Law Degree
This article is from the archive of The New York Sun before the launch of its new website in 2022. The Sun has neither altered nor updated such articles but will seek to correct any errors, mis-categorizations or other problems introduced during transfer.
Back in 1995, when Gata Kamsky was only 21 years old, he achieved astonishing success, knocking down in matches Vladimir Kramnik and Viswanathan Anand – today, two of the strongest players in the world–and qualifying to fight at the highest level for the FIDE world-championship title. But in that same year, Kamksy abruptly interrupted his chess career to get an education in a field far less intellectually rigorous than chess: namely, law. After becoming the proud holder of a law degree, Kamsky returned to the chessboard and, despite his legal education, over the past three years has completely regained his stellar form. In the just-concluded World Cup in the Siberian city of Khanty-Mansiysk, Kamsky played nothing short of brilliantly. Thanks to unlucky parings, he was forced to play successive matches with all of the tournament’s favorites: Peter Svidler, Ruslan Ponomarev, Magnus Carlsen and Alexei Shirov. Kamsky mowed them all down and won the World Cup. His game against Shirov was the most exciting game of the competition.
KAMSKY VS. SHIROV
(white) (black)
Sicilian Defense
1.e4 c5 2. Nf3 Nc6 3. Nc3 e5 4. Bc4 Be7 5.d3 d6 6. Nd2 Bg5 7. Qh5!?
An unusual move in this position.
In Kasparov-Leko 2005, the more common 7. h4 was played and after 7…Bxd2+ 8. Bxd2 Nf6 9.0-0 Be6
10.f4 Bxc4 11. dxc4 h5! white had no advantage. 7… Nh6!?
7…g6 8. Qd1 would leave vulnerable the black squares on black’s kingside. 8.h3 Nd4 9.0-0! An interesting novelty, which probably should be credited to the Israeli grandmaster Emil Sutovsky, who is fluent in this line. After Sutovsky was eliminated in the first round of this event, he went to work as Kamsky’s second. Svidler-Smirin 2002 continued 9. Bb5+?! Kf8! 10. Qd1 f5 11. Bc4 g6! and black obtained an excellent game. 9… 0-0 The pawn c2 was not an attractive morsel. After 9…Nxc2 10. Nb3! Bxc1 11. Raxc1 Nd4 12.f4 and white would take the initiative. 10. Nb3 Bxc1 11. Raxc1 Ne6 12. Ne2 Qf6! 13. Nd2 More consistent was the immediate 13.c3. 13… Kh8! 14.c3 g5! 15.d4! Rg8! Black displays power. Not as strong was 15…cxd4 16. cxd4 exd4 17. Nf3 Rg8 18. Bxe6 Bxe6 19. Nfxd4 and white’s position is preferable. 16. dxe5 dxe5 17. Nf3 Rg6 18.h4?! Black has prepared an assault along the g-file. In case of the careless 18. Rcd1? Ng7! he’ll trap white’s queen. Kamsky starts complications, but after Shirov’s brilliant reaction, his position became dangerous. Preferable was 18. Nh2!? Bd7 (18…Nf4 19. Nxf4 gxf4 20. Nf3 Qg7 21. Kh1!) 19. Rcd1 Bc6 20. Bd5. 18… Qg7! 19. Bxe6 Bxe6 20. hxg5
(See Diagram)
20… f6! 21. gxf6 There is nothing better. The white queen would perish after 21. gxh6? Rxh6. Also not good was 21. Ng3 fxg5 22. Nxe5 Qxe5 23.f4 Qc7! 24.f5 Qxg3 25. fxg6 Qh4! 21… Rxg2+ 22. Kh1 Qxf6 This looks natural but it is not the best move. Correct was 22… Qg4! 23. Qxg4 Rxg4 24. Ng3 Nf7 and, after winning back the f6 pawn, black could obtain a better endgame. 23. Qxe5 White didn’t have 23. Kxg2? because of Bg4. 23… Qxe5 The beautiful variation 23… Rh2+!? 24. Kg1! Rg8+ 25. Ng3 Qxe5 26. Nxe5 Rh4 27. Rfe1 Ng4 leads to an approximately equal position. Black’s activity compensates for white’s extra pawn. 24. Nxe5 Rg5 25.f4 Rh5+ 26. Kg1 Rg8+ 27. Kf2 Rh2+ 28. Ke3 Rgg2? Now the advantage slips to white. Black had to get rid of the poorly placed h6 knight via 28…Ng4+! 29. Nxg4 Bxg4 30. Rc2 (approximate equality arises after 30. Ng1 Rxb2) 30…Rh3+ 31. Kf2 Rh2+ 32. Ke1 Bh3 33. Rf2 Rh1+ 34. Kd2 Bg2 and white does not have 35.e5? Rd8+ 36. Ke3 Rh3+ 29. Ng1! Rxb2? Black could fight for a draw after 29…Ng4+ 30. Nxg4 Bxg4 31.f5! Now the miserable knight on h6 seals black’s fate. 30.f5! Bxa2 31. Rcd1 Rbc2 Equally bad was 31…Nf7 32. Ngf3 Nxe5 33. Nxe5 Rh3+ 34. Kf4 Rh4+ 35. Kg3 Rxe4 36.f6 Rxe5 37. Rd8+ Bg8 38.f7 Rg5+ 39. Kf4. 32. Rd8+ Ng8 33. Ngf3! Rxc3+ 34. Kf4 Rh6 35. Rg1! Rf6 36. Ng5 h6 37. Ngf7+ Here black resigned because the variation 37…Bxf7 38. Nxf7+ Rxf7 39. Rgxg8+ Kh7 40. Rh8+ Kg7 41. Rdg8+ Kf6 42.e5+ Ke7 43. Re8+ Kd7 44.e6+ is too obvious to fight on. 1-0