1.e4 c5
Karpov has a
curious relationship with the Sicilian, which in fact, is Black's most
popular if most risky, defense to e4. Kasparov's repeated use of it
against Karpov himself eventually drove Karpov away from playing e4 when he
is White, and he now invariably chooses d4. However when Black, Karpov
clearly, deep down, shares Capablanca's view that the Sicilian "leaves
Black's game full of holes." But if you want to win, the Sicilian is
really the best choice. Another view on the Sicilian was that
expressed by Victor Korchnoi who said "Playing the Sicilian is like
starting a boxing match before climbing into the ring." I cannot
recall when Karpov last utilized the Sicilian for an important game.
2.Nf3 Nc6 3.d4
cxd4 4.Nxd4 Nf6 5.Nc3 d6 6.Bg5 e6 7.Qd2 Be7 8.0-0-0 0-0 9.Nb3 a6 10.Bxf6
An excellent
choice, given the situation. Black must recapture with the pawn, which
in turn gives White dangerous attacking chances against the exposed black
king.
10...gxf6
10...Bxf6 11.Qxd6
Qb6 12.Qc5 and Black cannot possibly win.
11.h4!
Setting the tone
for the game. Although Nigel only needed a draw, the correct
psychology in such situations is always to play as ruthlessly as possible
for the win. Anything else tends to induce pacifist tendencies which
can be fatal.
11...Kh8
11...b5 12.g4 b4
13.Ne2 Kh8 14.g5 a5 15.Ned4 Nxd4 16.Nxd4 was seen in van der Wiel-Piket,
Lyon Zonal 1990.
12.g4 b5 13.g5
b4 14.Na4!
Another bold move.
On this square the knight is exposed to attack. On the other hand, the
knight blocks any ambition Black may have harboured of advancing his a-pawn.
Furthermore, the knight may jump into b6 with advantage, which in fact is
just what happens.
14...Rg8 15.f4
Rb8 16.Kb1 Bf8 17.Be2 e5?!
From a strategic
point of view, this move is hopeless. The entire complex of light
squares in and around Black's camp is weakened at a stroke and beyond
repair. Nevertheless, the laudable point behind Black's 17th move is
to stir up complications and there is no doubt that this ploy succeeds.
18.f5!
Sacrificing a pawn
to maintain his light square grip.
18...fxg5
19.hxg5
19...Rxg5?
The alternative,
which may well be better for Black than the text, is 19...Qxg5 20.Qd5 Nd8
21.Rh5 followed by Rdh1, when White has enormous pressure but Black still
has an extra pawn.
20.Qe3 Qf6
21.Nb6 Ne7
22.Nxc8?
Plausible enough,
but here White overlooked the devastating shot 22.Bxa6!! Bxa6 23.Nd7:
Analysis Diagram: after 23.Nd7
...when Karpov's
position would instantly crumble into ruins. This is further evidence
for the view that 19...Qxg5 might have been a superior way of annexing
White's pawn.
22...Rxc8
23.Bxa6 Rd8 24.Qb6 Ng8 25.Na5
Short decides to
annihilate what remains of Black's queenside pawns. There was,
however, something to be said here for the brutal blockading move 25.Rd5,
simply keeping Black under lock and key.
25...d5!
With time trouble
looming for both players, Karpov seizes his only chance. After this,
the position suddenly gets out of control.
26.Nc6 Rd6
27.exd5 Ne7 28.Qxb4 Nxd5 29.Rxd5?!
Apparently
murderous, but Black's position is still charged with remarkable resources.
29.Qh4 would have been safer. When quizzed after the game, Nigel
claimed that he would have met 31...Qh6 with the astounding 32.a3 Qxh1+
33.Ka2 which he assessed as unclear. White is indeed two exchanges in
arrears, but the black king is not at all secure and the white knight
threatens to enter play on e5 or e7. Meanwhile, should queens be
exchanged, White's armada of queenside pawns is most menacing. Still
Karpov should have tried this, and it is a great tribute to his fighting
spirit that he should have reached a possibility like this after having been
reduced to such utter helplessness a mere seven moves beforehand.
29...Qg7?
This amazing move
wins White's queen. But Black has to invest too much material for the
transaction to be worthwhile. Karpov should have played 29...Rxd5
30.Qxf8+ Rg8, however Black can muddy the water with 31.Qe7. Now
31...Qxc6 fails to 32.Qxf7. However Black can muddy the water with
31...Qh6!! Setting the trap: 32.Rc1 Qxc1+ 33.Kxc1 Rg1+ mating.
After 31...Qh6, White could play 32 Rf1 but once the white rook leaves the
h-file, Black can play 32...Qxc6 with impunity, leading to a likely win on
material.
30.Rxd6 Rg1+
31.Rd1 Rxd1+ 32.Rxd1 Bxb4
White's queen goes
but he has too much material.
33.Nxb4 Qg4
34.Rd8+ Kg7
35.a3
A neater win is 35
f6+ when 35...Kh6 leaves Black totally tied up while 35...Kg6 permits
36.Rg8+ skewering the black queen. Finally, 35...Kxf6 36.Nd5+ Kg7 (all
other moves lose the queen to either a rook or bishop skewer) 37.Rg8+ Kxg8
38.Nf6+ parts Black from his queen in most elegant fashion.
35...Qxf5
36.Rd1 h5 37.Re1 Qe6 38.Bb7 f5 39.Bd5 Qf6 40.c4 e4 41.c5 Black resigns.
1-0
Final Position
White's c-pawn
will cost Black his queen while the black passed pawns are not much further
than the launching pad. Karpov agonized over resigning for half an
hour before acquiescing to the inevitable. Living history and high
drama combined.
Here
we discuss the historic tenth and final game of the 1992 World Championship
Semi-Finals match between GMs Nigel Short (right) and former World Champion,
GM Anatoly Karpov. It should be remembered that Short needed only a
draw to ensure his qualification for the championship match against Garry
Kasparov, while Karpov had to win to level the scores and prolong the match
into the sudden death rapid-play tie-breaks. It was, therefore, a
sporting gesture by Karpov, to play on to the death, when a more supine
character might have offered a draw when things were looking grim, just to
minimize the margin of overall defeat. In saluting Short's tremendous
victory in this match, one must not forget the role played by Kapov.
He was undisputed World champion for a decade, from 1975 to 1985, and for
almost 20 years he has been either number one or number two in the world
ranking list. Karpov's defeat in Linares, his first in match play to
anyone other than Kasparov, marks the passing of an era.
