Anatoly Karpov: “If I had won that game and match, it is unlikely that Kasparov would have become the world champion. He would not have survived this.”

On September 9, 1984, a match for the title of world chess champion between two Soviet grandmasters opened in the Column Hall of the House of Unions in Moscow. Anatoly Karpov And Garry Kasparov. This match, which was unique in itself, opened a great confrontation between the two “Ks”, which went beyond the scope of chess itself. It was the confrontation between Karpov and Kasparov that allowed chess to reach its peak of popularity in the world.

In 1972, the Soviet world chess champion lost a match to an American Bobby Fischer, losing the world chess crown.

For Soviet Union, whose chess players had held the title for a quarter of a century in a row, this was a heavy blow. Moreover, the crown floated not just anywhere, but to the main enemy - the United States.

The resentment was so strong that it was reflected even in creativity Vladimir Vysotsky in the form of the song “Honor of the Chess Crown”, the hero of which is sent to restore prestige in the match with “Slate”.

In reality, the right to compete with Fischer for the return of the world champion title was given to the young Soviet grandmaster Anatoly Karpov. In the final candidates' match he beat a more experienced Viktor Korchnoi.

The Karpov-Fischer match, however, never took place. The American grandmaster, always known as a man with quirks, has long put forward various conditions and demands, but ultimately abandoned the match. So in 1975, Anatoly Karpov became the world champion without playing. He will be reminded of this fact throughout his career.

Karpov, however, proved his strength as a champion by deeds, winning victories at major international tournaments. By the way, Karpov, who took 1st place in more than 150 tournaments, is the absolute record holder in the history of chess for this indicator.

In 1978 and 1981, Karpov twice defended his world title in matches with Viktor Korchnoi. These matches took on an acute political character - the fact is that by that time Korchnoi had become a “defector” and could not restrain himself in his expressions, vilifying the Soviet system, Soviet chess, and Karpov personally.

Unlimited folklore

Losing the championship crown to Korchnoi was worse than to Fischer. Karpov, however, did not lose it, for which he was awarded a number of government awards and personal praise from the Soviet leader Leonid Brezhnev.

Unlike the passions of 1978 and 1981, the 1984 match did not promise such intensity, since two Soviet chess players competed for the title of world champion - the venerable Karpov and the rising star of world chess Garry Kasparov.

At that time, matches for the world title were held in an unlimited format - up to six victories of one of the opponents. No one imagined that such a scheme could result in a six-month marathon.

And the beginning of the match seemed to leave no doubt about the outcome - after nine games, Karpov led with a score of 4:0. At that moment, outright panic reigned in Kasparov’s team. Nevertheless, a way out was found - the contender for the world crown began to churn out draws, which was facilitated by the caution of Karpov, who was in no hurry.

The fans, and the USSR at that time was the “Brazil of chess”, who at first carefully watched the progress of the match, began to feel bewildered - a series of draws first reached five, then 10 games, and eventually settled on the number “17”. After that, Karpov still won another victory and took the lead 5:0.

However, the situation changed - Kasparov got rid of panic, while Karpov began to experience increasing fatigue. After four draws, Kasparov won his first game of the match. After this, the rivals again went into a “drawn coma”, this time stretching over 14 games.

By this time, both the match itself and its participants had become heroes of folklore. Kasparov received the nickname “Long-Player,” and humor magazines published cartoons of bearded fans who began watching the match in their early youth. Professional satirists joked: “The 300th game of the match between chess players Krabov and Kalmarov ended in a draw due to the fog that arose in the heads of the opponents.”

Popular comedians “covered” the match in their own way: “Karpov and Kasparov are playing another game. Karpov, having made his move, goes to the window and sees a dog.

I wonder whose? - asks Karpov.

“It’s a draw,” Kasparov answers thoughtfully.

“I agree,” sums up Karpov, and the rivals shake hands.”

Unfinished match

The match long ago broke all duration records when Kasparov unexpectedly won two games in a row - the 47th and 48th, making the score 5:3.

And here FIDE President Florencio Campomanes announced the termination of the match without announcing the winner with the motivation “due to the exhaustion of the strength of the participants and organizers.”

Both Karpov and Kasparov opposed this decision, but while the former complied, the latter never signed the relevant documents.

Garry Kasparov later stated that February 15, 1985, the day the match was stopped, was the beginning of his political career. He was sure that at the moment when he had a real chance to win the match, officials playing on Karpov’s side intervened and deprived Kasparov of victory.

Objectively speaking, by February 1985, the match between Karpov and Kasparov had truly gone beyond the bounds of reason. However, the fact that he was stopped after two victories of Kasparov really confused many.

Shadow patrons of the “lone hero”

The further confrontation between Karpov and Kasparov took place against the backdrop of rapid changes in Soviet society. Thanks to numerous interviews and books by Kasparov, this confrontation is presented as a struggle between the Soviet nomenklatura, which supported Karpov, and a lone hero who challenged the system.

One of Garry Kasparov’s first books was called “Child of Change” - it left no doubt about whose side the truth was on.

Many people believed in this legend then, and some are ready to believe it now. The truth, however, is that Kasparov was not a “lone hero”, and he had very solid support.

From the very moment the young talent from Baku, Garry Kasparov, began to make his first successes at all-Union competitions, the leader of Soviet Azerbaijan, and the future president of independent Azerbaijan, took him under his wing. Heydar Aliyev. The intervention of Aliyev, who included his influence at full power, more than once helped Kasparov get out of difficult situations. For example, the match with Karpov might not have taken place at all after in 1983 the Soviet delegation refused, for political reasons, to hold the semi-final match between Kasparov and Korchnoi in the USA. Kasparov was disqualified for refusing the match (the decision about which, however, was made “at the top”), and only the intervention of Aliyev, who convinced the Politburo to make concessions to the West on the “chess issue,” returned the grandmaster to the game.

At the height of the confrontation with Karpov, when the “democrat” Kasparov branded his opponent and Soviet chess functionaries with the last words, his rear was covered Alexander Yakovlev- Secretary of the CPSU Central Committee for Ideology and " right hand» Mikhail Gorbachev.

The sixth match was prevented by a split

In general, the story of a genius whom the Soviet system tried to crush is nothing more than a myth. However, we must admit that this myth contributed to the “promotion” of new matches between Karpov and Kasparov.

Not only the country, but the whole world was split into “Karpovites” and “Kasparovites”. In the fall of 1985, in a repeat match, the duration of which was limited to 24 games, Garry Kasparov won, becoming the youngest world champion in chess history. Then in 1986, Kasparov won the rematch.

In 1987, the fourth match for the world title took place between Kasparov and Karpov - perhaps the most dramatic. In the 23rd, penultimate game, Anatoly Karpov won and took the lead. To regain the crown, he only had to draw in the 24th game. However, Kasparov snatched victory and retained the champion title.

In 1990, Kasparov defeated Karpov in his fifth world title match. It seemed to many that the intrigue was beginning to fade, since the younger Kasparov had by that time become significantly stronger than his arch-rival.

However, in 1994, Karpov shocked the chess world at the Linares tournament - one of the strongest in the history of world chess - taking 1st place with a mind-blowing result of 11 points out of 13 possible. Kasparov was two and a half points behind, which in chess is a real precipice.

There was talk that it was time to play the sixth match, but this turned out to be impossible. The fact is that in the next candidates cycle, Anatoly Karpov lost the right to a match with Kasparov to the British Nigel Short. Kasparov, having gotten rid of his eternal rival, announced his withdrawal from FIDE and the creation of an alternative Professional Chess Association. Under its auspices, the world championship match between Kasparov and Short was played. FIDE, having cursed the “schismatics”, organized its own match between Karpov and the Dutchman Jan Timman, which the ex-world champion confidently won.

World champion Anatoly Karpov (left) shakes hands with former champion Garry Kasparov (right) before the start of the next game in the world chess championship match at the Lope de Vega theater in Seville. Photo: RIA Novosti

From reforms to transfers

As a result, the chess world received two champions and a mess to boot. The entire system of playing for the title of world champion went to hell, and there could be no talk of any new match between Karpov and Kasparov, no matter how much the chess world wanted it.

Garry Kimovich Kasparov, a most talented chess player, turned out to be a monstrous organizer and reformer. The Professional Chess Association died a long life three years after its creation, sharing the fate of several other high-profile projects of Kasparov.

One can even say that Kasparov, who raised chess to unprecedented heights with his matches with Karpov, himself “buried” them in the 1990s, being overly carried away by politics.

Anatoly Karpov, winning the FIDE world champion title in a match with an Indian in 1998 Viswanathan Anand, gradually moved away from performing in serious tournaments. Garry Kasparov lost the match for the world title in 2000 Vladimir Kramnik. While remaining one of the strongest chess players in the world, he was unable to regain the title of champion - largely due to the chaos and confusion in the chess world, which was caused by Kasparov himself.

In 2005, Garry Kasparov announced his retirement from chess, intending to devote his future life to politics.

Kasparov’s political activities gave the world another anecdotal episode involving two great “Ks”: when Garry Kimovich was detained at one of the Moscow rallies and subjected to administrative arrest, Anatoly Evgenievich brought a parcel to the prisoner.

However, the autumn of the great chess patriarchs is only a pale shadow of the era of their great confrontation, which began three decades ago...

Publication time: 01/23/2015 02:26 | Last update: 23.01.2015 02:26

Excerpt from an interview with the newspaper "Sport-Express"

- The most painful betrayal in your life?

Belyavsky. They were friends and worked in 1986, and a year later he ran away to Kasparov.

- How did you present it?

No way. Didn't explain anything. I just found out one day that Belyavsky was there.

-Have you quarreled? Or is it a question of money?

The circumstances that forced him to take this step are unknown to me. There was no conflict. Yes, even if they quarreled, you do not have the moral right to immediately start working for my opponent! After all, you know the secrets of chess, the nuances of preparation. But for Belyavsky this is normal.

Actually, chess has always had its share of defectors. When the world champion lost his title, many of those around him immediately tried to defect to the winner’s camp. And I had such fellow travelers. When he returned the title of world champion, people moved back. But the train has already left.

- Was Belyavsky among them?

No. He understood that the attitude towards him was sharply negative. Not as a chess player, but as a person.

- Your parapsychologist Vladimir Zukhar moved to Kasparov’s camp. Is this not betrayal?

The situation is different here. Zukhar liked to pose for journalists and tell them what a great psychologist he was. Plus, crazy Petra added fuel to the fire, instead of telling Korchnoi: “Viktor, don’t be distracted by nonsense.”

Initially he invited Zukhar as a counter-argument in the match with Korchnoi in Moscow. a parapsychologist appeared on his team, and I tensed for one reason. I knew the peculiarity of Viktor Lvovich’s character: when he has something that his opponent doesn’t have, it gives him enormous confidence. His chess strength is growing.

I identified this man from the second game. Then I still didn’t understand who he was. He described his appearance to his coach Furman - and heard: “I didn’t want to talk... Korchnoi hired a psychologist.” My doctor Mikhail Gershanovich suggested: “I’ll call Zukhar, with whom I studied at the Military Medical Academy. He is now in Moscow, studying psychology. Let him come and they will work against each other.”

- Zukhar, it seems, worked at the Space Medicine Center?

Absolutely true. Sleep and sleep specialist foreign languages. But in Baguio it demonstrated complete failure. After the 22nd game, insomnia overwhelmed me. Sits the first night, the second - useless. At six in the morning I say: “Vladimir Petrovich, don’t worry. I can hear you whispering. I’ll try to fall asleep myself.” - "You have such a strong nervous system! I can’t break through it.” I couldn’t when I wanted it! What if I resisted? In general, as a member of Kasparov’s team, Zukhar did not bother me at all.

- And Tofik Dadashev? Years later, did he tell you what task Kasparov gave him?

Dadashev interpreted it in his own way. It was all in his articles. That's what he gave it to me. I doubt I was completely honest...

I noticed him before the last game of the second match in 1985. I came to the hall early, there were still few spectators. A man in the sixth row caught my attention. And in the midst of the game I often caught his eye. Dadashev claimed that he was trying to mobilize Kasparov's forces. No! He clearly worked against me. I feel these things.

I don't believe in the constant influence of parapsychologists. Only for a short period of time. I guess that's what happened. Dadashev caught the moment when the nervous system relaxed a little, and was able to break in. Broke my concentration. There is no other explanation for what happened next.

I remember it like yesterday. Kasparov has 8 minutes for 16 moves. This is a terrible time pressure, especially in a bad position. I have 46 minutes left. A completely winning position. And suddenly something incredible! I release victory! Of course, he could have made a draw, even though it gave nothing. But I was so upset that I ended up losing.

True, later we went to the tournament together, and Kasparov landed on the plane. He proved with the help of a computer that he didn’t immediately lose in that position, he was analyzing something. I waved it off: “They’ve already forgotten...”

And Dadashev played a cruel joke. Both with me and with the history of chess. If I had won that game and, accordingly, the match, it is unlikely that Kasparov would have become world champion. I don't think he would have survived this.

- What kind of hypnotist from Odessa was on your team - who offered to pierce your cheeks with knitting needles?

Grisha Rozhkovsky. He probably didn’t join the team, but they maintained good relations. An extraordinary personality. Knitting needles are okay, Grisha killed us in another way. He was terribly upset when I lost my last game to Kasparov in 1985. The match is over, dinner, we sit dejectedly. Grisha silently takes the cut glass and begins to eat.

- ???

Yes, yes, you heard right! He bites and chews with a crunch. I ate a glass in front of the whole team! He probably wanted to cheer us up. But the shock of defeat was replaced by the shock of what he saw. And Grisha continued his meal as if nothing had happened.

- It seems like everything has been written and told about your confrontation with Kasparov. But it was for Lately something that suddenly revealed itself to you? Did something come up?

There is one mystery. Deputy Chairman of the State Sports Committee Marata Gramova could clarify this. Only he knew what he said to FIDE President Campomanes in the car. Whose instructions did he convey? An extremely unpleasant citizen.

- Some kind of detective. What words could he say?

We parted with Campomanes in Gramov's office. He got into the car and went to the press conference. I had to announce that the match with Kasparov was continuing. I know for sure that he was intercepted by a phone call, and he changed his decision and stopped the match.

- Do you have a version?

It was this figure who called on behalf of Gramov. Probably an order from Heydar Aliyev. But what did he say? Why did Campomanes change his mind in a second?

- There must be strong arguments.

What more!

- Did you discuss the topic with Campomanes?

Well, how could he confess? What kind of president of an international sports federation is this, to whom you can give orders that are absolutely illegal?

- From the Hall of Columns they asked for your match because of a series of deaths in the Central Committee? Ustinov was the first, and Chernenko was clearly in a hurry.

Chernenko already had clinical death. Somewhere in the forties. You understand - it was expected that... The hall was vacated for the funeral.

- You came to see Kasparov in prison when in 2007, at the “March of Dissent,” he was tied up for five days.

They were arrested for absolutely no reason. I arrived, but they weren’t allowed to see Kasparov himself. Suddenly the police generals disappeared. Some colonel was running: “I can’t find the generals, the question is not at my level...”

- Is this “Matrosskaya Tishina”?

Petrovka. Inside them whole house type bullpen.

- What did Kasparov say then? “Thank you, Tolya”?

No. But he was touched. True, when they came to Echo of Moscow together, he didn’t like one line. He started talking about the fact that there were four beds in the cell, difficult conditions... I clarified: “Harry, four beds don’t matter. You were sitting alone.” Kasparov frowned.

- What struck you at Petrovka?

Nothing. I know her well.

- God. Where?

Been there a long time ago. There's a fantastic service museum there. At the sanatorium, he became friends with the head of the Moscow Criminal Investigation Department. In the film "The Motley Case" he was the prototype of the investigator. He invited: “Take a look, it’s incredibly interesting!”

- Which exhibit do you remember?

The story was just breaking - utter money was stolen from a bank in Yerevan. Managed to bypass alarm systems and security. They studied everything and drilled a hole in the ceiling. They broke in from the top floor. They approached it resourcefully. 2 million rubles were stolen. Can you imagine the amount for 1977? At the museum they showed me this case, some evidence. Or how much could be stolen with coins of 1 and 3 kopecks?

- Ten kilograms.

Ten is nothing. In absolute terms?

- You confuse us with such formulations, Anatoly Evgenievich.

I'm telling you. VDNKh was serviced by a team of fitters. They stole change from soda machines. When the amount exceeded 300 thousand rubles, the best forces of the MUR were brought in.

Now catching such a brigade is a simple task, but then they could not detect it. Until the powder was invented, it was scattered into vending machines. The next thefts took place - and teams began to check. We found what we needed right away.

Comments

It’s funny, Anatoly Evgenievich complains that people left him. They wouldn’t have left if he paid them practically nothing. Many worked for him simply because otherwise he would have blocked foreign tournaments for them. And on whose initiative the first match was interrupted is anyone’s guess, but it’s better not to talk about Karpov on this topic. Kruzhkov and Golyshak are certainly very strong sports journalists. But this interview was not easy for them - and they are not quite on topic, and the interlocutor, of course, is very slippery.

Karpov complains not about the fact of leaving, but his manner. It is curious that Adrian Mikhalchishin, being a long-term co-author of Alexander Belyavsky and also a coach of Anatoly Evgenievich, on chess-news, speaks of Karpov with great sympathy and respect.

“I have great sympathy and respect for both Karpov, with whom I worked, and Kasparov, with whom I played on the same team, and not only in chess. I ate more than a pound of salt with both.” (c)

http://site/node/16849

Yes, and at the same time he says that everyone knows that Karpov did not pay his assistants, and that many of his assistants did not want to work for him. This is what I call objective - when both good and bad are honestly said. By the way, my uncle was one of the key figures in Karpov’s team at that time. But that is another story.

There is a well-known story when Karpov did not pay his co-author. He, unfortunately, died. And Karpov told his wife that he had already paid her late husband. The dead cannot be caught lying.
I had a slight association. Botvinnik once complained that Baturinsky stole 3 books from him. Then Karpov bought Baturinsky’s library...

As I already wrote, the “Sports Express on Fridays” format has a certain focus, and
The journalists of this newspaper have nothing to do with it. For a different focus there is the program “No Fools”
on “Echo of Moscow”, and other questions may be asked there. Karpov was on such a program a few months ago, and to the question “Do you think Russia’s actions in Ukraine are adequate?”
he replied: “Yes, we understand what the US and NATO were planning in Crimea. I think it was about
not for months, but for weeks. If the referendum had not taken place, then 3-4 days after that
there would already be Americans in Crimea. Sixth Fleet." No matter what anyone says, there is freedom of speech in Russia
While there is, and if desired, you can always find the relevant information.

Karpov still does not understand that his defeat in that match was inevitable. As historically inevitable as his current membership in United Russia. I remember meeting Karpov once as a journalist (student part-time job). “Damn nineties”, Karpov for some reason comes to my city and gives a press conference. Among other things, he says that it was he, Karpov, and not Kasparov, who has always been a democrat. And he has known Yeltsin much longer than Kasparov; together they opened a chess club in Sverdlovsk, and this also proves that he, Karpov, is a greater democrat. And in general, why on earth does Kasparov consider himself a Russian, he is from Baku, but he, Karpov, is a true Russian. It was funny and unpleasant.

Karpov, poor fellow, doesn’t understand, but you, Fel, know.
Was it historically inevitable that Anand would not notice Carlsen's gross blunder, missing the opportunity to take the lead? Was Korchnoi obliged to play the Ufimtsev defense in Baguio? And Karpov lost the last game in Seville? You again forgot that chess is a sport.

So I mean not only the logic of history in general (although that too), but also the logic of the history of chess. And, on top of everything else, Carlsen was stronger than Anand in Sochi. And Kasparov was stronger than Karpov in the second match. But you can also share the point of view of “poor Karpov” - Dadashev is to blame for everything.

“Stronger” or “weaker” is a relative concept. Otherwise, why hold world championships if everything is already clear? Winning a sports competition has nothing to do with “story logic” and other abstract nonsense. Let's remember the matches Lasker-Schlechter and Alekhine-Euwe. And Kasparov himself, by all indicators, was “stronger” than Kramnik, but lost the match.

The logic of the development of something implies, among other things, finding patterns. But for many, the process of finding patterns falls into the category of “abstract nonsense.” Therefore, they prefer specific nonsense, without any patterns - for example, about Dadashev.

Karpov: “When I returned the title of world champion, people moved back.” Can anyone explain when Karpov regained the world champion title? If he considers himself to have regained the world title after matches with Timman and Kamsky, then this seems ridiculous. He could regain the world title, but only by defeating Harry. But Harry was too tough for him.

Karpov: “If I had won that game and, accordingly, the match, it is unlikely that Kasparov would have become world champion.”
Over the years, Anatoly Evgenievich either forgot, or confused the tracks and deliberately misled the public - if he won that 24th game, Karpov did not win the match, but equalized the score and, according to the rules, retained the world champion title. Respectively.

A couple of notes about the interview:
1) The faceted glass was most likely made of ice or other food material, otherwise the story looks completely implausible.
2) “If I come out of the opening and I’m not “caught”, the position is tolerable - no problems arise with anyone. Also because the quality of matches has gone down. Carlsen and Anand played in the fall, I came to the closing. The FIDE vice-president comes up grandmaster Makropoulos: “Judging by the current games, even Karpov of the second wave would have beaten both of them...” - delivered.
Firstly, Makropoulos is, of course, the highest authority to refer to. And, by the way, he is no grandmaster. Secondly, I believe that Anatoly Evgenievich still perfectly understands that chess with classical control is not only an opening, but also the ability to maintain specific concentration for many hours. I think that the score in the match between the current Karpov and Carlsen, and even with Anand, would be depressing even in Fischer chess (although in rapid there could still be some kind of struggle).

Today's Karpov is no longer of the second wave, but of the fourth or fifth. I think they meant the disgusting quality of the games, which is hard to argue with. I personally remember only one game with an endgame without a piece. And the fact that Karpov continues to play without inhibitions and is not afraid to lose to frankly weak chess players evokes only respect. For comparison, watch the video of Kasparov’s match with Habu Yoshiharu, where before the game Harry claimed that he had almost forgotten how the pieces moved.

From an interview with Belyavsky. “I offered to work together with Karpov after he lost the title of world champion. Anatoly Evgenievich was then in a kind of disgrace, so
I decided to invite him to Lvov, just like 10 years before Korchnoi.
-Who paid the expenses? -The Avangard society paid, and Karpov’s club in Moscow, CSKA.”

I’m not sure that it was Karpov who had the financial obligations to pay his assistants. In those days (and even now), contracts for such services for athletes of this level were concluded by the State Sports Committee or the Federation, therefore, they had to pay for them. After all, if we take the story with Capello, he demands payment from the Football Union of Russia, with whom he entered into an agreement, and not from the players of the Russian football team.

Indian Summer of Champions

Subjective reflections on the strange tandem of Kasparov and Karpov

Latest scandalous events around the Russian Chess Federation (namely, a desperate attempt by two Russian chess legends Garry Kasparov and Anatoly Karpov, as well as Alexander Bach, the chairman of the board of the Russian Chess Federation (RCF), who joined them, in violation of the organization’s charter, to achieve, at least for a few hours, an appearance in news feeds information about the nomination of Karpov as a candidate from Russia for the post of FIDE President) made me think about why even the very idea of ​​joint management of the world chess movement by the tandem of the 12th and 13th world champions seems to be the same catastrophe for chess as a fire on a platform in the Gulf of Mexico for humanity as a whole.

Throughout my career as a professional chess player, I witnessed Karpov and Kasparov fight fiercely with each other - both chessboard, and outside it - for influence in various organizations and associations of chess players and for various kinds of privileges. Moreover, it always ended ultimately either in the destruction of these organizations, or in gaining privileges at the expense of the rest of the “mass” of chess players. I'll remind you in chronological order some episodes of chess-related activities, or rather the deeds of champions.

1992 The International Grandmaster Association (GMA), created on the initiative of Kasparov, is split due to an irreconcilable conflict between the 13th champion and his managers with the rest of the association members over cash GMA. According to the explanation given to me by Karpov at that time (and I had just qualified for my first World Cup, organized by GMA, and sadly received official notice of its demise), Kasparov’s team and he himself demanded unrealistic salaries and fees. Bessel Kok, then the head and one of the top managers of the sponsor of the association, SWIFT, did not succumb to pressure, and soon this young and promising organization ended its existence.

1993 Kasparov refuses to play a match with Short for the world title under the auspices of FIDE, not wanting to give her the insignificant part of the prize fund required by the charter and creates new organization- PCA (Professional Chess Association), under whose auspices this match is played without any monetary contributions. As a result, the chess world plunged into chaos for the next 15 years. It is worth noting that Karpov then immediately used the situation to his advantage and, having won the match against Timman, was again declared FIDE world champion. Both Karpov and Timman had previously lost their candidate matches to Short and dropped out of the fight for the world crown.

1994 FIDE presidential elections in Moscow. Unexpectedly for many, the athletes exchanged T-shirts. Karpov supported the French presidential candidate Couatli, and Kasparov, don’t let it seem strange to you, supported his worst enemy Florencio Campomanes, famous for ending the Karpov-Kasparov “Unlimited Duel” of 1984–1985 with the score 5:3 in Karpov’s favor and was publicly accused by the latter of defending the interests of a rival. The first vote ended in a draw! The next day, Kasparov's team confidently gained the upper hand. I still remember Kasparov, who in the summer of the same year, at a tournament in Novgorod, rubbed his hands and dreamily muttered: “Khoper, Khoper.” That was the first time I heard this strange word from him. Then it turned out that this “organization” - a financial pyramid that deceived tens of thousands of people across the country - was a generous sponsor of those elections for the FIDE President.

1995 Karpov takes convincing revenge. First time on the chess stage Kirsan Nikolaevich Ilyumzhinov and at the extraordinary FIDE Congress immediately becomes president. At the suggestion of Karpov. Most of all, then, the mother of the 13th world champion was outraged by the fact that not long before Ilyumzhinov was eating soup in her kitchen, but did not share his plans. She promised not to invite him to dinner again.

In the same year, Kasparov won a match against Anand in New York, at the World Trade Center, according to the Professional Chess Association (PCA), created by him and Short after leaving FIDE. As it turned out, this was the last official competition under the auspices of the PCA. Since the election of Ilyumzhinov as FIDE President, Kasparov has refused to compete in competitions under the auspices of FIDE, declaring that Ilyumzhinov is holding his championships “with dirty money.”

Around the same time, the struggle flared up eastern front": Karpov and Kasparov are fighting for control over the Russian Chess Federation, but in reality - it seems - simply for the right to dispose Central house chess player (TsDSh) on Gogolevsky Boulevard. This time, in a grueling battle, after lengthy legal battles, the 13th champion and his team prevailed. Immediately after this, the legendary club was leased to various private companies that had nothing to do with chess. Where the proceeds from this went is a mystery to me personally. As grandmaster Sergei Dolmatov once said, in those years “the RCF budget was absolutely closed. I, the grandmaster, don’t know how and how much money the Russian Chess Federation earns and how it spends it.” Dolmatov had in mind, first of all, the Chess Player’s House and demanded that a “thorough check of the Central Children’s School be carried out,” claiming that “there is an unclean game going on behind our back.”

1996 A match for the FIDE world champion title is taking place in Elista between Karpov and Kamsky, the prize fund is provided by the President of Kalmykia. Karpov wins confidently, and Kamsky, declaring that Karpov and Kasparov will never let him become world champion, leaves chess for almost 10 years.

Kasparov plays a commercial match with the computer Deep Blue, which is sponsored by IBM. INTEL Company, a direct competitor of IBM, which had sponsored RCA for 3 years before and spent more than $5 million during this time, immediately refuses further cooperation and leaves chess, which leads to the collapse of Kasparov’s organization. A year later, having lost the next match to the same Deep Blue, the Great and the Terrible, as Kasparov’s admiring fans, like-minded people and devoted friends are reverently called, publicly and harshly accuses IBM of foul play and, as a result, chess is losing another major sponsor.

1997 The 1st knockout world championship took place. Ilyumzhinov thanked Karpov for his presidency with a unique competition format: having won six intense mini-matches, Anand - the current world champion - a few days later met in a six-game match in the so-called final with Karpov, who had been resting all month and carefully preparing for the upcoming fight. Unsurprisingly, a devastated Anand lost in the tiebreaker. Karpov became the “world champion” in the knockout system.

1999 The 2nd Knockout World Championship is taking place in Las Vegas. This time, negotiations with FIDE did not give the desired result, and the champion must defend the title starting from the 2nd round. Karpov is outraged and takes FIDE to court. In addition, having already refused to participate, he is in America trying in every possible way to disrupt the competition with a three-million prize fund, writing a letter to the governor of Nevada asking for the cancellation of the championship. Having learned about this, the chess players were simply indignant, and the German grandmaster Lobron, decently, however, having had too much, was chasing Karpov in a bar at a tournament in Dortmund with the goal of causing him minor bodily harm.

The result of the conciliatory meeting between Ilyumzhinov and Karpov is the withdrawal of the statement of claim. What caused the principled man to abandon his claims, one can only guess.

year 2000. Kasparov, who has not defended the world champion title for five years, finally chooses his opponent - Vladimir Kramnik. Before this various reasons, including financial ones, two of his matches for the world title with Shirov and Anand fell through. Kasparov loses the match in all respects and, in violation of the contract signed before the match by both participants, immediately demands a rematch. It would be worth remembering that in the mid-80s, although as a result of a difficult struggle, he himself managed to cancel the rematches, the right to which Karpov ardently defended.

year 2001. Memorial to Mikhail Botvinnik in Moscow. Match tournament of Kasparov, Kramnik and Karpov. Shortly before the start, after reaching all the agreements with the organizers of this event that promised to become historic, Karpov “unexpectedly” refused to participate in it and preferred, for reasons that can only be guessed at again, the World Championship in the knockout system, “accidentally” held by FIDE at the same time in the same city. In the first round he lost to a little-known Chinese chess player. A line was drawn under Karpov's brilliant chess career.

2002 Ukrainian Ponomarev becomes world champion according to FIDE. Kasparov, it seems, is starting a campaign to publicly praise Ilyumzhinov’s virtues with the goal of regaining the title of world champion at any cost. They say that at the Chess Olympiad in Bled, during his move, as soon as he saw Ilyumzhinov, Kasparov rushed across and hugged and kissed him to the approving roar of the audience. At the same time, Kasparov, in fact, started a campaign against the “harassment” of Ilyumzhinov in the press, praising the latter’s merits as a statesman Kalmykia, and in the role of a unique world chess leader. The Kommersant newspaper wrote: “The most expensive gift was given to Kirsan Ilyumzhinov by chess player Garry Kasparov - assurances of sincere friendship and support for all his endeavors as FIDE President, as well as an admission of his own wrongs in the past.” Quote from Moskovsky Komsomolets: “Kasparov emphasized that they are now connected by business, commercial relations, and these are sometimes stronger than friendly ones.”

The result of these humiliating, in my opinion, performances by Kasparov were the famous “Prague Agreements” and the right to a match for the FIDE championship title without any sports selection, which, however, was disrupted at the very last moment. Ponomarev refused to play the match due to the harsh pressure put on him by Kasparov himself and a number of FIDE figures. Karpov at that time in the press accused Kasparov of destructive activities: “Kasparov made a lot of mistakes. What is happening now in FIDE, and the fact that the former harmonious system of holding world championships has been turned into something incomprehensible, are all the fruits of Kasparov’s activities and intrigues.” Then in chess circles they sneered: “The President of Kalmykia and FIDE only have clean and honest banknotes left. Kasparov can already play on them with a clear conscience.”

2004 After Kasimzhanov becomes the new world champion in the knockout system, Kasparov, of course, immediately receives the right to play a world title match with him. Ilyumzhinov refused to personally provide the prize fund, and Kasparova failed to attract other sponsors. Years of public humiliation were in vain, the title could not be regained, and Kasparov again went into opposition to Ilyumzhinov.

2005 year. Kasparov announces his retirement from chess.

2006 Karpov announces that he is going to stand as a candidate for the post of FIDE President. As a result of a personal meeting, Ilyumzhinov manages to find compelling arguments, and Karpov abandons this idea.

2006–2009. Happy years for chess. Several world championship matches were played. The chess world has united. The number of major tournaments has increased noticeably, as has the earnings of professional chess players.

2007 Karpov, being a member Public Chamber, brings the magazine “64 - Chess Review” to Kasparov in the temporary detention cell. They don’t let him see Kasparov himself; he gives his little gift through Kasparov’s mother, Klara Shagenovna. A historic reconciliation of hitherto irreconcilable opponents is taking place.

year 2009. Karpov-Kasparov match in rapid and blitz chess in Valencia. The announced series of such matches did not take place due to the lack of interest in the world in their creative and sports components.

2010 Karpov announces his intention to run for the post of FIDE President with the goal of “saving chess, which is in the deepest crisis.” Kasparov immediately provides him with information and moral support, trying to secure votes in a number of Western countries and America.

Of course, this is only a small part of the events that took place during these years with the participation of Karpov and Kasparov. But even a cursory glance is enough to understand that chess players are expected hard times, if the destructive energy of two students of the Soviet chess school unites in one position - FIDE President. I believe that this will not happen.

From the NG dossier
Evgeniy Bareev is a gold medalist of four Chess Olympiads as part of the Russian team (1990, 1994, 1996, 1998), two world championships (1997, 2005) and two European championships (1992, 2003).

2008)

Viktor Korchnoi (standing in the center) is rooting for Anatoly Karpov. It's a paradox: they're on the same team. Sochi, 2007.

Start of the marathon. Column Hall of the House of Unions. Moscow, 1984.

Anatoly Karpov congratulates Garry Kasparov on his victory and winning the chess crown (game 24 of the second match).

Scandalous press conference at the end of the 1984 match. While Kasparov is indignant, Karpov and FIDE President Campomanes have already agreed on everything. An hour later the match was stopped.

Super tournament in Las Palmas (Spain), 1996.

The last meeting of the two great "K's". Zurich, 2006.

We continue the story about the fights for the title of world chess champion*. Anatoly Karpov has seven matches in line: two with Viktor Korchnoi and five with Garry Kasparov. Let us not touch upon the fact that all these meetings were of a political nature and therefore attracted special attention throughout the world. As usual, we are interested only in the most striking episodes of the struggle.

29 Anatoly Karpov's battle with Viktor Korchnoi in Baguio in 1978 was brutal. The battle lasted for more than two months, and everything turned out quite successfully for Karpov. After 27 games, the score of the effective games reached 5:2 in his favor (the match was played until 6 wins), and it seemed that the matter had come to an end. But excessive confidence somewhat relaxed Karpov, and with desperate efforts Korchnoi equalized the score - 5:5. And yet, the world champion succeeded in the last, decisive battle (32nd game).

Karpov - Korchnoi

(Image 1)

25. e5! de. No better than 25...Nf:d5 26. Nh5 + gh (26...Kh8 27. Qh6 Rg8 28. Ng5) 27. Qg5 + Kh8 28. Qf5.

25...de 26. Q:e5 Kc:d5 27. B:b5 Ra7 28. Nh4 Bc8 29. Be2! Be6 30. c4 Nb4 31. Q:c5 Qb8 32. Bf1 Rc8 33. Qg5 Kh8 34. Rd2 Kc6 35. Qh6 Rg8 36. Nf3 Qf8 37. Qe3 Kg7 38. Ng5 Bd7 39. b4 Qa8 40. b5 Na5 41. b6 Rb7. The blacks surrendered.

30 Three years later in Merano, Karpov again had the chance to fight Korchnoi. This time everything happened without shocks. From the very beginning he took the lead, and subsequently the gap widened. The opening victory turned out to be bright.

Korchnoi - Karpov

(Image 2)

24...d4! Here Korchnoi retreated on horseback - 25. Ke2. But before making a breakthrough in the center, his partner had to carefully study the options associated with 25. ed. And Karpov established that after 25...Сс6! 26. Qc4 B:f3 27. gf cd 28. Na4 Qb5 29. Qe2 Re8! 30. Qxb5 ab 31. Nb6 Rc6 White is left without a piece.

And the game ended quite prosaically: 25...de 26. fe c4 27. Kd4 Qc7 28. Nh4 Qe5 29. Kh1 Kg8 30. Ndf3 Q:g3 31. R:d8 + B:d8 32. Qb4 Be4! 33. B:e4 N:e4 34. Rd4 Nf2+ 35. Kg1 Nd3 36. Qb7 Rb8 37. Qd7 Bc7 38. Kh1 R:b2 39. R:d3 cd 40. FAZ Fib41. Qe4 Qd1 + 42. Ng1 Qd643. Nhf3 Rb5. The Whites surrendered.

31 The era of confrontation between Karpov and Kasparov has arrived. In their five matches, every conceivable record was broken - in total, the grandmasters played 144 meetings at the board! However, the first marathon (Moscow, 1984-1985) was interrupted by the then FIDE President Campomanes after 48 games with the score 5:3 in favor of Karpov. Kasparov won two games in a row, and a turning point was clearly in sight in the match. And then the FIDE president, under pressure from the Soviet party and sports authorities, was forced to stop the match. Meanwhile, the world champion could win the sixth, desired victory in the 41st game.

Karpov - Kasparov

(Image 3)

In time trouble, Karpov took the bishop on d1 and the matter ended in a draw. However, if White had not rushed with 33. Rxd1, but immediately moved the extreme pawn forward, then the match would have been over that evening.

33. a6! Now bad 33...Rb8 34. R:d1 Ba3 35. Nb7! Rd8+ threatens, and on 35...Be7 follows 36. Rd7 and then Na5, a6-a7, Nc6, Rb7, and it’s all over. It is not possible to escape with the bishop - 33...Ca4 34. a7 Bc6 35. Le6 Bd5 36. Rd6, still taking the bishop, after which the white “a” pawn did its dirty deed.

33...Bb3 34. N:b3 Ra4. Or 34...R:b3 35. Re8+ and 36. a7.

35. Nc5 Ra5 36. Re4!, and there is no protection from 37. Ra4! R:a4 38. N:a4 Bd4 39. Nc3! and 40. Nb5!

32 The repeat match in Moscow at the end of 1985 took place at Kasparov’s initiative, but everything was decided in the last, 24th game. Prominent analysts have been analyzing it for more than twenty years, but it seems that all the secrets have not yet been revealed. Karpov was a point behind, but did not take advantage of all the opportunities.

Karpov - Kasparov

Sicilian defense

1. e4 c5 2. Nf3 d6 3. d4 cd 4. N:d4 Nf6 5. Nc3 a6 6. Be2. In recent years, the line 6. Be3 followed by f2-f3 and g2-g4 has become fashionable in Scheveningen.

6...e6 7. 0-0 Be7 8. f4 0-0 9. Kh1 Qc7 10. a4 Keb I. Be3 Re8 12. Bf3 Rb8 13. Qd2 Bd7 14. Nb3 b6 15. g4 Bc8 16. g5 Nd7 17 . Qf2 Bf8 18. Bg2 Bb7 19. Rad1 g6 20. Bc1 Rbc8 21. Rd3! Nb4 22. Rh3 Bg7 23. Be3?! A critical moment in the game. After the match, Karpov claimed that 23. f5! led to a win, but did not provide evidence. Computer analysis later showed that Black held the position. In any case, the f4-f5 maneuver provided rich practical chances.

23...Re7! One of the most subtle moves in Kasparov's chess career! Black defends the seventh rank and, doubling his rooks, prepares for an active counterattack.

24. Kg1 Rce8 25. Rd1.

(Image 4)

25...f5! 26. gf K:f6. After 26...B:f6 the sides' chances would be equal. Kasparov strives for aggravations that could turn out to be dangerous.

27. Rg3? The correct move was 27. Bxb6!, to which Kasparov was going to respond with 27...Qb8 28. a5 e5, but underestimated the capture of 29. fe with White's advantage. Karpov misses his last chance to try to level the score.

27...Rf7! 28. B:b6 Qb8 29. Be3 Nh5 30. Rg4 Nf6 31. Rh4 g5! 32. fg Ng4. A beautiful move, but even better was 32...K:e4.

33. Qd2 N:e3 34. Q:e3 N:c2 35. Qb6 Ba8 36. R:d6? The exchange of queens 36. Q:b8 R:b8 followed by 37. Bh3 kept the tension on the board, however, safe for black. And the forced attempt to cause complications ends in a complete fiasco for Karpov.

36...Rb7! 37. Q:a6 R:b3 38. R:e6 R:b2. After 38...Ce3! It would have been difficult for White to resist, but Kasparov considered that there was no point in forcing events.

39. Qc4 Kh8 40. e5? The control move turns out to be a decisive mistake; the exchange on e8 still preserved the chances of a draw.

40...Qa7+ 41. Kh1 B:g2+ 42. K:g2 Nd4 + . The Whites surrendered.

33 The 1986 rematch was tense, but Karpov had no chance of returning to the throne. The 16th fight left a powerful impression.

Kasparov - Karpov

(Illustration 5)

In a tense Spanish battle, White sacrificed a piece and carried out the final elegantly.

34. Nh6 Fe7 35. R:g6! Qe5 36. Rg8 + Ke7 37. d6 +! The black king fails to escape - 37...K:d6 38. N:f7 + .

37...Ke6 38. Re8 + Kd5 39. R:e5 + N:e5 40. d7 Rb8 41. N:f7. the blacks surrendered.

34 The match in Seville in 1987 was an even fight, and the score 11:11 two rounds before the end was quite consistent with the game. However, Karpov won the 23rd game and took the lead. And in the 24th, Kasparov achieved a feat - for the first time in the history of matches for the crown, he won “by order”, restored the status quo and retained the crown. The final of the match was dramatic.

Kasparov - Karpov

(Image 6)

Black's pieces are scattered across the board, and, continuing with 33. Qb5!, Kasparov built a mating ring around the enemy king, for example: 33...Kh7 34. Nc6 Qa8 35. Qd3 + f5 36. Qd8 Nc5 37. Kg2 Qa2 38. Ne5! Qb2 39. Nf7 Qf6 40. Qh8 + Kg6 41. Qg8!

33. Qd1?? A terrible oversight that could have caused Kasparov to lose his throne.

33...Ne7?? The last one to make a mistake is Karpov. The draw was forced by 33...Ks5! 34. Qd8 + Kh7 35.

Kg2 (35. Q:c8 Qa1 + and 36...Q:e5) 35...f6! 36. Nc6 Qd7 37. Q:d7 N:d7 38. Nd8 Nc5 39. N:e6! Nxe6 40. Bg4.

34. Qd8 + Kh7 35. Nxf7. White destroyed the enemy's root pawn and, although material equality was only restored on the board, in the end he won the coveted point.

35...Kg6 36. Qe8 Qe7 37. Q:a4 Q:f7 38. Be4 Kg8 39. Qb5. White's queen endgame won after 39. B:g6 Q:g6 40. Qb3.

39...Nf8 40. Q:b6. Now White has both a positional and material advantage.

40...Qf6 41. Qb5 Qe7 42. Kg2 g6 43. Q5 Qg7 44. Qc5 Qf7 45. h4 h5. 45... Kg7 was more persistent.

46. ​​Qc6 Qe7 47. Bd3 Qf7 48. Qd6 Kg7 49. e4 Kg8 50. Bc4 Kg7 51. Qe5+ Kg8 52. Qd6 Kg7 53. Bb5 Kg8 54. Bc6 Qa7 55. Qb4! Qc7 56. Qb7 Qd8 57. e5! That's it, Black's resistance is broken: you can't imagine a worse position for his pawns.

57...Qa5 58. Be8 Qc5 59. Qf7+ Kh8 60. Qa4 Qd5 + 61. Kh2 Qc5 62. Bb3 Qc8 63. Bd1 Qc5 64. Kg2. the blacks surrendered. Kasparov gave this option, confirming the correctness of the opponent’s decision: 64...Qb4 65. Bf3 Qc5 66. Be4 Qb4 67. f3 Qd2 + 68. Kh3 Qb4 69. B:g6 K: g6 70. Q:g6 Q:h4+ 71. Kg2!

35 In the last, fifth duel of the two “Ks” in 1990, Kasparov was again clearly superior to Karpov. Let's take a short but fun 11th game, which ended in a perpetual check almost in the opening.

Karpov - Kasparov

King's Indian Defense

1. d4 Nf6 2. c4 g6 3. Nc3 Bg7 4. e4 d6 5. Nf3 0-0 6. Be2 e5 7. Be3 ed. In this match, this position arose constantly, and Kasparov, in addition to exchanging pawns in the center, tried 7... Fe7, 7... Ka6 and 7... c6.

8. N:d4 Re8 9. f3 c6 10. Qd2 d5 11. ed cd 12. 0-0 Nc6 13. c5 R:e3 14. Q:e3 Qf8 15. N:c6 bc 16. Kh1 Rb8 17. Na4 Rb4 18. b3 Be6. Here White should have continued with 19. Rad1, and after retreating with his knight, Kasparov managed to eliminate all dangers.

19. Nb2?! Nh5 20. Nd3 Rh4 21. Qf2 Qe7 22. g4. It seems that the blacks are suffering new material losses, but they have a path to salvation.

(Illustration 7)

22...Bd4! 23. Q:d4. 23. Qg2 B:a1 24. R:a1 Qf6 and 25...Nf4 gives nothing, taking advantage of the fact that the enemy queen has lost control of Black’s stray rook. And the game lasted only one and a half moves.

23...R:h2 +! 24. K:h2 Qh4 + with perpetual check on squares g3 and h4.