Timman vs Kasparov
Linares | ?
683
[Event "Linares"] [Site "?"] [Round "0"] [White "Timman"] [Black "Kasparov"] [Result "0-1"] [ECO "E70"] [Opening "King's Indian: 4.e4 d6"] 1. d4 Nf6 2. c4 g6 3. Nc3 Bg7 4. e4 d6 5. f3 O-O 6. Be3 e5 7. d5 Nh5 8. Qd2 f5 9. O-O-O Nd7 10. Bd3 Nc5 11. Bc2 a6 12. Nge2 b5 {An old idea, from a game played 20 years ago. Timman had seen some analysts claim that it was better than 12...b6. But in an old book by Boyd it had already been criticized.} 13. b4 {A somewhat risky move, but as Timman wrote "White should not have stifled his urge for expansion".} 13... Nd7 14. cxb5 {Timman spent more than 40 minutes on this move. In the old Boyd book, the c- pawn was advanced rather than exchanged. 14.c5 a5 15.c6 axb4 16.Nxb5 Nc5 17.Qxb4 Rxa2 The position is complicated, and much to my liking. 14.exf5 gxf5 15.Ng3 Nf4 Now if White captures at f4, then I would recapture with the pawn and open up the diagonal for my bishop.} 14... axb5 15. Nxb5 {This was actually the first new move of the game. Some authorities think that 15.Kb2 would have given White a clear advantage, but this is an opinion that neither I nor Jan Timman would agree with. 15.Kb2 Nb6 So what is wrong with Black's position? Surely it is too dangerous to capture the b-pawn.} 15... Rxa2 16. Nec3 Ra8 17. Kb2 {A consistent move which plans to bring the rooks to the a-file. Some critics think that White should have sunk his knight into a7, headed for c6. Timman does that at his next turn.} 17... Ndf6 18. Na7 {18.Ra1!? Rb8} 18... fxe4 19. Nc6 Qd7 20. g4 {Several commentators attacked this move, most unfairly, as it turns out. Is it the best possible move? That is not clear. But the situation called for action and this forces me to sacrifice a piece in a few moves.} 20... Nf4 21. g5 N6xd5 {Pretty much forced, not that I need much encouragement to embark on such sacrifices! 21...N6h5 22.fxe4} 22. Nxd5 Nd3+ {A strong mov e, which provokes a reaction Timman later admitted was "impulsive" .} 23. Bxd3 { This was a major error. White should have moved his king to comparative safety at b1. Then it would not be clear whether I could win, or whether I even had an advantage. Maybe I would have been worse! 23.Kb3 Qxc6 24.Ne7+ Kh8 25.Nxc6 Be6+ I would have loved to have had a chance to play this at theboard!} 23... exd3 {Now we shall see that the bishop at g7, which has been asleep for most of the game, wakes up just in time to help deliver the final blow. The long diagonal is a tremendous weapon for Black in the King's Indian Defense!} 24. Nce7+ {I wished he had played his king up to b3. Then I would have had a fantastic finish with a fine mating combination: 24.Ra1 Bb7 25.b5 Bxc6 26.bxc6 e4+ 27.Nc3 Rfb8+ 24.Kb3 Qxc6 25.Ne7+ Kh8 26.Nxc6 Be6+ 27.Kb2 e4+ 28.Kb1 Ra1++} 24... Kh8 25. Nxc8 e4+ {Timman resigned. There is no point in planting the knight at f6 because I will just take it with my rook. 25... e4+ 26.Nc3 Qa4 27. Ra1 Qxb4+} 0-1
0-1
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