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Anatoly Karpov vs Roberto Luis Debarnot
Las Palmas (1977), Las Palmas ESP, rd 3, May-10
French Defense: Tarrasch Variation. Open System Main Line (C09)  ·  1-0

ANALYSIS [x]

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Kibitzer's Corner
Jun-02-07  nolanryan: nasty endgame victory.
i wonder if karpov was lazy, and got all these endgame victories because he didn't try hard enough in the middle game.
May-10-15  tessathedog: This is a lovely game, played in true Karpov style. Very nice example of conversion of an IQP weakness into a different set of pawn weaknesses (26 Nc6!). Also very nice play to prepare for the endgame breakthrough c4...no hurry, no fuss, first Karpov gets all his pieces into their best positions, including fixing the "g" pawn and securing f5 as an outpost for his bishop (60 g4!), so that when the breakthrough comes, it is unstoppable, the bishop on f5 winning a piece to prevent queening. Great technique. I'm sure I would have just drawn this ending as White. The moves Karpov finds to bring home the win don't seem terribly difficult once you have seen them, but to play them one after the other in a practical game is much more difficult. Karpov's games are so instructive, and clear enough that we can follow what's going on. I hadn't seen this game before, and am surprised it's not better known.
Dec-06-22
Premium Chessgames Member
  kingscrusher: <nolanryan> I think the idea of the Tarrasch variation is to give the opponent a bit of dynamic counterplay but then use one's boa-constrictor or Spider style to gradually suck the life out of the opponent's position until they have only bad moves. It is no accident that the Tarrasch variation against the French is also a favourite of British GM Michael Adams.

However, it seems in this game Black made things much worse with the mistake 52..Rc7

It seems 52...Rc7 allows the King to get to d4 which further strains the Black pieces and allows the K to assist in creating a passed pawn.

Instead at move 52 a move like Kf6 should maintain equality

Anatoly Karpov - Roberto Luis Debarnot 1-0 3.0, Las Palmas Las Palmas ESP 1977


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Analysis by Stockfish 15 - 3 threads max:

1. = (0.18): 53.Rc5 g5 54.Ra5 Rc7 55.hxg5+ hxg5 56.Kg4 Nd7 57.Ra6+ Ke5 58.Bf5 Nf6+ 59.Kxg5 Rg7+ 60.Bg6 Ne4+ 61.Kh4 Rb7 62.Ra2 Rb6 63.Bxe4 dxe4 64.Ra5+ Ke6 65.Kg4 Rxb2 66.Ra6+ Kd5 67.Rxa7 Rb3 68.Ra5+ Ke6 The position is equal

(Gavriel, 06.12.2022)

Dec-06-22
Premium Chessgames Member
  Sally Simpson: Hi KingCrusher,

It is interesting to note that after scoring quite a few wins with 3.Nd2 Tarrasch gave it up after this game in 1894 Tarrasch vs K Walbrodt, 1894

In his '300 games' Tarrasch mentions the Walbrodt game saying 4....exd5 embarrasses White and Walbrodt only drifted into a poor position by allowing 7.Nxc5 in that game.

In his book 'The Game of Chess' written in 1931 Tarrasch does not even mention 3.Nd2 in his section on the French defence, he concentrates on Black replies to 3.Nc3 instead.

Dec-07-22
Premium Chessgames Member
  kingscrusher: <Sally Simpson> That's very interesting. I think positional players really enjoy the Isolated Queen Pawn aspects - but I guess Tarrasch didn't mind playing with the IQP in general - for his other major opening - Tarrasch defence vs 1.d4. Thanks.

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