Anand defeats Karpov 3.5:0.5 in Corsica

11/2/2009 – Karpov is definitely not the player he once was. In the second half of his rapid chess match against Viswanathan Anand the former World Champion took a 0:2 beating. Surely this is due to lack of practice and modern training methods – a deficiency that can be remedied. We bring you the games and pictures from a chess event held in the birthplace of Napoléon Bonaparte.

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Anand vs Karpov – Match of World Champions

The World Champion Vishy Anand is playing a four-game rapid chess match against the legendary twelfth World Champion Anatoly Karpov, on the island of Corsica. The games take place in Bastia on October 31th, and then in Ajaccio on November 2nd. Time controls are 15 minutes for the whole game and 3 seconds increment per move. Live coverage is available on the official web site and on the Playchess server.

Corsica

Corsica, which the French call La Corse, is located west of Italy, southeast of the French mainland, and north of the island of Sardinia. It is famed as the birthplace of Napoléon Bonaparte.

The island was formed through volcanic eruption. It is the fourth largest in the Mediterranean Sea (after Sicily, Sardinia, and Cyprus, which lies south of Turkey, much further to the east).

Corsica is 183 kilometres long and 83 kilometres wide, with over 1000 kilometres of coastline. The two locations of the rapid chess match are marked in the map above: Bastia and Ajaccio.

A panorama of Corsica and Calvi, by Wolffy & Greudin

Anand vs Karpov – rounds three and four

The second day of the rapid chess match was quite grim for Anatoly Karpov. He lost the first game in thirty moves, and after putting up a token fight in the last game he was horribly mangled by Anand:

Karpov,Ana (2619) - Anand,V (2788) [E32]
Rapid Match Corsica FRA (4), 02.11.2009
1.d4 Nf6 2.c4 e6 3.Nc3 Bb4 4.Qc2 0-0 5.a3 Bxc3+ 6.Qxc3 d5 7.cxd5 Ne4 8.Qc2 exd5 9.Bf4 Nc6 10.e3 g5 11.Bg3 f5 12.0-0-0 f4 13.f3 Nd6 14.exf4 gxf4 15.Bf2 Bf5 16.Qc5 Ne7 17.Ne2 Bg6 18.Qc3 Qd7 19.g3 fxg3 20.Nxg3 Nb5 21.Qb3 a6 22.Rd2 Nc6 23.h4 Na5 24.Qb4 Qc6+ 25.Kd1 Nc4 26.Bxc4 dxc4 27.d5 Qf6

28.Qxc4? Qxf3+ 29.Kc1 Rf4 30.Qa2 Nd6 31.b3 Qc3+ 32.Kd1 Rxf2 0-1. [Click to replay all games]

"Karpov really does have to do at least some remedial work on his game if he is to play any more of these exhibitions," write Mark Crowther in TWIC. "At the moment they're close to being a waste of time." Europe Echecs tells us that the planned match Karpov vs Kasparov, which was scheduled for December 11 to 13 in Paris has been cancelled. But it may still be staged in connection with the Year of Russia in France, which begins in March 2010.

Actually we believe that Karpov's poor showing is due to a lack of practice and modern training methods, and that this can be remedied. Let us see what can be done in the coming weeks and months.


The audience in Ajaccio waiting for the rapid chess match to begin


A handshake before the start of the second round of games


The clock is started, Anand has white in game three


Karpov ponders before playing 6...c5

Results and standings

 
Rtng.
1
2
3
4
Tot.
Perf
 Viswanathan Anand
2788
1
½
1
1
3.5
 2957
 Anatoly Karpov
2619
0
½
0
0
0.5
 2450

Links

The games are being 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!

Karpov vs Kasparov 2009

Anand vs Karpov rapid chess match in Corsica
01.11.2009 – First there were 32-board simuls, against participants from the Corsica Masters. Reigning World Champion Anand won all his games, 12th World Champion Anatoly Karpov conceded one draw, against a 15-year-old. Then they faced each other in the first of four rapid chess games. Anand won one, the second was drawn. The next two are scheduled for November 2nd. Illustrated report.
 

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.

Valencia: Kasparov starts with 2-0 crunch
23.09.2009 – 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.

Valencia: Karpov wins game three, Kasparov wins the match 3-1
24.09.2009 – Day two of the commemorative rapid chess match saw Anatoly Karpov win a fine game against the man who dethroned him as World Champion 25 years ago. In the final game Garry Kasparov only needed a draw, but put on the pressure until Karpov crumbled and lost – again – on time. The final score of 3.0-1.0 is exactly what the ratings predicted. Illustrated report with videos.