Master Pieces

[Event "WC candidate semi final"]
[Site "Linares"]
[Date "1992.??.??"]
[Round "?"]
[White "Nigel Short"]
[Black "Anatoly Karpov"]
[Result "1-0"]
[ECO "B63"]
[Annotator "GM Amir Bagheri"]
[PlyCount "81"]
[TimeControl "240+2"]

{here we discuss the historic tenth and final game of Short match against
Karpov. It should be remembered that Short only needed only a draw to ensure
his qualification, while Karpov had to win to level the scores and prolong the
match into sudden death rapidplay tie-breaks. It was therefore, a sporting
gesture by Karpov to play on to the death, when a more supine character might
have offered a draw when things were looking grim, just to minimise the margin
of overall defeat.  In saluting Short tremendous victory in this match, one
must not forget the role played by Kapov. He was undisputed World champion for
a decade from 1975 to 1985 and for almost 20 years he has been either number
one or number two in the world ranking list. Karpov defeat in Linares, his
first in match play to any one other than Kasparov marks the passing of an era
} 1. e4 c5 {karpov has a curious relationship with the sicilian, which in fact,
Black's most popular if most risky, defense to e4. Kasparov repeated use of it
against Karpov himself eventually drove Karpov away from playing e4 when he is
white and he now invariably chooses d4. However when Black, Karpov clearly,
deep down, shares Capablanca's view that the Sicilian "leaves Black's game
full of holes" But if you want to win, the Sicilian is really the best choice.
  An other view on the Sicilian was that expressed by Victor Korchnoi who said
" Playing the Sicilian is like starting a boxing match before climbing into
the ring."  I cannot recall when Karpov last utilised the Sicilian for an
important game.} 2. Nf3 Nc6 3. d4 cxd4 4. Nxd4 Nf6 5. Nc3 d6 6. Bg5 e6 7. Qd2
Be7 8. O-O-O O-O 9. Nb3 a6 10. Bxf6 {an excellent choice, given the situation,
Black must recapture with the pawn, which in turn gives White dangerous
attacking chances against the exposed black king.} gxf6 (10... Bxf6 11. Qxd6
Qb6 12. Qc5 {Black cannot possibly win}) 11. h4 $1 {setting the tone for the
game, Although Nigel only needed a draw, the correct psychology in such
situation is always to play as ruthlessly as possible for the win. Anything
else tend to induce pacifist tendencies which can be fatal.} Kh8 (11... b5 12.
g4 b4 13. Ne2 Kh8 14. g5 a5 15. Ned4 Nxd4 16. Nxd4 {
was seen in van der Wiel-Piket, Lyon Zonal 1990}) 12. g4 b5 13. g5 b4 14. Na4
$1 {Another bold move. On this square the knight is exposed to attack. On the
other hand, the knight blocks any ambition Black may have harboured of
advancing his a-pawn. Furthermore, the knight may jump into b6 with advantage,
which in fact is just what happens.} Rg8 15. f4 Rb8 16. Kb1 Bf8 17. Be2 e5 $6 {
From a strategicpoint of view, this move is hopeless. The entire complex of
light squares in and around Black's camp is weakened at a stroke and beyond
repair. Nevertheless, the laudable point behind Black's 17th move is to stir
up complications and there is no doubt that this ploysuceeds} 18. f5 $1 {
Sacrificing a pawn to maintain his lightsquare grip} fxg5 19. hxg5 Rxg5 $2 {
the alternative, which may well be better for Black than the text is} (19...
Qxg5 20. Qd5 Nd8 21. Rh5 {followed by Rdh1, when white has enormous pressure
but Black still has an extra pawn}) 20. Qe3 Qf6 21. Nb6 Ne7 22. Nxc8 $2 {
Plausible enough, but here White overlooked the devastating shot 22.Bxa6!!
Bxa6 23 Nd7 when Karpov position would instantly crumble into ruins. This is
further evidence for the view that 19....  Qxg5 might have bee a superior way
of annexing White's pawn.} Rxc8 23. Bxa6 Rd8 24. Qb6 Ng8 25. Na5 {Short decides
to annihilate what remains of Black's queenside pawns. There was, however,
something to be said here for the brutal blockading move 25 Rd5, simply
keeping Black under lock and key} d5 $1 {With time trouble looming for both
players, Karpov seizes his only chance. After this, the position suddenly gets
out of control.} 26. Nc6 Rd6 27. exd5 Ne7 28. Qxb4 Nxd5 29. Rxd5 $6 {Apparently
murderous,but Black's position is still charged with remarkable ressources. 29.
Qh4 would have been safer.} {When quizzed after the game, Nigel claimed that
he would have met 31. ... Qh6 with the astounding 32 a3 Qxh1+ 33 Ka2 which he
assed as unclear.  White is indeed two exchanges in arrears, but the black
king is not at all secure and the white knight threatens to enter play on e5
or e7.  Meanwhile, should queens be exchanged, White's armada of queenside
pawns is most menacing. Still Karpov should have tried this, and it is a great
tribute to his fighting spirit that he should have reached a possibility like
this after having been reduced to such utter helplessness a mere seven moves
beforehand.} Qg7 $2 {The amazing move wins White's queen. But Black have to
invest too much material for the transaction to be worthwhile. Karpov should
have played} (29... Rxd5 30. Qxf8+ Rg8 {however Black can muddy the water with}
31. Qe7 {
Now 31. ... Qxc6 fails to 32. Qxf7
However black can muddy the water with...}
Qh6 $3 {Setting the trap} 32. Rc1 Qxc1+ 33. Kxc1 Rg1+ {mating.  After 31. ...
Qh6, White could play 32 Rf1 but once the white rook leaves the h-file, Black
can play 32. ... Qxc6 with impunity leading o a likely win on material.}) 30.
Rxd6 Rg1+ 31. Rd1 Rxd1+ 32. Rxd1 Bxb4 {
White's queen goes but he has too much material} 33. Nxb4 Qg4 34. Rd8+ Kg7 35.
a3 {A neater win is 35 f6+ when 35. ... kh6 leaves Black totally tied up while
35. ... Kg6 permits 37. Rg8+ skewering the black queen. Finally, 35. ... Kxf6
36 Nd5+ Kg7 ( all other moves lose the queen to either a rook or bishop skewer)
37. Rg8+ Kxg8 38. Nf6+ parts Black from his queen in most elegant fashion.}
Qxf5 36. Rd1 h5 37. Re1 Qe6 38. Bb7 f5 39. Bd5 Qf6 40. c4 e4 41. c5 {Black resi
gns    White c-pawn will cost Black his queen while the black passed pawns are
not much further than the launching pad.  Karpov agonised over resigning for
half an hour before acquiescing in the inevitable. Living history and high
drama combined.} 1-0

Nigel Short - Anatoly Karpov (1992)

here we discuss the historic tenth and final game of Short match against Karpov. It should be remembered that Short only needed only a draw to ensure his qualification, while Karpov had to win to level the scores and prolong the match into sudden death rapidplay tie-breaks. It was therefore, a sporting gesture by Karpov to play on to the death, when a more supine character might have offered a draw when things were looking grim, just to minimise the margin of overall defeat. In saluting Short tremendous victory in this match, one must not forget the role played by Kapov. He was undisputed World champion for a decade from 1975 to 1985 and for almost 20 years he has been either number one or number two in the world ranking list. Karpov defeat in Linares, his first in match play to any one other than Kasparov marks the passing of an era

1. e4 c5 karpov has a curious relationship with the sicilian, which in fact, Black's most popular if most risky, defense to e4. Kasparov repeated use of it against Karpov himself eventually drove Karpov away from playing e4 when he is white and he now invariably chooses d4. However when Black, Karpov clearly, deep down, shares Capablanca's view that the Sicilian "leaves Black's game full of holes" But if you want to win, the Sicilian is really the best choice. An other view on the Sicilian was that expressed by Victor Korchnoi who said " Playing the Sicilian is like starting a boxing match before climbing into the ring." I cannot recall when Karpov last utilised the Sicilian for an important game.

2. Nf3 Nc6 3. d4 cxd4 4. Nxd4 Nf6 5. Nc3 d6 6. Bg5 e6 7. Qd2 Be7 8. O-O-O O-O 9. Nb3 a6 10. Bxf6
an excellent choice, given the situation, Black must recapture with the pawn, which in turn gives White dangerous attacking chances against the exposed black king. gxf6

[ Bxf6 11. Qxd6 Qb6 12. Qc5 Black cannot possibly win ]

[ b5 12. g4 b4 13. Ne2 Kh8 14. g5 a5 15. Ned4 Nxd4 16. Nxd4 was seen in van der Wiel-Piket, Lyon Zonal 1990 ]

[ Qxg5 20. Qd5 Nd8 21. Rh5 followed by Rdh1, when white has enormous pressure but Black still has an extra pawn ]

[ Rxd5 30. Qxf8+ Rg8 however Black can muddy the water with 31. Qe7 Now 31. ... Qxc6 fails to 32. Qxf7 However black can muddy the water with... Qh6 !!Setting the trap 32. Rc1 Qxc1+ 33. Kxc1 Rg1+ mating. After 31. ... Qh6, White could play 32 Rf1 but once the white rook leaves the h-file, Black can play 32. ... Qxc6 with impunity leading o a likely win on material. ]