Kasparov – Seirawan, Skelleftea, 1989

The following encounter in the Modern Benoni between the 13th World Champion and American Grandmaster Yasser Seirawan presents a great training material. The game is reach in tactical possibilities and is excellent for calculation exercise.

We have singled out three particular positions from the game for the readers to solve. Take some time in every position and try to determine the best move for Black, but also try to take White’s resources into account.

The variations are approved by Kasparov himself, as they are taken from his book, “Garry Kasparov on Garry Kasparov, 1985- 1993”.

Hope you will enjoy it!

Good luck!

Position 1

Kasparov played Nf4 in this position. Can you find a stronger alternative?

       [FEN "r3r1k1/1p1b1pb1/p2p1qn1/P1pPn1p1/4P2p/1PN1QP1P/4N1PB/R2B1R1K w - - 0 1"]

Position 2

Can you find the best move for Black in this position?

   [FEN "2r1r1k1/QR1b1pb1/p2p1q2/P2P2p1/4Pn1p/2N2P1P/3nN1PB/3B2RK w - - 0 1 "]

Position 3

Kasparov took with the rook on e5 in this position, which put him on the verge on defeat. Can you find a stronger alternative?

   [FEN "2r1r1k1/QR1b1pb1/p2p1q2/P2PP1p1/7p/2N2P1n/3nN1PB/3B2RK w - - 0 1"]

Solutions:

Solution – Position 1

[Event “Skelleftea, Position 1”]  [Site “?”]  [Date “2017.09.09”]  [Round “?”]  [White “Yasser, Seirawan”]  [Black “Garry, Kasparov”]  [Result “*”]  [SetUp “1”]  [FEN “r3r1k1/1p1b1pb1/p2p1qn1/P1pPn1p1/4P2p/1PN1QP1P/4N1PB/R2B1R1K b – – 0 1”]  [PlyCount “7”]   1… g4 $1 {[pgndiagram]} 2. f4   (2. hxg4 Nxg4 {Is fearfully strong} 3. Qg1 Nxh2  4. Qxh2 Ne5 {[pgndiagram] And Black has a very strong attack}) 2… Nf3 $3 {  [pgndiagram] The point of the combination} 3. Rxf3 $5 {The only move}   (3. gxf3  g3 4. Bg1 Bxh3 {[pgndiagram] Is winning for Black} 5. Re1 Bh6) 3… gxf3 4.  Qxf3 Bb5 {“And although White has knight and pawn for the exchange, his  position is unpleasant.” – Kasparov} *

Solution – Position 2

[Event “Skelleftea, Position 2”]  [Site “?”]  [Date “2017.09.09”]  [Round “?”]  [White “Seirawan, Yasser”]  [Black “Kasparov, Garry”]  [Result “*”]  [SetUp “1”]  [FEN “2r1r1k1/QR1b1pb1/p2p1q2/P2P2p1/4Pn1p/2N2P1P/3nN1PB/3B2RK b – – 0 1”]  [PlyCount “19”]   1… Nxh3 $3 {[pgndiagram] The correct sacrifice}   (1… Bxh3 $2 2. Bxf4) 2.  Rxd7 $1 {The most resillient defence}   (2. e5 {Was played in the game and is  the subject of the training position 3}) 2… Ra8 $1 3. Qb6 {The queen has to  defend the f2 square}   (3. Qb7 $4 Nf2# {[pgndiagram] Leads to checkmate}) 3…  Nc4 {[pgndiagram] And now White has to sacrifice his queen} 4. Rf1 $5 {The  most resilient}   (4. gxh3 Nxb6 5. axb6 Qxf3+ 6. Rg2 Qxh3 $1 {[pgndiagram] And  Black should be winning here} 7. Rxd6 Bxc3 8. Rc6 Bg7) 4… Nxb6 5. Rxd6 Qe7 6.  Rxb6 {[pgndiagram] And here} Bxc3 $1 7. Bd6   (7. Nxc3 Nf4 {Wins for Black}) 7…  Nf2+ $3 {Forcing the rook on f2 square (or king to g1)} 8. Rxf2   (8. Kg1 Bxa5 {  Is no better}) 8… Bxa5 9. Bxe7 Bxb6 10. Rf1 Rxe7 {[pgndiagram] And Black  obtains a won endgame} *

Solution – Position 3

[Event “Skelleftea, Position 3”]  [Site “?”]  [Date “2017.09.09”]  [Round “?”]  [White “Seirawan, Yasser”]  [Black “Kasparov, Garry”]  [Result “*”]  [SetUp “1”]  [FEN “2r1r1k1/QR1b1pb1/p2p1q2/P2PP1p1/7p/2N2P1n/3nN1PB/3B2RK b – – 0 1”]  [PlyCount “7”]   1… Qf5 $1 {[pgndiagram] Kasparov: “I was obliged to find this move, with  the previous threat of … Ra8)}   (1… Rxe5 $2 {Was played in the game, and  after} 2. Rxd7 Nxg1 {Yasser could have put Kasparov on the verge of losing with  } 3. Bxe5 Qxe5 4. Kxg1) 2. Bc2 {The first suggestion of my Stockfish, not  mentioned by Kasparov. But it probably also doesn’t save Black}   (2. gxh3 $2  Qxf3+) (2. Rxd7 $2 Qxd7 {With the same mate on f2})   (2. e6 {Also needs to be  taken into account!} Ra8 3. exd7 {[pgndiagram]The point} Red8 4. Qb6 Nc4 {  [pgndiagram] Kasparov: In this remarkable position, White also does not have  real compensation for the queen:} 5. gxh3   (5. Rf1 Nxb6 6. axb6 g4) 5… Nxb6 6.  axb6 Qxf3+ 7. Rg2 Bxc3 {[pgndiagram] And wins}) 2… Qxc2 3. gxh3 Rxc3 4. Rxd7  Rxf3 {[pgndiagram] And Black is winning} *

Complete game:

[Event “Skelleftea, Whole game”]  [Site “Skelleftea SWE”]  [Date “1989.08.??”]  [Round “13”]  [White “Yasser Seirawan”]  [Black “Garry Kasparov”]  [Result “1/2-1/2”]  [ECO “A65”]  [PlyCount “85”]  [EventDate “1989.??.??”]   1. d4 Nf6 2. c4 g6 3. Nc3 Bg7 4. e4 d6 5. Be2 O-O 6. Bg5 c5 7. d5 h6 8. Be3 e6  9. Qd2 exd5 10. cxd5 Re8 11. f3 h5 12. a4 a6 13. a5 Nh7 14. Bd1 Nd7 15. Nge2  Ne5 16. b3 Qh4+ 17. Bf2 Qf6 18. Qe3 h4 19. h3 g5 20. O-O Bd7 21. Kh1 Nf8 22.  Bg1 Nfg6 23. Bh2 c4 24. Rb1 Rac8 25. Qa7 Nf4 26. bxc4 Nxc4 27. Rxb7 Nd2 28. Rg1  Nxh3 29. e5 Rxe5 30. Rxd7 Nxg1 31. Qxg1 Ree8 32. Rxd6 Qf5 33. Ba4 Qd3 34. Bxe8  Rxe8 35. Rc6 h3 36. Bg3 hxg2+ 37. Qxg2 Nxf3 38. d6 Re6 39. Qf2 g4 40. Rc8+ Kh7  41. Nf4 Rh6+ 42. Kg2 Ne1+ 43. Kg1 1/2-1/2

Chessentials

Play like Garry Kasparov – Part one – Kasparov – Seirawan, Skelleftea 1989

Kasparov – Seirawan, Skelleftea, 1989

Position 1

Position 2

Position 3

Solutions:

Solution – Position 1

Solution – Position 2

Solution – Position 3

Complete game:

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Kasparov – Seirawan, Skelleftea, 1989

Position 1

Position 2

Position 3

Solutions:

Solution – Position 1

Solution – Position 2

Solution – Position 3

Complete game:

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