Deep Blue versus Kasparov, 1996, Game 1

The game

The game began with 1.e4 c5 2.c3, the Alapin Variation of the Sicilian Defense. The IBM team determined the opening moves, choosing 2.c3 because Kasparov had deep experience with the more common 2.Nf3. After 2...d5 3.exd5 Qxd5 4.d4 Nf6 5.Nf3 Bg4 6.Be2 e6 7.h3 Bh5 8.0-0 Nc6 9.Be3 cxd4 10.cxd4 Bb4, Kasparov introduced a new approach with the bishop on b4 instead of the more common Be7. The merit of this move is debated. After 11.a3 Ba5 12.Nc3 Qd6 13.Nb5 Qe7 14.Ne5 Bxe2 15.Qxe2 0-0 16.Rac1 Rac8 17.Bg5, Black faced a problem with the pinned knight on f6. Kasparov avoided 17...Qxf6 because of 19.Nd7 forking queen and rook, instead playing 17...Bb6 18.Bxf6 gxf6, exposing his king. White then played 19.Nc4, preventing Black from capturing the d4-pawn due to Qg4+. After 19...Rfd8 20.Nxb6 axb6 21.Rfd1 f5 22.Qe3, two questionable moves by Deep Blue were noted; 21.Qg4+ Kh8 22.Rcd1 was considered better. Black played 22...Qf6, and White responded with 23.d5, a pawn sacrifice typical of Kasparov's style that hurt Black's pawn structure and opened the board. After 23...Rxd5 24.Rxd5 exd5 25.b3 Kh8, Kasparov attempted to prepare a counterattack with his rook, but it did not work. Burgess suggested 25...Ne7 26.Rxc8+ was better, while Keene suggested 25...Rd8 26.Qxb6 Rd7. White played 26.Qxb6 Rg8 27.Qc5, preventing the threat of Qg5 forking g2 and the rook. Black then played 27...d4, followed by 28.Nd6 f4 29.Nxb7, a materialistic move typical of computers at the time, as Deep Blue had not identified any checkmate threat. The game continued 29...Ne5 30.Qd5.