1.d4 Sf6

2.Bg5 c6! Garry now ponders for a long time, more than anyone else!

   A TV crew wants to know why I of all people ...

3.Bxf6 Surprising (3.c3!) - He'd probably prefer to keep things clear simultaneously ... 3...exf6(!) The better move here.

4.e3 d5 Safe; Qb6! was more consistent.

5.c4 Bb4+(!) Be6 was also good!

6.Nc3(!) Be6! Auch 0-0! 7.Qb3! Bc3:+ 8.Qc3: Re8 was interesting.

7.cxd5 (!) Bxd5 (!)

8.Nge2 (!) Bc4! The black bishop pair shows no fear of the world champion.9.a3 (!) Bxc3+ !

10.Nxc3 (also bc3:! was o.k.) Bxf1 At least castling can be prevented!

11.Kxf1  0–0 (!)

12.g3 (12.h4!) Re8

13.Kg2 Na6 Not the best, as it turned out later (13...Nd7!, 13...Qe7!)

14.Qb3!? (14.Qf3!) Qe7(!)

15.Rhe1 (15.Rhd1 was even more consistent) Rad8(!)

16.Rad1 Rd7(!) (16...f5!)

17.Qc4 (17.d5!) Qe6 (!) So far Black has managed to get out of the opening difficulties quite well ...

18.b3 (18.Qa4! f5 19.e4 Rdd8) b5?! and the second best choice leads to permanent pressure again (the correct choice was 18...Red8! 19. h3 Nc7 with a draw)

19.Qxe6 fxe6

20.b4 (20.Ne4! f5 21.Bg5 h6 22.Nf3)  Red8 (20...Nb8! 21.Kf3 a5, 20...f5 21.h3 Kf7)

21.Rc1 (also 21.f4!? was a good possibility) e5(! )

22.Ne2! Rd6(!) (22...Nb8 23.Rc5 Rd5; 22...Rc7 23.Red1 Kf7)

23.Rc3!  (23.g4!?) Nb8!? With a heavy heart Black decides on the strategy of a permanent blockade. Unfortunately the black knight can't get to d5 via c7 - it lacks the famous tempo, but 23...Ra8! would have forced a5 with good chances of a draw!

24.Rec1! Precise and annoying ...  24...e4?! riskily commits itself further (24...Re8! 25.g4 Kf7)

25.Rc5 (25.g4! Kf7 26.Ng3) 25...g6 Although there is no immediate threat, White's pressure increases and Black is condemned to passivity.

26.g4! Rf8

27.Ng3 (27.f4! Re8 28.Ng3) Re8! The only salvation! (Re6? 28.d5!)

28.h4 Kf7

29.h5 Ree6

30.Ne2 Nd7!

31.R5c2 g5? Now Black stumbles: this locking attempt also opens up new holes; much tougher was 31...gh5:! 32.gh5: f5 33.d5 cd5: or 31...Nb8 32.f3)

32.Ng3! Nb8(!) Now unfortunately necessary again because of:

33.Nf5(!) 33.Nf5(!) (White now has a free choice between several good moves: also 33.Rc5! or 33.Rd2!) Rd7

34.Rc5 a6(!)

35.a4?! (ore powerful 35.f3! ef3: 36.Kf3: or 35.R1c3 Re8 36.f3) ba4:  Unfortunately Rd5 is also no longer possible with an exchange of rooks and an invasion on c7.

36.Ra5 Rb7(!)

37.Rxa4 Ke8(!)

38.Rc5 (38.Ta5!) Nd7?? (38…Kd7(d8)! 39.f3 Rb5) The busy world champion overlooked this mistake under time pressure (Garry was now approaching faster and faster, as many games had already ended):

39.Rca5? (39.Ng7+!! Ke7 40.Ne6:) Nb8(!) Now Black can fight for a few more moves, even if White's pressure play can't be parried in the long run.

40.Ra1 (40.f3!) Kf8 (40…Rb4: 41.Ng7+ Kf7 42.Ne6: Ke6: 43.Ra6: Na6: 44.Ra6:)

41.d5?! There was no need to rush (41.Ra4 Rd7 42.f3 oder 41.Rb1) cxd5

42.Rxd5 Rxb4 White is still slightly better, but he's lost some of his advantage - after all, the problem chess expert had an extra pawn against the world champion at times!

43.Rd2 Garry doesn't want to waste much time and wants to continue in the next round (Active was 43.Rc5! Rbb6 44.Rc7) Re8(?) OMG!
Too bad that Sc6 and Se5 are still denied: 43...Rbb6(!) could have caused some more trouble, z.B: 44.Rc1Nc6! 45.Rd7 Ne5 46.Rxh7 Rec6 47.Rd1! Nd3 48.Rh8+ Kf7 49.h6 Rc2 50.h7 Rf2: 51.Kg1 Kg6 52.Rd3:!
Now a visibly relieved Garry plays all the moves in seconds...!

44.Rd6 (44.Rc1! Rb7 45.Nd6 Rd7 46.Ne8: Rd2: 47.Nf6:) Kf7(!)

45.Rc1! and Black resigned after a few moves - as one of the last 5 of the 40 opponents and after resisting longer than expected! :-) A too strong field actually, some players exceeded the allowed ELO limits, but Kasparov did not lose a single game, only 4 draws against very strong players, 35 wins - on top of his then ELO record of 2851... only Magnus Carlsen could reach a higher new record of 2882.

Dedicated to Garry Kasparov!

Happy Birthday! :-)

Dr. Hilmar Alquiros  @Hilmar17

Apr 13, 2017  @Kasparov63

Mate in 6(!) - feenschach, 1988

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