The story behind the game
Korchnoi offers material near White’s king and activates both rooks. Karpov’s king recaptures on f2, leaving White to solve concrete defensive problems without castling cover. A knight jump, bishop development and a later capture on g5 show how coordinated pieces can challenge an attack before the rooks are exchanged.
Take these ideas to your next game
- An exposed king needs concrete defenders and active squares.
- Develop a bishop with the opponent’s rook routes in view.
- Calculate a knight offer through the bishop recapture.
- An open file can allow simplification with tempo.
Read the complete annotated game
Full game transcript, including the result and the answers. Original explanations by chessgames.info; game score from the sources below.
Ng5 improves the knight while White’s king remains active in the centre. Black brings a rook to f8, and White uses the queen to gain time before developing the bishop. Compare immediate checks and rook threats rather than trying to rebuild a castled pawn shelter that no longer exists.
Bf4 brings the last bishop into the defence and counterplay. Black challenges White’s knight with h6, so White repositions it and later centralizes the other bishop. The development is useful because it connects the minor pieces with the rook’s future route. Keep the opponent’s doubled-rook threats in view.
Be5 is the strongest saved candidate. Karpov played Nxg5, allowing the h-pawn to capture before the bishop recaptured on g5. The saved comparison prefers Be5 immediately. Black can exchange the bishop with the knight, after which White’s d-pawn recaptures and the central structure changes. Distinguish that supported move order from the historical knight offer.
Re1 uses the open file to challenge Black’s central rook. Black repositions the queen, White gains space with h4 and the recorded game ends after a rook capture on e6. Assess the bishop support and remaining checks alongside that exchange; an exposed king still needs concrete calculation.
Result: 1-0. The recorded score ends here; it does not imply checkmate.
Think through the turning points
Move 20: Use activity near the exposed king
Which knight move from f3 approaches e6 and f7? In the game: Ng5. Ng5 improves the knight while White’s king remains active in the centre. Black brings a rook to f8, and White uses the queen to gain time before developing the bishop. Compare immediate checks and rook threats rather than trying to rebuild a castled pawn shelter that no longer exists.
Engine-supported alternatives
Bg5 h6 Bh4 Re6 Bd3 Rf8 Bg3 f4 Bh2 Na5 Qc2 Nc4 · +3.15 · depth 20
Ng5 Kg8 Kg1 h6 Nf3 Re8 Bf1 Rg3 Qd1 g5 Nh2 Na5 · +2.92 · depth 19
Kf1 Qg3 Ne1 Re8 Bd2 Rge6 Bh5 g6 Bf3 g5 Nd3 Ne7 · +2.74 · depth 19
Move 22: Develop the remaining bishop
Which bishop move develops the c1 bishop to f4? In the game: Bf4. Bf4 brings the last bishop into the defence and counterplay. Black challenges White’s knight with h6, so White repositions it and later centralizes the other bishop. The development is useful because it connects the minor pieces with the rook’s future route. Keep the opponent’s doubled-rook threats in view.
Engine-supported alternatives
Bf4 h6 Nf3 Rgf6 h4 Re8 g3 Re4 Rf1 Qe8 Bd3 Qh5 · +3.88 · depth 20
Bd2 f4 Nf3 Rg3 Qc5 Ne7 Rf1 g5 Kg1 Nf5 Rf2 Kg7 · +3.78 · depth 20
Nf3 f4 Bd2 Rg3 Qc5 Ne7 Rf1 g5 Kg1 Ng6 Rf2 Kg7 · +3.73 · depth 20
Move 27: Challenge the rook with the bishop
Which bishop move attacks the rook on f6? In the game: Nxg5. Be5 is the strongest saved candidate. Karpov played Nxg5, allowing the h-pawn to capture before the bishop recaptured on g5. The saved comparison prefers Be5 immediately. Black can exchange the bishop with the knight, after which White’s d-pawn recaptures and the central structure changes. Distinguish that supported move order from the historical knight offer.
Engine-supported alternatives
Be5 Nxe5 dxe5 Rf8 Rf1 Qb8 Kg1 f4 Bxe4 dxe4 Nd2 e3 · +3.84 · depth 20
Bd2 g4 Ng1 Ne7 Kg2 Rc6 Qa5 Qg8 Bxe4 gxh3+ Nxh3 fxe4 · +3.17 · depth 20
Be3 g4 Ne5 f4 Bxe4 Qb8 b3 fxe3+ Kxe3 Nxe5 dxe5 · +2.48 · depth 20
Nxg5 Rxf4+ gxf4 hxg5 fxg5 Rd6 h4 f4 Re1 Qd7 Ke2 Qg4+ · +2.69 · depth 23
Move 29: Challenge the rook on the open file
Which rook move attacks the rook on e6? In the game: Re1. Re1 uses the open file to challenge Black’s central rook. Black repositions the queen, White gains space with h4 and the recorded game ends after a rook capture on e6. Assess the bishop support and remaining checks alongside that exchange; an exposed king still needs concrete calculation.
Engine-supported alternatives
Rf1 Kg7 Bxf6+ Kxf6 Re1 Rxe1 Kxe1 Ne7 Kf2 Qb8 b3 Qd8 · +3.65 · depth 21
Re1 Qg8 h4 Rd6 Re5 Rf8 Re2 Re8 Bf4 Rxe2+ Bxe2 Re6 · +3.64 · depth 21
Rd1 f4 gxf4 Na5 Qxa5 Qd6 Kf3 Rf7 Rg1 Qd7 f5 Rc6 · +3.23 · depth 21
Every piece has a part to play.
Korchnoi offers material near White’s king and activates both rooks. Karpov’s king recaptures on f2, leaving White to solve concrete defensive problems without castling cover. A knight jump, bishop development and a later capture on g5 show how coordinated pieces can challenge an attack before the rooks are exchanged.
Look a little deeper
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Accessible evaluation values & provenance
Stockfish 17.1 · 75,000 nodes per position; 1,000,000 at key moments. Actual depth 12–22. Positive centipawns favour White; mate scores remain separate. Selective search is evidence, not proof.
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