The World Chess Championship 1990 was played between Garry Kasparov and Anatoly Karpov. It was the fifth and final KasparovâÂÂKarpov championship match, and saw Kasparov win by a single point. The first twelve games were played in New York City from 8 October to 7 November and the other half was played in Lyon from 26 November to 30 December.
The players for the candidates tournament (the tournament to decide who will challenge the world championship) were selected as the top three winners of three interzonals, which were held in Subotica, Serbia, Szirák, Hungary and Zagreb, Croatia, respectively. The remaining players were the four runners up to the previous candidates tournament, a wild card (Kevin Spraggett), and Karpov, who qualified automatically by dint of having been the challenger for the previous world championship.
Three Interzonals were held in the summer of 1987, with 16 to 18 players playing in each and the top three scorers from each qualifying for the candidates tournament, in turn the winner of which would challenge the world championship.
In the first tournament in Subotica, Sax, Short, and Speelman qualified. Lubomir Kavalek withdrew after six rounds; his results are not included in the totals for the other players. Robert Hübner was invited, but declined to participate. As a result, Ribli had a free day during the last round. To show his displeasure, he refused to take part in a playoff against Tal, which could have been important, if a reserve spot had opened up in the Candidates Tournament.
In the Szirák tournament, Valery Salov and Jóhann Hjartarson finished at the top of the table, while Lajos Portisch and John Nunn tied for third. The last place in the Candidates Tournament was decided in a separate playoff in Budapest, with Portisch defeating Nunn 4âÂÂ2.
Viktor Korchnoi emerged as winner of the last tournament in Zagreb, ahead of Jaan Ehlvest and Yasser Seirawan. In an extra playoff in Havana in November, NikoliÃÂ took the place as reserve for the Candidates Tournament with 6 points, ahead of Granda (4) and Nogueiras (2). No reserve was needed, however.
In addition to nine players from the Interzonals, the top four of the previous Candidates Tournament (Sokolov, Timman, Vaganian, and Yusupov) qualified directly for this tournament. The Canadian organizers of the preliminary matches (which were held in Saint John, New Brunswick) nominated one player, (Spraggett). Finally, Karpov, the challenger in the previous cycle, was seeded into the quarterfinals.
Karpov won, once again facing Kasparov for the fifth and final time in seven years. Karpov later alleged that a Dutch sponsor had offered to pay him to lose the match against Timman.
The first twelve games were played in New York City (8 October â 7 November), the other twelve taking place in Lyon, France (26 November â 30 December). Kasparov was considered the favourite to win the match, having defeated Karpov in the previous three world championships, and had reached a record rating of 2800.
As in previous matches, the champion had "draw odds" - if the match was tied 12-12, the champion (Kasparov) would retain the title. Pointing to the closeness of their previous matches, Karpov proposed that instead, they play on if there was a tie, with the winner being the first to win another game. Kasparov declined this alteration.
Kasparov clinched the title after Game 22, when he led 12-10. The two final games were played, and Kasparov won the match 12ý-11ý.
Although still a Soviet citizen, Kasparov refused to play the Championship match under the flag of the USSR. Instead, he wanted to use the Russian flag (not the flag of the RSFSR, but the old tri-color) which, incidentally, would be re-adopted after the collapse of the Soviet Union a year later. Kasparov was indeed allowed to play with a small Russian tri-color at the table.
This would be Kasparov and Karpov's last world championship match against each other. Kasparov said of the match:
The players played a highly theoretical opening, with 6. Be3 c6, known as the Byrne variation. Neither player was able to seize a convincing advantage. Several contemporary analysts, including chess computer Deep Thought, believed Karpov could've played for a small advantage with 22. b3, though he broke the tension instead by playing 22. Rxa6. After 30.. Ba2, Kasparov offered a draw, which Karpov accepted. They each had ten more moves to make before the time increase; Karpov had 7 minutes left and Kasparov had 15.
Karpov played 9.. Bb7 in this game, which he had used to defeat Timman in the candidates final. However, he made an inaccuracy with 24.. Ng8. This allowed for an exchange on the h6 square, leading to the diversion of the bishop from the protection of d6, and Kasparov was able to fork the queen and rook. 22.. Kh7 surprised contemporary commentators, a move which Karpov spent 10 minutes thinking of. Many expected a queen retreat.
Instead of 15. O-O, Karpov could've been more active, with b4 or Ng5.
Kasparov played the Scotch Game, which was a major surprise.
Kasparov, Garry 2010. Garry Kasparov on Modern Chess, Part 4: Kasparov v Karpov 1988âÂÂ2009. London: Everyman Chess.