Chess History

Standing: R. Fine, Dr. S. Tartakower, Dr. M. Vidmar, E. D. Bogoljuboff, T. H. Tylor, C. H. O'D. Alexander, S. Flohr, S. Reshevsky, M. Bottvinnik, A. J. Mackenzie.
Seated: Sir G. A. Thomas, Dr. E. Lasker, J. R. Capablanca, Ald. J. H. Derbyshire, Mrs Derbyshire, Dr. M. Euwe, Dr. A. Alekhine, W. Winter.

Historic games is a new series of annotated games by myself on games that have influenced the past.

Note- the choice of games is due to what I am currently reading in books and magazines, I hope I will have a full range of interesting games in the future from a range of players.

*The pre-World Champion era (pre-1886)*
Game 0	A stunning series of moves as Boden (an English player) shows his style against Macdonnell an opponent of Morphy (1869).
Game 1	Two old German Greats do battle including the 1851 London exhibition winner-Adolf Anderssen who dances with his Knights. Vienna 1873.
*The Steinitz era (1886-1894)*
Game 2	Zukertort wins the battle but loses the war against Steinitz (1886).
Game 3	Emanuel Laskers brilliancy prize at Amsterdam in 1889.
Game 4	A British contender to World Championship, Isidor Gunsberg playing against William Steinitz, beaten but only just. World Ch 1890/91.
Game 5	The British contender to the throne Isidor Gunsberg is beaten by a back row weakness and beautiful sacrifices. World Ch 1890/91.
Game 6	Gunsberg gains a brilliant victory in the World Championship Match with Steinitz. World Ch 1890/91.
Game 7	The decisive game in this exciting Match between Isidor Gunsberg and William Steinitz. World Ch 1890/91.
Game 8	A Bogey man of Emanuel Lasker was Walter Shipley in Simultaneous meetings he won three times against the 2nd World Champion here is a fine win full of sacrifices. Philadelphia Simul. 1892.
Game 9	Jackson Showalter gives Emanuel Lasker some difficulties in an early encounter between these two rivals. Friendly Match in USA 1892.
Game 10	A surprise start to the Chigorin vs Steinitz World Championship when Chigorin pulls out a blinder of a first game. World Ch 1892.
Game 11	William Steinitz finds his feet in majestic style against Mikhail Chigorin with a double Rook sacrifice in the fourth game. World Ch 1892.
Game 12	William Steinitz gets totally frazzled by the opening play of Mikhail Chigorin with a nice Rook sacrifice in the 8th game. World Ch 1892.
*The Lasker era(1894-1921)*
Game 13	There was historically another US genius apart from Paul Morphy and Bobby Fischer, Pillsbury at Hastings in 1895.
Game 14	William Steinitz's brilliancy prize at Hastings in 1895.
Game 15	Emanuel Laskers favourite career game at St Petersburg 1895/96, one of the most remarkable games ever played.
Game 16	Jacques Mieses known for the opening 1 d3 named after him gets a brilliant tactic in a well known position. Barmen 1905.
Game 17	Siegbert Tarrasch brings Emanuel Lasker to earth with a bump with some fabulous pawn moves. World Ch 1908.
Game 18	This is the revenge of Emanuel Lasker in the very next game to the previous game on here in the World Ch 1908.
Game 19	Capablanca in a match against Frank Marshall shows his skill at attacking the King 1909.
Game 20	Capablanca's introduction to international chess in a grudge first round game at San Sebastian 1911.
Game 21	A youngish teenage Alexander Alekhine shows brilliant combinations to win this game in Karlsbad 1911.
Game 22	Capablanca shows a shock finish in a position which looks even but isn't at Moscow Exhibition Match.
Game 23	Siegbert Tarrasch gives away two Bishops in what became known as the 'Greek Gift'. 1914 St Petersburg Prelim.
Game 24	Battle of the Georges occurred in the British Major-Open by two relative unknowns before the War in 1914 in what was a fabulous game.
Game 25	During the eruption of the Great War in 1914, Alexander Alekhine shows why he is regarded as one of the best ever chess players.
Game 26	During World War I several Russian players were interned while stuck in Germany (and they spend the time playing each other in tournaments) amongst them was Aleksander Flamberg who produces a gem in this game. Baden Baden 1914.(previous latest)
Game 27	Max Euwe proves he is more than just the efficient plodder portrayed in this fabulous games against Richard Reti, Amsterdam 1920.
*The Capablanca era(1921-1927)*
Game 28	Max Euwe in another spectacular victory early in his career showing off his patent anti-French attack. Budapest 1921.
Game 29	The British player, Richard Griffith was mainly known for his chess journalism but here he makes a double sacrifice to win a game convincingly. Britain 1922.
Game 30	A simultaneous game by Alexander Alekhine against a player that plays dangerously, tempting Alexander into a Queen Sacrifice.Seville 1922
Game 31	The battle of the Russian émigrés Alexander Alekhine and Efim Bogolijubow, Efim does his best to cope with sheer brilliance Hastings 1922.
Game 32	It seemed like there is little advantage to Alexander Alekhine but one loose move from Ernst Gruenfeld leads to disaster. Karlsbad 1923
Game 33	Richard Reti defeats the world Champion with the opening named after him ie 1.Nf3, New York 1924.
Game 34	Alexander Alekhine hangs a Rook for 5 moves and if Richard Reti takes it he is lost, Richard loses anyway. Baden-Baden 1925
Game 35	Another Reti Brilliancy at the same tournament as above, ie New York 1924 against Bogoljubow.
Game 36	The original clash of the Titans, was Alekhine going to get blown away?, a remarkable draw against Capablanca WCh match 1927.
Game 37	Alexander Alekhine wins a pawn and with tenacious attacking play converts it against Jose Capablanca in WCh match 1927.
*The Alekhine/Euwe era(1927-1948)*
Game 38	Afim Bogoljubow gets blown away by the brilliance of Alekhine in first World Championship Match first Game WCh Match 1929
Game 39	Afim Bogoljubow again gets beat this time by a strong Alexander King and by a poorly placed Bishop. WCh Match 1929.
Game 40	Mikhail Botvinnik was a near godlike figure for Soviet Chess, here his preparation starts off an explosion of sacrificial chess against G Myasoyedov - Leningrad Ch 1930.
Game 41	The start of a Soviet era begins in the early 1930's, Stalin saw in Botvinnik an extraordinary talent for political reasons here Mikhail plays A Yorgis and plays a few incredible moves, particularly, in the endgame. Leningrad Electrical Workers Championship 1931.
Game 42	Erich Eliskases was an Austrian Grandmaster of great skill, here is a game of his where he gets his Queen trapped and still wins against Rudolf Spielmann in his match with Rudolf in Linz 1932.
Game 43	The Botvinnik machine rolls on with Mikhail producing another fine game, his opponent (Vsevolod Rauzer) is tied down by some fine repositioning especially of the Queen USSR Ch 1933.
Game 44	Alexander the Great again in the rematch with Afim Bogoljubow he outplays him after a torrid opening battle. WCh Match 1934.
Game 45	Emanuel Lasker in the twilight of his years runs into Alexander Alekhine on form. Zuerich 1934.
Game 46	A spectacular few moves by Max Euwe win the day over Alexander Alekhine in Zeurich 1934.
Game 47	The first game between Max Euwe and Alexander Alekhine was a deceptively easy victory for Alexander, their first WCh Match 1935 ended differently.
Game 48	A deceptively easy start for Alekhine in his match with Max Euwe who was to defeat him if not in this game but in the Match. WCh Match 1935. Game 4
Game 49	Max Euwe shows his fighting spirit in the comeback which led him to World Championship glory against Alexander Alekhine. WCh Match 1935.Game 20.
Game 50	Max yet again outplays one of the best of all time with a sweet counter sacrifice. WCh Match 1935.Game 25.
Game 51	Erich Eliskases plays some accurate attacking moves to defeat the legendary Rudolf Spielmann in the second of three matches between them, Game 7 Semmering 1936.
Game 52	Another win for Alekhine this time against Euwe in the return match. Euwe handles Alexs brilliance for a while but succumbs. WCh Match 1937.
Game 53	Two Chess giants do battle Mikhail Botvinnik from the Soviet School plays Jose Capablanca from the Classical school. AVRO Tournament 1938.
Game 54	Just before the start of the Second World War, Max Euwe shows why he was a World Champion in the Dutch Championships 1939. With a nice complex Bishop sac.
Game 55	Paul Keres was another great non-World Champion here he plays the ex-World Champion (Max Euwe) in 1940 in occupied Holland in a Match. game 9.
Game 56	Max Euwe gets the better of Paul Keres with a wonderful Bishop sacrifice after a pawn sacrifice the game was game 14 in a match in occupied Holland 1940.
Game 57	Paul 'Lucky to be Alive' Keres meets Mikhail 'All Chess players are created unequal' Botvinnik, Botvinnik proves the superior in a dashing pawn move which breaks the camels back. Soviet Championship 1941.
Game 58	A new breed of chess player from the Soviet School of Chess takes on the older Alekhine during the war. Prague 1943.
Game 59	A game changer in chess post war was the USA vs USSR radio match in 1945 when the Soviets succeeded in a crushing victory. Here is Mikhail Botvinniks contribution to a new reality in Chess.
*The Botvinnik/Smyslov/Tal era(1948-1963)*
Game 60	Nicholas Rossolimo was a Russian emigre who is largely forgotten today but who was known as one of the last Chess Romantics in a casual game at Bad Gastein 1948.
Game 61	Mikhail Botvinnik on the way to the Ultimate Title plays probably the most perfect game of chess ever played against Paul Keres. World Ch Tournament 1948. Round 10.
Game 62	A game which helped David Bronstein become the candidate to play Mikhail Botvinnink for the World Championship. It was against Alexander Kotov Candidates 1950.
Game 63	A forgotten masterpiece by Lev Aronin against the strong 50's player Mark Taimanov who plays a dubious opening attack. USSR Ch 1951.
Game 64	A later game saw Lev Aronin play exactly the same charge of the Light Brigade Ne6 move as here, this time its against a famous player. RSFSR Team Ch 1951.
Game 65	The Mikhail Botvinnik Machine comes unstuck for the first time in this tight struggle with the great David Bronstein, a lesson on how to play the Queens Indian Defence game 11 Wch 1951.
Game 66	Another game from the Mikhail Botvinnik vs David Bronstein struggle, again David shows how to play against an opening, this time the Dutch Defence game 22 Wch 1951.
Game 67	The age of Soviet domination was upon us in 1952 with the Soviet Championship seeing the clash between the two main players in the world Botvinnik vs Keres.
Game 68	This game includes one of the most surprising moves ever played, created by Max Euwe as Black against Efim Geller in the Zurich Candidates 1953.
Game 69	A Knight retreat is sometimes better than a Knight advance as this game by Max Euwe against Miguel Najdorf (the Argentinian) proves-Zurich Candidates 1953.
Game 70	Victor Korchnoi shows his sacrificial flair in this game from his youth against a strong player well known himself - Efim Geller. USSR Ch 1954.
Game 71	David Bronstein sacrifices a Bishop in a speculative brilliancy, against the esteemed Paul Keres, which with incredible accuracy he wins in the Gothenburg Interzonal of 1955.
Game 72	Matulovic's Bishop manouver to beat a 15 year old Bobby Fischer (1958).
Game 73	Two Baltic maestros do battle in this Candidates (in Yugoslavia) game namely Mihail Tal and Paul Keres, 1959. They were playing for the right to meet Botvinnik.
Game 74	Another game by Victor Korchnoi this time against a strong Yugoslav player, Victor out prepares his opponent USSR vs Yugoslav Match 1959.
Game 75	Game 9 in the battle of the Mikhails, Tals Tactics versus Botvinniks Positional sense in the first World Championship match between these two in 1960.
Game 76	An out of sorts Mikhail Tal is ruthlessly hunted down by the Soviet Machine in the shape of Mikhail Botvinnik in the second of their two World Championship Matches(game 7) in 1961.
Game 77	Victor Korchnoi makes a Bishop sacrifice for a brilliant attack against Miroslav Filip Stockholm interzonal 1962.
Game 78	Victor Korchnoi against the great Mikhail Tal must have been a wonderfull event to watch live, here Victor sacrifices to win. USSR Ch 1962.
Game 79	The Battle of the Soviet Undesirables, great chess players (ie Keres and Geller) who through no fault from themselves found no hope. Candidates play off for 2nd place Curacao 1962.
Game 80	Battle of the most influential Chess players between Robert Fischer and Mikhail Botvinnik was a hum dinger of a game, the only one between these icons. Varna Olympiad 1962.
*The Petrosian era(1963-1969)*
Game 81	Victor Korchnoi sacrifices his Queen very soundly against Karl Robatsch at the Capablanca Memorial 1963.
Game 82	Bobby Fischer in the US championships, 1963, blows away Pal Benko in 21 moves with a devine Rook positioning.
Game 83	The charge of the Light Brigade succeeds in this take on the strategy by Lev Aronin. Moscow Ch 1965.
Game 84	Victor Korchnoi against a strong Croatian Grandmaster makes a sublime move or two and sacrifices nearly everything. October 50 year 1967.
Game 85	Nicolas Rossolimo plays a very spectacular move which is a Queens sacrifice which cannot effectively be taken-San Juan Open 1967.
Game 86	A brilliant endgame from Nicholas Rossolimo, I don't think his opponent played well in this game but he certainly won in style. San Juan Open 1967.
Game 87	The Brilliance of Botvinnik was lost on many historical appreciations of best ever players because he didn't play much but here he out thinks Pal Benko. Monte Carlo 1968.(previous latest)
Game 88	A double Rook Sacrifice from Mikhail Botvinnik in a classical display of Soviet Chess against Lajos Portisch. Monte Carlo 1968.(previous latest)
*The Spassky-Fischer era(1969-1975)*
Game 89	Bobby Fischer vs Borris Spassky in the Match of the 20th Century, Bobby plays the Alekhine Defence!!!.
Game 90	Mihail Tal has had many brilliancies here is one from Skopje Olympiad (1972).
Game 91	A King hunt by Victor Korchnoi of Robert Huebners unfortunate King, for the right to challenge then World Champion Bobby Fischer. Interzonal 1973.
Game 92	Which old Soviet player was going to match Bobby, in the end it was of course Karpov but David Bronstein shows tremendous class against Ljubojevic. Interzonal 1973.
Game 93	Mihail Tal dares a fellow soviet to take his Bishop in a cunning trap. USSR Ch Leningrad 1974.
Game 94	Victor Korchnoi beats Anatoly Karpov in 19 moves with a sacrifice but not enough to be crowned World Champion (ie with bobby not defending his title this was effective World Championship match) in this Candidates 1974 Match.
Game 95	Early in his chess career John Nunn, one of the greatest ever British players shows his inexperience against Gyula Sax, London 1975.
*The Karpov era(1975-1985)*
Game 96	Tigran Petrosian was a superb positional player but here Victor Korchnoi eventually breaks through with a nice Bishop sacrifice after pontificating for many moves Alekhine Memorial Moscow 1975.
Game 97	Yet another game by Victor Korchnoi-and although Lev Polugaevsky doesnt play the best defence it is a quite instructive game and full of sacrifices. Semi-Final of Candidates 1977.
Game 98	A spectular endgame by Victor Korchnoi against his number one enemy Anatoly Karpov in his Baguio City World Championship Match in 1978. Game 21.
Game 99	A really nice game by Victor Korchnoi against Robert Heubner in a preperation for his match against Karpov. Johannesburg 1981.
Game 100	Jonathan Mestel was Britains first Grandmaster here he gives a good account of himself against ex-World Champion Vassily Smyslov- Las Palmas Interzonal 1982.
Game 101	John Nunn beat Anatoly Karpov once in a dozen or so games with a few draws, but here the 70's Russian WC is on majestic form London 1982.
Game 102	Anthony Miles was at his greatest in the BBC Master Series -here he demolishes Anatoly Karpov the then World Champion. 1983.
Game 103	Victor Korchnoi in the Candidates Matchplay Knock out Tournament to decide who played Karpov defeats in fine style Lajos Portisch in a blow for blow game 1983.
Game 104	A total paralysis of the respectable Chinese player Jingxuan Qi by the World Champion (at the time) Anatoly Karpov. Hannover 1983.
Game 105	It all went Bananas for Banas, Gyula Sax finds an unlikely quick mate in a Balatonbereny Open game, 1984.
Game 106	Korchnoi is to my mind the greatest ever player not to be World Champion, this is the grudge game against his rival Karpov in London 1984.
Game 107	The second clash of Titans in World Chess Matches (see game 27)-ie Garry Kasparov vs Anatoly Karpov, the first of many, a Karpov victory WCh 1984/85
Game 108	This game -nicknamed 'The White Symphony' in second Match between Kasparov and Karpov- Garry won the match, but not this game.WCh 1985
Game 109	This game -voted best game ever, was also in second Match between Garry Kasparov and Anotoly Karpov is won by Garry. WCh 1985.
*The Kasparov era(1985-2000)*
Game 110	A later game of the irrepressible Victor Korchnoi in which he gives a lesson on how to use your King as a weapon in the endgame to later middlegame. Wijk Aan Zee 1987.
Game 111	Another Victor Korchnoi spectacular Rook sacrifice for a blinding attack, the finish is sweet for the many Victor fans. The games was in the unlikely named BeerSheba 1987.
Game 112	A wonderful Rook sacrifice from the total blue was played by Victor Korchnoi against the Hungarian Jozsef Pinter in Beersheba 1988.
Game 113	Jonathan Speelman shows his hidden depths of tactical awareness in this really nice (ie he is known for his positional style although it often had a tactical point to his play, like Tal) game against Nigel Short. World Cup 1989.
Game 114	Nigel Shorts best ever win (he might not agree) was against Garry Kasparov, here is the game from World Championship Match 1993.
Game 115	Anthony Miles was a Great British player, here he demolishes a Cuban Grandmaster Capablanca Memorial 1996.
*The Kramnik-Anand era(2000-2014)*
Game 116	The genius of Joel Benjamin in tactical situations cannot be overstated, here he demolishes an opponent who seems to play all the right moves despite his unassuming rating. New York State Ch. 2006.(previous latest)
Game 117	Two Russian Amateurs do battle: Alyona Vorobyova and Pavel Bakhmetovin a game which shows why its bad to bring your Queen out early. Novokuznetsk 2012.
Game 118	Naiditsch is a future possible contender to World Champion-here he outplays conclusively a strong Bosnian GM. Bundasliga 2013/14
*The Carlsen era(2014-current)*
Game 119	Vladimir Kramnik is an Ex-World Champion in this game, a modern classic, he defeats S Mamedyarov Candiates 2014
Game 120	Azerbaijani Shakhiryar Mamedyarov defeats his Armenian cousin Levon Aronian. Candidates 2014.
Game 121	Young Australian players who are possibly the best Australians ever battle it out and Yuan Zong Zhao gets the better, in spectacular fashion of Junta Ikeda. Canberra 2014.
Game 122	Anish Giri plays a fabulous response as White to Veselin Topalovs Sicilian Defence from the Norwegian Tournament 2014.
Game 123	The English duo of Chris Ward and Mark Hebden do battle at a Welsh venue for the British Championships ie Aberystwyth 2014 in what was awarded the Alexander Best Game Prize for the Brits.
Game 124	Another English duo do themselves proud at Aberystwyth 2014 at the British Championships, Nick Pert and Simon Williams put on a tremendous fighting display.
Game 125	The current World Champion, Magnus Carlsen has an incredibly delightful game against Vladimir Potkin in the World Rapidplay Championship. 2014.
Game 126	The current World Number 2 Fabiano Caruana creates a winning attack with just a pawn sacrifice, but what a pawn sacrifice!! Sinquefield Cup 2014.
Game 127	A deserved addition to the record of American tactical brilliance in chess, was the game between Alexander Shabalov and Daniel Gater at US Open 2014.
Game 128	Fide Master Olaf Berg show how to defeat an amateur, called Oliver Said, who brings out his Queen early neglecting development. Small Nations European Championship 2014.
Game 129	'The March of the b-pawn' is a game played in the Olympiad at tromso in 2014 between the Anglo-Scot Andrew Greet and the Slovakian Lubomir Ftacnik.
Game 130	A new hope for English chess has arrived in the shape of Isaac Sanders a 17 year old that plays like a 25 year old semi-experience player- here he 'Almost' takes the wily Alexei Shirov apart.
Game 131	Yang Zhou is an up and coming English player- here he demolishes a promising Indian (Mishra Swayams) with an Opening Novelty of sorts and some impressive follow up, Sunny Beach 2014.
Game 132	India makes up a proportion of the Worlds best players and here is a majestically created game from Abhijeet Gupta (of India) against Nikolay Noritsyn a Canadian youngster -Durban Open 2014.(latest added)
Game 133	Michael 'I laugh in the face of your mate threats' Adams completes a blinder of a game against Teenage Hungarian Prodigy, Richard Rapport Biel 2015.