FOREWARD

In December of 1998 as I was winning the first ever FIDE World Active Championship in Mazatlan Mexico, I noticed I had the same person working the wall board for my very difficult final matches versus Viktor Gavrikov and Roman Dzindzichashvili. Imagine my surprise as I was autographing a book, when he asked if I would consider an American second for the upcoming Candidates Quarter-final match with Hjartarson. The idea seemed interesting as more and more matches were taking place in English speaking countries, so I suggested we meet at the end of the event after the closing ceremonies. In checking with my team, we discovered in his youth, Henley had scored impressive wins versus Timman, Seirawan, Ribli, Miles, Short and others, followed by a very long gap. I also found it a good omen that Ron shared the December 5th birthday of my first trainer/mentor and very good friend Semyon Furman who passed in 1978.

Throughout the nineties, Ron joined our team for matches with Anand, Timman (2), Yusupov, Gelfand, Kamsky and Kasparov.

In “Win Like Karpov” Henley explains in a basic easy to understand level many of the strategies and tactics that brought me success at key moments in my career. I have contributed notes, commentary and photos to several key moments from my “Second Career” in the 1990’s when I achieved my highest ELO - 2780 and regained the FIDE World Championship.

GM Henley has done an excellent job of identifying several key opening positions as well as certain types of recurring themes in my Classical Style of middlegame play. The Karpov £ Sacrifices of course bring back pleasant memories, but for the serious student the sections on Karpov’s Endgames bears study. Especially worthwhile is the section on ¦+¥ of Opposite Color Endgames as this brought me many important tournament and match points.

I wish you hours of instructive yet enjoyable and pleasurable reading!

Twelfh World Chess Champion INTRODUCTION

Win Like My Hero!

The Win Like My Hero! is a series of chess books designed to bring to young chess players and beginners the battles and stories of the most heroic figures of the Royal Game of Chess. The series is designed to convey the historical significance of each great chess player and some color, and appreciation into the time and era in which our hero lived and competed.

The series is also instructional and explains strategy and tactics at a basic level both verbally and visually, whereby the student can easily understand the action on the chess board. Win Like Karpov! begins with an Openings Section where we take a brief look at some of our hero’s favorite white systems and black defenses. We then look at Early Games and Karpov Classics. From there we move to Combinations which are broken down by various tactical motifs and types of sacrifices. In the later pages we find Karpov Endgames. The last two chapters are drawn from my personal experience with Anatoly – “The Magical Summer of 1996 and “My Favorite Karpov Game”. With the use of numerous diagrams, the student has a chance to appreciate the powerful solutions that occurred in real games and learn to Win Like Karpov!

Win Like Karpov!

Each World Champion stands on the shoulders of those great Champions that have gone before him. The road to premier excellence in chess requires talent, hard work and a tremendously focused desire and dedication. To become a World Champion one must also have a very strong personal character to deal with and learn from the successes and inevitable setbacks that will occur both on the chess board and in life.

Each of the great historical World Champions not only assimilated the history and knowledge of the game up to their moment in time, but also contributed something important, new and innovative. Once I asked Anatoly what he felt his unique contribution was, he responded “I think I took play against a weak enemy piece to a new level”. A prime example of this is his Classic Game versus the German Unzicker (P126) from the Nice Olympiad in 1974. There are several other areas in chess where Karpov certainly raised the bar, which would include reinvigorating two aspects of the Classical Chess School. The classical approach of gaining a central space advantage, especially with the white pieces can be see in his games versus Vujakovic(Page 96), Unzicker(126), Gligorich(180), Malaniuk (222), Smith (282), Romanishin (346) and Kasparov(364). The classical approach of neutralizing white’s first move advantage can be seen in his games with the black pieces versus Ravinsky (86), Calvo (121), Kamsky (141,331,149) Shirov (132,358) and Portisch (343). Karpov’s legendary Houdini like ability to find defensive resources and escape dangerous looking attacks can be seen in his games versus Zaitsev(103), Keene (185), Botteril (174) and Shirov.

In golf there is a well known saying “You drive for show and putt for dough”. And so it is with chess – flashy new opening play and brilliant tactics captivate the imagination of the masses, but even these cases often have to be converted in the endgame phase. To overcome an opponent at the very highest levels in chess it is necessary to have excellent endgame technique. Karpov, like the great champions before him – Lasker, Capablanca, Botvinnik, Petrosian and Fischer, demonstrated exceptional ability at converting the most imperceptible advantages into a victory. However, with over 3000 tournament and match games, his body of endgame work is far greater than his predessecors and the overall level of resistance he had to overcome was much higher. For the serious student looking to improve on the road to chess mastery, thirty five percent of this book is devoted to Karpov’s Endgames.

The Karpov Endgame!

Within the realm of endgame play is Karpov’s Secret Endgame Weapon. I first noticed the “Karpov Endgame” when I was a young boy and saw the games from 1971 where Karpov won the supposedly drawish ¦+¥ of opposite color endgame versus Markland (300) and Grandmasters Byrne (297) and Mecking(302). We examine a total of eight such endgames, where Karpov skillfully outmanuevers the opponent to score the victory. Why Karpov Is My Hero!

Aside from an appreciation of his early chess games, it was what Karpov accomplished and how he conducted himself after becoming the Twelfth World Champion, that earned respect and admiration. Previous World Champions Botvinnik, Smyslov, Petrosian and Spassky seldom played in international events and even less so after each became World Champion. Botvinnik preferred to stay sequestered in his labs with his scientific work and only unleash his latest chess innovations in very important events. He had opined that for the reigning World Champion to compete and finish less than first would be an embarrassment. On his rise to the throne, Fischer had promised to be an active world champion and “play all the time”. In reality, the chess world had to wait for twenty years to see Fischer play one more match. Upon becoming the Twelfth World Champion, Karpov changed everything and began playing non-stop and winning one event after another . Skeptics claimed he was trying to “prove” he was deserving of the title. The truth of the matter is that not since the Fourth World Champion , did the chess world have a champion whose love of playing chess was far greater than his fear or concern about losing.

In judging our heroes, we are often so blinded by their competitive achievements that anything else they may accomplish is considered a bonus and personal failings are often overlooked or minimized. With Anatoly, on a personal level I have seen how he treats people with respect, consideration and graciousness. In a few instances because of his celebrity status he could do something “the easy way” and no one would complain, but because of his Christian beliefs and personal ethics he tries to do things correctly.

It is in the real world away from the glare of the competitive spotlight that Karpov shines as a true hero. Having grown up himself amid post-war conditions, Karpov never forgot to be charitable and considerate of those less fortunate. Throughout his career he has gifted over US $3,000,000 to the National Sports Foundation. In 1986, Karpov and Kasparov combined to contribute US $650,000 to the Chernobyl Victims Foundation. Today he still provides funding to an orphan boarding school in his native town of Zlatoust. He also pays grants to talented children within the New Names program and to the best apprentices of the Chernobyl Chess School.

Karpov is an indefatigable ambassador when it comes to the global popularization of chess. With locations in Russia, the Middle East, Africa nd the Midwest US, there are now over 50 Karpov Chess Clubs and 20 Karpov Chess Schools.

In addition to his eleven Chess Oscars for playing, Karpov is a member of the Journalist Union of Russia for being published all over the world in multiple languages.

Throughout his career, Karpov combined his chess activities with his social responsibilities. Since 1982 he has served as President for the International Association of Peace Foundations. At UNO, UNESCO and other international bodies, Karpov has been a featured speaker on topics of peace and international co-operation. Under Karpov’s leadership, the Association of Peace Foundation was presented “The Ambassador of Peace Award”.

Karpov was elected to Russian Parliament in the 1990’s and more recently in 2011. In 1998, he became a UNICEF Ambassadors for Eastern Europe and CIS countries. Among the 50 such global Unicef Ambassadors are luminaries such as boxing great Mohammed Ali, actors Michael Douglas and Peter Ustinoff, and soccer great Ronaldo.

With a career that has spanned four decades Karpov has become a global figure. He is a Freeman of Russian towns Zlatoust, Tula, Orsk, Serba and Molodenko. He has been awarded the Gold Medal of Paris as well as French towns of Le Havre, Cannes, , La Rochelle, Belfort and Ouzes. In Italy he was awarded the Honorary Prize “Fountains of Rome”. The Spanish towns of and have squares named after him.

For his achievements in chess and social activities, Karpov was awarded with Orders of Lenin and Labour Red Flag and presented an Honorary Diploma of the Russian Parliament. For his contribution to the restoration of ancient memorabilia, the Patriarch of and All Russia bestowed upon Anatoly the Order of St. Daniel.

Closest to my heart was in 1994 when I travelled with Anatoly to Austin Texas for a Lions Club Chess Exhibition Event Karpov was awarded the title of “Honorary Texan!

In 2010, Anatoly was supported his by his former adversary and chess patron Rex Sinquefield in a bid to become FIDE President and improve world chess organization and governance.

Garry Kasparov, Ron W. Henley, Rex Sinquefeld, Anatoly Karpov