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Reykjavic Rapid 2004 (1)

13 year old Magnus Carlsen close to beating Kasparov

Young Magnus against Kasparov.

Young Magnus against Kasparov. | http://www.chess.is

IM Malcolm Pein reports from Reykjavik where Magnus Carlsen faced Garry Kasparov for the first time.

Garry Kasparov in action in game one of his match against Magnus Carlsen.

Garry Kasparov in action in game one of his match against Magnus Carlsen. Photo © Omar Oskarsson.

The thirteen year old prodigy Magnus Carlsen of Norway caused another sensation on Thursday night when he came close to defeating the world number Garry Kasparov and drew his first game, perhaps the first of many against the world number one.

Garry Kasparov in action in game one of his match against Magnus Carlsen.

Garry Kasparov in action in game one of his match against Magnus Carlsen. Photo © Omar Oskarsson.

The pair met in the opening round of the Reykjavik Rapid at Reykjavik City Hall. The arbiters struggled to keep an excited crowd silent as the youngster demolished Kasparov's position after about twenty minutes play. The former world champion appeared to miss a couple of tactical shots from the child half his height and a third of his age.

After a desperate struggle Kasparov managed to avoid immediate disaster and found refuge in an endgame with opposite coloured bishops. Although Carlsen held an extra outside passed pawn the game was a draw. In the return Kasparov played white and normal service was resumed, Carlsen was subdued with little ado.

Nigel Short and Anatoly Karpov got through to the last eight, the latter needed a play off to defeat the last remaining Icelandic representative Hannes Stefansson.

Garry Kasparov in action in game one of his match against Magnus Carlsen.

Garry Kasparov in action in game one of his match against Magnus Carlsen. Photo © Omar Oskarsson.

Round one results

Levon Aronian 1-0 1-0 Helgi Olafsson

Nigel Short draw 1-0 Stefan Kristjanson

Alexei Dreev 1-0 draw Margeir Petursson

Anatoly Karpov 0-1 1-0 1-0 Hannes Stefansson

Garry Kasparov draw 1-0 Magnus Carlsen

Jan Timman 0-1 draw Johann Hjartarson

Emil Sutovsky 1-0 draw Igor Nataf

Peter Heine Nielsen 1-0 1-0 Vladimir Epishin

Carlsen,M (2484) - Kasparov,G (2831) [D52]

Rapid Reykjavik ISL (1.1), 18.03.2004

1.d4 d5 2.c4 c6 3.Nf3 Nf6 4.Nc3 e6 5.Bg5 Nbd7 6.e3 Qa5 7.Nd2 Bb4 8.Qc2 0-0 9.Be2 e5 10.0-0 exd4 11.Nb3 Qb6 12.exd4 dxc4 13.Bxc4 a5 14.a4

14.Ne4; 14.Rad1; 14.a3

14...Qc7 15.Rae1 h6 16.Bh4 Bd6 17.h3 Nb6 18.Bxf6 Nxc4 19.Ne4 Bh2+ 20.Kh1 Nd6

20...Nb6 21.g3 Qd7!?

21.Kxh2 Nxe4+ 22.Be5 Nd6 23.Qc5 Rd8 24.d5! Qd7 25.Nd4!

Kasparov cannot take on d5 because Carlsen planned to take twice on d6 and play Re8+.

25...Nf5

25...cxd5 26.Qxd6 Qxd6 27.Bxd6 Rxd6 28.Re8+ wins.

26.dxc6 bxc6 27.Nxc6 Re8 28.Rd1 Qe6 29.Rfe1 Bb7 30.Nd4

30.Nxa5 Bxg2! 31.Kxg2 Nh4+]

30...Nxd4 31.Qxd4 Qg6 32.Qg4 Qxg4 33.hxg4 Bc6 34.b3 f6 35.Bc3 Rxe1

35...Reb8 36.Rb1 Bd5 37.Re3 Rxb3 38.Rxb3 Bxb3 39.Bxa5 Bd5 draws.

36.Rxe1 Bd5 37.Rb1 Kf7 38.Kg3 Rb8 39.b4 axb4 40.Bxb4 Bc4 41.a5 Ba6 42.f3 Kg6 43.Kf4 h5 44.gxh5+ Kxh5 45.Rh1+ Kg6 46.Bc5 Rb2 47.Kg3 Ra2 48.Bb6 Kf7 49.Rc1 g5 50.Rc7+ Kg6 51.Rc6 Bf1 52.Bf2

Its a draw because the a5 pawn is blockaded and the Bf2 cannot move.

1/2-1/2

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