World chess giants draw battle lines

Press, 17 July 1978, Page 7

World chess giants draw battle lines

VERNON SMALL, who will analyse the play tor “The Press” in the coming world chess championship tinal between Anatoly Karpov and Viktor Korchnoi, reviews the background to the encounter. ••We are here to play chess. I hope.” That was Anatoly Karpov’s reply to questions about possible pressures on a match be- ’ ween a Soviet citizen and the Russian defector, Viktor Korchnoi. To the uninitiated it may seem like a statement of the obvious, but to those who have followed top chess in recent years it has an ominous ring. Of course gamesmanship has always been an integral part of any sport, and in chess, where concentration and state of mind are crucial, it is especially widespread. Chess literature is littered with stories of players who used various borderline tactics to unsettle their opponents; seating him facing the light, smoking f o u l-smelling cigars, drumming the table, or leg-swinging (a favourite of ex-world champion Tigran Petrosian). But it was the advent of Bobby Fischer to the chess scene which pushed the chess war into a battle of nerves and ultimately poliThe Soviet Union had completely dominated chess from 1927 — when Alekhine defeated the them world champion, Capablanca, of Cuba. A procession of Russian world champions came and went (but for a brief two-year reign by Max Euwe of the Netherlands, from 1935-1937) with little publicity outside of chess magazines and little interest in the west. But then came a 14-year old United States champion and all that changed. At last there was a chess talent in the west to challenge the Russians. But Fischer disappointed many. He was petulant, selfish, and a monomaniac. Not exactly the well-bal-anced all-American boy some had hoped for, but he would have to do. His first crack at the world title came in 1959 and was. as one would expect from a 16-year-old, a failure. He suffered particularly badly against the Soviet representatives (he scored only five out of 16) and the battle lines were set. Bt the next world championship cycle Fischer, and most of the chess world, did expect him to win the right to challenge for the world championship. Again he failed — finishing fourth behind three Russians and ahead of Viktor Korchnoi, who was fifth. It was after this tournament that Fischer made his infamous allegations of cheating. He claimed that the Russians had “ganged up” on him by agreeing quick draws amongst

themselves and going all out against him. But his severest criticism was aimed a. Korchnoi. who he accused of deliberately losing games to his compatriots. A series of disagreements and withdrawals kept Fischer from a crack at the world title until 1971. when he reentered the fray with a vengeance that shook the world. He was expected to beat both Taimanov and Larsen, but the way he did it. Six-nil and 6-0. Then a 61-21 drubbing of the ex-world champion, Petrosian, and Fischer had won the right to challenge Spassky at Reykjavik.

The furore surrounding that match is legendary: the comlpaints about everything, the rorfeit. the delays, the accusations of hypnosis and mysterious rays. But after that match Fischer dropped out of chess again and has not played a serious game since. He was due to defend his title again in 1975 but failed to do so. forfeiting his title to the challenger, Karpov The final of the candidates in 1974 contained the same players as the current match. Karpov won. 121-1 IL There were some rumblings of discontent from Korchnoi, but most dismissed them as the disappointment oi a loser. Then during a tournament in the Netherlands Korchnoi defected and the rumblings became a roar. He alleged that he had been lodged at a hotel an hour’s drive away from the playing hall, while Karpov’s hotel was close by. And he insisted that all along the Soviet authorities had done everything in their power to make Karpov win. More significantly, he agreed that some of Fischer’s allegations of Russian cheating were not unfounded. With Karpov as the new champion, the Russians had three lines of defence against Korchnoi challenging again — Polugaevsky, ex-world champion, Petrosian, and, toughest of ali, Spassky. The first two he defeated with nonchalant ease, and with a five-point lead in the final Korchnoi had taken over Fischer’s mantle. Back were the old familiar hypnosis, illegal tactics, and mysterious rays claims. But unlike Fischer, Korchnoi showed a weakness. Spassky “counter-ai tacked” by wearing a large silver eye-shade to cut out his view of Korchnoi across the board, and when Korchnoi complained about that Snasskv turned to studying the demonstration boards, and only returned to the board to play his move. The result was spectacular: Spasskv won four

straight games and there was only a point between them. However, a couple of draws slowed Spasskv’.; impe'us and Korchnoi wound up with two wins. So Korchnoi is again face to face with the world champion Who will win? Natural'y Korchnoi (and what seems like most of the Western world) thinKs he will. He has stated that he thinks Karpov is dull and has a chess style to match.

Looming in the background is the spectre of Bobby Fischer and his opinion is not to be taken lightly. He considers Karpov is physically too frail for a long, hard match — an opinion that is supported by the evidence of the previous clash Between the two opponents. In that match Karpov quickly went to a threepoint lead but tired later in the gruelling 24-game contest, allowing Korchnoi to catch up to three wins to two. Nineteen games were drawn.

Personally, I believe Karpov’s clear, powerful and precise style should prevail, but the battle away from the board may well be just as important. And with Korchnoi telling anyone who will listen that he fears for his life at the hands of the K.G.B. should he win, one wonders why he will play the match at all if he seriously believes what he says. Or perhaps chess is mo-e important than, or is, life for'him.