| Nov-21-03 | | drukenknight: This one is a real nice tactical shootout from the second world title match betweeen these two. Looking at my notes from a while back, I was looking at 29 Kh1 and thinking what about 29 Nf5? |
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| Nov-21-03 | | Spitecheck: Without looking at the ramifications of 29. Nf5, I remember it was noted that 29. Kh1 was simply played as a means of defending the e3 pawn 29... xe3 30.  f5+, hence Karpov moving his Kg8 reenhancing the threat on the lonely pawn. Writing chess books must be painfully easy for some of those authors. Or perhaps GMs just make it look easy. More than once in this 1981 match Karpov was able to bust Korchnoi's white side with a d4 break in the middle. Korchnoi's play seemed quite unremarkable compared to what it was in 1978, while Karpov had evidently increased in strength. I remember having two books on the 1978 match, one by Keene (Korchnois second) and the other very good read by Bent Larsen (who just finished a commemorative match with Olafsson a week or so ago). I came across a move where in one book it is given a question mark in the other an exclamation mark (perhaps in brackets however). Great minds don't nec think alike. Spitecheck |
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Nov-21-03
 | | Eggman: DK, do you mean 29.hf5+ or 29.df5+? And what is the intended follow-up to the straightforward acceptance of the piece sac? It looks to me like White is just giving up a piece. |
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| Nov-21-03 | | drukenknight: Yeah, I've been studying all three of the Korch/Karpov matches so I may be able to post more stuff on the other games. Eggie: Start w/ 29 N(h)xf5; it is not just giving up a piece. If you study the retreat path of the K, there is really only one good way. Also look at the position of white's Q and how it can come into play. I double checked my idea with a computer and it definitely is worthy, see what you come up with. Also the computer suggests that Korch made a number of weak moves starting at move 23. Suggesting instead: 23 Qb3; 24 a B move (I think); 25 exd4; 28 Re1. After move 29, Korchnoi has no longer any chance of counter play, it seems to go downhill, I suggst that 29 Nf5 is the last time to sack material and go on the offensive. |
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May-10-06
 | | keypusher: From Peter Jones
<In his first WC match game against Korchnoi (Merano 1981) Karpov played on his last move ...,Rb5. Instead the move: ...,Qg3 would have been much stronger as it forces the win of the queen with mate to follow. Did the W.Champ miss that move due to zeitnot?> I doubt it, myself. Unlikely Karpov was in time pressure at all during this game, and I am sure by move 43 he knew he was past the time control. He probably just overlooked ...Qg3, since his own 43...Rb5 was also winning. |
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| May-10-06 | | offramp: In Chess is My Life Kortschnoi gives the reasons that he lost this match: Karpov had a team of 70 people... Karpov was given a villa, and Kortschnoi wasn't... Karpov swivelled his chair when the arbiter wasn't looking... Kortschnoi mad e a comment on the stage and it was recorded... The KGB ws using pulse and heartbeat monitoring equipment on Kortschnoi... Kortschnoi had been irradiated by special equipment taken to Karpov's villa... Karpov was wearing earphones under his hair and was receiving moves from his trainers... the trainers may have been using computers... Kortschnoi's press attaché was attacked by intruders in Kortschnoi's room... Kortschnoi's room was bugged by the Soviets.... Karpov had a team of parapsychologists at the match... From Chess is My Life, pages 165-169. |
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| May-10-06 | | RookFile: The unfortunate reality is that for a period of about 10 years, Karpov was the best actively playing chessplayer in the world. The common thought is that Korchnoi had somehow gained in strength in his 40's. I don't see it this way - rather, this was a window of opportunity for Korchnoi when other stars like Petrosian and Spassky were past their prime and disinterested, and new stars like Kasparov were not ready yet. |
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May-10-06
| | keypusher: <The common thought is that Korchnoi had somehow gained in strength in his 40's.> Behold the power of common thought!
http://db.chessmetrics.com/CM2/Play... |
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| May-22-06 | | SnoopDogg: Did Korchnoi really say the trainers might have been using computers in 1981? That has to be the most stupid remark Viktor Lvovich has ever said in his entire life. |
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| Sep-12-07 | | duplex: 24. d4 intrusion with the pawn was the decisive move for Karpov after that Kortschnoi couldn't restore the balance anymore ..Karpov is an amazing player making moves that look like so simple and easy to make but if you go into detail you will be overwhelmed by the brilliance of these simple moves..Karpov in 1980-81 was a superior positional player than Fischer and Kasparov in their best times..Mark my words.. |
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| Apr-11-08 | | Knight13: <SnoopDogg: Did Korchnoi really say the trainers might have been using computers in 1981? That has to be the most stupid remark Viktor Lvovich has ever said in his entire life.> LOL. Computers sucked in 1981 I'd let them use the computers to cheat. :-D |
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Oct-17-10
 | | whiteshark: What a bad start for 'Viktor'. |
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May-13-11
 | | GrahamClayton: "This was an uncharacteristic game by Korchnoi but we are still optimistic. The loser of the first game is going to be the winner of the last" GM Michael Stean, one of Korchnoi's seconds. |
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| May-12-12 | | offramp: <SnoopDogg: Did Korchnoi really say the trainers might have been using computers in 1981? That has to be the most stupid remark Viktor Lvovich has ever said in his entire life.> Yes. It is all in Chess is My Life.
Here is something useful I learned form this game:
After 20.Qc2
click for larger view
Karpov liked his position but was not sure of how to continue.
So he employed a tactic that he often employed - improving his king's position. White has no dark-squared bishop, so the black king should theoretically be slightly more secure on a black square. So Karpov played 20...g6. This move also takes f5 away from the white pieces.
A few moves later he played the follow-up ...Kg7
click for larger view
The king is better here because in any complications that may occur it might be important that if white plays Rxd8 that it is NOT check.
Kortschnoi seems to have lost patience a little. He played 23.Bb1 followed by 24.a3 and lost to the cannonball 24...d4!!
click for larger view |
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