The story behind the game
Karpov’s game against Unzicker at the Nice Olympiad in 1974 is a lesson in giving the opponent fewer useful choices. White first restricts the queenside, then changes direction toward the king. Study the bishop routes and the timing of the f-pawn advance before looking at the final queen and knight pressure.
Take these ideas to your next game
- Restriction can make a later attack easier to organize.
- A useful bishop may obstruct a file instead of taking a pawn.
- When one wing is stable, consider improving play on the other.
- Prepare a queen entry with exchanges and supporting pieces.
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.
Karpov plays 24.Ba7, restricting Black’s use of the a-file. The bishop stands in the file while White’s a2-rook supports it from below. Black cannot treat it as an undefended piece. This is prophylaxis: a move aimed at limiting the opponent’s useful plan. White can later double rooks while keeping control of the queenside exchanges.
White plays 30.f4, beginning a new phase on the kingside. Black answers …f6, and White continues f5. Notice the order: White has already made the queenside less comfortable for Black. The pawn advance is connected to piece routes and structural targets; it is not an instruction to attack whichever wing happens to be nearer your queen.
Karpov’s 35.Bh5 adds pressure against the bishop on f7. The move gives a developed piece a specific task. White later exchanges on f7, clearing h5 for the queen’s entry. Follow which piece uses the square after the bishop leaves it. Coordination often means preparing a route for another piece rather than making one piece do everything.
The game continues 42.Qh5, using the diagonal opened by the bishop’s earlier work. After …Nd8, the queen reaches g6 and the knight joins on h5. The final pressure is easier to understand when traced back to the earlier restrictions and exchanges. Check the saved defences before interpreting the final result as proof that every move was forced.
Result: 1-0. The recorded score ends here; it does not imply checkmate.
Think through the turning points
Move 24: Block the file with a bishop
How can White interfere with Black’s rook activity on the a-file? In the game: Ba7. Karpov plays 24.Ba7, restricting Black’s use of the a-file. The bishop stands in the file while White’s a2-rook supports it from below. Black cannot treat it as an undefended piece. This is prophylaxis: a move aimed at limiting the opponent’s useful plan. White can later double rooks while keeping control of the queenside exchanges.
Engine-supported alternatives
Ba7 Qc7 Qe3 Nc5 bxc5 dxc5 Qg5 Ne8 Qxe5 Rxa7 Rxa7 Qxa7 · +0.92 · depth 17
Rxa8 Rxa8 Nh2 Ne8 f4 exf4 Bxf4 Bg7 Nf3 Ra3 e5 dxe5 · +0.61 · depth 17
Nh2 Rxa2 · +0.53 · depth 17
Move 30: Change the direction of play
After restricting the queenside, which pawn move starts gaining kingside space? In the game: f4. White plays 30.f4, beginning a new phase on the kingside. Black answers …f6, and White continues f5. Notice the order: White has already made the queenside less comfortable for Black. The pawn advance is connected to piece routes and structural targets; it is not an instruction to attack whichever wing happens to be nearer your queen.
Engine-supported alternatives
f4 exf4 Nxf4 f6 Nf3 Nf7 Nd4 Bh6 Qf2 Bd7 Bc2 Qe5 · +1.00 · depth 19
Ng4 Bd7 Nh6+ Kh8 Bb6 Qf8 Ng4 Rab8 Be3 f5 exf5 gxf5 · +0.77 · depth 19
Bc2 f6 f4 Nf7 Ra5 Bd7 Bb6 Rxa5 bxa5 Na6 f5 Bh6 · +0.79 · depth 18
Move 35: Give the bishop a target
The bishop is on d1. Which diagonal brings it into contact with Black’s bishop on f7? In the game: Bh5. Karpov’s 35.Bh5 adds pressure against the bishop on f7. The move gives a developed piece a specific task. White later exchanges on f7, clearing h5 for the queen’s entry. Follow which piece uses the square after the bishop leaves it. Coordination often means preparing a route for another piece rather than making one piece do everything.
Engine-supported alternatives
Bb6 Rxa2 Qxa2 Nd8 Bh5 Bf8 Bxc7 Qxc7 Kf1 Bxh5 Nxh5 Be7 · +3.45 · depth 20
Bh5 Bxh5 Nxh5 Qf7 Qd1 Kf8 Kf1 Nd8 Qf3 Ne8 Ra5 Qb7 · +3.15 · depth 20
Kf2 Qe8 Qe2 Bxd5 exd5 Nxd5 Qf3 Nxc3 Qxc3 d5 Qd2 Qd7 · +3.19 · depth 19
Move 42: Use the square the bishop prepared
The bishops have been exchanged on f7. Where can White’s queen enter to continue kingside pressure? In the game: Qh5. The game continues 42.Qh5, using the diagonal opened by the bishop’s earlier work. After …Nd8, the queen reaches g6 and the knight joins on h5. The final pressure is easier to understand when traced back to the earlier restrictions and exchanges. Check the saved defences before interpreting the final result as proof that every move was forced.
Engine-supported alternatives
Qh5 Qd7 Ra5 Nh8 Ng4 Qe7 Nxh6+ Bxh6 Qxh6 Qf8 Qxf8+ Kxf8 · +3.83 · depth 20
Ra5 Nd8 Bb6 Rxa5 Rxa5 Na8 Bxd8 Rxd8 Qh5 Nc7 Qxe8+ Rxe8 · +3.44 · depth 20
Kf1 Qd7 Qh5 Ne8 Ng4 Nh8 Ke2 Qb7 Ra6 Rd8 R6a5 · +3.57 · depth 19
Every piece has a part to play.
Karpov’s game against Unzicker at the Nice Olympiad in 1974 is a lesson in giving the opponent fewer useful choices. White first restricts the queenside, then changes direction toward the king. Study the bishop routes and the timing of the f-pawn advance before looking at the final queen and knight pressure.
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Accessible evaluation values & provenance
Stockfish 17.1 · 75,000 nodes per position; 1,000,000 at key moments. Actual depth 13–20. Positive centipawns favour White; mate scores remain separate. Selective search is evidence, not proof.
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