chessgames.com
Members · Prefs · Laboratory · Collections · Openings · Endgames · Sacrifices · History · Search Kibitzing · Kibitzer's Café · Chessforums · Tournament Index · Players · Kibitzing
Garry Kasparov vs Tigran Petrosian
Moscow (1981), Moscow URS, rd 8, Apr-14
Queen's Indian Defense: Kasparov-Petrosian Variation. Petrosian Attack (E12)  ·  0-1

ANALYSIS [x]

FEN COPIED

Click Here to play Guess-the-Move
Given 47 times; par: 68 [what's this?]

explore this opening
find similar games 4 more Kasparov/Petrosian games
sac: 39...Qxh6 PGN: download | view | print Help: general | java-troubleshooting

TIP: To access more information about the players (more games, favorite openings, statistics, sometimes a biography and photograph), click their highlighted names at the top of this page.

PGN Viewer:  What is this?
For help with this chess viewer, please see the Olga Chess Viewer Quickstart Guide.
PREMIUM MEMBERS CAN REQUEST COMPUTER ANALYSIS [more info]

A COMPUTER ANNOTATED SCORE OF THIS GAME IS AVAILABLE.  [CLICK HERE]

Kibitzer's Corner
< Earlier Kibitzing  · PAGE 2 OF 2 ·  Later Kibitzing>
Feb-24-03
Premium Chessgames Member
  lostemperor: Ughaibu I can imagine Kasparov admire Petrosian. Above variations have a forcing nature by the way and that can go on for a few moves more.
Mar-22-03  skakmiv: Why not 36.Qxe7 Kxe7 37.Rxa4?
Mar-22-03
Premium Chessgames Member
  lostemperor: You mean < 37.Qxe7 >. Thats a good question. < 37.Qxe7 Kxe7 38. Rxa4 Rd6 > is not promising for white. At move 40 Kasparov missed the simple <40...Qc1+> because the board was too big.
Aug-15-03  tud: What about 35f6 Be8 and black changes the direction ?
Aug-15-03  kevin86: Even the greatest can look like a patzer. This is a prime example.
Aug-16-03  tud: Ok, after 35 ... Be8 36 f7 wins, I guess
Nov-16-04  Hidden Skillz: i was also thinkin about 36.Qxe7 Kxe7 etc..but that leaves black with a passed pawn..and white with a weak pawn on h6..and soon black rooks willc ome in play..dont really see anythin else..am i missin sumthin??
Aug-14-07  James Demery: I don`t see much similarity to Botvinnik or Fischer in Kasparov`s play ughaibu. Then again my rating is about 1500 pts below Kasparov at his peak. Since you posted this over 4 years ago I wouldn`t blame you if you didn`t respond until 2011.
Dec-06-07  InspiredByMorphy: Only Petrosian would play a move like 17. ...e5 against Kasparov and pull it off. Petrosian's defensive play is amazing. Hes defensive most the game and then attacks!
Dec-06-07  RookFile: Another interesting feature of this game is that Kasparov was really playing Petrosian's own system against him. In the 80's, Kasparov would become the great expert of this system with white.
Dec-06-07  micartouse: 17 ... e5 is one of those weird dangling pawn moves where a pawn attacks another pawn that isn't blocked. This allows 3 options: to support the pawn, exchange it, or push past it. All these options, but it's somehow unnerving. Petrosian would do this kind of stuff and get his favorite closed up positions.
May-08-08  acirce: <Only Petrosian would play a move like 17. ...e5 against Kasparov and pull it off.> <17 ... e5 is one of those weird dangling pawn moves where a pawn attacks another pawn that isn't blocked. This allows 3 options: to support the pawn, exchange it, or push past it. All these options, but it's somehow unnerving.>

Kasparov spent 58 minutes on his reply, btw.

May-29-09  James Demery: Interesting they were playing the Kasparov - Petrosian variation , but the Petrosian attack won in the end.
May-29-09
Premium Chessgames Member
  JointheArmy: <James Demery> I'm assuming it wasn't called the Kasparov-Petrosian variation before this game was played.
Nov-25-09  muwatalli: wow after a search of kasparov vs petrosian i find that petrosian and kasparov were tied 2-2 with 1 draw, but kasparov had white every game!
Dec-06-10  Maatalkko: The other Petrosian win is more spectacular, but this performance is way more dominant. Petrosian had this on lockdown. He was completely ready to prove that Bxg5 was nothing. I also really like how Petrosian's pawn chains coordinate perfectly with his bishops.
Dec-07-10  percyblakeney: <this performance is way more dominant. Petrosian had this on lockdown. He was completely ready to prove that Bxg5 was nothing>

Maybe that is annotating by result a bit, after all Kasparov was winning after 35. f6. Mistakes happen in time trouble but hardly a dominant performance by Petrosian...

Dec-13-10  Maatalkko: Ah, whoops, should have read the top post. I wasn't impressed by Bxg5 and I just assumed that Kasparov played the most challenging follow up.
Mar-11-12  Everett:    <lostemperor: As Kasparov said 35f6! wins. Showtime 35..Qf7 36.Qxe5 Re8 (36...Qg6 37.Rxb6! Qxh6 Qe7+!!) 37.Qg5 Qg6 38Rf5! to show some variations>

Has anyone with a strong program tested out 35.f6? I sense that there are better moves than the ones suggested after <35..Qf7 36.Qxe5> namely <36..Be8> or <36..Ra7>, both of which make sense by bringing defenders to the vulnerable king.

Even the main-line given above does not seem like a clear win. Hope the answer is not so obvious....

Mar-11-12  Capabal: 33.Bxg5 is a a great idea to win a pawn because clearly the bishop cannot be captured, but it looks like Kasparov didn't know why this was so when he played it, so after all it was a bluff, and Petrosian got away with calling the bluff and taking the bishop. Neither of them saw 35.f6. Once Petrosian just took the bishop, Kasparov must have felt embarrased or angry, which may explain his bad play in the next few moves. Because after missing the win 35.f6, he could have still kept things okay or even slightly better for white with 36.Qh8+. Things got downhill from there. By the time he played that horrific 40.Rxa4 his head must have been a mess.
Mar-30-19  teorems: Kasparov at last blundered the rook under the hypnotic effect of Petrosian immobility.
Mar-22-23  andrea volponi: 33...Kf7!! ( =)-Bc1 Rg8- Qh3 Bd7!(=).
Oct-07-23  priyankapradeep: Under 10 minutes video analysis.
Click Now:https://www.youtube.com/watch?v=pGR...
Jan-26-25  andrea volponi: 35 f6!! Qf7 - Qxe5 Re8 - Qg5 Qg6 - Rf5! Bd7 - Qxg6 hxg6 - Rg5 Kf7 - e5 Bf5 -Bxf5 Rxf5 - Bxg6 + Kxf6+- .
Jan-26-25  andrea volponi: 32 fxe5! fxe5 - Bg5 Rf8 - Bf6 Rae8 - Rbf2 Bd7 - Bg7! +-.
search thread:   
< Earlier Kibitzing  · PAGE 2 OF 2 ·  Later Kibitzing>

NOTE: Create an account today to post replies and access other powerful features which are available only to registered users. Becoming a member is free, anonymous, and takes less than 1 minute! If you already have a username, then simply login login under your username now to join the discussion.

Please observe our posting guidelines:

  1. No obscene, racist, sexist, or profane language.
  2. No spamming, advertising, duplicate, or gibberish posts.
  3. No vitriolic or systematic personal attacks against other members.
  4. Nothing in violation of United States law.
  5. No cyberstalking or malicious posting of negative or private information (doxing/doxxing) of members.
  6. No trolling.
  7. The use of "sock puppet" accounts to circumvent disciplinary action taken by moderators, create a false impression of consensus or support, or stage conversations, is prohibited.
  8. Do not degrade Chessgames or any of it's staff/volunteers.

Please try to maintain a semblance of civility at all times.

Blow the Whistle

See something that violates our rules? Blow the whistle and inform a moderator.


NOTE: Please keep all discussion on-topic. This forum is for this specific game only. To discuss chess or this site in general, visit the Kibitzer's Café.

Messages posted by Chessgames members do not necessarily represent the views of Chessgames.com, its employees, or sponsors.
All moderator actions taken are ultimately at the sole discretion of the administration.

This game is type: CLASSICAL. Please report incorrect or missing information by submitting a correction slip to help us improve the quality of our content.

<This page contains Editor Notes. Click here to read them.>

Home | About | Login | Logout | F.A.Q. | Profile | Preferences | Premium Membership | Kibitzer's Café | Biographer's Bistro | New Kibitzing | Chessforums | Tournament Index | Player Directory | Notable Games | World Chess Championships | Opening Explorer | Guess the Move | Game Collections | ChessBookie Game | Chessgames Challenge | Store | Privacy Notice | Contact Us

Copyright 2001-2025, Chessgames Services LLC