Korchnoi changes tack

Press, 19 August 1978, Page 56

Korchnoi changes tack

By VERNON SMALL The challenger, Viktor Korchnoi, finally played the crucial and fashionable lines of the Queen’s Gambit that he had previously avoided in games 1 and 9, when the 13th game of the World Chess Champoinships got under way at Baguio City. Korchnoi chose an unusual move order at move seven but the game would have transposed into normal channels at move 10 had ne played the standard P—K3. Instead he introduced an old idea of the Austrian Karl Slechter, which was pioneered around the turn of the century, into a new setting in the Tartakover defence. Some subtle manoeuvres followed until just before the time control at move 40 — when Korchnoi sacrificed ‘the exchange” (Rook for Knight) to achieve what appears to be a dominant position.

QUEEN’S GAMBIT DECLINED TARTAKOVER VARIATION ; White Black Korchnoi Karpov (1) P—QB4 N—KB3 (2) N—QB3 P—K3 (3) N—B3 P—Q4 (4) P—Q4 B—K2 (5) B—N5 P—KR3 (6) B—R4 o—o (7) R—Bl P—QN3 (8) BXN BXB (9) PXP PXP White plays to close the; diagonal for the black QB if j it goes to QN2. (10) P—KN 3 A new position for an old idea. It is normally played in positions where the opponent has played P—QB4 to pressure the QP and the Queen side. Here the move I is played to dissuade Karpov from play ; ng the freeing P—QB4. I (10) P—B3 (11) B—N2 B—B4 1(12) o—o Q—Q3 1(13) P—K3 N—Q2 (14) N—KI KR—KI . (15) N—Q3 P—KN 3 '

A many-sided move. Korchnoi has moved his KN round to cover both QBS and to leap to KB4 and put pressure on the QP. Karpov prevents it going from there to KRS while preparing a retreat for his King’s bishop. (16) N—B4 B—N2 (17) P—KN 4 Korchnoi latches on to the negative side of Karpov’s P—KN 3. The bishop now has no retreat and is exchanged. Still, many top Grandmasters would shrink from this apparent weakening of the King-side. Korchnoi has no such scruples. (17) B—K3 (18) P—KR3 N—Bl (19) NXB NXN (20) Q—Q3 QR—QI (21) R—B2 It is hard to believe Korchnoi could resist P—B4 and a mad-dog attack down the KB file. (21) N—B2 (22) N—R4 Q—Q2 (23) P—N3 R—K3 (24) N—B3 R—Q3 (25) P—N4 B—Bl

(26) N—K2 P—QN4 (27) Q—N3 N—Rl (28) P—QR 4! PXP Karpov would like to play P—QR 3 and trot his knight to QBS with his pawn position intact, but (29) P—QRS would tie him up. (29) QXRP N—N3 (30) Q—N3 R—Nl (31) N—B4 N—Bs (32) Q—R4 Experts on the spot, thought (32) P—K4 would win easily but they may have missed R—KB3 for Black with a dual attack on the knight and the QNP. One possibility then is (33) PXP RXNP; (34) Q—R2, RXN; (35) RXN, PXP; when Black stands better if anyone does, I (32) P—KB4 (33) PXP QXP (34) QXRP RXQNP (35) R—R2 Q—Bl To prevent a heavy piece invasion by Q—B7 and a later R—R7 (or R 8). (36) R—QB 1 R—N2 > (37) Q—R4 R—KB2 I Karpov may have been contemplating an exchange sacrifice with RN easing the pressure on his centre pawns and loosening White’s King position. Korchnoi gets in first. (38) RXN! PXR (39) QXP(B4) Q—B4 (40) N—Q3 B—N2 (41) Korchnoi sealed. Korchnoi took 40 ininutes to decide on his sealed move i leaving only 20 minutes for his next 15 moves — his adjournment analysis had better be good! The time he spent on his 41st move mav indicate that the position is not as dominating as it first appears. But he does appear to hold all the trumps. Generally, he can choose how the game will continue and Karpov must follow his lead despite the champion’s small material advantage (R for N and P). Perhaps he can pile up on the weak QBP with R—R6 or on the pinned Rook with R—R7. N—QBS also comes strongly into contention. Karpov’s pawns are weak, and he must seek open ; files for his rooks if he is to I get back into the game. Late last night Korchnoi asked for a postponement of the odjourned game, and it will now be resumed tomorrow night. The scheduled fourteenth game will start 'tonight.