Karpov's Secret and His Unique Approach to Chess (With 2 Funny Stories from the Post-Mortem!)
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- Опубликовано: 16 окт 2024
- The game shows Karpov's inimitable ability to outplay world-class players from any position.
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In one of his books, I think it was Chess Is My Life, Karpov talked about his early games, which of course have been lost. His opponents would use his lack of chess lore, especially opening lore, to (in his words) dig a pit. When he fell into the pit they would struggle to fill in the pit and finish him off, and he would struggle and overcome his difficulties.
Krapov was proud of these struggles, his resourcefulness, and his resilience. When Karpov got the opportunity to present himself as a pupil in the Botvinnik chess school he started to show Botvinnik a game like this. Botvinnik was offended by the quality of Karpov's platy in the early part of the game, and he wouldn't allow the recitation of the game to proceed any further. Then Karpov was upset too, because the great Botvinnik was unwilling to let Karpov show what he considered to be his best qualities. The two men were off to a bad start, and they never really got on.
Botvinnik's idea of a good game of chess was that after a start like this Black would proceed with inexorable logic and win, end of story. Botvinnik was entitled to that opinion because he played so many games like that himself. That was how Botvinnik played. But that was Botvinnik at list best; it wasn't the best of Karpov.
In his early years as world chess champion Karpov had an image. He was supposed be a manufactured man, a product of the Botvinnik chess school, and dependent on his prepared openings, especially with White. None of that was true. What you said was true.
Yes, Karpov's beginnings with Botvinnik are known, sometimes even the greatest champions can be wrong when judging one's potential.
This is a great little lecture on how Karpov played. Thank you for this.
You're welcome!
Karpov had such a subtle style of play that the more I study his games is the less I seem to understand them. Thank you for shedding some light on his pragmatic approach.
Thank you, happy to be able to help!
Very interesting lecture and impressive quality you highlighted
Yes, it's something that is rarely, if ever, discussed.
Nice example of one of the greatest players of all time!
Thank you!