Psakhis-Kasparov 1981

Move

Psakhis, L. (2535) - Kasparov, G. (2630) [E55]
USSR Ch, Frunze (2) 1981 
[Psakhis and Baburin]

1. d4 e6 2. c4 Nf6 3. Nc3 Bb4 4. e3 c5 5. Nf3 O-O 6. Bd3 d5 7. O-O dxc4 8. Bxc4 Nbd7 9. Qe2 a6 10. a3 Ba5 11. Ba2?!
   Better was 11 Bd3.
cxd4 12. exd4 Bxc3! 13. bxc3 b5
   Now Black is equal.
14. a4 Bb7 15. Bd2 Ne4 16. Rfc1 Nd6?!
    Better would be 16...Nxd2 17 Nxd2, with approximate equality.
17. Bf4 Nf6 18. Nd2!
   After 18 Bxd6 Qxd6 19 axb5 axb5 20 Qxb5 Bxf3 21 gxf3 Qf4! Black would have great compensation for a pawn.
Nf5?!
   After 18...Nd5 19 Bxd5 Bxd5 20 Bxd6 Qxd6 21 axb5 axb5 22 Qxb5 Qf4 23 Nf1 Black would not have enough for a pawn. But maybe he had to try 18...bxa4!?.
19. axb5 Nd5! 20. Bg3 axb5 21. Qxb5 Nxc3!? 22. Rxc3 Nxd4 23. Qd3 Ra4!?
   Interesting try. Kasparov recommended 23...Nb5, but this runs into 24 Qxb5 Qxd2 25 Rcc1 Bxg2 26 Bxe6!. White is also much better after 23...Rxa2!? 24 Rxa2 Qd5 25 f3 Nxf3+ 26 Qxf3 Qxa2 27 Qxb7 Qxd2 28 Rf3. So, White is objectively close to winning after 22...Nxd4, but over the board he had to solve serious problems.
24. Nc4!
    This is much better than 24 Bb1? Nf3+! 25 Nxf3 Qxd3 26 Bxd3 Rxa1+ 27 Bf1 Ba6 and Black gets the upper hand.
Qd5 25. f3 Rfa8 26. Rd1! Rd8!? 27. Bb1!
   In mutual time-trouble both playsrs find the best move.
Nxf3+ 28. gxf3 Qc5+ 29. Ne3!
   Now White is winning.
Qxe3+ 30. Qxe3 Rxd1+ 31. Kg2 Rxb1 32. Rb3! Rb4 33. Rxb4 Rxb4 34. Qd2! Bxf3+ 35. Kxf3 Rb3+ 36. Kg2 h6 37. Qc2 Rb5 38. Kf3 Rf5+ 39. Kg2 h5 40. h4 g5 41. hxg5 Rxg5 42. Kh3 Rf5 43. Qc8+ Kh7 44. Qd7 Kg6
   This is a game between co-winners of the USSR Championship of 1981. Both players scored 12.5 out of 17 - 2.5 points more than the player who finished third. That was an incredible run! Psakhis had better tiebreak, but both players got gold medals (A. Baburin).
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