Champions League Chess Tournament, - Round 7

Karpov,Ana vs. Polgar,Ju


Chess Champions League Vitoria Gasteiz ESP (7), 10.11.2007
1.d4 Nf6 2.c4 e6 3.Nf3 b6 4.g3 Bb7 5.Bg2 Be7 6.Nc3 0-0 7.Qc2 Nc6 8.e4 d5 9.cxd5 exd5 10.e5 Ne4 11.0-0 Nb4 12.Qb1 c5 13.Be3 Qd7 14.Rd1 Rad8 15.dxc5 Nxc5 16.a3 Nba6 17.b4 Ne6 18.Ra2 Nac7 19.Rad2 Rfe8 20.Qb3 Qc8 21.Nd4 Bf8 22.f4 g6 23.h4 Ng7 24.Bf2 Qa8 25.Ndb5 Nxb5 26.Nxb5 Ne6 27.Bxd5 Rxd5 28.Rxd5 Bxd5 29.Qxd5 Qb8 30.Qe4 Qc8 31.Rd3 Qc2 32.Re3 Qc1+ 33.Kg2 Rd8 34.Nxa7 Rd2 35.Nb5 Qb2 36.Qf3 Qc2 37.Rc3 Qa2 38.Kf1 Qb1+ 39.Be1 Nc5 40.Qe3 Rh2

Karpov has been piling up the pressure on Judit Polgar's Queen's Indian, and is two pawns up. Judit has been seeking compensation with counterplay on White's second rank, but is still in quite a lot of trouble. Now comes the fatal mistake: 41.Rc1?? How long does it take you to find the refutation that led to Karpov's resignation two moves later? This game goes to show that even in a bad or lost position it is always important it is to give your opponent a fair chance to chance to mess things up.

Judit Polgar won her game against Karpov with the move 41...Qb2!, which threatens 42...Qg2 mate. White cannot abandon the defence of the rook on c1 with 42.Qf3. Karpov tried his luck with 42.Bf2, but Superwomen had it all figured out: 42...Ne4 43.Kg1 Nxf2 0-1.