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

Vladimir Kramnik vs Garry Kasparov, Kosmos m 5', R13

Kramnik, Vladimir ½–½ Kasparov, Garry
Kramnik, Vladimir vs Kasparov, Garry
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Kosmos m 5', 28 November 1998

Round 13 of the 1998 Kosmos blitz match (Kramnik as White) was a draw. The match’s middle phase was at this point; both players had established their primary opening systems and were now refining specific lines within them.

The draw was a Caro-Kann Defense — Kasparov as Black had used the Caro-Kann as one of his alternative Black openings against Kramnik’s white repertoire. The middlegame produced a complex positional struggle that neither side could convert; the draw was accepted in 38 moves.

The Caro-Kann had become a recurring choice for Kasparov as Black in the late 1990s. He had used it occasionally throughout his career but increased its frequency in the lead-up to the 2000 World Championship match. The Caro-Kann’s solidity provided insurance against Kramnik’s deep theoretical preparation in the sharper Spanish and Sicilian systems.

The 1998 Kosmos blitz match’s 28 games produced over 20 different opening systems, reflecting both players’ breadth of preparation. The variety contrasted with the 2000 World Championship match where Kramnik’s Berlin Defense became the dominant Black weapon and other openings appeared relatively rarely.

Game record

This game between Kramnik, Vladimir and Kasparov, Garry was played at the Kosmos m 5’ in Moscow in 1998. Played in round 13. At the time of the game, the players were rated 2780 (White) and 2815 (Black). The game lasted 46 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. Nc3 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.