40 years ago: Kasparov becomes World Champion

On 9 November 1985, almost exactly 40 years ago to the day, Garry Kasparov was finally able to celebrate becoming World Champion. He is the player who, without doubt, had to play the longest match to win the title from his predecessor Anatoly Karpov. No fewer than 72 competitive games were necessary to win the title, spread over two matches, the first of which was aborted because it seemed to have no end.

Kasparov, who was just 19 at the time, had won the Interzonal Tournament in September 1982 with a clear lead of 1.5 points ahead of Alexander Beliavsky, thus qualifying for the Candidates Tournament. In the quarter-finals in March 1983, Kasparov clearly defeated Beliavsky 6:3. But then he was not allowed to compete in the semi-final against Viktor Korchnoi because FIDE had moved the match to the USA, and after the NATO Double-Track Decision (armament with medium-range missiles) and the Soviet Union’s intervention in Afghanistan in December 1979, relations between the Soviet Union and the West, especially the USA, were at a low point.

Kasparov lost the Candidates semi-final without a fight, but his supporter Heydar Aliyev, first head of the KGB in Azerbaijan and later a member of the Politburo of the CPSU, ensured that the match could still take place. Kasparov defeated Korchnoi 7:4 and also won the Candidates Final against Vasily Smyslov 8.5:4.5. This made him the challenger.

In September 1984, the World Championship match between Anatoly Karpov and Garry Kasparov began. It was played in the prestigious Columned Hall of the Trade Union House in Moscow. The old rules from the Fischer era still applied: the winner would be the first player to achieve six victories. The outcome of the match was therefore still open.

The young Kasparov started energetically, but was given a bloody nose by the experienced Karpov. After nine games, Karpov was already leading 4:0. Kasparov then changed his match strategy and played a waiting game, beginning to copy Karpov’s openings. This was followed by a long series of draws. In the 27th game, Karpov scored again to make it 5:0. In the 32nd game, Kasparov achieved his first victory, but he was still far from turning the match around. Another long series of draws followed. Kasparov then won the 47th and 48th games.

In Moscow, people were not happy about the never-ending competition. The Columned Hall had been occupied for too long and was needed for other important events. Pressure grew behind the scenes. The match was moved to a hotel on the outskirts of the city, and FIDE President Florencio Campomanes was summoned from Dubai, where he had been conducting negotiations for the 1986 Chess Olympiad. Finally, on 8 February 1985, the match was aborted with the score at 5:3. Kasparov suspected a conspiracy because he had just won two games, and Karpov was also dissatisfied because he was still leading 5:3. One more win and he would have remained World Champion.

Crowds flock to the World Championship match in Moscow | Photo: Tass Archive via Douglas Griffin

Despite considerable resistance, the match was rescheduled and began with a score of 0:0. FIDE had now changed the rules. The new match was set for 24 games. The challenger had to have more points at the end. A draw was enough for the defending champion to retain his title. He also received the right to a rematch.

The second match between also took place in Moscow, this time at the Tchaikovsky Theatre. Kasparov had prepared with a number of different matches and events. He won a training match against Robert Hübner 4.5:1.5, played an exhibition match against 32 chess computers (32:0), but lost a handicap simul match against a team from the Hamburger SK 3.5:4.5. In Belgrade, Kasparov played another training match against Ulf Andersson, which he won 4:2.

The rematch against Anatoly Karpov began on 3 June. This time, Kasparov started with a win in the first game, but lost the fourth and fifth games and was again behind.

Photo: Kasparov.com

He equalised in the 11th game, took the lead in the 16th game, and increased his lead in the 19th game on 24 October. In the 22nd game, Karpov was able to reduce the deficit with a win. But on 9 November, Kasparov restored his old lead with a win in the 24th and final game and became the new World Champion, the 13th World Champion in the history of chess.

Kasparov receives flowers | Photo: Tass Archive via Douglas Griffin

Game 24

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