
The Towering Defense That Shaped Chess History
By GM Lubomir Kavalek
Preparation for the World Championship match in Chennai could be extremely elaborate, and Anand must do some guesswork concerning Carlsen's choice of defenses with the black pieces since it is Magnus's first title match. Vishy, on the other hand, prefers solid defenses in the closed openings but may come up with something fluid this time. Older players usually seek an early conflict in the middlegame to avoid long tiring endgames.
The Berlin Defense (1.e4 e5 2.Nf3 Nc6 3.Bb5 Nf6) is always a possibility, hovering over any king-pawn player like a sword of Damocles. Both Carlsen and Anand are capable of using it. It was played already in the first world championship match between William Steinitz and Johannes Zukertort in 1886. In 2000, Vladimir Kramnik played the Berlin and ended Garry Kasparov's world championship reign.
Two Tower Defense
Kasparov became the world champion with a dynamic defense he adopted from my game played at the 1976 Interzonal in Manila. Not only did he win the last game in the match against Anatoly Karpov in December 1985, but the variation he used had a profound influence on subsequent matches. Karpov didn't dare to play the king pawn openings against him again. It was my unintended gift to Kasparov.

The London-based Czech artist Jan Brychta illustrated the duel Kasparov-Karpov
on a postal envelope: Kasparov is fighting from the rook
The rooks played a major role in the variation when it first appeared in the game Balashov-Kavalek, Manila 1976. Despite being strongly endorsed by my opponent and his famous coach Vladimir Yurkov, it was only picked up two years later by other players. Kasparov didn't fare well in his first attempt against Yuri Razuvaev in the Soviet championship in 1978, but he worked on it and eventually got it right. Nearly 1200 games were played with this variation after the inaugural game.
Two consecutive rook moves in the Sicilian Scheveningen define the variation:
1.e4 | 1,172,273 | 54% | 2421 | --- |
1.d4 | 951,243 | 55% | 2434 | --- |
1.Nf3 | 283,163 | 56% | 2440 | --- |
1.c4 | 182,996 | 56% | 2442 | --- |
1.g3 | 19,775 | 56% | 2427 | --- |
1.b3 | 14,397 | 54% | 2427 | --- |
1.f4 | 5,920 | 48% | 2377 | --- |
1.Nc3 | 3,834 | 50% | 2384 | --- |
1.b4 | 1,765 | 48% | 2379 | --- |
1.a3 | 1,228 | 54% | 2405 | --- |
1.e3 | 1,074 | 49% | 2409 | --- |
1.d3 | 958 | 50% | 2378 | --- |
1.g4 | 667 | 46% | 2361 | --- |
1.h4 | 457 | 53% | 2378 | --- |
1.c3 | 436 | 51% | 2426 | --- |
1.h3 | 283 | 56% | 2419 | --- |
1.a4 | 115 | 60% | 2464 | --- |
1.f3 | 96 | 46% | 2431 | --- |
1.Nh3 | 91 | 66% | 2508 | --- |
1.Na3 | 42 | 62% | 2482 | --- |
Please, wait...
1.e4 c5 2.Nf3 d6 3.d4 cxd4 4.Nxd4 Nf6 5.Nc3 e6 6.Be2 Nc6 7.0-0 Be7 8.Be3 0-0 9.f4 a6 10.a4 Qc7 11.Kh1 Re8 12.Bf3 Rb8! 13.Qe2 13.Qe1 e5 13...Nxd4 14.Bxd4 e5 13...Bd7 14.Qf2 Nxd4 15.Bxd4 e5 13.Qd2 Bd7 14.Nb3 b6 15.g4 15.Bf2 Bc8 16.Bg3 Nd7 17.Rae1 Bb7 17...Na5 18.e5 Nxb3 19.cxb3 dxe5 20.fxe5 Bb7 21.Ne4 Bxe4 22.Bxe4 a5= 18.e5 Rbd8 19.Qf2 Rf8 20.Be4 dxe5 21.fxe5 Nc5 22.Nxc5 bxc5 23.Bf4 15...Bc8 16.g5 Nd7 17.Qf2 Bf8 18.Bg2 Bb7 18...Na5 19.Rad1 g6 20.Bc1 Rbc8 21.Rd3 Nb4 22.Rh3 Bg7 23.Be3 Re7 24.Kg1 Rce8 25.Rd1 f5 26.gxf6 Nxf6 27.Rg3 Rf7 28.Bxb6 Qb8 29.Be3 Nh5 30.Rg4 Nf6 31.Rh4 g5 32.fxg5 Ng4 33.Qd2 Nxe3 34.Qxe3 Nxc2 35.Qb6 Ba8 36.Rxd6 Rb7 37.Qxa6 Rxb3 38.Rxe6 Rxb2 39.Qc4 Kh8 40.e5 Qa7+ 41.Kh1 Bxg2+ 42.Kxg2 Nd4+ 13.g4 d5 13...Nxd4 14.Bxd4 e5 13...Nd7 14.e5 14.exd5 Nxd5 15.Nxd5 15.Bxd5 exd5 16.Nxd5 Qd6 17.c4 Nb4 15...exd5 16.c3 Bd7= 14...Nxd4 15.Bxd4 15.exf6 Nxf3 16.fxe7 d4 15...Nd7 16.a5 Bc5= 13.Bf2 Bf8 13...e5!? 14.Re1 Nd7 15.Qe2 Nxd4 16.Bxd4 b6 17.e5 dxe5 18.fxe5 Bb4 19.Rad1 Nf8 20.Rf1 Ng6 21.Ne4 Nxe5 22.Bh5 Ng6 23.Ng5 e5 24.Bxg6 hxg6 25.Rxf7 Qc6 26.Bxe5 Rb7 27.Qf2 Bg4 28.Rxb7 Qxb7 29.Qh4 Bh5 30.Qc4+ Kh8 31.Rf1 Bc5 32.b4 Bf8 33.Rf7 Qc8 34.Qf4 a5 35.h4 13.Nb3 b6 14.Qe2 Na5 15.Nxa5 bxa5 13...Nxd4 14.Bxd4 e5 15.Be3 Be6
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Kasparov commented the game in his book "Kasparov vs Karpov 1975-1985" and again in his new work "Garry Kasparov on Garry Kasparov, Part II: 1985-1993", published by Everyman Chess. It may look repetitive, but he likes to improve his analyses with new computer engines and look at the games from a different angles.

Kasparov's new volume encompasses eight turbulent years, ending with his departure from FIDE. During this time he became the world champion and played four matches for the world title against Karpov. He created the Grandmasters Association (GMA) and won the World Cup - an elite competition of six Grand Prix tournaments. He became the world's best player, triumphing in matches and tournaments. His rating went up and up, reaching peerless heights. It was a fascinated journey with a few dangerous bumps along the way. Garry seemed to succeed in everything he embarked on, and as the Executive Director of the GMA, I was fortunate to witness his achievements first hand.
The Two Tower variation is still going strong after 37 years. Here is the inaugural game:
Replay and check the LiveBook here |
Please, wait...
1.e4 c5 2.Nf3 d6 3.d4 cxd4 4.Nxd4 Nf6 5.Nc3 e6 6.Be2 Nc6 7.0-0 Be7 8.Be3 0-0 9.f4 a6 10.a4 Qc7 11.Kh1 11.Qe1 Nxd4 12.Bxd4 e5 13.fxe5 dxe5 14.Qg3 Re8 15.a5 15.Kh1 Bd8 16.Be3 Kh8 15.Qxe5? Qxe5 16.Bxe5 Bc5+ 15...Bc5 16.Bxc5 Qxc5+ 17.Kh1 Kh8 17...Qe7 18.Rad1 18.Rxf6 gxf6 19.Qh4 Rg8 19...Qc6 20.Nd5 20.Qxf6+ Rg7 21.Qd8+ 11...Re8 12.Bf3 Rb8! 13.Qe2 Nxd4 14.Bxd4 e5 15.Be3 15.Ba7!? Ra8 16.Be3 Be6 17.Rfe1 exf4 18.Bxf4 Rac8 15...Be6 16.Rfd1 Bc4 17.Qf2 b5!? 18.axb5 axb5 19.Ra7 19.fxe5 dxe5 20.Nd5 Bxd5 21.exd5 e4 22.Be2 Qxc2 23.d6 Bf8 24.b4 19...Rb7 20.Rxb7 Qxb7 21.b3 b4!? 21...Be6 22.f5 Bd7 23.Bg5 Rc8 24.Qd2 b4 24...Qc6? 25.Nd5 25.Na2 Rb8 26.Bxf6 Bxf6 27.Qxd6 Be8 22.bxc4 bxc3 23.c5! 23.fxe5 dxe5 24.Qe1 Qb4 25.Rd3 Ra8 26.h3 Ra3 23...dxc5?! 23...Qb4!? 24.fxe5 dxe5 25.Qf1 Bxc5 26.Rb1 Qa3 26...Qxb1 27.Qxb1 Bxe3 27.Ra1 Qb4 28.Rb1 24.fxe5 Nxe4 25.Qe2 Qb4 25...Bf8 26.Bf4 f5 27.exf6 gxf6 28.Kg1 26.Qd3 Ng5? 26...Nd2!? 27.e6! f6 27.Bc6! 27.Qd7 Qb8 28.Bd5 Qc8= 27...Rf8 28.Qd7 c4 29.Bd5 Rd8 30.Qc6 Qb8 31.Bxg5? 31.Bb6! Rc8 32.Qd7 Re8 33.Bc6! Rf8 34.Bc7 Qc8 35.Qxe7 Ne6 36.Bd6 Qxc6 37.Rf1! 31...Bxg5 32.Bxf7+?! 32.e6 fxe6 33.Qxe6+ Kh8 34.Rf1 g6 35.Bxc4 Qd6= 32.Rf1 Qxe5= 32...Kxf7 33.Qxc4+ Kg6! 33...Ke7 34.Qc5+ Kf7 35.Qc4+ 34.Qe6+ Kh5 35.Qh3+ Kg6 35...Bh4 36.Qf3+ 36.Qf5+ Kh6-+ 36...Kh6 37.Qe3+ g5! 38.Rxd8 38.Rg1 Kg7 39.Qf3 39.Qxc3 g4 39...Qxe5 40.g3 Bxg3 41.Rxg3 Kg6-+ 38...Qxd8 39.g3 Qd1+ 40.Kg2 Qxc2+ 41.Kh3 Qf5+ 42.Kg2 c2 43.gxh4 Qg4+ 44.Kh1 44.Kf2 Qf4+-+ 44...Qd1+ 45.Kg2 c1Q-+ 36.Qe6+ Kh5 37.Qh3+ Kg6 38.Qe6+ ½–½ - Start an analysis engine:
- Try maximizing the board:
- Use the four cursor keys to replay the game. Make moves to analyse yourself.
- Press Ctrl-B to rotate the board.
- Drag the split bars between window panes.
- Download&Clip PGN/GIF/FEN/QR Codes. Share the game.
- Games viewed here will automatically be stored in your cloud clipboard (if you are logged in). Use the cloud clipboard also in ChessBase.
- Create an account to access the games cloud.
Balashov,Y | - | Kavalek,L | - | ½–½ | 1976 | B85 | Manila Interzonal | |
Please, wait...
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