Dramatic chess change in just one hour

Press, 22 August 1978, Page 28

Dramatic chess change in just one hour

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In one sensational hour of chess at Bagiuio City the defending World Champion Anatoly Karpov took a commanding 3-1 lead over Challenger Viktor Korchnoi in the race for the six wins needed to clinch the title match. After five weeks at close fought competition the players had been locked at 1-1 with 10 draws, but then came the adjourned game session for games 13 and 14. Korchnoi had a dominating position in the former, and Karpov seemed assured of the win in the latter, so experts were predicting a win each taking the score to 2all. Korchnoi’s problems started with the 13th game. He had I spent a vast amount of time sealing his move for the adjournment leaving himself .with only 20 minutes to make 15 moves. Because of his time shortage, he had called for one of his three allowable postponements to give his seconds two days and nights to analyse the

position in depth. But when play resumed Karpov chose a tricky defence which Korchnoi’s team must have overlooked, causing Korchnoi to consume valuable time, with the result that Korchnoi’s Queen became cornered. To prevent her capture he had to seriously weaken his King position and eventually he resigned when faced with mate. With the 13th game finished, the players took a half hour break before resuming the 14th game adjourned from Saturday. Karpov had an overwhelming advantage and as expected the game was soon completed, with the Champions three extra pawns proving decisive.

So, from a position of great optimism on Friday with the score at one game all, and a favourable adjourned position, Korchnoi has been plunged into a very awkward position with Karpov two points in the lead and half way to the six wins necessary for victory. If anyone can bounce back it is Viktor Korchnoi,

but the most ominous signal yet was Karpov’s play in game fourteen and yesterday’s adjournments. At last he is beginning to play with the easy precision which marks his style, and which has been absent in this match to date. GAME 13 Adjournment WHITE BLACK Korchnoi Karpov

(41*1 R—R7 The sealed move (41) R(3)—B3 (42) RXR RXR (43) P—Q5 B—K4 This seemed to come as a surprise to Korchnoi. Karpov gives up his weak QBP rather than place his pieces

[passively to defend it. He plays to blockade the passed QBP that with result by controlling his QB2 square. (44) PXP K—N2 Korchnoi thought for a few minutes before playing;

(45) B—K4 Q—N4ch Karpov also spent some time on his move so presumably both are on their own now without the help of home analysis. (46) K—Bl B—Q3 (47) B—Q5 R—K2 (48) B—B3 P—KR4 (49) B—QI Intending B—N3 and a queen check on KNB. Karpov prevents this easily and it becomes obvious that Korchnoi’s winning chances are dissipating. Perhaps the vital error was the rook exchange at move 42. If so, that is a damning indictment of Korchnoi’s seconds. (49) Q—KB4 (50) K—K2 R—K5 (51) Q—B3ch Q—B3 (52) Q—N3 Q—B4 Karpov signals his willingness to draw by repetition of moves but Korchnoi still wants to win. (53) Q—N7ch R—K2 _

(54) Q—N2cH K—R2 (55) Q—Q4 B—B2 Korchnoi has only one more move to make to the time control. He still has a small advantage, but few winning chances it seems. But his next move virtually loses the game. (56) P—KR4 or Q —QN4 were both preferable. (56) Q—KR4?? R—K5! (57) P—KB4 Forced, since N—B4 BXN loses a piece. Now the KP is fatally weak and Karpov launches a decisive attack on the king. (57) E—N3 (58) B—B2 R X Pch (59) K—Q2 Q—QR4ch (60) K—QI Q—RBch (61) K—o2 R—K5 Korchnoi resigned. The threats of B—R4ch or B—K6ch make a quick mate inevitable. GAME 14 Adjournment WHITE BLACK Karpov Korchnoi (42) PXP PXP (43) P—QB4 No surprises here. White threatens to centralise his king to Q 5 and roll his three centre pawns. Black’s

position is quite hopeless, but Korchnoi makes the most of it.

(43) i R—R7 (44) R—N6 K—B2 (45) P—Bs R—R5 Korchnoi has stopped the king getting to the centre, but in so doing has let the QBP stampede to the seventh rank. (46) P—B6 K—K3 (47) P—B7 K—Q2 (48) R—NS R—QBI (49) K—K3 Threatening to head up the KBP as well. The KRP is poisonous but Korchnoi swallows it unflinchingly. (49) R X RP (50) P—K6ch! Resigns ... KXP (51) B—N3 wins a rook. ... KXB; (51) RXR, K X P; (52) R—KBch and the QBP makes the railhead. And finally ... KXB; (51) RXR. " R—QBS: (52) R—QBch! K X BP; (53) P—K7, R—B6ch; (54) K—Q2 and the king-pawn queens instead. A very fine victory, perhaps the best of the match so far. That is how Karpov plays when he is playing well.