World Championship 1986: Kasparov – Karpov
Under Karpov's return-match right, the third Kasparov–Karpov clash was split between London and Leningrad. Kasparov built a lead, watched in alarm as Karpov won three games in a row to level it, then steadied himself to retain 12½–11½.
◈Two cities, one crown
The match was played half in London and half in Leningrad, staged under the automatic rematch Karpov had earned by losing the title in 1985. It was the third instalment of a rivalry that already dominated world chess.
Kasparov's deep opening work — the subject of one of the most admired chess books ever written — carried him into a lead.
◈Three in a row, then recovery
Then came the crisis: Karpov won three consecutive games (17 through 19) to draw the match level, a collapse Kasparov later attributed in part to a suspected leak from within his own team. The champion regrouped, struck back to win the twenty-second, and held on.
Kasparov retained the title 12½–11½ (+5−4=15) — but Karpov, world No. 2 and relentless, was far from finished.
◈Cross Table
| Player | 1 | 2 | 3 | 4 | 5 | 6 | 7 | 8 | 9 | 10 | 11 | 12 | 13 | 14 | 15 | 16 | 17 | 18 | 19 | 20 | 21 | 22 | 23 | 24 | Pts |
|---|---|---|---|---|---|---|---|---|---|---|---|---|---|---|---|---|---|---|---|---|---|---|---|---|---|
| Kasparov | ½ | ½ | ½ | 1 | 0 | ½ | ½ | 1 | ½ | ½ | ½ | ½ | ½ | 1 | ½ | 1 | 0 | 0 | 0 | ½ | ½ | 1 | ½ | ½ | 12½ |
| Karpov | ½ | ½ | ½ | 0 | 1 | ½ | ½ | 0 | ½ | ½ | ½ | ½ | ½ | 0 | ½ | 0 | 1 | 1 | 1 | ½ | ½ | 0 | ½ | ½ | 11½ |
1 win · ½ draw · 0 loss — click a game number to replay it.