KASPAROV, in games four and six of his Candidates final against Vasily Smyslov, was happy to defend the black side of an Orthodox Queen's Gambit Declined.
In both those games Smyslov played Nf3 on move two, ruling out an Exchange Variation with Nge2.
By the time Kasparov had black again, he was leading the match 2-0 with five draws.
Smyslov (2600) - Kasparov (2710)
Candidates Final, Game 8 (Vilnius, USSR) 1984
1.d4 d5 2.Nf3 c5!? 3.c4
This is the most-popular continuation in ChessBase's 2021 Mega database. Attempting to refute 2...c5!? with 3.dxc5!? is not very popular. The main line runs 3...e6 4.e4!? Bxc5 5.exd5 exd5 6.Bb5!? Nc6 7.0-0 Ne7 8.Nbd2!?, reaching a position in Mega21 where it is normally White to move. Black is fine.
3...e6 4.cxd5 exd5 5.g3 Nf6 6.Bg2 Be7 7.0-0 0-0 8.Nc3 Nc6 9.Bg5
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| How should Black proceed from this Tarrasch tabiya? |
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9...cxd4
This is the main move, but Stockfish12 prefers 9...c4 (Komodo11.01 disagrees), when the main line continues 10.Ne5 Be6 11.Nxc6 (the engines prefer 11.f4!?) bxc6 12.b3 Qa5!? 13.Na4 Rfd8 14.e3 with a position the engines reckon slightly favours White, but there are plenty of promising alternatives for both sides along the way.
10.Nxd4 h6 11.Be3 Re8 12.a3
Korchnoi's novelty - used by Smyslov in the drawn game-two of this match.
12...Be6 13.Kh1 Bg4!?
In game two of the match Kasparov played 13...Qd7. A club player who chose the text might be criticised for losing one (at least) tempo, but Kasparov's idea, I believe, is to inhibit f4.
14.f3
Not 14.f4? Bxa3!
White can also hit the bishop with 14.h3, when if, as in the game, 14...Bh5, White has 15.Nf5, eg 15...Bf8 16.g4!? Bg6 17.Nxd5 Bxf5 18.gxf5 Nxd5 19.Qxd5 Qf6, when the engines reckon Black does not have quite enough compensation for a pawn.
14...Bh5 15.Bg1 Qd7 16.Qa4 Bc5 17.Rad1
If 17.Nxc6 then 17...Bxg1.
17...Bb6 18.Rfe1 Bg6 19.Qb5
The natural follow-up to 14.f3 is to get in e4, but it may be too early here, eg 19.e4!? dxe4 20.Nxc6 Qxc6 21.Qxc6 bxc6 22.fxe4 can be met by 22...Ng4!, when the knight gets a fine blockading square at e5.
19...Rad8 20.e3!?
Now both white bishops are obstructed by white pawns. The engines prefer 20.Na4 Bxd4 21.Bxd4 with what they reckon is an equal position.
20...Qd6 21.Nce2?!
The engines prefer 21.Bf2 and if, as in the game, 21...Ne5, then 22.Na4, when 22...Bxd4 23.exd4 Nc4 24.Rxe8+ Rxe8 25.Bf1 is level according to Komodo11.01, although Stockfish12 prefers Black.
21...Ne5 22.Qb3!?
Smyslov had presumably intended 22.Nf4, after which the engines give 23...Bh7 24.Qb3 Ba5 25.Re2 g5!? 26.Nh3 Nc6!?, when they reckon Black has the upper hand.
22...Ba5 23.Nc3 Nd3 24.Re2 Nc5 25.Qa2 Bxc3 26.bxc3 Qa6?!
This seems to give away much of Black's advantage. The engines prefer 26...Bd3 27.Red2 Bc4.
27.Red2 Na4
It is too late to redeploy the bishop, ie 27...Bd3?? 28.Rxd3 Nxd3 29.Bf1.
28.Qb3 ½–½
Stockfish12 reckons Black is much better after 28...Nb6!? 29.Bf1 Nc4 30.Bxc4 dxc4 31.Qb2 Nd7 (intending ...Ne5), but Komodo11.01 gives Black only a slight edge.
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