Hi there.
In this lecture, we see Anatoly Karpov playing it against Aunt Yusupov.
This is in 1989, the last tournament round for C4 from Karpov, and we have the Dutch defense from
Yusupov.
We have DD 4956 G3 and now the Leningrad variation of the Dutch.
So Black Finn.
Cato's Bishop.
We have Bishop G two.
Bishop G seven Knight c3d6 Knights Free Black Castles, Karpov Castles.
C six.
B Free.
So this already has an idea that white might want to try and dissuade prevents this.
E five Because the pressure on the diagonal here, that's one possibility.
So Queen C seven we do actually have Bishop a free and though Yusupov decides to kind of block this
diagonal so he wants to play Knight a six to be four and then get on with E five.
So that's Black's plan.
We have Rook C one, which does actually tactically X-ray the queen.
That is useful.
We have 96.
So here with the knight coming to be four, it is a bit of a nuisance.
Copper plays quite a deep, profound move here.
The usual natural, perhaps strategic break to aim for is E4 to get semi fault and the target on E seven.
But if we play that way if we play rook e one night before, this is really ineffectual.
If it's as though Black has prevented this plan because tactically it's just not working.
So Knight takes E4 leaves the A two pawn hanging.
So this position Rook takes E four black and plane, Knight takes a two.
And this is more than pedantic because Brook C to the bishops, the bishop is going to skewer the rooks
rook A one or B one.
That's Knight C free for king, Queen and rook.
Anyway, so this natural E4 plan is just not available here in any case.
So the nuances here dictate something else, not rookie one.
It seems as though E4 was this way that you might think, Well, what about Queen DD too here?
Well, Black has achieved then the possibility of E five here and this could be favorable to black.
So for example, I mean, this is a classic Leningrad plan.
If this knight can be driven back, that's often good.
If E4 to stop black playing E four, then F four.
It's kind of a strong attacking position.
In a sense.
Black's position here.
White can play like this, but it seems as though, you know, black would actually be doing quite well
here.
This would be an even position at least.
So yes, that's Black's plans play for an E5 without punishment.
So why does Queen D to help at least try and prevent Black's plan?
Well, it's it's interesting here at the moment E5 is impossible because of the bishop will only free
Black actually plays Bishop D7 if Knight before we can actually stop E5 by playing D5 to use the facility.
So if E5 we can take on Parsons.
Bishop takes 95.
This position will be in White's favor.
There is a target on D six.
This is pretty comfortable looking and if Knight E for Knight takes E for F takes, this is too weak,
this pawn.
So D five that fails the C takes because of the pin, but otherwise we're just going to snap off the
E4 pawn here with Knight takes E4.
No problem.
So Bishop dd seven was played and we have rook F one and now Knight before if 94.
Here, let's have a look again.
Just check.
There is Bishop H six but we just play.
Bishop takes E for fancy very much.
If E five, D takes D takes, we can take on our fight, but even better we can play Bishop dd six Don't
allow any compensation for for winning the exchange with Bishop D six first weakening E five, then
take on our fate.
This is just crushing.
Knight takes E five, taking out black's e five pawn sends a pawn so Knight before is played and now
the bishop drops back.
So can black down to prevent can black dare to play e five Given White's preventive measures so E5 is
actually played, does Karpov have a punishment here?
Well, he plays a free so this is an interesting moment.
Black could use E takes DD four here, but this is unpleasant.
Slightly unpleasant after E for this position.
If we look at this one, it has a nice advantage overall.
So the night went back, not suspecting too much, perhaps.
Here.
Or maybe calculating a lot and not thinking it's a dangerous position, but it is a kind of dangerous
position with this x ray on the Queen.
So D takes five first D takes, and guess what Karpov plays here, which is an amazing move, which
does provide indeed a punishment for Black's E five treatment of possession.
So what do you think White plays here?
Yep, White plays might be five.
So trying to use this x ray facility will promote the x ray.
So see Texas is played.
If Quincy eight we can play Bishop takes e five hair and the thing is C takes C tanks.
So we're looking at the queen and let's say, well, it's very difficult if Queenie, we're just taking
the night.
If Queen D ain't, we're just going to take on e5c takes.
There's actually here a strong move in Bishop D five check.
And the point here would be, well, there's a couple of points if King H eight won't can take on B
seven winning a lot of pawns.
And for example, K seven taking on a six this position with huge pressure on D seven now here 96 and
once getting enough pawns and compensation generally if we look at C tanks B five here rook C five This
position overall is good for why it has so many pawns for the yeah, for Black's material.
The material balances in White's favor here.
So that's a kind of critical situation.
You know, it's difficult for black hair overall and the rooks are so active tying black up as well.
So so if I mean it's a fascinating position of Queen B eight.
We're just taking on E five, hitting the Queen 96.
No problem.
If Queen B six, we're taking on e5c takes.
There's Bishop takes F six her for taking on D seven.
This position, there's Queen takes B five thanks to the C pawn 9498, C seven might take 32.
This is just in White's favor.
White even takes out E five.
So black tries here.
C takes B five and sets a kind of trap.
Well, they use Bob thinks he's saying a trap.
C takes B 595, Bishop takes E five, and now I'm pinning with Queen B six, Bishop takes F six, which
seems to win material.
It seems to win the knight on C five.
So this may be as far as you have got if he did set a trap here.
So queenly five picking up the night.
But now what seems to be a trap.
Oh, there maybe some players would resign here.
They realize they've just been trapped.
So just to make this clearer, if Bishop e six, we're just taking on C five.
No problem.
So it looks as though complex in a total tactical trap here because of the queen takes DD seven doesn't,
which Karpov did play it?
Doesn't the Queen just get trapped?
Is this an odd moment?
So at the moment Karpov is two pawns up three, four, five, six, seven, two pawns up.
But Karpov is very resourceful tactically and may have seen this position undoubtedly.
In fact, I'd say 99% he saw this possession and there is a resource here.
Can you see what that is for?
200 points.
So the Queen is attacked, seems trapped.
What can we do?
Responding with threat.
We can try and create a threat of our own.
And the move is the beautiful tactical move of his rookie six.
So it's an interference of the queen from E six.
It's hitting the opponent's queen.
We have now Rook takes 37.
Yeah, If B takes six, Queen takes E six.
Check.
This position is very nice for white B, take C six.
There's a lot of pawns and say Queen C five White can even trade off Queen's.
And there's so many pawns here.
So even though the exchange, the pawns make the big difference.
So h for hair and white's got a big advantage.
If we look at this again with King H eight, there is 95 here in the case of King eight, 95 is kind
of lucrative for this knight of seven.
So queen takes p59, five, seven check and winning the exchange back and the queen holds be free.
This is very pleasant as well.
So that's a nice advantage there.
Yeah, it's it's fun stuff.
So we have rook tanks.
DD seven but this simplification is in Wayne's favor.
So 90 5b4, 86, 86, 94.
We have a friend.
Now, this makes the situation worse.
King of seven because it's going into potentially another tactic soon.
If rookie eight bishop won King G seven points Advantage is contained.
It's only a small edge, but here this is an inaccuracy.
We have H four, B eight, C one.
And now King is seven and now 94.
Actually, Franken's 96 check.
So we have King F seven, but now Bishop takes E for F takes some blacks pawns are quite weak.
Knight E six, Bishop de Knight G five check Bishop takes H.
So this rook and pawn ending is really under pressure for the black pawns.
So rook C4 King G seven King G two Rock f76h6g takes H six.
King takes B six.
Yes.
It's a lot of pressure.
Rook E five rook C seven.
Rook taking up.
B seven.
So black doubles, but the rook just drops back at B five and now rook d4 and this is the end of the
game.
Actually it moved 42 if rookie eights for example rook c4 rookie six white can play g four if G five
King G three this this is just a way of increasing the advantage.
So here after king of 7c7 check this is just variation so rook f h king g6b7.
And let's say this happens rookie eight and black would be paralyzed here in this room.
Pawn anything if rook takes B seven those rookie six Checkmate.
And if King have six, we can take on E four And this is just an absolutely winning rook and pawn ending.
So yeah, a fascinating game.
Absolutely fascinating game.
So the game and possession we've got the four and move 42.
So it's fascinating demonstration of playing to the nuances actually of the position here.
So Queen RD two is more nuanced than rookie one, so that would be a routine strategic pawn break but
it's it's queenly to that is preferred.
So for the tactical reasons yes the night before isn't just blunting the diagonal that a two is tying
down.
It's creating a penalty for the knight ever moving from C free.
So yes, it's it's a fascinating treatment.
The possession queen to a very high class waiting move in effect very patient waiting move and then
rock have one.
So both players are interested in moving their pawns, but here it's black that incurs a big penalty.
So Bishop B to facilitate kicking the knight back and this wonderful explosion of tactics, 95 what
an explosive tactical move which does tend to win overall more material in the end, more material and
strong position again.
So why is better mobilized at this point of the combination?
So intuitively, one might also think, well, White should be better off in the ensuing tactics here.
But yeah, absolutely Fascinating stuff.
Very nuanced play by Karpov.
I hope you enjoyed this.
Got some points from it and so much.