World Chess Championship 1981
| Portraits |
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|---|---|---|
| Anatoly Karpov | Viktor Korchnoi | |
| nation |
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| status | Defending champion | challenger |
| Age | 30 years | 50 years |
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Elo rating (July 1981) |
2700 | 2695 |
At the 1981 World Chess Championship , world champion Anatoli Karpov successfully defended his title against Viktor Korchnoi . The duel took place from October 1 to November 19, 1981 in Merano .
prehistory
In the previous World Chess Championship in 1978 , Korchnoi was Karpov's challenger. After a long, emotionally charged fight over 32 games, Karpow finally got the upper hand with 6: 5 wins in 21 draws . The fact that Korchnoi had turned his back on the Soviet Union and was considered a “traitor” made this World Cup even more explosive. The Soviet authorities were not interested in Korchnoi becoming a challenger or even world champion again.
qualification
As has been customary since 1965, the challenger to the world champion was determined through match fights in a knockout system . The finalists of the candidate competitions in the 1978 World Cup cycle , Viktor Korchnoi and Boris Spassky, were nominated as candidates; the other six places went to the top three at the interzonal tournaments in Riga and Rio de Janeiro .
| Quarter finals | Semifinals | final | |||||||||||
 Viktor Korchnoi
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 Tigran Petrosian
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| Viktor Korchnoi
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| Lev Polugayevsky
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| Lev Polugayevsky
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| Mikhail Tal
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| Viktor Korchnoi
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 Robert Huebner 1
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| Robert Huebner
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 András Adorján
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| Robert Huebner
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| Lajos Portisch
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| Lajos Portisch 2
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| Boris Spassky
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1In the final, Hübner gave up when he was 3½: 4½ behind and the 9th and 10th game had been abandoned. The two hanging games were then counted as won for Korchnoi; the competition was therefore rated 6½: 3½ for Korchnoi.
2 The fine evaluation (number of wins with black) decided in favor of Portisch.
Course of the candidate competitions
- Quarter-finals Hübner - Adorján, March / April 1980 in Bad Lauterberg
1 2 3 4th 5 6th 7th 8th 9 10 Points 
Robert Huebner
½ ½ 1 ½ 1 0 ½ ½ ½ ½ 5½ 
András Adorján
½ ½ 0 ½ 0 1 ½ ½ ½ ½ 4½
- Quarter-finals Kortschnoi - Petrosjan, March 1980 in Velden am Wörther See
1 2 3 4th 5 6th 7th 8th 9 Points Viktor Korchnoi
½ ½ ½ ½ 1 ½ ½ ½ 1 5½ Tigran Petrosian
½ ½ ½ ½ 0 ½ ½ ½ 0 3½
- Quarterfinals Spasski - Portisch, March to May 1980 in Mexico City
1 2 3 4th 5 6th 7th 8th 9 10 11 12 13 14th Points Boris Spassky
0 ½ ½ ½ ½ ½ ½ ½ 1 ½ ½ ½ ½ ½ 7th Lajos Portisch
1 ½ ½ ½ ½ ½ ½ ½ 0 ½ ½ ½ ½ ½ 7th
- Quarter-finals Polugayevsky Valley, March / April 1980 in Alma-Ata
1 2 3 4th 5 6th 7th 8th Points Lev Polugayevsky
1 1 ½ ½ ½ ½ 1 ½ 5½ Mikhail Tal
0 0 ½ ½ ½ ½ 0 ½ 2½
- Semi-finals Korchnoi - Polugajewski, July / August 1980 in Buenos Aires
1 2 3 4th 5 6th 7th 8th 9 10 11 12 13 14th Points Viktor Korchnoi
½ ½ ½ 1 ½ 0 ½ 1 ½ ½ ½ 0 ½ 1 7½ Lev Polugayevsky
½ ½ ½ 0 ½ 1 ½ 0 ½ ½ ½ 1 ½ 0 6½
- Semi-finals Hübner - Portisch, August 1980 in Abano Terme
1 2 3 4th 5 6th 7th 8th 9 10 11 Points Robert Huebner
½ ½ ½ ½ ½ ½ ½ ½ 1 1 ½ 6½ Lajos Portisch
½ ½ ½ ½ ½ ½ ½ ½ 0 0 ½ 4½
- Candidate finals Hübner - Kortschnoi, December 1980 / January 1981 in Merano
1 2 3 4th 5 6th 7th 8th Points Robert Huebner
1 0 ½ 1 ½ ½ 0 0 3½ Viktor Korchnoi
0 1 ½ 0 ½ ½ 1 1 4½
- In the finale, the two suspended games that were canceled and were not resumed by Hübner are not shown.
Organization and rules
The competition took place in Merano . The winner should be the first to win 6 games.
The main referee of the competition was the Ecuadorian Paul Klein , other referees were the Austrian Gertrude Wagner and the Icelandic Guðmundur Arnlaugsson .
course
World Chess Championship 1981 1 2 3 4th 5 6th 7th 8th 9 10 11 12 13 14th 15th 16 17th 18th Victories Points Karpov 1 1 ½ 1 ½ 0 ½ ½ 1 ½ ½ ½ 0 1 ½ ½ ½ 1 6th 11 Korchnoi 0 0 ½ 0 ½ 1 ½ ½ 0 ½ ½ ½ 1 0 ½ ½ ½ 0 2 7th
Lots
1st game
Korchnoi – Karpow, game 1
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Final position after 43 ... Rb5
- Korchnoi – Karpov 0-1
- Merano, October 1st, 1981
- Queen's Gambit declined , D58
- 1. c4 e6 2. Nc3 d5 3. d4 Be7 4. Nf3 Nf6 5. Bg5 h6 6. Bh4 0–0 7. e3 b6 8. Rc1 Bb7 9. Be2 Nbd7 10. cxd5 exd5 11. 0–0 c5 12. dxc5 bxc5 13. Qc2 Rc8 14. Rfd1 Qb6 15. Qb1 Rfd8 16. Rc2 De6 17. Bg3 Nh5 18. Tcd2 Nxg3 19. hxg3 Nf6 20. Qc2 g6 21. Qa4 a6 22. Bd3 Kg7 23.Bb1 Qb6 24. a3 d4 25. Ne2 dxe3 26. fxe3 c4 27. Sed4 Qc7 28.Nh4 De5 29. Kh1 Kg8 30. Ndf3 Qxg3 31. Rxd8 + Bxd8 32. Qb4 Be4 33. Bxe4 Nxe4 34. Rd4 Nf2 + 35. Kg1 Nd3 36. Qb7 Rb8 37. Qd7 Bc7 38. Kh1 Rxb2 39. Rxd3 cxd3 40. Qxd3 Qd6 41. De4 Qd1 + 42. Ng1 Qd6 43. Nhf3 Rb5 0: 1
2nd game
Karpow – Korchnoi, Part 2
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End position after 57.Bxe5
- Karpov – Korchnoi 1-0
- Meran, October 3, 1981
- Spanish Match ( Open Defense ), C67
- 1. e4 e5 2. Nf3 Nc6 3. Bb5 Nf6 4. 0–0 Nxe4 5. d4 Be7 6. De2 Nd6 7. Bxc6 bxc6 8. dxe5 Nb7 9. Nc3 0–0 10. Re1 Nc5 11. Be3 Ne6 12. Rad1 d5 13.exd6 cxd6 14.Nd4 Bd7 15.Nf5 d5 16.Nxe7 + Qxe7 17.Qd2 Qh4 18.Ne2 Rfe8 19.b3 Re7 20.Ng3 Qf6 21. f3 Be8 22.Ne2 h6 23. Bf2 Qg6 24.Nc1 d4 25.Nd3 Qf6 26.Bg3 Rd7 27.Re5 Qd8 28.Rde1 Rd5 29.Rxd5 Qxd5 30. Re5 Qd7 31. De1 Rc8 32.b4 Qd8 33.Ra5 Qd7 34.h3 f6 35.Rxa7 Qd5 36.Ra5 Qd7 37. Ra7 Qd5 38.Ra5 Qd7 39. Qe4 Bf7 40. Qf5 Re8 41. Kh2 Qb7 42. a3 Rd8 43. h4 h5 44.Nf2 Qd7 45.Ra6 Qe8 46. Qa5 Bg6 47. Nd3 Kh7 48. Qb6 Rc8 49. a4 Bf5 50. a5 c5 51. bxc5 Bxd3 52. cxd3 Nxc5 53.Ra7 Qg6 54. Rc7 Rxc7 55.Bxc7 Nxd3 56. Qxd4 Ne5 57.Bxe5 1: 0
4th game
Karpow – Korchnoi, Part 4
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End position after 53. Qd4 +
- Karpov – Korchnoi 1-0
- Meran, October 8, 1981
- Russian Defense , C42
- 1. e4 e5 2. Nf3 Nf6 3. Nxe5 d6 4. Nf3 Nxe4 5. d4 d5 6. Bd3 Be7 7. 0–0 Sc6 8. Re1 Bf5 9. Bb5 Bf6 10. Nbd2 0–0 11. Nf1 Ne7 12. c3 Ng6 13. Bd3 Nd6 14. Bxf5 Nxf5 15. Qb3 b6 16. Qb5 a6 17. Qd3 Qd7 18. Ng3 Nxg3 19.hxg3 a5 20. Bg5 Bxg5 21. Nxg5 Rfe8 22. b3 Tad8 23. Nf3 f6 24. Nd2 Kf7 25.Nf1 h5 26.Rxe8 Rxe8 27.Qf3 Rh8 28.Ne3 Ne7 29.Re1 g6 30.Qf4 Kg7 31.g4 g5 32.Qf3 hxg4 33.Nxg4 Qd6 34.g3 c6 35. c4 f5 36. Qe3 Ng6 37. c5 Qd8 38. Ne5 bxc5 39. Nxc6 Qf6 40. Qe6 cxd4 41. Qxd5 d3 42. Qd7 + Qf7 43. Ne7 Kh7 44. Kg2 Re8 45. Rh1 + Nh4 + 46. gxh4 Qxe7 47. Qxf5 + Kg7 48. hx2 + 49. f3 Qb7 50. Kf1 Kg8 51.Qxd3 Re6 52.Qd8 + Kg7 53.Qd4 + 1: 0
6th game
Karpow – Korchnoi, Part 6
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End position after 41st… Bxg2
- Karpov – Korchnoi 0-1
- Meran, October 15, 1981
- Spanish Match (Open Defense), C82
- 1. e4 e5 2. Nf3 Nc6 3. Bb5 a6 4. Ba4 Nf6 5. 0–0 Nxe4 6. d4 b5 7. Bb3 d5 8. dxe5 Be6 9. c3 Bc5 10. Nbd2 0–0 11. Bc2 Bf5 12. Nb3 Bg6 13.Nfd4 Bxd4 14. cxd4 a5 15. Be3 a4 16. Nc1 a3 17. b3 f6 18. exf6 Qxf6 19. Ne2 Nb4 20. Bb1 De7 21. De1 Rfe8 22.Nf4 Bf7 23. Qc1 c5 24. dxc5 Qf6 25.Bxe4 Rxe4 26.Ne2 d4 27.Ng3 Tee8 28.Qd2 Nc6 29.Bg5 De5 30.Rac1 d3 31.Rfd1 Bg6 32.Be3 Re6 33.Bf4 Qf6 34.Re1 Tae8 35.Rxe6 Rxe6 36.Rb1 h5 37. h3 h4 38.Bg5 Qd4 39.Be3 Qd5 40.Nf1 Be4 41.Bf4 Bxg2 0: 1
9th game
Korchnoi – Karpow, Part 9
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End position after 43 ... Qd5 +
- Korchnoi – Karpov 0-1
- Meran, October 24, 1981
- Rejected Queen's Gambit, D30
- 1. c4 e6 2. Nc3 d5 3. d4 Be7 4. Nf3 Nf6 5. Bg5 h6 6. Bh4 0–0 7. Rc1 dxc4 8. e3 c5 9. Bxc4 cxd4 10. exd4 Nc6 11. 0–0 Nh5 12. Bxe7 Nxe7 13. Bb3 Nf6 14. Ne5 Bd7 15. De2 Rc8 16. Ne4 Nxe4 17. Qxe4 Bc6 18. Nxc6 Rxc6 19. Rc3 Qd6 20. g3 Rd8 21.Rd1 Rb6 22. De1 Qd7 23.Rcd3 Rd6 24. De4 Qc6 25.Qf4 Nd5 26.Qd2 Qb6 27.Bxd5 Rxd5 28.Rb3 Qc6 29.Qc3 Qd7 30.f4 b6 31.Rb4 b5 32.a4 bxa4 33. Qa3 a5 34.Rxa4 Qb5 35.Rd2 e5 36. fxe5 Rxe5 37. Da1 Qe8 38. dxe5 Rxd2 39. Rxa5 Qc6 40.Ra8 + Kh7 41. Qb1 + g6 42. Qf1 Qc5 + 43.Kh1 Qd5 + 0: 1
13th game
Korchnoi – Karpow, game 13
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End position after 41.Qxe5 +
- Korchnoi – Karpov 1-0
- Merano, 5th November 1981
- Queen's Gambit declined, D31
- 1. c4 e6 2. Nc3 d5 3. d4 Be7 4. cxd5 exd5 5. Bf4 c6 6. e3 Bf5 7. g4 Be6 8. h3 Nf6 9. Nf3 0–0 10. Bd3 c5 11. Kf1 Nc6 12. Kg2 Rc8 13.Rc1 Re8 14.dxc5 Bxc5 15.Nb5 Bf8 16.Nfd4 Nxd4 17.Rxc8 Qxc8 18.exd4 Qd7 19.Nc7 Rc8 20.Nxe6 fxe6 21.Re1 a6 22.g5 Ne4 23.Qg4 Bb4 24.Re2 Rf8 25. f3 Qf7 26.Be5 Nd2 27.a3 Nxf3 28.g6 hxg6 29.Bg3 Be7 30.Rf2 Ne1 + 31.Kh1 Qxf2 32.Bxf2 Nxd3 33.Qxe6 + Rf7 34.Bg3 Nxb2 35.Qxd5 Bf6 36.Bd6 g5 37.Qb3 Bxd4 38. Qe6 g6 39. Qe8 + Kg7 40. Be5 + Bxe5 41. Qxe5 + 1: 0
14th game
Karpow – Korchnoi, Part 14
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End position after 46.Be3
- Karpov – Korchnoi 1-0
- Meran, November 9, 1981
- Spanish Match (Open Defense), C80
- 1. e4 e5 2. Nf3 Nc6 3. Bb5 a6 4. Ba4 Nf6 5. 0–0 Nxe4 6. d4 b5 7. Bb3 d5 8. dxe5 Be6 9. Nbd2 Nc5 10. c3 d4 11. Bxe6 Nxe6 12. cxd4 Ncxd4 13. Ne4 Be7 14. Be3 Nxf3 + 15. Qxf3 0–0 16. Rfd1 De8 17. Nf6 + Bxf6 18. exf6 Qc8 19. fxg7 Rd8 20. h4 c5 21. Rac1 Qc7 22. h5 De5 23. h6 Qxb2 24.Rd7 Rxd7 25. Qxa8 + Rd8 26.Qxa6 De2 27.Rf1 Rd1 28.Qa8 + Rd8 29.Qc6 b4 30.Qa4 Qd3 31.Rc1 Qd5 32.Qb3 De4 33.Qc2 Qxc2 34.Rxc2 f5 35. f4 Kf7 36.g4 Rd5 37. gxf5 Rxf5 38.Rd2 Rf6 39. Rd7 + Kg8 40. f5 Rxf5 41. Re7 Nxg7 42. Rxg7 + Kh8 43. Rc7 Kg8 44.Bxc5 Rg5 + 45. Kf2 Rg6 46. Be3 1: 0
18th game
Karpow – Korchnoi, game 18
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End position after 41 ... e5
- Karpov – Korchnoi 1-0
- Meran, November 18, 1981
- Spanish Match (Open Defense), C80
- 1. e4 e5 2. Nf3 Nc6 3. Bb5 a6 4. Ba4 Nf6 5. 0–0 Nxe4 6. d4 b5 7. Bb3 d5 8. dxe5 Be6 9. Nbd2 Nc5 10. c3 d4 11. Bxe6 Nxe6 12. cxd4 Ncxd4 13. a4 Be7 14. Nxd4 Nxd4 15. Ne4 Ne6 16. Be3 0–0 17. f4 Qxd1 18. Rfxd1 Rfb8 19. Rd7 Bf8 20. f5 Nd8 21. a5 Nc6 22. e6 fxe6 23. f6 Ne5 24. Rxc7 Rc8 25.Rac1 Rxc7 26.Rxc7 Rd8 27.h3 h6 28.Ra7 Nc4 29.Bb6 Rb8 30.Bc5 Bxc5 + 31.Nxc5 gxf6 32.b4 Rd8 33.Rxa6 Kf7 34.Ra7 + Kg6 35.Rd7 Re8 36. a6 Ra8 37. Rb7 Kf5 38.Rxb5 Ke5 39.Rb7 Kd5 40.Rf7 f5 41.Rf6 e5 1: 0
literature
- World Chess Championship 81 (1981, Vladimir Budde together with Lothar Nikolaiczuk and Peter Beyersdorf)
- World Cup fight 1981 in Merano - Anatoli Karpow leads 2-0 after the second round! Schach-Echo 1981, issue 19, title page (report and games).
- Theo Schuster : World Championship match in Merano - Anatoli Karpow leads with 3: 1 points! Schach-Echo 1981, issue 20, title pages (report, photo, table).
- Anatoly Karpov remains world champion! Final score: 6: 2 for Karpov! Schach-Echo 1981, issue 22, title page (photo and table), pp. 343 to 346 (games).
Web links
Commons : World Chess Championship 1981 - Collection of images, videos and audio files
- Tournament report and games at chessgames.com. Retrieved November 6, 2012 .
Individual evidence
- ↑ Report in the New York Times of November 11, 1981 (English)
- ↑ Festschrift in honor of Alessandro Sanvito on schach-chess.com
- ↑ Announcement in Tíminn, March 21, 1981, p. 1. (Icelandic)