Can White Checkmate Black's King On a1? - Best of the 1980s - Kopylov vs. Korelov, 1983
Correspondence chess prior to the introduction of computer engines was a wild affair. The best players always sought the sharpest openings and most chaotic positions where there would be the greatest possibility of outplaying the opponent. Today's game between correspondence grandmasters, Kopylov and Korelov is a perfect example. Black attempts the creative Nimzowitsch Variation (see our brand new course here!) but gets quickly into trouble. Can Kopylov press home his attack?
Top 10 Games of the 1980s
- #1: ???
- #2: Kopylov vs. Korelov, 1981-1983
- #3: Polugaevsky vs. Torre, 1981 (blog)
- #4: Portisch vs. Pinter, 1984 (blog)
- #5: Tal vs. Hjartarson, 1987 (blog)
- #6: van de Loo vs. Hesseling, 1983 (blog)
- #7: Korchnoi vs. Karpov, 1981 (blog)
- #8: Smirin vs. Beliavsky, 1989 (blog)
- #9: Kasparov vs. Petrosian, 1981 (blog)
- #10: Beliavsky vs. Nunn, 1985 (blog)
- See also: Top 10 of the 1990s, Top 10 of the 2000s, and Top 10 of the 2010s
After the Nimzowitsch opening, Korelov finds himself competing against a strong pawn on d6. If he can pick it up, he should have a good game. With the creative 12.d4!!, Kopylov keeps the pawn and continues to press the position. One of the great joys of the game is how Kopylov dances with his king (15.Kd2!, 26.Kd1!, 28.Kd2!!, and 36.Kc1!) to always introduce his rooks into the action at just the right moment.
Korelov defends resourcefully, even trapping and winning a bishop, but Kopylov uses the time Korelov needs to win the bishop to start a beautiful king hunt, driving the black king all the way to the opposite corner where a beautiful checkmate awaits it.
Lessons:
- Play ...f5! in the Nimzowitsch variation.
- When both kings are unsafe, aggression is mandatory.
- In a king hunt, accurate calculation is of the essence.
Annotations are below. I really enjoyed looking at this one 
If you like the content and want to support it, subscribe and follow on YouTube and Twitch!
I'm the Head of Community for Chess.com. I earned the National Master title in 2012, and in 2014, I returned to my home state of South Carolina to start Strategery: Chess and Games. In late 2015, I began working for Chess.com and haven't looked back since.
You can find my personal content on Twitch , Twitter , and YouTube where I further indulge my love of chess.
