Number of Karpov-Kasparov games?

[John Coleman]

Does anyone happen to know the number of times Karpov and Kasparov have played each other in classical chess?

[Jack Maguire]

Re: Number of Karpov-Kasparov games?

My first hit for 'Kasparov Karpov lifetime score' gives this ChessBase link, John.

http://en.chessbase.com/post/karpov-...ch-in-valencia

[Mathieu Cloutier]

Re: Number of Karpov-Kasparov games?

Here's the chessgames result for Kasparov vs. Karpov: link

For classical chess it says 28 wins for Kasparov, 21 for Karpov and 129 draws.

[Dan Scoones]

Re: Number of Karpov-Kasparov games?

According to my database, which I believe is complete, the classical score is +29 -20 =120 in Kasparov's favour.
This squares with the ChessBase link, which gives a lifetime classical score of 89-80 for Kasparov.
I believe the chessgames.com data includes rapid games, which are not considered classical chess.

[Hans Jung]

Re: Number of Karpov-Kasparov games?

Thanks for the good research Dan.

[John Coleman]

Re: Number of Karpov-Kasparov games?

Thanks everyone, for the replies.

JC

[Gary Ruben]

Re: Number of Karpov-Kasparov games?

Does that record count the games in the match FIDE (Companes?) stopped for fear of Karpov's health?

I don't think Karpov ever won a Championship match against Kasparov after that.

It was an interesting match. Going from memory, Karpov took a lead in the match. Then there were many draws and Kaspaov started winning games. It looked like Kasparov would come back to win until the match was stopped. Anyhow, that's how I remember it.

[Mathieu Cloutier]

Re: Number of Karpov-Kasparov games?

Does that record count the games in the match FIDE (Companes?) stopped for fear of Karpov's health?

I don't think Karpov ever won a Championship match against Kasparov after that.

It was an interesting match. Going from memory, Karpov took a lead in the match. Then there were many draws and Kaspaov started winning games. It looked like Kasparov would come back to win until the match was stopped. Anyhow, that's how I remember it.

I wasn't following chess at the time because I was too young, but yes, that's exactly how it happened. Karpov took an early 4-0 lead, then a bunch of draws, then 5-0, then Kasparov wins one. Then another bunch of draws. And Kasparov wins games 47 and 48, after which the match is cancelled.

[Sam Sharpe]

Re: Number of Karpov-Kasparov games?

Oh the days of running out to the mailbox every second morning to pick up a Toronto Star for the game, only to discover another quick QGD draw. :p I think I prefer the interwebz method.

[Gary Ruben]

Re: Number of Karpov-Kasparov games?

I also recall waiting for the game moves.

Well before that match, our club was in the back of a restaurant and was open every day. I think it was the Botwinnik - Tal match (but it might have been the Smyslov match) and one of the members would bring in the moves from the game when he got them. Then they would analyse the games and I liked to watch. I was still a junior back then.

There were some good players at that club. Abe Yanofsky used to lead our team on board 1 in our annual matches with Minneapolis.

[Dan Scoones]

Re: Number of Karpov-Kasparov games?

As I recall, the first WC match to go out "live" on the web was Anand v Kasparov in 1995. I put "live" in quotes because there was no automatic refresh when a move was played -- you had to do it manually, and the servers were always overloaded so it took forever.

I also remember the 1984 match. I would pick up a Globe & Mail from the delivery stack outside the drugstore and hope that no one stole the 50 cents I left there. When I got to the office, opened it up, and found another short draw, I was often tempted to go back to the drugstore, replace the copy on the stack, and recover my 50 cents. However... too risky!

[Hugh Brodie]

Re: Number of Karpov-Kasparov games?

During the 1972 Fischer-Spassky match, our local chess cafe in Montreal at the time (Cafe Quebechecs) would get the moves by phone as they appeared on the "La Presse" newspaper's Teletype machine. We had a demo board, and there was much discussion every time a move came in.

[Gordon Ritchie]

Re: Number of Karpov-Kasparov games?

In WCC play, I believe Kasparov was plus two in 144 games. I have always been struck by how skilful Kasparov and his team were at self-promotion. Karpov, on the other hand, was always underappreciated in the West despite his extraordinary tournament record as World Champion, unmatched in modern times.
I recall following Tal-Botvinnik 1960 with my young friend Lawrence Day. We would get the score from the newspaper, usually days later and often mistranscribed, and work our way through them with amazement.

[Dan Scoones]

Re: Number of Karpov-Kasparov games?

Gordon Ritchie is correct. Kasparov was -2 in the first match, +2 in the second match, +1 in the third match, even in the fourth match, and +1 in the fifth match. Statistically close, but far apart in sporting significance. Kasparov won when he had to win.

Vasily Smyslov was +1 over three matches with Mikhail Botvinnik, but he held the title for just a year. There is *another* underrated world champion!