[Event "Superstars Hotel Bali"]
[Site "Benidorm ESP"]
[Date "2002.11.30"]
[Round "6"]
[White "Karpov, Anatoly"]
[Black "Polgar, Judit"]
[Result "0-1"]
[BlackElo "2685"]
[ECO "D32"]
[EventDate "2002.11.29"]
[PlyCount "146"]
[WhiteElo "2688"]

1. Nf3 Nf6 { I don't recall Polgar having a very good record against Karpov, so it will be interesting to see what she has planned for this encounter. } 2. c4 { I suppose the first curiousity is that Karpov isn't playing 1. d4, his standard opening. } 2... e6 { and Polgar isn't playing a King's Indian Defense set-up! } 3. Nc3 c5 { This often leads to Black playing a Tarrasch Defense with ...d7-d5 or perhaps a Hedgehog formation after d2-d4 and ...cxd4. } 4. e3 Nc6 5. d4 d5 { The Tarrasch (or Semi-Tarrasch, which Bobby Fischer occasionally played) isn't considered to be fully equalizing, but it's not as bad against e2-e3 as against g2-g3. } 6. cxd5 exd5 { This standard Tarrasch should favor the younger and presumably more nimble player, though Karpov shouldn't be counted out too quickly. } ( 6... Nxd5 { the Semi-Tarrasch Fischer played gives White some chance to use a two-to-one pawn majority in the center after ...Nd5xc3 and bxc3. } ) 7. Bb5 Bd6 8. O-O O-O 9. dxc5 Bxc5 10. h3 Bf5 11. b3 Qd7 { perhaps threatening ...Bxh3, especially if Nf3 should move } 12. Ne2 { Is he aiming for Ne2-g3 to chase away Bf5 or Ne2-d4 to pressure Nc6? } 12... a6 13. Bxc6 bxc6 14. Ng3 Ne4 { hoping to get rid of Ng3, but also defending Bc5 to keep the c-file safely closed until Pc6 can be resupported again } 15. Nxf5 Qxf5 16. Bb2 Bd6 { Black's formation looks well-coordinated and safe, but I don't see any easy offensive. } ( 16... Nxf2 17. Kxf2 { and Black doesn't gain the rook & two pawns for two minor pieces } ) 17. Qd4 { threatening Qxg7# } 17... f6 18. Rac1 Qd7 19. Qa4 Nc5 20. Qd4 Ne4 21. Rc2 Rac8 22. Rfc1 Rc7 23. Qa4 Rfc8 24. Nd4 { Karpov prefers to build the pressure rather than simplifying. } ( 24. Qxa6 $2 Ra7 25. Qd3 Rxa2 ) 24... c5 25. Qxd7 Rxd7 26. f3 { White has seen a variation where he can discoordinate Black, just enough to get at Pc5. } ( 26. Nf5 Bf8 27. f3 Ng5 28. Ba3 { and White gets a little pressure, but Nf5 is a long way from d3 (where it would add pressure to Pc5) } ) 26... Ng3 27. Ba3 Rdc7 28. Ne6 Re7 29. Nxc5 { and Nc5 can be supported with b3-b4; but wouldn't the c-file pin still be difficult for White if Black can bring Ng3 back? } 29... d4 $1 { What's this? exd4 obviously enables ...Ng3-e2+, but what happens after e3-e4? } ( 29... Rec7 30. Kf2 Nf5 31. b4 { and it seems White doesn't suffer from the pin! } ) 30. e4 d3 { Can this wild pawn really do damage? It supports ...Ng3-e2+ and it's not so easily avoided. This is a rather amazing tactical turn-of-events; just when it looked like Karpov had secured a pawn and a completely safe position. } 31. Nxd3 { Rather than lose quickly he decides to take the second pawn and try to survive the ending. } 31... Rxc2 32. Rxc2 Bxa3 33. Kf2 { This poses Black a very difficult problem: is ...Nh1 safe, is ...Rd7 sufficient; just how can she get Ng3 out of danger. } 33... Nh1+ { This is a kind of compensation for White too; Nh1 isn't able to do much damage for several moves. } 34. Ke3 { threatening g2-g4 and Rc2-h2 to win the piece } 34... Ng3 35. Rc6 Nf5+ 36. Kd2 Nd4 { Well, the knight is back in play, but White's getting a third pawn for the bishop and with two connected passed queen-side pawns he would seem to be in good shape. } 37. Rxa6 Nb5 { Amazingly this is forced because Ba3 was completely stuck. This game is full of some rather amazing coincidences and rejoinders. } 38. Ra5 Rb7 39. b4 { freezing Ba3, so Kd2-c2-b3 threatens to win material } 39... h5 40. g4 h4 { Now it's Black who is planning to trade a piece (Ba3) for pawns (Pf3 and possibly Ph3) to make a passer (Ph4) . } 41. Ke2 $5 ( 41. Kc2 Bxb4 ( 41... Nd4+ $2 42. Kc3 Nxf3 43. Rxa3 Ng5 44. Nf2 ) 42. Nxb4 Nd4+ 43. Kc3 Nxf3 $13 ) 41... Nd4+ 42. Ke3 ( 42. Kf2 ) 42... Nc2+ 43. Kf4 Bxb4 { and Black is out!! Now the extra piece should give Black a chance to win some pawns and possibly the game, though it will take a lot of work. } 44. Nxb4 Nxb4 45. g5 { Karpov immediately gets rid of Black's pawns, hoping for a simple drawish ending, despite being behind a knight. } 45... Nd3+ 46. Kf5 ( 46. Kg4 ) 46... fxg5 { preventing Kg6 and Ra8# by enabling ...Rb6+ to keep White's king back } 47. Kxg5 Rf7 48. Rf5 Ra7 49. Kxh4 Rxa2 { It's still two pawns for the knight and this kind of ending can be tough to win even if the pawns are equal. I'd still expect a draw. } 50. Kg3 Nc1 51. h4 Ne2+ 52. Kg4 Ra1 { Clearly Black's pieces have difficulty getting at White's king or pawns from in front, so she's going behind with the rook. But, how far can this plan take her toward winning? I think it mainly breaks up White's coordination. Of course, there is the small tactical threat of ...Rg1+ Kh5?? ...g6+ to win White's rook! } 53. Rg5 { I'm not quite certain what to make of this move. It takes aim at Pg7, but more than anything it seems to be aimed at meeting the obvious ...Rg1+ with a king move and rook trade offer, so h4 might move to g5, closer to the other pawns. Devious, but odd because a rook trade doesn't really make it easier to draw. } ( 53. Rd5 ) 53... Rg1+ 54. Kh3 ( 54. Kf5 Nd4+ { quickly nets a pawn } ) ( 54. Kh5 $4 Nf4# ) 54... Nf4+ 55. Kh2 Rxg5 56. hxg5 Ne6 $19 { There goes one of the pawns! White has to get rid of Pg7 to draw. } 57. Kg3 Nxg5 58. Kg4 Ne6 59. f4 Nc5 60. Kf3 ( 60. e5 Kf7 61. f5 Nd3 62. e6+ Kf6 63. Kh4 Nf4 { planning ...Nf4-d5-e7xf5 to wipe out the White pawns } 64. e7 Kxe7 65. Kg5 Nd5 66. Kg6 Kf8 67. Kh5 Kf7 68. Kg5 Ne7 { and White has to walk away from Pf5 } ) 60... Kf7 61. Ke3 Kf6 62. Kd4 Ne6+ 63. Ke3 { This next bit of maneuvering by Black is instructive (and not terribly easy) : she has to actively go after White's pawns while not letting White's king do anything active, such as pushing pawns to force a trade. } 63... Nf8 ( 63... Kg6 $4 64. f5+ $11 ) ( 63... Nc7 64. Kd4 Ke6 65. Kc5 Ne8 66. Kd4 Nd6 67. Kd3 { doesn't necessarily lead to victory } ) 64. Kf3 Nd7 65. Ke3 Kg6 66. Kf3 Nf6 ( 66... Kh5 67. e5 Kh4 68. e6 ( 68. Ke4 Kg4 69. e6 Nc5+ 70. Ke5 Nxe6 71. Kxe6 Kxf4 ) 68... Nf6 69. e7 Kh5 70. Kg3 Kg6 71. Kf3 Kf7 ) 67. Ke3 Ng4+ ( 67... Kh5 68. e5 Ng8 69. Ke4 Kg4 70. e6 Kh5 71. Kf5 Ne7+ 72. Ke5 Kg6 73. Kd6 Kf6 74. Kd7 Ng6 75. Kd6 Kf5 { and Black has completely infiltrated White's position, with Pf4 about to fall and Pe6 not able to advance without being captured } ) 68. Kf3 Kh5 69. Kg3 Nf6 70. Kf3 Ng8 71. Kg3 Ne7 72. Kh3 Nc6 73. Kg3 Nd4 { Black's knight and king almost immobilize White's king and Kg3-h3 is easily met by ...Ne2 to force f4-f5, allowing Black's king to get close to the pawns. This was very nicely done by Polgar. What a terrific game! } 0-1