Are you familiar with the frustration of being pinned by your opponent’s Bg5/Bg4 attack on your knight? It’s a common situation on the amateur level that leaves many players feeling confused and unsure of the best way to handle it. But fear not! In this article, we delve into the genius strategies of Garry Kasparov, widely regarded as one of the greatest chess players of all time.

By analyzing his games, we’ve uncovered a winning plan that Kasparov consistently used to dismantle pins on knights. Get ready to learn how to dominate your opponents and secure victories with ease, just like the legendary Kasparov himself!

I’ve noticed a very interesting pattern – he always followed the same plan against those pins, and he always won.

Let me share that winning plan with you straight away.

Here is the video lesson

Kasparov’s Winning Plan Against Pins

Here’s a game where Kasparov, playing as White against Matabik as Black.

1.e4 e5 2.Nf3 Nc6 3. Bc4 Bc5 

It’s the Italian Game – one of the most common openings on the amateur level. Let’s see how Kasparov handles it.

4. c3 Nf6 5. d3

This deviates from the way Black developed their knight, and I highly encourage you to consider this move. You don’t necessarily have to play d4 and complicate the position if you don’t want to.

Kasparov himself played calmly with 5. d3 after 4…Nf6.

The advantage of having the pawn on c3 is that you never have to worry about your opponent jumping with their knight to d4.

Additionally, later in the game, you may choose to play d4 to start your own attack.

4. c3 gives you flexibility and makes your position safer.

5..d6 6. Bb3 Bg4

Black played 5…d6, and Kasparov responded with 6. Bb3.

This move serves as a prophylactic measure, ensuring that if Black ever tries to go after the bishop, White can retreat it to c2. It’s also a waiting move, as Kasparov intentionally delays castling.

Then, Black plays 6…Bg4, creating the pin we were talking about – the pin that many opponents are enthusiastic about.

Countering the Pin with h3

Let’s see how Kasparov counters the Bg4 pin.

Two Different Attacking Options

In this position, there are two common ways for White to develop their attack, and you can use both of them. One is more aggressive and a little bit faster, while the other is a bit slower but still effective. Let’s discuss both options. 

The most aggressive option for White is to play 10. g4, aiming for a hasty, quick, and powerful attack against Black’s kingside.

What’s great about this move is that Bg4 provides White with a lot of tactical opportunities for developing the attack.

10. g4 is a fantastic option, and we’ll delve into it in a moment. This is what happened in the game.

The other option, which is slower but still viable, is to move your 10. Ng3. This is also a perfectly fine choice.

Let’s see how to proceed in this position.

Kasparov’s Aggressive Attack

Let’s go back to Kasparov’s plan, which is even more aggressive… 10. g4!

That’s the attacking plan Kasparov employed, and it appears easy when you know the plan. Kasparov executed this same plan against various opponents with great success, and you can do the same.

Remember to keep a calm and composed approach, follow the key moves, and unleash a devastating attack on your opponent’s kingside.

How to Play Simple, Positional Chess and Win?

One interesting observation I made while analyzing Kasparov’s games against amateurs is that he played very simple chess, which was unexpected. I would have thought that a grandmaster like him would try to complicate matters, calculate his opponents’ moves, or use fancy tactics.

However, Kasparov did none of that. He played simple positional chess, picked a plan, executed it methodically, and won slowly but surely. This approach worked against most of his amateur opponents.

Upon reflecting on this, I realized that Kasparov’s idea is quite simple. Players below the 2000 Elo level often struggle with strategy and positional understanding. Kasparov knows this and takes advantage of it by selecting the right middle game plan, executing it patiently, and winning easily without taking any risks or encountering problems.

If you want to learn how to do the same, I encourage you to try out my course, “3 Steps to 2000 ELO” In this course, I break down the necessary elements you need to master, focusing on strategic and positional understanding.

By developing these skills, you will have a clear idea of how to choose the right middle game plan and improve your overall position. If you’re curious, you can click the link below the video to check it out.

Conclusion

In this article, I’ve revealed Kasparov’s brilliant strategies, including aggressive attacks, pawn maneuvers, and tactical brilliance. Don’t let your opponents trap you in those pins ever again. Embrace Kasparov’s winning plan and dominate the chessboard like a true grandmaster!

Check out the analyzed games in the video below and get ready to revolutionize your game. It’s time to conquer those pins and claim victory!

Below, you can find Garry Kasparov’s games involving Bg4 pins: