Modern Classics

Kasparov-Nikolic, 1992

Kasparov-Nikolic, Olympiad, Manila 1992

 

In the presented game Garry Kasparov surprised the Bosnian Grandmaster Predrag Nikolic as early as move six. Although the continuation 6.Bd2 hasn't been played at high level so far, after the game it immediately became a new trend, establishing itself as the main move for White in this line of the Slav Defence.

Only six moves later, Nikolic faced another surprise, when Kasparov unexpectedly broke his own pawn structure in order to open the f-file and place the bishop on the long diagonal. This was a powerful concept, and White was developing a visible initiative during the next few moves. Nevertheless, it looked like Black should be able to keep things under control, had Nikolic managed to make one more defensive move. However, just one tempo in chess can often change things radically. Before Black consolidated, Kasparov started a strong attack by sacrificing a piece and Nikolic had to return his extra material soon in order to exchange queens. In the resulting endgame White kept the initiative and after the timely pawn advance on the opposite side of the board, Kasparov opened one more file to decisively enter with the rook on the seventh rank, forcing Black to resign.  

The game won the brilliancy prize of the 30th Chess Olympiad.