Search
Library / Games / Kasparov, Garry vs Kramnik, Vladimir
Kosmos m 5' · Moscow · 28 November 1998

Garry Kasparov vs Vladimir Kramnik, Kosmos m 5', R16

Kasparov, Garry 1–0 Kramnik, Vladimir
Kasparov, Garry vs Kramnik, Vladimir
87654321
abcdefgh
Black king
Black pawn
White rook
White pawn
Black rook
White bishop
White king
121/121
  1. 1.
  3. 2.
  5. 3.
  7. 4.
  9. 5.
  11. 6.
  13. 7.
  15. 8.
  17. 9.
  19. 10.
  21. 11.
  23. 12.
  25. 13.
  27. 14.
  29. 15.
  31. 16.
  33. 17.
  35. 18.
  37. 19.
  39. 20.
  41. 21.
  43. 22.
  45. 23.
  47. 24.
  49. 25.
  51. 26.
  53. 27.
  55. 28.
  57. 29.
  59. 30.
  61. 31.
  63. 32.
  65. 33.
  67. 34.
  69. 35.
  71. 36.
  73. 37.
  75. 38.
  77. 39.
  79. 40.
  81. 41.
  83. 42.
  85. 43.
  87. 44.
  89. 45.
  91. 46.
  93. 47.
  95. 48.
  97. 49.
  99. 50.
  101. 51.
  103. 52.
  105. 53.
  107. 54.
  109. 55.
  111. 56.
  113. 57.
  115. 58.
  117. 59.
  119. 60.
  121. 61.
Kosmos m 5', 28 November 1998

Round 16 of the 1998 Kosmos blitz match between Kasparov and Kramnik was won by Kasparov as White. The Kosmos match was a 28-game blitz exhibition in Moscow with 5+0 time control. Kasparov’s blitz form during 1998 was exceptional; he won most games against most opponents at this format.

The win was a sharp opening in which Kasparov’s home preparation produced a clear advantage by move 15. Kramnik’s defence at blitz time control couldn’t find the precise resources needed. The conversion took 35 moves.

Kasparov’s blitz dominance during the 1990s was a recurring theme of his career. His combination of opening preparation depth and intuitive pattern recognition was nearly impossible to match at faster time controls. Kramnik’s near-tie of the Kosmos match (14.5-13.5 final score for Kasparov) was therefore exceptional — no other player was that close to Kasparov in blitz format that year.

The Kosmos blitz match has been studied since for its predictive value. The 28 games revealed Kramnik’s ability to compete with Kasparov in any format; the 2000 World Championship match in classical format reflected the same pattern at a slower time control, with Kramnik scoring two wins and twelve draws in the 16-game match.

Game record

This game between Kasparov, Garry and Kramnik, Vladimir was played at the Kosmos m 5’ in Moscow in 1998. Played in round 16. At the time of the game, the players were rated 2815 (White) and 2780 (Black). The game lasted 61 moves, ending with White winning. It is part of the late-Soviet and Cold-War chess era.

Opening context

The opening sequence runs 1. d4 Nf6 2. c4 e6 3. Nc3 Bb4 4. Qc2 O-O, after which the players entered the middlegame proper.

See also

For more on this game’s protagonists and theory, see Kasparov, Garry and Kramnik, Vladimir.