FIDE World Chess Championship 1987
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The FIDE World Chess Championship 1987 took place in Seville, Spain. This was the fourth consecutive title match between Garry Kasparov and Anatoly Karpov, both representing the Soviet Union. Kasparov successfully defended his title after a dramatic final game, solidifying their rivalry as one of the most legendary in chess history.
Winner/Reigning Champion: Garry Kasparov
Born: April 13, 1963, in Baku, Soviet Union (now Azerbaijan)
Kasparov entered the match as the 13th World Chess Champion, having won the title in 1985 and successfully defended it in 1986. Known for his aggressive, dynamic play and deep preparation, Kasparov had established himself as one of the most dominant players in history.
Kasparov described the mental challenges of top-level chess:
«Chess is mental torture.»
Challenger: Anatoly Karpov
Born: May 23, 1951, in Zlatoust, Soviet Union (now Russia)
Karpov, a former world champion, earned the right to challenge for the title by defeating Andrei Sokolov in the Candidates Final. Renowned for his positional mastery and relentless endgame technique, Karpov had been Kasparov’s greatest rival, and this match marked their fourth consecutive championship encounter.
Karpov expressed his perspective on chess competition:
«Chess is a war over the board. The object is to crush the opponent’s mind.»
Match Overview
Format and Prize Fund
The championship followed a best-of-24 games format. In the event of a tie, the reigning champion would retain the title. While FIDE did not officially disclose the prize fund, reports from The Times and New in Chess estimated it to be between $1.2 and $1.5 million, with the winner receiving a larger share.
Previous Encounters
Kasparov and Karpov had met in three previous championship matches:
- 1984–85: Match controversially halted after 48 games, no winner declared.
- 1985: Kasparov won 13–11, becoming the youngest world champion at that time.
- 1986: Kasparov narrowly defended his title with a 12.5–11.5 victory.
Historical and Cultural Context
The championship took place amid Mikhail Gorbachev’s glasnost and perestroika reforms, which aimed to increase openness and economic restructuring in the Soviet Union. Kasparov, seen as a symbol of change, and Karpov, who was more aligned with the Soviet chess establishment, personified the ideological divide of the era.
Key Moments and Highlights
With the match tied at 11–11, Karpov secured a victory in Game 23, placing Kasparov in a must-win situation for Game 24. Facing enormous pressure, Kasparov played the English Opening, aiming for a strategically complex battle. His deep preparation and tactical precision allowed him to outmaneuver Karpov, gradually building pressure until he secured a winning position. The victory, executed with flawless endgame technique, cemented his status as world champion and concluded one of the most hard-fought title matches in history.
Grandmaster Raymond Keene:
«Kasparov’s final-game win in Seville was one of the most tense moments in World Chess Championship history.»
Final Score
| Player | W–L–D | Final Score |
|---|---|---|
| Garry Kasparov | 4 – 4 (16 draws) | 12 |
| Anatoly Karpov | 4 – 4 (16 draws) | 12 |
World Chess Championship 1987 Games
Game 1
Game 2
Game 3
Game 4
Game 5
Game 6
Game 7
Game 8
Game 9
Game 10
Game 11
Game 12
Game 13
Game 14
Game 15
Game 16
Game 17
Game 18
Game 19
Game 20
Game 21
Game 22
Game 23
Game 24
FIDE World Chess Championship 1987
Garry Kasparov, Soviet Union
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World Chess Championship 1987 Sources
Quote Sources
- Kasparov, Garry: My Great Predecessors, Volume 5 (Everyman Chess, 2006), p. 112.
- Karpov, Anatoly: Karpov on Karpov: Memoirs of a Chess World Champion (Edition Olms, 1991), p. 89.
- Keene, Raymond: World Chess Championship 1987: Kasparov vs. Karpov (Batsford, 1988), p. 56.
General Sources
- The Times, London, match reports from October-December 1987.
- New in Chess, issues covering the 1987 Championship, including player interviews.
- FIDE Official Records of the 1987 World Chess Championship.
- ChessBase: Annotated Games from the 1987 Championship.
- Soviet Sport newspaper archives, November 1987 (coverage of Karpov’s preparation and Soviet reaction).
- El País, December 1987 (analysis of Kasparov’s performance in Spain).
Image Credits
📸 Bart Molendijk / Anefo, via Nationaal Archief
🔗 Schakers Kasparov, Karpov en Timman (v.l.n.r.) op OZ Voorburgwal bij bezoek aan.
Sources, image credits, and attributions for this championship are listed on this page. For general information about the World Chess Champions timeline, visit the main page.