[Event "SuperGM"]
[Site "Linares ESP"]
[Date "2002.03.03"]
[Round "8"]
[White "Kasparov, Garri"]
[Black "Vallejo Pons, Francisco"]
[Result "1-0"]
[Annotator "Hathaway, Mark"]
[BlackElo "2629"]
[ECO "B41"]
[WhiteElo "2838"]

1. e4 c5 { I suppose it's ironic that Vallejo Pons should NOT play the Black side of a Spanish, Berlin Variation against Kasparov. Of all his opponents this one, who had such difficulty against that opening variation in his match with Kramnik, is the one he trusts will have something prepared, an improvement which might beat him. } 2. Nf3 e6 3. d4 cxd4 4. Nxd4 a6 { Paulsen's idea was to delay committing pieces before limiting White's Nd4 and Bf1 and seeing how White develops his others. He would sometimes play ...d7-d6, Nb8-d7 and sometimes ...Qd8-c7 with ...Nb8-c6. More recently GM Taimanov of Russia has employed this kind of opening flexibility. The 4...a6 line carries Paulsen's name and 4...Nc6 carries Taimanov's name. } 5. c4 { Though this is an acceptable move I'm surprised to see Kasparov use it. He's hard to predict. Sometimes it's clear he has an idea he wants to try, other times he just seems to be preventing his opponent from playing from his home preparations. This kind of improvisation can stymie the opponent or backfire. Which will it be this time? } ( 5. Bd3 ) 5... Nf6 6. Nc3 Qc7 $2 { There are good normal-looking development moves and there are plausible normal-looking, but bad moves. This move seems aimed at developing ...Nb8-c6 without an exchange forcing him to recapture with a pawn at c6. But, that completely disregards White's bold c2-c4 and the clamp on d5. Moving Qd8 off the file makes ...d7-d5 impossible. Not pinning Nc3 leaves Pe4 completely safe. I'd say it's usually not so terrific to play a Hedgehog formation, but against Kasparov it has to be bad; but that's what Black has to do now. } ( 6... Bb4 { challenged for control of e4 and d5. Black might follow-up with ...Nb8-c6 and ...d7-d5. } ) 7. a3 $5 { Kasparov emphasizes his bind on the center and leaves Black to find some other way to break it open. The bad side of this move isn't so obvious, but with experience in Maroczy Bind positions (such as this) the pawns are better at a2 & b2 or a2 & b3. Once there's a pawn at a3 the queen-side is weaker and Black will threaten Pc4 as much as he can. If then b2-b3 defends Pa3 will be weaker. } 7... b6 8. Be3 { preparing to align Rc1 with Qc7 and aiming at Pb6 } 8... Bb7 { With this it looks like Black is ready for ...d7-d5. } 9. f3 { Kasparov leaves Bf1 at home for the moment. He doesn't want Bb7 to get a free shot at Pg2 if the lines should suddenly open. } 9... Nc6 { After this it's difficult for Black to get ...d7-d5. } ( 9... d5 10. cxd5 exd5 11. Nxd5 Nxd5 12. exd5 Bxd5 13. Rc1 $14 ) 10. Be2 Rb8 11. b4 { Though he's making a lot of pawn moves which Black should be able to counteract, he's playing to the idea which Black seems to be happy with, that there should be no quick break-out and Black should wait for a mistake or to find some weakness to counter-attack. But, Kasparov isn't going to give him anything once he gets developed; Black should fight back quicker, before White gets all his pieces active. } 11... Be7 ( 11... Ne5 12. Rc1 { and Pc4 is more or less poison } ) 12. O-O O-O 13. Rc1 Ne5 $2 { too late to create a serious threat to Pc4, but it's provocative. If White continues with f3-f4 there will be more room for Black to play (Pe4 will be weaker for one thing) . } ( 13... d6 ) 14. f4 Ng6 ( 14... Nxc4 15. Bxc4 Qxc4 16. Ncb5 Qa2 17. Rf2 ) 15. Bd3 $16 { but not without some chances for Black to counter-attack. These positions can be very difficult to convert to victory because so much of the board comes into play. } 15... Ba8 16. Qe2 { I'm not sure why he doesn't commit to the direct e4-e5, but this move allows Rf1 to defend Rc1 and it takes aim at Pa6 as well as getting behind Pe4. } ( 16. e5 Qb7 17. Qe2 ) 16... Kh8 ( 16... d6 $4 17. f5 { The double attack on Pe6 and Ng6 when Pe6 can't be defended in one move forces a major weakness in black's pawn structure. } ) ( 16... Qb7 { doesn't really add pressure to Pe4 because White is defending with two minor pieces. } ) 17. e5 Ng8 18. Qh5 { This clearly takes aim at Ph7 and applies extra pressure to Ng6. But, Qh5 needs a Rh3 if it's to break through, and Black controls f3, so Rf1-f3-h3 isn't yet possible. } 18... a5 $1 { Here's where White transitions from a nice solid position to an offense, and it's where Black counter-attacks to poke holes and generally make a mess of the whole board, as a way of distracting Kasparov from Kh8. } 19. Ndb5 Qc6 { not only threatens checkmate at g2, it stays in touch with Pc4 to keep White under some pressure } ( 19... Qb7 20. Be4 { is extremely awkward for Black's queen-side } ) 20. Rc2 { Why is he ignoring this possibility to play Rf1-f3? } ( 20. Rf3 axb4 21. axb4 Bxb4 22. Ne4 ) 20... axb4 21. axb4 Bxb4 22. Ne4 { It appears Kasparov is satisfied to keep Pc4 to restrain Pb6 (or Pd7) and Rc2 & Bd3 keep that structure solid. Meanwhile he'll swing several pieces to the king-side. } 22... f5 $1 23. Ng5 ( 23. exf6 Nxf6 24. Nxf6 Rxf6 { and amazingly Black's pieces come to life! } 25. Kh1 { idea: ...Bb4-c5 Be3-c1-b2 } ( 25. Rf3 $2 Bc5 ) ) 23... Nh6 24. Kh1 Bc5 25. Bc1 { White's pieces are well coordinated, but he's down a pawn. Black has kept his king safe, but his extra pawn is Pd7 -- backward as all can be! } 25... Qc8 { So, he seeks an endgame where he might finally utilize the pawn. This plan isn't so easily realized. Kasparov won't allow a queen trade if he can avoid it. } 26. h3 Kg8 27. Kh2 Ne7 28. Nd6 { prevents ...Qc8-e8 and the only way to continue the plan. The game continuation helps Bc1 become very active. } 28... Bxd6 29. exd6 Nc6 30. Bb2 Nb4 ( 30... Qe8 { The original idea to get rid of White's queen seems safest. } ) 31. Rd2 b5 { This seems safe now, but several moves later when it's captured the position is drastically different. How can a position change so fast, so that this one minor element becomes huge? } ( 31... Nxd3 $2 { helps White's rook get to g3 where it could do some damage } 32. Rxd3 Qe8 ( 32... Qxc4 $4 { gives Black a passed Pb6 and a queen which might harass Kh2. But, it is a change of direction he hadn't planned (remember the ...Qc8-e8xh5 plan) . } 33. Rg3 Be4 $4 ( 33... Qxf1 $4 34. Nxe6 { gives White a lot of possibilities for offense. It may be winning. } ) 34. Nxe6 Qxe6 35. Rxg7+ Kh8 36. Rg6+ Qf6 37. Bxf6+ Rxf6 38. Rxf6 ) 33. Qe2 Nf7 34. Rg3 Nxg5 35. Rxg5 Rf7 36. Qe5 Qf8 37. Bd4 h6 38. Rg3 Bc6 39. Rb1 b5 40. cxb5 Be4 41. Rb2 { is somewhat similar to the game } ) 32. Rc1 Qe8 33. Qe2 Nxd3 34. Rxd3 Nf7 { He has to do this to get rid of Ng5, so he can play ...Rf8-f7 to defend Pg7. He's lucky that Qe2-e5 is also prevented by Nf7. } 35. Rg3 Nxg5 36. Rxg5 Rf7 37. Qe5 { Clearly White is in charge and has offensive threats on both Pg7 and Pb5, with Rc1-c7 in the offing. } 37... Qf8 38. cxb5 $18 h6 39. Rg3 Kh7 40. Bd4 Bd5 41. b6 Rf6 42. Rcc3 Rf7 43. Rc7 Be4 44. Rb3 Bd5 45. Rb5 Bb7 { Black is just defending Pg7 and waiting. } 46. Ra5 Qd8 47. Ra7 Be4 48. Qxe6 ( 48. b7 $2 { blocks the cooperation of the two rooks } 48... Qe8 49. Qc5 Rf8 50. Qc3 Qg6 ) ( 48. Qb5 $2 { gives up the checkmate threat when it's not absolutely necessary and it gives Black a move to counter-attack -- at the moment when White is most stretched between offense and defending Kh2. } 48... Qh4 { desperate situations demand desperate measures } ( 48... Bc6 $4 49. Qxc6 dxc6 50. Rxf7 ) 49. Be3 ( 49. g3 $4 Qh5 50. Rxd7 Qd1 51. Bg1 Qd2+ $19 ) 49... Qe1 50. Rxd7 Qxe3 51. Rxf7 Qxf4+ 52. Kg1 Qe3+ { and Black has counter-play } ) 48... Qh4 ( 48... dxe6 49. Rxf7 Rb7 50. Raxb7 Bxb7 51. Rxb7 $18 ) 49. Qxf7 Qxf4+ 50. Kg1 { Black is down a rook and has no more checks. } 1-0