The Chess Club and Scholastic Center of Saint Louis hosted a special match
between former World Champion Anatoly Karpov and legendary US GM Yasser Seirawan.
The two faced off from June 9 to 13 in a unique competition that tested their
classical chess skills along with their abilities at both rapid and blitz play.
Tourney Format:
- Two Classical: 90 minutes for the first 40 moves followed by 30 minutes
for the rest of the game with an addition of a 30-second increment per move
starting from move one. Each Classical game was worth two points.
- Two Rapid: 25 minutes plus a five-second increment. Each Rapid game was
worth two points.
- Ten Blitz: Five minutes plus a two-second increment. Each Blitz game was
worth one point.
Prize Fund: 1st Place: $10,000, 2nd Place: $7,000. The Opening
Ceremony for the event took place on June 9 and featured a special book signing
event for fans and spectators.
Video reports: with commentary by GM Ben Finegold and WGM
Jennifer Shahade:
Final results Classical + Rapid
Blitz
Former World Champion Anatoly Karpov
GM Yasser Seirawan, USA – you will find extensive
bios of both players here
Host and sponsor Rex Sinquefield ceremonially executing the first move
The match venue in the Chess Club and Scholastic Center of Saint Louis
The Clash of the Kings match is under way
Anatoly Karpov, 61, rated 2615, in action in 2012
Yasser Seirawan, 51, with a current rating of 2643
Yasser signing posters of the event for chess fans...
... and making one young fellow very happy
He even gets a book signed by the legendary World Champion
Karpov's King
Our
ChessBase Magazine endgame
expert Dr Karsten Müller spotted and interesting ending in the second game
of the match, where with same colored bishops a fortress played a major role:
[Event "Match Classical"] [Site "Saint Louis USA"] [Date "2012.06.11"] [Round
"2"] [White "Seirawan, Yasser"] [Black "Karpov, Anatoly"] [Result "1/2-1/2"]
[ECO "E15"] [WhiteElo "2643"] [BlackElo "2615"] [Annotator "Müller,Karsten"]
[PlyCount "89"] [EventDate "2012.06.10"] [EventType "match"] [EventRounds "2"]
[EventCountry "USA"] [Source "Chess Today"] [SourceDate "2012.06.11"] 1. d4
Nf6 2. c4 e6 3. Nf3 b6 4. g3 Ba6 5. Qc2 d5 6. cxd5 exd5 7. Nc3 c6 8. Bg2 Be7
9. O-O O-O 10. Rd1 Bb7 11. e4 Nxe4 12. Nxe4 dxe4 13. Ne5 f6 14. Qc4+ Qd5 15.
Bxe4 Qxc4 16. Nxc4 Na6 17. Bf4 Rfd8 18. h4 g6 19. Bf3 Nb4 20. Ne3 Bd6 21. a3
Nd5 22. Nxd5 cxd5 23. Bxd6 Rxd6 24. Rac1 Rd7 25. Re1 Kf8 26. Bg4 Rf7 27. f4
Re8 28. Rxe8+ Kxe8 29. f5 Re7 30. Kf2 Kf7 31. fxg6+ hxg6 32. Be2 Re8 33. Bf3
Ke6 34. Re1+ Kf7 35. Rxe8 Kxe8 36. Ke3 g5 37. Bg4 Kf7 38. Bf5 Bc6 {Karpov's
King In endings with same colored bishops fortresses often play a major role:}
39. h5 {This makes Black's job relativly easy.} (39. Kf3 {is met by} Ba4 40.
Kg4 Bd1+ $11) ({But} 39. b3 $5 {is a better chance to fight against Black's
bishop before White's king tries to invade:} a5 40. Ke2 (40. Kf3 a4 41. b4 Bb5
$11) 40... a4 41. b4 (41. bxa4 Bxa4 42. Kd2 Kg7 43. h5 Kh6 44. g4 Bc6 45. Kc3
Bb5 46. Kb4 Be2 47. Be6 Bc4 48. a4 Kg7 49. a5 bxa5+ 50. Kxa5 Kh6 51. Kb4 Be2
52. Kc5 Bf3 53. Kd6 Kg7 54. Ke7 Bh1 55. h6+ Kxh6 56. Kxf6 Be4 57. Ke5 Bf3 $11)
41... Bb5+ 42. Kf3 Bc4 43. Bb1 Bb3 44. Kg4 Bd1+ 45. Kf5 Bh5 $1 {The point of
Black's defense. White's bishop will be dominated and Black draws, e.g.} 46.
Ba2 Bf3 47. hxg5 Be4+ 48. Kf4 b5 $1 {Black closes the cage.} 49. gxf6 Kxf6 50.
g4 Ke6 51. g5 Bg6 52. Kg4 Be4 53. Kh5 Kf7 54. Kh6 Ke6 55. g6 Kf6 56. g7 Kf7
57. Bxd5+ Bxd5 58. Kh7 Ke7 59. g8=Q Bxg8+ 60. Kxg8 Kd6 61. Kf7 Kd5 62. Ke7 Kxd4
63. Kd6 Kc4 64. Kc6 Kb3 65. Kxb5 Kxa3 66. Kc4 Kb2 67. b5 $11) 39... Kg7 {Karpov's
king comes to close the kingside.} 40. g4 (40. Kf3 Be8 41. Kg4 {is not met by}
Kh6 $2 ({But by} 41... Ba4 42. Bc8 Bd1+ 43. Kf5 Bxh5 44. Bb7 Bf7 $11) 42. Be6
Bxh5+ 43. Kf5 Kg7 44. Bxd5 Bg6+ 45. Ke6 $18) 40... Kh6 41. Be6 a5 42. Kd2 b5
43. Kc3 Kg7 44. b4 a4 $1 {Karpov closes all inroads and can now just wait with
his king forever.} 45. Kd3 1/2-1/2
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