World Chess Championship 1990

The World Chess Championship 1990 was played between Garry Kasparov and Anatoly Karpov. It was the fifth and final Kasparov–Karpov 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, Yugoslavia, Szirák, Hungary and Zagreb, Yugoslavia, 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.

Background

1987 Interzonal tournaments 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.

{| class="wikitable" |+ June–July 1987 Interzonal, Subotica |- ! !! !! Rating !! 1 !! 2 !! 3 !! 4 !! 5 !! 6 !! 7 !! 8 !! 9 !! 10 !! 11 !! 12 !! 13 !! 14 !! 15 !! 16 !! Total !! Tie break |- style="background:#ccffcc;" | 1 || align=left| || 2570 || - || 1 || ½ || ½ || ½ || 1 || 1 || ½ || ½ || 0 || 1 || ½ || 1 || ½ || 1 || 1 || 10½ || 74.25 |- style="background:#ccffcc;" | 2 || align=left| || 2615 || 0 || - || ½ || ½ || 1 || 1 || ½ || 1 || ½ || 1 || ½ || 1 || ½ || 1 || ½ || 1 || 10½ || 73.00 |- style="background:#ccffcc;" | 3 || align=left| || 2550 || ½ || ½ || - || 0 || 1 || ½ || ½ || ½ || 1 || ½ || 1 || 1 || ½ || 1 || 1 || 1 || 10½ || 70.75 |- | 4 || align=left| || 2605 || ½ || ½ || 1 || - || ½ || ½ || 1 || ½ || ½ || ½ || 1 || 1 || ½ || 1 || 0 || 1 || 10 || 72.50 |- | 5 || align=left| || 2580 || ½ || 0 || 0 || ½ || - || ½ || ½ || ½ || 1 || ½ || 1 || 1 || 1 || 1 || 1 || 1 || 10 || 63.25 |- | 6 || align=left| || 2495 || 0 || 0 || ½ || ½ || ½ || - || ½ || ½ || ½ || 1 || 0 || 1 || ½ || 1 || 1 || 1 || 8½ || |- | 7 || align=left| || 2505 || 0 || ½ || ½ || 0 || ½ || ½ || - || ½ || 0 || ½ || 1 || 1 || ½ || ½ || 1 || 1 || 8 || |- | 8 || align=left| || 2550 || ½ || 0 || ½ || ½ || ½ || ½ || ½ || - || ½ || 0 || 0 || 1 || 1 || ½ || 1 || ½ || 7½ || 52.00 |- | 9 || align=left| || 2570 || ½ || ½ || 0 || ½ || 0 || ½ || 1 || ½ || - || 1 || 0 || 0 || 1 || 0 || 1 || 1 || 7½ || 51.00 |- | 10 || align=left| || 2540 || 1 || 0 || ½ || ½ || ½ || 0 || ½ || 1 || 0 || - || 1 || 0 || 0 || ½ || ½ || 1 || 7 || |- | 11 || align=left| || 2505 || 0 || ½ || 0 || 0 || 0 || 1 || 0 || 1 || 1 || 0 || - || ½ || 0 || 1 || ½ || 1 || 6½ || |- | 12 || align=left| || 2465 || ½ || 0 || 0 || 0 || 0 || 0 || 0 || 0 || 1 || 1 || ½ || - || 1 || 1 || 1 || 0 || 6 || |- | 13 || align=left| || 2575 || 0 || ½ || ½ || ½ || 0 || ½ || ½ || 0 || 0 || 1 || 1 || 0 || - || ½ || 0 || ½ || 5½ || |- | 14 || align=left| || 2495 || ½ || 0 || 0 || 0 || 0 || 0 || ½ || ½ || 1 || ½ || 0 || 0 || ½ || - || 1 || ½ || 5 || |- | 15 || align=left| || 2425 || 0 || ½ || 0 || 1 || 0 || 0 || 0 || 0 || 0 || ½ || ½ || 0 || 1 || 0 || - || ½ || 4 || |- | 16 || align=left| || 2310 || 0 || 0 || 0 || 0 || 0 || 0 || 0 || ½ || 0 || 0 || 0 || 1 || ½ || ½ || ½ || - || 3 ||

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.

{| class="wikitable" |+ July–August 1987 Interzonal, Szirak |- ! !! !! Rating !! 1 !! 2 !! 3 !! 4 !! 5 !! 6 !! 7 !! 8 !! 9 !! 10 !! 11 !! 12 !! 13 !! 14 !! 15 !! 16 !! 17 !! 18 !! Total !! Tie break |- style="background:#ccffcc;" | 1 || align=left| || 2575 || - || ½ || ½ || ½ || 1 || 1 || ½ || 1 || ½ || 0 || ½ || 1 || 1 || ½ || 1 || 1 || 1 || 1 || 12½ || 97.25 |- style="background:#ccffcc;" | 2 || align=left| || 2550 || ½ || - || ½ || ½ || ½ || ½ || 1 || 1 || ½ || 1 || 1 || ½ || 0 || 1 || 1 || 1 || 1 || 1 || 12½ || 96.50 |- style="background:#ccffcc;" | 3 || align=left| || 2615 || ½ || ½ || - || ½ || 1 || ½ || 0 || 1 || 1 || 1 || 1 || 1 || 1 || 1 || ½ || ½ || ½ || ½ || 12 || 98.50 |- | 4 || align=left| || 2585 || ½ || ½ || ½ || - || ½ || 0 || 1 || ½ || 1 || 1 || 1 || 1 || ½ || 1 || 0 || 1 || 1 || 1 || 12 || 92.50 |- | 5 || align=left| || 2630 || 0 || ½ || 0 || ½ || - || ½ || ½ || ½ || ½ || 1 || ½ || 1 || ½ || 1 || 1 || 1 || 1 || 1 || 11 || |- | 6 || align=left| || 2600 || 0 || ½ || ½ || 1 || ½ || - || ½ || 1 || ½ || ½ || ½ || ½ || 1 || 1 || ½ || ½ || ½ || 1 || 10½ || |- | 7 || align=left| || 2625 || ½ || 0 || 1 || 0 || ½ || ½ || - || ½ || ½ || ½ || 1 || ½ || ½ || 1 || 1 || ½ || ½ || 1 || 10 || |- | 8 || align=left| || 2575 || 0 || 0 || 0 || ½ || ½ || 0 || ½ || - || ½ || 1 || ½ || 1 || 1 || 0 || 1 || ½ || 1 || 1 || 9 || |- | 9 || align=left| || 2575 || ½ || ½ || 0 || 0 || ½ || ½ || ½ || ½ || - || 0 || ½ || ½ || 1 || 0 || ½ || 1 || 1 || 1 || 8½ || 61.75 |- | 10 || align=left| || 2475 || 1 || 0 || 0 || 0 || 0 || ½ || ½ || 0 || 1 || - || 1 || 0 || ½ || 0 || 1 || 1 || 1 || 1 || 8½ || 59.75 |- | 11 || align=left| || 2475 || ½ || 0 || 0 || 0 || ½ || ½ || 0 || ½ || ½ || 0 || - || 1 || ½ || ½ || 1 || ½ || ½ || 1 || 7½ || 52.75 |- | 12 || align=left| || 2520 || 0 || ½ || 0 || 0 || 0 || ½ || ½ || 0 || ½ || 1 || 0 || - || 1 || ½ || 1 || 0 || 1 || 1 || 7½ || 51.75 |- | 13 || align=left| || 2540 || 0 || 1 || 0 || ½ || ½ || 0 || ½ || 0 || 0 || ½ || ½ || 0 || - || 1 || ½ || ½ || 1 || ½ || 7 || 55.00 |- | 14 || align=left| || 2495 || ½ || 0 || 0 || 0 || 0 || 0 || 0 || 1 || 1 || 1 || ½ || ½ || 0 || - || ½ || 1 || 0 || 1 || 7 || 49.75 |- | 15 || align=left| || 2480 || 0 || 0 || ½ || 1 || 0 || ½ || 0 || 0 || ½ || 0 || 0 || 0 || ½ || ½ || - || ½ || 1 || 1 || 6 || |- | 16 || align=left| || 2485 || 0 || 0 || ½ || 0 || 0 || ½ || ½ || ½ || 0 || 0 || ½ || 1 || ½ || 0 || ½ || - || 0 || 1 || 5½ || |- | 17 || align=left| || 2370 || 0 || 0 || ½ || 0 || 0 || ½ || ½ || 0 || 0 || 0 || ½ || 0 || 0 || 1 || 0 || 1 || - || ½ || 4½ || |- | 18 || align=left| || 2310 || 0 || 0 || ½ || 0 || 0 || 0 || 0 || 0 || 0 || 0 || 0 || 0 || ½ || 0 || 0 || 0 || ½ || - || 1½ ||

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 4–2.

{| class="wikitable" |+ August 1987 Interzonal, Zagreb |- ! !! !! Rating !! 1 !! 2 !! 3 !! 4 !! 5 !! 6 !! 7 !! 8 !! 9 !! 10 !! 11 !! 12 !! 13 !! 14 !! 15 !! 16 !! 17 !! Total !! Tie break |- style="background:#ccffcc;" | 1 || align=left| || 2630 || - || ½ || 1 || 0 || ½ || ½ || 0 || 1 || 1 || 1 || 1 || 1 || ½ || ½ || 1 || ½ || 1 || 11 || |- style="background:#ccffcc;" | 2 || align=left| || 2540 || ½ || - || ½ || ½ || 1 || 1 || 0 || ½ || 1 || 0 || ½ || 1 || 1 || 1 || 1 || ½ || 0 || 10 || 80.75 |- style="background:#ccffcc;" | 3 || align=left| || 2600 || 0 || ½ || - || 1 || ½ || ½ || 1 || 0 || 0 || 1 || 1 || 1 || ½ || 0 || 1 || 1 || 1 || 10 || 73.50 |- | 4 || align=left| || 2555 || 1 || ½ || 0 || - || 1 || ½ || ½ || ½ || ½ || ½ || ½ || 0 || ½ || ½ || 1 || 1 || 1 || 9½ || 71.00 |- | 5 || align=left| || 2620 || ½ || 0 || ½ || 0 || - || ½ || 0 || ½ || 1 || ½ || 1 || ½ || 1 || 1 || ½ || 1 || 1 || 9½ || 67.50 |- | 6 || align=left| || 2525 || ½ || 0 || ½ || ½ || ½ || - || ½ || ½ || ½ || ½ || ½ || 0 || 1 || 1 || 1 || 1 || 1 || 9½ || 67.50 |- | 7 || align=left| || 2540 || 1 || 1 || 0 || ½ || 1 || ½ || - || ½ || 0 || 1 || ½ || ½ || 0 || 0 || 1 || ½ || 1 || 9 || |- | 8 || align=left| || 2595 || 0 || ½ || 1 || ½ || ½ || ½ || ½ || - || ½ || ½ || 1 || ½ || ½ || ½ || 0 || ½ || 1 || 8½ || 65.25 |- | 9 || align=left| || 2575 || 0 || 0 || 1 || ½ || 0 || ½ || 1 || ½ || - || ½ || 0 || 1 || 1 || ½ || 0 || 1 || 1 || 8½ || 61.25 |- | 10 || align=left| || 2545 || 0 || 1 || 0 || ½ || ½ || ½ || 0 || ½ || ½ || - || 0 || 1 || ½ || ½ || 1 || 1 || 1 || 8½ || 59.50 |- | 11 || align=left| || 2575 || 0 || ½ || 0 || ½ || 0 || ½ || ½ || 0 || 1 || 1 || - || 1 || 0 || ½ || 1 || 1 || 1 || 8½ || 59.25 |- | 12 || align=left| || 2495 || 0 || 0 || 0 || 1 || ½ || 1 || ½ || ½ || 0 || 0 || 0 || - || ½ || 1 || ½ || 1 || 1 || 7½ || |- | 13 || align=left| || 2485 || ½ || 0 || ½ || ½ || 0 || 0 || 1 || ½ || 0 || ½ || 1 || ½ || - || ½ || ½ || ½ || ½ || 7 || |- | 14 || align=left| || 2585 || ½ || 0 || 1 || ½ || 0 || 0 || 1 || ½ || ½ || ½ || ½ || 0 || ½ || - || 0 || 0 || 1 || 6½ || |- | 15 || align=left| || 2555 || 0 || 0 || 0 || 0 || ½ || 0 || 0 || 1 || 1 || 0 || 0 || ½ || ½ || 1 || - || ½ || 1 || 6 || |- | 16 || align=left| || 2455 || ½ || ½ || 0 || 0 || 0 || 0 || ½ || ½ || 0 || 0 || 0 || 0 || ½ || 1 || ½ || - || 1 || 5 || |- | 17 || align=left| || 2320 || 0 || 1 || 0 || 0 || 0 || 0 || 0 || 0 || 0 || 0 || 0 || 0 || ½ || 0 || 0 || 0 || - || 1½ ||

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, Nikolić took the place as reserve for the Candidates Tournament with 6 points, ahead of Granda (4) and Nogueiras (2). No reserve was needed, however.

1988–90 Candidates Tournament 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.

1990 Championship match The first twelve games were played in New York City (8 October – 7 November), the other twelve taking place in Lyon, France (26 November – 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.

{| class="wikitable" style="text-align:center" |+World Chess Championship Match 1990 |- ! !! Rating !! 1 !! 2 !! 3 !! 4 !! 5 !! 6 !! 7 !! 8 !! 9 !! 10 !! 11 !! 12 !! 13 !! 14 !! 15 !! 16 !! 17 !! 18 !! 19 !! 20 !! 21 !! 22 !! 23 !! 24 !! Total |- | align=left | || 2730 | ½ ||style="background:black; color:white"| 0 || ½ ||style="background:black; color:white"| ½ || ½ ||style="background:black; color:white"| ½ || 1 ||style="background:black; color:white"| ½ || ½ ||style="background:black; color:white"| ½ || ½ ||style="background:black; color:white"| ½ || ½ ||style="background:black; color:white"| ½ || ½ ||style="background:black; color:white"| 0 || 1 ||style="background:black; color:white"| 0 || ½ ||style="background:black; color:white"| 0 || ½ ||style="background:black; color:white"| ½ || 1 ||style="background:black; color:white"| ½ || 11½ |- | align=left | || 2800 |style="background:black; color:white"| ½ || 1 ||style="background:black; color:white"| ½ || ½ ||style="background:black; color:white"| ½ || ½ ||style="background:black; color:white"| 0 || ½ ||style="background:black; color:white"| ½ || ½