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Anatoly Karpov vs Wolfgang Unzicker
"Squeeze Play" (game of the day May-23-2012)
Nice Olympiad Final-A (1974), Nice FRA, rd 4, Jun-18
Spanish Game: Closed Variations. Chigorin Defense (C98)  ·  1-0

ANALYSIS [x]

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Kibitzer's Corner
< Earlier Kibitzing  · PAGE 6 OF 6 ·  Later Kibitzing>
Mar-30-14  Conrad93: I am asking.
Mar-30-14  john barleycorn: < Conrad93: I am asking.>

That is a new side. However, I would say Rubinstein in 1907 is the first example that I know of.

O Bernstein vs Rubinstein, 1907

Aug-24-14  Ivan7100: Impressive technique by Karpov
Oct-05-14  tranquilsimplicity: Trademark Karpov; serpentine, irresistible strangling!#
Oct-17-14  SpiritedReposte: Could Black have any less counter play dang Karpov was good.
Oct-26-14  tranquilsimplicity: <Spirited Riposte> No! Counterplay for Black was permanently inhibited. Dang..Karpov was good. Indeed my friend, indeed.#
Nov-06-14  copablanco: It's the same overall strategy used by Fischer playing white against Oscar Panno : Close the centre, control, and secure the queen side, attack the king flank. Done deal as white stands "reptilian like" better in these types of closed positions. Instructive, however is Karpov's gaining control of the open "a" file.
Nov-06-14  MarkFinan: This is why I could never really get into Karpov's games. Over 40 moves and still 30 pieces on the board! Maybe it's because it's beyond my level of comprehension, which it kinda is, but mainly because I find positional chess too boring. Thank god for Tal, Fischer and Kasparov... and all those late nineteenth century/ early twentieth century players.
Dec-21-14  JosepCmd: Karpov's signature!
Jan-25-15  Poisonpawns: Absolutely Incredible.
May-01-16  Dionysius1: Karpov's 24 Ba7 is so cheeky - so he can double his rooks in peace - is so cheeky I laughed out loud when I saw it!
May-01-16  Dionysius1: And then he just leaves it there blocking Black's rook for the rest of the game. In effect, he's winning a rook for a bishop. What a mind!
May-01-16  AlicesKnight: Compare Burn-Forgacs, Ostend, 1906 - the paralysis of Black's bishops, among other things, compares with this Karpov genius strangulation.
May-01-16  Dionysius1: Yes, that's lovely, but almost showy in comparison. And I suspect it's more that in the Burn game 7. Ne4 is a bad move (though who would have known?)

Dion

Feb-01-17  maelith: 27.Ba7 is a stroke of a chess genius.
Feb-01-17  ChessHigherCat: Public opinion appears somewhat divided:
<FlintEastwood: That game is the embodiment of Karpovian style! Pure torture, Karpov is a sadist.> <offramp: About as funny as a burning orphanage.> <thegoodanarchist: All I can say about Karpov's play here is "Nice".> "Nice" isn't a word that comes to my mind. More like "reptilian" (boa constrictor in this case) but you have to admit he's precise as hell, and before the age of computer prep. He must be one of the most naturally gifted players of all time.
Feb-01-17
Premium Chessgames Member
  offramp: <ChessHigherCat: Public opinion appears somewhat divided: ...<thegoodanarchist: All I can say about Karpov's play here is "Nice".> "Nice" isn't a word that comes to my mind.>

I think he said "Nice" because that is the description at the top of the page, just above a8.

Feb-01-17  ChessHigherCat: Aha, my fault, it was played in Nice. It seemed kind of out of character for thegoodanarchist. Maybe Karpov had been sunning himself on those horrible pebbles on the beach for 6 hours before deciding to pass on his suffering to Unzicker.
Mar-28-17  thegoodanarchist: < ChessHigherCat: Aha, my fault, it was played in Nice. It seemed kind of out of character for thegoodanarchist.>

Haha, yes indeed! <Offramp> cracked the code

Apr-29-17  bkpov: Inch by inch progression. That's what chess is about. After taste is much heady than the flashy ones
Jan-13-19
Premium Chessgames Member
  woldsmandriffield: After the game, Unzicker commented that "One is permitted to lose to Karpov with Black".

He made two bad positional mistakes though. Firstly, 22..c4? 23 Bb1 Qd8? allowed Karpov to get in 24 Ba7! and for the rest of the game Black had zero prospects of counterplay on the Q-side.

Secondly, 31..g5? allowed Karpov to kill him on the K-side light squares and removed even the ghost of a chance of counterplay in the centre.

Its a famous game and there is great harmony to Karpov's disposition of his forces but he won because Unzicker made these unforced errors.

Jan-13-19  SChesshevsky: Does look like Karpov got some help from his opponent in this one. Appears black didn't initiate even one exchange to try to do improve his position.

Wonder what a win percentage would be against a side that isn't allowed to capture first?

Jan-24-21  thegoodanarchist: < offramp: Definitely an overrated game but that is not Karpov's fault. If you play through it once you will not want to play through it a second time.>

As someone once quipped, <"When you play Karpov, nothing happens. And then you lose.">

Jan-24-21  carpovius: <maelith: 27. Ba7 is a stroke of a chess genius>

Yes. It is.

Nov-08-22
Premium Chessgames Member
  HeMateMe: my balls hurt just playing through this one! Positively Petronsianesque.
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