Karpov – Korchnoi World Championship Match 1981

dates: 1 October–19 November 1981
location: Merano, Italy
score: 6–2 in wins; 11–7 including draws (Karpov–Korchnoi)
winner: Anatoly Karpov retained the title

Anatoly Karpov and Viktor Korchnoi at the start of game 1 in Merano, 1 October 1981. Photo: Isabel Hund.

Karpov and Korchnoi met again in Merano in 1981, three years after their close Baguio contest. Korchnoi had won another Candidates cycle and returned as challenger. The rules again required six wins, with draws excluded from that target and no fixed maximum number of games.

Karpov established control early by winning games 1, 2 and 4. Korchnoi won game 6, but Karpov’s victory in game 9 restored a three-win margin. After three further draws, Korchnoi won game 13. Karpov replied immediately in game 14 and reached his sixth win in game 18.

The match ended after eighteen games with six Karpov wins, two Korchnoi wins and ten draws. Its conventional points score was 11–7. That is much shorter than their 32-game first match, although the same six-win target applied. The complete collection retains the drawn games as well as the decisive encounters.

Follow how the early lead shaped the remaining games, or select an individual round to practise as either player. The supplied game 7 is a draw; an independent PGN archive contains a conflicting result header despite the same moves. The supplied result is retained and agrees with the match’s official overall score.

Anatoly Karpov's Profile Viktor Korchnoi's Profile

Match results

Karpov – Korchnoi World Championship Match 1981 final standings and game-by-game scores
Player	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	Points
Anatoly Karpov	1	1	½	1	½	0	½	½	1	½	½	½	0	1	½	½	½	1	11
Viktor Korchnoi	0	0	½	0	½	1	½	½	0	½	½	½	1	0	½	½	½	0	7

Each game column shows the score earned by that player. 1 = win, ½ = draw, 0 = loss. Points are out of 18.

Completed 0 / 18

Game 1: Karpov opens with a Black win

Game 1 opened 1.c4 e6 2.Nc3 d5 3.d4 Be7 4.Nf3 Nf6, with english opening play (D58). Anatoly Karpov won with Black after 43 moves. The running points score was 1–0 (Karpov–Korchnoi). The champion took an immediate lead.

Game	Event	Year	Moves	Played	Current move	Score	Correct	Accuracy	Action
Viktor Korchnoi – Anatoly Karpov 0-1	Karpov - Korchnoi World Championship Match	1981	43	No	—	—	—	—	Start

Game 2: A second opening win

Game 2 opened 1.e4 e5 2.Nf3 Nc6 3.Bb5 Nf6 4.O-O Nxe4, with ruy lopez play (C67). Anatoly Karpov won with White after 57 moves. The running points score was 2–0 (Karpov–Korchnoi). Karpov began the match with two consecutive victories.

Game	Event	Year	Moves	Played	Current move	Score	Correct	Accuracy	Action
Anatoly Karpov – Viktor Korchnoi 1-0	Karpov - Korchnoi World Championship Match	1981	57	No	—	—	—	—	Start

Game 3: English Opening: a 41-move draw

Game 3 opened 1.c4 e6 2.Nc3 d5 3.d4 Be7 4.Nf3 Nf6, with english opening play (D58). The game was drawn after 41 moves. The running points score was 2½–½ (Karpov–Korchnoi).

Game	Event	Year	Moves	Played	Current move	Score	Correct	Accuracy	Action
Viktor Korchnoi – Anatoly Karpov 1/2-1/2	Karpov - Korchnoi World Championship Match	1981	41	No	—	—	—	—	Start

Game 4: Karpov leads by three wins

Game 4 opened 1.e4 e5 2.Nf3 Nf6 3.Nxe5 d6 4.Nf3 Nxe4, with king’s-pawn opening play (C42). Anatoly Karpov won with White after 53 moves. The running points score was 3½–½ (Karpov–Korchnoi). The champion extended his early advantage.

Game	Event	Year	Moves	Played	Current move	Score	Correct	Accuracy	Action
Anatoly Karpov – Viktor Korchnoi 1-0	Karpov - Korchnoi World Championship Match	1981	53	No	—	—	—	—	Start

Game 5: English Opening: a 68-move draw

Game 5 opened 1.c4 e6 2.Nc3 d5 3.d4 Be7 4.Nf3 Nf6, with english opening play (D31). The game was drawn after 68 moves. The running points score was 4–1 (Karpov–Korchnoi).

Game	Event	Year	Moves	Played	Current move	Score	Correct	Accuracy	Action
Viktor Korchnoi – Anatoly Karpov 1/2-1/2	Karpov - Korchnoi World Championship Match	1981	68	No	—	—	—	—	Start

Game 6: Korchnoi gets on the scoreboard

Game 6 opened 1.e4 e5 2.Nf3 Nc6 3.Bb5 a6 4.Ba4 Nf6, with ruy lopez play (C82). Viktor Korchnoi won with Black after 41 moves. The running points score was 4–2 (Karpov–Korchnoi). The challenger won his first game of the match.

Game	Event	Year	Moves	Played	Current move	Score	Correct	Accuracy	Action
Anatoly Karpov – Viktor Korchnoi 0-1	Karpov - Korchnoi World Championship Match	1981	41	No	—	—	—	—	Start

Game 7: English Opening: a 31-move draw

Game 7 opened 1.c4 e6 2.Nc3 d5 3.d4 Be7 4.Nf3 Nf6, with english opening play (D31). The game was drawn after 31 moves. The running points score was 4½–2½ (Karpov–Korchnoi).

Game	Event	Year	Moves	Played	Current move	Score	Correct	Accuracy	Action
Viktor Korchnoi – Anatoly Karpov 1/2-1/2	Karpov - Korchnoi World Championship Match	1981	31	No	—	—	—	—	Start

Game 8: King’s-pawn opening: a 84-move draw

Game 8 opened 1.e4 e5 2.Nf3 Nc6 3.Bc4 Bc5 4.c3 Nf6, with king’s-pawn opening play (C53). The game was drawn after 84 moves. The running points score was 5–3 (Karpov–Korchnoi).

Game	Event	Year	Moves	Played	Current move	Score	Correct	Accuracy	Action
Anatoly Karpov – Viktor Korchnoi 1/2-1/2	Karpov - Korchnoi World Championship Match	1981	84	No	—	—	—	—	Start

Game 9: Karpov restores the margin

Game 9 opened 1.c4 e6 2.Nc3 d5 3.d4 Be7 4.Nf3 Nf6, with english opening play (D30). Anatoly Karpov won with Black after 43 moves. The running points score was 6–3 (Karpov–Korchnoi). Karpov reached four wins.

Game	Event	Year	Moves	Played	Current move	Score	Correct	Accuracy	Action
Viktor Korchnoi – Anatoly Karpov 0-1	Karpov - Korchnoi World Championship Match	1981	43	No	—	—	—	—	Start

Game 10: King’s-pawn opening: a 32-move draw

Game 10 opened 1.e4 e5 2.Nf3 Nc6 3.Bc4 Bc5 4.c3 Nf6, with king’s-pawn opening play (C53). The game was drawn after 32 moves. The running points score was 6½–3½ (Karpov–Korchnoi).

Game	Event	Year	Moves	Played	Current move	Score	Correct	Accuracy	Action
Anatoly Karpov – Viktor Korchnoi 1/2-1/2	Karpov - Korchnoi World Championship Match	1981	32	No	—	—	—	—	Start

Game 11: English Opening: a 35-move draw

Game 11 opened 1.c4 e6 2.Nc3 d5 3.d4 Be7 4.Nf3 Nf6, with english opening play (D37). The game was drawn after 35 moves. The running points score was 7–4 (Karpov–Korchnoi).

Game	Event	Year	Moves	Played	Current move	Score	Correct	Accuracy	Action
Viktor Korchnoi – Anatoly Karpov 1/2-1/2	Karpov - Korchnoi World Championship Match	1981	35	No	—	—	—	—	Start

Game 12: English Opening: a 47-move draw

Game 12 opened 1.c4 Nf6 2.Nc3 d5 3.cxd5 Nxd5 4.Nf3 Nxc3, with english opening play (A16). The game was drawn after 47 moves. The running points score was 7½–4½ (Karpov–Korchnoi).

Game	Event	Year	Moves	Played	Current move	Score	Correct	Accuracy	Action
Anatoly Karpov – Viktor Korchnoi 1/2-1/2	Karpov - Korchnoi World Championship Match	1981	47	No	—	—	—	—	Start

Game 13: Korchnoi wins again

Game 13 opened 1.c4 e6 2.Nc3 d5 3.d4 Be7 4.cxd5 exd5, with english opening play (D31). Viktor Korchnoi won with White after 41 moves. The running points score was 7½–5½ (Karpov–Korchnoi). Korchnoi reduced the decisive-game gap to 4–2.

Game	Event	Year	Moves	Played	Current move	Score	Correct	Accuracy	Action
Viktor Korchnoi – Anatoly Karpov 1-0	Karpov - Korchnoi World Championship Match	1981	41	No	—	—	—	—	Start

Game 14: Karpov answers immediately

Game 14 opened 1.e4 e5 2.Nf3 Nc6 3.Bb5 a6 4.Ba4 Nf6, with ruy lopez play (C80). Anatoly Karpov won with White after 46 moves. The running points score was 8½–5½ (Karpov–Korchnoi). The champion reached five wins.

Game	Event	Year	Moves	Played	Current move	Score	Correct	Accuracy	Action
Anatoly Karpov – Viktor Korchnoi 1-0	Karpov - Korchnoi World Championship Match	1981	46	No	—	—	—	—	Start

Game 15: English Opening: a 41-move draw

Game 15 opened 1.c4 Nf6 2.Nc3 e5 3.Nf3 Nc6 4.g3 Bb4, with english opening play (A29). The game was drawn after 41 moves. The running points score was 9–6 (Karpov–Korchnoi).

Game	Event	Year	Moves	Played	Current move	Score	Correct	Accuracy	Action
Viktor Korchnoi – Anatoly Karpov 1/2-1/2	Karpov - Korchnoi World Championship Match	1981	41	No	—	—	—	—	Start

Game 16: Ruy Lopez: a 42-move draw

Game 16 opened 1.e4 e5 2.Nf3 Nc6 3.Bb5 a6 4.Ba4 Nf6, with ruy lopez play (C80). The game was drawn after 42 moves. The running points score was 9½–6½ (Karpov–Korchnoi).

Game	Event	Year	Moves	Played	Current move	Score	Correct	Accuracy	Action
Anatoly Karpov – Viktor Korchnoi 1/2-1/2	Karpov - Korchnoi World Championship Match	1981	42	No	—	—	—	—	Start

Game 17: Flank opening: a 23-move draw

Game 17 opened 1.Nf3 Nf6 2.c4 e6 3.Nc3 d5 4.d4 Be7, with flank opening play (D30). The game was drawn after 23 moves. The running points score was 10–7 (Karpov–Korchnoi).

Game	Event	Year	Moves	Played	Current move	Score	Correct	Accuracy	Action
Viktor Korchnoi – Anatoly Karpov 1/2-1/2	Karpov - Korchnoi World Championship Match	1981	23	No	—	—	—	—	Start

Game 18: Karpov retains the championship

Game 18 opened 1.e4 e5 2.Nf3 Nc6 3.Bb5 a6 4.Ba4 Nf6, with ruy lopez play (C80). Anatoly Karpov won with White after 41 moves. The running points score was 11–7 (Karpov–Korchnoi). Karpov’s sixth win ended the match.

Game	Event	Year	Moves	Played	Current move	Score	Correct	Accuracy	Action
Anatoly Karpov – Viktor Korchnoi 1-0	Karpov - Korchnoi World Championship Match	1981	41	No	—	—	—	—	Start

Viktor Korchnoi waiting before game 1 in Merano, 1 October 1981. Photo: Isabel Hund.

Sources and image credits

By IgniteChess Editorial Published 2026-10-12

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