Immortal Chess Games
1950–99
1954: Botvinnik–Smyslov, Moscow
1956: Byrne–Fischer, New York
“Game of the Century” Byrne makes a seemingly minor mistake on move 11, losing a tempo by moving the same piece twice. Fischer pounces, with accurate sacrificial play, culminating in a queen sacrifice. When the smoke has cleared, Fischer has a winning material advantage – a rook and two bishops for a queen and coordinates them to force checkmate.
1957: Sliwa–Bronstein, Gotha
“The Immortal losing game” between Bogdan Sliwa and David Bronstein. Black has a lost game but sets some elegant traps in attempting to snatch victory from the jaws of defeat.
1958: Polugaevsky–Nezhmetdinov, Sochi
In one of the most celebrated games of all time, Nezhmetdinov sacrifices his queen on move 24 and goes on to win the game with a king hunt.
1959: Tal–Smyslov, Yugoslavia
Tal initiates complications early in this game and obtains a strong attack. Smyslov defends well, but eventually stumbles with one erroneous move and Tal delivers the winning tactical blow.
1959: Fischer–Petrosian, Zagreb
The only prominent game in which four queens were on board for seven moves. Match ends with draw by agreement.
1960: Spassky–Bronstein, Leningrad
“The Blue Bird Game” Spassky plays the King’s gambit and wins with a sacrificial attack.
1963: R. Byrne–Fischer, New York
Fischer executes a deep sacrificial attack to win in this miniature. Many of the players in the press room thought Fischer’s position was hopeless and were surprised when they heard Byrne had resigned.
1970: Larsen–Spassky, Belgrade
Spassky finds immediate punishment for Larsen’s opening experiments, sacrificing a knight and a rook to create a passed pawn, winning the game in just 17 moves.
1972: Fischer–Spassky, Reykjavik
Spassky joined the audience in applauding Fischer’s win and called it the best game of the World Chess Championship 1972.
1972: Spassky–Fischer, Reykjavik
Game 13 of the highly publicized World Championship Match. Fischer comes out on top in this complex, double-edged battle.
1978: Liu Wenzhe–Donner, Buenos Aires
“The Chinese Immortal”. Liu Wenzhe becomes the first Chinese player to defeat a Western grandmaster.
1985: Karpov–Kasparov
Game 16 of the 1985 World Championship Match. Kasparov obtains a dominating position for his knight (which Raymond Keene referred to as “The Octopus Knight”) and wins.
1991: Ivanchuk–Yusupov, 1991–93 Candidates Tournament, quarterfinals, game 9, Brussels
In 1996, a jury of grandmasters and readers, voting in the Chess Informant, chose this game as the best game played in the years 1966–96.
1995: Cifuentes–Zvjaginsev, Wijk aan Zee
Black wins with a series of sacrifices that force White’s king up to the 6th rank. Known as “The Pearl of Wijk aan Zee”.
1997: Deep Blue–Kasparov, 1997, game 6
The last game of the 1997 rematch. Deep Blue won, making it the first computer to defeat a world champion in a match.
1999: Kasparov–Topalov, Wijk aan Zee
“Kasparov’s Immortal” features a rook sacrifice with a sacrificial combination lasting over 15 moves. One of the most commented chess games ever, with extensive press coverage.
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