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Anatoly Karpov vs Viktor Zheliandinov
Soviet Army Team Championship (1970), Leningrad URS, rd 3, Oct-??
Spanish Game: Closed Variations. Smyslov Defense (C93)  ·  1-0

8
7
6
5
4
3
2
a
1
b
c
d
e
f
g
h
White to move.
ANALYSIS [x]
1-0

rnbqkbnr/pppppppp/8/8/8/8/PPPPPPPP/RNBQKBNR w KQkq - 0 1
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Kibitzer's Corner
Jun-12-07
Premium Chessgames Member
  Honza Cervenka: Nice game. Black looked fine with control of a-file but Karpov demonstrated that this was quite ineffective resource in the position. He calmly prepared decisive breach in the centre and finished the game by pretty tactical shot.
Jun-17-08  Helios727: So why the resignation when down only a pawn in a complicated position?
Mar-15-09  M.D. Wilson: Depends what you mean by complicated. White has two passed pawns and a superior position. Karpov also probably had a massive time advantage.
Sep-12-18
Premium Chessgames Member
  PawnSac: < Helios727: So why the resignation when down only a pawn in a complicated position? >

The answer to that is simple. Black was psychologically defeated. Now, before you think this is an overly simplistic explanation, consider this: It is absolutely true. One gives up when he believes it is hopeless/pointless to continue. Therefore the question is.. On what basis did black conclude it was pointless to continue? OK, lets first consider the facts...

1. Black is a 35 yr old master(?) facing a 19 yr old rising star (a GM this year) who no doubt has a reputation and is known as a powerful player.

2. black is technically 1 pawn down, but 3 of his pawns guard the king. White has 2 to blacks 3 on the kingside, and blacks 3 is pretty static/tied down and on white squares, while white has a light squared bishop. On the queenside white has a passer duo which is pretty unstoppable in an endgame.

3. white has the 2 bishops advantage.

4. white has the tactical shots..
a. the pin of Nd6
b. the threat of Nd4-Nb5 or Nd4-Nc6 and c5,
c. black's Nh7 is poorly placed / passive and black has no clear tactical counter play and will be completely on the defensive.. and so on.

Sep-13-18  Howard: Rather strange final position, to say the least.
Sep-14-18  BUNA: It's probably an adjourned game. White sealed the move 43.Re2. Black analyzed the position at home and decided that it's not worth to continue the game.

White threatens to push his central pawns and/or to put his knight on c6 or b5. Even an exchange sac on c3 might be possible at some point. I'd guess that the engines evaluate this position at around +2.

Sep-15-18  Howard: Good point ! The final position could very well have been an adjournment, in which case Karpov's opponent would have concluded that if HE could find the forced win, then why not Karpov, too ?

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