Cycle 1985-1987
Interzonals FIDE decided to increase the numbers of qualified from Zonals and the number of qualified by rights or ratings. So three Interzonals were set up with more or less the same strength in each tournament. The ex-Champion A. Karpov had the privilege to be directly seated into the final of the Candidates match…
Tunis, May-June, 1985.
For the second time FIDE decided to award the interzonal to Africa and Tunis. The former world junior A. Yusupov had a great start with 6 out of 7 then to protect his lead his decided to draw nearly the rest of the games. A. Beliavsky was more combative but missed the first place after asurprising lost against the Chilean I. Morovic. Finally after a tense last round V. Gavrikov and A. Chernin both from Russia emerged for the last 4th place, which was decided after a tie-break match. The local player S, Bouaziz withdrew after 6 rounds for health reasons.
| 1 | 2 | 3 | 4 | 5 | 6 | 7 | 8 | 9 | 10 | 11 | 12 | 13 | 14 | 15 | 16 | 17 | Total | T/B | |||
| 1 | Yusupov,A | 2590 | xx | = | 1 | 1 | = | = | 1 | = | = | = | = | 1 | 1 | = | 1 | = | 1 | 11.5 | |
| 2 | Beliavsky,A | 2635 | = | Xx | = | = | 1 | = | = | 1 | 1 | = | = | 1 | 0 | = | 1 | 1 | 1 | 11.0 | |
| 3 | Portisch,L | 2635 | 0 | = | xx | = | 1 | = | = | = | = | = | 1 | = | 1 | = | = | 1 | 1 | 10.0 | |
| 4 | Gavrikov,V | 2550 | 0 | = | = | xx | = | 0 | = | = | 1 | = | 1 | = | = | 1 | = | 1 | 1 | 9.5 | 66.75 |
| 5 | Chernin,A | 2495 | = | 0 | 0 | = | xx | = | = | 1 | 0 | = | = | 1 | = | 1 | 1 | 1 | 1 | 9.5 | 65.75 |
| 6 | Hort,V | 2560 | = | = | = | 1 | = | xx | = | = | 0 | = | = | = | = | 1 | 0 | 1 | 1 | 9.0 | 66.25 |
| 7 | Sosonko,G | 2535 | 0 | = | = | = | = | = | xx | = | = | = | = | = | = | = | 1 | 1 | 1 | 9.0 | 63.25 |
| 8 | Dlugy,M | 2485 | = | 0 | = | = | 0 | = | = | xx | = | = | 1 | = | = | 1 | = | 1 | 1 | 9.0 | 62.75 |
| 9 | De Firmian,N | 2540 | = | 0 | = | 0 | 1 | 1 | = | = | xx | 1 | 0 | = | = | 1 | 0 | = | 1 | 8.5 | |
| 10 | Nikolic,Pr | 2575 | = | = | = | = | = | = | = | = | 0 | xx | 1 | 0 | = | 0 | = | 1 | 1 | 8.0 | 58.75 |
| 11 | Suba,M | 2465 | = | = | 0 | 0 | = | = | = | 0 | 1 | 0 | xx | 0 | 1 | = | 1 | 1 | 1 | 8.0 | 55.25 |
| 12 | Miles,A | 2570 | 0 | 0 | = | = | 0 | = | = | = | = | 1 | 1 | xx | = | 0 | = | 1 | 1 | 8.0 | 55.00 |
| 13 | Morovic Fernand,I | 2450 | 0 | 1 | 0 | = | = | = | = | = | = | = | 0 | = | xx | = | 1 | = | = | 7.5 | |
| 14 | Zapata,A | 2535 | = | = | = | 0 | 0 | 0 | = | 0 | 0 | 1 | = | 1 | = | xx | = | = | = | 6.5 | 50.00 |
| 15 | Ermenkov,E | 2515 | 0 | 0 | = | = | 0 | 1 | 0 | = | 1 | = | 0 | = | 0 | = | xx | = | 1 | 6.5 | 45.75 |
| 16 | Afifi,A | 2370 | = | 0 | 0 | 0 | 0 | 0 | 0 | 0 | = | 0 | 0 | 0 | = | = | = | xx | 1 | 3.5 | |
| 17 | Hmadi,S | 2285 | 0 | 0 | 0 | 0 | 0 | 0 | 0 | 0 | 0 | 0 | 0 | 0 | = | = | 0 | 0 | xx | 1.0 | |
| Bouaziz,S | 2395 | – | 0 | – | – | – | 0 | – | – | 0 | – | 0 | – | = | – | – | – | 0 | 0.5 |
Bouaziz withdrew after six rounds; his results are not included in the totals for the other players.
Moscow playoff, VI-VII, 1985.
At the play-off tournament organized in Moscow, the Soviet A. Chernin qualified without too many difficulties
| 1 | 2 | 3 | 4 | 5 | 6 | Total | ||
| Gavrikov,V | 2550 | 0 | = | = | 0 | 1 | = | 2.5 |
| Chernin,A | 2495 | 1 | = | = | 1 | 0 | = | 3.5 |
Taxco, VI, 1985.
The tournament started with last minute withdrawal of J. Nunn and R. Huebner for personal reasons and M. Gurevich, the recent Soviet champion who failed to turn up because he never receive on time the authorization to leave the country! The Dutch J. Timman had a great success. With authority he led the tournament from start to the end and qualified with three rounds to go. The surprise came from the Cuban J. Nogueiras and the Canadian K. Spraggett, who joint the former World Champion M. Tal for the four qualified places.
| 1 | 2 | 3 | 4 | 5 | 6 | 7 | 8 | 9 | 10 | 11 | 12 | 13 | 14 | 15 | 16 | Total | T/B | |||
| 1 | Timman,J | 2650 | Xx | = | = | = | 1 | 1 | 1 | 1 | = | = | 1 | 1 | 1 | 1 | = | 1* | 12.0 | |
| 2 | Nogueiras,J | 2545 | = | Xx | = | 1 | = | = | = | 1 | 1 | = | = | 1 | = | = | 1 | 1* | 10.5 | |
| 3 | Tal,M | 2565 | = | = | xx | = | = | = | = | = | = | 1 | = | = | 1 | 1 | 1 | 1* | 10.0 | |
| 4 | Spraggett,K | 2560 | = | 0 | = | xx | 1 | = | = | 1 | = | = | = | = | = | 1 | 1 | = | 9.0 | |
| 5 | Speelman,J | 2530 | 0 | = | = | 0 | xx | = | = | 1 | 1 | = | 0 | = | 1 | = | 1 | = | 8.0 | |
| 6 | Agdestein,S | 2500 | 0 | = | = | = | = | xx | = | = | = | = | 1 | = | 1 | = | 0 | = | 7.5 | 54.00 |
| 7 | Cebalo,M | 2485 | 0 | = | = | = | = | = | xx | 0 | 0 | 1 | 1 | = | 0 | = | 1 | 1 | 7.5 | 51.75 |
| 8 | Alburt,L | 2535 | 0 | 0 | = | 0 | 0 | = | 1 | xx | = | = | = | = | = | 1 | 1 | = | 7.0 | |
| 9 | Browne,W | 2530 | = | 0 | = | = | 0 | = | 1 | = | xx | = | 1 | = | 0 | 0 | = | = | 6.5 | 48.25 |
| 10 | Pinter,J | 2540 | = | = | 0 | = | = | = | 0 | = | = | xx | 0 | = | 1 | 0 | 1 | = | 6.5 | 47.75 |
| 11 | Qi Jinguan | 2440 | 0 | = | = | = | 1 | 0 | 0 | = | 0 | 1 | xx | 1 | 0 | 0 | = | 1 | 6.5 | 46.50 |
| 12 | Romanishin,O | 2570 | 0 | 0 | = | = | = | = | = | = | = | = | 0 | xx | = | 1 | 1 | 0 | 6.5 | 45.75 |
| 13 | Sisniega,M | 2470 | 0 | = | 0 | = | 0 | 0 | 1 | = | 1 | 0 | 1 | = | xx | = | 0 | 1* | 6.5 | 44.50 |
| 14 | Prandstetter,E | 2430 | 0 | = | 0 | 0 | = | = | = | 0 | 1 | 1 | 1 | 0 | = | xx | 0 | = | 6.0 | |
| 15 | Saeed,S | 2400 | = | 0 | 0 | 0 | 0 | 1 | 0 | 0 | = | 0 | = | 0 | 1 | 1 | xx | 1 | 5.5 | |
| 16 | Balashov,Y | 2495 | 0* | 0* | 0* | = | = | = | 0 | = | = | = | 0 | 1 | 0* | = | 0 | xx | 4.5 |
Biel, July, 1985.
The strongest of the three Interzonals was organized in Switzerland. R. Vaganian from Russia succeeded it with authority being already qualified with a round to go. The most impressive performance came from the young English representative N. Short who finished with 5.5 out of 7 and qualified for the tie-break matches. L. Ljubojevic from Yugoslavia missed his chance when he lost in the penultimate round to L. Polugaevsky of Russia. U. Andersson from Sweden started with 12 draws in a row and despite two wins in the last two games was too short to qualify.
| 01 | 02 | 03 | 04 | 05 | 06 | 07 | 08 | 09 | 10 | 11 | 12 | 13 | 14 | 15 | 16 | 17 | 18 | Total | T/B | |||
| 01 | Vaganian, R | 2625 | xx | = | = | 1 | 1 | = | = | = | = | = | = | = | 1 | 1 | 1 | 1 | 1 | 1 | 12.5 | |
| 02 | Seirawan, Y | 2570 | = | Xx | = | = | = | = | 0 | = | = | = | 1 | 1 | 1 | = | 1 | 1 | 1 | 1 | 11.5 | |
| 03 | Sokolov, A | 2555 | = | = | Xx | = | 0 | = | = | = | = | = | 1 | = | 1 | = | 1 | 1 | 1 | 1 | 11.0 | |
| 04 | Short, N | 2575 | 0 | = | = | Xx | 1 | 1 | 0 | = | = | 1 | = | = | 1 | 1 | = | = | = | 1 | 10.5 | 83.75 |
| 05 | Van der Wiel, J | 2520 | 0 | = | 1 | 0 | xx | 0 | 1 | = | = | = | 1 | 1 | 1 | = | 1 | = | = | 1 | 10.5 | 81.25 |
| 06 | Torre, E | 2535 | = | = | = | 0 | 1 | Xx | = | 0 | = | = | 0 | 1 | 1 | 1 | 1 | = | 1 | 1 | 10.5 | 80.50 |
| 07 | Polugaevsky, L | 2600 | = | 1 | = | 1 | 0 | = | xx | 1 | = | 1 | 0 | = | 0 | = | 0 | = | 1 | 1 | 9.5 | 79.00 |
| 08 | Ljubojevic, L | 2615 | = | = | = | = | = | 1 | 0 | xx | = | 1 | = | = | = | = | = | = | 1 | = | 9.5 | 78.25 |
| 09 | Andersson, U | 2590 | = | = | = | = | = | = | = | = | Xx | = | = | = | = | = | 1 | = | 1 | = | 9.5 | 77.00 |
| 10 | Rodriguez, Am | 2505 | = | = | = | 0 | = | = | 0 | 0 | = | xx | = | 1 | 1 | = | 0 | = | = | 1 | 8.0 | 63.75 |
| 11 | Sax, G | 2535 | = | 0 | 0 | = | 0 | 1 | 1 | = | = | = | xx | 0 | 0 | 1 | 0 | = | 1 | 1 | 8.0 | 62.50 |
| 12 | Jansa, V | 2480 | = | 0 | = | = | 0 | 0 | = | = | = | 0 | 1 | xx | 1 | = | 0 | 0 | 1 | 1 | 7.5 | 57.75 |
| 13 | Quinteros, M | 2525 | 0 | 0 | 0 | 0 | 0 | 0 | 1 | = | = | 0 | 1 | 0 | xx | 1 | 1 | 1 | 1 | = | 7.5 | 52.25 |
| 14 | Petursson, M | 2550 | 0 | = | = | 0 | = | 0 | = | = | = | = | 0 | = | 0 | xx | 1 | 1 | = | = | 7.0 | |
| 15 | Gutman, L | 2485 | 0 | 0 | 0 | = | 0 | 0 | 1 | = | 0 | 1 | 1 | 1 | 0 | 0 | xx | 1 | = | 0 | 6.5 | |
| 16 | Li Zunian | 2465 | 0 | 0 | 0 | = | = | = | = | = | = | = | = | 1 | 0 | 0 | 0 | xx | = | = | 6.0 | |
| 17 | Partos, C | 2425 | 0 | 0 | 0 | = | = | 0 | 0 | 0 | 0 | = | 0 | 0 | 0 | = | = | = | xx | 1 | 4.0 | |
| 18 | Martin Gonzalez | 2430 | 0 | 0 | 0 | 0 | 0 | 0 | 0 | = | = | 0 | 0 | 0 | = | = | 1 | = | 0 | xx | 3.5 |
Biel playoff, July- August, 1985.
The triumphal victory 3-0 against E. Torre from Philippines was enough to give to young N. Short the right to celebrate the first British player to be ever qualified for a Candidates’ Tournament.
| 1 | 2 | 3 | ||||
| 1 | N. Short ENG | 2575 | xxx | 0 = 0 | 1 1 1 | 3.5 |
| 2 | J. Van der Wiel NED | 2520 | 1 = 1 | xxx | = 0 = | 3.5 |
| 3 | E. Torre PHI | 2535 | 0 0 0 | = 1 = | xxx | 2.0 |
Candidates’ tournament
Montpellier, October-November, 1985.
Sixteen of the best world players met for a first new-look Candidate’s Tournament very well organized by the French Federation in Montpellier. Korchnoi, Ribli, and Smyslov were seeded as 1983-4 Candidates match qualifiers. B. Spassky came also back as being the nominee by the organizing federation. The Soviet A. Yusupov, R, Vaganian and A. Sokolov qualified easily. Timman because of an incredible lost to the Canadian Spraggett will have to go to tie-break. Big disappointment for the Elo favorite, Beliavsky too cautious or from Portisch and Korchnoi both out of form who finished in the second part of the standing
| 01 | 02 | 03 | 04 | 05 | 06 | 07 | 08 | 09 | 10 | 11 | 12 | 13 | 14 | 15 | 16 | Total | T/B | |||
| 01 | Yusupov A | 2600 | xx | 0 | 1 | = | = | 1 | = | = | = | = | = | = | = | 1 | 1 | = | 9.0 | 65.75 |
| 02 | Vaganian R | 2625 | 1 | Xx | = | 0 | = | 0 | = | = | = | = | = | 1 | 1 | = | 1 | 1 | 9.0 | 64.00 |
| 03 | Sokolov A | 2555 | 0 | = | xx | = | = | 0 | = | 1 | = | = | = | 1 | 1 | 1 | = | 1 | 9.0 | 63.25 |
| 04 | Timman J | 2640 | = | 1 | = | xx | = | 1 | = | = | = | 1 | 1 | 0 | = | = | = | 0 | 8.5 | 65.25 |
| 05 | Tal M | 2565 | = | = | = | = | xx | = | = | = | 1 | 0 | = | = | 1 | 1 | = | = | 8.5 | 62.50 |
| 06 | Spassky B | 2590 | 0 | 1 | 1 | 0 | = | xx | = | = | = | 1 | = | = | = | = | 1 | 0 | 8.0 | 60.25 |
| 07 | Beliavsky A | 2640 | = | = | = | = | = | = | Xx | 0 | = | = | 1 | = | = | = | = | 1 | 8.0 | 58.25 |
| 08 | Smyslov V | 2595 | = | = | 0 | = | = | = | 1 | xx | = | = | = | = | = | = | 0 | 1 | 7.5 | 55.25 |
| 09 | Chernin A | 2560 | = | = | = | = | 0 | = | = | = | xx | = | = | = | = | = | = | 1 | 7.5 | 54.50 |
| 10 | Seirawan Y | 2570 | = | = | = | 0 | 1 | 0 | = | = | = | xx | 1 | = | 0 | = | = | = | 7.0 | 52.75 |
| 11 | Short N | 2575 | = | = | = | 0 | = | = | 0 | = | = | 0 | xx | 1 | = | 1 | = | = | 7.0 | 51.50 |
| 12 | Portisch L | 2625 | = | 0 | 0 | 1 | = | = | = | = | = | = | 0 | xx | 1 | 0 | = | 1 | 7.0 | 50.75 |
| 13 | Korchnoi V | 2630 | = | 0 | 0 | = | 0 | = | = | = | = | 1 | = | 0 | xx | = | 1 | = | 6.5 | 46.50 |
| 14 | Ribli Z | 2605 | 0 | = | 0 | = | 0 | = | = | = | = | = | 0 | 1 | = | xx | 1 | = | 6.5 | 46.50 |
| 15 | Nogueiras J | 2545 | 0 | 0 | = | = | = | 0 | = | 1 | = | = | = | = | 0 | 0 | Xx | 1 | 6.0 | |
| 16 | Spraggett K | 2550 | = | 0 | 0 | 1 | = | 1 | 0 | 0 | 0 | = | = | 0 | = | = | 0 | xx | 5.0 |
Playoff match for the last qualifier, Montpellier, December, 1985.
| 1 | 2 | 3 | 4 | 5 | 6 | Total | |||
| M. Tal URS | 2565 | = | 0 | = | = | 1 | = | 3.0 | |
| J. Timman NED | 2640 | = | 1 | = | = | 0 | = | 3.0 |
The final score was tied but J. Timman was declared the winner because he had more wins than Tal in Candidates’ Tournament.
Quarterfinal matches
Rafael Vaganian – Andrei Sokolov
R. Vaganian was not too lucky to met A. Sokolov, which was at the time playing at his best. Also on the board Lady Luck turned her back when he had a winning adjournment, forgot about his clock and lost on time when the position was still draw. After this game the match was already over.
Minsk, January, 1986.
| 1 | 2 | 3 | 4 | 5 | 6 | 7 | 8 | Total | ||
| R. Vaganian URS | = | 0 | 0 | 0 | = | = | = | 0 | 2.0 | |
| A. Sokolov URS | = | 1 | 1 | 1 | = | = | = | 1 | 6.0 |
Match 2 Tilburg, January-February, 1986.
- Timman started well with a first victory but curiously he could not repeat his recent good performance drawing then three games and losing four out of five. Probably the worst match ever played by Timman.
| 1 | 2 | 3 | 4 | 5 | 6 | 7 | 8 | 9 | Total | ||
| A. Yusupov URS | 0 | = | = | = | 1 | 1 | 1 | = | 1 | 6.0 | |
| J. Timman NED | 1 | = | = | = | 0 | 0 | 0 | = | 0 | 3.0 |
Semifinal match
Riga, October-November, 1986.
A match between two fighters. Each game was played with a lot of energy, long fight and no quick draw. Yusupov, third player in the world, was a comfortable leader with 6-4 needing only 3 draws to qualified but then after the tenth game for some incomprehensible reason he collapsed completely scoring only half point out of four games.
| 1 | 2 | 3 | 4 | 5 | 6 | 7 | 8 | 9 | 10 | 11 | 12 | 13 | 14 | Total | ||
| Sokolov A | 0 | = | 0 | = | = | = | 1 | = | 0 | = | 1 | 1 | 1 | = | 7.5 | |
| Yusupov A | 1 | = | 1 | = | = | = | 0 | = | 1 | = | 0 | 0 | 0 | = | 6.5 |
