Chess lessons › Famous chess games
Anatoly Karpov
Karpov gives a knight to drag Topalov’s king into the open, Dos Hermanas 1994.
The idea
Karpov gives a knight and pulls Topalov’s king into the open.
- Black’s king on e4 stands in front of the rook on e8.
- The rook checks from e1.
- The king must step off the file, and the rook takes on e8.
In a game: When a king and a rook stand on one line, look for a check that skewers them.
How the lesson begins
Anatoly Karpov was born in Zlatoust, in the Urals, in 1951. He became world champion in 1975, when Bobby Fischer did not defend the title, and beat Viktor Korchnoi in title matches in 1978 and 1981. In 1985 he lost the title to Garry Kasparov; their five matches have a lesson of their own.
Karpov was best known for slow pressure, but he could attack too. Here he has White against Veselin Topalov at Dos Hermanas, Spain, in 1994.
The knights are traded on d5 early. Much later a white knight reaches d5 again, and Black’s queen comes to e4 to offer a trade.
- 1. d4 Nf6 2. Nf3 c5 3. d5 e6 4. Nc3 Nxd5 5. Nxd5 exd5 6. Qxd5 The queen takes the pawn on d5.
- 6... Be7 7. e4 O-O 8. Be2 d6 9. O-O Nc6 10. c3 Be6 11. Qh5 h6 12. Rd1 Re8 13. Bf4 Bf8 14. Nd2 g6 15. Qf3 d5 16. Qg3 Qe7 17. exd5 Bxd5 18. Bf1 Qf6 19. Nb3 Rad8 20. Rd2 Be6 21. Bc7 Rxd2 22. Nxd2 Bf5 23. Nc4 Re4 24. Ne3 Bc8 25. Rd1 Re8 26. h3 Qg5 27. Qf3 Kg7 28. Bf4 Qe7 29. Nd5 The knight jumps to d5.
- 29... Qe4 Black’s queen comes to e4 and attacks White’s queen.
Find the move
Black’s queen on e4 offers a trade. Find the knight move next to Black’s king.
A hint
The knight on d5 can jump towards the king on g7.
Show the answer
30. Nf6
30.Nf6! hits the queen on e4 and the rook on e8. Topalov took it, 30...Kxf6, and his king came out in front of its pawns.