It's finally started! This 20 game match pits veteran Anatoly
Karpov, several times FIDE World Champion, against the very young
Gata Kamsky of the US for the world title.
FIDE (Federation Internationale d'Echecs) is the world chess organization that grants the title held by Bobby Fischer in 1972. Founded in 1924, it oversees the World Championship cycle as well as a number of amateur events like the Chess Olympiad and World Jr. Championship. FIDE (pronounced "fee day") is organized similarly to the International Olympics Committee: chess organizations representing tournament players in their countries join the international organization. Each country gets one vote in the FIDE Congress, and there is also a governing board. The FIDE President is Viktor Ilyumnizhov, President of the Kalmykia Republic of Russia. FIDE went through some complicated times over the last few years, when then FIDE Champion Garry Kasparov and his challenger, Nigel Short of Britain, left FIDE in a dispute over match conditions, and formed their own organization the PCA (Professional Chess Association). Both organizations continued, and both sponsored World Championships. At the present time Anatoly Karpov is the FIDE world champion, and Garry Kasparov is the PCA world champion. The two organizations have since made their peace, and are expected to reunify at the end of 1996. The FIDE title continues to be very prestigious, and the match is being eagerly watched by chess fans all over the world.
Gata Kamsky, Challenger
Kamsky has had an astonishing career. Since defecting from Russia at the age of 14, he has avoided Junior events, and competed directly with adults. He and Anand were the only two players to achieve the quarter finals or higher in BOTH the PCA and FIDE World Championship cycles last year. Kamsky defeated Anand in the FIDE event, and is now the challenger in the FIDE match. Kamsky lost to Anand during the PCA semi-finals in Spain last year. Kamsky has filed official grievances regarding his FIDE rating, which he feels has not accurately taken into account his PCA events, and should be higher. Still very young, still improving rapidly, and still developing an individual style, Kamsky, is one of the brightest stars in chess today.
Anatoly Karpov, FIDE World Champion
Best of 20 games. Players score one point for a win, half-point for a draw, zero points for a loss. Games are played every other day, with interim days for rest or adjournments.
best of 20 event held in Kalmykia (Russia)
Karpov Wins Match: Holds Title!
Kamsky-Karpov DRAW
Round 1: Karpov wins with white.
Round 2: Kamsky launches an all-out attack, and by move 25 was ahead Queen for Rook and Knight. Lots of other pieces on the board, though, kept the position complicated and many observers believed that Karpov had some drawing chanced up through move 50 or so. Karpov eventually resigned after some nice tactical maneuvering by Kamsky. This ties the match after two games.
Round 3: A straightforward draw.
Round 4: Karpov gives an exhibition of Grandmaster strategy in a highly positional Caro-Kann game. Although material stayed even for much of the more than 40 move game, many Master commentators predicted that Kamsky would lose. The consensus was that he had too many targets for Karpov to attack. "Too many holes in the fortress" said one commentator. Karpov's win was with the Black pieces, giving him a strong psychological edge as well as a one point lead after 4 games.
Round 5: Another draw.
Round 6: One of the most interesting games of the match. Kamsky appeared to have a strong advantage early in the game, but Karpov not only defended well, but launched his own counterattack. Kamsky resigned on move 30. (This is the second game that Kamsky has lost with White in the match.) Analysts were in disagreement as to whether Kamsky has simply been trying too hard to win, creating openings for the more experienced Karpov to exploit, or whether "Karpov simply outclassed him."
Round 7: Karpov wins during the playoff of the adjournment.
Round 8: Kamsky, with the White pieces, had a slight edge (vs. an isolated Queen pawn) for much of the game, but was unable to convert it to a win in this 61 move display of Karpov's defensive skills. The game was drawn.
Round 9: Karpov gives Kamsky a lesson in how a World Champion converts a "slight edge" into a "clear advantage" and finally, a full point. Karpov wins game 9.
Round 10: Kamsky comes back from yesterday's defeat with a beautiful tactical combination around move 35 which wins a piece against Karpov. The Champion played on for another 10 moves, but Kamsky carried the day. Kamsky wins game 10.
Round 11: Karpov gets a slight edge, but Kamsky defends very well. The game is drawn.
Round 12: Kamsky creates a lot of tactical opportunities, but as the game moves to the ending, it is Karpov who is a pawn up. The game remains complicated, though, and ultimately results in a draw./P>
Round 13: A surprising game. Karpov had the advantage, but got into trouble in time pressure, and went down two pawns. Many analysts believed the Champion should resign, but the game was adjourned. After adjournment, Karpov defended brilliantly, and succeeded in getting into a "Bishops of Opposite Color" ending which was drawn. A remarkable shift in fortunes.
Round 14:
Karpov wins after Kamsky loses a pawn in time trouble..
Round 15:
Draw.
Round 16: Karpov has an advantage, but its his turn to blunder in time pressure, giving Kamsky a full point.
Round 17: Draw. Karpov needs only one half point to win the match.
Round 18: A back and forth battle ends in a draw, giving Karpov the match and the title.
1 2 3 4 5 6 7 8 9 10 11 12 13 14 15 16 17 18 19 20 Ttl
Kamsky 0 1 = 0 = 0 0 = 0 1 = = = 0 = 1 = = - - 7.5
Karpov 1 0 = 1 = 1 1 = 1 0 = = = 1 = 0 = = - - 10.5
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