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Garry Kasparov vs David Letterman
? 1990  ·  Scandinavian Defense: Mieses-Kotroc Variation (B01)  ·  1-0


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Kibitzer's Corner
< Earlier Kibitzing  · PAGE 3 OF 3 ·  Later Kibitzing >
Nov-24-05   dzanone: A guy just used this against me in an email game over at letsplaychess.com. This is the third time I can remember my opponents trying the Letterman Defense. I won the other two. Will have to wait and see on this one.
Nov-24-05   bishopawn: Gee, Sting played better against Kasparov than did Letterman.
Dec-29-05   elahevad: I remember this game. It was actually played correspondence, Kasparov calling in his moves each night on the show.Then Letterman would say things like "Ok, so now I'll move my horse in front of the lady" or some such, and Kasparov would say "no David. That is very bad." Wouldn't give him moves but made the game go past 10 moves. Took a bit over a month to play, and K came and did the show after
Jan-22-06   numcrun: Thx for the top ten list, LOL
Aug-22-06   Sularus: Kaspy should have given queen odds. or rook odds for that matter.

i mean, he was fighting a clown!

Aug-22-06
Premium Chessgames Member
  positionalgenius: David wasn't laughing after this one! :)
Mar-19-07   Helios727: Is there a reason why white plays 8. d5 before 9. Nb5 ? It seems like white could play Nb5 on move 8.
Mar-19-07   Helios727: <RookFile>: I don't think a computer could squeeze out a draw for black after Qxg2. The weakness at c7 is already too great at that point.
Mar-19-07   MrPatzer: Just out of curiosity, I looked through the database and found that Kasparov has never lost to the Scandinavian. In fact, the majority of world champs never lost to the Scandinavian at ANY point in their careers. And only once did a world champ lose to the Scandinavian DURING his reign (excluding simuls; Lasker lost a few of those):

Karpov vs Larsen, 1979

Mar-20-07   Helios727: <MrPatzer>: I think the Scandinavian is somewhere in the grey area between sound and unsound. That's why you will still see GMs use it, but the results are not so good.
Mar-20-07   OJC: I think you're right Helios727.

However, I find the Scandinavian playable with 2. ...Nf6 instead of the more popular ...Qxd5 which I dislike completely.

Jul-27-07   Eggman: <<Letterman was goofing around, didn't pretend he could play. Actually he started out with 1...h5 and K made him take it back. After 1...d5 K said, "Well, that's BETTER." (but not good).>>

My memory is that Letterman originally played 1...a5 (not 1...h5), saying "how about this?" Kasparov said "terrible." Letterman then played 1...d5 and Kasparov said "much better."

Aug-25-08
Premium Chessgames Member
  ToTheDeath: Kasparov,G-Letterman,D
Telephone Match, 1989
1. e4 d5

After Kasparov's very first move 1.e4, Dave said: "Oh no! I'm screwed!!" There was one move per show, or thereabouts. GK reportedly just played the game from memory (no board). Dave was going to open with a RP move, but Kasparov advised against it.

2. exd5 Qxd5
3. Nc3 Qe6+

Dave: "Three moves, and I've already got him in check!"

4. Be2 Nc6
5. d4 Qg6

Kasparov: "You move your queen too much...I know, it's your favorite piece."

6. Nf3 Qxg2

Dave: "I'm up two to one..." Kasparov: "You'll pay a high price for your two pawns."

7. Rg1 ...

Kasparov: "Get away with your queen from my camp!"

... Qh3
8. d5 Na5
Kasparov: "I feel the smell of victory!"

Dave: "I have the same aroma here..."

9. Nb5 Qd7
10. Bf4 Nf6

Dave: "I was bored of the second knight."

11. Nxc7+ Kd8
12. Ne5 Qxc7

Kasparov: "I could take your rook, but I prefer your queen." Dave: "I'm gonna take one of your horses. It's 3 to 2 now, isn't it?"

13. Nxf7+ Ke8
14. Bxc7 Kxf7

Kasparov: "A normal man would cry when he loses his queen." Dave: "There just isn't enough televised chess."

15. Bxa5 Bf5
16. Qd4 Bxc2
17. Rc1 Be4

Kasparov: "I think the next week of moves is the last one." Dave: "Ho, ho, ho! We'll just see about that, won't we?"

18. Rc7 Rd8

Kasparov: "I'm invading your camp now..."
Dave: "I think I've got one of your pawns in check."

19. d6 b6
20. Bc3 Bd5
21. Qe5 Be6
22. Qxf6+ gxf6
23. Bh5++ 1-0

Kasparov: "You're in good company. All of the grandmasters have been checkmated by me."

Aug-25-08   Bobsterman3000: 1...d5 was the losing move. It was impossible to recover after that howler ??.
Nov-20-08   shintaro go: Didn't know this game ever existed. Haha Letterman, this is the best joke you've ever made.
Dec-02-08   imsobamboozled: how do I search for more games celebrity vs master games?
Dec-02-08   Jim Bartle: Unless somebody has a collection of these games, you have to guess celebrity names. Try Sting, Becker, Einstein and Ray Charles.
Dec-02-08   apple pi: <imsobamboozled> try this: Game Collection: Celebrities games
Mar-11-09   Dredge Rivers: I'll bet Leno could have taken him! :)
Mar-15-09   WhiteRook48: this is so hilarious
Mar-15-09
Premium Chessgames Member
  Marmot PFL: When Morphy played beginners he would at least give knight or rook odds or play blindfolded.
Apr-04-09
Premium Chessgames Member
  Richard Taylor: Letterman is a very funny man - I enjoy his show it sometimes plays at night here in NZ - probably replays. Very droll -
Apr-04-09
Premium Chessgames Member
  Richard Taylor: The Letterman Defense!!
Aug-16-09   Tim G: I vaguely remember this game. Letterman would call Kasparov via telephone to get his move. It may have been at a less-than-ideal time for Kasparov's time zone and, if I remember correctly, Letterman had all day to make his move while Kasparov made his immediately afterward. Is that correct?
Feb-06-10   edbermac: Letterman was probably cheating with a computer. I play Big Bang Chess that came with my MAC and it plays 3...Qe6+ 80% of the time. In fact it plays 1...d5 80% of the time! The other 20% is 1...Nc6.
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