Karpov's Strategic Wins 1 - Chess Cafe

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Rxb7 29.b5 axb5 30.cxb5 Qe8 31.Qc4 Qa8 32.Qc6 Qa7+ 33.b6 cxb6 34. axb6 Qa6 35.Bd2? Nf6 36.Qxd6 e4 37.Bxf4?! Bxf4 38.Qxf4 exf3 39.Qxf3 Rxb6 40.Rxb6 Qxb6+ 41.Kh1 Qd6 42.h3 Kh7 43.Qe2 Ng8 44.Qe6 Qxe6 45. dxe6 Nf6 46.e7? Kg8 47.Re1 Kf7 48.Kh2 Ke8 49.Re5 Ng8 50.Kg3 Nxe7 51. Kg4 Kf7 52.h4 Ng8 53.Kf4 Kf6 54.g4 Ne7 55.h5 g5+ 56.Ke4 Kf7 57.Ra5 Ng8 58.Ke5 Kg7 59.Ra7+ Kh8 60.Ke6 1–0 Each chapter ends with a summary of results. Here Karolyi notes, "The database contains eighteen games from this year, of which Karpov won twelve, drew five and lost only one. It is likely that his overall results were lower and Karpov publicized only his best games from the early period of his life. Even so, his play was undoubtedly at a high level for a ten year old." Later chapters also include a pie chart and statistics of results, and it can be interesting to browse these pages independently. For instance, <strong>Karpov's</strong> most successful year was 1977, where he scored an amazing 77% (+36 =25 –2). Furthermore, in the "Scores against Individual Opponents" index we can see a 90% score against Nunn (+4 =1 –0), whereas Kasparov, Seirawan, and Torre each had the best scoring percentage of fifty percent. Though these only include games played while Karpov was world champion. The Classification index lists strategic themes, such as "Attack on the a- or hfile," "Bishop on the long diagonal," "Checkmating in the endgame," "Fixing a weakness," "King activation," "Material imbalance," "Playing on both flanks," etc. Here is an example of positional sacrifice with Karpov, as black, to move: Osterman, Rudolf – Karpov, Anatoly Portoroz/Ljubljana 1975 [FEN "1r1q1rk1/p2nbp1p/4p1pB/2p1P2n/2Pp4/ 1P1B1P2/P2NQP1P/R4R1K b - - 0 18"] Karpov outrated his opponent by four hundred points, but his concept is still stunning: 18...Bg5!! "Exchange sacrifices are often not difficult to understand; the problem is that they may not occur to us easily. This one is strong for several reasons. White's rooks have no useful files, the e5-pawn will soon perish and White's f-pawns are also weak. Finally, the f4-square will be a tremendous outpost for the black pieces, especially the knight." 19.Bxf8 Qxf8 20.Rg1 Bf4 21.Ne4 Bxe5 22.Ng3 Nf4 23.Qd2 Bc7! "Black has plenty of time to build his position. With his last move he withdraws his bishop to a safe spot while preventing any future queen invasions on a5." 24.Bf1 Qd6 25.Re1
[FEN "1r4k1/p1bn1p1p/3qp1p1/2p5/2Pp1n2/ 1P3PN1/P2Q1P1P/4RBRK b - - 0 25"] "Preventing the white pieces from using the e4-square." 25...f5! 26.Be2 Kf7 27.Rb1 a5 "Karpov makes sure that White will not be able to open a file on the queenside." 28.a3 h5! "Preparing to push White back even further." 29.Rge1?! h4 30.Nf1 30...Qe7! [FEN "1r6/2bn1k2/3qp1p1/p1p2p2/2Pp1n1p/ PP3P2/3QBP1P/1R2RN1K b - - 0 30"] "Karpov exploits White's error on the previous move. The rook has vacated the g-file, so he immediately looks to invade there." Karpov went on to win at move forty-six. Another impressive moment from <strong>Karpov's</strong> youth can be seen in the next game: Karpov, Anatoly – Piskunov, Dmitry Zlatoust, 1962 [FEN "4r3/ppq1n1kp/2p1r1p1/2PpNp2/ 1P1P4/P4PP1/3QR2P/4R1K1 w - - 0 32"]
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Karpov's Strategic Wins 1 - Chess Cafe

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