World Chess Championship 1990

World Chess Championship 1990

	Defending champion	Challenger
	[a] Garry Kasparov	Anatoly Karpov
	12½ Scores 11½ Game 1 ½ 30 move draw ½ Game 2 1 ← 44 moves 0 Game 3 ½ 53 move draw ½ Game 4 ½ 41 move draw ½ Game 5 ½ 36 move draw ½ Game 6 ½ 42 move draw ½ Game 7 0 44 moves → 1 Game 8 ½ 84 move draw ½ Game 9 ½ 34 move draw ½ Game 10 ½ 18 move draw ½ Game 11 ½ 24 move draw ½ Game 12 ½ 37 move draw ½ Game 13 ½ 42 move draw ½ Game 14 ½ 41 move draw ½ Game 15 ½ 33 move draw ½ Game 16 1 ← 102 moves 0 Game 17 0 40 moves → 1 Game 18 1 ← 57 moves 0 Game 19 ½ 39 move draw ½ Game 20 1 ← 41 moves 0 Game 21 ½ 86 move draw ½ Game 22 ½ 43 move draw ½ Game 23 0 29 moves → 1 Game 24 ½ 36 move draw ½
	Born 13 April 1963 27 years old	Born 23 May 1951 39 years old
	Winner of the 1987 World Chess Championship	Winner of the Candidates Tournament
	Rating: 2800 (World No. 1)	Rating: 2730 (World No. 2)

The World Chess Championship 1990 was played between Garry Kasparov and Anatoly Karpov. It was the fifth and final Kasparov–Karpov championship match, and saw Kasparov win by a single point. The first twelve games were played in New York City from 8 October to 7 November and the other half was played in Lyon from 26 November to 30 December.

The players for the candidates tournament (the tournament to decide who will challenge the world championship) were selected as the top three winners of three interzonals, which were held in Subotica, Serbia, Szirák, Hungary and Zagreb, Croatia, respectively. The remaining players were the four runners up to the previous candidates tournament, a wild card (Kevin Spraggett), and Karpov, who qualified automatically by dint of having been the challenger for the previous world championship.

Three Interzonals were held in the summer of 1987, with 16 to 18 players playing in each and the top three scorers from each qualifying for the candidates tournament, in turn the winner of which would challenge the world championship.^[1]

June–July 1987 Interzonal, Subotica

		Rating	1	2	3	4	5	6	7	8	9	10	11	12	13	14	15	16	Total	Tie break
1	Gyula Sax (Hungary)	2570	-	1	½	½	½	1	1	½	½	0	1	½	1	½	1	1	10½	74.25
2	Nigel Short (England)	2615	0	-	½	½	1	1	½	1	½	1	½	1	½	1	½	1	10½	73.00
3	Jon Speelman (England)	2550	½	½	-	0	1	½	½	½	1	½	1	1	½	1	1	1	10½	70.75
4	Mikhail Tal (Soviet Union)	2605	½	½	1	-	½	½	1	½	½	½	1	1	½	1	0	1	10	72.50
5	Zoltán Ribli (Hungary)	2580	½	0	0	½	-	½	½	½	1	½	1	1	1	1	1	1	10	63.25
6	Amador Rodríguez Céspedes (Cuba)	2495	0	0	½	½	½	-	½	½	½	1	0	1	½	1	1	1	8½
7	Slavoljub Marjanović (Yugoslavia)	2505	0	½	½	0	½	½	-	½	0	½	1	1	½	½	1	1	8
8	Vasily Smyslov (Soviet Union)	2550	½	0	½	½	½	½	½	-	½	0	0	1	1	½	1	½	7½	52.00
9	Alexander Chernin (Soviet Union)	2570	½	½	0	½	0	½	1	½	-	1	0	0	1	0	1	1	7½	51.00
10	Petar Popović (Yugoslavia)	2540	1	0	½	½	½	0	½	1	0	-	1	0	0	½	½	1	7
11	Alonso Zapata (Colombia)	2505	0	½	0	0	0	1	0	1	1	0	-	½	0	1	½	1	6½
12	Thomas Ernst (Sweden)	2465	½	0	0	0	0	0	0	0	1	1	½	-	1	1	1	0	6
13	Lev Alburt (United States)	2575	0	½	½	½	0	½	½	0	0	1	1	0	-	½	0	½	5½
14	Xu Jun (China)	2495	½	0	0	0	0	0	½	½	1	½	0	0	½	-	1	½	5
15	Devaki Prasad (India)	2425	0	½	0	1	0	0	0	0	0	½	½	0	1	0	-	½	4
16	Ahmed Ibrahim Hamed (Egypt)	2310	0	0	0	0	0	0	0	½	0	0	0	1	½	½	½	-	3

In the first tournament in Subotica, Sax, Short, and Speelman qualified. Lubomir Kavalek withdrew after six rounds; his results are not included in the totals for the other players. Robert Hübner was invited, but declined to participate. As a result, Ribli had a free day during the last round. To show his displeasure, he refused to take part in a playoff against Tal, which could have been important, if a reserve spot had opened up in the Candidates Tournament.

July–August 1987 Interzonal, Szirak

		Rating	1	2	3	4	5	6	7	8	9	10	11	12	13	14	15	16	17	18	Total	Tie break
1	Valery Salov (Soviet Union)	2575	-	½	½	½	1	1	½	1	½	0	½	1	1	½	1	1	1	1	12½	97.25
2	Jóhann Hjartarson (Iceland)	2550	½	-	½	½	½	½	1	1	½	1	1	½	0	1	1	1	1	1	12½	96.50
3	Lajos Portisch (Hungary)	2615	½	½	-	½	1	½	0	1	1	1	1	1	1	1	½	½	½	½	12	98.50
4	John Nunn (England)	2585	½	½	½	-	½	0	1	½	1	1	1	1	½	1	0	1	1	1	12	92.50
5	Alexander Beliavsky (Soviet Union)	2630	0	½	0	½	-	½	½	½	½	1	½	1	½	1	1	1	1	1	11
6	Ulf Andersson (Sweden)	2600	0	½	½	1	½	-	½	1	½	½	½	½	1	1	½	½	½	1	10½
7	Ljubomir Ljubojević (Yugoslavia)	2625	½	0	1	0	½	½	-	½	½	½	1	½	½	1	1	½	½	1	10
8	Larry Christiansen (United States)	2575	0	0	0	½	½	0	½	-	½	1	½	1	1	0	1	½	1	1	9
9	Joel Benjamin (United States)	2575	½	½	0	0	½	½	½	½	-	0	½	½	1	0	½	1	1	1	8½	61.75
10	Miodrag Todorcevic (Yugoslavia)	2475	1	0	0	0	0	½	½	0	1	-	1	0	½	0	1	1	1	1	8½	59.75
11	Mihail Marin (Romania)	2475	½	0	0	0	½	½	0	½	½	0	-	1	½	½	1	½	½	1	7½	52.75
12	Dragoljub Velimirović (Yugoslavia)	2520	0	½	0	0	0	½	½	0	½	1	0	-	1	½	1	0	1	1	7½	51.75
13	András Adorján (Hungary)	2540	0	1	0	½	½	0	½	0	0	½	½	0	-	1	½	½	1	½	7	55.00
14	Gilberto Milos (Brazil)	2495	½	0	0	0	0	0	0	1	1	1	½	½	0	-	½	1	0	1	7	49.75
15	Glenn Flear (England)	2480	0	0	½	1	0	½	0	0	½	0	0	0	½	½	-	½	1	1	6
16	Jesús de la Villa (Spain)	2485	0	0	½	0	0	½	½	½	0	0	½	1	½	0	½	-	0	1	5½
17	Slim Bouaziz (Tunisia)	2370	0	0	½	0	0	½	½	0	0	0	½	0	0	1	0	1	-	½	4½
18	Denis Allan (Canada)	2310	0	0	½	0	0	0	0	0	0	0	0	0	½	0	0	0	½	-	1½

In the Szirák tournament, Valery Salov and Jóhann Hjartarson finished at the top of the table, while Lajos Portisch and John Nunn tied for third. The last place in the Candidates Tournament was decided in a separate playoff in Budapest, with Portisch defeating Nunn 4–2.

August 1987 Interzonal, Zagreb

		Rating	1	2	3	4	5	6	7	8	9	10	11	12	13	14	15	16	17	Total	Tie break
1	Viktor Korchnoi (Switzerland)	2630	-	½	1	0	½	½	0	1	1	1	1	1	½	½	1	½	1	11
2	Jaan Ehlvest (Soviet Union)	2540	½	-	½	½	1	1	0	½	1	0	½	1	1	1	1	½	0	10	80.75
3	Yasser Seirawan (United States)	2600	0	½	-	1	½	½	1	0	0	1	1	1	½	0	1	1	1	10	73.50
4	Jesús Nogueiras (Cuba)	2555	1	½	0	-	1	½	½	½	½	½	½	0	½	½	1	1	1	9½	71.00
5	Predrag Nikolić (Yugoslavia)	2620	½	0	½	0	-	½	0	½	1	½	1	½	1	1	½	1	1	9½	67.50
6	Julio Granda (Peru)	2525	½	0	½	½	½	-	½	½	½	½	½	0	1	1	1	1	1	9½	67.50
7	Eugenio Torre (Philippines)	2540	1	1	0	½	1	½	-	½	0	1	½	½	0	0	1	½	1	9
8	Lev Polugaevsky (Soviet Union)	2595	0	½	1	½	½	½	½	-	½	½	1	½	½	½	0	½	1	8½	65.25
9	Vereslav Eingorn (Soviet Union)	2575	0	0	1	½	0	½	1	½	-	½	0	1	1	½	0	1	1	8½	61.25
10	Yehuda Gruenfeld (Israel)	2545	0	1	0	½	½	½	0	½	½	-	0	1	½	½	1	1	1	8½	59.50
11	József Pintér (Hungary)	2575	0	½	0	½	0	½	½	0	1	1	-	1	0	½	1	1	1	8½	59.25
12	Krunoslav Hulak (Yugoslavia)	2495	0	0	0	1	½	1	½	½	0	0	0	-	½	1	½	1	1	7½
13	Ventzislav Inkiov (Bulgaria)	2485	½	0	½	½	0	0	1	½	0	½	1	½	-	½	½	½	½	7
14	Tony Miles (England)	2585	½	0	1	½	0	0	1	½	½	½	½	0	½	-	0	0	1	6½
15	Dragan Barlov (Yugoslavia)	2555	0	0	0	0	½	0	0	1	1	0	0	½	½	1	-	½	1	6
16	Jörg Hickl (West Germany)	2455	½	½	0	0	0	0	½	½	0	0	0	0	½	1	½	-	1	5
17	Fletcher Baragar (Canada)	2320	0	1	0	0	0	0	0	0	0	0	0	0	½	0	0	0	-	1½

Viktor Korchnoi emerged as winner of the last tournament in Zagreb, ahead of Jaan Ehlvest and Yasser Seirawan. In an extra playoff in Havana in November, Nikolić took the place as reserve for the Candidates Tournament with 6 points, ahead of Granda (4) and Nogueiras (2). No reserve was needed, however.

In addition to nine players from the Interzonals, the top four of the previous Candidates Tournament (Sokolov, Timman, Vaganian, and Yusupov) qualified directly for this tournament. The Canadian organizers of the preliminary matches (which were held in Saint John, New Brunswick) nominated one player, (Spraggett). Finally, Karpov, the challenger in the previous cycle, was seeded into the quarterfinals.

Preliminary matches Saint John, Jan–Feb 1988

Quarterfinals Antwerp, London, Quebec, and Seattle, Aug 1988 – Feb 1989

Semifinals London, Oct 1989

Final Kuala Lumpur, Mar 1990

Lajos Portisch

3½

Rafael Vaganian

2½

Lajos Portisch

2½

Jan Timman

3½

Valery Salov

2½

Jan Timman

3½

Jan Timman

4½

Jon Speelman

3½

Jon Speelman

4

Yasser Seirawan

1

Jon Speelman

3½

Nigel Short

1½

Nigel Short

3½

Gyula Sax

1½

Jan Timman

2½

Anatoly Karpov

6½

Artur Yusupov

3½

Jaan Ehlvest

1½

Artur Yusupov

5

Kevin Spraggett

4

Kevin Spraggett

6½

Andrei Sokolov

5½

Artur Yusupov

3½

Anatoly Karpov

4½

Jóhann Hjartarson

4½

Viktor Korchnoi

3½

Jóhann Hjartarson

1½

Anatoly Karpov

3½

Karpov won, once again facing Kasparov for the fifth and final time in seven years. Karpov later alleged that a Dutch sponsor had offered to pay him to lose the match against Timman.^[2]

The first twelve games were played in New York City (8 October – 7 November), the other twelve taking place in Lyon, France (26 November – 30 December).^[3] Kasparov was considered the favourite to win the match, having defeated Karpov in the previous three world championships, and had reached 2800 Elo. Because of this, Karpov suggested an alteration to the rules before the match;

since the results of their last two matches had been so close… why not continue to play in the coming match as if they were locked in a 12-12 tie? The first to win a game would be the champion.

Kasparov declined this alteration.^[4]

World Chess Championship Match 1990

	Rating	1	2	3	4	5	6	7	8	9	10	11	12	13	14	15	16	17	18	19	20	21	22	23	24	Total
Anatoly Karpov (Soviet Union)	2730	½	0	½	½	½	½	1	½	½	½	½	½	½	½	½	0	1	0	½	0	½	½	1	½	11½
Garry Kasparov (Russia)[a]	2800	½	1	½	½	½	½	0	½	½	½	½	½	½	½	½	1	0	1	½	1	½	½	0	½	12½

Kasparov won the match and retained his title.

Although still a Soviet citizen, Kasparov refused to play the Championship match under the flag of the USSR. Instead, he wanted to use the Russian flag (not the flag of the RSFSR, but the old tri-color) which, incidentally, would be re-adopted after the collapse of the Soviet Union a year later. Kasparov was indeed allowed to play with a small Russian tri-color at the table.^[5]

Karpov-Kasparov, game 1

	a	b	c	d	e	f	g	h
8									8
7									7
6									6
5									5
4									4
3									3
2									2
1									1
	a	b	c	d	e	f	g	h

Position after 21.. axb5. Here the critical idea for Karpov was 22. b3!, which forces the knight to retreat to d6, but he instead played Rxa8.

The players played a highly theoretical opening, with 6. Be3 c6, known as the Byrne variation.^[6] Neither player was able to seize a convincing advantage. Several contemporary analysts, including chess computer Deep Thought, believed Karpov could've played for a small advantage with 22. b3, though he broke the tension instead by playing 22. Rxa6. After 30.. Ba2, Kasparov offered a draw, which Karpov accepted. They each had ten more moves to make before the time increase; Karpov had 7 minutes left and Kasparov had 15.

Kasparov-Karpov, game 2

	a	b	c	d	e	f	g	h
8									8
7									7
6									6
5									5
4									4
3									3
2									2
1									1
	a	b	c	d	e	f	g	h

Position after 24.. Ng8. This led to 25. Bxh6 Bxh6 26. Nxh6 Nxh6 27. Nxd6, forking the queen and rook. 25. Bxh6 Be7 would have still left Kasparov with an advantage, as he has a strong attack on the weakened black king.

Karpov played 9.. Bb7 in this game, which he had used to defeat Timman in the candidates final. However, he made an inaccuracy with 24.. Ng8. This allowed for an exchange on the h6 square, leading to the diversion of the bishop from the protection of d6, and Kasparov was able to fork the queen and rook. 22.. Kh7 surprised contemporary commentators, a move which Karpov spent 10 minutes thinking of. Many expected a queen retreat.

Instead of 15. O-O, Karpov could've been more active, with b4 or Ng5.

This would be Kasparov and Karpov's last match against each other. Kasparov said of the match:

"Before the match I was planning a blitzkrieg and I predicted that Karpov would be crushed, but our fifth battle for the crown, as usual, turned into a hard fight and lasted the full 24 games. I would explain this by inadequacy of my preparation, including the phsical aspect. I simply lacked the nervous energy for carrying out of a blitzkrieg. […] Indeed, my play way too uneven, ubnalanced, and at times obviously poor. In a good half dozen games I missed a certain win, suddenly losing energy at decisive moments, and all three of my defeats were the result of blunders and inexplicable mental black-outs. […] Today, nearly twenty years later, after soberly assesing the unprecedented complexity and drama of the situation prior to the match, I wonder by what miracle my team nevertheless managed to cope with the challenges of those turbulent times. Despite all the difficulties and extreme fatigue, I was sustained by confidence in my playing superiority over the opponent (as in the 1986 match, not once was he able to take the lead). The fifth match was destined to become the last one in my lengthy battle with Karpov for the chess crown, although at the start of 1991, this was far from obvious.”

Kasparov, Garry 2010. Garry Kasparov on Modern Chess, Part 4: Kasparov v Karpov 1988–2009. London: Everyman Chess.

• Game-by-game summary
• Candidates matches
• Interzonals: Subotica, Szirak, Zagreb