Karpov beats Korchnoi

Press, 7 May 1984, Page 3

Karpov beats Korchnoi

NZPA-Reuter London The world champion, Anatoly Karpov, soundly beat Viktor Korchnoi at a world chess tournament yesterday after the two old rivals had signalled an end to a decade of bitter hostility between them. Karpov, of the Soviet Union, and the Soviet exile, Korchnoi, with two unpleasant world championships behind them, shook hands before starting their first game in an ordinary tournament since 1973. Korchnoi, who until this year has been boycotted by Soviet players in ordinary tournaments, arrived a few minutes late. Karpov was in the wings and it looked as though the two would again avoid the usual pre-game courtesies. But when Karpov came to the board Korchnoi apologised for being late and they shook hands to applause from spectators. The world champion forced Korchnoi’s resignation with a knight sacrifice on move 38 that led to inevitable mate.

Karpov now leads the 13match tournament with six-and-a-half points after eight matches played. Korchnoi, who has taken Swiss citizenship, is lying in the bottom half of the field with two-and-a-half points.

The New Zealander, Murray Chandler, continued to provide a surprisingly strong challenge to Karpov’s performance, winning against Britain’s Jonathan Speelman to bring his total to six points, just a half point behind Karpov.