Moscow (Candidates Final) · 1974
Patience Beats Rushing
Anatoly Karpov vs. Viktor Korchnoi — Karpov spends five moves quietly improving pieces, brings his worst rook to d1, and only then unleashes Bxh7+.
Moves · tap to jump
0/60Use ← → keys to step through the game
Starting position
Ready
Press Auto-play to watch the game, or step move by move.
Main lesson
Patience and improving the worst piece
What your student should learn
- Find your worst piece and improve it.
- Do not attack until the position is fully prepared.
- Deny counterplay; a passive opponent has nothing to hope for.
- Small advantages add up into winning ones.
Mini tournament checklist
- ✓ Which piece of mine is the worst placed?
- ✓ Can my opponent create any counterplay?
- ✓ Have I improved everything before opening lines?
- ✓ Am I attacking because it works, or because I am impatient?
Run through this list before you start an attack in a real game. Mostly yes means look for tactics; otherwise improve one more piece first.
Full move list
A Normal Sicilian
Safety Before Attack
Five Quiet Improving Moves
Improve Your Worst Piece
The Attack Begins
Converting the Attack
Note: 19.Rd1 is played here as Rad1 (the a1 rook) so the f1 rook is free for 21.Rf4. Coach’s tip: cover White’s move and guess it — students pick tactics, Karpov picks quiet improvements.