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Yannick Pelletier vs Anatoly Karpov
Biel Credit Suisse (1997), Biel SUI, rd 1, Jul-21
Queen's Indian Defense: Kasparov-Petrosian Variation. Main Line (E12)  ·  0-1

8
7
6
5
4
3
2
a
1
b
c
d
e
f
g
h
White to move.
ANALYSIS [x]
0-1

rnbqkbnr/pppppppp/8/8/8/8/PPPPPPPP/RNBQKBNR w KQkq - 0 1
FEN COPIED

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Kibitzer's Corner
Jan-25-06  hayton3: Fans of Karpov's style will surely enjoy this 'routine' positional win.

At move 19. White's rooks seemingly control the c and d files.

Fast forward to move 34. and it is Black's rooks that control the c and d files. Not only that - they're doubled in '7th heaven'!

Strategical wizardry?

Jan-25-06  alicefujimori: 27.Rd6 was definitely a blunder. After which, Black just seized the initiative and goes on to win. 26...h6 is a typical "waiting"/"useful" move of Karpov's.
Jan-25-06  hayton3: <alicefujimori> Even though Pelletier was at some point rated 2600, which amateur would ever had let Karpov smack them around in this fashion.
Jan-25-06  hayton3: 27.<Rd6 was definitely a blunder>. I thought blunders were moves that lost the game more or less instantly. As for a 'definite blunder' there can surely be no doubt. Fortunately for chess, and its many devotees, amateurs have not yet succeeded in unlocking its secrets with mere cursory annotations.
Sep-24-07
Premium Chessgames Member
  plang: 7..Bc6 is a bit unusual; Karpov felt that it was more active than 7..Qd7. The loss of time created by 10..Bb7 was more than offset by all the queen moves that white had to make. Karpov takes over the initiative fairly quickly in this game; perhaps 12 Rc1 was a bit slow. 12 o-o followed by Rfd1 was an alternative. Karpov said that 20 Rcd3 was overly optimistic; he recommended 20 Rcc1 aiming to achieve equality. Karpov also felt that 23 Bf3 would be have been better avoiding the weakening of e3. Karpov immediately went for a "good knight" position with 23..Bc4. 27 Rd6?, going after the a pawn, was a serious misjudgement; Karpov recommended 27 e4. 34 Kh1 would have been a better defense though white is still lost.
Nov-25-11  maelith: Great game by Karpov.
May-27-16  Cobax12: Master control by Karpov of the heavy pieces doubling rooks in the seventh after "sacrifying" 2 pawns, also mastering the complex use of Rooks and Queen Vs Rook and Queen taking advantage that the other rook is in danger and out of the action. Brava Karpov. Also taking advantage of the e3 square weakness
Apr-22-18  Everett: Soltis (pg.186 Your Kingdom for My Horse) picks up the thread at 30... and offers a couple of options for Black that may also yield a plus. Karpov eschews complications and decides to dominate the 7th rank and weaken g2 by exchanging his better knight for White's inferior bishop.

Another lesson in not focusing on what is exchanged, yet focusing on what stays on the board.

Feb-05-21  Gaito: This game was a characteristic positional masterpiece by Karpov, perhaps inspired in the old classical games of Capablanca. What was White's mistake? Basically, White's mistake was that he was too greedy. He couldn't resist the temptation to capture an indefense little pawn at the cost of spoiling a good position (27.Rd6? and 28.Rxa6?). Then he couldn't resist the temptation of capturing yet another little pawn (34.Qxb5?), thereby ruining his position altogether. Karpov did not care to lose those two pawns on the queen's flank, as long as he got an immense positional compensation: absolute control of the open c-file, then total control of White's second rank with the two rooks, a terrific attack, and when White resigned, the computer says it was mate in ten. There is no doubt that Karpov is a posiitonal genius!

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