Immortal Chess Games | Interactive PGN & MICOS Opening Classification

The Immortal Chess Games are among the most studied and celebrated games in chess history. Using the MasterInChess Openings System (MICOS), each of these games has been classified by its opening identity, determined strictly by chess notation move order.

Unlike the traditional ECO system, which assigns broad and often ambiguous codes, MICOS identifies the earliest matching opening structure that actually occurred in the game. Deeper or more specific branches may exist that share the same opening start, but all are rooted in a clearly defined MICOS opening identity.

For each immortal game, the corresponding MICOS Code is included directly in the PGN game, allowing the game to be accurately placed within the MICOS Opening Groups and studied in its correct structural context.

This demonstrates that MICOS is not limited to theoretical opening trees — it can classify any chess game ever played, past or future, by its opening identity based on exact move order.

From Year 1600

Greco–NN, Rome 1619

In one of the earliest recorded chess games, Gioachino Greco mates on the eighth move with a queen sacrifice.

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1700

1788: Bowdler–Conway, London

Thomas Bowdler offers the first example of a famous double rook sacrifice.

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1790: Smith–Philidor, London

François-André Danican Philidor, who was quoted as saying “Pawns are the soul of chess”, demonstrates the power of a superior pawn formation.

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1800

1834: La Bourdonnais–McDonnell, 50th Match Game, London

Reuben Fine in The World’s Great Chess Games describes it as the first great immortal game of chess. The victor trades his queen for two minor pieces.

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1843: Staunton–St. Amant, Paris

Pierre Charles Fournier de Saint-Amant resigns in this unofficial world championship match game with Howard Staunton, in which Staunton remarked,

“The latter portion of this game is conducted with remarkable skill by both parties.”

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1844: Hoffmann–Petrov, Warsaw

Petrov wins with a queen sacrifice and a king hunt, in a game known as “Petrov’s Immortal”.

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1851: Anderssen–Kieseritzky, London

“In The Immortal Game” Kieseritzky neglects his development and Anderssen sacrifices his queen and both rooks for a win.

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1852: Anderssen–Dufresne, Berlin

“In The Evergreen Game” Anderssen mates with what Savielly Tartakower called “a combination second to none in the literature of the game.”

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1857: Louis Paulsen – Paul Morphy, New York

Morphy gains an advantage in development and transforms it into a powerful kingside attack with a queen sacrifice.

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1858: Paul Morphy–Duke of Brunswick and Count Isouard, Paris

“In The Opera Game” Morphy wins by sacrificing lots of material, mating on the 17th move with his last two officers.

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1872: Hamppe–Meitner, Vienna

“In The Immortal Draw” between Carl Hamppe and Philipp Meitner, involving a queen sacrifice.

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1883: Zukertort–Blackburne, London

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1889: Lasker–Bauer, Amsterdam

A game between Emanuel Lasker and Johann Hermann Bauer was the first famous example of the famous double bishop sacrifice.

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1895: Pillsbury–Tarrasch, Hastings

A game from Pillsbury’s victory at the Hastings 1895 tournament.

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1895: Steinitz–von Bardeleben, Hastings

This game is famous for its thirteen-move mating combination, which Steinitz didn’t get the chance to play all the way through.

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1895: Pillsbury–Gunsberg, Hastings

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1896: Pillsbury–Lasker, Saint Petersburg

Lasker won the brilliancy prize for this game.

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1900–49

1904: Lasker–Napier, Cambridge Springs

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1907: Rotlewi–Rubinstein, Lodz

Rubinstein wins this game with one of the most famous combinations ever played.

[Event “Queen’s Pawn Game”] 
[Site “Lodz POL”] 
[Date “1907.12.26”] 
[Round “”] 
[White “Zukertort Attack”] 
[Black “D00.042.QP”] 
[ECO “D32”] 
[Result “0-1”] 
1. d4 {Notes by Carl Schlechter and Dr. Savielly 
Tartakower.} d5 2. Nf3 e6 3. e3 c5 4. c4 Nc6 5. Nc3 Nf6 
6. dxc5 {Tartakower: Less consistent than 6.a3 or 6.Bd3, 
maintaining as long as possible the tension in the center.} 
Bxc5 7. a3 a6 8. b4 Bd6 9. Bb2 0-0 10. Qd2 {? Schlechter: A 
very bad place for the queen. The best continuation is 
10.cxd5 exd5 11.Be2, followed by 0-0. ...... Tartakower: Loss 
of time. The queen will soon have to seek a better square 
(14.Qe2). The most useful move is 10.Qc2.} Qe7 {! 
Schlechter: A fine sacrifice of a pawn. If 11.cxd5 exd5 
12.Nxd5? Nxd5 13.Qxd5 Rd8! and Black has a strong attack.} 
11. Bd3 {Schlechter: Better was 11.cxd5 exd5 12.Be2.} dxc4 
12. Bxc4 b5 13. Bd3 Rd8 14. Qe2 Bb7 15. 0-0 Ne5 {! 
Schlechter: Introduced by Marshall and Schlechter in a 
similar position with opposite colors, but here with the 
extra move Rd8.} 16. Nxe5 Bxe5 {Tartakower: Threatening to 
win a pawn by 17...Bxh2+ 18.Kxh2 Qd6+. White’s next move 
provides against this, but loosens the kingside defenses.} 
17. f4 Bc7 18. e4 Rac8 19. e5 Bb6+ 20. Kh1 Ng4 {!} 21. Be4 
{Schlechter: There is no defense: e.g., 21.Bxh7+ Kxh7 
22.Qxg4 Rd2 etc.: or 21.h3 Qh4 22.Qxg4 Qxg4 23.hxg4 Rxd3, 
threatening ...Rh3 mate and ...Rxc3: or 21.Qxg4 Rxd3 22.Ne2 
Rc2 23.Bc1 g6! threatening ...h5: or 21.Ne4 Qh4 22.h3 (if 
22.g3 Qxh2+ 23.Qxh2 Nxh2 and wins.) 22....Rxd3 23.Qxd3 Bxe4 
24.Qxe4 Qg3 25.hxg4 Qh4+ mate.} Qh4 22. g3 {Schlechter: Or 
22.h3 Rxc3! 23.Bxc3 Bxe4 24.Qxg4 Qxg4 25.hxg4 Rd3 wins. ...... 
Tartakower: The alternative 22.h3, parrying the mate, would 
lead to the following brilliant lines of play: 22...Rxc3! 
(an eliminating sacrifice, getting rid of the knight, which 
overprotects the bishop on e4) 23.Bxc3 (or 23.Qxg4 Rxh3+ 
24.Qxh3 Qxh3+ 25.gxh3 Bxe4+ 26.Kh2 Rd2+ 27.Kg3 Rg2+ 28.Kh4 
Bd8+ 29.Kh5 Bg6+ mate) 23...Bxe4+ 24.Qxg4 (if 24.Qxe4 Qg3 
25.hxg4 Qh4+ mate) 24...Qxg4 25.hxg4 Rd3 with the double 
threat of 26...Rh3+ mate and 26....Rxc3 and Black wins. 
Beautiful as are these variations, the continuation in the 
text is still more splendid.} Rxc3 {!!} 23. gxh4 Rd2 {!!} 
24. Qxd2 Bxe4+ 25. Qg2 Rh3 {!} 0-1

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1909: Rubinstein–Lasker, Saint Petersburg

Rubinstein’s brilliant play culminates in 17 Qc1!! subsequently forcing Lasker to enter a rook endgame down a pawn which Rubinstein wins in masterly fashion.

[Event “Queen’s Pawn Game”] 
[Site “St. Petersburg RUS”] 
[Date “1909.02.18”] 
[Round “”] 
[White “Symmetrical Defence”] 
[Black “D00.049.QP”] 
[ECO “D30”] 
[Result “1-0”] 
1. d4 {Notes by Emanuel Lasker} d5 2. Nf3 Nf6 3. c4 e6 
4. Bg5 c5 5. cxd5 exd5 6. Nc3 cxd4 7. Nxd4 Nc6 {The cause 
for subsequent embarrasment. 7...Be7 was preferable.} 8. e3 
Be7 9. Bb5 {Showing up the weakness of Black’s 7th move.} 
Bd7 10. Bxf6 Bxf6 11. Nxd5 Bxd4 12. exd4 Qg5 13. Bxc6 Bxc6 
14. Ne3 0-0-0 {A careless move. There was no reason for 
Black to desist from his intention of capturing the g-pawn 
simply because White has omitted Qe2+. As a matter of fact, 
after ...Bxg2 15 Rg1 Qa5+ 16 Qd2 Qxd2+ 17 Kxd2 Be4 Black 
would have been quite comfortable.} 15. 0-0 Rhe8 16. Rc1 {! 
A very subtle move. What with the threat of Rc5 and d5, 
White retains his advantage and he can certainly cope with 
Black’s threat of ...Rxe3.} Rxe3 17. Rxc6+ bxc6 18. Qc1 {!} 
Rxd4 19. fxe3 Rd7 20. Qxc6+ Kd8 21. Rf4 {! A splendid idea, 
threatening to decide the game at once by Qa8+, followed by 
a Rook check on e4 or c4: hence, Black is forced to swap 
Queens and to face a lost ending.} f5 22. Qc5 Qe7 {After 
22...Rd1+ 23 Kf2 Rd2+ 24 Ke1 Qxg2 White would win the Rook 
by 23 Qa5+.} 23. Qxe7+ Kxe7 24. Rxf5 Rd1+ 25. Kf2 Rd2+ 
26. Kf3 Rxb2 27. Ra5 Rb7 28. Ra6 Kf8 29. e4 Rc7 30. h4 Kf7 
31. g4 Kf8 32. Kf4 Ke7 33. h5 h6 34. Kf5 Kf7 35. e5 Rb7 
36. Rd6 Ke7 37. Ra6 Kf7 38. Rd6 Kf8 39. Rc6 Kf7 40. a3 1-0

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1912: Edward Lasker–Thomas, London

With a queen sacrifice, Lasker exposes Black’s king and with a series of checks drives it all the way to the other side of the board before checkmating with an advance of his king.

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1912: Levitsky–Marshall, Breslau

Marshall wins this game with what many consider the most amazing move ever played.

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1922: Bogoljubov–Alekhine, Hastings

Irving Chernev called this the greatest game of chess ever played, adding: “Alekhine subtle strategy involves manoeuvres which encompass the entire chessboard as a battlefield.

There are exciting plots and counterplots. There are fascinating combinations and brilliant sacrifices of Queens and Rooks.

There are two remarkable promotions of Pawns and a third in the offing, before White decides to capitulate.” (The Chess Companion, Chernev, Faber and Faber Ltd, 1970).

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1923: Sämisch–Nimzovich, Copenhagen

“The Immortal Zugzwang Game”.

[Event “Queen’s Indian Defence”] 
[Site “Copenhagen DEN”] 
[Date “1923.03.09”] 
[Round “”] 
[White “Fianchetto: Anti-Queen’s Indian System”] 
[Black “E14.032.QI”] 
[ECO “E18”] 
[Result “0-1”] 
1. d4 {Notes by Nimzowitsch’s “My system”} Nf6 2. c4 e6 
3. Nf3 b6 4. g3 Bb7 5. Bg2 Be7 6. Nc3 0-0 7. 0-0 d5 8. Ne5 
c6 {Safeguards the position} 9. cxd5 cxd5 10. Bf4 a6 
{Protects the oupost station c4, i.e., by ...a6 and ...b5.} 
11. Rc1 b5 12. Qb3 Nc6 {The ghost! With noiseless steps he 
presses on towards c4.} 13. Nxc6 {Samisch sacrifices two 
tempi (exchange of the tempo-eating Knight on e5 for the 
Knight which is almost undeveloped) merely to be rid of the 
ghost.} Bxc6 14. h3 Qd7 15. Kh2 Nh5 {I could have supplied 
him with as yet a second ghost by ...Qb7 and 
...Knight-d7-b6-c4, but I wished to turn my attention to 
the King’s side.} 16. Bd2 f5 {!} 17. Qd1 b4 {!} 18. Nb1 Bb5 
19. Rg1 Bd6 20. e4 fxe4 {! This sacrifice, which has a 
quite surprising affect, is based upon the following sober 
calculation: two Pawns and the 7th rank and an enemy 
Queen’s wing which cannot be disentangled: all this for 
only one piece!} 21. Qxh5 Rxf2 22. Qg5 Raf8 23. Kh1 R8f5 
24. Qe3 Bd3 25. Rce1 h6 {!! A brilliant move which 
announces the Zugzwang. White has not a move left. If, 
e.g., Kh2 or g4, then R5f3. Black can now make waiting 
moves with his King and White must, willy-nilly, 
eventually throw himself upon the sword.} 0-1

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1924: Capablanca–Tartakower, New York

One of the most famous and instructive endgames ever played.

[Event “Irregular Queen’s Defences”] 
[Site “New York, NY USA”] 
[Date “1924.03.23”] 
[Round “”] 
[White “Horwitz Defence”] 
[Black “E00.014.IQ”] 
[ECO “A80”] 
[Result “1-0”] 
1. d4 {Notes by Alekhine and Reti.} e6 2. Nf3 f5 3. c4 Nf6 
4. Bg5 Be7 5. Nc3 0-0 6. e3 b6 7. Bd3 Bb7 8. 0-0 Qe8 9. Qe2 
Ne4 10. Bxe7 Nxc3 11. bxc3 Qxe7 12. a4 Bxf3 13. Qxf3 Nc6 
14. Rfb1 Rae8 15. Qh3 Rf6 16. f4 Na5 17. Qf3 d6 18. Re1 Qd7 
19. e4 fxe4 20. Qxe4 g6 21. g3 Kf8 22. Kg2 Rf7 23. h4 d5 
24. cxd5 exd5 25. Qxe8+ Qxe8 26. Rxe8+ Kxe8 27. h5 {! This 
is the calamity–the Rook now enters the hostile camp.:- 
Alekhine} Rf6 28. hxg6 hxg6 29. Rh1 {White plays logically 
to utilize his advantage on the K-side and very properly 
does not concern himself with the weakness of the Q-side. 
Black, on the other hand, makes a defensive move which he 
could perhaps have omitted.:- Reti} Kf8 30. Rh7 Rc6 31. g4 
{Anxious nature might have moved the King towards the 
queenside, but Capablanca adheres to the principle of 
aggression that governs rook endings.:- Reti} Nc4 32. g5 
{He gives his opponent the opportunity of winning a pawn. 
But Capablanca has confidence in the passed pawn which he 
obtains.:- Reti} Ne3+ 33. Kf3 Nf5 34. Bxf5 {Simple and 
compelling.:- Alekhine} gxf5 35. Kg3 {Decisive! White 
sacrifices material in order to obtain the classical 
position with King on f6, pawn on g6 and Rook on h7, 
whereupon the black pawns tumble like ripe apples.:- 
Alekhine} Rxc3+ {It is extremely instructive to see how 
Capablanca is no longer in the least concerned about 
material equality, but thinks only of supporting his passed 
pawn.:- Reti} 36. Kh4 Rf3 37. g6 Rxf4+ 38. Kg5 Re4 39. Kf6 
{It is a frequently available finesse in such positions not 
to capture hostile pawns, but to pass them by in order to 
be protected in the rear against checks by the rook.:- 
Reti} Kg8 40. Rg7+ Kh8 41. Rxc7 Re8 42. Kxf5 {Again the 
simplest. Kf7 would not yet have been disastrous because of 
Rd8, etc.:- Alekhine} Re4 43. Kf6 Rf4+ 44. Ke5 Rg4 45. g7+ 
Kg8 {After exchanging rooks, White would win still more 
easily.:- Alekhine} 46. Rxa7 Rg1 47. Kxd5 Rc1 48. Kd6 Rc2 
49. d5 Rc1 50. Rc7 Ra1 51. Kc6 Rxa4 52. d6 {Capablanca’s 
management of the endgame gives the impression of being so 
natural that one easily forgets the difficulty of such 
precise play. The difficulty is chiefly psychological. In 
chess, as in life, one is so accustomed to place value on 
the material factors that it is not easy to conceive the 
idea of indulging in pawn sacrifices when there is so 
little available material.:-Reti} 1-0

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1924: Richard Réti–José Raúl Capablanca, New York

The game that ended Capablanca’s eight-year run without a single loss in tournament play.

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1925: Réti–Alekhine, Baden-Baden

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1930: Glucksberg–Najdorf, Warsaw

In this game, dubbed the ‘Polish Immortal’, Black sacrifices all four minor pieces for victory.

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1934: Canal–Unknown, Budapest

“The Peruvian Immortal”, sees Peruvian master Esteban Canal demolish his amateur opponent with the sacrifice of two rooks and queen.

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1935: Euwe–Alekhine, Amsterdam

This decisive game from the 1935 match for the world championship was dubbed ‘The Pearl of Zandvoort’ by Tartakower.

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1938: Botvinnik–Capablanca, Rotterdam

In this game from the AVRO 1938 tournament, Botvinnik obtains a strong initiative against Capablanca and brings the victory home with a long combination.

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1938: Parr–Wheatcroft, London

Irving Chernev and Fred Reinfeld described this as “one of the greatest combinative games on record!” (Fireside Book Of Chess, Simon and Schuster, 1949, pp. 392–93)

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1943: Molinari–Roux Cabral, Montevideo

This game from the 1943 Uruguayan Chess Championship, dubbed the “Uruguayan Immortal”, sees Luis Roux Cabral sacrifice the exchange twice, followed by sacrifices of two minor pieces.

After 33 moves, all three of his remaining pieces are en prise—and his opponent cannot stop checkmate.

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Continue to: Botvinnik–Smyslov, Moscow

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