Rook Star

Anatoly Yevgenyevich Karpov – Jan Hendrik Timman

5th International Chess Festival “Vila de Platja d’Aro”; Tornament “Legends of World Chess”; Platja d’Aro, June 30, 2017

Nimzo-Indian Defence E36

The time control is 25 minutes, with a 10-second increment per move. 1. d4 Nf6 2. c4 e6 3. Nc3 Bb4 4. Qc2 0-0 5. a3 Bxc3+ 6. Qxc3 d5 7. Bg5 dxc4 8. Qxc4 b6 9. Nf3 Ba6 10. Qa4 c5 11. Rd1 Qd7 12. Qc2 Qc6!? 12. ... cxd4 is generally played here; for instance: 13. Bxf6 gxf6 14. Rxd4 Qc6 15. Rg4+ Kh8 16. Qxc6 Nxc6 17. e3 Bb7 18. Bd3 f5 19. Rg3 Ne7 20. Ke2 Ng6 21. Rc1 Rac8 22. Rxc8 Rxc8 23. Kd2 Rd8 24. Kc3 Kg7 25. Nd4 Kf6 26. f4 Rc8+ 27. Kd2 Rd8 28. Kc3 Rc8+ 29. Kd2 Rd8 ½ : ½ Khenkin – Bacrot, 27th Christmas Open, Geneva 2010. 13. Bxf6 gxf6 14. Qd2 Qe4? Timman’s Pawn sacrifice looks interesting, but it will turn out to be unsound – at least against Karpov. Deserving consideration was 14. ... Nd7 to which White would probably have objected 15. h4 eventually followed by h4-h5 and Rh1-h4. 15. dxc5 Nc6 16. Qc3. Clearly not 16. cxb6? on account of 16. ... Rfd8 with huge compensation. 16. ... Rfd8 17. Rc1 Kg7 18. Nd2 Qg6

19. h4! Rac8 20. Rh3! If once in a lifetime – even though by mistake – you’ve seen the game Karpov – Hort, 2nd Alekhine Memorial, Moscow 1971, you must also know that Anatoly Yevgenyevich moves the Rooks like a magician. 20. ... Kf8 21. h5 Qh6 22. Qe3! Karpov plays the whole game with his usual technical virtuosismo, without giving his opponent a single chance to save himself. 22. ... Qxe3 23. Rxe3 Nd4 24. Rec3 Nb5 25. Rc4! Nd4 26. Ra4 Bb5 27. Rxa7 bxc5. 27. ... Rxc5 28. Rxc5 bxc5 29. Ra5 is hardly better. 28. Rb7 Ba4 29. e3! Nc2+ 30. Ke2 c4 31. Ra7 Bb5 32. Rxc2 c3+ 33. Kd1 Bxf1 34. Rxc3 Rxc3 35. bxc3 Bxg2 36. Ke2. After all, Black is only a Pawn down, but has no chance to save the endgame, due to White’s passed Pawns on a3 and c3. 36. ... h6 37. c4 e5 38. f3 f5 39. a4 e4 40. Ra5 Bh3 41. Rd5 Rb8 42. a5 Rb2 43. c5 f4 44. exf4 exf3+ 45. Kxf3 Be6 46. Rd6 Rc2 47. Ne4 Ke7 48. Rb6! Karpov finishes off with a display of technique well worth his place in chess history. 48. ... Bd5 49. Ke3 Bxe4 50. Kxe4 Rxc5 51. a6 Rxh5 52. f5 Rh1 53. Kd5 Ra1 54. f6+ Kd7 55. Rb7+ Kc8 56. Rxf7 Rxa6 57. Ke5 Kd8 58. Re7 h5 59. Kf5 h4 60. Rh7 Ra3 61. Rh8+ Kd7 62. f7 Rf3+ 63. Kg6 Rg3+ 64. Kh5 1 : 0.

Anatoly Yevgenyevich Karpov and Jan Hendrik Timman playing each other at 21st IBM international Chess Tournament in Amsterdam, Netherlands on May 27, 1981. Photo: Rob Bogaerts/Anefo/Nationaal Archief.

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)

The Rusted Knight

Anatoly Yevgenyevich Karpov – Jan Hendrik Timman
Match game 3; Murmansk, October 8, 2016
King’s Indian Defence E62

1. d4 Nf6 2. c4 g6 3. Nf3 Bg7 4. g3 0-0 5. Bg2 d6 6. 0-0 c6 7. Nc3 Bf5 8. Ne1 Be6 9. d5 cxd5 10. cxd5 Bd7 11. Qb3. In the match game 1 Tolya preferred 11. h3. 11. ... Na6 12. Nd3 Qb6 13. Qxb6 axb6 14. Bg5 Nc5 15. Nb4 h6 16. Bd2 Rfc8 17. Rfc1 Bf5 18. f3 g5 19. Nd1 Nfd7 20. Bc3 Ne5 21. b3 Bg6 22. f4 gxf4 23. gxf4 Ng4 24. Bxg7 Kxg7 25. h3 Nf6 26. Ne3 Kh7 27. Kh2 Be4 28. Ng4 Nfd7. Deserving consideration is 28. ... Nxg4+ 29. hxg4 Rg8 30. Bf3 f5 since after 31. gxf5 Bxf3 32. exf3 (White’s tripled Pawns do not make a good impression) 32. ... Rgf8 Black regains his Pawn with interest. 29. Nf2 Bxg2 30. Kxg2 f5

As in the previous games, Karpov has long fought for holding his own position, and now he was close to his goal had he played 31. Nd1 with roughly equal chances. Instead, he makes an awful blunder which loses both the b-Pawn and the game: 31. Nc2?? Nxb3! 32. axb3 Rxa1 33. Rxa1 Rxc2. It was still bad news: Black’s imposing position will soon cost Karpov another Pawn. 34. Ra7 Nf6 35. Rxb7 Nxd5 36. Kf1 Rc1+ 37. Kg2 Nxf4+ 38. Kh2 Nd5 39. e4 fxe4 40. Nxe4 Kg6 0 : 1. The time control reached, Karpov finds himself two Pawns down for no compensation, so he chivalrously resigned.

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

Technique and Sensibility

Jan Hendrik Timman – Anatoly Yevgenyevich Karpov
Match game 2; Murmansk, October 7, 2016
English Opening A11

1. Nf3 Nf6 2. g3 d5 3. Bg2 c6 4. c4 Bf5 5. Qb3 Qb6 6. d3 Qxb3 7. axb3 Na6. For 7. ... e6 8. Be3 a6 9. Nh4 Bg6 10. Nxg6 hxg6 11. h3 Nbd7 12. 0-0 Bd6 13. Nd2 0-0 14. Rfc1 Rfc8 see Benkö – Addison, 20th U.S. Chess Championship, New York 1969. 8. Be3 Bd7! A novelty and a very deep plan of survival! 9. Ne5 e6 10. 0-0 Bd6 11. f4 Ke7 12. Nd2 Rhc8 13. Nxd7 Kxd7 14. Nf3 Ke7 15. Rfc1 Nd7 16. f5 e5 17. cxd5 cxd5 18. Ne1 Rxc1 19. Rxc1 Nc7 20. Nc2 h6 21. Bf2 Nf6 22. Ne3 Kd7 23. g4 g5 24. fxg6 fxg6 25. Bh4 g5 26. Bg3 Re8 27. Nf5 Nb5 28. e3 e4. In spite of his shortage of time, Karpov has maneuvered well and seems to have equalized. 29. dxe4. Grandmaster Bachar Kouatly even considers 29. Rf1 Bxg3 30. Nxg3 Re6 31. dxe4 Nxe4 that produces an unclear (but substantially balanced) position. 29. ... Bxg3 30. Nxg3

30. ... Nd6! An elegant zwischenzug which enhances a certain latent weakness in White’s field. 31. Rf1 Nfxe4 32. Bxe4 Nxe4 33. Nf5. Safer looks 33. Rf7+ Re7 34. Rxe7+ Kxe7 35. Nf5+ Kf6 36. Nd4, although after 36. ... Nc5 Black keeps the edge. 33. ... Rh8. Apparently 33. ... Nd6! 34. Nxh6 Rxe3 35. Nf7 Rxb3 36. Nxg5 Rb4 37. h3 Rxb2 leaves Black with an extra Pawn and excellent winning chances. 34. Rd1 Ke6 35. Nd4+ Kd6 36. Rc1 a6 37. b4 h5 38. gxh5 Rxh5 39. Kg2 Rh7 40. b5 axb5 41. Nxb5+ Ke5 42. Rf1 Nd2 43. Rf8 Nc4 44. Re8+ Kf6 45. b3 Nd2 46. Rd8 Nxb3 47. Rxd5 Re7 48. Nd4. A flashy hazard by Timman, who could have achieved a nearly immediate draw by means of 48. Kf3 (and if 48. ... Rh7 then 49. Kg2=). 48. ... Rxe3. Of course Karpov cashes in the Pawn and will concede his opponent the draw only after trying everything that he can do. 49. Nf3 g4 50. Ng1 Re5 51. Rd6+ Kf5 52. Rb6 Nc5 53. Rb4 Re4 54. Rb5 Rc4 55. h3 gxh3+ 56. Nxh3 Ke6 57. Nf2 Kd7 58. Kf3 Kc6 59. Rb2 b5 60. Ke2 b4 61. Nd1 Kb5 62. Rd2 Re4+ 63. Kf3 Rh4 64. Rd8 b3 65. Ke3 Kc4 66. Rc8 Rh2 67. Rc6 Kb4 68. Rc8 Na4 69. Rb8+ Ka3 70. Ra8 Kb4 71. Rb8+ Kc4 72. Rc8+ Nc5 73. Rc6 Rc2 74. Rc8 Ra2 74. Rc8 Ra2 75. Rc6 Rg2 76. Rc8 Rh2 ½ : ½. And Timman could finally claim a draw by repetition.

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

It feels just like yesterday that...

Anatoly Yevgenyevich Karpov (seated) and Jan Hendrik Timman at the 1st Interpolis Chess Tournament in Tilburg, Netherlands, on September 23, 1977. Photo: ANP Foundation.

Manaraga

Anatoly Yevgenyevich Karpov – Jan Hendrik Timman
Match game 1; Murmansk, October 6, 2016
King’s Indian Defence E62

The revival match between Karpov and Timman takes place alongside the 4th Basamro International Chess Tournament and consists of four classical games with time control of 2 hours for 40 moves (without increment) followed by 30 minutes for the rest of the game with 30 seconds increment per move.

1. d4 Nf6 2. c4 g6 3. Nf3 Bg7 4. g3 0-0 5. Bg2 d6 6. 0-0 c6 7. Nc3 Bf5 8. Ne1 Be6 9. d5 cxd5 10. cxd5 Bd7 11. h3 Na6 12. Nd3 Qc8 13. Kh2 Nc5. Timman’s surprise. For 13. ... Qc4 14. Qb3 Qxb3 15. axb3 Rfc8 see Solozhenkin – Loginov, City Championship, Saint Petersburg 2003. 14. Be3 Nxd3 15. Qxd3 Bf5 16. Qb5 h5 17. Bd4 a6 18. Qb4 b5 19. Rfc1 Qb8 20. e4 Bd7 21. Nd1

21. ... h4! By a timely Pawn sacrifice Timman seizes the initiative. 22. gxh4. Playing into enemy’s hands. If 22. g4 there might follow 22. ... Nh7 eventually aiming for ... f7-f5. 22. ... e5 23. dxe6 Bxe6 24. Kg1 Qd8 25. Be3? As a consequence of his long absence from competitive chess (with the exception of some rapid exhibitions), Karpov looks like he doesn’t feel the dynamic nature of the position. Here 25. f4 was called for, promptly followed by f4-f5. 25. ... Qd7 26. Kh2 d5! 27. e5 Nh5 28. f4 Rad8!? More natural seems 28. ... Rac8 leaving the square d8 free for the Queen. 29. Nf2 a5! Timman doesn’t hesitate to sacrifice a second Pawn in order to deflect the White Queen from the control of the squares d4 and e7. 30. Qe1 d4 31. Bd2 Bd5 32. Rc5! I like this move, even though Stockfish marks it red, because it shows the supernatural defensive skill of the 12th World Chess Champion. Objectively speaking, however, machine’s advice 32. Bxd5 Qxd5 33. Qe4 might have been more promising. 32. ... Bxg2 33. Kxg2 Rfe8 34. Rac1 Bf8 35. Rc7 Qd5+ 36. Qe4 Qxa2. Black has finally won back his Pawn, at the cost, however, to let his opponent consolidate his own position. 37. Nd3 Nf6 38. Qf3 Nd5 39. Rb7 Ne3+ 40. Kh2 Qb3 41. Qe2 Rc8 42. Rbc7 Rxc7 43. Rxc7 a4 44. h5! Qe6 45. hxg6 fxg6 46. Qf3 Rc8 47. Rxc8 Qxc8 48. Bxe3 dxe3 49. Qd5+ Rc8 47. Rxc8 Qxc8 48. Bxe3 dxe3 49. Qd5+ Kh7 50. Qxb5 Qc2+ 51. Kg3 e2 52. Ne1 Qd2 53. Kf2 Qxf4+ ½ : ½.

Anatoly Yevgenyevich Karpov vs. Jan Hendrik Timman
Photo: basamrochesstournament.com