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Kibitzing
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Karpov vs Kasparov, 1985 Moscow After 48 games had been played in the Karpov - Kasparov World Championship Match (1984), FIDE president Florencio Campomanes canceled the event while it was still in progress. He stated that the match had "exhausted the physical, if not the psychological resources, of not only the participants but all those connected with the match..."[1] No winner was declared, so Anatoly Karpov retained the title. A new world championship match would now begin on September 3, 1985 with the initial score set at 0-0.
FIDE introduced a 24 game limit, with the title holder Karpov enjoying draw odds. If Karpov lost, he also had the automatic right to a rematch.[6] The prize for the match was 1.6 million Swiss Francs, with 62.5% going to the champion.[7] For each draw, FIDE would deduct 1% of the purse, and fine each player a further 1%.[2] The arbiters were Andrey Petrov Malchev and Vladas Ivanovich Mikenas.[8] Kasparov had vociferously, and successfully, objected to FIDE's first choice of Svetozar Gligoric and Anton Kinzel, the arbiters from the Karpov - Kasparov World Championship Match (1984), because he thought they had been too ready to follow Campomanes.[9] Karpov's seconds were Igor Arkadievich Zaitsev, Yuri Balashov,[10] Efim Geller, Sergey Makarichev and Evgeni Vasiukov.[11] Kasparov's seconds were Aleksander S Nikitin, assisted by Josif D Dorfman, Gennadi Timoshchenko, Evgeny Vladimirov and Alexander Shakarov.[10] The match was played in the Tchaikovsky Hall, Moscow. Evgeny Vladimirov describes the scene: "...amongst the 1,500 spectators and the tens of millions of Soviet chess fans outside, there are no neutrals... Thousands stand in rows six feet deep all around the cordoned off Mayakovsky Square before the start of each game. A ticket for a good seat costs 2½ roubles but on the black market they are changing hands at 15 roubles..."[12] Kasparov won the 1st game. Karpov evened the score in Game 4 by manoeuvering to build an overwhelming kingside attack, and then went ahead 2-1 when Kasparov pressed too hard for a win in Game 5. Karpov now experienced a period of weak play that lasted throughout the month of October. It started in Game 11, when Karpov made the crude blunder 22...Rcd8. Kasparov won the game with a queen sacrifice, tying the match. Karpov explains that he became distracted when the German news magazine Der Spiegel published a controversial story on September 30. It was about a large sum of money Karpov had allegedly received from a computer sponsorship deal, without notifying the Soviet authorities. This would have constituted a major violation of the exchange control regulations. Karpov was later cleared of the accusations. In an 1988 interview, Karpov agreed with the observation that he never played worse in a match against Kasparov than from October 1 to October 24, 1985. Furthermore, he said that Kasparov would not have become world champion in 1985 without help from Der Spiegel.[13] In Game 16 Kasparov took the lead with what he regarded to be the "most beautiful" of the match and also "an important turning point. After this game I felt I could win the title, that I must win it. At the same time it became clear that Karpov felt the exact opposite."[14] Karpov reported that in home analysis before the game, his second Efim Geller had found the improvement 12.Be3, but forgot to tell him![11] After a drawn 17th game Kasparov took a time out, assuming that Karpov would go all out against him with the white pieces in Game 18.[5] Kasparov secured a two point lead when Karpov lashed out unsuccessfully on the kingside in Game 19. The drawn Game 21 ended unexpectedly after Kasparov suddenly noticed a flaw in his adjournment analysis. This seems to have encouraged Karpov, and Kasparov took another time out.[15] Karpov cut the lead to a point by playing aggressively with the white pieces in Game 22. Kasparov explained that he "underestimated the opponent's pawn offensive on the kingside."[16] In Game 24 Karpov needed to win in order to tie the match and retain his title. In a "superb fighting game, worthy of a world championship decider," Karpov built up a promising attacking position, but miscalculated after Kasparov sacrificed two pawns.[17] Garry Kasparov won the game, and so became the 13th world chess champion.
Kasparov summed up the match as follows: "Karpov made the best even in unfavourable positions, exploiting every chance when positions were in his favour. He achieved outstanding performances. Towards the end of the match my confidence was slightly shaken by excitement and nervous stress; however, I managed to pull myself together for the final game. I realised that Karpov would have to do his utmost to win... In experience, I was behind Karpov but youth has an advantage; more surplus energy."[18] Mikhail Tal called this "one of the most interesting matches in the history of chess." He praised Kasparov's "sharp, aggressive style," and remarked that "I only wish that his stay on the throne will not be as short as mine!"[5] On December 5, 1985 Karpov exercised his contractual right to a rematch, which was scheduled to start in the summer of 1986.[19]
FINAL SCORE: Kasparov 13; Karpov 11 Reference: game collection WCC Index [Karpov-Kasparov 1985] NOTABLE GAMES [what is this?]
FOOTNOTES
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