chessgames.com

Anatoli Karpov vs Wolfgang Unzicker
Nice 1974  ·  Spanish Game: Closed Variations. Chigorin Defense (C98)  ·  1-0


Click Here to play Guess-the-Move
Given 41 times; par: 65 [what's this?]

explore this opening
find similar games 7 more Karpov/Unzicker games
PGN: download | view Help: general | java-troubleshooting

TIP: Premium members can see a list of all games that they have seen recently at their Game History Page.

Java Viewer:  What is this?
For help with the default chess viewer, please see the Chess Viewer Deluxe Quickstart Guide.

Kibitzer's Corner
< Earlier Kibitzing  · PAGE 3 OF 3 ·  Later Kibitzing >
Sep-10-07
Premium Chessgames Member
  Karpova: Unzicker after the game: <One is permitted to lose to Karpov with black> http://www.olimpbase.org/1974/1974i...
Oct-16-07
Premium Chessgames Member
  zdigyigy: 33.Ng3 34.Bd1 35.Bh5 a lovely play. I wonder if Unzicker was happy to be rid of a piece in his cramped space? God, what's a guy to do? Hats off to you Karpov!
Nov-18-07   GlassCow: One of my absolute favorite games, featuring one of my favcorite moves ever played - 24. Ba7! The way Karpov completely paralyzes Unzicker is absolutely breathtaking.
Dec-26-07   M.D. Wilson: I know, <GlassCow>. It's one of my favourite games, too. Karpov could do just about anything in chess, but his prophylactic play was supreme, and perhaps unsurpassed. Karpov is one of the two or three best practitioners of prophylaxis, along with Petrosian, Nimzowitsch or Capablanca, in the history of the game.
Jan-26-08
Premium Chessgames Member
  kevin86: It looks like black's knights and rooks are trapped in a snowglobe or a genie's lamp. Only minimum forces are needed to win a position like this.
Mar-30-08   Kwesi: This game probably inspired A Greet vs R Van Wessel, 2006
Jul-20-08   Woody Wood Pusher: This is such an amazing game, black is paralyzed across the whole board, 44...Qxg6 45. fxg6 and then 46.Nf5 is crushing. This must have been so painful to play as black, his position was choked an inch at a time.
Aug-01-08   dumbgai: My god, that bishop on a7 looks so awkward but in fact it dominates the position, completely tying down black's pieces to the queenside while his queen decisively penetrates on the kingside.

This is a brilliant game, and true to Karpov's style. There are no flamboyant queen sacrifices, but rather a number of maneuvers that slowly squeeze the opponent to death.

Aug-01-08   RookFile: Karpov made the point, in annotating this game, that usually you hear about a 'bad bishop' - but in this game, his strategy was geared toward the 'bad knight' on b7.
Aug-02-08
Premium Chessgames Member
  PinnedPiece: <Rookfile>

Dude, you're stripped ....I see no avatar today!!!!

It's like you've got a paper bag on your head.

Aug-10-08   Phoenix: <Kwesi> is quite right. Blocking a file in this way has become a standard motif.

For example, Bareev vs Salov, 1992 White to play:


click for larger view

23.Na5!

Sep-23-08   fictionist: Superb!
Sep-23-08
Premium Chessgames Member
  whiteshark: Splendid!
Oct-07-08
Premium Chessgames Member
  Geronimo: Hey this is a beautiful game. I just found it by chance. The aesthetic beauty of white's position after 21.Ng3 should turn heads, and there should be a book about 24.Ba7.

This is a Karpov gem. I agree <aazqua>, he is underappreciated. Highly instructive for positional play in a closed position. Why not a game of the day <CG.com>?

Oct-07-08
Premium Chessgames Member
  parisattack: I saw this game recently somewhere else and - yes - its sweet! I enjoy Karpov's games on balance much more than Kasparov's. Karpov definately underrated - the stigma of the Fischer non-match (obviously not his doing) and of being a good little Communist in the 70s.
Dec-18-08   Helios727: Fischer might have been the better player, but I think Karpov's "closed center" approach to the white side of the Ruy is easier for a lower level player to emulate.
Dec-18-08
Premium Chessgames Member
  Travis Bickle: if Karpov Fischer would have happened in '75 it would have been position and complications of Anatoli vs tactics and attack by Bobby.
Dec-18-08   JuliusCaesar: I know what you mean, Travis, but Fischer was much more than just tactics and attack. Like Karpov, he, too, was a great positional player as well as a master technician. To my mind, the main differentiator between the two was Fischer's attitiude with Black. While Karpov would almost always (note the almost) settle for equality, Fischer (and Kasparov) were more ambitious with the black pieces.

Jan-26-09   M.D. Wilson: Karpov was arguably more dangerous with white.
Jan-26-09   M.D. Wilson: This is Nigel Short's favourite game. It's among my favourites, too.
Apr-17-09   WhiteRook48: I thought Short's favorite game was Morphy vs Duke Karl/Count Isouard, 1858
May-21-09
Premium Chessgames Member
  arsen387: Fantastic game by Karpov here. Just wanted to say thanks to <Karpova> for the link to 1974 Nice Olimpiad and to repost it again as it's already in the bottom and soon can disappear from the first page http://www.olimpbase.org/1974/1974i.... Just imagine USSR's team at that Olimpiad - Karpov, Korchnoi, Spassky, Petrosian and finally Tal on the 1st reserve board! what a monster team. No surprise they won with a margin of 8.5 points without a single loss throughout the whole Olimpiad
Jul-08-09   WhiteRook48: doesn't 44...Qxg6 diminish the attack?
Jul-12-09   Gouvaneur: Ingenious! So many pieces left on the prof, and Black is in Zugzwang!! You gotta love these Karpov games.
Jul-14-09
Premium Chessgames Member
  parisattack: <WhiteRook48: doesn't 44...Qxg6 diminish the attack?>

Not for long. 46. Nf5 is strong.

A wonderful example of Karpov at his best.

Jump directly to page #    (enter number from 1 to 3)
< Earlier Kibitzing  · PAGE 3 OF 3 ·  Later Kibitzing >

a real life chess murder mystery
NOTE: You need to pick a username and password to post a reply. Getting your account takes less than a minute, totally anonymous, and 100% free--plus, it entitles you to features otherwise unavailable. Pick your username now and join the chessgames community!
If you already have an account, you should login now.
Please observe our posting guidelines:
  1. No obscene, racist, sexist, or profane language.
  2. No spamming, advertising, or duplicating posts.
  3. No personal attacks against other users.
  4. Nothing in violation of United States law.
Blow the Whistle See something which violates our rules? Blow the whistle and inform an administrator.


NOTE: Keep all discussion on the topic of this page. This forum is for this specific game and nothing else. If you want to discuss chess in general, or this site, you might try the Kibitzer's Café.
Messages posted by Chessgames members do not necessarily represent the views of Chessgames.com, its employees, or sponsors.
Spot an error? Please submit a correction slip and help us eliminate database mistakes!
This game is type: CLASSICAL (Disagree? Please submit a correction slip.)

Featured in the Following Game Collections [what is this?]
World Champions
by clifton
24.Ba7!! Blocking a file - Switching play to opposite flank
from Strategic maneuvers by Phoenix
black pieces look like they are in a snowglobe
from unique themes :fourth division by kevin86
sleepyirv's favorite games
by sleepyirv
Karpov's Immortal
from THE TEN GREATEST GAMES OF THE 20TH CENTURY by MR. NIMZO
My favorite game, ever.
from Karpov Exploits the a-file by danielpi
a Karpov Immortal?!
from chess strategems iii - under construction by gauer
Karpov's Immortal
from Unbelievable chess games by Sam the sacrificer
Ezpone's favorite games
by Ezpone
Positional Brilliance
from The Greatest Games of All Time by Cactus
Game 37
from My Best Games by Anatoly Karpov by Anatoly21
Great play by Karpov
from the most instructive classic games by timothee3331
great games
by Justs99171
Positional Masterpieces
by Jafar219
66
from OMGP V by keypusher
A Nimzo style positional brilliancy.
from Best Chess Games of All Time by Timothy Glenn Forney
d5
from Karpov's Ruy Lopez by TheFrench
notyetagm's favorite games
by notyetagm
Rednaker's favorite games
by Rednaker
Anatoly Karpov's Best Games
by Sui Generis
plus 63 more collections (not shown)


home | about | login | logout | F.A.Q. | your profile | preferences | Premium Membership | Kibitzer's Café | new kibitzing | chessforums | new games | Player Directory | World Chess Championships | Opening Explorer | Guess the Move | Game Collections | ChessBookie Game | Chessgames Challenge | Little ChessPartner | privacy notice | contact us
Copyright 2001-2009, Chessgames.com
Web design & database development by 20/20 Technologies