Kasparov – Gheorghiu

This is a good move, and is the main alternative to 1…d5. Both moves have the same basic idea — to stop White from building a strong pawn center with 2.e4.

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Date: 1982.??.??
Location: ?
Tournament: Moscow Interzonal
Round:
Opening:
Submitted by:
Published on: February 9, 2020

[Event "Moscow Interzonal"] [Site "?"] [Date "1982.??.??"] [Round "?"] [White "Kasparov"] [Black "Gheorghiu"] [Result "1-0"] [PlyCount "53"] 1.d4 Nf6 {This is a good move, and is the main alternative to 1...d5. Both moves have the same basic idea -- to stop White from building a strong pawn center with 2.e4.} 2.c4 {Now if Black plays 2...d5, White will capture and then whichever piece recaptures at d5, there will be ample opportunity to attack it. We can already see the battle of ideas begin. The fight for the center is underway!} e6 {Since Black cannot contest the center directly, a path is made for the bishop. Once it is deployed, Black will be able to castle. Also, the move 3...d5 is possible, since if White captures, Black can recapture with a pawn.} 3.Nf3 b6 {Now the other bishop will have a home.} 4.Nc3 Bb7 5.a3 {Now Black cannot develop the bishop at b4 (though that was possible at the previous turn), so it is time to focus again on the center.} d5 6.cxd5 Nxd5 {After 6...ed the bishop at b7 would have had less scope. Black has other plans for contesting the center.} 7.Qc2 {7.e4 Nxc3 8.bxc3 Bxe4 Black wins a pawn, so the central advance was premature.} c5 {Black gives up the battle for e4, and tries to shift the conflict to d4.} 8.e4 Nxc3 9.bxc3 {But now the d4-square is supported by a pawn, so White has obtained a strong center. As a result, I control more space, and my opponent is at a disadvantage.} Be7 10.Bb5+ Bc6 11.Bd3 {Why did I move to b5, only to retreat to d3? My idea was simply to lure the bishop to the c6-square, which would have been a better home to the knight.} Nd7 12.O-O h6 {Black should just have castled. The idea was to prevent my moving a piece to g5, but this wasn't really a threat. So it amounts to a waste of precious time.} 13.Rd1 {I bring the rook to the d-file, because I plan to blast it open very soon now!} Qc7 14.d5 {There is some old but valid chess wisdom that states that whoever has the advantage had better act quickly, before it disappears! First formulated by World Champion Steinitz, I really do believe it. So I sacrificed a pawn here.} exd5 15.exd5 Bxd5 16.Bb5 {The bishop returns to b5 to pin the enemy knight. Notice that the pin is even stronger because I have a rook on the d-file which can add to the pressure.} a6 {Gheorghiu tries to drive my bishop away. I can take his bishop at d5, but that can wait.} 17.Bf4 {My idea is to deflect the queen from its defensive tasks.} Qxf4 18.Bxd7+ Kxd7 19.Rxd5+ {Now I have a real attack. All of my pieces can participate, while the enemy forces are scattered all over the place. I love these positions!} Kc7 20.Re1 {I grab another open file with gain of time, since the bishop is under attack.} Bd6 21.Rf5 {A double attack on queen and pawn.} Qc4 22.Re4 Qb5 23.Rxf7+ Kb8 24.Re6 Rd8 25.c4 Qc6 {Circling the wagons. But now there is a pin on the 6th rank, and I know what to do with it!} 26.Ne5 Qc8 27.Qb1 {All those pieces, but how can the b-pawn be protected? Gheorghiu gave up here, but if you think you can defend, go ahead and let Gambit finish up!} 1-0