Chess
Posterity
Raymond Keene
In May World Champion Karpov scored yet another crushing tournament victory, this time at Las Palmas, where results were: Karpov 13i (out of 15); Larsen 11; Timman 10; Browne, Tal and Hernandez 9; Adorjan and Debarnot 8; Miles 7i; Tatai 6/; and six Spanish players at the rear.
World champions are not just in com- petition with their contemporaries, they also have to maintain their historical record against their predecessors and successors in the championship. If we compare Karpov with the eleven former World Champions we see that he has now moved into the lead as regards the number of undivided first prizes in major tournaments obtained throughout their respective tenures. Here is the evidence; each champion, his dates and the number of important first he gained in his championship period: Steinitz (1886 94) 0; Lasker (1894.1921) 5; Capablanca (1921 - 27) 2; Alekhine (1927 - 35 and 1937 - 46) 5; Euwe (1935 - 37) 0; Bot- vinnik (1948- 57; 1958- 60 and 1961 - 63) 0; Smyslov (1957 -58) 0; Tal (1960 - 61) 0; Petrosian (1963 - 69) 0; Spassky (1969 72) 1; Fischer (1972 -75) 0; Karpov (1975 ?) 6. In addition Lasker defended his title successfully in six matches, Steinitz in three.
Alekhine and Botvinnik twice, and Pet- rosian once. All the others shed their title at the first challenge, with the exception of .Fischer who let his title go by default. Fischer's reign was, in fact, the most mis- erable of all, since he played only one game, and this an 'exhibition' draw of no impor- tance against President Marcos of the Philippines. Incredibly, no world champ- ion won undivided first prize in a major tournament between Alekhine and Spassky.
Alekhine's last great victory was Ziirich 1934, although I have been generous and allowed him the less impressive Nazi- inspired 'European. Championship' at Munich 1942 to build up his total of five.
This week's game is a carefree effort by Karpov from Las Palmas.
Karpov – Pomar: Queen's Indian Defence.
1 P-QB4 P.:1C3 2 P-Q4 N-KB3 3 N-K133 P-QN3 4 P-KN3 B-N2 5 B-N2 B-K2 6 0-0 0-0 7 N-B3 N-K5 As Black in this position Karpov himself favours 7 ... P-Q4 8 N-K5 N-R3 8 Q-B2 NxN 9 QxN P-QB4 10 R-Q1 P-Q3 11 P-N3'Q-B2 More accu- rate is 11 ... B-KB3! 12 B-N2 Q-K2 13 Q-B2 N-B3. Pomar's passive handling of the late open- ing gives Karpov the kind of undisputed space advantage he can exploit to perfection. 12 B-N2 B-KB3 13 Q-B2 N-Q2 14 P-K4 KR-Q1 15 Q-K2 QR-B1 16 R-Q2 Q-B3 An incomprehensible move which merely exposes the Black Queen. 17 R-K1 R-K1 18 Q-Q1 QR-Q1 19 P-KR4 P-QR3 20 P-KN4 A space-stealing operation typical of Karpov's style. 20 . . . P-N3 21 P-N5 B-N2 22 P-Q5 PO 23 KPxP Q-B1 24 BxB KxB 25 R/2-K2 K-Bl 26 Q-R1 K-N1 27 Q-N2 N-111 28 Q-B6 N-Q2? A blunder, but Black's game already suf- fers from a fearful cramp. 29 QxQP N-K4 30 RxN! Resigns. After 30 ... RxQ 31 RxRch White regains the Queen with an extra piece.
Position 16: Bilek-Stein, Hungary 1968. . Black to play and win
Solution next week
Solution to position 15 (Zimmerman-W. Hubner,• brother of Grandmaster Robert Hubner): 1
QxPch Q-K3 (or 1 NxQ 2 R-Q8 mate) 2 N-B6ch PxN 3 QxQch PxQ 4 B-R5 mate.
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