Karpov:At first there was nothing new. A French Defence, and a customary position, where I endeavoured to exploit the weakness of Black’s isolated queen’s pawn. My opponent seized the opportunity to give up this weak pawn, in order to activate his pieces and set up a blockade. I gave back a pawn, not a central one, but & wing pawn of no importance. I obtained an enormous positional advantage, and the position was practically won. The opponent was in terrible time trouble, and could well have resigned. Even now, when trying to describe what happened next, I cannot find words — such a thing probably happens once in a lifetime. For six or seven moves I made the only ones which did not win, and this was not somewhere between the 32nd and 39th, say, but between the fortieth (the last before the time control!) and the forty—seventh. In my place a player of any reasonable standard would have won this game. In fact he would not have had to win it — he would have simply stopped playing, sealed any move, and the opponent himself would simply not have turned up for the resumption, but would have resigned the game. But I, with an hour in hand on my clock, acted as if there were some treacherous demon operating inside me. Korchnoi quickly made his move (he could not adjourn at this point), I replied instantly, he — again, and I — again… It was only on the forty—seventh move that I stopped, which proved to be too late. A most painful adjournment analysis showed that there was no longer a win, even if I should remain with an extra piece: the opponent would set up a “fortress’. On the resumption I tried another way with an outside passed pawn, but here too — and I was already prepared for it — a quick draw resulted.”
Game 23
Game 23
Queen’s gambit Declined
Karpov:“In a Queen’s Gambit, in contrast to the previous game with this opening, everything was quiet. In the early middlegame I was happy with my position, but probably I somewhat overestimated it and made an over—committing move, after which White gained a dangerous outside passed pawn. To be honest, I am proud of the one and only method of defence which I managed to find, and from the rook ending I gained a really genuine aesthetic pleasure. On emerging from time trouble, the Challenger wanted to repeat the position, so as then at home to seek a way of improving it. But things didn’t get as far as repetition: a manoeuvre, which my opponent had not foreseen, forced him to agree a draw.”
Game 24
Game 24
Ruy Lopez
Karpov:“The twenty—fourth game did not really come off. The two opponents manoeuvred, the play went “for” and “against” an isolated pawn in the centre, but there was an absence of the sharpness which is sometimes present in such positions. I felt somewhat jaded, and to a certain extent this was the reason that, for the first time in the match with Black, the Challenger adjourned in a slightly favourable position. However, his advantage was of a symbolic nature, and on resumption a draw was agreed after a few more moves.”
Game 25
Game 25
English Opening
Another dramatic affair. Karpov dominated the game but missed some tactical move before the time control. After a nice combination Korchnoi took over the advantage but in time trouble he almost spoiled his chances. Korchnoi adjourned with some advantage but could not convert it into a victory.
Game 26
Game 26
English Opening
Karpov:“With White (for the second time in the present match) I avoided opening with my king’s pawn. In reply to my English Opening the opponent chose a kind of Dutch Defence, and the position arising on the transition to the middlegame resembled most of’ all a set—up from the Closed Variation of the Sicilian Defence with colours reversed. It is true that a queenside pawn offensive brought me some positional advantage, but Black’s sufficiently active position equalized the chances, and successive exchanges led by move twenty—seven to a double—rook ending, in which neither side could hope for success, and a draw became inevitable.”
Game 27
Game 27
English Opening
The Chief Arbiter L. Schmid announced he had to go back to Germany for professional reason, M. Filip took it over and the match continued as scheduled. Korchnoi took a small advantage in the middle-game but Karpov very careful didn’t let him to increase. With 15 minutes and 15 moves to play Korchnoi missed the equality and soon saw his position collapsed. 28. Rac1?? and 31. Qb5? were enough to give to the Champion the full point.
Game 28
Game 28
Ruy Lopez
Karpov:“At that point the Challenger also chose a very successful opening strategy, playing the Open Variation of the Ruy Lopez with the moat exact move order, which excluded secondary decisions on my part. My opponent followed a prepared path, aiming for a position planned beforehand. In the middlegame exchanges took place some minor pieces disappeared from the board, then the Queens…. I allowed my opponent imperceptibly to set about acquiring small positional advantages, to which I did not pay much attention, until I suddenly came to when the Challenger avoided a repetition of position, in spite of being seriously short of time. He had insufficient time on him clock, whereas I had insufficient to repair the mistakes made earlier. And while Black somehow coped with him problem, White was left with him, in the form of having to analyze the adjourned position.” Korchnoi:“I simply play to get through my time trouble. When I accomplished this I relaxed, made a couple of moves and Karpov resigned. Well, now I won one game in a row!”
Game 29
Game 29
English Opening
Korchnoi secured with a slight positional plus which was surely not enough to get further hope. In time trouble the champion decided to take unconsidered risks and was soon lost. After the game, Korchnoi said: “I won because of Karpov’s mistakes however I am proud of my fight spirit.”
Game 30
Game 30
English Opening
An attacking Karpov, handling the white pieces aggressively with his burning desire to clinch the Match, settled for a draw after 42 moves of his English Opening. The defending champion offered the draw at 3 pm, two hours before the resumption of their adjourned game. Delegation head Victor Baturinsky relayed the offer through acting arbiter Miroslav Filip which Korchnoi readily accepted.
Karpov essayed a novelty in the Exchange variation on the 10th move which sent Korchnoi on a long think. The challenger’s reply equally sent Karpov into deep thought. With, the score dangerously at 5-4, both players are extra cautious which would explain Karpov’s shift from his intended Kingside attack to a positional game on the Queenside. Analysts commented that 18 f4, continuing the plan, was favourable for White.
The Match equals the second longest in chess championship history-the 1935 Alekhine-Euwe, match which the latter won 9-8 with 13 draws. The current match, now in its 87th day, is the longest in point of time. Alekhine-Euwe lasted 74 days while the 34 games, 1927 Capablanca—Alekhine match lasted 75 days.
Game 31
Game 31
Queen’s Gambit Declined
Challenger Viktor Korchnoi maintaining his momentum of back to back victories, won the 31st game to even the score at 5—5. Korchnoi, playing white, initiated a minority attack on the Queenside of their Queen’s Gambit Declined, Exchange Variation. At adjournment, material was even in the Rook and Pawn endgame with positional advantage for white. Korchnoi was in control of the open file and had thematic pawn sacrifices on the a6 and d5 bsquares to create dangerous passed pawns close to the promotion rank. Y. Murey, one of the seconds of Korchnoi, said a draw was possible with the line Rg8, Rg3+ and Rd3 for Black. In the end, Korchnoi had two pawns to none and the out come was clear.
The World Chess Championship Match, therefore, will be decided by sudden death. Whoever scores the next win will win the title. ‘It’s like a lottery. One game will decide who shall be champion. In this case, Fischer was right,” Korchnoi said after the game over dinner at the Swiss Grille with champagne and caviar.
Game 32
Game 32
Pirc Defense
In this last game, Korchnoi defended with the Pirc. By playing some strange move like 11…Nh5 his position became very early uncomfortable. Karpov moved his pieces on the King-side and on the 25th launched a fatal central attack. After five hours of play Korchnoi decided to adjourn the hopeless position. The play was never resumed and the next day Korchnoi sent a letter to the Deputy Chief Arbiter.
The call came at 11:22 am of Wednesday, October 18, 1978. GM Raymond Keene, chief second of the challenger, informed acting chief arbiter M. Fillip that Korchnoi would not resume the adjourned 32nd game and would not sign the score sheet. “I’ don’t resume the 32nd game but I’m not going to sign the score sheet of the game because it has been played under absolutely illegal conditions. I don’t consider this game valid. The match is not finished. I reserve the right to complain to the FIDE on the tolerable Soviet’s behaviour, a hostility of the organizers, and a lack of activity of the arbiters”.
