Huczek - A to z chess tactics: Every chess move explained

The following remarkable game features a variety of spectacular attacking motifs. It was won by former world champion Garry Kasparov and illustrates how tactics can arise in a chess game and how they can be exploited. It was played at the Wijk aan Zee tournament in 1999. Kasparov had the white pieces against Topalov, who adopted the Pirc Defence. 1 e4 d6 2 d4 f6 3 c3 g6 4 e3 g7 5 d2 c6 6 f3 b5 7 ge2 bd7 Both sides are already staking out their strategic plans. Black intends to operate on the queenside.

Whites actions are aimed at the centre and on the kingside. 8 h6 Blacks king is ready to castle but this would not be advisable now as White would advance the g- and h-pawn can opener and storm the kingside. 8...xh6 9 xh6 b7 So Black adjusts the strategy, preparing to secure the king on the queenside instead. 10 a3 This is a restraining move. In chess such an action is known as prophylaxis. 10...e5 Before castling queenside Black decides to reduce the central tension. 11 0-0-0 e7 12 b1 This is a prudent move, often used in queenside castling to secure Whites king. 11 0-0-0 e7 12 b1 This is a prudent move, often used in queenside castling to secure Whites king.

It is another prophylactic move intended to reduce Blacks chances on the c-file and along the c1-h6 diagonal. The king vacates c1 and arrives at b1, a safer square. 12...a6 13 c1 0-0-0 14 b3 White has repositioned the knight from e2 to b3 where it supports d4 and can later consider moving to a5. 14...exd4 Black releases the central tension. With Black castled on the queens flank Whites queen is temporarily misplaced, while the remaining bishop on f1 is still undeveloped. 15 xd4 c5 16 d1 b6 17 g3 This move allows White to develop the bishop to h3, where it will be actively placed. 17...b8 In the same fashion as Whites prophylactic twelfth move, Black moves the king to a safer square prior to playing an eventual d6-d5. 18 a5 a8 Black wants to retain this bishop, keeping it on the a8-h1 diagonal to support an eventual central break by d6-d5. 18 a5 a8 Black wants to retain this bishop, keeping it on the a8-h1 diagonal to support an eventual central break by d6-d5.

The loss of this bishop would strengthen Whites grip on the contested d5 square. 19 h3 d5 Black has finally achieved the desired advance of the d-pawn. However here White can use this opportunity to bring the queen back into play with tempo, as Blacks king is clearly less secure now and will soon come under attack. 20 f4+ a7 21 he1 d4?! Now the tactical fireworks begin in earnest. Blacks king is not secure. This provides the justification for Whites use of aggressive tactics.

After 21...dxe4 22 fxe4 White would contest the d5 square and the white pieces would take up more active positions. 22 d5! bxd5 If 22...xd5? 23 exd5 d6 then 24 e7+ a8 25 c6+-. Or 22...fxd5? 23 exd5 and Black is overloaded, enabling White to obtain a winning position after 23...d6 24 xf7+ b8 25 e6 c7 26 e7. 23 exd5 d624 xd4! This speculative rook sacrifice blasts the centre wide open. Blacks king will now be subjected to a strong attack. 24...cxd4 As tempting as this was, the rook should not have been taken.

Black cannot recover after this so 24...b6 or 24...xd5 were better choices for Black. 25 e7+ 25 xd4+? would have been a mistake. Black would have come out ahead after 25...b6 26 e7+ d7. White has now infiltrated with the rook and Black cannot capture it since 25...xe7? loses quickly to 26 xd4+ b8 27 b6+ b7 28 c6+ a8 29 a7#. 25...b626 xd4+! White is prepared to sacrifice the knight in order to draw Blacks king further up the board. 26...xa5 26...c5 does not hold. 26...xa5 26...c5 does not hold.

After 27 xf6+ d6 White has the beautiful 28 e6. The point is that if Black now continues 28...xd5 then after 29 b4 a8 or 29...c6 White has 30 xf7 with mating possibilities developing along the seventh rank. 27 b4+ a4 28 c3 Computers are quick to point out that White also had the elegant winning move 28 a7!. 28...xd5 Black captures an important central pawn and guards against b3#. Whites rook is still taboo: 28...xe7? 29 b3#. 29...b7 30 xb7 The rook remains immune from capture. 29...b7 30 xb7 The rook remains immune from capture.

Blacks b7 gives up the bishop but allows a rook to reach a8 to defend against the mate threat. 29...d6? would have enabled White to play 30 b2+-, with the threat of 31 b3+ xb3 32 cxb3#. On the other hand 30 c7? would have allowed a swindle, giving Black a draw by perpetual check. 30...d1+ 31 b2 d4+. 30...c4 Simplification by a trade of queens would help Black to relieve the pressure. White resists the offer in favour of snatching the loose knight on f6.

Here computers prefer 30...he8 for Black. 31 xf631...xa3 Blacks best chance would have been to continue 31...d1+ after which White would be able to reach a difficult but technically advantageous endgame. Then 32 b2 a8 33 b6 threatens mate, so Black would need to simplify with 33...d4+ 34 xd4 xd4 35 xf7 d6 36 d7! f6. Black dare not take the rook by 36...xd7? because of the clincher 37 e6! when the bishop mates on b3.

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