A Fight Without Rules! - Kasparov vs Romanishin | Garry Kasparov Chess Games Series Ep 18

Opening: Gruenfeld
Title: A Fight Without Rules! – Kasparov vs Romanishin | Garry Kasparov Chess Games Series Ep 18

Hello Chess Friends and Welcome to the Channel. Yesterday the news of Arianne Caoili’s death was the first thing that i read when I woke up. It was like a punch in the face and completely drained my energy, I felt sad, really sad. And like many fans around the world i still feel pain for this tragic event. In today’s video, episode 18 of the Kasparov series. The year is 1981 and Kasparov is playing at a very interesting tournament. A match between the 4 official russian teams: the first Russian Team with Karpov and all the other giants, the second russian team, the youth team and the senior team. Despite the friendly nature of the tournament, there were sharp and uncompromising fights. We will begin with the game Kasparov vs Romanishin played in round 1.

1. d4 Nf6 2. c4 g6 3. Nc3 d5 {the Gruenfeld} 4. cxd5 Nxd5 5. e4 Nxc3 6. bxc3
Bg7 {completes the fianchetto also putting pressure on d4} 7. Nf3 c5 {even
more pressure} 8. Be3 Qa5 {pinning the pawn} 9. Qd2 {unpins} Nc6 {of course
the pawn can’t advance because of the bishop in fianchetto} 10. Rc1 {away from
the dangerous diagonal} cxd4 11. cxd4 Qxd2+ 12. Kxd2 {In order to keep his
powerful pawn center, Kasparov leaves the King in the center. The next moves
will show if this hazard is justified or not.} O-O {If white continues with Bb5
} 13. d5 (13. Bb5 {that is natural, Black’s answer f5} f5 {is strong} 14. exf5
Bxf5 {where Black scores almost better than white. That’s why Kasparov chooses}
) 13… Rd8 {defending by pinning} 14. Ke1 Na5 {controlling c4 where the
bishop would like to move} 15. Bg5 Bf6 {exchanging the bishops} 16. Bd2 {
with the bishop on f6 at least Black can’t advance the f-pawn} (16. Bxf6 {
doesn’t give anything to white} exf6 {because f5 is strong and equalizes})
16… b6 17. Rc7 {in the fight for the initiative, Kasparov is neglegting his
development but in this complex position general rules don’t apply. It’s just
calculation and positional evaluation} Bg4 {completes the development but it
was better to oppose the rook with Rd7} 18. Ba6 e6 19. Ng5 {f7 is under attack.
Now Bxg5} Be5 {at least is controlling d5} (19… Bxg5 {is a mistake because}
20. Bxg5 {attacking the rook wins the tempo to create the passed pawn} Re8 21.
d6 {will win the game}) 20. Rxf7 exd5 21. f4 Bg7 22. f5 dxe4 23. Bxa5 {is the
best move. But before playing this move there are some important lines to
evaluate} (23. f6 {loses to} Bxf6 24. Rxf6 e3 {the white bishop must capture
or move away and Rd1+ wins the rook on h1. This is the threat that Kasparov
must always keep in mind}) 23… bxa5 {is not the strongest answer} (23… Rd1+
{is still one of the best answers for Black but white is ok now} 24. Kf2 Rxh1
25. Bc4 {the king can’t move} Kh8 (25… Rc1 {this is the best defensive idea
but white still has two good resources: the simple} 26. Rxa7+ (26. Bb3 Rf8 27.
Bd2 Rb1 28. f6 Rxf7 29. Bxf7+ Kf8 30. fxg7+ Kxg7 31. Bb3 {the e4 pawn is lost.
A difficult endgame where white has some advantage}) 26… Rxc4 27. Rxa8+ Bf8
28. Bxb6 Bxf5 29. Nxh7 Kxh7 30. Rxf8 {white is a pawn up} Rc2+ {is good but
doesn’t regain the pawn} 31. Kg3 {with a small advantage for white, because
Black can’t lose time winning the a2 pawn} Rxa2 32. Bd4 {only move to prevent
checkmate is} g5 {nd the bishop is lost} 33. Rxf5) 26. f6 Bf8 (26… Rc1 27.
Rxg7 {nothing can stop Rxh7 checkmate}) 27. Rxh7#) 24. Bc4 Bc3+ 25. Kf2 e3+ 26.
Kg3 Be5+ 27. Kxg4 Rd4+ 28. Kh3 Rxc4 29. f6 {Kasparov is preparing the mating
net. let’s make a free move} Bxf6 (29… e2 30. Rg7+ Kf8 31. Ne6+ Ke8 32. Re7#)
30. Rxf6 {Kasparov is a piece up} Re8 {behind the passed pawn} 31. Re1 {
occupies the promotion square} e2 32. Kg3 Ra4 33. Kf2 Rxa2 34. Ne6 {an
interference} a4 35. Rb1 {a mistake. Kasparov is still playing for the
checkmate} (35. Nd4 {is simpler}) 35… a3 36. Rb7 e1=Q+ 37. Kxe1 Rxg2 38. Rg7+
Kh8 39. Rgf7 h5 40. Kf1 {this is the decisive moment of the game. There is
only one move that saves Black} Rxh2 {is a blunder and Kasparov’s mating plan
becomes a reality} (40… a2 41. Rxa7 Rxh2 42. Rxg6 a1=Q+ 43. Rxa1 Rh1+ 44. Rg1
Rxg1+ 45. Kxg1 Rxe6 {and incredibly Black was able to draw}) 41. Rxg6 Rxe6 (
41… a2 {doesn’t work} 42. Rh6+ Kg8 43. Rg7#) 42. Rxe6 Kg8 43. Rxa7 {
Romanishing resigns. If} Kf8 44. Rc6 Rh1+ 45. Kf2 {controlling e1} Rh2+ 46. Ke3
Rh3+ 47. Kf4 Rh4+ 48. Kf5 {and nothing can stop the checkmate on c8.} 1-0

A fantastic game in my opinion and I hope that you liked it too. If you did, please don’t forget to like the video and subscribe to the channel. For now thank you very much for watching and see you tomorrow.

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