World Chess Championship 1978 — chess match between Anatoly Karpov and Viktor Korchnoi
Karpov retained the World Chess Championship title against defector Korchnoi in a match infamous for off-board controversies including alleged KGB involvement.
Key Facts
- Match duration
- July 18 – October 18, 1978
- Final score
- Karpov 6 – Korchnoi 5 (21 draws)
- Total games played
- 32 games
- Win target
- 6 wins required to claim title
- Karpov's mid-match lead
- 5–2 after game 27
- KGB officers allegedly deployed
- 18 officers
By the Numbers
Location
Cause → Event → Consequence
Viktor Korchnoi had defected from the Soviet Union in 1976, creating intense political tension around his challenge to incumbent champion Anatoly Karpov. The Soviet state had strong interest in Karpov's victory, and both players assembled unconventional support teams, setting the stage for extraordinary off-board friction during the match.
The 1978 World Chess Championship was contested in Baguio, Philippines, with the first player to six wins taking the title. After Karpov built a 5–2 lead, Korchnoi mounted a dramatic comeback to level at 5–5 after 31 games. The match was overshadowed by disputes over yogurt deliveries, alleged hypnosis, X-rayed chairs, and the presence of convicted Ananda Marga members in Korchnoi's corner.
Karpov won game 32 to secure the championship 6–5, retaining his title. The match became one of the most notorious in chess history for its political subtext and off-board theatrics, with the Mitrokhin Archive later lending credibility to claims of KGB interference against Korchnoi.
Result
at Baguio, Philippines