Deep Blue - Kasparov, 1997, Game 6

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This article uses algebraic notation to describe chess moves.

The infamous Sixth game of the Deep Blue - Kasparov rematch, played in New York City on May 11, 1997 and starting at 3:00 p.m. EDT, was the last chess game in the rematch of 1997 of Deep Blue versus Garry Kasparov. It marked the first time that a computer had defeated a World Champion in a match of several games. This, as well as the fact that Kasparov had only lasted 19 moves in this game, attracted a lot of media attention. This final game lasted barely more than an hour.

Before this game the score was tied at 2½-2½. Kasparov had won the first game, lost the second game (after resigning in a drawn position) and drawn games 3, 4 and 5 after having advantageous positions in all three. He was tired and dejected before this game.

Image:chess zhor 26.png
Image:chess zver 26.png a8 rd b8 c8 bd d8 qd e8 kd f8 bd g8 nd h8 rd Image:chess zver 26.png
a7 pd b7 pd c7 d7 nd e7 pd f7 pd g7 pd h7 pd
a6 b6 c6 pd d6 e6 f6 g6 h6
a5 b5 c5 d5 e5 f5 g5 nl h5
a4 b4 c4 d4 pl e4 f4 g4 h4
a3 b3 c3 d3 e3 f3 g3 h3
a2 pl b2 pl c2 pl d2 e2 f2 pl g2 pl h2 pl
a1 rl b1 c1 bl d1 ql e1 kl f1 bl g1 nl h1 rl
Image:chess zhor 26.png
The position after 5. Ng5

White: Deep Blue
Black: Garry Kasparov
Opening: Caro-Kann Defense, Steinitz Variation, B17

1.e4 c6

Somewhat atypically, Kasparov plays the solid Caro-Kann Defense. In later matches against computers he opted for 1...e5 or 1...c5, the sharp Sicilian Defence, Kasparov's usual choice against human opponents.

2.d4 d5 3.Nc3 dxe4 4.Nxe4 Nd7 5.Ng5

This relatively recent innovation breaks one of the classic opening principles ("don't move the same piece twice in the opening"), but puts pressure on the weak f7 square. Kasparov had played this move himself as White at least three times earlier.

5...Ngf6

Not 5...h6? 6.Ne6! fxe6?? 7.Qh5+ g6 8.Qxg6#.

6.Bd3 e6 7.N1f3 h6??

Image:chess zhor 26.png
Image:chess zver 26.png a8 rd b8 __ c8 bd d8 qd e8 kd f8 bd g8 __ h8 rd Image:chess zver 26.png
a7 pd b7 pd c7 __ d7 nd e7 __ f7 pd g7 pd h7 __
a6 __ b6 __ c6 pd d6 __ e6 pd f6 nd g6 __ h6 pd
a5 __ b5 __ c5 __ d5 __ e5 __ f5 __ g5 nl h5 __
a4 __ b4 __ c4 __ d4 pl e4 __ f4 __ g4 __ h4 __
a3 __ b3 __ c3 __ d3 bl e3 __ f3 nl g3 __ h3 __
a2 pl b2 pl c2 pl d2 __ e2 __ f2 pl g2 pl h2 pl
a1 rl b1 __ c1 bl d1 ql e1 kl f1 __ g1 __ h1 rl
Image:chess zhor 26.png
The position after 7...h6?

A strange blunder by Kasparov, one of the most theoretically knowledgeable players in chess history. Apparently Kasparov got his opening moves mixed up, playing ...h6 a move too early. The normal 7...Bd6 8.Qe2 h6 9.Ne4 Nxe4 10.Qxe4 was played in Kasparov(!)-Kamsky, 1994 and Kasparov-Epishin, 1995, among other games. The upcoming sacrifice is well known to theory and Kasparov must have known about it (in fact, there are some reports that he even wrote an article supporting 8.Nxe6 as a refutation).

8.Nxe6!

Actually it is not Deep Blue's fantastic skills which made it play this move, the knight sacrifice is programmed into the computer's opening book. This move had been played in a number of previous high-level games, with White achieving a huge plus score.

8...Qe7

Instead of taking the knight immediately, Kasparov pins the knight to the king in order to give his king a square on d8. However, many annotators have criticized this move and said that Kasparov ought to have taken the knight immediately. Although the Black king uses two moves to reach d8 after 8...fxe6 9.Bg6+ Ke7, the Black queen can be placed at the superior c7 square.

9.0-0

White castles so that 9...Qxe6?? loses to 10.Re1 pinning and winning the black queen. Black must now take the knight or he will be a pawn down.

Image:chess zhor 26.png
Image:chess zver 26.png a8 rd b8 c8 bd d8 kd e8 f8 bd g8 h8 rd Image:chess zver 26.png
a7 pd b7 pd c7 d7 nd e7 qd f7 g7 pd h7
a6 b6 c6 pd d6 e6 pd f6 nd g6 bl h6 pd
a5 b5 c5 d5 e5 f5 g5 h5
a4 b4 c4 d4 pl e4 f4 bl g4 h4
a3 b3 c3 d3 e3 f3 nl g3 h3
a2 pl b2 pl c2 pl d2 e2 f2 pl g2 pl h2 pl
a1 rl b1 c1 d1 ql e1 f1 rl g1 kl h1
Image:chess zhor 26.png
The position after 11. Bf4

9...fxe6 10.Bg6+ Kd8 11.Bf4

If Black's bishop were on d6 instead of f8, White would not be able to play this. For the sacrificed knight, White's bishops have a stranglehold on Black's position. Black, having moved his king, can no longer castle, his queen is blocking his own bishop, and he has trouble getting out his pieces and making use of his extra knight.

11...b5

The first new move of the game and Deep Blue must now start thinking on its own. Kasparov's idea is to get some breathing room on his queenside and prevent White from playing c4.

12.a4 Bb7 13.Re1 Nd5 14.Bg3 Kc8 15.axb5 cxb5 16.Qd3 Bc6 17.Bf5

White is pounding at Black's e6 pawn and is planning to invade the position with his rooks. Kasparov cannot hold onto all his extra material and desperately decides to surrender his queen for a rook and a bishop.

17...exf5 18.Rxe7 Bxe7 19.c4 Black Resigns

Image:chess zhor 26.png
Image:chess zver 26.png a8 rd b8 c8 kd d8 e8 f8 g8 h8 rd Image:chess zver 26.png
a7 pd b7 c7 d7 nd e7 bd f7 g7 pd h7
a6 __ b6 __ c6 bd d6 __ e6 __ f6 g6 __ h6 pd
a5 b5 pd c5 d5 nd e5 f5 pd g5 h5
a4 _ b4  _ c4 pl d4 pl e4 f4 __ g4 h4
a3 b3 c3 d3 ql e3 f3 nl g3 bl h3
a2 b2 pl c2 d2 e2 f2 pl g2 pl h2 pl
a1 rl b1 c1 d1 e1 f1 g1 kl h1
Image:chess zhor 26.png
Final position

Black resigns because the white queen will soon invade through c4 or f5, and once Re1 is played it will be lights out. A sample line would be: 19...bxc4 20.Qxc4 Nb4 (20...Kb7 21.Qa6 mate!) 21.Re1 Kd8 22.Rxe7 Kxe7 23.Qxb4+. The shortest loss of Kasparov's career.

After the game Kasparov was in a foul mood and accused the Deep Blue team of cheating (i.e. having a team of human masters to aid the computer). Although Kasparov wanted another rematch, IBM declined and ended their Deep Blue program.

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