The match had many bizarre incidents. Karpov's team included noted Soviet psychologist and hypnotherapistVladimir Petrovich Zukhar[ru], while Korchnoi enlisted the help of two American Ananda Marga yoga specialists who had recently been convicted of attempted murder and released on bail. There was more controversy off the board, with histrionics ranging from X-raying of chairs, protests about the flags used on the board, and Korchnoi's complaints that Zukhar, sitting in the front row, attempted to hypnotize him. When Karpov's team sent him a blueberry yogurt during a game without any request for one by Karpov, the Korchnoi team protested, claiming it could be some kind of code. They later said this was intended as a parody of earlier protests, but it was taken seriously at the time. It has also been alleged, based on the Mitrokhin Archive, that prior to the match the KGB assembled a team of eighteen foreign intelligence operations officers to try to ensure Korchnoi's defeat.
In quality of play, the match itself never measured up to the press headlines that it generated, although as a sporting contest it had its share of excitement. The match would go to the first player to win six games, draws not counting. After 17 games, Karpov had a 4–1 lead. Korchnoi won game 21, but Karpov won game 27, putting him on the brink of victory with a 5–2 lead. Korchnoi fought back, scoring three wins and one draw in the next four games to equalize the match at 5–5 after 31 games. Karpov won the very next game, however, and the match, by 6–5 with 21 draws.
1976 Interzonal tournaments
Two interzonal tournaments were held in 1976 in Manila and Biel, with the top 3 from each qualifying for the Candidates Tournament.
Larsen qualified outright for the Candidates Tournament. Petrosian, Portisch, and Tal contested a playoff in Varese later in the year for the remaining two spots, from which Petrosian and Portisch qualified.
As loser of the last championship (by forfeiture) and runner-up of the previous Candidates tournament, respectively, Bobby Fischer and Korchnoi were seeded directly into the tournament. When Fischer declined, Spassky, as losing semifinalist of the previous tournament, was offered the spot. The two seeded players were joined by the top three from each of the two interzonals. Viktor Korchnoi, formerly a representative of the USSR, was stateless at the time.
Korchnoi narrowly defeated Petrosian again in the Candidates quarterfinals, then comfortably won his matches against Polugaevsky and Spassky to emerge as the official challenger to Karpov.
1978 Championship match
The first player to win six games would be champion.
18 July. The match began with the Queen's Gambit Declined which became a quiet draw in 18 moves. Match score: tied 0–0 with 1draw.
G1, position after 8...Bb7
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Korchnoi played 9.Bd3. He had defeated Spassky in 1977 with 9.Bxf6.
G1, final position after 18...Rfc8
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Drawn on Karpov's proposal
Karpov often played the Queen's Indian Defense (3...b6), but in this game chose the Tartakower Defense (called the Makogonov–Bondarevsky in Russian), with 3...d5 and later 7...b6. The Tartakover had featured in two important victories by White in recent world championship play, the game 6 win by Fischer against Spassky in the 1972 World Championship match, and a win by Korchnoi also against Spassky in the 1977 Candidates tournament final match in Belgrade that made Korchnoi the challenger.
In game 7 of the Candidates final match against Spassky (see first diagram), Korchnoi played 9.Bxf6 Bxf6 10.cxd5 exd5 11.b4!? and went on to win. Karpov would have prepared for this so Korchnoi tried 9.Bd3 instead, but obtained no advantage and the game was drawn on Karpov's proposal after move 18 (see second diagram).
20 July. Karpov obtained the small advantage of a bishop versus a knight, but the endgame was drawn in 29 moves. Match score: tied 0–0 with 2draws.
G2, position after 14.Re1
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Karpov had had this position as White in several games that continued 14...Re8. Korchnoi introduced the new move 14...d4!?
G2, final position after 29.f4
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Draw agreed with Black to move
The Open Defense of the Ruy Lopez was a small surprise. Most observers expected Korchnoi to play the French Defense which he had employed successfully against Spassky in the 1977 Candidates finals match and also against Karpov in 1974, but Korchnoi had many defenses to 1.e4 in his repertoire including the French, the Sicilian, the Alekhine, the Pirc, and the Ruy Lopez.
Karpov was very familiar with the position after 14.Re1 (see first diagram) as he had had it as White in draws against Vasily Smyslov at Leningrad 1977 and Tilburg 1977, and in a loss on time to Alexander Beliavsky at Leningrad 1977, although Karpov thought he had obtained the opening advantage. In those games Black played the standard move 14...Re8, which was also chosen by Bent Larsen in a win over Bobby Fischer at Santa Monica 1966.
Korchnoi introduced the new move, 14...d4!?. A few moves later after 18...Qd5!, Karpov decided to simplify to an equal endgame and his small advantage of a bishop versus a knight proved insufficient to win.
22 July. Korchnoi obtained an advantage and expert observers expected he would win with a kingside attack, but the game was even by move 25 and a draw was agreed on move 30. Match score: tied 0–0 with 3draws.
G3, position after 21...Qc7
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White (Korchnoi) has a kingside attack.
G3, final position after 30...Qe6
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Draw agreed. Korchnoi is a pawn down and will repeat the position with 31.Qg5.
This is the first time Korchnoi allowed Karpov to play the Nimzo-Indian Defense in all their games together. Karpov's 9...a5 might have been introduced in this game (the usual move was 9...b6), but Korchnoi had analyzed it with Semyon Furman in 1967 and obtained an advantage for White. At one point in the game Korchnoi had a half hour more on the clock than his opponent, a rare occurrence in his games with Karpov. Korchnoi developed a kingside attack around move 20 that many grandmasters observing the match thought could be decisive, including Miguel Najdorf, Robert Byrne, Mikhail Tal, and Max Euwe. On move 24, the experts variously suggested 24.Re5 or 24.Rg3 with "a promising position" or "good chances", but Larsen concluded that White does not have a mating attack because his knight is too far away. Soon Korchnoi was down by a pawn so he forced a draw by repetition on move 30 (see second diagram).
25 July. Karpov again could not gain an advantage as White against Korchnoi's Open Ruy Lopez, resulting in the fourth straight draw. Match score: tied 0–0 with 4draws.
G4, position after 14...Bh5
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Korchnoi deviates from 14...d4 in game2 to play a known "bad" move.
G4, final position after 19.Bd2
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Draw agreed with Black to move
Korchnoi did not repeat his innovation from game 2, 14...d4!?, and instead chose the known "bad" move 14...Bh5. This move was thought to be a blunder for Black since the game David Bronstein–Salo Flohr, 1944 USSR Championship, which continued 15.Bg5 Bxf3 16.Qxf3 Qxg5 17.Qxd5 Nd7 with advantage to White. In fact, in 1974 Korchnoi had written that this move was a mistake in Encyclopedia of Chess Openings, Volume C, which points out that White gains a large advantage after 15.Bg5 Qd7 16.Be3 Ne6 17.Bxh7+!. Later Korchnoi found that Black can equalize in the Bronstein–Flohr line with 17...Rae8! instead of 17...Nd7. Karpov was able to work out Korchnoi's idea at the board.
On move 15 Karpov thought for 40 minutes before playing 15.h3, an odd-looking move since the black bishop had already moved from g4. Korchnoi obtained an easy draw as Black. Because of a lack of success proving an advantage as White in this line, Karpov later abandoned the move 13.Nxc5 and instead played 13.h3.
27, 28 and 30 July. This Nimzo-Indian Defense led to a grueling bishop endgame spanning 124 moves and two adjournments, finally ending in the stalemating of Black. Match score: 0–0 with 5draws.
G5, position after 54...Kd5
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Korchnoi played 55.Be4+?? overlooking a forced mate starting with 55.Bf7+.
G5, position after 99.Bf4
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Karpov as Black draws with 99...Kg2!
It was the first world championship finals game to end in stalemate and became the longest game in the championship finals, surpassing the 121-move draw in game 20 of the Tal–Botvinnik, 1961 World Championship. (This record was broken in Carlsen versus Nepomniachtchi, World Chess Championship 2021, Game 6, a 136-move win for White.) Korchnoi later explained that since he could not beat Karpov, he would simply stalemate him, adding that it gave him great pleasure to do this to the world champion. Karpov thought that playing to stalemate in an obviously drawn position violated the unwritten rules of chess and reflected badly on Korchnoi. (See Stalemate §Korchnoi versus Karpov.)
Karpov said that his home analysis was flawed and that he made "inexcusable mistakes", losing a pawn.
Karpov's 51...Kg8?!, 52...Kf7?, 53...Ke6?? ("an insane king march" —Keene) should have cost him the game (51...Qa2, 52...Kf8, and 53...Kf8 were better), but Korchnoi was short on time and missed a forced checkmate. On move 55, just two moves before the second time control (see first diagram), Korchnoi played 55.Be4+??, overlooking a checkmate-in-7 beginning with 55.Bf7+ Kc6 56.Qe6+.
In 1954, Yuri Averbakh established that Black can draw the position after 99.Bf4 with either side to move (see second diagram). Black must get his king to the queenside, but the tempting 99...Ke2 and 99...Kf2 lose. Karpov played the only move to draw, 99...Kg2! (100.Ke4 Kh3 101.Kd5 Kg4 and Black gets to the queenside in time to draw).
29 July. A deadlocked draw in under 30 moves. Match score: tied 0–0 with 6draws.
G6, final position after 23.Qe3
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Korchnoi (Black) agreed to a draw although he has a small advantage.
Game 6 was played between the second and third sessions (28 July and 30 July) of the marathon game 5. Both players may have been satisfied with a short draw because Karpov didn't try very hard for an advantage as White and Korchnoi agreed to a draw as Black with a slightly better position. In the final position after 23.Qe3 (see diagram), Keene thought Korchnoi should have refused the draw and continued to play, but Larsen wrote that for Black to play for the win with such a small advantage would have been very risky..
1 and 2 August. A surprising draw. It was widely debated as to whether Karpov could have forced a win. Match score: tied 0–0 with 7draws.
G7, position after 6.d5
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Karpov responded to the new move with the gambit 6...b5.
G7, position after 41...Kf8
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Chess journalists thought Karpov (Black) was winning, but a draw was agreed after Korchnoi's sealed move 42.Qh8+ was revealed.
In the Nimzo-Indian games 3 and 5, Korchnoi gained the advantage as White after 4...c5 5.Ne2 so Karpov instead tried another standard move, 4...0-0. Korchnoi played the new move, 6.d5, found by his second, Jacob Murey (see first diagram). White aims for either a Benoni-like position after 6...exd5 7.cxd5 d6 or to induce Black to play 6...b5 as Korchnoi's team did not think Karpov was comfortable with this kind of gambit. Karpov thought for twenty minutes before playing 6...b5.
Korchnoi won a pawn on move 8 and he was up by the exchange by move 19. Karpov's strong and advanced center pawns offered insufficient compensation, and Korchnoi held the advantage until letting it slip away around move 36. Karpov had a winning advantage until he too gave it away on move 39.
Chess journalists gave Karpov good chances to win in the adjourned position after 41...Kf8 (see second diagram). The next day, the sealed move 42.Qh8+ was played on the board. Karpov immediately offered a draw without making a move and Korchnoi accepted. Grandmasters Robert Byrne, Miguel Najdorf, and Bent Larsen were surprised, but after Keene showed them the Korchnoi team's adjournment analysis, Byrne and former world champion Mikhail Tal were convinced that the position was a draw in all variations.
3 August. After seven straight draws, Karpov traps Korchnoi in a mating net to win game 8. Match score: Karpov leads 1–0 with 7draws.
G8, position after 10...g6?!
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Korchnoi's innovation 10...g6?! was unsuccessful. Instead 10...d4 is usual.
G8, position after 27.Rd7!
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Karpov wrapped up the game nicely with 27.Rd7! threatening 28.Rxf7+.
Keene says 10...g6?! (see first diagram) was thought up by Korchnoi at the board and was not part of his team's preparation. The idea behind 10...g6 is to put pressure on white's king pawn but it allowed White a powerful gambit. Karpov said he had not foreseen 10...g6, but that White's position was better. He thought for 15 minutes before deciding to gambit a pawn. Korchnoi won that pawn with 12...Nxe5, but this allowed Karpov to demolish Black's kingside and deprive him of the right to castle.
After 24.Qf3, Keene comments that the position looks like a Muzio King's Gambit where White has not had to sacrifice a piece. White's attack is overwhelming, and Karpov wrapped up the game nicely with 26.Rd7! (see second diagram) threatening mate starting with 27.Rxf7+. A pretty mate results after 26...Bxd7 27.Qxf7+ Rxf7 28.Rxf7#. Korchnoi tried 26...Rb8, but Karpov forced him to resign two moves later with 28.Nd8+!
5 August. Drawn after Korchnoi ran into time trouble. Match score: Karpov leads 1–0 with 8draws.
G9, position after 14.Be2
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Previous games in this position continued 14...Ng4, but Karpov played 14...h6.
G9, final position after 41...Rc3
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Karpov sealed 41...Rc3 and Korchnoi agreed to a draw.
The game started as an English Opening but quickly transposed to the Queen's Gambit, as in game 1. White varied with 5.Bf4 instead of 5.Bg5. The game continued on established lines until Karpov played 14...h6, which may have been new. Petrosian–Filip, Curaçao 1962, and Portisch–Spassky, Havana 1966, continued 14...Ng4 15.Bxe7 Qxe7 16.exd4 Qh4.
On move 38, Korchnoi won a pawn but was short of time. Karpov sealed the move 41...Rc3 and offered a draw. Korchnoi accepted the draw offer before resumption of the game, but said that it was not polite for Karpov to offer a draw when down a pawn. Larsen did not think this breached any chess etiquette and Keene thought Korchnoi's remark was in jest.
8 August. Korchnoi navigated Karpov's opening surprise to reach a drawn rook ending. Match score: Karpov leads 1–0 with 9draws.
G10, position after 11.Ng5!?
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Karpov introduced the surprising new move 11.Ng5!?
G10, position after 13...Qd3
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In this position Karpov played 14.Nf3 allowing the exchange of queens and the game ended in a draw. In 1995, Kasparov won after offering a rook sacrifice with 14.Bc2 Qxc3 15.Nb3!
Korchnoi opted to play the standard book move 10...d4 after his surprise 10...g6?! had led to a loss in game 8. Karpov answered with the theoretical novelty 11.Ng5!? (see first diagram), his first important innovation of the match. Korchnoi described this as a move you find once in a century, and the position after move 10 had been studied in chess literature since at least 1914 without uncovering this knight offer. During the match it was speculated that the new move was from Mikhail Tal, but actually Karpov's second, Igor Zaitsev, discovered it in preparation before the match.
Accepting the offered knight is not free, as White regains the piece with advantage after 11...Qxg5 12.Qf3 Kd7 13.Bd5!, and if 12...Bd7 13.Bxf7+ then 13...Kd8 14.cxd4 (Larsen) or 13...Ke7 14.Bd5 Nxe5 15.Qe2 d3 16.Qe1 (Keene) are even worse for Black. Keene also says Black has trouble completing his development after 11...Nxb3 12.Nxe6 fxe6 13.axb3 and gives a long variation ending with Black checkmated that begins 11...Bd5 12.Nxf7 Kxf7 13.Qf3+ Ke6 14.Qg4+.
The critical line after taking the knight was not tested until the year after the championship match. Jan Timman–Vasily Smyslov, 2nd European Chess Club Championship, 1979, continued 11...Qxg5 12.Qf3 0-0-0! 13.Bxe6+ fxe6 14.Qxc6 Qxe5 15.b4 and ended in a 55-move draw. Decades later the evaluation of this line is still considered unsettled and few players have been willing to risk accepting the knight as Black. Although the correctness of 11.Ng5 for White was recognized at once, it failed to become popular, perhaps because this game was drawn and Karpov did not repeat 11.Ng5 later in this match, or because players assume that if Black is willing to enter this unbalanced line then they must have studied it extensively.
After considering how to respond to the sacrifice for 43 minutes, Korchnoi declined the offered knight and tried to exchange queens with 11...dxc3 12.Nxe6 fxe6 13.bxc3 Qd3 (see second diagram). Karpov allowed the queen trade with 14.Nf3 and the game was drawn in 44 moves. Karpov analyzed 14.Bc2 Qxc3 15.Qh5+ g6 16.Bxg6+ hxg6 17.Qxh8 Qxa1 as giving White no compensation for the sacrificed material so this was considered safe for Black. Karpov wrote in his memoirs that Korchnoi conducted a brilliant defense.
The diagrammed position after 13...Qd3 occurred again in world championship play in Garry Kasparov–Viswanathan Anand, PCA World Chess Championship 1995, game 10. Kasparov offered a whole rook in order to keep the Black king in the center with 14.Bc2 Qxc3 15.Nb3! (15...Nxb3 16.axb3 Qxa1) and won in 38 moves.
10 August. Karpov played quickly and poorly, blundering on move 26 to allow Korchnoi to equalize the match score easily. Match score: tied 1–1 with 9draws.
G11, position after 3.e4
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Larsen gave Korchnoi's 3.e4! transposition into a Siclian Defense an exclamation mark.
G11, position after 26...Rxb3??
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White wins with 27.Qc1!, combining attack and defense.
Korchnoi started the game with 1.g3, a King's Indian Attack, causing Karpov to consider his reply for five minutes before choosing 1...c5. After 2.Bg2 Nc6 3.e4 (see first diagram), the game became a Sicilian Defense, an opening Karpov does not like to play as Black.
Karpov's 20...Na5? was an inaccuracy allowing 21.Nc5. Better was 20...Bf8 preparing to remove the knight from the c5 outpost with 21.Nc5 Bxc5 22.dxc5. A few moves later, 22...Nb7? was even weaker. The more active 22...Nc4 was required, even at the cost of a pawn. Finally, 25...b3(?) 26.cxb3 Rxb3?? (see second diagram) was a blunder that loses by force. Karpov must have overlooked Korchnoi's reply, 27.Qc1! which combines defense of the white bishop on e3 with a pin of the black knight. Black has no good defense to the threat 28.Bh6, winning the exchange.
Karpov played the game quickly, using only 1 hour and 41 minutes for the entire game compared to Korchnoi's 3 hours and 16 minutes. Harry Golombek said that Karpov's rapid play was "... so he would have plenty of time to regret his errors." Larsen wrote that it was a weak performance by the world champion, and the game was "... passive play by Karpov, weak play by Karpov, and a blunder by Karpov". Karpov later wrote about this game, "I had a reasonable position, but then something inexplicable happened. It was one of those days when apathy sets in, and everything seems to go wrong."
After the loss, Karpov took one of his timeouts to postpone the next game.
15 August. Karpov tried a different variation to combat the Open Ruy Lopez, but the result was another drawn rook endgame. Match score: tied 1–1 with 10draws.
G12, position after 9.Qe2
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9.Qe2 is the third move Karpov tried in this position.
G12, final position after 44.Rg7
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Draw agreed (44...Rh8)
Game 12 was played after Karpov took a timeout following his loss of game 11. Against Korchnoi's Open Ruy Lopez, in games 2 and 4 Karpov played 9.c3, and in games 8 and 10 he played 9.Nbd2, and all were draws. This time he tried the other common move, 9.Qe2, (see first diagram) and obtained a small advantage, but the result was the same. Karpov was unhappy to settle for a draw and thought that he could have made the game more difficult for Korchnoi by keeping his extra pawn, but Larsen did not think that White ever had enough to win.
After 44.Rg7 Karpov offered a draw (see second diagram), but Korchnoi responded only with an angry hand gesture as he had insisted that all draw offers be made through the arbiter. Karpov left before Korchnoi sealed his move. Korchnoi protested to the arbiter, Lothar Schmid, but Schmid misunderstood and thought that Korchnoi was accepting the draw offer so Schmid communicated this to the Karpov team. The position is a draw, so in order not to embarrass Schmid, Korchnoi accepted the draw and the game was not resumed.
17 and 20 August. Korchnoi threw away his chance at a draw with 56.Qh4. His queen was effectively trapped and unable to come to the king's defense. Match score: Karpov leads 2–1 with 10draws.
22 August. Korchnoi played the Catalan Opening for the first time in match. Karpov responded with a sharp pawn sacrifice which Korchnoi did not try to refute and the game ended in a draw. Match score: Karpov leads 3–1 with 11draws.
G15, position after 13...e5
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Black has compensation for the pawn.
G15, final position after 25.Rxa2
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Draw agreed (Black to move)
At move 14 (see diagram) Black is a pawn down but has a small lead in development and attacking chances on the kingside. For example, Larsen assesses 14.Qa4 Qb7 15.e4 Bh3 as "very unpleasant for White". Instead, Korchnoi returned the pawn with 14.Qh4 Rb8! 15.Bg5 ("unambitious" —Keene) Rxb2. To try for a win White must instead keep the extra pawn with 15.a3 or 15.0-0 Rb4, but after two consecutive losses Korchnoi seemed satisfied to draw.
24 August. For the first time in the match, Korchnoi played the French Defense. Karpov obtained a small advantage, but the rook endgame was a draw. Match score: Karpov leads 3–1 with 12draws.
G16, position after 11...Bc5
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White has an advantage. Keene recommended 12.Nc3 instead of 12.Bd2.
G16, final position after 42...Rxb2
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The sealed move was 42...Rxb2. Draw agreed.
Typhoon Elaine struck Luzon causing more than 24 hours of rain. The playing hall lost power, but it was restored in time to play game 16 on schedule.
Korchnoi's seconds convinced him to give up the Open Ruy Lopez for this game. Keene says that they had prepared a different half-open defense, but they found a hole in their analysis at the last minute. Korchnoi decided to play the French Defense as he had a lot of experience with it. Karpov meets the French with the Tarrasch Variation, 3.Nd2. The Tarrasch does not give Black many chances to win, but Black has a good chance to draw which might make it less suitable for White in this match as only wins count. All 7 games in the French in their 1974 Candidates Final match in Moscow were drawn.
In 1974, the games went 5.Ngf3 Nc6 6.Bb5. Karpov played 5.Bb5+ instead. Korchnoi could transpose to the 1974 line with 5...Nc6 6.Ngf3, but he decided to simplify with 5...Bd7 and Karpov got a small advantage in the endgame.
At move 12 (see first diagram), Keene recommended 12.Nc3 as White has an edge after either 12...Nf6 13.Na4 or 12...0-0-0 13.Ra5 (Hort–Ivkov, Wijk aan Zee, 1970). Instead, the game continued 12.Bd2 Ne7 13.Nf4. Larsen suggested 13.Bc3 (Euwe–Botvinnik, World Chess Championship 1948) is better.
Korchnoi sealed the move 42...Rxb2 (see second diagram) and a draw was agreed before resumption.
26 August. Korchnoi built a winning position, but then made a series of mistakes in time trouble that squandered his advantage until a final blunder cost him the game. Match score: Karpov leads 4–1 with 12draws.
G17, position after 22...Qxa6
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Korchnoi played 23.Qxa6(?) and his position declined for the rest of the game. The correct move is 23.Rb8+.
G17, position after 38...Rc6!
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Black threatens 39...Rc1# and 40.g3 or 40.g4 are the only moves to draw. Instead, Korchnoi blundered into mate with 39.Ra1?? Nf3+! White resigns.
Before the game, Korchnoi disputed Zukhar's presence in the hall with the organizers which led to him making his first move with more than ten minutes already gone on his clock. Korchnoi still managed to build up a winning position, but time trouble together with stubborn defense by Karpov eventually led Korchnoi to a series of blunders and his advantage evaporated.
Korchnoi had a solid advantage in the middle game, but 23.Qxa6(?) was a mistake (see first diagram). "Better was 23.Rb8+ Kf7 24.Rb5 displacing Black's king, keeping queens on the board, and introducing unpleasant threats such as fxe5 and Qf5. Incredibly Korchnoi did not even consider this obvious manoeuvre and from now on we witness his decline."—Keene
After 38...Rc6! Black threatened checkmate with ...Rc1 (see second diagram). Only 39.g4 or 39.g3 would allow White to draw as 39.h4?? Rc1+ 40.Kh2 Nf1+ 41.Kh3 Nf2# is mate. In time trouble, Korchnoi played 39.Ra1?? and resigned after 39...Nf3+! as he will be mated after 40.gxf3 Rg6+ 41.Kh1 Nf2# or 40.Kh1 Nf2#.
Karpov held a party after every win, with a cake decorated in icing with the winning position. Karpov was served the white king as the first slice. Because of this loss and the ongoing dispute over Zukhar, Korchnoi took two timeouts to postpone game 18.
2 and 3 September. Korchnoi played the Pirc Defense for the first time in the match and held a draw. Match score: Karpov leads 4–1 with 13draws.
G18, position after 40...Kg5
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Adjourned position after 40...Kg5. Karpov sealed 41.Bd3.
G18, final position after 64...Kf3
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Draw agreed
Korchnoi spent his final two timeouts before the 18th game, leaving him with no more timeouts unless the match went past 24 games. He again varied his defense, playing the Pirc for the first time in the match. Korchnoi had used the Pirc to beat Fischer at the 1962 Candidates Tournament.
Against the Pirc, Karpov had recently played the modest Two Knights Variation, 4.Nf3, instead of the more aggressive Austrian Attack with 4.f4. This time Karpov varied with 8.Qd3 as in previous games he had played 8.Qd2 (for example, against András Adorján at Las Palmas 1977 and against Jan Timman at Tilburg 1977). The new move leaves the d2-square free for White's king knight. White has also tried 8.d5 and 8.Re1. Larsen commented that 8.Qd3 doesn't change the character of the position, but that this type of move can be useful in a match to avoid an opponent's prepared analysis.
In the adjourned position after 40...Kg5 (see first diagram), Black's pieces are passive and he has four isolated pawns. Black does have pressure against White's g-pawn. Keene commented that Korchnoi did not like passive defense, but their analysis showed that active play was too dangerous for Black so Korchnoi did as little as possible. This was enough to hold the draw (see second diagram).
7 September. Korchnoi played the Catalan for the second time, but Karpov again equalized without difficulty to draw. Match score: Karpov leads 4–1 with 14draws.
G19, position after 17...bxc5
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Black's hanging pawns control space and his pieces are active.
G19, final position after 39.Rc8
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Draw agreed with Black to move.
Karpov took his second timeout to postpone game 19, leaving him one more timeout to use before game 24. Keene suggested that the Karpov team wanted extra time to recover from the effects of a party given by Imelda Marcos after game 18 to celebrate her recent nomination for the Nobel Peace Prize. Both teams enjoyed the all-night event, but bad weather prevented Marcos from attending.
Korchnoi could have transposed into game 15 with 6.Nc3 but he chose the more passive 6.Nbd2, a line he had also played before. In the game position at move 8, Korchnoi–Petrosian, 1977 Candidates Quarterfinal, game 11, continued 8.b3 Nbd7 9.Bb2 c5 and Black had no problems.
After 17...bxc5 (see first diagram), Black has hanging pawns. Although hanging pawns are a potential weakness and Korchnoi liked to play against them, Karpov often played with them in openings such as the Queen's Gambit and the Queen's Indian. In this position they control space and Black's pieces are very active.
Instead of 30.g4?!, Keene says Korchnoi could achieve a cleaner draw with 30.Rxc5 (threatening to double rooks on the 7th rank) Ke8 31.Rcc7 Bd6 32.Rxd6 Rxd6 33.Rxg7.
12 and 13 September. Karpov introduced a risky new sacrifice with his 12th move. Korchnoi, however, seemed to refute the sacrifice by rejecting it. Korchnoi won convincingly after a long ending. About 40 years after this match, the new move in the opening was reevaluated by modern computers. This way of playing is used by several of the world's best players. Match score: Karpov leads 4–2 with 15draws.
↑Kasparov 2006, p.152, quoting Korchnoi: "I allowed myself the pleasure of stalemating the world champion. Firstly, in this way I did not have to offer him a draw. And secondly, however natural stalemate is in a chess game, to be stalemated is slightly humiliating."
Karpov, Anatoly; Baturinsky, V. (1986) [1981], From Baguio to Merano: The World Chess championship Matches of 1978 and 1981, translated by Neat, K. P., Pergamon, ISBN0-08-032040-6
Anatoly Karpov
Viktor Korchnoi
