Kortschnoi was one of the best players in chess history, and he was feared, respected and admired for his fighting spirit and pugnacious nature, but in the game against Caruana he was nevertheless a clear underdog. After all, Caruana was already one of the world's best players at the time, and had almost 200 Elo points more than Kortschnoi. Moreover, he had won all three previous encounters between the two.
Kortschnoi at the Hoogovens Tournament 1985 | Photo: Rob Croes / Anefo
The last time the two had played each other was at the Chess Olympiad in Dresden in 2008 in the match between Switzerland and Italy, and in that game Kortschnoi had suffered a crushing defeat with Black.
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1.e4 e5 2.Nf3 Nc6 3.Bb5 a6 4.Ba4 Nf6 5.d3 b5 6.Bb3 Be7 7.0-0 d6 8.a4 Bg4 9.c3 Na5 10.Bc2 b4 11.d4 c5 12.cxb4 cxb4 13.Nbd2 Nd7 14.h3 Bh5 15.Nb3 Rc8 16.Nxa5 Qxa5 17.Bb3 Nf6 18.Re1 Bxf3 19.Qxf3 exd4 20.Bf4 Nd7 21.Qg4 g5 22.e5 Kd8 23.exd6 Bf6 24.Bg3 h5 25.Qe4 Be5 26.Bxe5 Re8 27.Qf5 Nxe5 28.d7 1–0
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| Caruana,F | 2640 | Kortschnoj,V | 2584 | 1–0 | 2008 | C84 | Olympiad-38 | 4 |
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More than two years had passed since then, and Caruana had become even better, while Korchnoi had to pay tribute to age. Korchnoi would celebrate his 80th birthday on March 23, 2011, whereas Caruana, born on July 30, 1992, was still a year and a half away from his 20th birthday, an age difference that prompted Dylan Loeb McClain to remark in the New York Times that Kortschnoi "probably owned socks older than Caruana".
But none of that seemed to matter in their game in Gibraltar. Kortschnoi played with Black, and with – there's no other way to put it – youthful vigour he seized the initiative soon after the opening, and built up a strong attack which gained him material, which he converted without much trouble.
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1.e4 e5 2.Nf3 Nc6 3.Bb5 a6 4.Ba4 Nf6 5.d3 d6 6.c3 Be7 7.0-0 0-0 8.Re1 Nd7 9.Be3 Nb6 10.Bb3 Kh8 11.Nbd2 f5 12.Bxb6 cxb6 13.Bd5 13.h3 fxe4 14.dxe4 b5 13...g5!? 14.h3 g4 15.hxg4 fxg4 16.Nh2 Bg5 17.Nc4 b5 18.Ne3 Bxe3 19.Rxe3 Qf6 20.Qe1 Ne7 21.f3 Nxd5 22.exd5 Rg8 23.Qg3 gxf3 24.Qxf3 Bf5! 25.Rf1 Rg5 26.Kh1 Qh6 27.Rf2 Rag8 28.Re1 Qg6 29.Re3 Bxd3! 30.Kg1 30.Rxd3 e4 30...e4 31.Qh3 Rxd5 32.Qd7 Rg5 33.g4 Qh6 34.Rf7 R5g7 34...Rh5 35.Rxg7 Rxg7 36.Qd8+ Rg8 37.Qb6 Qf6 38.Qxb7 Rf8 39.Qa7 b4 40.Rh3 Qg7 41.Qe3 bxc3 42.bxc3 Qxc3 43.Rh5 d5 44.g5 Qa1+ 45.Kg2 Bf1+ 46.Kg3 Qe5+ 0–1 - Start an analysis engine:
- Try maximizing the board:
- Use the four cursor keys to replay the game. Make moves to analyse yourself.
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- Drag the split bars between window panes.
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| Caruana,F | 2721 | Kortschnoj,V | 2544 | 0–1 | 2011 | C84 | Gibraltar Masters 9th | 2 |
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An impressive win by the almost 80-year-old, and a vivid illustration of the Kortschnoi's energy and his enthusiasm for the game.
Victor Kortchnoi, two-times contender for the world championship, is a piece of living chess history. He is known as one of the greatest fighters in the history of chess. On this DVD he speaks about his life and shows his game.
Volume 2 of the memories of Viktor Kortchnoi features about four hours of Kortchnoi live. He speaks about his life and shows his game - and in every minute you see and feel his enormous passion for chess.
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