This question was asked of Spassky, Kasparov, Karpov and Fischer. They gave different answers.
What do you think? Who would have won the World Championship match in 1975 between Bobby Fischer and Anatoly Karpov?
Click here to vote.
Chess Daily News from Susan Polgar
It would have been a close match.
Close, but if the match had actually occurred, everything else being equal, Karpov would have won. Fischer had not played competitively since Iceland, and that would have been a fatal weakness in that match.
What were the answers of the 4 chess players you mentioned?
It would have been a great match, if Fischer were in condition.
Kasparov has written sth about this…
in his opinion Karpov was definitely better prepared for a match in 1975 while Fischer had ‘burnt’ all his opening repertoire by then. Fischer missed the ‘opening revolution’ in the 70s that Kasparov has written a book about.
However, Fischer would have been a hard nut to crack and Karpov showed nerves in both his matches against Korchnoi in 1974 and 1978.
Therefore I think it is just a pity that the match didn’t take place…
Definitely the ‘Greatest match of all time that didn’t happen’
Fischer would have kicked Karpov’s Ass.
Maybe another 6-0 wipeout.
Fischer was a Commie Crusher
Of course Karpov, no question.
okay
Fischer would have won. No doubts.
Historian
http://www.claudiachess.blogspot.com
Karpov, are you kidding? Fischer would have smoked him like a cheap cigar.
No I am not kidding. If you compare the players without national prejustices, you can’t say Fisher was better.
okay
Fischer is still the greatest player of all time according to all computers with all the data. They rate him #1 of all time as he should be. It shouldn’t even be a question. Why would Kasparov never agree to a Fischer random match (chess 960) against Fischer. Fischer said he would play him he even said he would play deep blue a chess 960 match.
Fisher took his strength by hating, Karpov by the fantastic training methodes of the soviet union. The talents were equal, so it is clear: Karpov would have won.
okay
Fischer of course. Karpov was a great chess machine but Fischer was a chess genius. And No! I am not American.
RJ Fischer would won.
He was stronger chessplayer then Karpov.
Who cares?!
They would have all cancelled each other out and Shirov wins.
Susan,
What is your opinion ? Who do you think had the more impressive career ?
If it was the kind of match Fischer wanted, a draws don’t count and the first player to win 10 games kind of match, Fischer would win. It would be a long match and Karpov would fatigue near the end as he did in the 1984-85 match.
If it was a match limited to 24 games, Karpov would win. Karpov would start the match very strong as he did in the 1984-85 match and 24 games wouldn’t be a long enough match for Karpov to fatigue.
At leasst we know who’s fault was that it never happened.
Kasparov’s opinion was that Karpov would have won.
Spassky’s opinion was that Fischer would have won.
Fischer’s opinion was that Fischer would have won.
I don’t know what Karpov’s opinion was.
I certainly think that Fischer, Karpov was at that time a good player with a style different from fischer, fischer and despite being inactive for a while it still preserves the general conditions to defeat Karpov
It has been demonstrated that a person who wins the world championship holds on to it for over a decade. Certainly, in Fischer’s case he would have held on for 15 years because he is so great not losing the title until 1987 in an eventual match with Kasparov. All Fischer’s retirement did was enable a second rate player like Karpov to occupy a throne that did not really belong to him.
anonymous 5:29,
Noone would rank Kasparov as a top player except for the bizarre conditions of the 1984 match and the gift of Campomanes.
Karpov was far superior to Kasparov then. It was only by the late 80’s the Kasparov was better
Robert Fischer,
thats as clear as a bell!
You know, Fischer destroyed
Spassky, but Spassky was quite
tough in his figth with Karpov.
Fischer, end of story!
I think that Fischer would have won if he had been playing as well as he did in 1972. Karpov’s rating never got as high as Fischer’s 1972 rating.
Karpov barely beat Korchnoi in 1975 and 1978 and Fischer was much stronger than Korchnoi.
Fischer over Karpov!!
Karpov quite easily. Fischer would have thrown a tantrum after loosing and left crying.
GM József Horváth said that in 1975 Fischer was stronger, but in 1978 maybe Karpov would win.
Prolly Karpov, but if I had played chess back then, I would have won, of course.
I have no respect for somebody who will not play. Fischer was dodging.
Oh, that’s a pitty, we had hoped for yóúr respect in particular. It means the world to us.
I believe Fischer would have beaten Karpov in 1975. Karpov was a young up and comer, but could he have matched up with Fischer. The match would have been closer than people realize, remember, Fischer didn’t play chess after beating Spassky in 1972. The lack of ‘chess mind’(sitting at a chess board for 4 or more hours.) would have hampered Fischer, he would not be as sharp as in 72’. The rematch, if any, 1978 would have been at different story. Karpov happens to be my favorite chess player, but I think I am fair in my assessment.
I think in 1975 Fischer should won, and probably Karpov could learned a lot in that match and probably win in other match in 1978. Karpov said sometime that Kasparov learned a lot from him in the 84 match, i think it is true so probably Karpov could be a stronger player after a defeat in 1975 against Bobby
Fischer 1972 would beat Karpov 1975. But Karpov 1975 would beat Fischer 1975.
After 3 games, the score (wins) would have been 1-2 (Fischer-Karpov). Fischer would have freaked out, and if Edmondson were around to assist him, Fischer would have then either left or stayed. If Fischer stayed he then would have ground Karpov into the dirt with a combination of chess greatness and psychological ploys. Final wins: 10-9 (Fischer-Karpov). In 1978 and Fischer stayed on a chess trajectory instead of his descent spiral, Fischer would have lost: Karpov was far stronger then.