Karpov - Korchnoi Statistics : World Chess Championship

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World Chess Championship
The Great Rivalries
Karpov - Korchnoi

See The Great Rivalries for the full list of events covered by this page, plus pages on other rivalries.

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Results by color
Result 1974 1978 1981 Total

1-0 4 7 5 16

0-1 1 4 3 8

1/2 19 21 10 50

Results by color
Result	1974	1978	1981	Total
1-0	4	7	5	16
0-1	1	4	3	8
1/2	19	21	10	50

Results by player
Result Karpov
White Korchnoi
White Total

1-0 9 7 16

0-1 2 6 8

1/2 26 24 50

Results by player
Result	Karpov White	Korchnoi White	Total
1-0	9	7	16
0-1	2	6	8
1/2	26	24	50

First moves by each player
White 1st move 1974 1978 1981 Total

Karpov 1.c4 3 1 4

Karpov 1.e4 10 13 8 31

Karpov 1.Nf3 2 2

Korchnoi 1.c4 5 14 8 27

Korchnoi 1.d4 5 1 6

Korchnoi 1.g3 1 1

Korchnoi 1.Nf3 2 1 3

First moves by each player
White	1st move	1974	1978	1981	Total
Karpov	1.c4		3	1	4
Karpov	1.e4	10	13	8	31
Karpov	1.Nf3	2			2
Korchnoi	1.c4	5	14	8	27
Korchnoi	1.d4	5	1		6
Korchnoi	1.g3		1		1
Korchnoi	1.Nf3	2		1	3

ECO Classification
ECO Karpov
White Korchnoi
White Total

A1 1 5 6

A2 2 4 6

A3 1 1

A4 1 1

B0 2 2

B1 1 1

B2 1 1

B7 1 1

C0 9 9

C4 2 2

C5 2 2

C6 1 1

C7 1 1

C8 12 12

D2 1 1

D3 6 6

D5 8 8

E0 1 3 4

E1 5 5

E4 4 4

ECO Classification
ECO	Karpov White	Korchnoi White	Total
A1	1	5	6
A2	2	4	6
A3	1		1
A4		1	1
B0	2		2
B1	1		1
B2		1	1
B7	1		1
C0	9		9
C4	2		2
C5	2		2
C6	1		1
C7	1		1
C8	12		12
D2	1		1
D3		6	6
D5		8	8
E0	1	3	4
E1		5	5
E4		4	4

Score by ECO classification
White ECO 1974
gms 1974
pct 1978
gms 1978
pct 1981
gms 1981
pct Total
gms Total
pct

Karpov A 3 50% 1 50% 4 50%

Karpov B 1 100% 3 67% 4 75%

Karpov C 9 56% 10 55% 8 69% 27 59%

Karpov D 1 50% 1 50%

Karpov E 1 50% 1 50%

Korchnoi A 6 58% 3 50% 1 50% 10 55%

Korchnoi B 1 100% 1 100%

Korchnoi D 6 58% 8 44% 14 50%

Korchnoi E 6 50% 6 42% 12 46%

Score by ECO classification
White	ECO	1974 gms	1974 pct	1978 gms	1978 pct	1981 gms	1981 pct	Total gms	Total pct
Karpov	A			3	50%	1	50%	4	50%
Karpov	B	1	100%	3	67%			4	75%
Karpov	C	9	56%	10	55%	8	69%	27	59%
Karpov	D	1	50%					1	50%
Karpov	E	1	50%					1	50%
Korchnoi	A	6	58%	3	50%	1	50%	10	55%
Korchnoi	B			1	100%			1	100%
Korchnoi	D			6	58%	8	44%	14	50%
Korchnoi	E	6	50%	6	42%			12	46%

Korchnoi was the author for the Encyclopedia of Chess Openings (ECO) sections C80-C83, Ruy Lopez, Open Defense. Karpov suspected that he planted inferior lines as traps for unwary future opponents.

Karpov - Korchnoi
ECO A00-A99
Matches 1974-81

1. c4
1. Nf3 Nf6 2. g3 d5 3. Bg2 Bf5 4. c4 c6 VK-AK 1974-15

1. d4 Nf6 2. Bg5 e6 3. e4 h6 4. Bxf6 Qxf6 VK-AK 1974-19
1... Nf6
1... e5 2. Nc3 d6 3. g3 f5 4. Bg2 Nc6 AK-VK 1978-26
2. Nc3 e5

This position was seen 5 times. Korchnoi as White scored +0-1=3, while Karpov as White scored +0-0=1.

2... e6 3. Nf3 (3. e4 c5 4. e5 Ng8 5. d4 cxd4 6. Qxd4 Nc6 VK-AK 1978-29) 3... b6 4. e4 Bb4 5. Qe2 Bb7 6. e5 Ng8 7. d4 Ne7 ( 7... d6 8. Bd2 dxe5 9. dxe5 Na6 VK-AK 1974-01) 8. Bd2 (8. Qd3 d5 9. exd6 cxd6 VK-AK 1974-07) 8... O-O 9. O-O-O d5 VK-AK 1974-03

2... d5 3. cxd5 Nxd5 4. g3 (4. Nf3 Nxc3 5. bxc3 g6 6. d4 Bg7 7. e3 AK-VK 1981-12) 4... g6 5. Bg2 Nxc3 6. bxc3 Bg7 7. Nf3 O-O 8. O-O c5 AK-VK 1978-30
3. Nf3
3. g3 Bb4 4. Qb3 Nc6 VK-AK 1978-25
3... Nc6 4. g3 Bb4 5. Bg2
5. Nd5 Nxd5 (5... Bc5 VK-AK 1981-15) 6. cxd5 VK-AK 1978-27
5... O-O 6. O-O e4 7. Ne1 Bxc3 8. dxc3 h6 9. Nc2 b6
9... Re8 10. Ne3 d6 AK-VK 1978-06
10. Ne3 Bb7 VK-AK 1974-09 *
Karpov - Korchnoi
ECO B00-B99
Matches 1974-81

1. e4
1. g3 c5 2. Bg2 Nc6 3. e4 g6 4. d3 Bg7 5. f4 d6 VK-AK 1978-11
1... c5
1... d6 2. d4 Nf6 3. Nc3 g6 4. Nf3 Bg7 5. Be2 O-O 6. O-O c5 (6... Bg4 7. Be3 Nc6 8. Qd3 e5 9. d5 Nb4 AK-VK 1978-18) 7. d5 Na6 8. Bf4 Nc7 9. a4 b6 AK-VK 1978-32

1... c6 2. d4 d5 3. Nd2 dxe4 4. Nxe4 Nf6 AK-VK 1978-20
2. Nf3 d6 3. d4 cxd4 4. Nxd4 Nf6 5. Nc3 g6 AK-VK 1974-02 *
Karpov - Korchnoi
ECO C00-C19
Matches 1974-81

1. e4 e6 2. d4 d5 3. Nd2 c5 4. exd5 exd5 5. Ngf3
5. Bb5+ Bd7 6. Qe2+ Qe7 (6... Be7 7. dxc5 Nf6 8. Nb3 O-O 9. Be3 Re8 AK-VK 1978-22) 7. Bxd7+ Nxd7 8. dxc5 Nxc5 AK-VK 1978-16
5... Nc6 6. Bb5 Bd6 7. dxc5
7. O-O cxd4 8. Nb3 Nge7 9. Nbxd4 O-O 10. c3 Bg4 11. Qa4 Bh5 (11... Qd7 AK-VK 1974-16) 12. Be3 ( 12. Bd3 Bc5 AK-VK 1974-14) 12... Qc7 AK-VK 1974-12
7... Bxc5 8. O-O Nge7 9. Nb3 Bd6 10. c3
10. Bg5 AK-VK 1974-18
10... Bg4 11. Nbd4 O-O

See also the variation 7.0-0 cxd4 ... 10.c3 Bg4, where the same position was reached after 10 moves. All 6 games were drawn.
12. Qa4
12. Be2 AK-VK 1974-04
12... Bh5 13. Re1
13. Bd3 h6 AK-VK 1974-10
13... Qc7 14. h3 Bg6 AK-VK 1974-08 *
Karpov - Korchnoi
ECO C20-C99
Matches 1974-81

1. e4 e5 2. Nf3 Nc6
2... Nf6 3. Nxe5 d6 4. Nf3 Nxe4 5. d4 d5 6. Bd3 Be7 7. O-O Nc6 8. Re1 Bg4 (8... Bf5 AK-VK 1981-04) 9. c3 AK-VK 1974-06
3. Bb5
3. Bc4 Bc5 4. c3 Nf6 5. d3 d6 (5... a6 6. O-O d6 7. Re1 Ba7 8. Bb3 O-O 9. Nbd2 AK-VK 1981-10) 6. Nbd2 a6 7. O-O O-O 8. Bb3 Ba7 9. h3 AK-VK 1981-08
3... a6
3... Nf6 4. O-O Nxe4 5. d4 Be7 6. Qe2 Nd6 7. Bxc6 bxc6 8. dxe5 Nb7 AK-VK 1981-02
4. Ba4 Nf6
4... f5 AK-VK 1974-20
5. O-O Nxe4 6. d4 b5 7. Bb3 d5 8. dxe5 Be6

This position was reached 12 times. The result was +4-2=6 for Karpov as White.
9. c3
9. Nbd2 Nc5 10. c3 g6 AK-VK 1978-08 (10... d4 11. Ng5 AK-VK 1978-10 (11. Bxe6 Nxe6 12. cxd4 Ncxd4 13. a4 (13. Ne4 Be7 14. Be3 Nf5 (14... Nxf3+ AK-VK 1981-14) 15. Qc2 AK-VK 1981-16) 13... Be7 AK-VK 1981-18))

9. Qe2 Be7 AK-VK 1978-12
9... Bc5
9... Be7 10. Bc2 Nc5 AK-VK 1978-24

9... Nc5 10. Bc2 Bg4 AK-VK 1978-28
10. Nbd2 O-O 11. Bc2 Bf5 12. Nb3 Bg4
12... Bg6 AK-VK 1981-06
13. Nxc5
13. h3 Bh5 14. g4 Bg6 AK-VK 1978-14
13... Nxc5 14. Re1 d4
14... Bh5 15. h3 Re8 AK-VK 1978-04
15. h3 Bh5 AK-VK 1978-02 *
Karpov - Korchnoi
ECO D00-D99
Matches 1974-81

1. c4
1. Nf3 Nf6 2. d4 d5 3. c4 dxc4 4. e3 g6 AK-VK 1974-24
1... Nf6
1... e6 2. Nc3 d5 3. d4 Nf6 (3... Be7 4. cxd5 exd5 5. Bf4 c6 VK-AK 1981-13) 4. cxd5 exd5 5. Bg5 Be7 VK-AK 1978-31
2. Nc3 e6 3. Nf3 d5 4. d4 Be7 5. Bg5
5. Bf4 O-O 6. e3 c5 7. dxc5 Bxc5 8. Qc2 Nc6 9. Rd1 Qa5 10. a3 Be7 (10... Re8 VK-AK 1978-21) 11. Nd2 e5 12. Bg5 d4 13. Nb3 Qd8 (13... Qb6 VK-AK 1978-23) 14. Be2 h6 (14... a5 VK-AK 1981-11) 15. Bxf6 VK-AK 1978-09

5. g3 VK-AK 1978-15
5... h6 6. Bh4 O-O

This position was seen 8 times. The result was +0-3=5 for Korchnoi as White.
7. Rc1
7. e3 b6 8. Rc1 Bb7 9. Bd3 (9. Be2 Nbd7 10. cxd5 exd5 VK-AK 1981-01) 9... dxc4 10. Bxc4 Nbd7 11. O-O c5 12. dxc5 (12. Qe2 a6 VK-AK 1981-03) 12... Nxc5 VK-AK 1978-01
7... b6
7... dxc4 8. e3 c5 9. Bxc4 cxd4 10. exd4 ( 10. Nxd4 VK-AK 1981-17) 10... Nc6 VK-AK 1981-09
8. Bxf6
8. cxd5 Nxd5 9. Nxd5 exd5 10. Bxe7 Qxe7 11. g3 Ba6 12. e3 c5 13. dxc5 Bb7 (13... bxc5 VK-AK 1981-05) 14. Bg2 bxc5 VK-AK 1981-07
8... Bxf6 9. cxd5 exd5 VK-AK 1978-13 *
Karpov - Korchnoi
ECO E00-E19
Matches 1974-81

1. c4
1. Nf3 Nf6 2. c4 e6 3. g3 d5 4. d4 dxc4 5. Qa4+ AK-VK 1974-22

1. d4 Nf6 2. c4 e6 3. g3 d5 4. Bg2 dxc4 5. Nf3 VK-AK 1974-17
1... Nf6 2. Nc3
2. g3 e6 3. Bg2 d5 4. Nf3 Be7 5. d4 O-O 6. Nbd2 b6 VK-AK 1978-19
2... e6 3. Nf3 b6 4. g3 Bb7 5. Bg2 Be7 6. d4

This position was seen 5 times. The result was +1-0=4 for Korchnoi as White.
6... O-O
6... Ne4 VK-AK 1974-23
7. Qc2
7. Qd3 d5 8. cxd5 Nxd5 9. Nxd5 exd5 10. O-O Nd7 11. Bf4 (11. Rd1 Re8 VK-AK 1974-13) 11... c5 VK-AK 1974-11
7... c5 8. d5 exd5 9. Ng5 g6
9... Nc6 10. Nxd5 g6 VK-AK 1974-21
10. Qd1 d6 VK-AK 1974-05 *
Karpov - Korchnoi
ECO E20-E99
Matches 1974-81

1. c4 Nf6 2. Nc3 e6 3. d4 Bb4 4. e3

Korchnoi faced the Nimzo Indian 4 times as White, scoring +0-1=3.
4... c5
4... O-O 5. Bd3 c5 6. d5 b5 7. dxe6 fxe6 8. cxb5 Bb7 (8... a6 9. Nge2 d5 VK-AK 1978-17) 9. Nf3 d5 VK-AK 1978-07
5. Nge2 cxd4
5... d5 VK-AK 1978-05
6. exd4 d5 VK-AK 1978-03 *