FAMOUS CHESS GAMES

There are many reasons why Ludwig van Beethoven is famous all around the world. I could probably write numerous words about his sonatas, about his numerous experiments that were well ahead of his time, about how he wrote majority of his opus while being deaf (!!).

However since it would all more or less come down to: I-think-this-is-so-beautiful kind of sentences because my understanding of the intricacies of classical music is pretty much on the same level of my understanding of the rook and pawn endgames.

NONEXISTENT.

Why on Earth did I start all the discussion about the Beethoven in the first place then?

Because Beethoven’s compositions are first to have the so called programmatic character. Which basically means that someone has named his sonata Opus 27 Number 2 the Moonlight sonata instead. Which makes the composition much more easier to recognize.

It really is a wonderful sonata btw.

And if you are still wondering whether you have visited a classical music blog, don’t despair as I am pretty close to finishing my point.

Because similarly as other people have recognized Beethoven’s greatness and named his most notable compositions, throughout the history very beautiful chess games have also often been named by one author or another, in order to stand out from the mass.

It has to be said that chess public has been much less imaginative, since the majority of the games features the word IMMORTAL in their name. A word so suitable for a metal bend, that I went on to google “Immortal metal band” and found this:

Sometimes I am so full of prejudice for no reason whatsoever

In today’s post, we will give 10 notable games from the chess history, together with their nicknames, which we believe every chessplayer should know.

Some of the games were featured in a previous post, but we believe in the Latin sayin, “Repetio est mater studiorum.”

Naturally, the list might have been much longer than that, but today we have preferred to remain a bit on the “safe side”, and our choice might have been labeled mainstream.

Every game is given by only a brief commentary, as the point is not to search for the truth, but simply enjoy the brilliancies.

1. HOFFMAN – PETROV, WARSAW 1944 – “PETROV’S IMMORTAL”

[Event "Warsaw m"] [Site "Warsaw"] [Date "1844.??.??"] [Round "?"] [White "F Alexander Hoffmann"] [Black "Alexander Petrov"] [Result "0-1"] [ECO "C54"] [PlyCount "40"] [EventDate "1844.??.??"] 1. e4 e5 2. Nf3 Nc6 3. Bc4 Bc5 4. c3 Nf6 5. d4 exd4 6. e5 Ne4 7. Bd5 Nxf2 8. Kxf2 dxc3+ 9. Kg3 cxb2 10. Bxb2 Ne7 11. Ng5 $2 {A decisive mistake} (11. h3) 11... Nxd5 12. Nxf7 {[pgndiagram]} O-O $3 {What a sacrifice} 13. Nxd8 Bf2+ 14. Kh3 (14. Kg4 Rf4+ {3 Doesn't help. Black mates in}) 14... d6+ 15. e6 Nf4+ 16. Kg4 {[pgndiagram]} Nxe6 $1 {I enjoy this non forcing moves alot} 17. Nxe6 Bxe6+ 18. Kg5 Rf5+ 19. Kg4 h5+ 20. Kh3 Rf3# 0-1 your web browser and/or your host do not support iframes as required to display the chessboard; alternatively your wordpress theme might suppress the html iframe tag from articles or excerpts

2. ANDERSSEN – KIESERITZKY, LONDON 1851 – “THE IMMORTAL GAME”

You know how good a game is when the name is not “Anderssen’s immortal”, but simply “immortal”.

[Event "London"] [Site "London ENG"] [Date "1851.06.21"] [Round "?"] [White "Adolf Anderssen"] [Black "Lionel Adalbert Bagration Feli"] [Result "1-0"] [ECO "C33"] [PlyCount "45"] [EventDate "1851.??.??"] 1. e4 e5 2. f4 exf4 3. Bc4 Qh4+ 4. Kf1 b5 5. Bxb5 Nf6 6. Nf3 Qh6 7. d3 Nh5 8. Nh4 Qg5 9. Nf5 c6 10. g4 Nf6 11. Rg1 cxb5 12. h4 Qg6 13. h5 Qg5 14. Qf3 Ng8 15. Bxf4 Qf6 16. Nc3 {Play of both players might have been improved many times, but here White has a decisive advantage} Bc5 17. Nd5 Qxb2 18. Bd6 $2 {This move is far from best for White, but if it wasn't player, chess hsitory would have been deprived of a brilliant combination} Bxg1 {It is from this move that Black's defeat stems. Wilhelm Steinitz suggested in 1879 that a better move would be 18... Qxa1+; likely moves to follow are 19. Ke2 Qb2 20. Kd2 Bxg1.} ( 18... Qxa1+ 19. Ke2 Qb2 20. Bxc5 (20. Kd2 Bxg1 21. e5 {Is bad for White}) 20... Qxc2+ 21. Kf1 Qxc5 {And White has to find precise moves to hold a balance}) 19. e5 Qxa1+ 20. Ke2 Na6 $2 {The decisive mistake, allowing mate in 3} (20... Ba6 21. Nc7+ Kd8 22. Nxa6 {IS the 21st century way of playing, completely winning for White of course}) 21. Nxg7+ Kd8 {[pgndiagram]} 22. Qf6+ $3 {A brilliant finish} Nxf6 23. Be7# 1-0 your web browser and/or your host do not support iframes as required to display the chessboard; alternatively your wordpress theme might suppress the html iframe tag from articles or excerpts

3. ANDERSSEN – DUFRESNE, BERLIN, 1852 – “THE EVERGREEN”

Anderssen is the only lucker to have two of his games included here. It is amusing that in both games, he mates with the bishop on e7.

[Event "Berlin GER"] [Site "Berlin GER"] [Date "1852.??.??"] [Round "?"] [White "Adolf Anderssen"] [Black "Jean Dufresne"] [Result "1-0"] [ECO "C52"] [PlyCount "47"] [EventDate "1852.??.??"] 1. e4 e5 2. Nf3 Nc6 3. Bc4 Bc5 4. b4 {Evans Gambit was at the height of the fashion at that time} Bxb4 5. c3 Ba5 6. d4 exd4 7. O-O d3 8. Qb3 Qf6 9. e5 Qg6 10. Re1 Nge7 11. Ba3 b5 12. Qxb5 Rb8 13. Qa4 Bb6 14. Nbd2 Bb7 15. Ne4 Qf5 16. Bxd3 {White is completely winning here} Qh5 {[pgndiagram]} 17. Nf6+ $2 { Probably throwing away the win, but once again, who can blame Anderssen for being faithfull to his style and the romantic demands of the 19th century} gxf6 18. exf6 Rg8 19. Rad1 {[pgndiagram] Laying a very subtle trap} Qxf3 $2 {Which Black falls for completely} (19... Qh3 {Covering d7, was better. as White is unable to repeat the same combination as in the game}) 20. Rxe7+ $1 Nxe7 $2 { [pgndiagram] Allowing a thunderous finish} (20... Kd8 {Is what modern professional would surely play} 21. Rxd7+ Kc8 22. Rd8+ Kxd8 23. Bf5+ Qxd1+ 24. Qxd1+ {With won ending}) 21. Qxd7+ $1 Kxd7 22. Bf5+ Ke8 23. Bd7+ Kf8 24. Bxe7# {[pgndiagram] A beautiful and picturesque position} 1-0 your web browser and/or your host do not support iframes as required to display the chessboard; alternatively your wordpress theme might suppress the html iframe tag from articles or excerpts

4. MORPHY – CONSULTANTS, PARIS, 1858 – ” THE OPERA GAME “

Famous game played in the theatre, which suggests that the opera they were attending was surely exceptionaly interesting.

[Event "Paris"] [Site "Paris FRA"] [Date "1858.??.??"] [Round "?"] [White "Paul Morphy"] [Black "Duke Karl / Count Isouard"] [Result "1-0"] [ECO "C41"] [PlyCount "33"] [EventDate "1858.??.??"] 1. e4 e5 2. Nf3 d6 3. d4 Bg4 {This is a weak move already.--Fischer // Another important example that showes the viability of "Knights before bishops" rule} 4. dxe5 Bxf3 5. Qxf3 dxe5 6. Bc4 Nf6 7. Qb3 {[pgndiagram] Everything with the tempo} Qe7 8. Nc3 c6 9. Bg5 {Black is in what's like a zugzwang position here. He can't develop the [Queen's] knight because the pawn is hanging, the bishop is blocked because of the Queen.--Fischer} b5 {[pgndiagram]} 10. Nxb5 $1 {It begins. One flashy sacrifice after another} cxb5 11. Bxb5+ Nbd7 12. O-O-O Rd8 { [pgndiagram]} 13. Rxd7 $1 Rxd7 14. Rd1 Qe6 15. Bxd7+ Nxd7 {[pgndiagram]} 16. Qb8+ $3 Nxb8 17. Rd8# {What a game and what a crush!} 1-0 your web browser and/or your host do not support iframes as required to display the chessboard; alternatively your wordpress theme might suppress the html iframe tag from articles or excerpts

5. ROTLEWI – RUBINSTEIN, LODZ, 1907 – ” RUBINSTEIN’S IMMORTAL “

One of the most famous classics out there! Just watch those bishops!

[Event "Lodz1"] [Site "Lodz"] [Date "1907.??.??"] [Round "?"] [White "Rotlewi, Georg A"] [Black "Rubinstein, Akiba"] [Result "0-1"] [ECO "D40"] [Annotator "ChessBase"] [PlyCount "50"] [EventDate "1907.??.??"] [EventType "tourn"] [EventRounds "1"] [EventCountry "POL"] [Source "ChessBase"] [SourceDate "1999.11.16"] 1. d4 d5 2. Nf3 e6 3. e3 c5 4. c4 Nc6 5. Nc3 Nf6 6. dxc5 Bxc5 7. a3 a6 8. b4 Bd6 9. Bb2 O-O 10. Qd2 (10. cxd5 exd5 11. Be2) (10. Bd3) 10... Qe7 $1 11. Bd3 ( 11. cxd5 $2) 11... dxc4 12. Bxc4 b5 13. Bd3 Rd8 14. Qe2 Bb7 15. O-O Ne5 16. Nxe5 Bxe5 17. f4 Bc7 18. e4 Rac8 19. e5 Bb6+ 20. Kh1 {[pgndiagram] You can see how Black has every single piece in action and pointing toward White king} Ng4 $1 21. Be4 (21. Qxg4 $2 Rxd3 {/\ Rc3}) (21. Ne4 Rxd3 $1 22. Qxd3 Bxe4 23. Qxe4 Qh4 24. h3 Qg3 25. hxg4 Qh4#) (21. Bxh7+ Kxh7 22. Qxg4 Rd2 $19) 21... Qh4 $1 22. g3 {[pgndiagram]} (22. h3 Rxc3 23. Bxc3 (23. Bxb7 Rxh3+ 24. gxh3 Qxh3+ 25. Qh2 Qxh2#) (23. Qxg4 Rxh3+ 24. Qxh3 Qxh3+ 25. gxh3 Bxe4+ 26. Kh2 Rd2+ 27. Kg3 Rg2+ 28. Kh4 Bd8+ 29. Kh5 Bg6#) 23... Bxe4 24. Qxg4 (24. Qxe4 Qg3 $19) 24... Qxg4 25. hxg4 Rd3 26. Kh2 Rxc3 $19) 22... Rxc3 23. gxh4 {[pgndiagram]} (23. Bxc3 Bxe4+ 24. Qxe4 Qxh2#) (23. Bxb7 Rxg3 24. Rf3 (24. Bf3 Nxh2 $19) 24... Rxf3 25. Bxf3 Nf2+ 26. Kg1 (26. Kg2 Qh3+ 27. Kg1 Ne4+ 28. Kh1 Ng3#) 26... Ne4+ 27. Kf1 Nd2+ 28. Kg2 Nxf3 29. Qxf3 (29. Kxf3 Qh5+) 29... Rd2+ $19) 23... Rd2 {What a position. almost every Black's piece is ?en priese, but the White king is the only factor that matters} 24. Qxd2 (24. Qxg4 Bxe4+ 25. Rf3 Rxf3 $19) (24. Bxc3 Rxe2 25. Rf2 Bxe4+ 26. Kg1 Bxf2+ 27. Kf1 Bf3 28. Rd1 Nxh2#) (24. Bxb7 Rxe2 25. Bg2 Rh3 $19) 24... Bxe4+ 25. Qg2 Rh3 $3 {Rubinsteins 'Immortal game'.} ( 25... Rh3 $3 26. Rf3 (26. Rf2 Bxf2 27. Qxe4 Rxh2#) 26... Bxf3 27. Qxf3 Rxh2#) 0-1 your web browser and/or your host do not support iframes as required to display the chessboard; alternatively your wordpress theme might suppress the html iframe tag from articles or excerpts

6. BOGOLJUBOW – ALEKHINE, HASTINGS, 1922 – “ALEKHINE’S IMMORTAL”

My favourite game of the master of sacrifices, Alexander Alekhine.

[Event "Hastings"] [Site "Hastings ENG"] [Date "1922.09.21"] [Round "10"] [White "Efim Bogoljubov"] [Black "Alexander Alekhine"] [Result "0-1"] [ECO "A84"] [PlyCount "106"] [EventDate "1922.09.10"] 1. d4 f5 2. c4 Nf6 3. g3 e6 4. Bg2 Bb4+ 5. Bd2 Bxd2+ 6. Nxd2 Nc6 7. Ngf3 O-O 8. O-O d6 9. Qb3 Kh8 10. Qc3 e5 11. e3 a5 12. b3 Qe8 13. a3 Qh5 14. h4 Ng4 15. Ng5 Bd7 16. f3 Nf6 17. f4 e4 18. Rfd1 h6 19. Nh3 d5 20. Nf1 Ne7 21. a4 Nc6 22. Rd2 Nb4 23. Bh1 Qe8 24. Rg2 dxc4 25. bxc4 Bxa4 26. Nf2 Bd7 27. Nd2 b5 28. Nd1 Nd3 { Black is already winning here (just look at those light squares on the kingside, and the bishop and the rook on g2 and h1), but Alekhine does it in style} 29. Rxa5 {[pgndiagram]} b4 $1 30. Rxa8 bxc3 $3 31. Rxe8 c2 $3 { [pgndiagram] What a position. White's rook has munched through entire Black's army of heavy pieces, but a modest pawn on c2 invalidates all his effort} 32. Rxf8+ Kh7 33. Nf2 c1=Q+ 34. Nf1 Ne1 35. Rh2 Qxc4 36. Rb8 Bb5 37. Rxb5 Qxb5 38. g4 Nf3+ 39. Bxf3 exf3 40. gxf5 Qe2 41. d5 Kg8 42. h5 Kh7 43. e4 Nxe4 44. Nxe4 Qxe4 45. d6 cxd6 46. f6 gxf6 47. Rd2 {[pgndiagram]} Qe2 {There were simpler ways of doing it, but this leads to a winning king and pawn endgame} 48. Rxe2 fxe2 {For the second time in the game we see the inability of the knight to fight against a passed pawn} 49. Kf2 exf1=Q+ 50. Kxf1 Kg7 51. Ke2 Kf7 52. Ke3 Ke6 53. Ke4 d5+ {What a game!!} 0-1 your web browser and/or your host do not support iframes as required to display the chessboard; alternatively your wordpress theme might suppress the html iframe tag from articles or excerpts

7. GLUCKSBERG – NAJDORF, WARSAW, 1929 – ” THE POLISH IMMORTAL”

It is a slight mystery why this game is not known as Najdorf’s immortal. Especially since he moved to Argentine and spend the majority of his life there afterwards.

But never mind the name, just look at those pawn “spikes” that happened in the game.

[Event "Warsaw"] [Site "Warsaw POL"] [Date "1929.??.??"] [Round "?"] [White "Glucksberg"] [Black "Miguel Najdorf"] [Result "0-1"] [ECO "A85"] [PlyCount "44"] [EventDate "1929.??.??"] 1. d4 f5 {Another Dutch!} 2. c4 Nf6 3. Nc3 e6 4. Nf3 d5 5. e3 c6 6. Bd3 Bd6 7. O-O O-O 8. Ne2 Nbd7 9. Ng5 $2 {[pgndiagram] Quite unnecessary} Bxh2+ $1 10. Kh1 Ng4 11. f4 Qe8 12. g3 Qh5 13. Kg2 {[pgndiagram]} Bg1 $1 14. Nxg1 Qh2+ 15. Kf3 { [pgndiagram]} e5 $3 {Right into it} 16. dxe5 Ndxe5+ 17. fxe5 Nxe5+ 18. Kf4 Ng6+ 19. Kf3 {[pgndiagram]} f4 $3 {Hit me baby one more time} 20. exf4 Bg4+ $1 21. Kxg4 {[pgndiagram]} Ne5+ $1 22. fxe5 h5# {Mating with h-pawn is surely a great pleasure.} 0-1 your web browser and/or your host do not support iframes as required to display the chessboard; alternatively your wordpress theme might suppress the html iframe tag from articles or excerpts

8. BYRNE – FISCHER, NEW YORK, 1956 – ” THE GAME OF THE CENTURY”

Virtually the most famous game of the last century. Fischer was only (13 year old at a time).

Which reminds me of an anegdote about the famous piano player Moriz Rosenthal .

When introduced to a 7-year old Russian wunderkid, he asked him what is he currently playing?

” Tschaikovsky’s first concerto, mister”

“Aren’t you too old for that?”

[Event "Third Rosenwald Trophy"] [Site "New York, NY USA"] [Date "1956.10.17"] [Round "8"] [White "Donald Byrne"] [Black "Robert James Fischer"] [Result "0-1"] [ECO "D92"] [PlyCount "82"] [EventDate "1956.10.07"] 1. Nf3 Nf6 2. c4 g6 3. Nc3 Bg7 4. d4 O-O 5. Bf4 d5 6. Qb3 dxc4 7. Qxc4 c6 8. e4 Nbd7 9. Rd1 Nb6 10. Qc5 Bg4 11. Bg5 {11. Be2 followed by 12 O-O would have been more prudent. The bishop move played allows a sudden crescendo of tactical points to be uncovered by Fischer. -- Wade} (11. Be2) 11... Na4 {!} 12. Qa3 {On 12. Nxa4 Nxe4 and White faces considerable difficulties.} Nxc3 {At first glance, one might think that this move only helps White create a stronger pawn center; however, Fischer's plan is quite the opposite. By eliminating the Knight on c3, it becomes possible to sacrifice the exchange via Nxe4 and smash White's center, while the King remains trapped in the center.} 13. bxc3 {[pgndiagram]} Nxe4 {The natural continuation of Black's plan.} 14. Bxe7 Qb6 15. Bc4 Nxc3 16. Bc5 Rfe8+ 17. Kf1 {[pgndiagram]} Be6 {!! If this is the game of the century, then 17...Be6!! must be the counter of the century. Fischer offers his queen in exchange for a fierce attack with his minor pieces. Declining this offer is not so easy: 18. Bxe6 leads to a 'Philidor Mate' (smothered mate) with ...Qb5+ 19. Kg1 Ne2+ 20. Kf1 Ng3+ 21. Kg1 Qf1+ 22. Rxf1 Ne2#. Other ways to decline the queen also run into trouble: e.g., 18. Qxc3 Qxc5} 18. Bxb6 Bxc4+ 19. Kg1 Ne2+ 20. Kf1 {[pgndiagram]} Nxd4+ { This tactical scenario, where a king is repeatedly revealed to checks, is sometimes called a "windmill."} 21. Kg1 Ne2+ 22. Kf1 Nc3+ 23. Kg1 axb6 24. Qb4 Ra4 25. Qxb6 Nxd1 26. h3 Rxa2 27. Kh2 Nxf2 28. Re1 Rxe1 29. Qd8+ Bf8 30. Nxe1 Bd5 31. Nf3 Ne4 32. Qb8 b5 {Every piece and pawn of the black camp is defended. The white queen has nothing to do.} 33. h4 h5 34. Ne5 Kg7 35. Kg1 Bc5+ 36. Kf1 Ng3+ {Now Byrne is hopelessly entangled in Fischer's mating net.} 37. Ke1 Bb4+ 38. Kd1 Bb3+ 39. Kc1 Ne2+ 40. Kb1 Nc3+ 41. Kc1 Rc2# 0-1 your web browser and/or your host do not support iframes as required to display the chessboard; alternatively your wordpress theme might suppress the html iframe tag from articles or excerpts

9. KASPAROV – TOPALOV, WIJK AAN ZEE, 1999 – ” KASPAROV’S IMMORTAL”

The best of the chess GOAT. The sacrifice of two rooks and a twelve move combination culminating with Bf1 in one game. Nobody really cares that it wasn’t fully correct.

[Event "It (cat.17), Wijk aan Zee (Netherlands)"] [Site "Wijk aan Zee NED"] [Date "1999.01.20"] [Round "4"] [White "Garry Kasparov"] [Black "Veselin Topalov"] [Result "1-0"] [ECO "B06"] [WhiteElo "2812"] [BlackElo "2700"] [PlyCount "87"] [EventDate "1999.??.??"] 1. e4 d6 2. d4 Nf6 3. Nc3 g6 4. Be3 Bg7 5. Qd2 c6 6. f3 b5 7. Nge2 Nbd7 8. Bh6 {This is probably too early} Bxh6 9. Qxh6 Bb7 10. a3 e5 11. O-O-O Qe7 12. Kb1 a6 13. Nc1 O-O-O 14. Nb3 exd4 15. Rxd4 c5 16. Rd1 Nb6 17. g3 Kb8 18. Na5 Ba8 19. Bh3 d5 20. Qf4+ Ka7 21. Rhe1 d4 {Black has actually managed to equalize here} 22. Nd5 Nbxd5 23. exd5 Qd6 {[pgndiagram]} 24. Rxd4 $3 {Starting the most brilliant combination ever} cxd4 (24... Kb6 {Might have caused some doubt to the whole concept, but we wouldn't probably be annotating this game now}) 25. Re7+ $3 Kb6 26. Qxd4+ Kxa5 27. b4+ Ka4 {[pgndiagram]} 28. Qc3 {Threatening mate } Qxd5 29. Ra7 {Renewing the threat} Bb7 30. Rxb7 Qc4 31. Qxf6 Kxa3 32. Qxa6+ Kxb4 {[pgndiagram]} 33. c3+ $3 {The culmination of the combination} Kxc3 34. Qa1+ Kd2 35. Qb2+ Kd1 {[pgndiagram] And now what?} 36. Bf1 $3 {This move is winning in every variation} Rd2 (36... Qxf1 37. Qc2+ Ke1 38. Re7+) 37. Rd7 Rxd7 38. Bxc4 bxc4 39. Qxh8 Rd3 40. Qa8 c3 41. Qa4+ Ke1 42. f4 f5 43. Kc1 Rd2 44. Qa7 {Simply sensational} 1-0 your web browser and/or your host do not support iframes as required to display the chessboard; alternatively your wordpress theme might suppress the html iframe tag from articles or excerpts

10. WEI YI – BRUZON, DANZHOU, 2015 – ” 21.ST CENTURY IMMORTAL”

In order not to neglect the modern grandmasters, we have decided to include this brilliancy by a young Chinese prodigy, Wei Yi. The creativity behind explosive sacrifices connected with quiet Queen moves createst unique artistic impression.