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Anatoly Karpov vs Istvan Csom
"Csomic the Hedgehog" (game of the day Apr-23-2011)
Bad Lauterberg (1977), Bad Lauterberg FRG, rd 12, Mar-18
English Opening: Anglo-Indian Defense. Queen's Knight Variation (A16)  ·  1-0

ANALYSIS [x]

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Kibitzer's Corner
< Earlier Kibitzing  · PAGE 5 OF 5 ·  Later Kibitzing>
May-23-13
Premium Chessgames Member
  gawain: I never thought Nf5 was a possibility. I considered only 50 Nh5 which employs one important threat but does not actually work. Unblocking the diagonal while also unblocking the h-filecto allow the threat Qh2+ is a terrific idea.
May-23-13  Patriot: 50.Nf5 looks really good (clearance sac).

50...Nxd7 51.Qh2+ Kg8 52.Qg3+ Kf7 53.Qg7#

50...exf5 51.Qh2+ Kg8 52.Qg3+

50...Rc8 51.Rh7+ Nxh7 52.Qg7# (same happens on 50...Qc8 for example)

I don't see a decent defense to this.

May-23-13  Balmo: The great Karpov. What a player he was in his time. Nf5 is a beautiful move. I saw it, but I must have seen this game before because I thought I recognised the position. It's hard to see because you must retreat the queen all the way back to h2. However, once you see the consequences of the check on h2 and then g3, it's all over. Black's position is completely lost. Great game by the positional genius.
May-23-13  Patriot: <BOSTER> Maybe you can call 49...Nf8 a blunder, but black had a very difficult position. And for black to see 50.Nf5! before playing 49...Nf8 is not easy. It's a silent threat that is very effective.
May-23-13  Patriot: <BOSTER> I just ran move 49... through Houdini and it says 49...Nf8 is absolutely a blunder since 49...Ng5 wins for black! And it's the only move that doesn't lose!

Perhaps the question is, why did black play such a defensive move? After all, it is usually best to look for offensive moves first than such defensive moves. Or at least try to find a move that mixes offense and defense.

May-23-13
Premium Chessgames Member
  FSR: One of the all-time great swindles. 50.Nf5!! with the dual threats of 51.Rh7+ Nxh7 52.Qg7# and 51.Qh2+ Kg8 52.Qg3+ Kh8 53.Qg7# wins.
May-23-13
Premium Chessgames Member
  perfidious: The position with Karpov to move before 50.Nf5 was given in the British Chess Magazine in Keene's article on Bad Lauterberg. Just wish I could recall the exact description of Csom's demeanour after Nf5, but he was in a state of shock.
May-23-13  BOSTER: <Patriot> <Houdini says 49...Ng5 wins for black>.

My guess that move 47...Qa8 was very passive, this move put the powerful queen on the defensive duty. Maybe was better to return the knight, and activate own pieces playing ending with extra pawns on the side where white had no any pawn. For ex. 47.Qb7 48. Qd7+ Re7 49.Qxb7 Rxb7 50.Kxg2 Ng5.

May-23-13  Patriot: <BOSTER> Your line isn't a bad line. Houdini says that 47...Qa8 and 47...Qf3 are crushing--almost a 4 pawn advantage for black! It's hard to imagine how a move like 47...Qa8 can be completely winning but when you count material, black definitely has the upper hand. 47...Qb7 is about 0.5 pawn advantage to black.
May-24-13  kurtrichards: killer combination by one of the Ks... :)
May-24-13
Premium Chessgames Member
  FSR: <Patriot: <BOSTER> I just ran move 49... through Houdini and it says 49...Nf8 is absolutely a blunder since 49...Ng5 wins for black! And it's the only move that doesn't lose! Perhaps the question is, why did black play such a defensive move? After all, it is usually best to look for offensive moves first than such defensive moves. Or at least try to find a move that mixes offense and defense.>

I daresay Csom thought that that was what he was doing, defending against mate and simultaneously threatening 50...Nxd7. Let's follow his thought processes after White's 49th move:

<<<<"OK, he threatens 50.Rxh7+. Gotta move the knight to stop it. Just two choices: Ng5 and Nf8. Ng5 looks decent, but it doesn't threaten anything. Nf8 looks like a good defensive move, shoring up my king position. <And> it attacks the rook, so he has to move it. Once the rook moves, I can move my knight on g2, threatening Qg2#, and his king is in big trouble. Then I'm the one on the attack, and I'm a piece up. Looking good. Where does his rook move after Nf8? Let's see: maybe Rg7, intending Rg4 and Qg7 mate? All right, 50.Rg7 Nh4 (threatening Qg2#) 51.Nh5 - whoa, he threatens 52.Rh7+! Nxh7 53.Qg7#! 51...Nf5 looks like a good response, when my knights are guarding against any mates on g7 and h7. Wait a sec - then 52.Nxf6! Nxg7 53.Qh2+ and I'm mated! Yikes! OK, calm down. I don't have to play Nh4. Let's try that again. 49...Nf8 50.Rg7. How about 50...Nf4! That stops 51.Nh5, and his rook hangs after 51.Qxf4 Kxg7. Wait, 52.Nh5+ is still scary. 52...Kg6! 53.Qxf6+ Kxh5. Surely there's no perpetual here? 54.Qf7+ Ng6 55.Qh7+ Kg5 wins. Or 53.Qg4+ Kh6 54.Nxf6 Ng6! 55.Nxe8 Qxe8. I'm a piece up. I win.

All right, where else can he move the rook after 49...Nf8? I suppose 50.Rd2, attacking my knight. Then 50...Nh4 threatens to fork on f3. He can pin the knight against my king with 51.Rh2. No problem, 51...Nfg6 defends. Then 52.Nh5 threatens mate, 52...Rg8! Yeah, right! No mate, and now my pieces are going to mate him off the board! I'm beating the world champion!! Sweet!">

Csom confidently plays 49...Nf8.>

Karpov instantly plonks down 50.Nf5!, hits his clock, and stares at Csom.>

"What is this? Holy crap! Aieee!!!">

May-25-13  Abdel Irada: <FSR>: What you're saying, then, is that Csom underwent a brief out-of-body experience, during which his place was filled by <cormier>?

May-25-13
Premium Chessgames Member
  FSR: <Abdel> You really don't like the rainbow thing, do you? I thought that was a fine exposition of what Csom was probably thinking. <pouting>
May-25-13  Abdel Irada: Not that I don't *like* it per se.

I merely note without judgment that it is a recognized <cormier> trademark on this site.

(I'll be disappointed, though, if you get a cease-and-desist letter.)

Dec-04-16  Howard: Damn, but I never knew that there was this much to this game. The Informant notes were actually rather brief---apparently, TOO brief.
Dec-04-16  RookFile: Karpov's idea of Qh2 is very sneaky indeed. I'm sure I would have played 49....Ng5 in time trouble, while at the same time being blissfully unaware of Karpov's possibilities.
Nov-06-17  Saniyat24: Only Karpov can come up with a novelty like 12.Bb2...!
Nov-06-17  Saniyat24: After Istvan Csom's 30th move, 30...Ng6, there are so many pieces on the g-file...!
Nov-06-17  Saniyat24: 47...Qg6 would have been better I think...for Csom...
May-06-18  morfishine: The ole switch-aroo

The White Queen needs to be in front of the rook, so lets take the long way to get there via <h2> - <g3> and finally <g7>

As noted by <jimfromprovidence>, White is forcing mate at <g7> whether Black takes the Knight or not

I don't know if I'd classify this as a "swindle". The combination is too brilliant and air-tight for that

*****

May-06-18  ndg2: The "swindle" is probably due to Karpov being lost after queen exchange ( which Karpov offered, but Csom avoided for several moves.) What about 41..Ng5?
May-06-18
Premium Chessgames Member
  offramp: In the 1970s Karpov was thought to be a bit dry.

But one thing he liked to do was advance his pawns in front of his castled king. For example he did it in Karpov vs Timman, 1979,


click for larger view

...or in Karpov vs Korchnoi, 1978,


click for larger view

In this game with Csom he nearly comes unstuck,


click for larger view

...Black's pieces are making use of the unprotected squares in the middle.

May-06-18
Premium Chessgames Member
  MissScarlett: <In the 1970s Karpov was thought to be a bit dry.>

Well, not his hair.

Feb-08-22
Premium Chessgames Member
  fiercebadger: 25 fxg5 Bg5 now yes, I must retreat the rook but would I think I was better ? what chess secrets does Karpov know ? he detects a slight weakness on the h file the Nh7 is misplaced ?
Jan-03-23
Premium Chessgames Member
  GrahamClayton: <Spitecheck>
What's so bad about Lauterberg any how? Where is this city?

<Spitecheck>
The word Bad (English: bath) is normally used as a prefix (Bad Vilbel) or a suffix (Marienbad, Wiesbaden) to denote the town in question is a spa town.

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