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This
is a game I have been working on - on and off! - for several years now. (Since
about 1998.)
Of course I was a very active player when this game was actually played.
Dozens and dozens and dozens of people have written me asking me to annotate this game ... or pick Karpov's best game - - - as part of my hunt to find the best game for each of the truly great players.
My analysis here has an occasional long variation, but the main emphasis has been a verbal explanation of the main ideas of this game. My goal was not to overwhelm you with variations, and the shorter the better ... the majority of the time. If you seek more material or analysis on this game, please consult one of the sources that I have listed in the bibliography. I hope you enjoy this version, and my work.
I was getting several different chess magazines, ('Inside Chess,' 'Chess Life' NIC; etc.); when this game was played. I clearly remember when this game was played. Many editors ranted and raved about both this tournament AND this game. And it is truly a great, great, great game of chess.
Karpov won this game, and it was easily the best and the most brilliant game of the whole event and maybe the most brilliant game of the whole year. Karpov won the tournament, which was quite possibly one the very strongest events of the entire twentieth century! (Just about every player who was any good was present.) His score, an undefeated 11-out-of-a-possible-13, is possibly one of the ten greatest tournament performances of all time!! (His PR was an impossible 2985!!!!! This - in the highest category tournament {18} ever held up until that time!!! Nearly a 2700 average rating.) Kasparov and Shirov were an unbelievable TWO-AND-A-HALF-POINTS behind Anatoly Karpov. {The rest of the stellar field was comprised, in the order of their finish, of: A. Bareev, V. Kramnik, J. Lautier, V. Anand, G. Kamsky, V. Topalov, V. Ivanchuk, B. Gelfand, M. Illescas, J. Polgar, A. Beliavsky.} (Kasparov, just before this event, said the winner could be considered the WORLD CHAMPION of Tournament Chess!!) Former U.S. Champion, GM Arnold Denker said in the pages of Chess Life, that: "Karpov had outdone even the mighty Capablanca!" The pundits went on almost endlessly. Certainly Karpov had earned the praise, virtually all of his wins were very, very good games. Some games - like this one - were exceptional ones of the very highest order. Several games from this event find their way into Karpov's (most recent) collection of his best games.
I
truly believe this to be a very good, no - a very rare and exceptional game.
I
hope you enjoy my analysis.
Click HERE to see an explanation
of some of the more common
symbols that I use
while annotating a game.
This is mostly a text-based page, with only one diagram. Therefore, you will probably need a chess board.
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One of Karpov's most brilliant
games. The sacrifices in this
game seem to be the work of
maybe Kasparov or Tal ... and not the stodgy player that
Karpov is usually portrayed as.
Another unusual thing is that
Karpov achieves a victory over
the young genius, Topalov.
(This player established himself
in the 'Top Twenty' in the world
before he was out of his teens.)
***
This game is from the annual 'Super-GM' Tournament in the city of Linares, Spain.
*****************************************************************************************************
1.d4 Nf6; 2.c4 c5!?;
{Diagram?}
A very sharp move, but not
an unsound one.
This move follows the general
principal that Black should strike
at the center as quickly as possible.
[ More commonly played is: 2...e6!?;
{Diagram?}
aiming for a Nimzo-Indian.
or even 2...g6; {Diagram?}
aiming for a King's Indian
Defense or even a Gruenfeld. ]
3.Nf3, ('!') {Diagram?}
Karpov develops a piece, controls
the center, and even prepares
King-side castling.
(But it is more normal for White
to play d5 in this position.)
This line actually transposes out
of the QP Openings, and makes
the game a type of symmetrical
English where White breaks
with
an early d4.
(The common move order for
this line is: 1.c4, c5; 2.Nf3!?,
2...Nf6; 3.d4, etc.)
Here the pawn structure is very
similar to the Maroczy-Bind
formation
in a Sicilian Defense.
[ Conventional opening theory says
the best line is d5. But this is not
set in stone. After the moves:
3.d5 e6;
4.Nc3 exd5; 5.cxd5 d6; {Diagram?}
we have reached the pawn structure
of a Modern Benoni.
(Black will
almost always follow with a
fianchetto of his King's Bishop.)
This line, while usually good for
White, has never been proven to
be
a forced win. ]
Both sides continue to develop
in a very reasonable manner.
3...cxd4!?; 4.Nxd4 e6; {Diagram?}
The standard method of development
for this particular variation.
[ By playing the moves: 4...d6!?;
5.Nc3 g6; 6.e4 Nc6;
7.Be2,
"+/=" {Diagram?}
{White has a VERY small edge
- in this position.}
we transpose to a Maroczy-Bind
Sicilian type of set-up.
(This formation could have come
from just about any move order,
which includes 1.c4, 1.d4, and
of course 1.e4.) ]
5.g3!?,
(Maybe - '!') {Diagram?}
Some (older) books say the correct
line here is Nc3, but this is highly
debatable.
This is a good move here, White
prepares a very hyper-modern
development of his King's Bishop.
The slight drawback to this line
is
that White's c-pawn can be seen
as a little under-protected.
[ Another line is: 5.Nc3 Nc6;
6.g3 Qb6; 7.Nb3,
7...Ne5!?;
"~" {Diagram?}
and Black has good counterplay.
My own database, and also
ChessBase's on-line db says there
has been nearly 350 games in this
line. The earliest example was:
GM M. Taimanov -
GM E. Geller; 22nd USSR Championship;
Moscow, (RUS); 1955. (1-0, 44m)
The latest pertinent example is:
GM G. Zaichik -
S. Kriventsov; R. Aronow Mem. Tourn; 2002. (62)
(White took a nice game, although
it took over sixty moves to win.) ]
Both sides continue their normal
plans of development.
5...Nc6; ('!?') {Diagram?}
This - a simple developing move -
is perfectly playable.
(Sometimes in the modern main
line, Black often develops
this
Knight to d7 ... which is sometimes
seen as a more
flexible square.)
[ MCO gives the following
continuation as the main
line here:
5...Qc7;
6.Nc3 a6; 7.Bg5 Be7; 8.Rc1 d6; 9.Bg2,
9...Nbd7;
{Diagram?}
The normal move.
(And the end of the column.)
(Of course not: 9...Qxc4??; 10.Nd5, "+/-")
10.0-0 h6; 11.Be3 0-0;
"=" {Diagram?}
MCO calls this position even, I
would say that White
has a
tiny edge here. ("+/=")
GM A. Yusupov - GM L. Psakhis; Yerevan, 1982.
[ See MCO-14; page # 702;
columns # 103 through # 105,
(mainly column # 105
here); and see also (mainly) note # (j.). ] ]
6.Bg2 Bc5; 7.Nb3 Be7;
{Diagram?}
Standard development.
[ 7...Bb4+!?; "~" - GM Z. Ribli ]
8.Nc3 0-0;
9.0-0 d6; 10.Bf4! Nh5!?; {Diagram?}
Black decides to remove the
troublesome White Bishop.
(This does not seem to a grossly
unreasonable plan, nor is there
any dramatic change in the
evaluations of most programs.)
[ If Black plays ...Na5!?; Karpov
had prepared a nice Queen
sacrifice,
viz: 10...Na5!?; 11.Nxa5 Qxa5;
12.Bxd6 Rd8;
13.Bxe7 Rxd1;
14.Raxd1, "+/=" (Maybe - '±') {Diagram?}
with a nice positional superiority.
- GM A. Karpov.
Or Black could try: = 10...e5!?; 11.Bg5, "+/=" {A.J.G.}
Maybe: 10...Ng4!?; "~" ]
11.e3!,
(TN?) {Diagram?}
A nice move, and rather unusual
too.
(The natural move is to retreat
the Bishop and safe-guard
White's
control of the dark-squares.)
'!?' - GM John Emms. '!' - GM Anatoly Karpov.
This looks to be a new idea, I can't
find any games with e3 here
prior
to this one in any database. {A.J.G.}
[ The standard move for White -here, in this position -
is:
11.Be3,
"+/=" {Diagram?}
and White maintains a modest
advantage in this line.
- GM John
Emms. ]
11...Nxf4; {Diagram?}
Black captures, there is no reason
for him not to.
(His Knight was
being attacked by the Queen.)
[ </= 11...Nf6?!; 12.Qe2, "+/= ]
12.exf4!, {Diagram?}
White captures AWAY from the
center - a violation of most
conventional wisdom.
I am sure many players would be
at least tempted to play gxf4,
and
try to use the g-file for the attack.
Karpov sees that the open lines
give him a huge space advantage.
The remarkable thing about this
game is how quickly he manages
to convert this into tangible assets.
[ Interesting was: 12.gxf4!? ]
12...Bd7; {Diagram?}
Black develops, he will have to
mobilize his Queen-side sooner
or later.
[ Another move was: 12...Bf6!?;
"~" {Diagram?}
with the positional threat of
doubling White's c-pawns.
According to one author, a much
better move was:
>/=
12...Na5!?; - I. Damsky.
(This move fails to impress me much, White retains
a large
advantage after Qd3. {A.J.G.} ) ]
13.Qd2, (Maybe - '!')
{Diagram?}
White patiently prepares the
possible doubling of the heavy
pieces on the d-file.
[ 13.Ne4!? ]
13...Qb8!?; {Diagram?}
Black must defend d6 somehow.
(Of course ...Qc7? immediately,
runs into Nb5.)
"A classic Hedgehog move."
- GM John Emms.
.
(Seirawan questions this move, but
analysis does not justify his
conclusions.)
[ Maybe a TINY improvement
would have been: 13...a5!?;
"~" {Diag?}
but White probably maintains a
very small advantage ...
no
matter what Black plays here. ]
14.Rfe1!,
(Maybe - '!!') {Diagram?}
This is easily one of the best
moves (and deepest!) of the game.
It is not at all clear even what
future - if any! - the Rook will
have here.
You could reasonably argue that
this is a natural move ... to place a
heavy piece on a half-open file, and
you would be correct. But in modern
GM practice such generalities,
(without a concrete follow-up or
plan); are
rarely good enough to
defeat the very best players in
the world! 'Nuff said?
[ Fritz 7.0
computes for nearly
an hour and plays: 14.Rad1,
"+/=" {D?}
and White has a solid edge. ]
Black's next has been
condemned
as inferior, but is a common plan,
{in these types of positions};
to re-deploy the dark-squared
defender to
the g7-square ...
where it is usually much more
effective than e7.
14...g6!?; {Diagram?}
Black's lack of space makes it
difficult to come up with a really
effective
plan in this position.
'?!' - GM Yasser Seirawan.
[ Maybe a little better would
have been the try: 14...a5!?; {Diag?}
but White seems to keep a
fairly substantial edge no matter
what Black tries here. ]
White immediately sets about
gaining more territory ...
and
also weakens Black's King-side.
15.h4!, {Diagram?}
The best move, and also given
an exclam by several other
annotators here.
[ 15.Rad1!?, "+/=" ]
15...a6; {Diagram?}
This could be best here, ...h5 (?!) looks like it weakens Black's
King-side
far too much.
[ </=
15...h5!?; 16.Rad1 Rd8; 17.f5!
gxf5[]; 18.Qh6, '±' {Diag?}
- GM A. Karpov. ]
16.h5!,
{Diagram?}
An excellent move ... several authors
have said that Nd5 here might have
been better here. (Its definitely not!)
[ </= 16.Nd5!? exd5; 17.cxd5 Bf6; 18.dxc6 bxc6; "=" ]
***
Black now makes a rather desperate bid for counterplay.
16...b5!? ;
(Maybe - '?!') {Diagram?}
Nunn labels this as an error.
(Ftacnik calls in dubious.
GM Y. Seirawan gives it no
mark at all.)
'?' - GM John Emms.
Part of Topalov's style is fierce
resistance and often a disregard
for material considerations. I
think that Black thought he would
get
adequate play by this move ...
and a subsequent sacrifice of an
exchange. But Karpov crosses
him
up ... and does not take the bait!
[ >/= 16...Rc8!?; 17.Rad1, "+/="
***
>/= 16...Ra7; 17.Qe2, "+/="
(Or 17.h6 b5; 18.Nd4, "+/=") ]
17.hxg6 hxg6;
18.Nc5!, {Diagram?}
A nice move ... and a surprise
for the Bulgarian super-star.
(He was probably expecting White
to capture on b5, but this line
would give Black a lot of counterplay
on the light squares.)
'!' - GM Anatoly Karpov. '!' - GM Yasser Seirawan.
'!' - GM John Emms.
[ Very tempting for White had to have been the continuation:
18.cxb5 axb5;
19.Nd4!?, "+/=" {Diagram?}
when the first player seems to
have a very clear advantage.
(But Black had planned to sacrifice
the exchange to generate
much-needed counterplay.)
]
18...dxc5!?; {Diagram?}
Topalov said after the game that
he felt this was forced.
**********
[ Black could have tried: </=
18...Qa7; 19.Nxd7 Qxd7; 20.cxb5,
20...axb5;
21.Nxb5 d5; 22.Rec1, '±'
{Diagram?}
but White is clearly better here,
and Black's compensation for
the pawn is highly questionable.
***
</= 18...Be8?!;
19.Nxa6!, {Diagram?}
I think this is best.
( 19.Nxe6!? fxe6; 20.Rxe6 Rf6!?; 21.Rae1!? Rxe6!?; 22.Rxe6 Bf7?!; (?)
23.Qe3!? Qc8!?; 24.Bxc6, '±' (Maybe "+/-") {Diagram?}
- GM A. Karpov.
{Some of these moves are
not clearly forced or best.} )
19...Rxa6; {Diagram?}
What choice does Black have?
20.cxb5 Rb6; 21.bxc6 Bxc6!; 22.Bxc6 Rxc6;
23.a4, '±' {Diag?}
White is better ... and Black has
almost zero counterplay here. ]
19.Qxd7 Rc8;
{See the diagram just below.}
This looks to be forced.
[ One fan suggested a Rook move, but
it does not work out:
I.e. 19...Re8??;
20.Bxc6, "+/-" {Diagram?}
with a decisive edge for
White. ]
***
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***
White has quite an obvious edge
in this position. But I think it can
be
CLEARLY argued that Karpov's
play has been incredibly non-routine
and VERY inventive. (!!!)
While White is clearly better here,
the final denouement looks to be
a VERY long way off.
"Karpov now crowns some powerful
positional play with a devastating
sacrificial sequence." - FM Graham
Burgess.
***
20.Rxe6!!,
(Maybe - '!!!') {Diagram?}
An extremely brilliant and well
thought out sacrifice that is far
from
being obvious.
(Several Masters that I showed
this game to did NOT seriously
consider this sacrifice. NOTE: AFTER posting this game,
I got
like 7 e-mails, & they all said basically the same thing:
"White wins a free piece on c6." WRONG!!)
While White has sacrificed on e6
before, the combination of
(other)
elements here is probably unique.
Seirawan calls this both brilliant and charming.
(Every annotator worth his salt gives this move two exclams.)
[ White gains a fairly decent
advantage after continuation:
20.cxb5 axb5;
21.Bxc6 Ra7; 22.Qd3 Rxc6; 23.Nxb5,
"+/="
***
One reader wrote in and asked: "Why
not just grab the free piece
on c6 here?" Well ... (I
offer just one line, based on the moves that
this particular chess fan suggested.)
20.Bxc6!? ('?!/?') 20...Ra7; ('!')
21.Qd3
Rxc6; 22.cxb5 c4!; 23.Qf3!?,
23...Rc8;
24.bxa6!? Qxb2; 25.Rab1 Qa3; "=/+" 26.Re3?!,
('?')
26...Bc5;
"/+" {Diagram?}
and both ChessMaster8000
and Fritz agree Black is clearly better.
(The pawn on a6 is doomed,
there is no rush to capture it.) ]
20...Ra7!;
{Diagram?}
This is clearly is the best defense.
'!' - Damsky and Burgess.
[ </=
20...fxe6; 21.Bxc6 Ra7; 22.Qxe6+ Kg7;
23.Be4, '±'
(Maybe "+/-") {Diagram?}
White is clearly better.
***
</= 20...Rc7?!;
21.Qd5 fxe6; 22.Qxe6+ Kg7;
23.Bxc6,
"±" (Maybe "+/-") ]
21.Rxg6+!,
(Maybe - '!!') {Diagram?}
This is clearly the best ... and
is also clearly planned in advance
by Karpov.
(desperado) '!!' - GM John Emms.
[ 21.Qd5!?, "+/=" ]
21...fxg6; {Diagram?}
This is forced.
(Other moves look like they will allow Black to be mated.)
[ </= 21...Kh7?; 22.Qh3+ Kxg6; 23.Be4+, "+/-"
or </= 21...Kf8?; 22.Qh3, "+/-" ]
22.Qe6+ Kg7!?; 23.Bxc6 Rd8;
24.cxb5 Bf6; '[]' {Diagram?}
This could be forced as well.
(Karpov gives it a "box" symbol.)
[ Two continuations that were MUCH worse than the game were:
</= 24...Qd6?;
25.Qxd6 Bxd6; 26.b6, "+/-" {Diagram?}
(White is winning.)
Or </= 24...Rd6?;
25.Qe5+ Bf6; 26.Qxc5, "+/-" {Diagram?}
and, again ... White is winning;
and rather easily too.
And </= 24...axb5?;
25.Nxb5, "+/-" {Diagram?}
- FM G. Burgess. ]
The smoke has cleared, and
White has a material advantage.
----> But Topalov is always dangerous!
25.Ne4!, {Diagram?}
This centralized Knight is worth
its weight in gold.
(And is probably
better than both of Black's Rooks
put together!!)
[ 25.Qe3, '±' ]
25...Bd4;
{Diagram?}
This looks like Black's only
chance in this position.
[ </= 25...Bxb2!?; 26.Rb1 Bd4; 27.b6 Rf7; 28.Ng5, "+/-" ]
26.bxa6, {Diagram?}
This is very good ...
and of course, it wins.
Damsky claims that pawn to f5 may
have won more quickly, and
was a
better continuation ... but Karpov
has something VERY
specific in
mind here.
[ The move 26.f5!?,
'±' ("+/" maybe
"+/-") {Diagram?}
was/is {also} worth a look.
***
Karpov gives a long line, that
begins with the move of:
26.Qg4!?,
"+/=" {Diagram?}
and seems to lead to a win
for White as well. ]
26...Qb6!?; {Diagram?}
This is close to being forced
for Black ...
the capture on b2
was probably too risky.
[ Probably too dangerous - mainly
because it gets the Queen
out
of play - was the variation:
26...Qxb2!?;
('?!') 27.Re1,
'±' {Diagram?}
(I think I have worked out a
pretty much forced win, but it
is
very long and banal - - -
so I will skip it here.)
***
Black could not allow Qe7+ ...
for example:
26...Rxa6?;
27.Qe7+ Kh8; 28.Ng5 Ra7; 29.Nf7+ Kg7;
30.Qxd8 Qxb2;
31.Qh8+ Kxf7; 32.Bd5+ Ke7; 33.Re1+ Kd6;
34.Qd8+ Rd7;
35.Re6+ Kxd5; 36.Qxd7+, ("+/-")
{Diagram?}
... "and White finally wins."
- GM John Emms. ]
27.Rd1 Qxa6; {Diagram?}
Black defends as best he can.
[ Maybe just as bad was:
27...Qxb2!?;
28.Bb7, '±' (Maybe "+/-") {Diagram?}
{And then again, maybe it is worse!!} ]
White's next move elevates this
game into chess immortality.
28.Rxd4!!, {Diagram?}
Super-brilliant, especially if you
stop to consider there were much
simpler ways to proceed from this
position.
(The third Rook offer in only
nine moves of this game. White
has
also managed to sacrifice
TWO!! exchanges, another rare
motif
for high-level, GM chess.)
The dark-squared Bishop is the
only glue that holds the tatters of
Black's position together, so White
naturally removes it.
***
<< As the ad men say, "It doesn't
get any better than this!" We've
seen two Exchange sacrifices in
the same game, and an
interweaving of the initiative
with
incremental positional pluses.
Classic Karpov. >>
- GM Yasser Seirawan.
(Who gave White's 28th move
only one exclamation point.)
[ Also winning for White ... and much
simpler to calculate
over-the-board;
was the continuation:
28.Nxc5! Qb6;
29.Rxd4 Rxd4; 30.Qe5+ Kh7; 31.Qxd4 Qxc6;
32.Ne4! Ra8;
33.a3, "+/-" {Diagram?}
and White has FOUR pawns; a
good, centralized Knight;
{for a Rook}; and a vastly superior
(winning) game. ]
28...Rxd4; {Diagram?}
This (also) appears forced.
[ 28...cxd4;
29.Qf6+ Kh6; 30.Qh4+ Kg7; 31.Qxd8,
31...Qxc6;
32.Qxd4+, ("+/-") ]
29.Qf6+ Kg8; {Diagram?}
This was forced to avoid a
quick mate. (Damsky)
[ Bad is: 29...Kh6?; 30.f5, "+/-"
Or 29...Kh7?; 30.Ng5+, "+/-" ]
30.Qxg6+
Kf8[]; 31.Qe8+ Kg7; 32.Qe5+!, {Diagram?}
The best line ... among many
different and attractive moves.
[ Also winning was: 32.Nxc5 Rd1+;
33.Kh2 Qf1; 34.Qe5+ Kh6;
35.Qg5+ Kh7;
36.Be4+ Kh8; 37.Qe5+! Kg8; 38.Qb8+ Kg7;
39.Qxa7+,
("+/-") {Diagram?} and White wins.
(Line by - Yakov Damsky.)
{White gives mate ... and ALL
his moves are with check! ...
in like nine or ten moves.}
]
22...Kg8; {Diagram?}
This seems to be forced.
(Virtually all the annotators
agree on this.)
[ Much worse was: </=
32...Kh7?; 33.Nf6+ Kg6[];
34.Be8+ Kg7;
{Diagram?} This has got to be forced.
(34...Kh6??; 35.Qg5#)
35.Nd7+ Kg8; 36.Qg5+, ("+/-")
{Diagram?}
and White will mate in like 10 - 12
moves from this position ...
and win just about all of Black's
pieces along the way.
***
Also bad was: </= 32...Kg6?;
33.Be8+! Kh7[]; (Box.)
(This appears to be forced.)
( Even worse was: 33...Kh6?; 34.Qg5+ Kh7; 35.Nf6+, ("+/-")
{Diag?}
and Black loses his Queen ... or gets mated. )
34.Nf6+ Kh8; 35.Nd7+ Kg8; 36.Qg5+,
"+/-" {Diagram?}
transposing to the above line. ]
33.Nf6+!?,
('!') {Diagram?}
This is/was (very) good, but there
may have been other ways to win.
And while there may have been other
ways to win, I find Karpov's
method
of
deciding the game to be the most
attractive.
[ White is probably winning with: 33.Qg5+, {Diagram?}
or 33.Bd5+, {Diagram?}
or 33.Qe6+, {Diagram?}
which all give White a decisive attack. ("+/-") ]
33...Kf7; 34.Be8+ Kf8; '[]'
{Diagram?}
Once again ... Black's choices
are very limited.
[ Slightly worse - if that was even
possible! - was:
</= 34...Kg7?!; ('?')
35.Nd7+ Kg8; 36.Qg5+ Kh8; 37.Qh5+ Kg7;
38.Qf7+ Kh6;
39.Qf8+ Kh7; 40.Nf6+ Qxf6; 41.Qxf6, "+/-"
{Diag?}
and White is winning.
- GM John Emms. ]
35.Qxc5+ Qd6; 36.Qxa7!,
{Diagram?}
White has no fear here.
[ Also good was: 36.Qf5!?, '±' ]
36...Qxf6; {Diagram?}
Maybe the only move.
[ An interesting line was: 36...Rd1+!?;
37.Kg2 Rg1+;
38.Kh3,
{Diagram?} The correct move.
(38.Kxg1?? Qd1+; 39.Kg2 Qh1+!; 40.Kxh1, stalemate.)
38...Rh1+; 39.Kg4 Rh4+!?; 40.Kg5!,
"+/-" {Diagram?}
and White is winning.
( White cannot play: 40.gxh4?! Qxf4+!!; 41.Kh3 Qg3+!;
42.fxg3, ("=") {Diagram?} and Black is STALEMATED.
(By the rules of chess, its only
a draw.) ) ]
You could (perhaps) give all
of White's remaining moves
an exclamation point.
37.Bh5 Rd2; 38.b3 Rb2; 39.Kg2, ("+/-") {Diagram?}
Black Resigns. (1-0)
(There is nothing left for the second player to play for here.)
*******
A
star of the very first magnitude.
(It is also a very sharp and
scintillating game ... with as many
sacrifices
and difficult, complex
positions as one could ask for.)
This was picked as the game of the
year by several different chess
magazines.
It was also the top game
- picked by a distinguished panel of
judges -
for the Informant.
This is definitely one of Karpov's
better games. The icing on the cake
is that
it came during one of the
very best tournament performances
that he ...
(or anyone!!) ever had.
(He scored 11/13 ... vastly out-distancing a field that included all
the best players,
including some
guy named Garry Kasparov! It was
also the highest category
tourney {18}
ever held up to this point in history.)
***
"A very beautiful and impressive
victory by Anatoly. Bravo!"
- GM Yasser Seirawan.
(He and the editor of IC calls this one of the outstanding games of the entire event.)
*****************************************************************************************************
Copyright (c) A.J. Goldsby I. Copyright (c) A.J.G; 2003.
*******
BIBLIOGRAPHY:
First, I annotated this game from
memory - pulling just the raw
score from an
on-line database.
Then I looked at the following sources, in the order given:
#
1.) 'Chess Brilliancy, '
250 historic games; by NM Iakov Damsky.
Published by EVERYMAN
Chess, formerly Cadogan Books.
Translated by K. Neat.
(Copyright 2002.) {Game # 115, page # 160.}
#
2.) Several issues of the INFORMANT.
Mainly 1994.
(Published in
Yugoslavia.)
#
3.) "My (300) Best Games,"
by GM Anatoly Karpov.
(Copyright © 1997,
by Anatoly Karpov. Printed in Moscow.
Published by
Murad Amannazarov. <Chess V-I-P's> )
#
4.) "Chess Highlights of
The 20th Century,"
('The
Best Chess 1900-1999 In Historical Context')
by
FM Graham Burgess. (The year 1994.)
Published by Gambit
Books, Copyright G. Burgess, © 1999.
#
5.) [The
Mammoth Book Of] "The World's
Greatest Chess Games,"
by Dr. (&
GM) John Nunn, GM John Emms, and FM Graham Burgess.
Published by Carroll
& Graf books. Copyrighted by the authors, 1998.
(Game # 90, page # 505.)
#
6.) The very fine magazine,
"Inside Chess." (Now
defunct.)
Issue
dated: April 4th, 1994.
(Volume # 7; Issue # 6. Their
analysis begins on page # 16.)
#
7.) GM L. Ftacnik's excellent
analysis of this game for ChessBase.
(This analysis was in my
database.)
***
(Code Initially) Generated with ChessBase 8.0
While
this is a truly great and fantastic game of chess, not everyone feels the way I
do about this game.
(Believe it or not.)
GM
Andy Soltis left this game completely out of his book on "The
100 Best."
I am not sure why. (I would have liked to known what his reasons were.)
Other
great game collections have also left this game out of their 'round-up' of the
best games of all time.
(They will have to - individually - answer for, and justify their
opinions. I will not name them here.)
One writer/master for a Scandinavian chess magazine roundly condemned this game. He called it banal. He said the game was undeserving of the praise bestowed upon it. He said that Topalov played this contest very poorly. He said that Karpov's play was rather routine. (Ha!) He said the sacrifice on e6 was tired and had been done many, many times before. (Maybe, maybe not.) He went on, and on, and on ... but by now I trust you get the point. (I have seen these arguments before - I do not buy them.) I have already presented this game, I will simply give you all the facts, and let you make up your own opinion.
This was winner of the second brilliancy prize in the tournament. (It probably would have won first prize, but Luis Rentero - BEFORE THE TOURNAMENT WAS EVEN COMPLETED!! - over-ruled his own panel of judges and awarded the first brilliancy prize to the game, Topalov - Bareev. While a very brilliant game, many of the moves in that game were simply questionable and poor.) This game, {Karpov-Topalov}; did win many awards, including game of the year from many chess magazines - in both Spain and the {former} USSR. It was also picked as the best game for that issue of the Informant, and by a fairly large and substantial margin of points.
While
a sacrifice on e6 is nothing new, it is normally a Knight or even a
Bishop that
is loosed upon
this particular square. And the manner and technique which Karpov
did this is very unusual and far from
conventional. (In my opinion, anyway.) I think
my analysis reveals that Karpov's play was anything but
routine, and that many
times he had easier ways to win the game, but often chose the most complex line.
I think the criticisms of this game are really baseless. Please make up your own mind.
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This page was first posted: Friday; May 16th, 2003. This page was last updated on 05/15/06 .
Copyright (c) A.J. Goldsby, 1994 - 2005.
Copyright (©) A.J. Goldsby, 2006. All rights reserved.
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