Hidden Gems Collection - Alburt vs Kasparov

A Masterpiece by Garry Kasparov

For today's game we travel to Lucerne, Switzerland. It is the 3rd round of the 25th World Chess Olympiad in the year 1982. The game features Lev Alburt vs Garry Kasparov.

Garry drives the game to a King's Indian Defense. Lev plays a novelty 7.Qc1!? On the board, we see Lev's idea.

White prepares this move to prevent Black from pressuring the White center. In the main line, White is forced to defend his e pawn awkwardly with either f3 or Bf3. If left alone, Black can win the pawn tactically.

The crux of that tactical sequence depends on Black's ability to harass the White queen.

Garry goes with a different plan altogether. He strikes the center with c5.

It is important that Black keeps up the initiative at this stage. Due to White's lack of development, Black can gain the advantage from aggressive play. This is why he opens lines 8...b5

As White plays 14.Nf3, the stage is set to execute a brilliant plan.

White is very close to fixing the worst of his problems via short castle. With the rooks connected, Black's pressure along the a file would vanish. The white pieces can only do so much to protect both the pinned rook and the tender e pawn. Garry begins his combination with 14...Bxb5!

White is forced to capture back with his bishop, leading to

A magnificent positional queen sacrifice 15...Qxb5

17... Nxe4 Black's knight on e4 is untouchable. The White queen is stuck defending his pinned dark-squared bishop until White castles. By winning the e-pawn White's d-pawn becomes critically weak.

19. b4 is a nice try for White. Rather than trying to hold onto the weak pawn, he tries to break up Black's pawns.

24. Qc4?

Black gains a slight advantage.

24. Ng5 was the way to go. White needs to fight for central squares starting with his minor pieces. White's queen needs to support his minor pieces and passed pawn from the sidelines.

25.b6!? White vacates the b5 square for his queen at the cost of a pawn.

Black takes the pawn and must defend for a few moves.

White's activity is fleeting. Black has the long term plan of pushing his central pawn majority.

28... Ra2+ Black gains some time back on the clock. At this point, both players approach time trouble.

30...e5 Black begins advancing the central pawns. Although d5 looks more natural, starting the central advance with the e pawn restricts White's bishop.

34... Ra6 black is going to evict White's knight out of his camp. First, black needs to solidify, then he can advance the pawn majority.

36.g3! At last, White creates shelter for his king.

Black wants to exchange off white's knight. If the White queen is left with no support, Black will be able to push his center pawns. Black must take care to avoid sacrificial tactics, else White could secure a draw.

White begins to get desperate with 49. Kf3.

He's trying every way to stop Black's knight from routing to an optimal outpost.

51. Ke3?? white is lost.

His king will be forced into checkmate at the hands of Black's entire army.

I hope you enjoy this fascinating game. I want to clarify this analysis is borrowed from Garry Kasparov himself. He writes about this game in his book: Garry Kasparov On Garry Kasparov Part 1: 1973 - 1985

Please leave a like if you learned something!

Move wisely,

JP