World Chess Championship 1986

The World Chess Cup 1986 was a battle between Garry Kasparov and Anatoly Karpov for the world chess title. The rematch for Karpov's defeat in the previous year was the third world chess championship between Kasparov and Karpov and the 33 total, one hundred years after the first World Chess Championship 1886. Between July 28 and October 8, 1986 twelve games were played in London and Leningrad.

The rematch was demanded by Florencio Campomanes, the President of the World Chess Federation FIDE - with reference to a 1985, only control. Kasparov refused at first and asked for the first time the threat to the room to be divided by a cleavage of the FIDE chess world. Through an agreement between the two players in the competition but came into existence yet. Kasparov won with 12,5:11,5 points and thus defended his world title.

  • 3.1 Competitive conditions
  • 3.2 venues and public perception
  • 5.1 London
  • 5.2 Leningrad

Background

When Kasparov in 1984, qualified for the challenge Karpov, was not planned that there would be a World Cup 1986. According to the rules the World Chess Championship in 1984 would have won the player who first wins six games (with unbounded upward total number ). A win Kasparov a rematch for Karpov in the same competition format would have taken place in 1985. The winner of this fight would then be 1987 regularly competed against determined in the elimination fights challenger.

Instead, however, the continued to 1985 World Cup of Campomanes was terminated in disputed circumstances after 48 games and the World Chess Championship 1985 scheduled for replacement. In order to avoid future long tournaments, FIDE returned to the previous World Cup mode, was to achieve, with the majority of points from 24 games. In a tie, the champion would retain his title, but the rematch for the future has been abolished. But as the match of 1985 formally still part of the World Championship Cycle 1982-1984, in which the World Champion had the right to a rematch, it has also left him for this competition. Through this double privilege - title defense in a draw and rematch - had once Mikhail Botvinnik World Champion can in the years 1951-1961 a total of four times defend and reclaim his title.

In fact, it was a clear preference Karpov, also protested against the Kasparov. After Kasparov had won the title in 1985 but, Campomanes insisted on revenge and threatened Kasparov in case of refusal with deposition. As the match start he sat on 10 February 1986. If Kasparov not have committed up to January 7, he would favor Karpov lose his world title.

Prehistory

Between the World Championships

In his first interview after the World Cup in 1984/85 for the world on Sunday, Kasparov said that he wanted to run against Campomanes a struggle for " democracy in international chess ." To " unnecessary" rematch he was just ready when the chess world, this may. A verbal tip against his rival would prove to be accurate forecast:

" Karpov will long be my challenger! "

Since Kasparov after world title fight lodged several weeks of recovery period, Karpov was the first who began again at chess tournaments: The first chess - team World Cup 1985 in Lucerne, which took place one week after the end of World Individual Championship, Karpov led the victorious Soviet team at. From nine rounds he played seven and won it five points ( three wins, including against emigrated to France former world champion Boris Spassky, and four draws).

Kasparov Image Tour in the West

Kasparov presented himself personally in December on a tour of the Netherlands and Germany the chess audience in the West. The audience figures and the media interest reached at chess so far unfamiliar orders of magnitude. First, he defeated the Dutchman Jan Timman, the best players in the Western world and number 3 Elo list, in a duel in Hilversum 4-2.

The day after, he traveled to Germany continued to give a simultaneous exhibition of watches Handicap against the Bundesliga team of the Hamburg chess clubs - that is, against eight strong competitive player, which on first board even Grandmaster Murray Chandler took. After the exertions of the previous day Kasparov was defeated in the games played by both sides aggressively 3,5:4,5. The decisive factor was, among others, his defeat against the German youth champion in 1985, Matthias Wahls.

Finally, he played in Munich a "normal" simultaneous, in which various celebrities like Ephraim Kishon and Petra Schürmann participated. German President Richard von Weizsäcker appeared as an onlooker. Only 3 out of 32 players achieved a draw, including Weizsäcker's 32- year-old son Robert, who later became a university professor, in correspondence chess Grandmaster and President of the German Chess Federation.

After the end of the tour Karpov stepped back on the plan. He played at the IBM tournament in Vienna, where he remained unbeaten, but behind the winner Korchnoi ( against whom he remisierte ) and the runner-up Alexander Beliavsky only took a tie for third. With Kurt Steyr, the president of the Vienna Chess Federation and Socialist candidates for the office of president, Karpov played an Image section that (as usual in such cases ) ran a draw.

The decision for the World Cup

Kasparov had used the tour to a media campaign against Campomanes and the rematch. He played with the idea ( as they would be done at all) after his deposition secede from FIDE. Around the same time a rival candidate for FIDE President Campomanes was presented: the Brazilian Lincoln Lucena.

Karpov said in interviews always to insist on the competition. However, he hinted that the rate used by Campomanes beginning on 10 February 1986 he was also too early. The Soviet Chess Federation did not adopt any clear position; in any case Kasparov was not prevented from also designated by the Russian news agency TASS revenge as absurd.

Under these circumstances, Campomanes felt in a weak position to pull its announced for January 7th deposition Kasparov. He postponed his decision on the 16th, then on the 24th January. Even before this date, however, came the big surprise: Kasparov and Karpov had with the approval of the Soviet Chess Federation, but without the participation of the World Chess Federation FIDE agreed. The World Cup match should take place until the end of July or early August in Leningrad, after a necessary pause for both players. The loser would later deliver a match against the winner of the Candidates cycle for 1987 to qualify for the World Chess Championship 1987. Campomanes was able to achieve, that the first half of the match was played in London after that. This was to be preferred as " uninvolved " venue, according to a FIDE decision and had 1.8 million Swiss francs offered for the match, Leningrad, however, only 1 million.

The preparation of the two counterparties

At the tournament in Brussels Karpov was up against a lot of the chess elite, including turn Korchnoi, who won between also the important Open in Lugano. After a moderate start, and a disease break Karpov was able to continue his earlier dominance: With a series of six victories in a row, he finally won the tournament by two points - a demonstration of its strength and a good advertisement for the upcoming match. Among others he beat Timman and Ljubomir Ljubojević.

Kasparov won in mid-May in Basel a duel against Tony Miles excelling with 5,5:0,5. Miles commented after the last game: " I thought I was playing against the world champions, not against a monster with 27 eyes, who sees everything." In the final simultaneous exhibition Kasparov won all 30 games.

In a re- watches handicap, this time against a selection of the German Chess Youth in Frankfurt am Main, he could make up for the defeat of Hamburg: Kasparov won with five wins and three draws. Here, he also succeeded in gaining revenge on Wahls, who starred as the sole on both watches handicaps. That same evening, Kasparov had a television appearance in the current sports club of the ZDF. There he demonstrated the memory performance of a chess grandmaster, he recognized by a number of historical positions in a demonstration. A few days later visited Kasparov England, to see the locations of the upcoming competition against Karpov. A selection of English juniors was brave in simultaneous and defied Kasparov in 20 games 3 wins and 6 draws from.

In July 1986, Kasparov traveled to the adoption of the loaned him Chess Oscars to Barcelona and then retired to prepare for the World Cup back. This was the last appearance at chess Karpov: He participated in the double round " super tournament" in Bugojno in part, in which the organizers had limited to eight players from the best in the world to achieve the rare category 16 of a chess tournament. Karpov convincingly won by repeated victories against Ljubojević, Timman and Spassky and Artur Yusupov. Only once he lost between the World Championships: His defeat against Andrei Sokolov was later elected by the Chess Informant the best game in the first half of 1986. In addition, he could against the advance of Kasparov says Miles substandard with difficulty a lost endgame hold a draw, with a lack of time error Miles ' helped.

Organization

Competition conditions

The World Cup was more than 24 lots or at least until one of the players reached at least 12.5 points. In the games, each player had 2 1/2 hours for 40 moves. If this were played, the game could be continued at will, or any player could, if he was on the train, go into the impasse. He gave his train without execution in an envelope from, and the game was interrupted until the next day. They could be analyzed at this time. Also draw offer ( and its acceptance or rejection ) or abandonment of the game were possible here; without such an end was played ready the next day, where there was a second time check after each another hour and a total of 56 trains.

Chief Judge was already in the "Match of the Century" ( the World Cup 1972 between Bobby Fischer and Boris Spassky ) used Lothar Schmid. As analyzers and commentators of games on site had numerous players in the world top, including Miles, Timman and Nigel Short. A special role had youth world champion Maxim Dlugy, IM Nigel Davies and IM Ricardo Calvo: A few minutes after the end of the trio was a bulletin out for each batch.

In a draw on the day before the competition was determined that Karpov would open the first game with the white pieces.

Kasparov had at the time on an Elo rating of 2740, Karpov had 2705 points.

Venues and public perception

The first half of the World Chess Championship was held in London's Park Lane Hotel place near Hyde Park, the second was held in Leningrad Great Eastern Hotel. In London, British Prime Minister Margaret Thatcher gave the opening speech. The successful launch in May 1986 the musical " Chess" to them by the Local journalists also media attention. Meanwhile, lyricist Tim Rice directed the opening ceremony as a show event. On the opening about 550 accredited journalists were present, and in the course of the competition still more to come. In Leningrad there were at the beginning of the second half of the competition only a modest opening ceremony by the Mayor; there, the traffic was diverted prior to the game room to avoid noise pollution during the games.

The trains were transmitted through an electronic system live on monitors in the press room, hall and hotel. In the game room there was a ban on pocket chess games and food, a comment from a soundproof booth could be received via headphones. The analysis area in which the well-known grandmaster running games analyzed with the spectators, was set up separately.

In the media, including in the public service broadcasters in Germany, chess was more than usual present during the World Cup. In Londonor Green Park towards the game hotel up to 40 chess boards were set up, where could play walkers. In Leningrad, thousands of spectators were present because of the traditionally high status of chess in Russia on each lot. After his convincing victory in 1985, Kasparov was supported by the chess press and the Western media. Karpov, however, has been honored by the newspapers with malice, his era was by general opinion to an end.

Game table

In the opening number of innovations have been played, but not as spectacular innovations such as Kasparov's revival of Dely Gambit Kasparov Gambit in the previous year. Kasparov surprised by the use of the Grünfeld Indian Defence, which he had previously played as good as ever. The White Party dominated the match with 8:1 wins quite clearly also the only black victory was on the lot during her verschenkter a victory of white.

Course

London

In the first four games of the match at first showed a clear dominance of Kasparov. Both in the first and in the third game, he scored easily draw with Black, White with Karpov but he put under severe pressure. In the second game Karpov could still escape into the draw after Kasparov had overlooked a tactical to a win, but in the fourth game Kasparov took the lead.

Unexpectedly, however, succeeded Karpov in the very next section of the balance after he was able to refute the opening preparation Kasparov. The adjacent chart position Kasparov reckoned as Black only with the continuation of 20 Sg1 -f3 Bd7 - c6 with the threat to play by exchange on f3 g6 - g5 and to free the King Bishop. However, with the unusual train 20 Sg1 - h3! Karpov refuted this plan. Now Kasparov could not free and lost. After this defeat, he took a break. The next two, sharp -run games ended in a draw and showed no superiority Kasparov.

In the eighth game of Kasparov submitted an uncompromising attack on the king and renounced it even to a gain in quality. Karpov finally passed in lost time position. It was followed by four drawn games, one of which stood out the eleventh. Karpov played unusually risk-taker and stood in the meantime to gain.

After major complications Karpov sacrificed in the diagram position, now the knight on e7 g6. This looks of course, since the line of attack of the tower c7 is exposed, and the Springer h4 remains as a barrier against a black stone discovered check. But decisive would have been that the Se7 clamps the black king and the open h-file for White to attack line is: With 23 Sh4xg6! h7xg6 24 Db1xg6 Karpov would have reached a decisive advantage, as after 24 ... e5 25 DH5 Kh2xh3 Rf8 - f6 26 Kh3 - g4! with a walking king and victorious attack on the h-file. After the game continuation, the game ended in a draw. The game received a special prize, endowed with £ 10,000 as the most beautiful in London played. Kasparov speculated in an interview that the organizers wanted thus demonstrating their neutrality, and showed a preference for the gained by him eighth game.

Overall, therefore, Kasparov went to London with a half point lead.

Leningrad

During the change to Leningrad for a week of competition was interrupted in a time-out was lodged only with medical problems according to plan. The less physically robust Karpov took this up by a controversial doctor 's certificate match ( " breathing difficulties ").

Kasparov dominated the first four games in Leningrad even stronger than those in London. In the 13th game for the first time in the competition were the odds on one side in black - Kasparov earned after an error Karpov's a winning position, but forgave them shortly thereafter pressed for time. It was followed by a victory Kasparov after a very tactical game. Surprisingly took Kasparov after his victory, which earned him two points ahead, his second time out. In the following 15 game Karpov could position the black do not crack. After 29 train the game was a draw given.

As in the previous year was also 1986, the 16th game of particularly spectacular. Both players quickly repeated the same version as in the 14th game. Kasparov deviated from the 18th train, but Karpov waited on immediately with a new feature. After a pawn Karpov in the 19th train the game quickly became tactically, both players spent a lot of time in calculation of the variants. Prior to the time control therefore created a blitz chess duel. In the diagram position, the settlement leads 36 Df4xe5 Sd7xe5 37 Tg6xa6 d3- d2 at most a draw. But Kasparov found the combination 36 tg6 g8 ! Kf8 - e7 37 d5 - d6 ! Ke7 - e6 - e8 38 Rg8 Ke6 -d5 39 Te8xe5 Ladies profit. Two plays later Karpov reflected the task ripe position for a long time. When Kasparov then retired to the relaxation room, Karpov left the room without a formal task and a handshake. The audience gave the returning to the stage Kasparov with frenetic applause.

Kasparov had extended its lead to three points with this victory. There was consensus in grandmasters, journalists and the rest of the chess world that this was the preliminary decision. But the jubilation over the supposed preliminary impacted negatively Kasparov. He fell into the same error as after the fourth game and took Karpov as an opponent no longer sufficiently seriously. This was already evident in the 17th game, when he played the same opening as in the 15th, although he had to assume with certainty that Karpov's analysis team would prepare an improvement. So it happened, and Kasparov went smoothly under without finding the best defensive moves.

In the 18th game of Karpov did not reach a balance as at the beginning of the match with Nimzowitsch - Indian. Kasparov scored advantage with an attack on both wings. But looking for a compelling to a win only this time he was even out of time, after which he awarded the victory and then the final still lost.

After his second consecutive defeat the world champion took his last time out to analyze his Grünfeld longer. But Karpov played an innovation which zunichtemachten the opening planning Kasparov. Again he fell into a disadvantage and was canceled the game without any further play on.

Three games before the match seemed clear decision. Now he stood balanced again - and on top of that Kasparov had to live with the humiliation of having lost the first time in 25 years in a world title fight three games in a row. The last time this had happened in the past until then rematch in 1961, when Mikhail Tal had lost his title back to Mikhail Botvinnik. Kasparov accused Yevgeny Vladimirov, a member of his secondary Dante teams to have to work as a spy for Karpov and reveal secrets of opening preparation. He dismissed Vladimirov; the accusation was never clarified.

After his unexpected compensation Karpov took surprisingly his last time out. In the 20th game, both were content with a modest draw after the Catalan Opening and 21 trains - the only short draw in the match in which Kasparov had white.

In the 21st game of Kasparov surprised by first responded with the Queen's Indian. Karpov tried to put pressure on him, but remained in the game middlegame and endgame always in the draw width.

The actual decision of the competition in favor of Kasparov fell into the 22 game. Again, Karpov tried the Queen's Gambit; in need, yet to win a game, but he renounced the games played in the 10th and 12th game c6 - c5 advance in favor of an active character development. Kasparov won the opponent a pawn with advantage in again very tactical game, but active counterplay with the tower would still offer Black drawing chances. In the accompanying diagram showing the termination position, Kasparov played a strong sealed move 41 Ne5 - d7! ; White threatens 42 Nd7 -f8 plus Rb7 - b8 and unparierbaren mating threats. However there is no means. Five plays later Karpov gave up.

This game was chosen by the Chess Informant best for the second half of 1986. In general, they received extraordinary praise from all sides, including the ex world champion Botvinnik, Smyslov and Tal. The old grandmaster Miguel Najdorf called the game "exceptional and exquisite ." In particular, 41 Ne5 - d7! was praised in his outstanding for a sealed move strength and importance.

The victory meant the renewed competition guide for Kasparov. In order to regain the world title, Karpov would have had to win both remaining games. He failed; Kasparov could both times bring about peaceful location games that made a victory Karpov no chance. Thus he had successfully defended his world title.

Hindsight

The result of 12,5:11,5 reflects roughly that Kasparov was the somewhat stronger players. At no point of the race he was in arrears.

The immediate effects of the competition were low. In essence, the status quo had been confirmed. Kasparov and Karpov remained unchallenged world champion used his uncommitted chance to play against the winner of the Candidates Tournament to take part in the World Chess Championship 1987. There he won the so-called " super final " sovereign against Andrei Sokolov with 7,5:4,5, which he consolidated his public image as the only worthy opponent and Kasparov. In the World Cup itself Karpov then proved to be a worthy opponent and almost regained the title - Kasparov held by a victory in the final game of the match 12:12 undecided. Only the World Chess Championship 1990, which Kasparov won again with 12,5:11,5, was the last between the two; since 1993, there was exactly that split that had indicated in 1986: los Kasparov and challenger Nigel Short (who had defeated surprisingly Candidates tournament Karpov ) said to themselves because of financial disputes by FIDE and founded the Professional Chess Association (PCA). Kasparov remained until the 2000 World Champion of Chess Federation PCA, he was defeated by Vladimir Kramnik. The FIDE led during its own parallel world championships. This title, however, reached a lower reputation than Kasparov and Kramnik PCA World Championship title in the chess public. Only with the resolution of the PCA and the reunification of the title in the World Chess Championship 2006, the sole world champion returned under the dominion of the World Chess Federation FIDE.

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