Karpov Calls a Timeout in 9th Game

LONDON —  The ninth game of the world chess championship between champion Gary Kasparov and challenger Anatoly Karpov was postponed Monday after Karpov called a timeout.

The game between the two Soviet grandmasters is now to be played Wednesday.

Karpov’s decision came as no surprise to experts who had predicted the timeout after the challenger’s loss in the eighth game Friday.

Kasparov leads with 4 1/2 points to Karpov’s 3 1/2. A win is worth one point while each player gets half a point for a draw. The winner will be the first player to score six victories or 12 1/2 points. If the two players tie 12-12 in the 24-game match, Kasparov retains his title.

Each player is allowed three timeouts. After 12 games the match will move from London’s Park Lane Hotel to the Leningradskaya Hotel in Leningrad.