[Event "Hilversum"] [Site "?"] [Round "1"] [White "Timman"] [Black "Kasparov"] [Result "0-1"] [ECO "C70"] [Opening "Spanish: 4.Ba4"] 1. e4 e5 2. Nf3 Nc6 3. Bb5 a6 4. Ba4 Nf6 5. O-O Be7 6. Re1 b5 7. Bb3 d6 8. c3 O-O 9. h3 Bb7 10. d4 Re8 {This is the Flohr-Zaitsev Variation of the Spanish Game, which is a relatively recent development, being pioneered in the professional arena in 1976. Both Anatoly Karpov and Garry Kasparov are fond of it.} 11. Nbd2 Bf8 12. a3 h6 {With this move the game returns to an older line, named after former World Champion Vassily Smyslov.} 13. Bc2 Nb8 14. b4 Nbd7 15. Bb2 g6 {A typical position in the Zaitsev/Smyslov hybrid of the Spanish Inquisition. White has two options: quiet play with 16.Qb1 or aggressive queenside action.} 16. c4 { Jan Timman has played this bold line against both Karpov and Kasparov.} 16... exd4 17. cxb5 axb5 18. Nxd4 c6 {In this position, White aims at the targets on the queenside, and therefore the best move is probably 19.Bd3, but that hadn't been discovered yet.} 19. a4 bxa4 20. Bxa4 Qb6 {Kasparov's novation, prepared for this game. Black's plan is illustrated nicely by the present game. He will aim for the liberating advance d6-d5 when his pieces will be better placed than their White counterparts.} 21. b5 {With this move White hopes to highlight the weakness at d6, but the plan fails and in the third game of the match Timman improved with 21.Nc2 which became the standard move in 1986.} 21... cxb5 22. Bxb5 d5 {This move eliminates Black's only weakness and puts strong pressure on the center. White already suffers from a pin on the b-file and his pieces do not seem to be doing anything.} 23. Rxa8 Bxa8 24. Qa4 Nc5 { More pressure on the center. And in addition, Black has taken the initiative.} 25. Qc2 Rb8 {Because of the pin, this move allows the rook to escape without losing time, because sooner or later White will have to waste a move to break it.} 26. exd5 Nxd5 {A strange sight! Most of the pieces remain on the board but the queenside pawns have been swept clear. One would assume that the position is equal, but in fact Black still holds a slight initiative.} 27. Nc4 {Timman fails to appreciate the danger and tries to regain the initiative. The best move here would have been the double retreat 27.Ba1 Nf4 28.Bf1! with a solid defensive formation. Now Black expands his domination of critical lines.} 27... Qc7 28. Ne5 {The final chance for equality lie in 28. Re8, exchanging off the dangerous Black rook. But now Kasparov was able to develop a plan to exploit his spatial advantage, based on control of the b-file and the h8-a1 diagonal.} 28... Bg7 29. Nec6 {29.Bc6? would have met with an impressive refutation: Bxe5! 30.Qxc5 Rxb2 31.Qxd5 Bxd4 32.Re8+ Kh7 33. Qxd4 Rb1+} 29... Bxc6 30. Bxc6 Nf4 {Black's control of the b- and c-files, combined with the pin on the diagonal and more active knights gives him a decisive advantage!} 31. Bb5 {Timman tries to cut off the b-file, establish his own pin on the c- file, and free his game with Rc1. Black would just love to get his queen onto the a8-h1 diagonal with deadly threats at g2. This is easily done! 31.Re8+ Rxe8 32.Bxe8 Nce6 exploits the pin at d4, with a little help from the threatened fork at e2.} 31... Rxb5 32. Nxb5 Qc6 33. f3 Qxb5 {and Black has a decisive material advantage. But with the symmetrical pawn structure the win still requires the creation of an effective plan. It is easy to see that a knight planted at g3 would be nice, but it needs support.} 34. Bxg7 Kxg7 35. Qc3+ Kg8 36. Qe5 Nfe6 37. Ra1 Qb7 {First Black organizes his defense. The next step is to advance the h- pawn so that the eventual infiltration of the knight to g3 can be accomplished.} 38. Qd6 h5 39. Kh1 Kh7 40. Rc1 Qa7 41. Rb1 Ng7 42. Rb8 Nce6 43. Qe5 Nd4 44. Rb1 h4 {One cannot avoid being impressed by the ease with which the World Champion achieved his objectives. The maneuvering of the knights makes sense only in hindsight.} 45. Qb8 Qe7 46. Qb4 Qf6 47. Qf8 Ne2 48. Rd1 Nf5 49. Qb8 Ne3 50. Qd8 Qf4 {Black has properly declined all offers to exchange queens. It is mate he is after!} 51. Re1 Nf1 { And Timman, seeing that inevitable Nf1-g3-e2-f2, gave up.} 0-1