The 1978 World Chess Championship was played between Anatoly Karpov and Viktor Korchnoi in Baguio, Philippines, from July 18 to October 18, 1978.

Karpov's team included noted Soviet psychologist and hypnotherapist Vladimir Petrovich Zukhar [ru], while Korchnoi enlisted the help of two American Ananda Marga yoga specialists who had recently been convicted of attempted murder and released on bail.

[4] In quality of play, the match itself never measured up to the press headlines that it generated, although as a sporting contest it had its share of excitement.

Viktor Korchnoi, formerly a representative of the USSR, was stateless at the time and played under the FIDE flag during this cycle.

Korchnoi narrowly defeated Petrosian again in the Candidates quarterfinals, then comfortably won his matches against Polugaevsky and Spassky to emerge as the official challenger to Karpov.

Game 1 White: Korchnoi, Viktor Black: Karpov, Anatoly Queen's Gambit Declined, Tartakower (Makogonov-Bondarevsky) System Result: ½–½ 1. c4 Nf6 2.

Game 2 White: Karpov, Anatoly Black: Korchnoi, Viktor Ruy Lopez, Open Result: ½–½ 1. e4 e5 2.

Game 4 White: Karpov, Anatoly Black: Korchnoi, Viktor Ruy Lopez, Open Result: ½–½ 1. e4 e5 2.

Korchnoi later explained that since he could not beat Karpov, he would simply stalemate him, adding that it gave him great pleasure to do this to the world champion.

Game 6 White: Karpov, Anatoly Black: Korchnoi, Viktor English, Four Knights, Kingside Fianchetto Result: ½–½ 1. c4 e5 2.

Game 8 White: Karpov, Anatoly Black: Korchnoi, Viktor Ruy Lopez, Open Result: 1-0 1. e4 e5 2.

Nd8+ 1-0 Remarks: After seven straight draws, Karpov managed to win game 8 by trapping Korchnoi in a mating net.

Game 9 White: Korchnoi, Viktor Black: Karpov, Anatoly Queen's Gambit Declined Result: ½–½ 1. c4 Nf6 2.

Game 10 White: Karpov, Anatoly Black: Korchnoi, Viktor Ruy Lopez, Open Result: ½–½ 1. e4 e5 2.

Game 11 White: Korchnoi, Viktor Black: Karpov, Anatoly King's Indian Attack Result: 1-0 1. g3 c5 2.

Qg3 Qd2+ 1-0 Remarks: Karpov makes an ill-considered exchange on move 41, leaving him with an isolated rook that is useless in fending off Black's queen and bishop which allowed Korchnoi to equalize the score.

Game 12 White: Karpov, Anatoly Black: Korchnoi, Viktor Ruy Lopez, Open, Howell Attack Result: ½–½ 1. e4 e5 2.

Game 13 White: Korchnoi, Viktor Black: Karpov, Anatoly Queen's Gambit Declined Result: 0-1 1. c4 Nf6 2.

Game 14 White: Karpov, Anatoly Black: Korchnoi, Viktor Ruy Lopez, Open Result: 1-0 1. e4 e5 2.

Game 15 White: Korchnoi, Viktor Black: Karpov, Anatoly Queen's Gambit Declined Result: ½–½ 1. c4 Nf6 2.

Ra1 Nf3+ 0-1 Remarks: Korchnoi got into a dispute with the organizers before the game, which led to him making his first move with over 10 minutes already gone on his clock.

He still managed to build up a winning position, but stubborn defense by Karpov together with time trouble for Korchnoi eventually led to a series of blunders and his advantage evaporated.

Ra1, was a blunder that allowed Karpov a forced mate where the two knights push the white King into a corner checkmate.

Rxd8 Rb2+ ½–½ Game 21 White: Korchnoi, Viktor Black: Karpov, Anatoly Queen's Gambit Declined Result: 1-0 1. c4 Nf6 2.

Kc4 Na5+ ½–½ Game 23 White: Korchnoi, Viktor Black: Karpov, Anatoly Queen's Gambit Declined Result: ½–½ 1. c4 Nf6 2.

Rd2 Re6 42. a7 ½–½ Game 24 White: Karpov, Anatoly Black: Korchnoi, Viktor Ruy Lopez, Open Result: ½–½ 1. e4 e5 2.

Rxc7 Rf7 ½–½ Game 27 White: Korchnoi, Viktor Black: Karpov, Anatoly English, Four Knights, Kingside Fianchetto Result: 0-1 1. c4 Nf6 2.

Rf2 0-1 Game 28 White: Karpov, Anatoly Black: Korchnoi, Viktor Ruy Lopez, Open Result: 0-1 1. e4 e5 2.

Rxc5+ Kb8 0-1 Game 29 White: Korchnoi, Viktor Black: Karpov, Anatoly English, Mikenas-Carls, Sicilian Variation Result: 1-0 1. c4 Nf6 2.

Rc4 Ra7 ½–½ Game 31 White: Korchnoi, Viktor Black: Karpov, Anatoly Queen's Gambit Declined Result: 1-0 1. c4 e6 2.