Chess: Only two years to wait

IT IS all over. Garry Kasparov and Anatoly Karpov can both call themselves 'world champion' and now it is up to the Professional Chess Association and the International Chess Federation (Fide) to see which can better attract large sponsorship and the support of the leading players. Fide have the merits of tradition and formal legitimacy; the PCA have the trump card of Garry Kasparov. Compared with the recriminations of the past nine months, the two years before the next title matches promise to be even more bitter.

The end of the Fide match in Jakarta was delayed by Timman's victory in game 20 on Saturday. Needing to win the last five games to save the match, Timman's case was clearly hopeless. He had not scored a victory since the second game, and he was playing with the black pieces. At the worst of times, Karpov ought to be able to draw with White, while playing on automatic pilot, but this time it all went wrong. Perhaps he was expecting Timman to roll over and agree a quick draw. By the time he realised that had a fight on his hands, it was too late.

Perhaps Karpov himself was unsure what he was playing for. Having gained a five-point advantage - identical to Kasparov's winning margin over Short - he may have had a sneaking ambition to win the last game and outdo his old rival. But it is hard to play not knowing whether you are trying to draw or win.

Karpov's planless opening contrasted sharply with Timman's purposeful development of pressure against c4. After 19 . . . d5] White was already in trouble and after 25 . . . Rxb3] he was lost. Since 26. Qxb3 Qg5+ regains the rook for Black, Karpov had to suffer a pawn behind, with an exposed king and passive pieces. He prolonged the game until the time-control, but resigned when about to lose his queen to 41. Kh3 g4+.

----------------------------------------------------------------- White: Karpov ----------------------------------------------------------------- Black: Timman 1 Nf3 c5 22 Kf2 Rc3 2 c4 Nc6 23 Qxd5 Rcxe3 3 Nc3 Nf6 24 Rd2 Qe7 4 d4 cxd4 25 Kg3 Rxb3 5 Nxd4 e6 26 a4 Rb4 6 a3 Nxd4 27 Rd4 Rxd4 7 Qxd4 b6 28 Qxd4 Qg5+ 8 Bf4 Bc5 29 Kh3 Re2 9 Qd2 0-0 30 Rg1 Qh5+ 10 Rd1 Bb7 31 Kg3 Qg5+ 11 Bd6 Bxd6 32 Kh3 Rd2 12 Qxd6 Rc8 33 Qc3 Ra2 13 e3 Re8 34 Qd4 h6 14 f3 Rc6 35 Qc4 Qh5+ 15 Qd4 Ba6 36 Kg3 Qe5+ 16 Ne4 Nxe4 37 Kh3 Rd2 17 Qxe4 Qc7 38 Qh4 Qf5+ 18 Bd3 g6 39 Kg3 g5 19 b3 d5 40 Qxh6 Qf4+ 20 cxd5 Bxd3 White resigns 21 Qxd3 exd5 -----------------------------------------------------------------

Yesterday, Karpov did play calmly for a draw. Timman had made his point with Saturday's win, and seemed content to concede the draw that ended the match 121 2 - 81 2 in Karpov's favour.

----------------------------------------------------------------- White: Timman ----------------------------------------------------------------- Black: Karpov 1 d4 Nf6 11 Be2 c5 2 c4 e6 12 0-0 Rac8 3 Nc3 Bb4 13 Rad1 d5 4 Qc2 0-0 14 dxc5 Nxc5 5 a3 Bxc3+ 15 Qe5 Rfd8 6 Qxc3 b6 16 Nd4 Qf8 7 Nf3 Bb7 17 f3 dxc4 8 e3 d6 18 Bxc4 Bd5 9 b3 Nbd7 19 Bxd5 10 Bb2 Qe7 Draw agreed. -----------------------------------------------------------------