Karpov : Chess At The Top 1979-1984

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Karpov : Chess At The Top 1979-1984
Compiled by refutor

Anatoly Karpov is undoubtedly the most successful World Champion of all time. From 1975, when he gained the title, to 1984, when he was due to defend it against Gary Kasparov, he played in a total of 35 individual tournaments, mostly in the super-class bracket, and finished first in no less than 28 of them! Also, in 1978 and 1981, he twice successfully defended his title against Viktor Korchnoi, and led his country to victory in two Olympiads and three European Team Championships.

Despite this outstanding record, Karpov's playing style has not always met with universal approval, and has at time been described as "sterile", "pragmatic", and in even less flattering terms. Are such criticisms justified? The distinguished grandmaster panel which selects the "top ten" games in each volume of the Yugoslav Chess Informator would seem to have other ideas : in 17 volumes covering theperiod 1975-1983, six Karpov games have headed the list, and seven have been placed second - harldy the record of a "sterile" player!

My own feeling is that to enable Karpov's subtle style to be fully appreciated, expert commentary is required - and what could be more expert than the World Champion himself explaining the ideas behind his moves?

-- Ken Neat

Timman vs Karpov, 1984
(C45) Scotch Game, 26 moves, 0-1
Game 1
Timman vs Karpov, 1979
(A28) English, 31 moves, 0-1
Game 2
Karpov vs Larsen, 1979
(B15) Caro-Kann, 40 moves, 1-0
Game 3
Karpov vs Huebner, 1980
(B84) Sicilian, Scheveningen, 33 moves, 1-0
Game 4
Karpov vs Tal, 1980
(D48) Queen's Gambit Declined Semi-Slav, Meran, 34 moves, 1-0
Game 5
Karpov vs Ribli, 1980
(A35) English, Symmetrical, 35 moves, 1-0
Game 6
Karpov vs Spassky, 1980
(B81) Sicilian, Scheveningen, Keres Attack, 35 moves, 1-0
Game 7
Karpov vs Hort, 1980
(D41) Queen's Gambit Declined, Semi-Tarrasch, 61 moves, 1-0
Game 8
Karpov vs Geller, 1981
(D58) Queen's Gambit Declined, Tartakower (Makagonov-Bondarevsky) Syst, 33 moves, 1-0
Game 9
Karpov vs Timman, 1981
(D42) Queen's Gambit Declined, Semi-Tarrasch, 7.Bd3, 30 moves, 1-0
Game 10 (Merano Game 1)
Korchnoi vs Karpov, 1981
(D58) Queen's Gambit Declined, Tartakower (Makagonov-Bondarevsky) Syst, 43 moves, 0-1
Game 11 (Merano Game 2)
Karpov vs Korchnoi, 1981
(C67) Ruy Lopez, 57 moves, 1-0
Game 12 (Merano Game 3)
Korchnoi vs Karpov, 1981
(D58) Queen's Gambit Declined, Tartakower (Makagonov-Bondarevsky) Syst, 41 moves, 1/2-1/2
Game 13 (Merano Game 4)
Karpov vs Korchnoi, 1981
(C42) Petrov Defense, 53 moves, 1-0
Game 14 (Merano Game 5)
Korchnoi vs Karpov, 1981
(D31) Queen's Gambit Declined, 68 moves, 1/2-1/2
Game 15 (Merano Game 6)
Karpov vs Korchnoi, 1981
(C82) Ruy Lopez, Open, 41 moves, 0-1
Game 16 (Merano Game 7)
Korchnoi vs Karpov, 1981
(D31) Queen's Gambit Declined, 31 moves, 1/2-1/2
Game 17 (Merano Game 8)
Karpov vs Korchnoi, 1981
(C53) Giuoco Piano, 84 moves, 1/2-1/2
Game 18 (Merano Game 9)
Korchnoi vs Karpov, 1981
(D30) Queen's Gambit Declined, 43 moves, 0-1
Game 19 (Merano Game 10)
Karpov vs Korchnoi, 1981
(C53) Giuoco Piano, 32 moves, 1/2-1/2
Game 20 (Merano Game 11)
Korchnoi vs Karpov, 1981
(D37) Queen's Gambit Declined, 35 moves, 1/2-1/2
Game 21 (Merano Game 12)
Karpov vs Korchnoi, 1981
(A16) English, 47 moves, 1/2-1/2
Game 22 (Merano Game 13)
Korchnoi vs Karpov, 1981
(D31) Queen's Gambit Declined, 41 moves, 1-0
Game 23 (Merano Game 14)
Karpov vs Korchnoi, 1981
(C80) Ruy Lopez, Open, 46 moves, 1-0
Game 24 (Merano Game 15)
Korchnoi vs Karpov, 1981
(A29) English, Four Knights, Kingside Fianchetto, 41 moves, 1/2-1/2
Game 25 (Merano Game 16)
Karpov vs Korchnoi, 1981
(C80) Ruy Lopez, Open, 42 moves, 1/2-1/2
Game 26 (Merano Game 17)
Korchnoi vs Karpov, 1981
(D30) Queen's Gambit Declined, 23 moves, 1/2-1/2
Game 27 (Merano Game 18)
Karpov vs Korchnoi, 1981
(C80) Ruy Lopez, Open, 41 moves, 1-0
Game 28
Karpov vs A J Mestel, 1982
(B76) Sicilian, Dragon, Yugoslav Attack, 40 moves, 1-0
Game 29
Karpov vs Miles, 1982
(B76) Sicilian, Dragon, Yugoslav Attack, 38 moves, 1-0
Game 30
Karpov vs Portisch, 1982
(C42) Petrov Defense, 38 moves, 1-0
Game 31
Karpov vs Ljubojevic, 1982
(B84) Sicilian, Scheveningen, 28 moves, 1-0
Game 32
Seirawan vs Karpov, 1982
(D37) Queen's Gambit Declined, 30 moves, 0-1
Game 33
Karpov vs Spassky, 1982
(B08) Pirc, Classical, 56 moves, 1-0
Game 34
Karpov vs Huebner, 1982
(B18) Caro-Kann, Classical, 37 moves, 1-0
Game 35
Karpov vs Petrosian, 1982
(B17) Caro-Kann, Steinitz Variation, 42 moves, 1-0
Game 36
Karpov vs Nunn, 1982
(B08) Pirc, Classical, 31 moves, 1-0
Game 37
Karpov vs Hort, 1982
(C99) Ruy Lopez, Closed, Chigorin, 12...cd, 42 moves, 1-0
Game 38
Karpov vs Portisch, 1982
(C42) Petrov Defense, 27 moves, 1-0
Game 39
Gheorghiu vs Karpov, 1982
(E15) Queen's Indian, 63 moves, 0-1
Game 40
Karpov vs Sax, 1983
(B81) Sicilian, Scheveningen, Keres Attack, 39 moves, 1-0
Game 41
Karpov vs Larsen, 1983
(B18) Caro-Kann, Classical, 43 moves, 1-0
Game 42
Karpov vs Yusupov, 1983
(C82) Ruy Lopez, Open, 44 moves, 1-0
Game 43
Romanishin vs Karpov, 1983
(A07) King's Indian Attack, 62 moves, 0-1
Game 44
Karpov vs Geller, 1983
(C84) Ruy Lopez, Closed, 31 moves, 1-0
Game 45
Karpov vs T Giorgadze, 1983
(B92) Sicilian, Najdorf, Opocensky Variation, 37 moves, 1-0
Game 46
Karpov vs Taimanov, 1983
(B46) Sicilian, Taimanov Variation, 56 moves, 1-0
Game 47
Karpov vs E Torre, 1983
(C92) Ruy Lopez, Closed, 31 moves, 1-0
Game 48
Lobron vs Karpov, 1983
(C42) Petrov Defense, 40 moves, 0-1
Game 49
Karpov vs I Rogers, 1983
(B01) Scandinavian, 29 moves, 1-0
50 games

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