Second part: Lyon
Lyon is the second largest city in France with two million of residents. A major international tournament and several smaller tournaments made Lyon a center of chess activity. The opening ceremony of the match was held in the Palais des Congress, which could give seats to 900 persons. A new addition to the world championship money prize was the Korloff prize. Statue made of bronze and gold in the shape of a double K, and decorated with 1018 black and white diamonds, it costs evaluated to approximately $ 1 million. With the French TV showing 30 minutes of commentary the match everyday, the show was guaranty to be a success.
Game 13
Game 13
Grünfeld Defense
Kasparov returns to his customary match defense in recent years, the Grünfeld. Karpov has prepared a pet system for the Grünfeld, he does not seem ready to Kasparov’s forthright plan, deviating from game 9. Black managed to mobilize his pieces well and obtained good prospects. With a cleaver the challenger extinguished Black growing initiative. Then with a curious 19…Nc3 Kasparov missed Karpov reply and got only a equal position. To avoid an early adjournment both players player until the 40th move but never resume the game.
Game 14
Game 14
Scotch Game
Everyone is impressed by Kasparov’s choice of opening – he wheels out the Scotch-unseen at this level since the previous century. Though no one believes it a serious addition to his arsenal, as a dangerous one-short it earns a lot of respect. That Kasparov has done his homework is also evident. Karpov wastes time considering the psychological questions.
He then was even further behind wending his way through the unusual complications. Karpov seems to be under attack and with time pressure- very serious time pressure-already an issue in the opening, few gives him much chance of surviving. At moments like these Karpov without fail rises to the occasion, with a series of powerful strokes, he reverses the attack and even gains the upper hand.
Kasparov joins him in a time clamber that has everyone by the action. The players exchange of blows and though Karpov emerges with a moral victory, the point is indispensably split.
The game receives universal praise and Kasparov pays tribute to his adversary’s performance, admitting that he had prepared the line at home and thought it very promising. Bur Karpov had played “very well” and foiled everything. Interest now rides high, and the atmosphere, at least that generated by the level of play, is beginning to reach Manhattan levels.
It seems unlikely that games like this can continue to end in draws. But for the time being no one has a word of criticism for the players. For IGM Zurab Azmaiparashvili one of Kasparov’s second, the game was the best of the match.
Game 15
Game 15
Grünfeld Defense
Karpov executes what is generally interpreted as a cunning tactic. He spends a lot of time in the opening and then chooses a new move order. The impression is that he wants to avoid game 13, and when he transposes, the audience feels that he has been outflanked. In fact, that is what Karpov wanted; he unveils a new move that sends Kasparov into a long think.
Kasparov’s pause amuses spectators; Karpov’s novelty had been suggested by Spassky in the first bulletin from Lyon. Karpov builds up a tremendous pressure and looks to be on the way to a classical victory – a patented demonstration of the danger of a small advantage. Kasparov elects to avoid the axe by introducing doubtful complications. But Karpov misses his chance. In a rare display of clumsiness, Karpov methodically misplaces his forces. He does not need to be asked twice when Kasparov suggests a quiet finish. Another near miss, and the eighth draw in succession. The score remains tied.
Game 16
Game 16
Scotch Game
Kasparov surprises those assembled offstage by repeating the Scotch, despite its unconvincing performance in game 14. Karpov varies early -perhaps just on principle -and seems to be getting a reasonable position when he makes a couple of incomprehensive moves and gets a wreck instead. Rather than accept a bad position, Karpov takes the uncharacteristic and drastic measure of sacrificing a pawn in search of counterplay. A few precise moves and the assessment is clear: Kasparov has the Bishop pair and the better position “for” the extra pawn. Karpov’s position, respectable instants ago,, can safely be judged lost.
The following was awesome, Karpov digs in, and despite being worse on the board and on the clock, simply refuses to give. Every move either poses a problem or improves his position. He never makes things worse. Kasparov botches things a bit in the time scramble and instead of adjourning with a trivial win, a difficult technical task awaits. He leaves the building saying that he is no longer sure of the outcome of the game. The champion falls silent and departs. A long night of analysis could not lead to a definite conclusion, but Karpov’s defensive task remained grim.
Kasparov gradually makes progress. He begins to stalk about the stage as his adrenaline flows and the kill grows near. Karpov surrenders his extra pawn and falls back in confusion.
Kasparov makes a few quick moves. Karpov had not been panicking, he had erected a tough defensive wall that looked suspiciously like a fortress. Kasparov looks tired and disoriented. He aims for the second adjournment, and took time off his clock in order to seal. Then Kasparov uses his second timeout to postpone game 17, which means that the third session of this true marathon, their longest-ever encounter, would be completed without interruption.
When play resumes, the game suffers a distraction thanks to an outburst by former world champion Boris Spassky. Apparently convinced that Karpov’s fortress has been breached by mechanical means, Spassky announces that now the time has come to change the rules and the end adjournments – a computer has solved Kasparov’s problem. The machine was unable to crack the position. Keep in mind that the great endgame databases are limited to examinations of positions with five pieces or less -that includes Kings. Computers must use less precise methods to analyze anything more complex. The machine agreed with Max’s assessment, but only after it was given most of the solution.
So Spassky’s fit is unfair and premature, though almost certain to be justified in the near future. There is no reason to be suspicious of Cambell’s denial – though for some reason denials are assumed to be admissions of guilt in these cynical days.
Kasparov had solved the problem faster and more deeply. In fact, the timeout had been to fine tune the analysis to such a degree that the 50-move rule would not become a factor. To finally put the computer controversy to rest, it should be remembered that it is Karpov who has the souped-up Fidelity machine on loan, while Kasparov only has portables to run his ChessBase.
Spassky dubbed Karpov’s resistance in this game, virtually lost out of the opening, as “a kind of miracle” and said that such a game could serve an inspiration. As far as Spassky was concerned, Karpov was the moral winner of this bitter struggle. Indeed, no one is ready to rule out Karpov, even though he needs two wins in the eight games remaining.
Game 17
Game 17
Grünfeld Defense
Karpov’s handling of the Grünfeld again fails to impress the masses. He gives the impression of being unwilling to take any risk and seems intent on simplifying the position to the point where his winning chances will be insignificant. Spassky even assesses the position to the point where his winning chances will be significant.
Suddenly Karpov pounces. A few unforeseen and deceptively powerful moves and everyone understand. Karpov has a huge advantage, and the simplifications have reduced Kasparov’s hopes for counterplay to nil. Kasparov can hardly bear to be sitting behind such a wreck of a position and hurries to embrace defeat. He tries to blitz Karpov in the closing moves of the session. When Karpov’s flag is up after 40 moves, the champion resigns without bothering to reach the control himself.
Game 18
Game 18
Ruy Lopez
Karpov builds up his greatest lead of the match on the clock and leaves the stage while Kasparov ponders his 21st move. Karpov has offered a pawn for the Bishop pair and central counterplay, all at top speed. The champion appears upset, glancing at the clock, muttering and shaking his head in annoyance.
Having studied the position in the opening, he makes a move and retires offstage. For an hour Karpov examined the position and understood what is happening. The champion has picked himself up by the bootstraps and refuted Karpov’s idea over the board.
Karpov limps gamely on to adjournment, but the lively argument that ensues in the hall concerns which method of execution is more efficient. At 5 o’clock, game time, Kasparov arrives, but nothing happens. Gijssen and Karpov are nowhere to be seen. In 5 minutes they appeared. Both players rattle off their home analysis and Karpov resigns. The whole session takes 24 minutes to reach move 57, a peculiar formality as the end to an odd day. Kasparov again leads by a point and Karpov begins to be written off. Six games is not time enough to beat Kasparov twice. Game 18 was crucial; Kasparov responded to difficulties in a way that must boost his confidence. A boost was needed and the point that came with it should settle matters.
Karpov will undoubtedly fight ferociously to the very end. But his prospects are dark. Two factors can maintain the tension: a 12-12 result would be a moral victory for Karpov; Kasparov promised a challenge-ending devastation of his old nemesis. There will be reason enough to have a full-blooded finish.
Game 19
Game 19
King’s Indian Defense
For the first time since game 11, Kasparov joined the battle with the King Indian defense leaving the Grünfeld behind. Karpov finally took him right on reaching an immensely tense position. The tension continued to grow and Karpov looked to size the advantage. . But then the initiative on the king-side came to halt and he was left with on f4 balanced his space advantage. With White’s position visually very good but actually under great strain, Kasparov initiated a fierce counterattack with 30…cd and Karpov was unable to cope with this, wining a pawn but ending up with a pieces hanging. Kasparov having left 11 minutes to Karpov’s offered a draw on move 39 which was luckily quickly accepted by Karpov.
Onstage Kasparov’s beaming expression at the end of play is transformed into a grimace as Karpov manages to lose variation in a long postmortem. By the time he leaves, Kasparov appears to be a finely controlled home to him. Kasparov raised two reasons, both of which will be familiar to serious players. First that he had entered the game with the aim of making a draw with Black -an intention difficult to change. Second, that at the moment he offered the draw, he simply wanted the game to end, to stop the tension. Kasparov said he did not regret the decision, even though it later became clear to him that he was better, or even winning.
Game 20
Game 20
Ruy Lopez
Karpov arrives seven minutes late and doubles the stakes. As Kasparov noted after the game, the draw offer of game 19 must have convinced Karpov that any risk-taking would have to come from him. An intriguing theory, but in any event Karpov clearly came today to provoke a crisis and try to win with Black. He returned to Zaitsev variation, turf of their most memorable clashes. Karpov spurns the line that brought him here – varying from the decisive ninth game of his candidates final with Timman, which he won.
Instead he adopts an incredibly risky idea. Karpov ventilates his own Kingside to completely undermine White’s center, the concept is attractive, but the danger is great. Karpov handles the terrifying complications well at first, and the storm breaks when Kasparov starts hurling in pieces to justify a pawn sacrifice. At the crucial moments Karpov defends badly and Kasparov obliterates him with a sample of the swashbuckling pyrotechnics of his youth. Ecstatic after this win, Kasparov admitted he felt satisfaction at winning in his “old style”.
He rated the game as “not the best of the match, but the most effective”. He recognized the chances Karpov took as calculated risks in trying to win the match. He called his old nemesis “a great fighter’. Karpov’s brave effort had failed. “Bad luck”, Kasparov said, but the irrepressible grin on his face could not disguise that it was also very good luck from his point of view. The score is now 11-9 to Kasparov.
Game 21
Game 21
King’s Indian Defense
Timeout postponed this game -surprisingly called by Kasparov. When the game began Karpov was punctual for once and meets the King’s Indian with the sharp Samisch. Kasparov greets the variation with a spectrum of facial expressions. An extremely tense duel takes place, Karpov’s structure balanced by Kasparov’s activity. As so often, the position explodes just before time control and Kasparov probably passes up a drawing chance in the rush to move 40.
The position at adjournment was very complex. Karpov may have sealed any of 5 moves but went for probably for the strongest move, and play reaches the a very difficult ending. But Kasparov’s team analyses were very accurated and the attack on the King-side pawns disturbed Karpov’s plan to play for a win and the position soon become drawish.
The players analysed in a record postmortem -over 45 minutes. Karpov finds a number of startling winning tries in various endings the Exchange down. Karpov looks to be enjoying himself, fascinated in the complexities of the position, and having a worthy sparring partner.
Game 22
Game 22
Ruy Lopez
A look of slight pain passed over Kasparov’s face after Karpov 10th move. The Champion needed only a draw to stay on top for the next three years. It did not take him to long to spurn this opportunity either to end the match without fight or force Karpov to do something else. The game live up to the spirit of the 141 match battles that preceeds it. Both men fought hard, and Karpov with Black offered two pawns to build up initiative. But the champion went for the safety by giving up a piece for the far-advance black pawn in the center. Kasparov , maybe better, had the choice to go for another stike or forcing the repetition. The choice the second option and the game , and the match, ended in perpetual check.
Game 23
Game 23
King’s Indian Defense
The Champion is known but according the regulation the match continued. The fate of the money prize of $ 3,000,000 has to be decided. The game was a fine performance by Karpov in some ways his best of the event. With Karpov extracting a plus from the opening, a sharp fight seemed to be in store as Kasparov had typical King’s Indian counterplay. With nothing to lose, Karpov then pointed out the weakness of the stereotyped maneuver with a bold and original stroke, letting Kasparov rupture the pawn cover around White’s King. With a very active position, Karpov went for the master attack which eventually finish out Kasparov on move 29.
Game 24
Game 24
English Opening
Kasparov abandoned his favored opening move for the first time in the match and went to 1. Nf3, which he used in the 24th game of Sevilla to come back and clinch the match. Here he needs only a draw; he seems to be asking how Karpov intends to play for a win with Black now.
Karpov’s level best looks to be good enough, for Kasparov does not appear to be able to mobilize himself properly and commits a number of inaccuracies. His slight superiority transformed into a distinct disadvantage, the champion buckles down and begins to fight back. The completely non-theoretical opening takes time on both players’ clocks, but Kasparov stays ahead. Karpov gets rushed, returns several favors, and suddenly roles are reversed. Kasparov builds up a crushing position and the match ends -Karpov accepting the fair-play draw offer. The offer gave Kasparov’s clear victory -12,5 to 11,5.
| 1 | 2 | 3 | 4 | 5 | 6 | 7 | 8 | 9 | 10 | 11 | 12 | 13 | 14 | 15 | 16 | 17 | 18 | 19 | 20 | 21 | 22 | 23 | 24 | Total | |
| Kasparov, G | ½ | 1 | ½ | ½ | ½ | ½ | 0 | ½ | ½ | ½ | ½ | ½ | ½ | ½ | ½ | 1 | 0 | 1 | ½ | 1 | ½ | ½ | 0 | ½ | 12 ½ |
| Karpov, A | ½ | 0 | ½ | ½ | ½ | ½ | 1 | ½ | ½ | ½ | ½ | ½ | ½ | ½ | ½ | 0 | 1 | 0 | ½ | 0 | ½ | ½ | 1 | ½ | 11 ½ |