(The annotations to this game, by A. E.

Karpov, are from Izbrannye partii 1969-77 (Fizkultura i

Sport, Moscow 1978). The annotations also appear in the tournament book, Mezhzonal’nyi turnir
Leningrad 1973 (Fizkultura i Sport, 1974). The translation from the original Russian is by Douglas
Griffin.)

Karpov – Gligorić
13 round, FIDE Interzonal Tournament, Leningrad, 21st & 24th June 1973
th

1.e4 e5 2.Nf3 Nc6 3.Bb5 a6 4.Ba4 Nf6 5.0–0 Be7 6.Re1 b5 7.Bb3 d6 8.c3 0–0 9.h3 Nb8
10.d4 Nbd7 11.Nbd2 Bb7 12.Bc2 c5
This variation is regularly employed by S. Gligorić. His games v. Keres (San Antonio, 1972)
and with Tal from the Interzonal tournament also continued this way. Both Keres and Tal carried
out the manoeuvre Nd2–f1–g3. I decided to close the centre.

13.d5 Ne8
Black plans the move ...f7–f5 after ...g7–g6 and ...Ne8–g7.

14.Nf1 g6 15.Bh6
Now Black does not manage to carry out the advance ...f7–f5.

15...Ng7 16.Ne3 Nf6

The only possibility of counter-play is to somehow drive away the importunate bishop from h6.
Otherwise after g2–g4, Kh2 and Rg1 White prepares the standard ‘Spanish’ attack with Ne3–f5.

17.a4 Kh8
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7+l+-vlpsnp0
6p+-zp-snpvL0
5+pzpPzp-+-0
4P+-+P+-+0
3+-zP-sNN+P0
2-zPL+-zPP+0
1tR-+QtR-mK-0
xabcdefghy
18.b3
I rejected the immediate 18.Qe2 on account of 18...c4. The siege of the c-pawn would have to
be prepared over a long time, since its undermining with the move b2–b3 is impossible: the
e4–pawn is under attack. The move played in the game is slow, but on the other hand the advance
...c5–c4, and thereby Black’s counter-play on the queen’s flank, is prevented.

18...Rb8
Otherwise it is difficult to defend the b5–pawn.

19.Qe2 Bc8
I would have preferred 19...Qb6. This move, admittedly, is not typical for the Spanish game.
But the white bishop is not at e3, and therefore it is perfectly possible. It is important for Black not
to permit the opponent’s rook onto the 7th rank.

20.axb5 axb5 21.Ra7 Ng8 22.Bxg7+ Kxg7 23.Rea1

While Black has been ridding himself of the bishop at h6, White has taken firm possession of the
a-file.

23...Nf6 24.Bd3 Bd7 25.Qa2

White intends to offer an exchange of queens with the move Qa2–a5. After this his rooks will
‘run riot’ on the 7th rank.

25...Ne8 26.Qa6
On 26.Qa5 Black would have avoided the exchange with 26...Qc8 and then driven back the
queen with the move ...Be7–d8.
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8-tr-wqntr-+0
7tR-+lvlpmkp0
6Q+-zp-+p+0
5+pzpPzp-+-0
4-+-+P+-+0
3+PzPLsNN+P0
2-+-+-zPP+0
1tR-+-+-mK-0
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26...Rb6
Now White’s positional advantage becomes threatening. Why did the Yugoslav grandmaster
refrain from the move 26...Nc7 ? After 27.Qa5 Ra8 (bad is 27...Rc8 in view of 28.Qb6 followed
by Ra7–b7) both players assessed the following forced variation: 28.Rxa8 Qxa8 29.Qxc7 Qxa1+
30.Kh2 Rd8 31.Bxb5 Bxb5 32.Qxe7 Rd7. White has a pawn for the exchange. I considered that
sufficient compensation is obtained: after 33.Qg5 or 33.Qh4 White has good attacking chances.

Gligorić avoided this continuation on account of 33.Nf5+. However, this sacrifice does not give
White more than perpetual check.

27.Qa5 Nf6
The only reply, since 28.Rxd7 was threatened. To return the rook to b8 is impossible on
account of the exchange of queens (28.Qxd8 Rxd8) and 29.Rb7 winning the b5–pawn.

28.Ng4
Threatening 29.Nxf6 and 30.Rxd7. The rook has to leave b6, thereby opening to the white
pieces the approach to the square c7.

28...Rb8 29.Nxf6
Seemingly, stronger is 29.Qc7, and in the case of 29...Rc8 – 30.Qxd8 and 31.Rb7. However,
Black could have continued 29...Bxg4 30.hxg4 Qxc7 31.Rxc7 Bd8. After 32.Rc6 c4 33.bxc4 bxc4
34.Rxc4 Nxg4 the weakness of the square f2 gave him counter-play.

29...Bxf6
To take with the king is impossible on account of 30.Qc7.

30.Qc7 Qxc7 31.Rxc7 Rfd8 32.Raa7 Be8 33.Rab7

Threatening 34.Bxb5 Bxb5 35.Rxf7+, then the exchange at b8 and the capture of one of the
bishops.

33...Kg8
Clearly, the only move.
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7+RtR-+p+p0
6-+-zp-vlp+0
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2-+-+-zPP+0
1+-+-+-mK-0
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34.g4
White’s plan is to play g4–g5 and, having driven the enemy bishop from the diagonal h4–d8, to
secure access to the square e7.

The other possibility – to limit the activity of the bishop at f6 by means of 34.h4 and g2–g3, I
rejected, since in some variations after ...h7–h5 the enemy bishop can could have come out at h6.

34...h6 35.h4 Rxb7

Otherwise there follows 36.g5. After 36...hxg5 37.hxg7 Bg7 the manoeuvre Nf3–h2–g4
guarantees White the win. If, however, on g5–g5 the bishop retreats – 36...Bg7, White himself
takes at h6 and plays Ng5. After the forced exchange of knight for bishop Black does not avoid the
loss of the b5–pawn. Nor does the move in the game save Black.

36.Rxb7 c4 37.bxc4 bxc4 38.Be2

38.Bxc4 will not do on account of 38...Bd7 39.g5 Bg4!. After 40.gxf6 Bxf3 41.Bd3 g5! the
invasion of the black rook becomes possible.

38...Ra8
Now 38...Bd7 is pointless, since on 39.g5 Black already does not have the move 39...Bg4 – the
knight is defended, while 39...hxg5 40.Nxg5 does not promise Black anything good.

39.Bxc4

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7+R+-+p+-0
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2-+-+-zP-+0
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39...Ba4
In the bulletin of the tournament and in other commentary to this game 39...Rc8 is
recommended. On this I would have continued 40.Be2, on which Black has the only reply
40...Ba4 (40...Rxc3? 41.Rb8 Kf8 42.g5!). Then 41.c4 Bc2 42.g5 hxg5 43.Nxg5 Bxg5 44.hxg5
Bxe4 45.Rd7, and it is not apparent how Black defends the pawn at d6 (on 45...Ra8 there follows
46.f3!).

Thus, after 39...Rc8 Black is left minus a pawn, without obtaining sufficient counter-play in
return.

40.Bb3 Bxb3 41.Rxb3 Rc8

 The best chance. Black is obliged to control the back rank, as otherwise after a check the white
rook will stand on the c-file with decisive effect. 41...Ra4 will not do in view of 42.Rb4 and then
Rb4–c4.

42.Kg2
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The sealed move.

42...h5
This reply I did not examine in analysis. After the game Gligorić said that he, in turn, had not
foreseen the sealed move. The Yugoslav grandmaster had analysed only the variations with 42.h5,
and reached the conclusion that Black loses. However, 42.h5 freed the enemy bishop, and
therefore I preferred the ‘thorough’ 42.Kg2.

I had considered that Black was obliged to defend against the manoeuvre Rb3–b6 with the
exchange, favourable to White, of the c-pawn for the d-pawn. Since to defend the d-pawn with the
rook is impossible on account of Rc6, the continuations 42...Kf8, 42...Bd8 and 42...Be7 were
subjected to analysis. The idea of the last move is to obtain counter-play by means of...f7–f5. I
intended on this 43.Kg3 f5 44.gxf5 gxf5 45.Nd2 Kf7 46.Kh3! (it is important that the black pawn
does not arrive at the f4–square with check!).

In a word, Black does not obtain counter-play.

43.gxh5
Also possible is 43.g5, since Black can never play...f7–f6 on account of the exchange at f6
followed by Nf3–g5. Black cannot tolerate this knight, but its exchange would have led to a
winning endgame for White.

43...gxh5 44.Rb6 Rxc3 45.Rxd6 Kg7 46.Rc6

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46...Rd3
Black’s desire to prevent the manoeuvre Nf3–d2–c4 and to somehow hold up the advance of the
d-pawn is easy to understand. However, the move 46...Rd3 encounters a forcible refutation.

The most tenacious was 46...Ra3 or 46...Rb3. However, after clear-cut play by White the game
already cannot be saved. On 46...Rb3, for example, there could follow 47.Ng5, then f2–f3 and
Kg2–g3, ultimately forcing an unfavourable endgame for Black.

47.Rc7 Kg6
Otherwise 48.Ng5. However, now, transferring the rook to e8, White takes the e-pawn with
check. This is very important, since Black does not have time to attack the e4–pawn.

48.Rc8 Bg7 49.Rc6+ Kh7 50.Ng5+ Kg8 51.Rc8+ Bf8 52.Rc7 f6 53.Ne6
It can now be seen with the naked eye that Black’s position is hopeless.

53...Bh6 54.Rd7
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 Securing the advance of the d-pawn. The bishop cannot abandon the h6–square on account of
53.Rg7+ and then Rg7–f7, while the king does not have a move in view of 55.Rf7. The rook,
however, is obliged to opppose the d6–pawn.

54...Rd2 55.Kf1 Rd1+ 56.Ke2 Rd2+ 57.Ke1 Rc2

There are no more checks, nor are there any other piece moves, and the rook has to abandon the
d-file. Now White’s passed pawn is set in motion.

58.d6 Rc1+ 59.Ke2 Rc2+ 60.Kf1 Rc6 61.Kg2

After this, besides ...Rc6–b6 and …Rc6–a6, Black does not have a single move. To move away
from the 6th rank is impossible on account of 62.Re7, while on 61...Bd2 there decides 62.Rg7+ Kh8
63.d7 Rd6 64.Re7.

61...Rb6 62.Nc7 Rb7

If 62...Bf8, then 63.Ne8; if 62...Bd2, then 63.Nd5; if 62...Kf8, then 63.Rh7 Bg7 64.d7.

63.Nd5
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5+-+Nzp-+p0
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3+-+-+-+-0
2-+-+-zPK+0
1+-+-+-+-0
xabcdefghy
Black resigned.

(Translator’s note: There could follow: 63...Rxd7 64.Nxf6+ Kf7 65.Nxd7 Ke6 66.Nxe5 Kxd6
67.Nf7+, etc.
Times: 3:00–4:00. Source: The Complete Games of World Champion Anatoly Karpov (Batsford,
London, 1976).)