[Event "SuperGM"]
[Site "Linares ESP"]
[Date "2002.02.23"]
[Round "1"]
[White "Vallejo Pons, Francisco"]
[Black "Kasparov, Garri"]
[Result "1/2-1/2"]
[Annotator "Hathaway, Mark"]
[BlackElo "2838"]
[ECO "A28"]
[WhiteElo "2629"]

1. c4 Nf6 2. Nc3 { Since White hasn't yet "declared" where Pd2 will be advanced it's not yet clear whether Bf1 will move to g2 (to complement Pc4) or, after d2-d4, go to d3 where it might threaten Black's king-side. Black's next is an ordinary good development move which happens to impede d2-d4 and might be used later ( by ...e5-e4) to fight White's light square bishop. Naturally Black has various plans at his disposal. This is just one. White won't get much of a clue about Black's intentions, so he has to decide what kind of position he wants and go for it. } 2... e5 { Kasparov has played the King's Indian Defense extensively, but not recently. He's also played the Gruenfeld Defense, but 2...d5 isn't considered all that good, so he finds another choice. } ( 2... e6 ) ( 2... g6 ) ( 2... c5 ) 3. Nf3 ( { After } 3. g3 { Black isn't so likely to play ...Nb8-c6. That would weaken square d5. He's more likely to play 3...d5. But, after White's 3. Ng1-f3 it's harder for White to exploit the slightly weak d5, so ...Nb8-c6 is safe. } ) 3... Nc6 4. e4 { This certainly weakens the c5-f2 diagonal and makes it less possible to utilize Bf1 offensively, unless he can also achieve d2-d4 without his position falling apart. } ( 4. d4 ) ( 4. d3 ) ( 4. g3 ) 4... Bb4 { Kasparov keeps the pressure on. This is usually intended to get rid of Nc3, so Black won't have to worry about Nc3-d5. However, in this position it threatens to undermine Pe4. That causes White to postpone d2-d4. } 5. d3 ( 5. Nd5 $2 Nxe4 6. Nxb4 ( 6. a3 { doesn't help } 6... Bc5 ) 6... Nxb4 { and White has trouble regaining the pawn because Black is ready with ...Qd8-e7 to defend Pe5. } ) ( 5. Bd3 $5 ) 5... d6 6. h3 { He seems intent on limiting Bc8, but in so doing sets up his own position as a target. It's already getting difficult to find a great plan for White. Expanding on the queen-side by a2-a3 would have to be prefaced with Bc1-d2 and Black could generate some king-side offense before that expansion ever becomes a threat. Essentially Black has three minor pieces ready to fight on the king-side (Nc6, Bc8, Nf6) , whereas White has two (Nf3 and Bc1) . } 6... O-O 7. Be2 Ne7 { He's apparently decided he can't play on the wing and must fight in the center with ...c7-c6, ...d6-d5, but to do that he has to reorganize a bit. } 8. O-O c6 9. a3 Bxc3 ( 9... Bc5 $6 10. b4 Bb6 { gives White a running start on a queen-side offense } ) 10. bxc3 { White will have use of the open file, but in an endgame, or late middle-game, his pawns might be targets. On the king-side White's pieces are pretty well situated to meet the oncoming attack, but can do nothing aggressive. } 10... Ng6 11. Re1 ( 11. Rb1 ) ( 11. Nh2 { aiming for immediate piece trades would ease White's slight cramp; though Black can avoid them he does so at some risk } 11... h6 12. Ng4 Nh7 13. d4 ) 11... Re8 { This seems to indicate Kasparov is considering ...d6-d5, but one would think opening the center could only be good for White's bishops. } 12. Bf1 Bd7 13. Qb3 Qc8 14. Rb1 b6 15. Kh2 { Black probably counted on meeting Bc1-g5 with ...Nf6-h5-f4 with pressure on Ph3. But, Kh2 provides Ph3 extra support, so ...Nf6-h5 is immediately met by g2-g3, leaving Nh5 stranded. So, Bc1-g5 should be prevented. } 15... h6 { Kasparov is making useful moves, but without committing to a specific plan of offense. Perhaps there isn't one and he's just playing an equal position, in hopes his opponent will allow things to slip a bit. } 16. g3 { This might appear to weaken Nf3, but with Bf1-g2 he shores up his king's position rather neatly. This is the kind of position he could've had straight away. Instead, it's taken him a few moves to get to this and Black is ahead in advancing a plan. } 16... Qc7 17. Bg2 Be6 18. Nd2 Rad8 19. a4 { Is White's position well-coordinated or a shambles? Neither I suppose, but Black's looks more robust and capable of handling a few line openings. Earlier I said ...d6-d5 would favor White's bishops, but now it's not so clear. Black's rooks would benefit from the d-file opening and Bc1 looks useless. } 19... d5 20. a5 { White leaves the lines closed to keep Black's pieces from raging all over his pawns. } ( 20. cxd5 { Getting rid of the doubled pawn should make sense. } 20... cxd5 21. exd5 Nxd5 { and Bg2 is opened, but has no targets and Pd3 & Pc3 are very weak. } ) 20... dxc4 21. axb6 axb6 22. dxc4 Nd7 { Black quickly redistributes his pieces toward the queen-side. But, wasn't he ideally prepared for the ...d6-d5 push beforehand? This seems like overkill or overcaution perhaps. } ( 22... b5 $5 23. Qb4 c5 24. Qxb5 Rb8 25. Qa4 Rxb1 26. Nxb1 { and White's surviving because Black's knights aren't yet over to the queen-side. Apparently his decision during the game to maneuver his knights was correct. } ) 23. Bf1 Ne7 { Now the Black rooks don't look so terrific. Only the more-or-less permanent White pawn structure problems seem to justify Black taking this time to maneuver. Of course, if White doesn't take advantage of this moment Black might well jump all over him. Bf1 is blocked. Bc1 is blocked. Nd2 is passive. Re1 is blocked and passive. Only Qb3 & Rb1 are doing something significant. } 24. Qc2 Nc8 25. Nb3 c5 { effectively "killing" Nb3 and Bc1! } 26. Be3 Nd6 27. Nd2 Ra8 28. Ra1 f6 $5 { He leaves square c6 open for the moment, hoping to maneuver a knight through there before Qc6. } ( { However, } 28... Qc6 29. Ra2 Rxa2 30. Qxa2 Ra8 { and it's Black who is on the a-file first } ) 29. Ra2 Rxa2 30. Qxa2 Nb8 { Apparently Kasparov intends ...Nb8-c6-a5 and possibly ...Qc7-f7 to threaten Pc4. So, Pb6 is a more proper target for White, than invading on the a-file. } 31. f4 { Opening this second front when he's arguably positionally worse is dangerous. } ( 31. Rb1 ) 31... Nc6 32. f5 Bf7 { By chasing the bishop onto f7 he prevents ...Qc7-f7. This keeps Pc4 safer. But, it also weakens White's king's safety. } 33. g4 Na5 34. h4 Kf8 35. g5 hxg5 36. hxg5 Ke7 ( 36... b5 $4 37. Qa3 Ndxc4 ( 37... Rc8 $2 38. cxb5 $16 ) 38. Qxc5+ Qxc5 39. Bxc5+ Kg8 40. Nf3 ( 40. g6 $2 Nxd2 41. gxf7+ Kxf7 42. Kg2 ) ) 37. Kg1 ( { Black has several options in the coming moves, even in what appears to be completely forcing situations. } 37. g6 Rh8+ ( 37... Bg8 ) 38. Kg1 Bg8 ( 38... Be8 ) ) 37... Rh8 { Kasparov takes advantage of the newly opened file. With time control nearing this could have a disastrous effect on his opponent's composure. There are many White weaknesses and only a limited number of pieces to defend. } 38. Bf2 ( 38. g6 ) 38... Rh5 39. Nf3 Qc6 40. Qc2 Bxc4 { It's hard to change gears and not follow through on a plan. And, in this case, it looks pretty good for Black. } ( 40... Nxf5 { offering not to trade pieces (as a capture at c4 would) , but only to open lines for Black's pieces } 41. exf5 $2 Qxf3 42. Be2 $4 Rh1# ) 41. Bg2 Nf7 { Going toward the king-side isn't necessary now. Kasparov is split between winning on the queen-side and bashing the exposed Kg1 (well at least it was a couple of moves ago) and this fragments his play. Sticking to winning on the queen-side, in this particular game, should be sufficient to win. } ( 41... Bb3 ) 42. Qd1 Bb3 $6 ( 42... Rh8 $17 ) 43. Nxe5 { a very nifty tactical shot! } 43... Bxd1 44. Nxc6+ Nxc6 45. Rxd1 Nxg5 { Kasparov has won a pawn, but his attack on Kg1 evaporated and White has the two bishops in a position which is rapidly opening up. } ( 45... Rxg5 { keeps Nf7 closer to Pb6, but can't save it; and it's risky because there's the danger Rg5 might become trapped by White's bishops } 46. Rb1 Nfe5 47. Rxb6 Kd6 ) 46. Rb1 Nh3+ 47. Bxh3 Rxh3 48. Rxb6 { There goes the extra pawn. } 48... Kd6 49. Kg2 Rxc3 { After 50. Bg3+ Black's Pg7 might well fall, so they call it a draw; though Pc5 is still a threat and one could see Black fighting on. Kasparov was a bit unlucky to have only drawn. Most of the time he'd win that kind of game. } 1/2-1/2