Memorable Meetings
G. Kasparov – A. Lutikov
The story had a follow up three years later, in 1978. I found out that the most advanced Belarussian tournament of the year included a master ' s candidate, Garry Kasparov. By the recommendation of Botvinnik, The USSR Chess Federation allowed the young Bakinian to participate in the tournament as a master. Usually, the tournaments would include great masters and the two strongest Belarussian candidates masters. The rules stated that only with such participants could one complete the master ' s of USSR, which was considered to be a great accomplishment. The traditional Memorial of A. P. Sokolsky was one of the only tournaments of the time, where the masters could be completed, and a descent prize won, so many chess players strived to get in.
We met as good friends and invited Garry and his mom. Before A. Shakharov, his coach, arrived, Garry regularly called me and inquired about the openings of his opponents. The start was astonishing. The barely known candidate from Baku was winning against some of the best chess players of Belarus. The critical moment came at the end. Garry’ s only competition for first place was the Belarussian lead, Victor Kupreichik. Their game ended in a tie. Victor quickly won against A. Lyuboshits, and closely watched Kasparov’ s game with A. Lutikov. He was Garry’ s first one-on-one with a grandmaster. The brilliant win in this game gave Garry. 5 point gain against Victor Kupreichik and a score 3.5 points over the master’ s criteria. As Kasparov later admitted, that the tournament was a turning point in his life; thereafter, he decided to devote his life to chess. ….
1. d4 Nf6 2. Nf3 d6 3. Nc3 Bg4 4. e4 Nbd7( 4 … e6; … c6) 5. e5 Ng8( 5 … dxe5 6. dxe5 Bxf3 7. Qxf3 Nxe5 8. Qxb7) 6. h3 Bxf3( 6 … Bh5 7. g4 Bg6 8. h4 intending e6) 7. Qxf3 c6 8. Bf4( 8. exd6! exd6 9. d5 c5 10. Bf4)… d5( 8 … e6 9. exd6 Ndf6! 10.0-0-0 Bxd6 11. Be5!) 9. e6 fxe6 10. Bd3 Ngf6 11. Qe2 g6(… Qb6 12.0-0-0 0-0-0 13. Qxe6 Qxd4 14. Qxc6 + bxc6 15. Ba6 mate) 12. Qxe6 Bg7 13.0-0 Nh5 14. Bg5?! Ndf8( After 14 … Bxd4!? I planned 15. Nxd5 cxd5 16. Bb5 Nf6 17. Rad1 Qb6 18. Bxd7 +, but at home saw 16 … a6 intending … Nc5) 15. Qg4 Nf6
16. Qe2 Qd6 17. Rae1( intending f4, f5) 17 … e6( If 17 … Kf7 18. Bh4! Ne6 19. Bg3, e. g. 19 … Nxd4 20. Qe3 Qb4 21. a3 or 19 … Qd7 20. Be5 followed by f4, f5) 18. Na4 Kf7 19. b4 b6( 19 … Qxb4? 20. Nc5) 20. Qd2 Re8 21. Bf4 Qe7( 21 … Qd7 22. c4 dxc4 23. Cxc4) 22. b5 Qa3(… c5 23. dxc5 bxc5 24. c4) 23. Nc3 c5 24. Nb1! Qa4( 24 … Qb4 25. Qxb4 cxb4 26. Bd6; 24 … Qxa2?? 25. Nc3) 25. dxc5 bxc5 26. c4 N8d7( 26 … dxc4 27. Nc3 or 26 … d4 to exploit the position of Black’ s queen) 27. Nc3 Qa5 28. Qc2 Qd8( If 28 … e5 29. Bd2! d4 30. Ne4 Qb6 31. Ng5 +) 29. Bg5 Nb6 30. a4 dxc4( 30 … Qc7 31. cxd5 exd5 32. a5 Nbd7 33. Nxd5 Nxd5 34. Bc4) 31. Be4 Re7 32. a5( 32. Bc6 intending Rd1) 32 … Nbd7 33. Bc6 Nb8 34. Rd1 Qxa5 35. Ne4 Rf8! 36. Bf4 Nxc6 37. bxc6 Ne8?!( 37 … Nxe4 38. Qxe4 Bd4) Diagram.
15-year old G. Kasparov, in the heat of the battle.
38. Rd7! Rxd7 39. cxd7 Nf6 40. Nd6 + Ke7 41. Nxc4( or 41. Nb7!?) 41 … Qa6 42. Bd6 + Kxd7 43. Bxf8 Bxf8 44. Qd3 + Ke7( 44 … Kc7 45. Re1) 45. Rd1 Nd5 46. Qe4 Kf7( 46 … Nc3? 47. Qh4 +) 47. Ne5 + Kg8 48. Nd7 c4 49. Rb1 Qd6 50. Rb7( 50. Nxf8!? Nc3 51. Qa8 Nxb1
Illinois Chess Bulletin 19