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In the Michael Adams vs Anatoly Karpov (1994, Dortmund GER, rd 1, Jul-15 ) match (moves listed [here][1]), the last move is indeed a check to the black king, but why did the match end after that ? I don't see the last move as a check-mate.

[1]: http://www.chessgames.com/perl/chessgame?gid=1014464[Event "Dortmund"]

[Site "Dortmund GER"]
[Date "1994.07.15"]
[Round "1"]
[White "Michael Adams"]
[Black "Anatoly Karpov"]
[Result "1-0"]
[ECO "B17"]
[PlyCount "117"]
[FEN ""]
[StartPly "117"]

1.e4 c6 2.d4 d5 3.Nd2 dxe4 4.Nxe4 Nd7 5.Nf3 Ngf6 6.Ng3 e6 7.Bd3 c5 8.O-O 
Be7 9.Qe2 O-O 10.Rd1 Qc7 11.c4 Re8 12.dxc5 Nxc5 13.Bc2 Ncd7 14.Ng5 Nf8 15.
N3e4 Bd7 16.Nxf6+ Bxf6 17.Qd3 Bxg5 18.Bxg5 Rac8 19.Rac1 Qe5 20.Qd2 Bc6 21.
b4 b6 22.Bf4 Qf6 23.Bg5 Qe5 24.Re1 Qb8 25.a4 Ng6 26.f3 Bb7 27.Bb1 h6 28.
Be3 e5 29.Qf2 e4 30.f4 Qd6 31.Qd2 Qf6 32.b5 Nh4 33.a5 bxa5 34.c5 a6 35.c6 
Ba8 36.Bd4 Qd8 37.Rxe4 axb5 38.c7 Qd7 39.Rxe8+ Rxe8 40.Qd3 Ng6 41.Bf2 Bc6 
42.Qxd7 Bxd7 43.Rd1 Nf8 44.f5 Rc8 45.Bg3 b4 46.Bd6 Nh7 47.Be4 Nf6 48.Bb7 
Re8 49.Be5 Bxf5 50.Rd8 Kh7 51.Rxe8 Nxe8 52.Be4 Nxc7 53.Bxf5+ g6 54.Bxc7 
gxf5 55.Bxa5 b3 56.Bc3 Kg6 57.Kf2 Kg5 58.Kf3 h5 59.h4+ 1-0
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  • Games don't have to end in checkmate - they can end in resignation.
    – Wais Kamal
    Nov 18, 2018 at 7:24

1 Answer 1

Reset to default
8

Black has the dismal choice of being checkmated or watching his pawns drop off. If he takes the h pawn Bf6 is mate, if he drops the king back white will soon win the f pawn by wasting moves with his bishop if necessary, and then the others will follow. A few example lines below, Black's cause is really quite hopeless

[Event "Dortmund"]
[Site "Dortmund GER"]
[Date "1994.07.15"]
[Round "1"]
[White "Michael Adams"]
[Black "Anatoly Karpov"]
[Result "1-0"]
[ECO "B17"]
[PlyCount "117"]
[StartPly "117"]
[FEN ""]

1.e4 c6 2.d4 d5 3.Nd2 dxe4 4.Nxe4 Nd7 5.Nf3 Ngf6 6.Ng3 e6 7.Bd3 c5 8.O-O 
Be7 9.Qe2 O-O 10.Rd1 Qc7 11.c4 Re8 12.dxc5 Nxc5 13.Bc2 Ncd7 14.Ng5 Nf8 15.
N3e4 Bd7 16.Nxf6+ Bxf6 17.Qd3 Bxg5 18.Bxg5 Rac8 19.Rac1 Qe5 20.Qd2 Bc6 21.
b4 b6 22.Bf4 Qf6 23.Bg5 Qe5 24.Re1 Qb8 25.a4 Ng6 26.f3 Bb7 27.Bb1 h6 28.
Be3 e5 29.Qf2 e4 30.f4 Qd6 31.Qd2 Qf6 32.b5 Nh4 33.a5 bxa5 34.c5 a6 35.c6 
Ba8 36.Bd4 Qd8 37.Rxe4 axb5 38.c7 Qd7 39.Rxe8+ Rxe8 40.Qd3 Ng6 41.Bf2 Bc6 
42.Qxd7 Bxd7 43.Rd1 Nf8 44.f5 Rc8 45.Bg3 b4 46.Bd6 Nh7 47.Be4 Nf6 48.Bb7 
Re8 49.Be5 Bxf5 50.Rd8 Kh7 51.Rxe8 Nxe8 52.Be4 Nxc7 53.Bxf5+ g6 54.Bxc7 
gxf5 55.Bxa5 b3 56.Bc3 Kg6 57.Kf2 Kg5 58.Kf3 h5 59.h4+ Kh6 
    ( 59...Kxh4 60.Bf6# )
60.Kf4 Kg6 61.Bb2 f6 
    ( 61...Kh6 62.Kxf5 Kh7 63.Kg5 )
    ( 61...Kh7 62.Kxf5 Kh6 63.Bc3 Kh7 64.Kg5 )
62.Bc3 Kh6 63.Kxf5 Kg7 64.Bxf6+ 1-0
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  • That makes sense, thanks for such a good detailed explanation!
    – Rakesh Sharma
    Nov 18, 2018 at 4:20

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