Garry Kasparov vs Vladimir Kramnik, Kosmos Blitz Match, R24

Round 24 of the 1998 Kosmos blitz match between Kasparov and Kramnik was a draw. The Kosmos match was a 28-game blitz exhibition played in Moscow in November 1998 at the Kosmos Cinema (hence the name). The match featured one of the most-watched non-classical encounters between the two players before their 2000 World Championship match.

The blitz format used 5+0 time control. The Kosmos match was won by Kasparov 14.5-13.5 — extremely close given Kasparov’s general dominance in blitz format during this period. Kramnik’s near-tie of the match was an early demonstration that he could compete with Kasparov even at faster time controls; this would later feed into the conventional wisdom that Kramnik was the strongest possible challenger.

The 1998 Kosmos blitz match was sponsored by the Kosmos Cinema hosting the games. Both players approached the match seriously despite the entertainment framing; the games featured genuine preparation and sharp tactical play. The 28-game format made each individual game less consequential than in a shorter match, but the cumulative score had real significance for the players’ public profiles.

Many of the games from the Kosmos match found their way into opening theory of the 1999-2000 period. Some Kramnik defensive ideas tested in the blitz match became part of his eventual 2000 World Championship preparation.

Opening context

The opening sequence runs 1. d4 d5 2. c4 c6 3. Nf3 e6 4. Nbd2 Nf6, after which the players entered the middlegame proper.