Signature Game

In the decade or so that intervened between the Kasparov-Short split from FIDE and the Topalov-Kramnik reunification match, FIDE's various attempts to vie for the legitimacy of its claims to anoint the World Champion spawned a series of pretenders to the throne. In some ways, least of these was 1999 champion Alexander Khalifman, who won the 128 player knockout that was, fittingly, staged in Las Vegas. Nevertheless, Khalifman is an interesting player in his own right, and here, in the interest more of reflecting on the beauty of a chess game than entering debates on titular legitimacy, I'm going to give what I think may be Khalifman's most famous and significant game.



Alexander Khalifman

Dreev-Khalifman
USSR Junior Champ
Kirovabad 1984
Vienna Opening

1. e4 e5
2. Nc3 Nc6
3. g3
White plays the opening modestly, a solid variation that strives more for comfort and solidity than for an advantage. I've actually played similar variations myself (Glek's g3 in the 4 knights' for example) and can attest to the ease and comfort that the resulting middlegames often provide. It's a kind of lazy man's chess...

3. ... h5!?
4. Nf3 h4
5. Nxh4



It's hard to believe that black can get away with playing the opening this way, and what follows is even more implausible:

5. ... Rxh4!??
6. gxh4 Qxh4

The exchange sacrifice is bold to the point of ludicrousness. Surely, white's opening strategy cannot be so invalid is to warrant such a reaction. Khalifman appears to be dogmatically asserting that white cannot play the opening that way, and he means to prove it!

7. Bg2?

Amazingly, this straightforward move appears to be an important error. White should not handle this position passively. The correct course appears to be the very odd 7. Rg1 Qxh2 8. Rg2 Qh7 (note that Qh1 is risky in light of a future Rg3-h3 maneuver) 9. d3 Nf6 10. Nb5 Kd8 11. Bg5 Be7 12. f4



Here, white is better, probably not decisively yet, but he's on his way. He's had to play very energetically to get to this position though, jettisoning a pawn and striving for the initiative. Dreev's inherent opening approach indicated a lack of desire to play energetically to begin with, and one can well imagine that he was still reeling from shock when he decided on Bg2 and a continuation of passive defense.

7. ... Bc5
8. 0-0 Nf6
9. Qf3 d6
10. Qg3 Qh7



It would seem that Qh7 is a concession of sorts. It remains difficult to see what black has obtained for his exchange. Sure, he may castle queenside and double up on the h-file, but white's queen is well placed for defense, he can always play h3 if necessary... Khalifman continues to play aggressively though, acting as though his impetuosity is fully justified.

11. d3 Nd4
12. Be3 Bd7

If 12. ... Nxc7? black gets pretty well crunched: 13. Bxc5 Nxa1 14. Nb5! Kd8 15. Rxa1 dxc5? Qxe5



Things get even worse if black tries to go the other way with this line: 14. ... dxc5 15. Nxc7+ Kd8 16. Nxa8 Nc2 17. Qxe5. Ouch.

13. b4 Bb6
14. Rac1



Interestingly, the computer is highly critical of this move, insisting that the correct path is Rfc1 with a position close to equal. The logic appears to be that long-term, white's ability to distract from black's kingside pressure depends on the ability to push the a and b pawns. This seems sensible enough, but it remains quite interesting that the computer finds no particular advantage for white. Apparently, passive play on move 7 has already cost white the value of his material advantage.

14. ... Nh5
15. Qh4 c6
16. f3?! Nf5!



Now one finally gets the sense that white is in deep trouble. Khalifman will recover the exchange and be left with a nagging grip on the position and an open file toward Dreev's king. White has simply remained too passive, reacting to black's play as if he must simply concede the initiative, hold onto his material, and hang on for dear life, when in truth, as we have seen, the position required white to fight back with a little moxy.

17. exf5 Bxe3+
18. Kh1 Bxc1
19. Rxc1 Bxf5
20. Re1 Kd7
21. Ne2 Rh8
22. d4 g5!



The game has dissolved into a tale of domination.

23. Qf2 Nf4
24. Bf1 Bxc2
25. Nxf4 exf4
26. d5



26. ... Ba4?

This clumsy move nearly spoiled the game.

27. b5

The computer instantly discovers the clever resource 27. Ba6! the point being 27. ... bxa6 28. Qxa7+ with perpetual! Of course, the endgame after the superior 27. ... cxd5 28. Bxb7 Qd3! 29. Kg2 Re8 30. Rxe8 Kxe8 31. Qxa7 Bd7 is still pretty grim for white, but he has much better chances for counter play than in the game.

27. ... c5
28. Qe2 Kc8
29. Qg2 Bc2
30. Re7 Bf5

Having reactivated the bishop, Khalifman is back in the driver's seat, and the rest is fairly straightforward.

31. b6 axb6
32. Qb2 Bd7
33. Kg1 g4



34. Bd3? Qh4

Now, amusingly, the rook is without a home, and the game concludes with Khalifman UP an exchange.

35. Rxd7 Kxd7
36. Bf5+ Kc7
37. fxg4 Qe1+
38. Kg2 f3+
39. Kxf3 Qf1+

0-1

So, I guess the lesson here is that when your opponent plays a stodgy, passive opening, it pays to respond in swashbuckling style, anticipating that he may fold under the pressure... unless he's baiting you, of course! In any case, hats off to the unking for a great work of chess art.