[Event "Amsterdam"]
[Site "?"]
[Date "1988.??.??"]
[Round "?"]
[White "Kasparov"]
[Black "Karpov"]
[Result "1-0"]
[PlyCount "125"]

1. e4 c6 2. d4 d5 3. Nd2 dxe4 4. Nxe4 Nd7 5. Ng5 { An odd move, in that this is the second move of the knight and no other pieces have been developed. It has only recently become acceptable in professional play. } 5... Ngf6 { 5...h6 6.Ne6 fxe6 7.Qh5+ g6 8.Qxg6++ This is a trap which all grandmasters know about. } 6. Bd3 { Often I choose to transpose back to the main line of this variation with 6.Bc4. } 6... e6 7. N1f3 Bd6 8. O-O h6 { Now it is safe to expel the knight. } 9. Ne4 Nxe4 10. Bxe4 O-O 11. c3 { Karpov considers this to be the best move. His next move was an innovation prepared at home. } 11... e5 { Previously 11...Qc7 was the normal move, but it is not good. } 12. Bc2 Re8 13. Re1 { It is important to occupy the e-file, which will cut off the escape route of Black's king when I carry out my plan of bringing my queen to d3 and hurling her at h7. } 13... exd4 { Well-timed! Karpov gets the rooks off the board. } 14. Rxe8+ { 14.cxd4 Rxe1+ 15.Qxe1 Nf6 This would leave me with a weak d-pawn. } 14... Qxe8 15. Qxd4 { 15.cxd4 would create an isolated pawn for no reason, and Black could easily blockade it. } 15... Qe7 { If Karpov had retreated the bishop I would have gone into "Aggressive" mode with a sacrifice at h6. 15...Be7 16.Bxh6 gxh6 17.Re1 Nf8 18.Qe3 Be6 19.Qxh6 White has a strong attack. } 16. Bf4 Bxf4 17. Qxf4 Nf8 18. Re1 Be6 19. Nd4 Rd8 { 19...Re8 20.Nxe6 Nxe6 21.Qe4 g6 22.h4 White stands better, but the advantage is nothing special. } 20. h4 Qc5 21. Re3 Qd6 22. Nxe6 fxe6 { A voluntary and unexpected weakening of Black's pawn structure. 22...Nxe6 23.Qe4 Nf8 24.Rg3 Clearly White has the better game, though converting it into a win will not be easy. } 23. Qg4 { Eyeing the vulnerable e6 and g7-squares. } 23... Qd2 24. Bb3 Kh8 25. Re2 Qd6 26. g3 a6 { Or 27.Kh2. } 27. Kg2 { With the next series of moves I simply improve the position of my pieces. } 27... Re8 28. Re3 Re7 29. Rf3 Rd7 { Taking control of an important open file. } 30. Qh5 Qe7 31. Qe5 Rd8 32. a4 b5 33. Qe4 Qc7 34. Rf4 c5 35. Qf3 { Threatening the knight at f8, which must not move since it is the sole defender of the pawn at e6. } 35... Qd6 36. axb5 axb5 37. Rf7 { All of White's pieces are working. The bishop is attacking the weak e6-Pawn, the rook owns the seventh rank, and the queen is ready to assault g7, e6, or anything else that is not nailed down. } 37... Rb8 38. Ra7 { 38.Qg4 Qe5 Black might be able to hold. } 38... b4 39. Bc2 bxc3 40. bxc3 Qe5 41. Rf7 Nh7 42. Qg4 { The pressure is becoming intense, and Black has to work very hard just to prolong the game. } 42... Kg8 43. Re7 Nf8 44. Qf3 c4 45. Be4 Kh8 46. Bc6 Nh7 47. Qf7 { This occupation of the seventh rank seals Black's fate, even though it takes many moves to exploit it. The point is that the defense of g7 and e6 ties down Karpov's pieces. } 47... Nf8 48. Re8 Rxe8 49. Bxe8 { With the rooks out of the way the e-pawn must fall. } 49... Nh7 { 49...Qd6 50.Bb5 Qc5 51.Bxc4 Qxc4 52.Qxf8+ Kh7 53.Qf3 } 50. Bd7 Nf6 51. Bxe6 h5 52. Bxc4 Qe4+ { Black is trying to set up an active defense where his pieces can work against the White king, even though this has cost him two pawns. } 53. Kh2 Kh7 { A last mistake. But even against best play I would have achieved a winning position. 53...Qf3 54.Qf8+ Kh7 55.Qc5 Ne4 Black could not have taken my pawn without losing his queen. } 54. Qe6 Qf3 55. Qe1 Ng4+ 56. Kg1 Qc6 57. Bd3+ g6 58. Qe7+ Kh6 59. Be4 Qb6 60. Qf8+ Kh7 61. Qf7+ Kh6 62. c4 Qa6 63. c5 1-0