Living Out of the Book

Jan Hendrik Timman – Anatoly Yevgenyevich Karpov
Match game 4; Murmansk, October 9, 2016
English Opening A11

1. Nf3 Nf6 2. c4 c6 3. g3 d5 4. Bg2 Bg4. In the match game 2 Karpov preferred 4. ... Bf5. 5. Ne5 Be6 6. cxd5. For 6. b3 Nbd7 7. d4 Nxe5 8. dxe5 Nd7 9. cxd5 Bxd5 10. e4 Be6 11. f4 f5 see Timman – van Foreest, Hoogeveen 2015, match game 2. 6. ... Bxd5 7. Nf3 c5 8. Nc3 Bc6 9. 0-0 e6 10. d4 Nbd7 11. Be3 cxd4 12. Bxd4 Be7

13. Ne5. Timman, who needs only a draw today for winning the match, plays solidly for the goal. For 13. e4 0-0 14. Bxf6 Bxf6 15. Nd4 Ne5 16. Nxc6 Nxc6 17. Qb3 Qe7 18. Rad1 Rac8 19. Nb5 Be5 20. f4 a6 21. Na3 Bd4+ 22. Kh1 b5 23. Nc2 Bb6 24. e5 see Wirig – Dorfman, French Team Championship, Montpellier 2004. 13. ... Bxg2 14. Kxg2 Nxe5 15. Bxe5 Qa5 16. Bxf6 Bxf6 17. Ne4 0-0 18. Nxf6+ gxf6 19. Qd4 ½ : ½. Karpov cannot but accept the draw offer. Jan won a match against Tolya for the first time in his own life! It took half a life and all the loneliness of a desert island! I am confident, however, that the more effervescent atmosphere of Cap d’Agde will inspire the 12th World Chess Champion to greater games again!

Jan Hendrik Timman vs. Anatoly Yevgenyevich Karpov
Photo: Oleg Barantsev (‏@olegbarantsev)