ChessCafe Column

776 Pages·2012·17.914 MB·English

by  Seirawan Yasser

__________________ChessCafe.com

Inside Chess
Yasser Seirawan

A potpourri of old and new from the three-time American champion. A
new column is posted the third Wednesday of each month.

© Yasser Seirawan 2001-2012

1
Table of Contents

 November 2012 -- The PCA World Championship, Game Two
 October 2012 -- The PCA World Championship, Game One
 September 2012 -- The Dangerous Trio
 August 2012 -- Ehlvest-Spassky, Reykjavik 1988
 July 2012 -- A Question of Style?
 June 2012 -- S.W.I.F.T. World Cup I, Part Seven
 May 2012 -- S.W.I.F.T. World Cup I, Part Six
 April 2012 -- S.W.I.F.T. World Cup I, Part Five
 March 2012 -- S.W.I.F.T. World Cup I, Part Four
 February 2012 -- S.W.I.F.T. World Cup I, Part Three
 January 2012 -- S.W.I.F.T. World Cup I, Part Two
 December 2011 -- S.W.I.F.T. World Cup I, Part One
 November 2011 -- Xie Jun Regains Women's World Crown
 October 2011 -- 1997 World Team Championship, Part Three
 September 2011 -- 1997 World Team Championship, Part Two
 August 2011 -- 1997 World Team Championship, Part One
 July 2011 -- 1999 Interplay U.S. Championship, Part Three
 June 2011 -- 1999 Interplay U.S. Championship, Part Two
 May 2011 -- 1999 Interplay U.S. Championship, Part One
 April 2011 -- Inside Track: Center Counter with 2...Nf6
 March 2011 -- Georgia Peaches Bloom
2
 February 2011 -- Slavic Requiem and Rebirth
 January 2011 -- Inside Profile: Asa Hoffmann
 December 2010 -- Inside Track Theoretical, Meran 8.Be2 Bb7
 November 2010 -- The Two Knights Defense, Part Three and Four
 October 2010 -- The Two Knights Defense, Part Two
 September 2010 -- The Two Knights Defense, Part One
 August 2010 -- Speelman-Seirawan, St. John 1988, Game Five
 July 2010 -- Seirawan-Speelman, St. John 1988, Game Four
 June 2010 -- Speelman-Seirawan, St. John 1988, Game Three
 May 2010 -- Seirawan-Speelman, St. John 1988, Game Two
 April 2010 -- Speelman-Seirawan, St. John 1988, Game One
 March 2010 -- Inside Interview by GM Larry Evans
 February 2010 -- In Search of the Elusive TN
 January 2010 -- The Schacknytt Festival in Malmö
 December 2009 -- 1987 United States Championship, Part Three
 November 2009 -- 1987 United States Championship, Part Two
 October 2009 -- 1987 United States Championship, Part One
 September 2009 -- Alburt-Seirawan, U.S. Championship 1990
 August 2009 -- Piket-Shirov, Aruba 1995
 July 2009 -- Anand-Kamsky, Las Palmas 1995
 June 2009 -- Shirov-Topalov, Madrid 1997
 May 2009 -- Beliavsky-Tiviakov, Linares 1995
 April 2009 -- Karpov-Kamsky, FIDE-Wch Elista 1996
 March 2009 -- Fedorowicz-Gulko, U.S. Championship 1987
3
 February 2009 -- Portisch-Timman, Candidates 1989
 January 2009 -- Andersson-Hübner, Ter Apel 1997
 December 2008 -- Benjamin-Kaidanov, US-ch sf 1995
 November 2008 -- Ivanchuk-Topalov, Linares 1995
 October 2008 -- Christiansen-Seirawan, U.S. Championship 1997
 September 2008 -- Gelfand-Kasparov, Linares (5) 1992
 August 2008 -- Kasparov-Karpov, Seville (24) 1987
 July 2008 -- Karpov-Kasparov, Seville (23) 1987
 June 2008 -- Seirawan-Christiansen, U.S. Championship 1997
 May 2008 -- Seirawan-Hjartarson, Barcelona 1989
 April 2008 -- De la Riva Aguado-Morozevich, Pamplona 1999
 March 2008 -- Nunn-Seirawan, Wijk aan Zee 1992
 February 2008 -- DeFirmian-Shabalov, Denver 1998
 January 2008 -- Sadler-Forster, Lucerne 1997
 December 2007 -- Portisch-Timman, Candidates Match 1989
 November 2007 -- Yusupov-Karpov, Candidates Semifinal 1989
 October 2007 -- Morovic-Seirawan, Novi Sad 1990
 September 2007 -- Ivanchuk-Seirawan, Novi Sad 1990
 August 2007 -- Short-Topalov, Linares 1995
 July 2007 -- Kasparov-Karpov, Linares 1992
 June 2007 -- Damljanovic-Seirawan, Belgrade 1991
 May 2007 -- Christiansen-Gurevich, World Open 1989
 April 2007 -- Fedorowicz-Seirawan, U.S. Championship 1998
 March 2007 -- Timman-Nikolic, Dutch Championship 1997
4
 February 2007 -- Van der Wiel-Ehlvest, Rotterdam 1989
 January 2007 -- Topalov-Kasparov, Las Palmas 1996
 December 2006 -- Seirawan-Yusupov, Rotterdam 1989
 November 2006 -- Anand-Karpov, Lausanne 1998
 October 2006 -- Seirawan-Ftacnik, Thessaloniki Olympiad 1998
 September 2006 -- Anand-Topalov, Wijk aan Zee 1998
 August 2006 -- Topalov-Kasparov, Yerevan 1996
 July 2006 -- Seirawan-Lein, World Open 1998
 June 2006 -- Sokolov-Topalov, Wijk aan Zee 1996
 May 2006 -- Christiansen-Alburt, Jacksonville 1990
 April 2006 -- Dreev-Shirov, Wijk aan Zee 1996
 March 2006 -- Van der Wiel-Ehlvest, Rotterdam 1989
 February 2006 -- Gelfand-Dreev, Tilburg 1993
 January 2006 -- Kasparov-Sokolov, Sarajevo 1999
 December 2005 -- Anand-Ivanchuk, Dortmund 1997
 November 2005 -- Short-Speelman, London qf 1988
 October 2005 -- Karpov-Timman, Jarkata 1993
 September 2005 -- Topalov-Seirawan, Biel 1993
 August 2005 -- Short-Gelfand, Brussels cm 1991
 July 2005 -- Kasparov-Anand, PCA World Championship 1995
 June 2005 -- Anand-Sokolov, Brussels 1992
 May 2005 -- Beliavsky-Karpov, Brussels 1998
 April 2005 -- Kortchnoi-Timman, Brussels 1998
 March 2005 -- Karpov-Anand, Linares 1991
5
 February 2005 -- Yermolinsky-de Firmian, Parsippany 1996
 January 2005 -- Seirawan-Shabalov, Key West 1994
 December 2004 -- Shirov-Khalifman, Amsterdam 1995
 November 2004 -- Karpov-Anand, Brussels 1991
 October 2004 -- Seirawan-Kasparov, Skelleftea 1989
 September 2004 -- Fischer-Spassky, Sveti Stefan 1992
 August 2004 -- Fischer-Spassky, Sveti Stefan 1992
 July 2004 -- Gurevich-Kamsky, Los Angeles 1991
 June 2004 -- Timman-Karpov, Hoogeveen 1999
 May 2004 -- Two from Lugano 1989
 April 2004 -- Timman-Nikolic, Dutch Championship Playoff 1997
 March 2004 -- Kasparov-Short, Amsterdam 1994
 February 2004 -- Karpov-Gelfand, SanghiNagar 1995
 January 2004 -- Seirawan-Gurevich, Biel 1993
 December 2003 -- Browne-Seirawan, 1987 American Open
 November 2003 -- Karpov-Anand, Wijk Aaan Zee 1998
 October 2003 -- Karpov-Kasparov, Linares 1993
 September 2003 -- Kasparov-Topalov, Wijk aan Zee 1999
 August 2003 -- Adams-Seirawan, Bermuda 2000
 July 2003 -- Kasparov-Nikolic, Linares 1997
 June 2003 -- Shabalov-Seirawan, 1998 U.S. Men's Championship
 May 2003 -- Seirawan-Dzindzichashvili 1999
 April 2003 -- Kasparov-Kramnik Linares 1997
 March 2003 -- Kramnik-Topalov, Monte Carlo 1998
6
 February 2003 -- Svidler-Kasparov, Tilburg 1997
 January 2003 -- Anand-Ivanchuk, Dortmund 1997
 December 2002 -- Timman-Piket, Wijk aan Zee 2000
 November 2002 -- Morozevich-Aleksandrov, Shenyang 2000
 October 2002 -- Piket-Van Wely Amsterdam 1994
 September 2002 -- 1997 Rematch: Kasparov versus Deep Blue
 August 2002 -- Kasparov-Kraceck, Yerevan 1996
 July 2002 -- 1997 Rematch Kasparov versus Deep Blue
 June 2002 -- Vladimir Kramnik-Garry Kasparov Novgorod 1997
 May 2002 -- 1997 Rematch, Kasparov versus Deep Blue
 April 2002 -- Shirov-Polgar, Madrid 1997
 March 2002 -- 2002 U.S. Championships, Part 2: Yasser Annotates
 February 2002 -- 2002 U.S. Championships: An Insider’s Perspective
 January 2002 -- 1997 Rematch: Kasparov versus Deep Blue
 December 2001 -- 1997 Rematch: Kasparov versus Deep Blue
 November 2001 -- Wijk aan Zee 2000, Corus
 October 2001 -- Japfa Classic, Bali 2000
 September 2001 -- 1997 Rematch: Kasparov versus Deep Blue

7
Inside Chess

Next month, World Champion Vladimir Kramnik takes on the
latest version of the silicon chessplaying monsters in a match
against Deep Fritz beginning October 12 in Bahrain. We thought
it would be appropriate to take a look back at the 1997 match that
shocked world when Deep Blue defeated then World Champion
Garry Kasparov. Actually, many people forget that things started
Orders? Inquiries? You can
well for the carbon-based life forms...
now call toll-free:
1-866-301-CAFE
1997 Rematch:
Garry Kasparov
versus
Deep Blue
Game 1
Annotations by Yasser
Seirawan
The Garry Kasparov -
IBM Deep Blue rematch
started amongst the on
May 3rd at 3:00 PM
EDT with all the world's
major media in
attendance. The game
itself was played on the
35th floor of the
Equitable Insurance
Building in a beautiful
set that was designed as if in a professor's study. A lamp blew out
in the middle of the game as if in sympathy to the tactics that
were produced on the chess board. Garry turned in a model game
that was a vintage performance on how a human should play
against computer. Garry chose a very cautious opening and
extended this same strategy throughout the game. None of his

pieces crossed the fourth rank preferring to play, "on my side of
the board." Two passed pawns however did cross the divide and
they brought home the bacon.
For Garry this victory brought him a 1 - 0 lead in the match and
as importantly it was his third straight victory over the team from
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Inside Chess
IBM. We were not witnessing the playing style of Kasparov
rather a well prepared Kasparov that had adapted his game to
match the play of Deep Blue. It worked to perfection.
White: Garry Kasparov
Black: Deep Blue
1.Nf3
The first indication that Garry had prepared a different strategy.
Normally he would open the game with main line openings after
1.e4 and 1.d4 grabbing the center. Garry has correctly understood
that playing waiting maneuvering chess with no clear lines of
battle along with blockaded positions is the best way of meeting
the computers.
1..d5 2.g3 Bg4 3.b3
Another early moment
of great import. Garry
had considered this first
game as a kind of
reconnaissance mission
wishing to find out what
Deep Blue's priorities
were in the relationship
between Bishop's and
Knight's. Here he offers
Deep Blue the
opportunity to trade a Bishop for a Knight while doubling his
own pawns. If Deep Blue declines the opportunity he will have
discovered that the computer's valuations have placed a high
regard for the Bishop over the Knight. This crucial piece of
information becomes a critical factor in the game. Most human
players would have quickly played 3.Bg2 protecting the Knight
and avoiding the doubled pawns. Another important point is that
with the text Deep Blue was out of its preprogrammed opening
book.
3...Nd7
While not in itself a mistake, this move can be construed as a
matter of taste, it was in fact better to play 3...Bxf3 4.exf3 e6
5.Bb2 Ngf6 6.Bg2 Bd6 7.f4 O-O 8.O-O c6 with a balanced game.
4.Bb2 e6 5.Bg2 Ngf6 6.0-0 c6 7.d3 Bd6 8.Nbd2 0-0
At this point both players moved very quickly indicating that
Deep Blue had transposed back into its opening library of moves.
9.h3 Bh5 10.e3!?
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Inside Chess
A rather cagey move.
Kasparov wants to disguise
his intentions by not defining
the center structure. Should
he play 10.c4 and play on the
Queenside? Or play 10.e4 and
play in the center? The text
does neither and leaves it up
to Deep Blue to decide where
to draw the battle lines.
10...h6?!
Given the opportunity to take
a bigger bite of the center, Deep Blue should have. Best was
10...e5 controlling more squares and threatening ...e5-e4 winning
a piece. Why didn't Deep Blue make this move? He was
concerned about the loss of a Bishop for a Knight! After 10...e5
11.g4 Bg6 12.Nh4 White would have weakened his Kingside but
would manage to capture Black's light squared Bishop. With the
text, Deep Blue makes the retreat ...Bg6-h7 possible.
11.Qe1
White intends to shift his pieces to the Kingside making attacking
opportunities there possible. The hidden idea behind the text is to
protect the h4-square.
11...Qa5?
An intriguing mistake to try and understand. The computer is
programmed to optimize its pieces by controlling as much space -
squares on the opponents side of the board - as possible.
Certainly on her a5-perch Black's Queen does that. The problem
however is the Queen lacks any possibility of creating a
coordinated attack with her other pieces. Black's Queen will soon
lack cover and get into trouble. Better was 11...Qe7 12.g4 Bg6
13.Nh4 Bh7 14.f4! which was White's point of defending the
h4-square. White will try to move more and more of his pieces
Kingside. A kind of "student body right" football play if you will.
In this case Black should continue 14...Ba3 in order to force the
exchange of the attacking b2-Bishop.
After the text, Garry knitted his eyebrows as if to say, "what's
this"?
12.a3!
This simple move stops Black's Queenside activity cold. It was
important to prevent a possible ...Bd6-a3 and at the same time
White keeps the tempo b3-b4 in his pocket. Although the armies
are not in a hand to hand conflict, White has made important
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