Valencia: Kasparov starts with 2:0 crunch

by ChessBase
9/23/2009 – Twenty-five years and still going strong: Garry Kasparov started his commemorative match against eternal rival Anatoly Karpov with two quick wins. The first game was over in 24 moves, when Karpov overstepped his time; and the second ended in 28 moves after a flashy kingside attack by Kasparov. The international press is reporting extensively, and we have some interesting video documents.

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Karpov vs Kasparov Rapid Chess & Blitz Match

The twelve-game match commemorates the 25th anniversary of the first Karpov vs Kasparov World Championship match in 1984-85, played in the Hall of Columns of the Trade Union House in Moscow. There will be twelve games, four in rapid chess, to be played on Tuesday and Wednesday, plus eight blitz games on Thursday. Each round starts at 19:00h CEST (= 21:00h Moscow, 18:00h London, 1 p.m. NY). Live coverage is planned on the official web site and on the Playchess server.


Twenty-five years on... the two world-famous opponents meet again in a match


The stage in the packed Palau de les Artes Reina Sofía in Valencia


In the background is the lone arbiter, Geurt Gijssen, watches over game one


Something we have sorely missed: Kasparov in serious OTB play


12th World Champion Anatoly Karpov in game one against his historical nemesis

Karpov,Ana (2619) - Kasparov,G (2812) [D72]
Match Valencia ESP (1), 22.09.2009
1.d4 Nf6 2.c4 g6 3.g3 Bg7 4.Bg2 d5 5.cxd5 Nxd5 6.e4 Nb6 7.Ne2 c5 8.d5 0-0 9.0-0 e6 10.Nbc3 Na6 11.h3 exd5 12.exd5 Nc4 13.b3 Nd6 14.Bf4 b6 15.Qd2 Bb7 16.Rad1 Nc7 17.g4 Qd7. Novelty by Kasparov. 18.a4 f5 19.g5 Rad8 20.Bg3

20...f4!? Hyper-aggressive play by Kasparov, who sees that his opponent is struggling with the clock. Karpov has to waste precious minutes deciding how to capture the pawn. 21.Nxf4 Nf5 22.Nb5 Nxb5 23.axb5 Nd4 24.Ne6

With his last move Karpov had overstepped the time. Kasparov will of course play 24.Ne6 Nxe6 25.dxe6 Qxd2 26.Rxd2 Rxd2 27.Bxb7, which leaves White an exchange down. With just a few seconds left on his clock Karpov was bound to lose the possibly defensible position. 0-1. [Click to replay]


The end of game one: Karpov has lost on time

Game two


The start of the second rapid chess game in Valencia


Garry Kasparov, now 46 years old, has apparently not lost any of his legendary skills


Anatoly Karpov, 58, has a tough time trying to keep up with his younger rival

Kasparov,G (2812) - Karpov,Ana (2619) [D31]
Match Valencia ESP (2), 22.09.2009
1.d4 d5 2.c4 e6 3.Nc3 Be7 4.cxd5 exd5 5.Bf4 c6 6.Qc2 Bd6 7.Bxd6 Qxd6 8.e3 Ne7 9.Bd3 Nd7 10.Nge2 h6 11.0-0 0-0 12.a3 a5 13.Rad1 b6 14.e4 dxe4 15.Nxe4 Qb8 16.N2c3 Ba6 17.Bxa6 Rxa6 18.d5 Nxd5 19.Nxd5 cxd5 20.Rxd5 Ra7 21.Qd2. Karpov is under considerably pressure, and now he crumbles: 21...Nc5? Missing a deadly tactical shot:

22.Nf6+! Kasparov misses nothing. 22...gxf6 23.Qxh6 f5 24.Qg5+ Kh8 25.Qf6+ Kg8 26.Rxf5 Ne4 27.Qh4 Re8 28.Rh5 f5 1-0. [Click to replay]

Results and standings

 Rapid Chess
Rtng.
1
2
3
4
Tot.
Perf
 Anatoly Karpov
2619
0
0
   
0.0
 
 Garry Kasparov
2812
1
1
   
2.0
 

Photos by Nadja Woisin for ChessBase

Channel 4 News reports


Report on the Valencia match


Jon Snow speaks to GM Ray Keene


Historical report on the World Championship 1986 in London


A second nostalgic report on the 1986 match

Links

The games will be broadcast live on the official web site and on the chess server Playchess.com. If you are not a member you can download the free PGN reader ChessBase Light, which gives you immediate access. You can also use the program to read, replay and analyse PGN games. New and enhanced: CB Light 2009!

Previous articles

Karpov-Kasparov: Grudge Match in Valencia
30.08.2009 – They played each other in five big World Championship matches, most famously in 1984, when their first encounter was abandoned after 48 games without a final decision. Now to mark the 25th anniversary Garry Kasparov and Anatoly Karpov will play a 12-game match – four rapid and eight blitz games – from 21 to 24 September, 2009, in Valencia, Spain. Details and statistics.

Karpov-Kasparov: Match start in Valencia today
22.09.2009 – Exactly 25 years after their first encounter – the World Championship match in Moscow – the perennial opponents Anatoly Karpov and Garry Kasparov are playing a twelve-game rapid and blitz match in the Spanish city of Valencia. The rounds start on Tuesday at 19:00h CEST (21:00h Moscow, 1 p.m. NY), with two days of rapid games and one for blitz. Watch it on Playchess.

Additional links

The international media is giving this event unpresidented coverage. We have seen clips in the news of most major TV networks, and the broadsheets are reporting enthusiastically as well. Kasparov and Karpov remain a hot brand in chess today.


Reports about chess: tournaments, championships, portraits, interviews, World Championships, product launches and more.

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