Now we will focus on Kasparov’s preference and aggressive 6th move: Bc4!
1.e4 e5
2.Nf3 Nc6
3.Bb5 Nd4
4.Nxd4 exd4
5.0–0 c6
6.Bc4
Kasparov’s choice!! I will concentrate my analysis on 2 moves: A. 6..Nf6 and B.6..d5, as 6..d6 is somewhat passive, allowing White to create a strong center after 7 c3!
- A. 6…Nf6
7.Re1!
[7.e5 d5! a typical reaction]
[7.Qe2 trying to play on the e-file
7...d6
8.e5 dxe5
9.Qxe5+ Be7
10.Re1 b5! a nice maneuver by Kholmov to remember!
11.Bb3 a5
12.a4 Ra7!
13.axb5 0–0
Do you like the bishop on c1 or the knight on b1?, not to mention that some elementary tactics have popped up, like Bd6, followed by Bxh2+, and Ng4
14.b6 Qxb6
15.d3 Bb4 with excellent game for Black. See game Geller!!! - Kholmov bellow.]
7…d6
8.c3 Qb6
[8...Ng4
9.h3 Ne5
10.d3 Nxc4
11.dxc4 dxc3
12.Nxc3 Be7
13.Bf4 0–0
14.Qd3 Be6
15.Rad1
White has already centralized his rooks, putting pressure on d6-pawn, which give him the advantage, although as many Philodor and old-indian players know, Black's position contains a lot of hidden resources (pressure on c4 and b2), not to mention his possession of the 2 bishops]
[8...Be7!? is very interesting, played by not less than Spassky!! Black sacrifices a pawn in order to damage White pawn 'structure.
9.cxd4 d5
10.exd5 Nxd5
(10...cxd5 11.Bb5+ Bd7 12.Bxd7+ Qxd7 13.Nc3 0–0 14.d3 though complicated, still gives White some advantage)
11.Nc3 0–0
12.d3
(12.Nxd5 cxd5 13.Bxd5 Qxd5 14.Rxe7 Bh3! with excellent compensation -The a1–rook and c1–bishop are crying to get out to freedom)
12...Be6
13.Qb3 Qd7
14.Bxd5 cxd5
15.Bf4 and White succeeded in liberating his bishop, obtaining a certain advantage (a pawn is a pawn. the d3 one is controlling the c4 and e4 squares, and the e-file is waiting White to double his rooks)]
9.Qb3
[9.d3 is weaker: 9...Be7
10.cxd4 Qxd4
11.Nc3 Ng4!
12.Qf3 Ne5
13.Qg3 Nxc4
14.dxc4 Be6
15.b3 Bf6
16.Bb2 Be5
17.Na4 Qxb2
18.Nxb2 with a draw in Gipslis-Tolush 1962.]
9…Qxb3
10.Bxb3 dxc3
11.bxc3 Be7
12.d4 and White is better due to his ideal center.
- B. 6…d5
7.exd5 cxd5
8.Bb5+ Bd7
9.Re1+ Ne7
[9...Be7? 10.Qg4!]
10.c4
White is trying to develop an initiative, profiting from his better development.
[10.Bxd7+ Qxd7
11.Qh5!? 0–0–0!
12.Qxf7 Nc6
13.Qxd7+ Kxd7
14.d3 Nb4 15.Na3 Rc8
the pressure on the c-file gives Black enough play to equalize his chances]
[10.a4 a6
11.Bxd7+ Qxd7
12.d3 0–0–0
13.b4 Nf5
14.b5 a5
15.Bd2 b6
16.c3 Bc5
17.cxd4 Nxd4
is equal. That was played by Kasparov in his second game of his match against Khalifman in Moscow 2002. Later Kasparov improved his play (!!) by the main 10 c4.]
10…a6
[10...Bxb5 11.cxb5
Qb6 12.Na3
doesn't solve Black's problems, nor does the following en-passant move]
[ 10...dxc3
11.Bxd7+ Qxd7
12.dxc3 an isolated d5 pawn is added to Black's bad development]
[ 10...dxc4
11.Bxc4
doesn't solve Black's development, especially the bishop is eying to the juicy f7 pawn.]
[ 10...Rc8
11.d3 Bxb5
12.cxb5 Qd7
13.Na3 f6
14.Nc2 Qxb5
15.Nxd4
doesn't give Black time to get some rest]
[10...Qc7
trying to castle long as soon as possible
11.Na3 0–0–0
12.d3 Ng6
13.Bd2
followed by Rc1 at the appropriate moment, doesn't solve Black problems either.]
11.Bxd7+ Qxd7
12.d3 dxc4
[12...g6?!
13.Bg5±]
[12...0–0–0?!
13.Nd2 Kb8
14.b4
How to stop b5? no way!
14...dxc4
15.dxc4 Nc6
16.b5!
with a crushing attack , as approved by Kasparov against Khalifman in their 4th match game in Moscow 2002]
[12...f6 trying to castle artificially
13.Qh5+ g6
14.Qh4 with a pressure 14...Kf7
15.Qxd4 Re8
(15...Nc6 is a possible try, trying to engineer some traps: 16.Qb6! (16.Qxd5+? Qxd5 17.cxd5 Nd4 winning the exchange!!; 16.Qh4 Re8 17.Bd2 Rxe1+ 18.Bxe1 dxc4 is at least equal for Black!) 16...dxc4 17.dxc4 Ne5 White still has the advantage)
16.Bd2
an extra pawn and positional advantage are enough reasons to convince Black to drop this variation.]
[ 12...Rc8
13.Na3 f6
14.cxd5 Qxd5
15.Nc4 with a fork threat on b6 is enough proof of White's advantage.]
13.dxc4 0–0–0
14.b4 d3
15.Bb2 Ng6!
[15...d2? 16.Re2 White has the advantage as Black is going to waste a lot of times to activate and develop his pieces, though the d2-pawn will cause some headache for the first player. But instead of his hasty 15th move, Black can play more solidly:]
16.Nc3 Nf4
[16...Bxb4 17.Nd5 gives a strong initiative for White]
17.Qf3 Bd6
18.Nd5
[18.Rad1 h5 planning Qg4, with complicated play]
18…Nxd5
19.cxd5 Bxb4
20.Be5
and though it is Black now who has a extra pawn, his king’s protection is somewhat weakened, but the d3 pawn will, for sure, put in White a lot of pressure on his nervous system.
7.exd5 cxd5
8.Bb5+ Bd7
9.Re1+ Ne7
[9...Be7? 10.Qg4!]
10.c4
White is trying to develop an initiative, profiting from his better development.
[10.Bxd7+ Qxd7
11.Qh5!? 0–0–0!
12.Qxf7 Nc6
13.Qxd7+ Kxd7
14.d3 Nb4 15.Na3 Rc8
the pressure on the c-file gives Black enough play to equalize his chances]
[10.a4 a6
11.Bxd7+ Qxd7
12.d3 0–0–0
13.b4 Nf5
14.b5 a5
15.Bd2 b6
16.c3 Bc5
17.cxd4 Nxd4
is equal. That was played by Kasparov in his second game of his match against Khalifman in Moscow 2002. Later Kasparov improved his play (!!) by the main 10 c4.]
10…a6
[10...Bxb5 11.cxb5
Qb6 12.Na3
doesn't solve Black's problems, nor does the following en-passant move]
[ 10...dxc3
11.Bxd7+ Qxd7
12.dxc3 an isolated d5 pawn is added to Black's bad development]
[ 10...dxc4
11.Bxc4
doesn't solve Black's development, especially the bishop is eying to the juicy f7 pawn.]
[ 10...Rc8
11.d3 Bxb5
12.cxb5 Qd7
13.Na3 f6
14.Nc2 Qxb5
15.Nxd4
doesn't give Black time to get some rest]
[10...Qc7
trying to castle long as soon as possible
11.Na3 0–0–0
12.d3 Ng6
13.Bd2
followed by Rc1 at the appropriate moment, doesn't solve Black problems either.]
11.Bxd7+ Qxd7
12.d3 dxc4
[12...g6?!
13.Bg5±]
[12...0–0–0?!
13.Nd2 Kb8
14.b4
How to stop b5? no way!
14...dxc4
15.dxc4 Nc6
16.b5!
with a crushing attack , as approved by Kasparov against Khalifman in their 4th match game in Moscow 2002]
[12...f6 trying to castle artificially
13.Qh5+ g6
14.Qh4 with a pressure 14...Kf7
15.Qxd4 Re8
(15...Nc6 is a possible try, trying to engineer some traps: 16.Qb6! (16.Qxd5+? Qxd5 17.cxd5 Nd4 winning the exchange!!; 16.Qh4 Re8 17.Bd2 Rxe1+ 18.Bxe1 dxc4 is at least equal for Black!) 16...dxc4 17.dxc4 Ne5 White still has the advantage)
16.Bd2
an extra pawn and positional advantage are enough reasons to convince Black to drop this variation.]
[ 12...Rc8
13.Na3 f6
14.cxd5 Qxd5
15.Nc4 with a fork threat on b6 is enough proof of White's advantage.]
13.dxc4 0–0–0
14.b4 d3
15.Bb2 Ng6!
[15...d2? 16.Re2 White has the advantage as Black is going to waste a lot of times to activate and develop his pieces, though the d2-pawn will cause some headache for the first player. But instead of his hasty 15th move, Black can play more solidly:]
16.Nc3 Nf4
[16...Bxb4 17.Nd5 gives a strong initiative for White]
17.Qf3 Bd6
18.Nd5
[18.Rad1 h5 planning Qg4, with complicated play]
18…Nxd5
19.cxd5 Bxb4
20.Be5
and though it is Black now who has a extra pawn, his king’s protection is somewhat weakened, but the d3 pawn will, for sure, put in White a lot of pressure on his nervous system.
Ratmir Kholmov
Geller,Efim P – Kholmov,Ratmir URS-ch17 Moscow (19), 19.11.1949
1.e4 e5 2.Nf3 Nc6 3.Bb5 Nd4 4.Nxd4 exd4 5.0–0 c6 6.Bc4 Nf6 7.Qe2 d6 8.e5 dxe5 9.Qxe5+ Be7 10.Re1 b5 11.Bb3 a5 12.a4 Ra7 13.axb5 0–0 14.b6 Qxb6 15.d3 Bb4 16.Rf1 Qd8 17.Bg5 Re8 18.Qg3 Be6 19.Bxe6 Rxe6 20.Nd2 h6 21.Bxf6 Rxf6 22.Ne4 Re6 23.Qh3 Qd5 24.c3 dxc3 25.bxc3 Be7 26.f4 f5 27.c4 Qd4+ 28.Kh1 g6 29.Rab1 h5 30.Rb8+ Kf7 31.Qg3 fxe4 32.f5 Rf6 33.Rh8 Qxd3 34.fxg6+ Kg7 35.Rh7+ Kg8 36.Qxd3 exd3 37.Rxf6 Bxf6 38.Rxa7 Bd4 39.Rf7 d2 40.Rf1 Bb2 41.Kg1 a4 42.Kf2 a3 43.Ke2 a2 0–1