Anatoly Karpov in a movie

I've recently noticed that former World Champ - Anatoly Karpov feature in a movie call - Zugzwang from 1989. 

In that movie, there was a short scene where Karpov played  against a man  (actor name -  Mathieu Carrière) who is interested to go to Russia for reason that i'm not interested to know :)

What really bother me as a chess player is  how on earth that the former World Champ miss a quicker checkmate!?




What is Philidor Legacy smothered checkmate "  click here

Karpov did come to Malaysia twice, his first visit here is in 1990 when he played a World Candidate Final match against Jan Timman in Kuala Lumpur. 

Yours truly with Anatoly Karpov in 2010

His second visit in Kuala Lumpur is during his unsuccessfully  2010 FIDE Presidential campaign . He  played an exhibition game against IM Mashafizul and the young Yeoh Li Tian. You can read my blog post here for his 2010  visit.

Kirsan-Karpov : There is no permanent friends and permanent enemies!

On February 12, in Moscow, FIDE President Kirsan Ilyumzhinov met with the former World Chess Champion, FIDE Ambassador to international organizations - Anatoly Karpov. The president and the ambassador discussed at the meeting the outcome of negotiations between FIDE leadership and the heads of international organizations, UNESCO, as well as the implementation of FIDE programme "Chess in Schools. Click here for the full news.

For non chess player,  the photo above may look like a reunion between  good friends that have not meet for years. However, only chess community knows that for about 9 months before the 2010 FIDE election, both Karpov's and Kirsan's team fight vigioursly against each other. The election however was  eventually  won by the incumbent - Kirsan Ilyumzhinov..

There's a famous quote - In politic, there is no permanent friends and permanent enemies!

Gen Una Sumus (We are all one family)  

News and photo from FIDE.com

IM Mashafizul - GM Anatoly Karpov

Not every day you got the chance to play against former World Champion. IM Mas got it when GM Anatoly Karpov pay a visit to Malaysia for his FIDE Presidential campaign recently. The game progress quite well but Mas who was behind on time and probably nervous, blunder a whole rook in the end.

IM Mashafizul Helmi vs GM Anatoly Karpov
Exhibition Blitz Game,  20.7.2010

1. e4 c6 2. d4 d5 3. Nc3 dxe4 4. Nxe4 Bf5 5. Ng3 Bg6 6. h4 h6 7. Nf3 Nd7 8. h5 Bh7 9. Bd3 Bxd3 10. Qxd3 e6 11. Bf4 Qa5+ 12. Bd2 Qc7 13. O-O-O O-O-O 14. Ne4 Ngf6 

IM Mas before playing 15.g3 against GM Anatoly Karpov (left)

15. g3 Nxe4 16. Qxe4 Bd6 17. Kb1 Rhe8 18. Qh7 Bf8 19. Qe4 Bd6 20. c4 c5  21. dxc5 Theory recommend  21.Bc3 21...Qxc5?!  22. Be3  Qc7 

23. Qc2  Mas can win a pawn with 23. Qd4! Bc5 24. Qxg7 Bxe3 25. fxe3 and black's h and f pawn are weak. If white can capture black'c h pawn then his own h-pawn can be a real threat.  23... Bc5  24. Nd4 a6 25. Qh7 Bf8 26. Rd2 Nf6  27. Qc2 Qe5 28. Bf4  Qe4 29. Re1?? Mas was behind on time and blunder a whole rook. Mas mentioned that he somehow thought that his rook on e1 was protected by his Bishop on f4.  Karpov suggest 29. f3 and after 29... Qxc2+ 30. Nxc2  Rxd2 31. Bxd2 with equal chance  29... Qxe1+  0-1

Karpov - Yeoh Li Tian

GM Anatoly Karpov (left) vs Yeoh Li Tian 

Yeoh Li Tian - GM Anatoly Karpov

Exhibition Blitz Game, 20.7.2010

Black to play

1... Rc8 2. Kg2 Rec7 3. Nf3 Qd8 4. h5 Ka7 5. Rh1 Qf8 6. Ree1 b5 Li Tian manage to  held Karpov so far but with less then a minute, he made a crucial mistake.   7. Qe2? After the game, Karpov suggest 7. a3 to stop black from playing b4 and according to him, the position is equal 7... b4! 8.cxb4? a blunder in a time trouble. 8... Rc2 Now it's game over 9. Nd2 Bxb4 10. Rd1 Rxb2  0-1 Black will play Rcc2 next and win a piece.

Karpov in Malaysia !

20th July 2010 - GM Anatoly Karpov is in Malaysia as part of  his World-Wind Tour. The 12th World Chess Champion - Karpov is running for the presidency of FIDE. Abdul Hamid Majid from Malaysia is running for the General Secretary post under Karpov ticket. Karpov visit in Malaysia is sponsored by Dato Tan Chin Nam who is a member of the Karpov Campaign Advisory Board

GM Anatoly Karpov press conference at the G Tower, Kuala Lumpur . 

Dato Tan Chin Nam (left) play a friendly game against GM Anatoly Karpov

Anatoly  play two exhibition blitz matches against Malaysian no. 1 - IM Mashafizul and against Yeoh Li Tian.

GM Anatoly Karpov  vs IM Mashafizul (right)

GM Anatoly Karpov vs Yeoh Li Tian (right)

Yours truly (left) with GM Anatoly Karpov

I will publish the blitz games and result (!) along with the photo report soon.....

Big Think Interview with Anatoly Karpov | Anatoly Karpov | Big Think

An excellent interview by bigthink.com with GM Anatoly Karpov -  the 12th World Chess Champion and candidate for the FIDE President in the 2010 FIDE election.

You can also read the full transcript here

video source: bigthink.com

Anatoly Karpov choose to be a gardener instead of FIDE President?

Anatoly Karpov wearing glove ( and suit?!) to start his new job....

Karpov start his new work routine....gardening....

No, no... it's just my Sunday morning silly joke guys. Anatoly Karpov is actually officially open  the 11th Poikovsky  Karpov Tournament held from 2nd - 14th June 2010 at Moscow. As many knows, Karpov - the 12th World Chess Champion  is running for the office of President of the International Chess Federation (FIDE). Visit his campaign website here

Photo source: chess.pro.com

Tournament official site is here ( in Russian)

2K 2009 (Kasparov-Karpov)

Former World Champions - Gary Kasparov and Anatoly Karpov will play two exhibition match this year in Valencia and Paris. The first match in Valencia will start from 21st-24th September 2009 and the second match in Paris will be held on 11th-13th December 2009. Both of the tournament will consist 4 rapids and 8 blitz games.

I think the quick time control was chosen because nowadays both veteran players will find it hard to concentrate in longer time control especially after being inactive from quite some times. As you all know, Kasparov 46 has retired from competitive chess since 2005. He has occasionally play simultaneous and blitz games so he must be a little bit rusty. However recently he has train with Norwegian chess prodigy and no.4 on the world list - Magnus Carlsen for six month which would probably sharpen back his once fearsome chess ability.

Kaparov opponent- Anatoly Karpov 58, who is also seldom play this days will had a tough time considering his age disadvantage ( Karpov is 12 years younger then Kasparov * Correction- Kasparov is 12 years younger then Karpov!). Furthermore his terrible results recently didn't help much but psychologically however Karpov won the latest duels against Kasparov (2002) in New York!

All in all, i think this exhibition match will show whether Kasparov still have his old "touch" and if he does, probably we can expect a comeback from this guy...especially after his unsuccessful attempts to be the Russian President!

I read about Karpov on Chess Notes, which quote Karpov opinion about Kasparov in the book- Karpov on Karpov: Memoirs of a Chess World Champion :-

‘But Kasparov and I have nothing in common. We were formed in different eras, I in the year of social renaissance and the emancipation of the populace’s soul, and he in a time of stagnation. I came from the simple people and for a long time I remained one of them. He was singled out in childhood; elitism became an essential part of his world. For me chess was the end, for him it has merely been the means.’ (page 184)

The official site for the first match in Valencia is here (in Spanish) but i found one site that has better information and articles about the match here (in English).

The official site for the second match in Paris is not available yet but you can refer at europe-echecs.com (in France)

Karpov Will Make The Opening Move for Anand-Kramnik Game 6 Tonight - A Psychologically move by the Russian !?

According to the official site, Former World Champion - Anatoly Karpov (photo right) will make the opening move for tonight game 6 Anand - Kramnik.

He was undisputed World Champion from 1975 to 1985, repeatedly challenged to regain the title from 1986 to 1990, then was FIDE World Champion from 1993 to 1999.

Interestingly, Karpov beat Anand in the 1998 FIDEWorld Championship Final in Lausanne, Switzerland , so i wonder if it is a psychologically move from the Russian camp ( everybody know that Kramnik and Karpov are Russian) to bring some bad memories to Anand !?




source : wikipedia.com

Rybka 3 is out !

Rybka the king of the chess program have produced it latest version now! The version is said to be 80 points stronger then it predecessor which mean the strength is around FIDE 3000+. This would also mean that any human versus computer match would be irrelevant . Maybe the ideas of odds match should be considered as a standard or different ideas such as former World Champion- Anatoly Karpov suggested before, turn off the opening book for the computer ( because FIDE rules didn’t allow using database during official games) ! Excerpt :-


Article 12: The conduct of the players

12.1 The players shall take no action that will bring the game of chess into disrepute.

12.2a. During play the players are forbidden to make use of any notes, sources of information, advice, or analyse on another chessboard.It is strictly forbidden to bring mobile phones or other electronic means of communication, not authorised by the arbiter, into the playing venue. If a player`s mobile phone rings in the playing venue during play, that player shall lose the game. The score of the opponent shall be determined by the arbiter.

Karpov - Bacrot 1-0 ! World Blitz 2007

This is interesting Karpov domination display over Bacrot.

Karpov - Bacrot
World Blitz 2007, 21.11.2007

1...Nh5 2.Nfxd6 Re6 3.c5 Nf4 4.Qa2 Rg6 5.Kh1 Nh3 6.Qe2 Nf4 7.Qd2 Ne6 8.f4 Ng4 9.f5 Rh6 10.h3 Qc6 11.fxe6 Bxe6 12.Nd4 Qd7 13.N4f5 Rh5 14.Kg1 Nf6 15.g4 Rh6 16.Nxh6+ gxh6 17.Qf4 Bg7 18.Rd2 Qa4 19.Nf5 Bxf5 20.Rd8+ Bf8 21.Qxf5 Nxe4 22.Rd7 Ng5 23.Rd3 Qa2 24.h4 Ne6 25.Rf3 Nd4 26.Rf2 Qa1 27.Qxf7+ [27.Qxf7+ Kh8 28.Qxf8#] 1–0