Anatoly Karpov is celebrating his 70th anniversary. The entire chess world congratulates the legendary champion. To mark this occasion we handpicked 12 fragments, 12 chess gems created by Anatoly Yevgenyevich throughout his long and rewarding career.

Karpov – Kortschnoj (Moscow, 1974)

24. e5!! It is extremely important block up the fifth rank. 24.Nxf6? exf6 25.Nh5 Qg5! was a false trail. 24…Bxd5 25. exf6 exf6 26. Qxh7+ Kf8 27. Qh8+ (27…Ke7 28. Nxd5+ Qxd5 29. Re1+) 1-0

Karpov – Czom (Bad Lauterberg, 1977)

One may think that White is in great trouble, as the h7-square is protected, but Karpov went for this position foreseeing a deadly blow 50. Nf5!! (50... Nxd7 51. Qh2+ Kg8 52. Qg3+ Kf7 53.Qg7#) 1-0

Karpov – Quinteros (Buenos Aires, 1980)

32. f5! White breaks through in the most fortified point. 32… Rxh7 (32... exf5 33. Bxf5) 33. fxg6+ Kg8 (33... Kxg6 34. Bxe6+ Qg5 35. Nf4#) 34. gxh7+ Kh8 35. Nf4 1-0

Karpov – Geller (Moscow, 1981)

31. Rxf7!! Black has to go with the tide. 31…Kxf7 32. Qxg6+ Kf8 33. Qxh6+ [33. Qxh6+ Ke8 (33... Kg8 34. Qh7+Kf8 35. Qh8+ Ke7 36. Qg7+ Ke8 37. Bg6#) 34. Bb5+] 1-0

Karpov – Miles (London, 1982)

Black’s position looks OK, as White’s is a6-pawn is cut off from the rest of the army, but 29. Rxd5! Rxd5 30. Rc3! Rd8 31. Rc7! (but not 31.Bg2? Rd4 32.a7 d5) Rd1 32. Bxb5 e5 33. a7 exf4 34. Rb7 Rb1+ 35. Ka4 Rxb5 36. Rxb5 f3 37. Rb8 f2 38. Rxd8+ 1-0

Karpov – Sax (Linares, 1983)

White executes Black's king using geometrical motifs: 35. Re7!! Rd1+ 36. Kxd1 Qxe7 37. Qa8+ Kc7 38. Qa7+ Kd6 39. Qb6+ 1-0

Karpov – Jussupow (Moscow, 1983)

Black is threatening with a highly unpleasant discovered attack Rg3+. Karpov found a simple and elegant solution. 43. Rh2!! The queen will be protected, the game is over 43…Qd7+ 44. f5 1-0

Karpov – Gurevich (Reggio Emilia, 1991)

77. Qh8+ Bh6 78. Qe5+!! Deflection in its purest form! [78…Qxe5 79.g4#] 1-0

Karpov – Shirov (Biel, 1992)

Karpov carried out an instructive attack over the light squares. 29. Qg4! Qc6 (29... Rxa7 30. Qe6+) 30. Rxb7 Qxb7 31. Qe6+ Kh8 32. Be4  (32…Qa6 33.Ng6+ Kh7 34.Ne5+ Kh8 35.Nf7+ Kg8 36. Nh6+ Kh8 37.Qg8+ Rg8 38.Nf7#) 1-0

Karpov – Salov (Linares, 1993)

33. Qxg6!  (33… hxg6 34. Rh4) 1-0

Karpov – Morovic Fernandez (Las Palmas, 1994)

32. Rh8+! Kxh8 33. Qh1+ Kg8 34. Bxf6 Qxg3+ 35. fxg3 Re2+ 36. Kh3 gxf6 37. Kg4 1-0

Karpov – Topalov (Dos Hermanas, 1994)

30. Nf6!! Combining the ideas of decoying and discovered attack. 30…Kxf6 (30... Qxf3 31. Nxe8+) 31. Be5+!  Kxe5 32. Qxe4+ Kxe4 33. Re1+ Kf5 34. Rxe8 Be6 35. Rxf8 Bxa2 36. Rc8 1-0