The World Chess Championship 1984–1985 was a match between challenger Garry Kasparov and defending champion Anatoly Karpov at the Pillar Hall of House of the Unions, Moscow, from 10 September 1984 to 15 February 1985 for the World Chess Championship title. Svetozar Gligoric was the chief arbiter for the match. After 5 months and 48 games, the match was called off, with Karpov leading 5 to 3, and 40 draws. The match was replayed in the World Chess Championship 1985.

1981-82 Zonals There were three different paths to the Interzonals. First, players qualified from twelve different Zonals. Second, some players (including Kasparov) qualified on rating. Third, the six quarter-final and semi-final losers from the previous Candidates in 1980 qualified.Zonals 1981-1984, Mark Weeks' Chess Pages

1982 Interzonals Three Interzonal tournaments were held. The top two finishers in each qualified. Zoltán Ribli won the Las Palmas Interzonal ahead of 61-year-old former world champion Vasily Smyslov.World Chess Championship : 1982-84 cycle : 1982 Las Palmas Interzonal . Mark-weeks.com. Retrieved on 1 July 2016. Kasparov, 19 years old, won the Moscow Interzonal by a 1½-point margin ahead of Alexander Beliavsky.World Chess Championship : 1982-84 cycle : 1982 Moscow Interzonal . Mark-weeks.com. Retrieved on 1 July 2016. The Toluca Interzonal was won jointly by Lajos Portisch and Eugenio Torre.World Chess Championship : 1982-84 cycle : 1982 Toluca Interzonal . Mark-weeks.com. Retrieved on 1 July 2016.

{| class="wikitable" |+ July 1982 Interzonal, Las Palmas |- ! !! !! Rating !! 1 !! 2 !! 3 !! 4 !! 5 !! 6 !! 7 !! 8 !! 9 !! 10 !! 11 !! 12 !! 13 !! 14 !! Total !! Tie break |- style="background:#cfc;" | 1 || align=left| || 2580 || – || 1 || ½ || 1 || ½ || ½ || 1 || ½ || ½ || ½ || ½ || 1 || 1 || ½ || 9 || |- style="background:#cfc;" | 2 || align=left| || 2565 || 0 || – || 1 || 0 || ½ || ½ || ½ || ½ || 1 || 1 || 1 || ½ || 1 || 1 || 8½ || |- | 3 || align=left| || 2525 || ½ || 0 || – || 0 || ½ || 1 || 1 || 1 || ½ || 1 || 1 || ½ || 1 || 0 || 8 || |- | 4 || align=left| || 2555 || 0 || 1 || 1 || – || 1 || ½ || ½ || 0 || 1 || ½ || 0 || ½ || ½ || 1 || 7½ || 48.00 |- | 5 || align=left| || 2605 || ½ || ½ || ½ || 0 || – || 1 || ½ || ½ || ½ || 1 || ½ || 1 || ½ || ½ || 7½ || 47.00 |- | 6 || align=left| || 2600 || ½ || ½ || 0 || ½ || 0 || – || ½ || 1 || 1 || ½ || 0 || ½ || ½ || 1 || 6½ || 39.25 |- | 7 || align=left| || 2595 || 0 || ½ || 0 || ½ || ½ || ½ || – || 0 || 0 || ½ || 1 || 1 || 1 || 1 || 6½ || 37.50 |- | 8 || align=left| || 2550 || ½ || ½ || 0 || 1 || ½ || 0 || 1 || – || 0 || ½ || ½ || ½ || ½ || ½ || 6 || 39.25 |- | 9 || align=left| || 2540 || ½ || 0 || ½ || 0 || ½ || 0 || 1 || 1 || – || 0 || 1 || ½ || 0 || 1 || 6 || 36.00 |- | 10 || align=left| || 2615 || ½ || 0 || 0 || ½ || 0 || ½ || ½ || ½ || 1 || – || ½ || ½ || ½ || 1 || 6 || 35.00 |- | 11 || align=left| || 2505 || ½ || 0 || 0 || 1 || ½ || 1 || 0 || ½ || 0 || ½ || – || ½ || ½ || ½ || 5½ || 35.25 |- | 12 || align=left| || 2360 || 0 || ½ || ½ || ½ || 0 || ½ || 0 || ½ || ½ || ½ || ½ || – || ½ || 1 || 5½ || 32.75 |- | 13 || align=left| || 2500 || 0 || 0 || 0 || ½ || ½ || ½ || 0 || ½ || 1 || ½ || ½ || ½ || – || 1 || 5½ || 31.25 |- | 14 || align=left| || 2590 || ½ || 0 || 1 || 0 || ½ || 0 || 0 || ½ || 0 || 0 || ½ || 0 || 0 || – || 3 ||

{| class="wikitable" |+ September 1982 Interzonal, Moscow |- ! !! !! Rating !! 1 !! 2 !! 3 !! 4 !! 5 !! 6 !! 7 !! 8 !! 9 !! 10 !! 11 !! 12 !! 13 !! 14 !! Total !! Tie break |- style="background:#cfc;" | 1 || align=left| || 2675 || – || ½ || ½ || ½ || ½ || ½ || 1 || 1 || 1 || 1 || 1 || 1 || 1 || ½ || 10 || |- style="background:#cfc;" | 2 || align=left| || 2620 || ½ || – || 1 || ½ || 1 || 1 || 0 || 0 || 1 || 1 || 0 || 1 || ½ || 1 || 8½ || |- | 3 || align=left| || 2610 || ½ || 0 || – || ½ || ½ || ½ || 1 || ½ || ½ || 1 || 1 || ½ || 1 || ½ || 8 || 48.00 |- | 4 || align=left| || 2610 || ½ || ½ || ½ || – || 0 || ½ || 1 || ½ || ½ || ½ || 1 || 1 || ½ || 1 || 8 || 47.50 |- | 5 || align=left| || 2565 || ½ || 0 || ½ || 1 || – || ½ || ½ || 0 || 1 || 1 || ½ || ½ || 1 || ½ || 7½ || 46.50 |- | 6 || align=left| || 2500 || ½ || 0 || ½ || ½ || ½ || – || 1 || 1 || 0 || 1 || 1 || ½ || 0 || 1 || 7½ || 45.25 |- | 7 || align=left| || 2500 || 0 || 1 || 0 || 0 || ½ || 0 || – || 1 || ½ || ½ || ½ || ½ || 1 || 1 || 6½ || |- | 8 || align=left| || 2560 || 0 || 1 || ½ || ½ || 1 || 0 || 0 || – || ½ || ½ || 0 || ½ || ½ || 1 || 6 || 37.50 |- | 9 || align=left| || 2505 || 0 || 0 || ½ || ½ || 0 || 1 || ½ || ½ || – || 0 || ½ || ½ || 1 || 1 || 6 || 34.25 |- | 10 || align=left| || 2495 || 0 || 0 || 0 || ½ || 0 || 0 || ½ || ½ || 1 || – || ½ || 1 || 1 || ½ || 5½ || |- | 11 || align=left| || 2520 || 0 || 1 || 0 || 0 || ½ || 0 || ½ || 1 || ½ || ½ || – || ½ || 0 || ½ || 5 || 31.25 |- | 12 || align=left| || 2535 || 0 || 0 || ½ || 0 || ½ || ½ || ½ || ½ || ½ || 0 || ½ || – || 1 || ½ || 5 || 29.25 |- | 13 || align=left| || 2415 || 0 || ½ || 0 || ½ || 0 || 1 || 0 || ½ || 0 || 0 || 1 || 0 || – || 1 || 4½ || |- | 14 || align=left| || 2520 || ½ || 0 || ½ || 0 || ½ || 0 || 0 || 0 || 0 || ½ || ½ || ½ || 0 || – || 3 ||

Tal and Andersson contested a playoff in Malmö for a reserve spot for the Candidates Tournament. The match ended 3–3; Tal became first reserve because of his better tie break score, but no reserves were needed.Throwback Thursday: Ulf Andersson and Mikhail Tal play six-game match, Carlos Alberto Colodro, Chessbase, August 29, 2025

{| class="wikitable" |+ 1982 Interzonal, Toluca |- ! !! !! Rating !! 1 !! 2 !! 3 !! 4 !! 5 !! 6 !! 7 !! 8 !! 9 !! 10 !! 11 !! 12 !! 13 !! 14 !! Total !! Tie break |- style="background:#cfc;" | 1 || align=left| || 2625 || – || ½ || 1 || ½ || 0 || ½ || 0 || 1 || 1 || 1 || ½ || 1 || 1 || ½ || 8½ || 51.75 |- style="background:#cfc;" | 2 || align=left| || 2535 || ½ || – || ½ || 0 || ½ || 1 || 1 || ½ || ½ || ½ || 1 || ½ || 1 || 1 || 8½ || 51.00 |- | 3 || align=left| || 2610 || 0 || ½ || – || ½ || ½ || ½ || ½ || ½ || ½ || 1 || 1 || 1 || ½ || 1 || 8 || |- | 4 || align=left| || 2505 || ½ || 1 || ½ || – || ½ || ½ || ½ || ½ || ½ || ½ || 1 || ½ || 0 || 1 || 7½ || 48.00 |- | 5 || align=left| || 2555 || 1 || ½ || ½ || ½ || – || ½ || ½ || ½ || ½ || 0 || ½ || 1 || ½ || 1 || 7½ || 46.00 |- | 6 || align=left| || 2610 || ½ || 0 || ½ || ½ || ½ || – || 1 || ½ || ½ || ½ || ½ || ½ || 1 || 1 || 7½ || 44.50 |- | 7 || align=left| || 2595 || 1 || 0 || ½ || ½ || ½ || 0 || – || 0 || 1 || 1 || ½ || ½ || 1 || 1 || 7½ || 44.25 |- | 8 || align=left| || 2565 || 0 || ½ || ½ || ½ || ½ || ½ || 1 || – || ½ || ½ || ½ || ½ || ½ || 1 || 7 || |- | 9 || align=left| || 2555 || 0 || ½ || ½ || ½ || ½ || ½ || 0 || ½ || – || 1 || 0 || 1 || ½ || 1 || 6½ || 38.00 |- | 10 || align=left| || 2510 || 0 || ½ || 0 || ½ || 1 || ½ || 0 || ½ || 0 || – || 1 || ½ || 1 || 1 || 6½ || 36.75 |- | 11 || align=left| || 2495 || ½ || 0 || 0 || 0 || ½ || ½ || ½ || ½ || 1 || 0 || – || ½ || ½ || 1 || 5½ || |- | 12 || align=left| || 2415 || 0 || ½ || 0 || ½ || 0 || ½ || ½ || ½ || 0 || ½ || ½ || – || ½ || 0 || 4 || 27.00 |- | 13 || align=left| || 2480 || 0 || 0 || ½ || 1 || ½ || 0 || 0 || ½ || ½ || 0 || ½ || ½ || – || 0 || 4 || 26.75 |- | 14 || align=left| || 2440 || ½ || 0 || 0 || 0 || 0 || 0 || 0 || 0 || 0 || 0 || 0 || 1 || 1 || – || 2½ ||

1983–1984 Candidates Tournament The six Interzonal qualifiers were joined by Viktor Korchnoi and Robert Hübner, the Candidates finalists from the previous cycle (World Chess Championship 1981). The eight players participated in a series of knockout matches. The winner was Garry Kasparov.

The Smyslov–Hübner match was tied at 5–5. After playing four extra games without breaking the tie, the match was resolved by a spin of the roulette wheel. The ball went into the zero on the first spin, before deciding in favor of Smyslov.

Politics threatened Kasparov's semi-final match against Viktor Korchnoi, which was scheduled to be played in Pasadena, California. Various political manoeuvres prevented Kasparov from playing Korchnoi in the United States, and Kasparov forfeited the match. This was resolved when Korchnoi agreed for the match to be replayed in London, along with the Vasily Smyslov–Zoltán Ribli match. The Korchnoi–Kasparov match was put together on short notice by Raymond Keene. Kasparov won 7–4.

1984–1985 Championship match

{| class="wikitable" style="text-align:center" |+World Chess Championship Match September 1984 – February 1985: Games 1-24 |- ! !! Rating !! 1 !! 2 !! 3 !! 4 !! 5 !! 6 !! 7 !! 8 !! 9 !! 10 !! 11 !! 12 !! 13 !! 14 !! 15 !! 16 !! 17 !! 18 !! 19 !! 20 !! 21 !! 22 !! 23 !! 24 |- | align=left | Anatoly Karpov || 2700 | ½ ||style="background:black; color:white"| ½ || 1 ||style="background:black; color:white"| ½ || ½ ||style="background:black; color:white"| 1 || 1 ||style="background:black; color:white"| ½ || 1 ||style="background:black; color:white"| ½ || ½ ||style="background:black; color:white"| ½ || ½ ||style="background:black; color:white"| ½ || ½ ||style="background:black; color:white"| ½ || ½ ||style="background:black; color:white"| ½ || ½ ||style="background:black; color:white"| ½ || ½ ||style="background:black; color:white"| ½ || ½ ||style="background:black; color:white"| ½ |- | align=left | Garry Kasparov || 2710 |style="background:black; color:white"| ½ || ½ ||style="background:black; color:white"| 0 || ½ ||style="background:black; color:white"| ½ || 0 ||style="background:black; color:white"| 0 || ½ ||style="background:black; color:white"| 0 || ½ || style="background:black; color:white"| ½ || ½ ||style="background:black; color:white"| ½ || ½ ||style="background:black; color:white"| ½ || ½ ||style="background:black; color:white"| ½ || ½ ||style="background:black; color:white"| ½ || ½ || style="background:black; color:white"| ½ || ½ ||style="background:black; color:white"| ½ || ½

{| class="wikitable" style="text-align:center" |+World Chess Championship Match September 1984 – February 1985: Games 25–48 |- ! !! Rating !! 25 !! 26 !! 27 !! 28 !! 29 !! 30 !! 31 !! 32 !! 33 !! 34 !! 35 !! 36 !! 37 !! 38 !! 39 !! 40 !! 41 !! 42 !! 43 !! 44 !! 45 !! 46 !! 47 !! 48 !! colspan=2|Wins !! Total |- | align=left | Anatoly Karpov || 2700 | ½ || style="background:black; color:white"| ½ || 1 ||style="background:black; color:white"| ½ || ½ ||style="background:black; color:white"| ½ || ½ ||style="background:black; color:white"| 0 || ½ ||style="background:black; color:white"| ½ || ½ || style="background:black; color:white"| ½ || ½ ||style="background:black; color:white"| ½ || ½ ||style="background:black; color:white"| ½ || ½ ||style="background:black; color:white"| ½ || ½ ||style="background:black; color:white"| ½ || ½ ||style="background:black; color:white"| ½ || 0 ||style="background:black; color:white"| 0 || colspan=2 | 5 || 25 |- | align=left | Garry Kasparov || 2710 | style="background:black; color:white"| ½ || ½ ||style="background:black; color:white"| 0 || ½ ||style="background:black; color:white"| ½ || ½ ||style="background:black; color:white"| ½ || 1 ||style="background:black; color:white"| ½ || ½ || style="background:black; color:white"| ½ || ½ ||style="background:black; color:white"| ½ || ½ ||style="background:black; color:white"| ½ || ½ || style="background:black; color:white"| ½ || ½ ||style="background:black; color:white"| ½ || ½ ||style="background:black; color:white"| ½ || ½ ||style="background:black; color:white"| 1 || 1 || colspan=2 | 3 || 23

The previous record length for a world title match had been 34 games, the 1927 match between José Capablanca and Alexander Alekhine, which also followed the "first to 6 wins" format.