Kasparov Has Edge, Game Adjourns

The fourth game in the world chess championship adjourned Monday, and experts said that titleholder Gary Kasparov held a winning position against challenger Anatoly Karpov.

“It’s a win,” British grandmaster Nigel Short said after Kasparov sealed his 41st move.

Because each of the first three games were draws, a win for Kasparov when the game resumes today would give him 2 1/2 points to Karpov’s 1 1/2.

Draws count half a point.

The fourth game moved to a Nimzo-Indian defense but Karpov changed the play on move five from their previous championship games using this opening. At move 31, the 23-year-old Kasparov won a pawn and was then a pawn up in a simple end-game position.