Which game is the Octopus Knight game?

The 'Octopus Knight' game is Game 16 of the 1985 World Championship. Kasparov (playing Black) established a knight on d3 that dominated the board.

What ECO codes were used in the Kasparov vs Karpov 1985 match?

The match was dominated by the Sicilian Defense (B84, B44, B85), the Queen's Gambit Declined (D31, D58), and the Nimzo-Indian (E21).

♟️ Kasparov vs Karpov – Match Game List & ECO Codes (1984–1990)

The rivalry between Kasparov and Karpov is the greatest in chess history. This page archives the games from their five World Championship matches, complete with ECO codes. Explore the clash of styles—Kasparov's dynamic energy vs. Karpov's positional precision—that defined an era.

⚔️ Titans insight: The Kasparov-Karpov matches defined modern chess. It was the ultimate clash of styles. Study positional mastery to understand how Karpov frustrated the greatest attacker in history.

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Interactive Feature: Click on any column header (e.g., "ECO" or "Result") to sort the tables.

1985 World Championship (Moscow) – The "Octopus" Match

Kasparov wins 13–11. Notable for the Sicilian Scheveningen battles and the famous Game 16.

Gm	White	Result	ECO	Opening
1	Kasparov	1–0	E21	Nimzo-Indian, Three Knights
2	Karpov	½–½	B84	Sicilian, Scheveningen
3	Kasparov	½–½	D37	Queen's Gambit Declined
4	Karpov	1–0	D31	Queen's Gambit Declined
5	Kasparov	0–1	C92	Ruy Lopez, Closed
6	Karpov	½–½	D31	Queen's Gambit Declined
7	Kasparov	½–½	E21	Nimzo-Indian, Three Knights
8	Karpov	½–½	D55	QGD, Neo-Orthodox
9	Kasparov	½–½	E21	Nimzo-Indian, Three Knights
10	Karpov	½–½	D58	QGD, Tartakower
11	Kasparov	1–0	E21	Nimzo-Indian, Three Knights
12	Karpov	½–½	B44	Sicilian
13	Kasparov	½–½	E21	Nimzo-Indian, Three Knights
14	Karpov	½–½	B45	Sicilian, Taimanov
15	Kasparov	½–½	C42	Petrov Defense
16	Karpov	0–1	B44	Sicilian (The "Octopus Knight")
17	Kasparov	½–½	E21	Nimzo-Indian, Three Knights
18	Karpov	½–½	B84	Sicilian, Scheveningen
19	Kasparov	1–0	E21	Nimzo-Indian, Three Knights
20	Karpov	½–½	D31	Queen's Gambit Declined
21	Kasparov	½–½	D31	Queen's Gambit Declined
22	Karpov	1–0	D31	Queen's Gambit Declined
23	Kasparov	½–½	D55	QGD, Neo-Orthodox
24	Karpov	0–1	B84	Sicilian, Scheveningen (Title Game)

1986 World Championship (London/Leningrad)

Kasparov retained title 12½–11½. Heavily tested the Grunfeld.

Gm	White	Result	ECO	Opening
1	Karpov	½–½	D92	Grunfeld, 5.Bf4
2	Kasparov	½–½	E21	Nimzo-Indian, Three Knights
3	Karpov	½–½	E60	King's Indian
4	Kasparov	1–0	E21	Nimzo-Indian, Three Knights
5	Karpov	1–0	D82	Grunfeld, 4.Bf4
6	Kasparov	½–½	C42	Petrov Defense
7	Karpov	½–½	D31	Queen's Gambit Declined
8	Kasparov	1–0	D31	Queen's Gambit Declined
9	Karpov	½–½	D82	Grunfeld, 4.Bf4
10	Kasparov	½–½	D55	QGD, Neo-Orthodox
11	Karpov	½–½	D82	Grunfeld, 4.Bf4
12	Kasparov	½–½	D55	QGD, Neo-Orthodox
13	Karpov	½–½	E60	King's Indian
14	Kasparov	1–0	C92	Ruy Lopez, Closed
15	Karpov	½–½	D98	Grunfeld, Russian
16	Kasparov	1–0	C92	Ruy Lopez, Closed
17	Karpov	1–0	D98	Grunfeld, Russian
18	Kasparov	0–1	E12	Queen's Indian
19	Karpov	1–0	D97	Grunfeld, Russian
20	Kasparov	½–½	E06	Catalan, Closed
21	Karpov	½–½	E15	Queen's Indian
22	Kasparov	1–0	D55	QGD, Neo-Orthodox
23	Karpov	½–½	A15	English
24	Kasparov	½–½	E16	Queen's Indian

1987 World Championship (Seville)

Kasparov wins the final game to tie 12–12 and retain the title.

Gm	White	Result	ECO	Opening
1	Karpov	½–½	E60	King's Indian
2	Kasparov	0–1	A29	English, Four Knights
3	Karpov	½–½	E60	King's Indian
4	Kasparov	1–0	A29	English, Four Knights
5	Karpov	1–0	D87	Grunfeld, Exchange
6	Kasparov	½–½	A25	English
7	Karpov	½–½	D87	Grunfeld, Exchange
8	Kasparov	1–0	A21	English
9	Karpov	½–½	D87	Grunfeld, Exchange
10	Kasparov	½–½	B17	Caro-Kann, Steinitz
11	Karpov	0–1	D87	Grunfeld, Exchange
12	Kasparov	½–½	D31	QGD
13	Karpov	½–½	D85	Grunfeld
14	Kasparov	½–½	B17	Caro-Kann, Steinitz
15	Karpov	½–½	D97	Grunfeld, Russian
16	Kasparov	0–1	A29	English, Four Knights
17	Karpov	½–½	E97	King's Indian
18	Kasparov	½–½	D58	QGD, Tartakower
19	Karpov	½–½	D58	QGD, Tartakower
20	Kasparov	½–½	D53	QGD
21	Karpov	½–½	D97	Grunfeld, Russian
22	Kasparov	½–½	D37	Queen's Gambit Declined
23	Karpov	1–0	A34	English, Symmetrical
24	Kasparov	1–0	A13	English (Retains Title)

1990 World Championship (New York / Lyon)

Kasparov wins 12½–11½. A war of the Ruy Lopez and King's Indian.

Gm	White	Result	ECO	Opening
1	Karpov	½–½	E81	King's Indian, Samisch
2	Kasparov	1–0	C92	Ruy Lopez, Closed
3	Karpov	½–½	E92	King's Indian
4	Kasparov	½–½	C92	Ruy Lopez, Closed
5	Karpov	½–½	E92	King's Indian
6	Kasparov	½–½	C92	Ruy Lopez, Closed
7	Karpov	1–0	E92	King's Indian
8	Kasparov	½–½	C92	Ruy Lopez, Closed
9	Karpov	½–½	D85	Grunfeld
10	Kasparov	½–½	C43	Petrov, Modern Attack
11	Karpov	½–½	E92	King's Indian
12	Kasparov	½–½	C92	Ruy Lopez, Closed
13	Karpov	½–½	D85	Grunfeld
14	Kasparov	½–½	C45	Scotch Game
15	Karpov	½–½	D85	Grunfeld
16	Kasparov	1–0	C45	Scotch Game
17	Karpov	1–0	D85	Grunfeld
18	Kasparov	1–0	C92	Ruy Lopez, Closed
19	Karpov	½–½	E92	King's Indian
20	Kasparov	1–0	C92	Ruy Lopez, Closed
21	Karpov	½–½	E87	King's Indian, Samisch
22	Kasparov	½–½	C92	Ruy Lopez, Closed
23	Karpov	1–0	E87	King's Indian, Samisch
24	Kasparov	½–½	A17	English

1984 World Championship (Moscow) – The Marathon

Stopped after 48 games. Below are the decisive encounters from this endurance test.

Gm	White	Result	ECO	Opening
3	Karpov	1–0	B44	Sicilian
6	Kasparov	0–1	E15	Queen's Indian
7	Karpov	1–0	D34	QGD, Tarrasch
9	Karpov	1–0	D34	QGD, Tarrasch
27	Karpov	1–0	D37	Queen's Gambit Declined
32	Kasparov	1–0	E12	Queen's Indian
47	Karpov	0–1	D52	QGD, Cambridge Springs
48	Kasparov	1–0	C42	Petrov Defense

👉 Explore more epic clashes in our Chess History Guide.