Hi there.
In this lecture, we see Jan Timman against Anatoly Karpov in 1979 Montreal tournament, round 11 C
four from Timman.
We have Karpov playing nine of 698599399c6e3 And now Karpov is careful here in the opening he plays
Bishop E seven.
If Bishop C five this is actually falling into a trap.
Can you see what white can play with a big opening advantage?
Yeah.
For ten points one can play night takes E five here.
This is not to be recommended.
Losing the dance choir, Bishop.
So, for example, once White wins the dance choir, Bishop, be free.
And disposition is just going to be super comfortable for white with the bishop power.
So OC Cop Off plays Bishop e seven.
We have D four, e takes D for now.
It takes the four.
So White is getting a semi-open D file.
Sure.
If E takes d four instead, then d five.
This looks as though cop off might get a nice late queen's pawn situation like this, which should be
only a small edge for white overall.
So nine takes D four though is different and white is borrowing from the king side.
This could be you know, it's usually usually a defense of nine for h two.
So that soft spot is soft usual.
But we're talking Karpov here is not going to be that interested, surely in soft spots around the king.
He's a positional player, right?
Let's see what happened in this game.
Karpov Castled We have notes 8c6 and also Karpov is playing with a dynamic structure now.
B Take C six if D take C six.
This is actually plausible and say Quincy to queenly six, E four, Bishop e six.
This should be about even, but B tank C six is played.
We have Bishop E two, D five white castles.
So with that H two soft spot, now that there's no defensive knight on F three, we see Bishop DD six
and now be free.
The pawn cannot be taken on D five because of the little trick nine takes Queen takes we have Bishop
takes H to check and then picking up the queen.
So King takes queen takes D five.
No backfire here This is just winning the queen.
So be free is played.
We have Queen seven And now you might wonder in this position, what about C takes here?
Well, there's an unprotected piece, so guess what we play.
Yeah.
Ten points, Queenie.
Five.
We'll play Queen E five here.
We're hitting H two.
That is undefended.
There's no knight, and we're hitting C three.
So that's just winning material.
There's no backfire.
Just to take this a bit further, Queen retracts that without any problem, retracts back into territory.
So Bishop B2 and now D takes C four.
So this does seem to amplify the double pawns.
But chess isn't just about pawn structure, so these are really isolated more now.
B text is actually a mistake leaving an unprotected piece liability.
He might think it's that really important.
It is more important because of the H to downside as well.
When these downsides mix together, they're not nice.
If Bishop takes C4 instead, this would have been more solid and say Queen E, five, G free, Bishop
G four Bishop E to Queen H five.
And let's say H for this position is going to be about even, but with B take C for different story
Rugby eight and this is very problematic for white already one has to awkwardly move the Queen.
So un strengthening weakening this diagonal.
So why is that?
That's kind of weakness of the last move.
Why is that?
Why not rook B one Can you see what black would play here if rook B One for ten points?
Yeah, we can play rook tanks B two here, weakening C three making an unprotected piece, then Queen
E five.
So yes, we're mixing down sides together of the opponent's position to be winning here.
So Queen C one and now that diagonal has been weakened.
So there's a weakness of the last move.
Neglecting G for copper plays, nine G for going for H two directly.
So creating more weaknesses with G three if Bishop takes g four this is actually rather nice for black
black and either just play Bishop DD seven and this situation as example is kind of nice.
So if we turn to this G seven issue and play like this, we've got the bishop here and this is looking
like a very nice position.
Overall, Black is in the driving seat.
Also, there's a more adventurous bishop takes H three more speculative but this requires.
Yeah, a bit of risk you know because we're not brilliant calculators like computers.
But it turns out even this scenario here, you know, why is it white just to piece up, you might ask.
Let's have a look for a little bit deeper Bishop e five and let's say E four and let's say this situation,
White's position isn't quite right.
Bishop takes C free, losing another pawn Queen F5, and all of a sudden you can see that the rooks
blasting down the center are actually quite fun.
You know if rook a one taking another pawn and this position we've got loads of pawns now for the bishop
and the king's kind of exposed.
Overall, Black has a small edge here.
It's difficult for white to play this, but yeah, that's more speculative.
Just simply Bishop D7 is going to be nice.
Yeah, as mentioned.
So these bishops, the bishop can come to this diagonal that is pleasant enough soon.
So oc g free though is in inaccuracy.
We have rookie 89d1.
And now they'd make out.
I'll take over Karpov's brain or take over the position.
So here, black to play.
What would you play in this position as a positional player?
That's not a trick question.
Or is it?
Copperplate nine takes H two.
Fascinating.
So here.
See five was played.
If King takes H to Queen H for check King, G2.
We have Queen H three, Czech, King G one.
And this is brutal.
We just go for it.
Bishop takes G three so F takes to defend against Queen H to make queen takes G free check and we can
try and lawn mower make the opponent's lawnmower mate pattern.
And this is overloaded for white rook for Bishop H three fattening mate on G to look at all of these
pieces over here.
This is ridiculous.
Positional player or not positional player, ultra positional player or not.
We're going to just chat make the king here to terminate things.
Bishop takes f one threatening mate again and if rook takes then we get our lawnmower pattern mate.
If Queen D two we're just going to play rookie sex to try and get lawnmower mate again.
And this will be desperate for white to do Rook takes F six rook takes off six Queen H four check Queen
takes F six.
And this is just great for us.
We've won a lot of pawns there.
We're free pawns up here and we're looking at a one here.
This is very unpleasant.
So okay for white.
So C five is tried
now.
We have note takes F one, C takes these six.
So do we do an auto recapture here or is there something else?
So for 500 points now, that's too many actually.
For 100 points, what would you play in this position?
Because I have given you a clue it might not be an auto recapture.
So blacks play in this position.
What would you play?
Okay.
Nine times.
Jeffrey.
Yeah.
Letting our queen be taken if we play.
See Tasty six.
Bishop takes F one
and.
This position.
Is going to be about even.
We've got two rooks in the bishop against Rook and like three minor pieces.
It's about even.
But with 96 G free, this is problematic.
It's really weakening once King.
So first things first.
Let's have a look at D takes E seven.
Here we play nine takes E to check and then take C one and yeah, we're the exchange up here.
We're also free pawns up.
We should mention that as well.
So f takes g free we have now Queen takes DD six.
So the king has been significantly weakened here.
King Up to now.
Queen H six So there's ideas of Queen H two.
We have Bishop DD four.
And Queen H two checkers played King one.
So yet another one bites the dust.
So four pawns up Queen G two.
This is a lot of fun.
Like V two, Bishop a six.
Putting pressure on E to like d free shouting e two.
But now Bishop takes the free king takes the free now Rook BD eight This looks as though horrible things
are happening because horrible things are happening.
Bishop f one Queenie four Checking C three and now C five.
So, Bishop, take C five.
Yeah, This is all pretty hopeless.
Queen C six Nasty pen can be free.
Wrote B eight Check King a free rook.
E five.
So trying to kind of make the king over here.
Bishop b4 we have Queen B sex and the game actually ended here.
If Queen C four then rook takes EA free check as example king A for a five is strong in this situation.
If Bishop takes a five.
Can you see how black and finish off here?
There's neat tricks.
Yeah.
Rook, a free Czech king, takes a very queen, Takes a five check.
Queen for queen.
Five check queen before queen takes before is checkmate.
So lets say bishops see free hair, Queen rd Sex with a nasty idea, a nasty move coming up, Queen
rd seven.
So as example Bishop D free because if rook see one let's put this on the board queenly seven check
King takes a five rook eight King before queen a full check Kings five Queen 87 check King before queen
A free check King B five.
This is just forcing checkmate like this with queen these six being checkmate.
So say Bishop dd free.
That's just desperate.
Yeah.
So we're material up here.
Now exchange up and then we're just taking out C free because this position rook before check.
And here, if King takes a five queen bee six is mate.
And if king a free rook, be one check discovered chat and we're picking up the rook.
Yeah.
No, it was a really brutal game.
So why have I shown you this game in a positional course?
Well, I want to show you the full context of classic positional players, including Karpov.
And I want to show you sometimes some other facets of their play so we don't get the wrong idea that
Karpov always plays positionally.
Now, if you want a fuller investigation of attacking chess, please check out my complete guide to
attacking chess.
But yeah, this is a really exceptional and highly celebrated Karpov attacking game.
It will be pretty sad.
Not to mention this game.
It shows given the requirements of the position he will put on the attacking hat when there's very little
risk to the attack.
When it's well calculated, he establishes there's very little risk he will go for the attack.
So remember that Steinitz introduced the more scientific era of chess because he had noticed that in
the romantic era the attacks were hit and miss.
Like, did they succeed or not?
They were kind of hit and miss.
So the whole notion of positional play to accumulate advantages first made sure that there was much
more likelihood of attack succeeding.
But in this case, because of the opening by why neglecting the kingside, there's a very good chance
of the black attack succeeding if it's well calculated.
And the king's going from one side of the board to the other, you know, we got loads of pawns.
It looks like a good probability for the attack succeeding.
So yes, just remember that sometimes positional play that much isn't needed If the opponent's really
weakening their king from the opening, we can go for it.
Okay.
I hope you enjoyed this game as much as me and so much.