JOIN USAre chess games at the highest level flawless is a question most beginners and enthusiasts would ask and even believe to be, to a large extent. However even masters are prone to nervousness, oversight, miscalculations and many a time the clock also plays an important role in the outcome of the game.
The game which follows has inaccuracies from both sides, there is also time pressure and it is to be noted that Black does have problems with his bishops, not finding the right squares for them.
White: Anatoly Karpov (2770) – Black: Gata Kamsky (2735)
FIDE-World Championship, Elista, 1996
The King’s Indian Defence
1.d4 Nf6 2.c4 g6 3.Nc3 Bg7 4.e4 d6 5.Nf3 0–0 6.Be2 e5 7.0–0 Nc6 8.d5 Ne7 9.b4 Nh5 10.Re1 h6
If 10...a5 11.Ba3 Nf4 12.Bf1 Bg4
11.Nd2 Nf4 12.Bf1
Back to square one!
12. ..a5. Kamsky played a novelty here. If 12...f5 13.c5
13.bxa5 Rxa5. If 13...c5 14.Nb3
14.Nb3. If 14.a4 c5
14...Ra8 15.c5. Now it is White who opens up the queen-side for active play
15...f5. Now Black shifts focus to King-side with this advance
16.cxd6 cxd6 17.Nd2. A good move! The knight comes back to strengthen the centre
17...g5. 18.Rb1 g4 19.Qb3 fxe4
If 19...Rf6 20.Ba3 Kh8 21.Nb5
20.Ndxe4 Kh8. Getting out of the dangerous diagonal! If 20...h5 21.Qb6 Qxb6 22.Rxb6 Nexd5 23.Nxd5 Nxd5 24.Bc4 Be6 25.Rxd6 Bf7 26.Ng5
21.Be3. White can think of 21.Ba3 Nexd5 22.Nxd5 Nxd5 23.Bxd6
21...Nf5 22.Bb6 Qe7 23.Qb4 Rf7
If 23...Rg8 24.a4
24.a4 Bf8. Both bishops are again on starting square
25.Be3 Nh5. If 25...h5 26.Bxf4
26.Rbc1 Nf6 27.Bb6 h5 28.Nxf6 Qxf6 29.Ne4 Qg6 30.a5 Ng7 31.Bb5 31...Bf5 32.Ng3
Diagram 1
32. .. Bc8. Once again the bishops are on starting squares. If 32...h4 33.Nxf5 Nxf5 34.Bd3 g3 35.Rc4 gxf2+ 36.Bxf2 h3 37.Rh4+
33.Rc3 h4 34.Bd3 Nf5. A mistake! But then things are already difficult for Black
35.Nxf5. Black also makes a mistake, misses the stronger move 35.Rxc8 Rxc8 36.Nxf5 Rxf5 37.Qe4
35...Bxf5 36.Bxf5 Qxf5
If 36...Rxf5 37.Re4 Rg5 38.Be3
37.Rc4 Rg7 38.Qb1 Qh5 39.Qd1 h3 40.Ree4 hxg2 41.Rxg4 Rh7 42.h4 Be7 43.f3 Rg8 44.Bf2
If 44.Qc2 Rxg4 (44...Bxh4 45.Qxh7+ Kxh7 46.Rxh4) 45.Rxg4 Rg7 46.Qc8+ Kh7 47.Bf2
44...Rhg7 45.Qe2. If 45.Rxg7 Rxg7 46.Rg4 Bd8 47.Qa4
45...Bd8 46.Be1 Qf7 47.Qd3 Qh5
If 47...Rxg4 48.fxg4
48.Qe4 Qh6 49.Qf5
Karpov keeps the g2 pawn alive, as the natural shield, while activating his pieces
49...Bxa5 50.Rxg7
If 50.Bxa5 Qe3+ 51.Kxg2 Qe2+ 52.Kh3
50...Bb6+. If 50...Rxg7 51.Rc8+ Rg8 52.Rxg8+ Kxg8 53.Bxa5
51.Kxg2 Qxg7+ 52.Rg4 Qe7
If 52...Qh6 53.Rxg8+ Kxg8 54.Qc8+
53.Qh5+. An important check
53...Qh7 54.Rxg8+ Kxg8 55.Qe8+ Kg7 56.Qe7+ Kh8 57.Qxd6 Qg7+
58.Bg3 Bc7 59.Qe6 Kh7. If 59...e4 60.Qc8+
60.d6 Bd8 61.Qf5+ Kh6. If 61...Qg6 62.Qd7
62.Kh3. If 62.Qxe5 Qxe5 63.Bxe5 Bxh4 64.Kh3 Kh5
62...Qf6 63.Qxf6+ Bxf6 64.Kg4 b5 65.Kf5 Bd8
If 65...Kg7 66.Bxe5 Bxe5 67.Kxe5
66.Kxe5 Kg6 67.Kd5 b4 68.Kc4 Ba5 69.Kb3 Kf5 70.Ka4 Ke6 71.h5
If 71.Kxa5 b3 72.d7 b2 73.d8Q b1Q 74.Qb6+
1–0
Diagram 2
White to play and checkmate
1.f7+ Nxf7 2.Nf6 checkmate