Final of candidates
Spassky almost won the candidates’ final by default. Few days before the match due to start in Belgrade, the taxi taken by Korchnoi and Keene, his second, smashed at high speed another car on its way to Zurich. None were seriously injured but on Korchnoi’s request, the match was postponed for a week. The level of play was quite high and the match itself was a real battle with 11 decisive games and 7 draws. Like for his match vs. Polugaevsky in 1977, Korchnoi scored four wins in a row and was comfortable leading the show when on round 10 Spassky refused to sit at the board and stay analyzing the game from his relaxing box. Visibly perturbed Korchnoi managed to win he 10th but lost the 11th and issued a protest against Spassky’s behave, which at the time against the regulations. As the referee accepted the claim, Spassky refused to play the 12th games and FIDE President Dr. Euwe had a very difficult time to put order in the house. He reversed the referee’s decision, which upset and probably made loose Korchnoi in the 12th. The discussion continued and Korchnoi blundered another piece and the 13th game. Still depressed Korchnoi lost the 14th then finally stabilized him-self with two draws and recovered on time to win the last 2 games.
Game 1
English Opening
White did not emerge from the opening with a very impressive position but magnificent play in the middlegame brought Korchnoi a defensive advantage which was only dissipated by his 41st move. Due to his pre-match accident, Korchnoi was not able to write down the moves and could not be sure that he had passed the time control!
Game 2
French Defense
Spassky played a critical variation against the French defense which Botvinnik feared so much that he had abandoned the French for the Caro Kann Defense. Spassky was obviously going for all out for a quick kill but it was he who met his demise.
Game 3
English Opening
The game was a complete disaster for Spassky who survived his opening difficulties and established an equal middlegame, only to commit a terrible blunder which led to a decisive lost of material. After his resignation Spassky sat on the stage for fifteen minutes apparently unable to believe his mistake.
Game 4
French Defense
Spassky decided to avoid mainlines of the Winawer-French for the rest of the match. A big fight followed up and after the players agreed to a draw both received a standing ovation from the audience for several minutes.
Game 5
English Opening
Evidently, Spassky did not enter a risky adventure as in the third game of the match, when he was left without a counter-play before game’s end. In the seventh move, he now played a much better 7… Bb4 (instead of 7… Ke5?!) and he gained equal chances, one could say, in the middle game.
He did give, however, his Bishop pair, but he got ahead of Korchnoi in the development and smashed at his Queen side. In the further course of the game however it seems Spassky’s ambitions grew over his capabilities. So, in 13th move, he should have, apparently exchanged Queens and entered end game which was even more favourable for him. Instead, he tried to complicate the discussion and fell into difficulties. He had to accept exchange of Queens under less favourable conditions.
Korchnoi still could not find a true plan to make advantage of his bishop pair and the fact that opponent’s pawns on the Queens side were doubled. He was losing much time and finally he had to play very fast He won a pawn, but his Bishop pair disappeared in turn, and at the end only opposite color Bishops remained.
In the final moves just before the time control, the opponents may have not played most precisely, but it was of no importance anymore. The position already indicated a clear draw, so any continuing of the game seemed to be a waste of time.
Therefore, the score now reads 3,5:1,5 in Korchnoi’ a favor.
Game 6
French Defense
The sixth game of the match between Boris Spassky an Victor Korchnoi will not surely enter into analogy of eat achievements on the 64 squares. Indeed, it was very warlike and strong, but it is sure that both grandmasters made more mistakes during five hours long fight, and thus they decreased the quality of this important battle to a rather great extent.
The former chess champion Boris Spassky applied a theoretic news already in the eighth move in the French defense (what else could he do when he was White, and Korchnoi Black), but it seems to us that he did not go further the best. His eleventh move could be also criticized, as he could realize his essential strategic idea even without putting the Queen on b-file
There were numerous tactical blows from both sides; there were also numerous mistakes, turns, and the mood of audience changed, as well as of professional commentators. Namely after each move the estimation of position changed, as it seemed that first Spassky, and then Korchnoi had an advantage.
In the period when they were going from the middle game into the final game Spassky again started severe discussion, taking a great risk. He left his kings side unprotected in order to create chances on the other side of the board with penetration of free Pawn. However, he did not succeed to realize that idea till adjournment. In the meanwhile situation became simplified More pawns were exchanged, Spassky kept better chances on Queens’, but Korchnoi on king’s side.
Few moves after adjournment players agreed to share the point. The general impression is that match, in spite of many mistake became calmer, and that just now begins a new kind of fight, based on physical basis and refined with tactical ideas, which surpass the frames of 64 squares.
Game 7
Queen’s Gambit Declined
In place of the traditional English game which has been evidenced in all previous odd games of the duel we finally saw something new on the chessboard. In fact, it was something very old, for the topic is Queen Gambit with a somewhat more modern version by grandmaster Tartakower
In his intention to achieve a positional advantage, Korchnoi easily denied himself of his Bishop pair, and later of his both Bishops. He directed the focus of his positional attack to the conquest of c—file, thus finally forming a free piece on that vertical. Spassky in turn attempted to produce counter-chances through formation of d—file free piece, so that at the moment of shift from middle game, to the end game the strength of the discussion reached its culmination.
At this stage of the battle, both grandmasters seemed each to have afforded a few imprecise moves here and there. Otherwise, how could one explain the fact that Spassky was left at the end weaker for a pawn in a very difficult adjourned position.
Simultaneously, one should note that in the period just before the time control, the excitement was severe, in the audience s well as on the board. The opinions varied all the time, from one move to another. This was the case in particular when the great opponents adopted refined tactics and when numerous threats hung as possibilities on both sides. For a moment it looked like Spassky was winning easily, and soon thereafter Korchnoi looked like a winner.
Still, the storm did not last long. When the situation cleared, Korchnoi remained with a pawn advantage and, therefore with greater prospects for a victory. It seemed that just a few moves before adjournment he could force winning of another pawn and exchange of castles on the way, which would lead to the end game of Queens in which Korchnoi could have an advantage of two pawns.
Game 8
French Defence
A game of drama rather than high quality. Spassy is caught out by Korchnoi’s home preparation and is force to bale out into an endgame with a pawn less. However he completely outplays his opponent and by adjournment had the upper hand. I the second session Spassky first squanders his winning chances and then makes a terrible blunder (51. h7??) which loses the game from him outright
Game 9
English Opening
Korchnoi played safe. He obtained a excellent position against Spassky’s dubious opening but h made no attempt to force the matters. At the adjournment the draw was well within Spassky’s grasp. No fight, a boring draw was agreed.
Game 10
French Defense
It is quite unbelievable that Spassky made a decisive mistake already in the second move of the adjournment of the tenth game, which was adjourned eight days ago! Is either incorrect analysis in question, or general indisposition of the former world champion, it’s hard to guess. In any case it is quite sure that a grandmaster of such format should not miss nearly obvious plan, which could offer him real chances for salvation.
After this Spassky’s mistake it was much easier to Korchnoi to start towards the realization of his far task By the way it ought to be mentioned that Korchnoi did not seal the best move and because of that he to account with losses of tempo several times. However, Spassky, as it was already said, returned a favor to him immediately even with the interest.
Shifting a larger part of his pieces on queen’s side Korchnoi prepared the most important move — to drive finally opponent’s bishop with a pawn, which is endangered him castling. In that period Spassky set traps on more places, but Korchnoi avoided all the danger in a large round. He was choosing the most secure way, he did not run anywhere and he finally made Spassky to force himself the crossing into rook’ and game.
Now Korchnoi’s task was quite easy. He simply set his rook behind a free pawn and started to go forward with it towards the promotion square. Spassky also tried to activate the King sacrificing a pawn and in that way to create a free Pawn himself, but action of his was very slow. In the 65th move Spassky finally stopped the clock
Game 11
Queen’s Gambit Declined
Korchnoi played well the opening until he reached move 19. After the anti-positional 19…a5, Korchnoi began some senseless which resulted a total debacle. The decisive mistake came after 25. Ne5 which gave to White a hopeless game. It was Spassky first victory in the match.
Game 12
French Defense
It was probably one of the most exciting game ever player in a Candidate’s match. This was the game that Spassky defaulted the previous week but which Korchnoi refused to accept. After a fluctuating struggle in which the advantage changed ands several time, Korchnoi’s flag fell within three moves still to make, when Korchnoi had a superior if not winning position…
Game 13
Dutch Defense
Korchnoi played the middlegame in deep fashion and completely out-maneuver Spassky. If Korchnoi had to recapture on d4 with his rook on move 29 he would have won easily. Korchnoi’s blunder at the end will stay surely in the history of chess.
Game 14
Vienna Opening
And Korchnoi lost his fourth game in the row! Korchnoi decided to play from his box as an experiment to improve his concentration but cost too much time and in time trouble he blundered the exchange.
Game 15
Tarrasch Defense
Korchnoi wanted badly to stop the hemorrhage and with Spassky solid and not aggressive play both players concluded to share the point after 33 moves.
Game 16
Richter-Varesov Opening
Korchnoi consumed too much time in searching for an effective way to realize his advantage and towards the end of the session his position deteriorated markedly. At the adjournment Spassky had the better chance but made no attempt to win the game…No doubt that Spassky lost a great chance.
Game 17
Queen’s Indian Defense
Before the match Korchnoi declared: “Spassky’ s action is cowardly because he is afraid of my influence on him at the board and does his best to disturb my concentration. When he began those tactics of not appearing at the board I thought at first he may be failing ill but soon realized that he was afraid of my play which led him to begin his walkouts”
Korchnoi played the whole game in a classical, positional style denying his opponent any chance of counterplay. For Korchnoi the game was one of his best of the match.
Game 18
French Defense
In a complicated position Korchnoi offered a draw (through the Chief Arbiter) which was immediately rejected by Spassky who immediately complain for disturbance. The game was then adjourned with an unexpected sealing move with cost to Spassky the game and the match
| 1 | 2 | 3 | 4 | 5 | 6 | 7 | 8 | 9 | 10 | 11 | 12 | 13 | 14 | 15 | 16 | 17 | 18 | Total | |
| Korchnoi V | = | 1 | 1 | = | = | = | 1 | 1 | = | 1 | 0 | 0 | 0 | 0 | = | = | 1 | 1 | 10.5 |
| Spassky B | = | 0 | 0 | = | = | = | 0 | 0 | = | 0 | 1 | 1 | 1 | 1 | = | = | 0 | 0 | 7.5 |
Viktor Korchnoi, in a telephone interview, told the French News Agency that the match had been “the hardest fought of the 20th Century”. Spassky, he said, had shown extraordinary fighting qualities in view of his recent lack of training, a lack which had shown up in the early games of the match.
Korchnoi said that he was “…very pleased, after having left the Soviet Union in July 1976, to have succeeded with dignity in continuing” his chess career, He said that he had been boycotted by the Soviets since going to the Wes but if this continues, they will end up being boycotted through on the world.”
Asked about the delay in publishing his games in the Soviet chess newspaper 64, he said the Soviet chess world “cannot do without my games” and that it was probably that the political decision not to publish his games had been rescinded. “However, the fact that I have left and I can continue my career victoriously is not a bad example for other Soviet players,” Korchnoi said.
Asked how his victory would affect the fate of his family still in the Soviet Union, he said he thought it would “finally be positive.”
As to where he would like his world title match with Anatoly Karpov played, Korchnoi said: “It is known that Karpov is a collector of money. Thus, for the choice of a site, he will lean on financial considerations. I therefore leave him the choice.”
Boris Spassky, in an interview for the same agency, said that he resigned the last game because “dishonest” senior officials favoured his opponent. Spassky accused Dr. Max Euwe, President of the International Chess Federation, and the Yugoslav arbiter of the match, Bozidar Kazic, of favouring Korchnoi. He said Korchnoi’s tactics were to “destroy my tranquillity” from the tenth game onwards and that from the thirteenth game both Korchnoi and Kazic disturbed him during his periods of contemplation.
“The referee did not observe the indispensible attitude of neutrality and notably in the seventeenth game when he looked at me intensely while I was thinking and stopped me concentrating.” He also said that Kazic had pro posed a draw on Korchnoi’s behalf, which he had no right to do.
“I realised during the eighteenth game that I was in the presence of dis honest people and that is why I decided to wait for the adjournment to end the match,” he said, adding that he did not consider the eighteenth game was lost for him at that point.
He had harsh comments to-make about Korchnoi, whom he said had “lost his moral principles” and that thus “his future, both morally and in chess, is insignificant.”
Final
Viktor Lvoich Korchnoi was born July 23, 1931 in Leningrad. After being involved in all Candidate’s Tournaments since 1962 he finally reached the final stage of the world chess championship. Korchnoi started to play chess at thirteen. Three years later he won the USSR junior championship and at twenty had qualified for the finals of the USSR national championship. He became an international master at age twenty-three and by 1956 he earned the title of international grandmaster
Since Karpov won the title by default in 1975, the World Champion participated to twelve tournaments and won ten of them!
FIDE reviewed the regulations for this match with the winner to be proclaimed after six victories and no time limit. If Korchnoi win then Karpov may ask for a revenge match.
FIDE got not less than 7 bids for the organization of the match. Lucerne $ 55,000, Paris $ 55,000, Il Ciocco $ 83,000, Graz $ 555,000, Hamburg $ 555,000, Baguio City $ 585,000 and Tilburg $ 677,000.
Karpov rejected immediately Tilburg as since a year Korchnoi had originally sought asylum in Amsterdam and resided in Holland. So his choice went to Hamburg and Baguio City. Korchnoi was looking for mountains and choose Graz and Baguio City. Finally FIDE President Dr. Euwe made the most logical decision announcing Baguio City’s bid was accepted.
The bitter rivalry came to a head in the jury meeting to decide the thorny flag issue.
In sharp contrast to a friendly earlier meeting attended by Dr. Euwe, Schmid, Campomanes and the heads of both delegations, the stormy jury meeting triggered a walkout by Viktor Baturinsky, the chief of the Soviet delegation.
Schmid submitted a legal opinion from Karl Doehring, law professor from the University of Heidelberg in West Germany, stating that there is nothing legally binding to prevent Korchnoi from using a flag of his choice.
Armed with documents, Korchnoi delegation head Mrs. Petra Leeuwerik pressed the challenger’s demand to play under the flag of Switzerland.
With the proximity of opening day, an emergency late night meeting was called and the compromise decision was reached.
No flags would be on the table but the Philippine, USSR and FIDE flags would be prominently displayed onstage and the two countries’ flags in front of the building.
The Philippine and USSR national anthems would be played in the opening ceremonies followed by Korchnoi’s selection of the ‘Ode of Joy’ from Beethoven… as anthem.
At 4:30 p.m., Monday the band struck the Philippine national anthem. When the USSR anthem was announced, Korchnoi and Leeuwerik sat down while everyone else remained standing as the band played… by mistake the Russian “Internationale” instead the national anthem.
The choice of colours was done in the traditional manner. As Karpov extended both hands, Korchnoi pointed to the left clenched fist concealing a white pawn — giving the first move to the challenger.
Karpov accepted the chair from the organizers, but Korchnoi brought his own from Switzerland, an olive-green Stoll Giroflex costing $1,300 Of course Baturinsky insisted on X-raying the chair to see whether it contained any forbidden secret devices, so the organizers had a trudge down to Baguio General Hospital and submit the chair to the X-ray theatre. All they found was a foam rubber!
The “fireworks around the chessboard” were over. The match was on. The first game started on Tuesday 18 July 1978.
Game 1
Game 1
Queen’s Gambit declined
A monumental anti-climax. After all pre-match tensions and skirmishes, none of both players was ready for start the battle. Most of the spectators had to pay $30 as a entrance fee but didn’t get too in exchange. Only 18 moves in less than two and as pointed a journalist “only the presence of President Marcos at the game prevented the audience from demanding their money back!
Game 2
Game 2
Ruy Lopez
Korchnoi surprised everyone by playing the Ruy Lopez instead of his favourite French Defense. Korchnoi innovated with 14…d5 and after 30 minutes of thinking, Karpov chose the simplest and safe method of play. Most everything (till move 24) was a home preparation and the endgame was a inevitable draw.
Game 3
Game 3
Nimzo-Indian Defense
It was the consensus of the GM’s which Korchnoi seconded, that White missed a better move in 24 Re5. Instead, the attack fizzled out and Karpov escaped with a draw
Game 4
Game 4
Ruy Lopez
Showing the after-effects of his near brush with defeat in the previous game, Karpov did not take advantage of the white piece and played safely in game four to settle for a draw on the 19th move. The Ruy Lopez was a repeat of game 2 with Black varying on the 14th move. Korchnoi avoided the complications of 14. .. d4 which Karpov and his seconds must have analyzed extensively. A repetition of moves starting the 16th telegraphed the willingness of both players to have the point to the open disappointment of the gallery and grandmasters in the analysis room.
‘The burden to prove something is with Karpov,” commented Korchnoi’ s second, GM Michael Stean of England. “He played the white pieces and he has to attack. But if he fails to take advantage of this, he might be in trouble because with black, he also has to defend against Korchnoi.” Stean added.
“‘Four draws and three glasses of yoghurt,” was Byrne’s description of the scoreless series. The great yoghurt debate was settled yesterday by chief arbiter Lothar Schmid.
The first time Karpov was served yoghurt; the Korchnoi delegation filed a formal protest charging that it could be a secret code from the champion’s seconds, in violation of the FIDE regulations for the match. The rules state that, except for a phone for the arbiter, ‘‘there shall be no other communication into or out of the restricted area.”
Michael Stean, commenting on this comic relief, said that ‘‘if the flag issue tested the jury’s impartiality, this will test its sense of humour.”
Schmid decided to allow Karpov to receive violet yoghurt at a specified time (7:15) without having to inform the arbiter. But should Karpov decide to get one of a colour other than violet, as was served him in the previous games, the arbiters should be informed in advance.
Game 5
Game 5
Nimzo-Indian Defense
The game which began on 27th went into two adjournments – a 12 hour marathon and 124 moves- that ended in a stalemate, a record in the world championship history. (The previous record was the game 14 of Tal-Botvinnik 1961 with 121 moves)
Korchnoi innovated with 14.f3 which provoked a very complicated middle game. Two hours later at 7 P.M. a storm knocked the city. The main power supply of the city was cut off and like in 1971 during the match Fischer-Petrosian the game was interrupted…for only one minute. Korchnoi fought against the clock but finally reached the time control with good prospects. According R. Keene it was “a 90% victory”. The Challenger was surprised with the Karpov’s sealing move and night team’s analyses became useless. Once more in time trouble he missed the fatal 55. Bf7 and instead gave to Karpov some real chances of draw. Somehow later Korchnoi managed to reach an endgame with a (black) Bishop and the ‘a-Pawn” against ‘a’ and ‘b-Pawns’. After another adjournment Korchnoi could not find any winning plan and the players agreed a draw. However few months later the magazine 64 concluded an interesting article which showed how White could conclude the game with the full point…
As early as game five Korchnoi was complaining that something was disturbing his concentration during play. He was quickly able to identify the source of the disturbance: the now famous parapsychologist, Dr. Vladimir Zukhar. Sitting in the first row of spectator seats, Zukhar would assume a strangely con totted position, his head in his hands and his large protruding eyes trained constantly Korchnoi eyes. Not even when Viktor left the table and retired to his armchair on the side of the stage could he escape Zukhar’s influence.
Viktor was not only upset by Zukhar’s presence, he was clearly fearful of his powers. I soon became clear that no amount of reassurance or reasoned argument could exorcise Zukhar’s influence from Korchnoi’s mind. Korchnoi protested and asked Zukhar to be removed.
Game 6
Game 6
English Opening
Played between the second and third adjournment of the fifth game, the game followed the pattern of the ninth game of their 1974 encounter. Tired from the previous marathon both participants opted for a peaceful day and a logical draw was agreed.
Miguel Najdorf said: “We saw six different positions in six games. Korchnoi is better prepared, as Robert Byrne thinks, or else Karpov needs longer to get going. The World Champion has been losing two games a year in the past ten years or so, although he played at the strongest tournaments.”
Game 7
Game 7
Nimzo-Indian Defense
Victor Korchnoi has been wearing mirrored glasses to ward off what he claims maybe hypnotic rays aimed against him. The latest complaint filed by the Korchnoi camp was directed at Vladimir Zoukhar. Petra Leeuwerik, in a verbal protest to Campomanes alleged that Zoukhar, who was sitting in the front row of the orchestra, is a parapsychologist “inducing Korchnoi to commit mistakes.” Ms. Leeuwerik promptly dispatched a Swiss male friend of her daughter to sit beside Zoukhar and stare at him during the game. Her request to transfer Zoukhar from the front row was relayed by Campomanes to the Russians who obliged the following day by transferring Zoukhar to the second row. Korchnoi was disturbed to find Zoukhar in the second row at the start of game seven and complained to Schmid. Campomanes and Schmid decided to reduce the number of rows in the orchestra starting the eighth game, limited to VIP’s screened by Campomanes.
With the seventh consecutive draw the match set a new record (the last one with six happened in 1966). Korchnoi interesting opening novelty eventually netted him in the Exchange. However, he drifted out of plan in the middle game and at the adjournment appeared dead lost.
Karpov looked at the sealed move, thought briefly, then looked at Korchnoi.
As the two were seen signing the score sheets, the spectators thought Korchnoi had resigned. Pandemonium broke loose in the gallery when Schmid announced that the game was mutually drawn.
“They’ll never believe me in Argentina,” was Najdorf’s lament. Show me, show me, the said, as Keene and Stean went below to the analysis room to explain the draw.
Alexander Roshal, press officer for the Karpov delegation, said, “We have analyzed
all positions and saw nothing but a draw.”