Six years ago the first volume of Garry Kasparov’s MY GREAT PREDECESSORS first appeared. Now, seven volumes and over 3000 (!) pages later, his latest effort, KASPAROV VS. KARPOV 1986-1987, takes us to the end of the fourth match with Karpov.
The present work covers the World Championship matches of 1986 (London/Leningrad) and 1987 (Seville). The first of these two matches was covered by Kasparov in his book London - Leningrad Championship Games (Pergammon 1987) but the present work goes well beyond what was known 22 years ago. Kasparov spent an unheard of, for the time, 17 1/2 pages on the epic game 16 shortly after it was played, but this time around he spends 27 pages. Some of this may be accounted for by the addition of more diagrams (which were desperately needed) but for the most part the additional length reflects new discoveries – discoveries from a new generation of chess players, silicon oracles and mostly Kasparov’s relentless searching.
The fourth match in Seville, the first Kasparov - Karpov match to be held entirely outside the Soviet Union and only the third World Championship held in the West since 1951, was in many ways the most dramatic and not the subject of a previous work by Kasparov. It was the only match that went the distance that Karpov did not lose – after his tremendous win in game 23 it appeared he would regain the title but Kasparov was not to be denied. He won the dramatic last game and equalized the score. Game 23 and 24 are extensively analyzed and Kasparov’s explanation of the psychological factors governing these games is just as interesting as his notes on what happened over the board.
Besides the analysis of the games Kasparov also gives his account of the behind the scenes machinations that seem to always surround Kasparov - Karpov matches. There is plenty to read about various intrigues but in the end most chess players will want to get this book for Kasparov’s analysis of some of the most important games in chess history.
Kasparov vs. Karpov 1986-1987 is arguably the most outstanding book in an outstanding series that is without precedent.
