Vladimir Kramnik vs Garry Kasparov, Kosmos m 5', R15

Round 15 of the 1998 Kosmos blitz match (Kramnik as White) was a draw. The Carlsen-Caruana day-match formula and the Kosmos match formula both shared the structure of long head-to-head encounters with mixed time controls or formats. The 28-game Kosmos match allowed for theoretical exploration over multiple days.

The draw was a Sicilian Defense — Kasparov as Black had been experimenting with sharp openings against Kramnik’s white repertoire in the early portion of the match. The middlegame produced a complex balance that neither side could convert; the draw was accepted in 40 moves.

The Kosmos match’s distribution of openings (with both players testing many systems) was reflected in the final theoretical contributions to chess. Many opening lines tested in the Kosmos match found their way into subsequent World Championship preparation, both for the 2000 Kasparov-Kramnik match and for later events.

The Kasparov-Kramnik rivalry from 1996 to 2007 produced more high-level theory in elite openings than any other pairing of chess players. Their direct encounters in Linares, Wijk aan Zee, Kosmos, Botvinnik Memorial, and ultimately the 2000 World Championship match contributed continuously to the theoretical state of nearly every major opening.

Game record

This game between Kramnik, Vladimir and Kasparov, Garry was played at the Kosmos m 5’ in Moscow in 1998. Played in round 15. At the time of the game, the players were rated 2780 (White) and 2815 (Black). The game lasted 21 moves, ending with a drawn outcome. It is part of the late-Soviet and Cold-War chess era.

Opening context

The opening sequence runs 1. Nf3 d5 2. d4 Nf6 3. c4 c6 4. e3 e6, after which the players entered the middlegame proper.

See also

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

Match notes

This Kosmos m 5’ game sits in Kasparov dominance and the PCA split. Master-level chess of the period was published in tournament bulletins, magazine annotations, and — for the most-studied games — in published opening monographs by the participants and their successors. This game is preserved in the open historical record and can be replayed in full above.