CHESS Leonard Barden

Garry Kasparov attempted a comeback in St Louis last week after the legend crashed two months ago in Zagreb.

The 58-year-old’s poor clock management and outdated openings in fiveminute blitz contributed to his Zagreb disaster. Last week’s format in the $150,000 Champions Showdown was Chess 9LX, known as Fischer Random and Chess 960.

It began promisingly as Kasparov drew his first game, and should have won the next against Wesley So, the unofficial

world champion at this format. Kasparov opted for a cautious style with fixed pawn chains. But in round three Nemesis struck, in the shape of Azerbaijan’s Shak Mamedyarov, who was a safe two pawns up

3780 Nakamura v Shankland, St Louis 2021. Black to move and win. How did the 2018 US champion defeat the five-time title winner?

when Kasparov resigned. He did, however, win the fourth round in 24 moves against the 2018 US champion, Sam Shankland.

The legend’s round five game reached a level ending in which he outwitted world

No 5 Levon Aronian, and scored by delicate finessing with king, rook and g pawn against king, bishop and f pawn.

Kasparov capped a fine night with a draw against world No 2 Fabiano Caruana.