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