. c4 { Now they're back to "normal" territory which their other recent games have followed. Now the question is whether Karpov will continue in a Classical way or try the Catalan (g2-g3, Bf1-g2) . } 3... b6 { Ironically it's this Queen's Indian Defense which Karpov himself has championed which is giving him problems (at least against Polgar) . } 4. a3 { This is a move Kasparov has championed and brought out of obscurity, though it was (I think) originated by Petrosian (one of Kasparov's chessic heroes) . The idea is to be able to play Nb1-c3 without facing ...Bf8-b4 (again a move Karpov likes) . } 4... Bb7 5. Nc3 d5 { Without ...Bf8-b4 Black has to use the central pawn to prevent White from taking complete control of the center. Without some central control (a fair share) one's position can be cramped and lateral movements become much more difficult. } 6. cxd5 { This, instead of e2-e3, leaves open the option of Bc1-f4 or Bc1-g5; though one of those moves could be played immediately and Pc4 left to be defended indirectly by Qd1-a4+xc4. Perhaps he wants to see what specific set-up Black will choose (...Nxd4 or ...exd5) before committing his position further. } ( 6. Bg5 h6 7. Bxf6 Qxf6 8. cxd5 exd5 { Fritz7 } ) 6... Nxd5 { In the Ponomariov-Kramnik game of round two this same question came up and I criticized Kramnik for not recapturing at d5 with a pawn. In this game I don't see things the same way because Black already has Bb7 and control of e4 will be retained by Black for a few moves. Black simply refuses to allow White to take full control of the center and White's only attempt to gain the advantage probably lies in taking advantage of the weak e5 to threaten Ke8 and/or to advance f2-f3, e2-e4. } 7. Qc2 Nxc3 8. Qxc3 h6 $5 { This prevents Bc1-g5 and ...Bf8-d6 can guard square f4 to prevent Bc1-f4 from gaining any lasting advantage. Usually you don't see a top GM playing this kind of extra pawn move early-on in a game. It certainly shows she's thinking for herself and not just playing stereotypical moves. } 9. e3 Nd7 10. b4 { Fritz7 doesn't even mention this, liking Bf1-b5 or Bf1-e2 better. So, Bc1 might well be developed to b2. This looks like a concession by White, but in light of a game played by these two contestants in a previous event it makes great sense. Polgar played the Tarrasch Defense and showed a great willingness to take on open positions; here he stops ...c7-c5. Where will Black find offensive play; on the king-side I think, where Bb7 is "aimed". } 10... Be7 { Black is prepared to play ...c7-c5 and meet dxc5 with ...Bf6. } 11. Bb2 O-O 12. Rd1 ( 12. Be2 { might not let White establish a bind, but it certainly attends to the king's safety! Mark and Fritz7 agree! } ) 12... a5 { to wing, if not to cripple White, making certain Pb4 is as weak as Pc7. It also helps to clarify the queen-side a bit. } 13. b5 Rc8 { After this Fritz7 thought a while and suddenly all his variations went negative (good for Black) . } 14. Qb3 { White prepares Nf3-e5 when the alignment of Rd1 with Qd8 makes it impossible for Black to break that bind. Black is also apparently unwilling to play ...Bxf3 since after gxf3 the square c6 would be severely weakened and with Rh1-g1 White would be ready to pounce on Pg7 and Kg8. So, Black fights the central bind and expects to succeed because White has yet to spend any moves on preparing O-O. } ( 14. Ne5 $2 Nxe5 15. dxe5 Qe8 { and the a1-g7 diagonal is blocked by Pe5, but Black is clearly ready to play ...c7-c5 or ...Be7-c5 and then ...c7-c6 } ) 14... c6 15. bxc6 ( 15. Be2 cxb5 16. Qxb5 Bc6 17. Qd3 Nf6 18. O-O { Fritz7 } ) 15... Bxc6 16. Bb5 { This is certainly consistent with the plan to bind Black in the center, using pieces if not pawns, but there's a small flaw. } ( 16. Be2 { Fritz7 and Mark agree! } ) 16... Bb4+ $5 { White still has Ke1 and Black uses that to some effect! } ( 16... Bd5 { Curiously, Fritz7 thinks it's better to allow White to O-O, only to destroy his pawn cover with ...Bxf3 anyway. } 17. Qd3 Nf6 18. O-O Bxf3 19. gxf3 Qd5 $15 { Fritz7 } ) 17. axb4 Bxb5 { Now Ke1 can't O-O, so even if Black has to gambit a pawn there is compensation; and Karpov isn't one to allow his king to stay in the open for long (or allow Rh1 to remain out of play) . } 18. bxa5 Bc4 { There's the stinger in this combination; Pa5 will be reclaimed AND Ke1 is still stuck in the center. The White central bind is only a memory. } 19. Qa3 $2 $17 ( 19. Qa4 bxa5 20. Bc3 Be2 21. Kxe2 Rxc3 $11 { Fritz7; It's one of those variations a computer is much more likely to find. } ) 19... bxa5 20. Qd6 $6 { Karpov is seeking refuge in a queen trade, not unlike Capablanca who was Karpov's chessic hero. } ( 20. Nd2 Bb5 21. f3 Qg5 22. Kf2 Rc2 23. h4 Qf5 24. e4 Qf4 { and White has continual problems with his king's safety } ) ( 20. Ra1 $142 { Fritz7 } ) 20... Bb5 { Black plays for an immediate invasion of ...Rc8-c2-e2+ (not to mention the threat to Bb2) and by defending Nd7 she allows Qd8 to move freely. } 21. d5 ( 21. Ba3 $17 { The more Fritz7 thought about this position the more it liked Black's prospects. } ) 21... Rc2 22. Rd2 Qc8 { avoiding any possibility of a queen trade and going straight for Ke1 } ( 22... Rxd2 23. Kxd2 Nb6 24. Qxd8 Rxd8 $17 { Fritz7 } ) 23. Qa3 ( 23. dxe6 Rxb2 24. exd7 ( 24. Rxb2 Qc1+ 25. Qd1 Qxb2 26. exd7 Rd8 $19 ) 24... Qc1+ 25. Rd1 Re2+ 26. Kf1 Rd2+ 27. Ke1 Qxd1# ) 23... Rxd2 24. Kxd2 { Ordinarily Nf3xd2 would be played, but in this desperate situation he tries to bring Rh1 into play. } 24... Nb6 { threatening ...Nc4+ } 25. Qc3 Nc4+ 26. Kc2 e5 $1 { This completely ties up White. Pe5 prevents Nf3-d4 and White's army can't support Pd5, so Black's continued threats to White's king and passed Pa5 are clearly superior. } 27. Kb1 Qg4 { threatening either ...Qxg2 or ...Qe4+ } 28. Rc1 ( 28. Nxe5 Qe4+ 29. Ka1 ( 29. Ka2 Nxe5 30. Qxe5 Qa4+ 31. Ba3 Bc4+ 32. Kb2 Qb3+ 33. Kc1 Qxa3+ $19 ) ( 29. Nd3 Ne5 30. Qxe5 Bxd3+ 31. Kc1 Rc8+ 32. Kd1 Qa4+ $19 ) 29... Nxe5 30. Qxe5 Qa4+ 31. Kb1 Bd3+ $19 ) 28... Rb8 29. Rc2 f6 { White has defended his king, so Black secures Pe5 and has White completely bottled up. Pd5 looks like a weak link, though Pg2 might also be good to grab. Even more direct though is ...Bb5-a4 to continue going directly at Kb1. One threatens to win the king, which is already fairly well defended, and the other to win a pawn or two. Both are good. } 30. d6 Qxg2 31. Nd2 Qh1+ { I like this combining of the pawn grab with the attack on Kb1. It can be defensively difficult to guard against attacks from several different directions at one time. } 32. Ka2 Nxd6 $19 { Capturing Bb2 would be terrible because Rc2xb2 would then pin Bb5. } 33. Qc5 { He was either in time pressure or just overlooked the reply. } ( 33. Qb3+ Bc4 { wins more material } ) 33... Rc8 { If 34. Qxd6 Rxc2 35. Qb8+ Kh7 36. Qxb5 Rxd2 and White simply runs out of material. } 0-1