Bobby Fischer

11th World Champion,

1972 - 1975

Robert James Fischer is considered by many to be the greatest chess player of all time. He was born in Chicago, USA in 1943 and brought up in Brooklyn where his mother moved after she was divorced in 1945. He learned to play chess at the age of 6 and soon became deeply absorbed in the game saying "All I want to do, ever, is play chess." At the age of 13 he became the youngest national junior chess champion in the USA and at the age of 14 he became the youngest senior US Champion. In 1958, at the age of 15, he became the youngest Grandmaster in the history of chess.

In Reykjavik, 1972, Fischer became the 11th World Chess Champion by defeating the defending champion, Boris Spassky in what is often referred to as "The Match of the Century." The final score was 12½ to 8½. In 1975, FIDE refused to meet Fischer's conditions for a World Championship match with Anatoli Karpov, and Fischer consequently refused to play. FIDE therefore awarded the title of World Champion to Karpov. Fischer then vanished from the public eye for twenty years. He resurfaced in 1992 to play a match against his old rival Spassky in Yugoslavia, which he won, 10 to 5 (with 15 draws). This action violated a U.N. sanction, and Fischer evaded authorities for twelve years until July 13, 2004, when he was arrested in Japan. On March 22, 2005, he was granted Icelandic citizenship and finally freed from Japan. He died of renal failure in Iceland in 2008.

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Games

-------

[White "Donald Byrne"]

[Black "Robert James Fischer"]
This surely is a game u should see....!!!
1. Nf3 Nf6 2. c4 g6 3. Nc3 Bg7 4. d4 O-O 5. Bf4 d5 6. Qb3 dxc47. Qxc4 c6 8. e4 Nbd7 9. Rd1 Nb6 10. Qc5 Bg4 11. Bg5 {11. Be2followed by 12 O-O would have been more prudent. The bishopmove played allows a sudden crescendo of tactical points to beuncovered by Fischer. -- Wade} Na4 {!} 12. Qa3 {On 12. Nxa4Nxe4 and White faces considerable difficulties.} Nxc3 {Atfirst glance, one might think that this move only helps Whitecreate a stronger pawn center; however, Fischer's plan isquite the opposite. By eliminating the Knight on c3, itbecomes possible to sacrifice the exchange via Nxe4 and smashWhite's center, while the King remains trapped in the center.}13. bxc3 Nxe4 {The natural continuation of Black's plan.}14. Bxe7 Qb6 15. Bc4 Nxc3 16. Bc5



















Rfe8+ 17. Kf1 Be6 {!! Ifthis is the game of the century, then 17...Be6!! must be the counterof the century. Fischer offers his queen in exchange for afierce attack with his minor pieces. Declining this offer isnot so easy: 18. Bxe6 leads to a 'Philidor Mate' (smotheredmate) with ...Qb5+ 19. Kg1 Ne2+ 20. Kf1 Ng3+ 21. Kg1 Qf1+22. Rxf1 Ne2#. Other ways to decline the queen also run intotrouble: e.g., 18. Qxc3 Qxc5} 18. Bxb6 Bxc4+ 19. Kg1 Ne2+20. Kf1 Nxd4+ {This tactical scenario, where a king isrepeatedly revealed to checks, is sometimes called a"windmill."} 21. Kg1 Ne2+ 22. Kf1 Nc3+ 23. Kg1 axb6 24. Qb4Ra4 25. Qxb6 Nxd1 26. h3 Rxa2 27. Kh2 Nxf2 28. Re1 Rxe129. Qd8+ Bf8 30. Nxe1 Bd5 31. Nf3 Ne4 32. Qb8 b5 {Every pieceand pawn of the black camp is defended. The white queen hasnothing to do.} 33. h4 h5 34. Ne5 Kg7 35. Kg1 Bc5+ 36. Kf1Ng3+ {Now Byrne is hopelessly entangled in Fischer's matingnet.} 37. Ke1 Bb4+ 38. Kd1 Bb3+ 39. Kc1 Ne2+ 40. Kb1 Nc3+41. Kc1 Rc2# 0-1

White "Robert Eugene Byrne"]

[Black "Robert James Fischer"]
1. d4 {Notes from various sources.} Nf6 2. c4 g6 3. g3 c64. Bg2 d5 5. cxd5 {5.Qb3 maintains more tension. -- Fischer}cxd5 6. Nc3 Bg7 7. e3 O-O 8. Nge2 Nc6 9. O-O b6 10. b3 {It'shard for either side to introduce an imbalance into thisessentially symmetrical variation. Deadeye equality alsoensues afer 10.Nf4 e6 11.b3 Ba6 12.Re1 Rc8 13.Ba3 Re8 14.Rc1(Stahlberg-Flohr, Kemeri 1937) -- Fischer} Ba6 11. Ba3 {AfterWhite's 11th move I should adjudicate his position as slightlysuperior, and at worst completely safe. To turn this into amating position in eleven more moves is more witchcraft thanchess! Quite honestly, I do not see the man who can stop Bobbyat this time. -- K.F. Kirby, South African Chess Quarterly}Re8 12. Qd2 e5 {! I was a bit worried about weakening my QP,but felt that the tremendous activity obtained by my minorpieces would permit White no time to exploit it. 12...e6 wouldprobably lead to a draw. -- Fischer} 13. dxe5 Nxe5 14. Rfd1{"Add another to those melancholy case histories entitled: TheWrong Rook." -- Fischer ~ "This is very much a case of 'thewrong rook'. One can understand Byrne's desire to break thepin on the e2-knight, but this turns out to be less importantthan other considerations. Fischer spends a lot of time andenergy analysing the superior 14. Rad1!, but still comes tothe conclusion that Black can keep the advantage." -- JohnNunn} Nd3 {Now it's all systems go for the Fischer rocket. --Robert Wade} 15. Qc2 {There is hardly any other defense to thethreat of ...Ne4. -- Fischer}



















... Nxf2 {! The key to Black'sprevious play. The complete justification for this sac doesnot become apparent until White resigns! -- Fischer} 16. Kxf2Ng4+ 17. Kg1 Nxe3 18. Qd2 {Byrne: As I sat pondering whyFischer would choose such a line, because it was so obviouslylost for Black, there suddenly comes...} Nxg2 {!! Thisdazzling move came as the shocker... the culminatingcombination is of such depth that, even at the very moment atwhich I resigned, both grandmasters who were commenting on theplay for the spectators in a separate room believed I had awon game! -- Robert Byrne} 19. Kxg2 d4 {!} 20. Nxd4 Bb7+ {TheKing is at Black's mercy. -- Fischer} 21. Kf1 {In a room setaside for commentaries on the games in progress, twograndmasters were stating, for the benefit of the spectators,that Byrne had a won game. Byrne's reply to Fischer's nextmove must have been jaw dropping! -- Wade} Qd7 {And Whiteresigns. Fischer writes: "A bitter disappointment. I'd hopedfor 22.Qf2 Qh3+ 23.Kg1 Re1+!! 24.Rxe1 Bxd4 with mate to followshortly."} 0-1

[White "Robert James Fischer"]

[Black "Boris Spassky"]
1. c4 e6 2. Nf3 d5 3. d4 Nf6 4. Nc3 Be7 5. Bg5 O-O 6. e3 h67. Bh4 b6 8. cxd5 Nxd5 9. Bxe7 Qxe7 10. Nxd5 exd5 11. Rc1 Be612. Qa4 c5 13. Qa3 Rc8 14. Bb5 a6 15. dxc5 bxc5 16. O-O Ra717. Be2 Nd7 18. Nd4 Qf8 19. Nxe6 fxe6 20. e4 d4 21. f4 Qe722. e5 Rb8 23. Bc4 Kh8 24. Qh3 Nf8 25. b3 a5 26. f5 exf527. Rxf5 Nh7 28. Rcf1 Qd8 29. Qg3 Re7 30. h4 Rbb7 31. e6 Rbc732. Qe5 Qe8 33. a4 Qd8 34. R1f2 Qe8 35. R2f3 Qd8 36. Bd3 Qe837. Qe4 Nf6 38. Rxf6 gxf6 39. Rxf6 Kg8 40. Bc4 Kh8 41. Qf4 1-0

[White "Robert James Fischer"]

[Black "Lhamsuren Myagmarsuren"]
1. e4 e6 2. d3 d5 3. Nd2 Nf6 4. g3 c5 5. Bg2 Nc6 6. Ngf3 Be77. O-O O-O 8. e5 Nd7 9. Re1 b5 10. Nf1 b4 11. h4 a5 12. Bf4 a413. a3 bxa3 14. bxa3 Na5 15. Ne3 Ba6 16. Bh3 d4 17. Nf1 Nb618. Ng5 Nd5 19. Bd2 Bxg5 20. Bxg5 Qd7 21. Qh5 Rfc8 22. Nd2 Nc323. Bf6 Qe8 24. Ne4 g6 25. Qg5 Nxe4 26. Rxe4 c4 27. h5 cxd328. Rh4 Ra7 29. Bg2 dxc2 30. Qh6 Qf8 31. Qxh7+ 1-0
Other 'Simple' games....

-------------------------
[White "Robert James Fischer"]

[Black "Reuben Fine"]
1. e4 e5 2. Nf3 Nc6 3. Bc4 Bc5 4. b4 Bxb4 5. c3 Ba5 6. d4 exd47. O-O dxc3 8. Qb3 Qe7 9. Nxc3 Nf6 10. Nd5 Nxd5 11. exd5 Ne512. Nxe5 Qxe5 13. Bb2 Qg5 14. h4 Qxh4



















15. Bxg7 Rg8 16. Rfe1+Kd8 17. Qg3! 1-0 ...Bang.!!!Its all over..!!

[White "Robert James Fischer"]

[Black "Pal Benko"]
1. e4 g6 2. d4 Bg7 3. Nc3 d6 4. f4 Nf6 5. Nf3 O-O 6. Bd3 Bg47. h3 Bxf3 8. Qxf3 Nc6 9. Be3 e5 10. dxe5 dxe5 11. f5 gxf512. Qxf5 Nd4 13. Qf2 Ne8 14. O-O Nd6 15. Qg3 Kh8 16. Qg4 c617. Qh5 Qe8 18. Bxd4 exd4



















19. Rf6!! Kg8 20. e5! h6 21. Ne2! 1-0

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Boris Spassky

1937 -



10th World Champion, 1969 - 1972











Boris Vasilievich Spassky was born in 1937 in Leningrad, Russia. He learned chess as a youngster in the Urals where he lived during the Second World War. He became international master in 1953, and junior world champion in 1955 and received his grandmaster title in the same year. He won the World Championship against Tigran Petrosian in 1969.

Spassky's style of play can be described best as lively and adaptable; this produced many brilliant victories. His victory in 1960 against David Bronstein was put into a James Bond movie, From Russia With Love. His style of play was key in defeating Tigran Vartanovich Petrosian in 1969 for the World Championship. His polite, friendly disposition and his entertaining games have made him one of the most popular world champions ever.

In 1972, Spassky was challenged by Robert James Fischer for the World Championship; Spassky lost, 12-8, ending the reign of 35-year Soviet hegemony over the World Championship. In 1992 he played a rematch against Fischer for five million dollars and lost once again, 10 to 5 (with 15 draws).

Games
-----
[White "Bent Larsen"]
[Black "Boris Spassky"]

1. b3 e5 2. Bb2 Nc6 3. c4 Nf6 4. Nf3 e4 5. Nd4 Bc5 6. Nxc6
dxc6 7. e3 Bf5 8. Qc2 Qe7 9. Be2 O-O-O 10. f4 Ng4 11. g3 h5
12. h3 h4 13. hxg4 hxg3 14. Rg1 Rh1 15. Rxh1 g2 16. Rf1 Qh4+
17. Kd1 gxf1=Q+ 0-1

[White "Boris Spassky"]
[Black "David Bronstein"]

1. e4 e5 2. f4 exf4 3. Nf3 d5 4. exd5 Bd6 5. Nc3 Ne7 6. d4 O-O
7. Bd3 Nd7 8. O-O h6 9. Ne4 Nxd5 10. c4 Ne3 11. Bxe3 fxe3
12. c5 Be7 13. Bc2 Re8 14. Qd3 e2 15. Nd6 {One of the deepest
sacrifices this side of The Evergreen Game -- Soltis} Nf8
16. Nxf7 exf1=Q+ 17. Rxf1 Bf5 18. Qxf5 Qd7 19. Qf4 Bf6
20. N3e5 Qe7 21. Bb3 Bxe5 22. Nxe5+ Kh7 23. Qe4+ 1-0

[White "Boris Spassky"]
[Black "Petrosian"]

1. e4 c5 2. Nf3 d6 3. d4 cxd4 4. Nxd4 Nf6 5. Nc3 a6 6. Bg5
Nbd7 7. Bc4 Qa5 8. Qd2 h6 9. Bxf6 Nxf6 10. O-O-O e6 11. Rhe1
Be7 12. f4 O-O 13. Bb3 Re8 14. Kb1 Bf8 15. g4 Nxg4 16. Qg2 Nf6
17. Rg1 Bd7 18. f5 Kh8 19. Rdf1 Qd8 20. fxe6 fxe6 21. e5 dxe5
22. Ne4 Nh5 23. Qg6 exd4 24. Ng5 1-0

[White "Boris Spassky"]
[Black "Petrosian"]

1. c4 Nf6 2. Nc3 e6 3. Nf3 d5 4. d4 c5 5. cxd5 Nxd5 6. e4 Nxc3
7. bxc3 cxd4 8. cxd4 Bb4+ 9. Bd2 Bxd2+ 10. Qxd2 O-O 11. Bc4
Nc6 12. O-O b6 13. Rad1 Bb7 14. Rfe1 Rc8 15. d5 exd5 16. Bxd5
Na5 17. Qf4 Qc7 18. Qf5 Bxd5 19. exd5 Qc2 20. Qf4 Qxa2 21. d6
Rcd8 22. d7 Qc4 23. Qf5 h6 24. Rc1 Qa6 25. Rc7 b5 26. Nd4 Qb6
27. Rc8 Nb7 28. Nc6 Nd6 29. Nxd8 Nxf5 30. Nc6 1-0

[White "Boris Spassky"]
[Black "Robert James Fischer"]

1. e4 c5 2. Nf3 d6 3. d4 cxd4 4. Nxd4 Nf6 5. Nc3 a6 6. Bg5 e6
7. f4 Qb6 8. Qd2 Qxb2 9. Nb3 Qa3 10. Bxf6 gxf6 11. Be2 h5
12. O-O Nc6 13. Kh1 Bd7 14. Nb1 Qb4 15. Qe3 d5 16. exd5 Ne7
17. c4 Nf5 18. Qd3 h4 19. Bg4 Nd6 20. N1d2 f5 21. a3 Qb6
22. c5 Qb5 23. Qc3 fxg4 24. a4 h3 25. axb5 hxg2+ 26. Kxg2 Rh3
27. Qf6 Nf5 28. c6 Bc8 29. dxe6 fxe6 30. Rfe1 Be7 31. Rxe6 1-0













[White "Boris Spassky"]
[Black "Robert James Fischer"]

1. d4 Nf6 2. c4 e6 3. Nf3 d5 4. Nc3 Bb4 5. e3 O-O 6. Bd3 c5
7. O-O Nc6 8. a3 Ba5 9. Ne2 dxc4 10. Bxc4 Bb6 11. dxc5 Qxd1
12. Rxd1 Bxc5 13. b4 Be7 14. Bb2 Bd7 15. Rac1 Rfd8 16. Ned4
Nxd4 17. Nxd4 Ba4 18. Bb3 Bxb3 19. Nxb3 Rxd1+ 20. Rxd1 Rc8
21. Kf1 Kf8 22. Ke2 Ne4 23. Rc1 Rxc1 24. Bxc1 f6 25. Na5 Nd6
26. Kd3 Bd8 27. Nc4 Bc7 28. Nxd6 Bxd6 29. b5 Bxh2 30. g3 h5
31. Ke2 h4 32. Kf3 Ke7 33. Kg2 hxg3 34. fxg3 Bxg3 35. Kxg3 Kd6
36. a4 Kd5 37. Ba3 Ke4 38. Bc5 a6 39. b6 f5 40. Kh4 f4
41. exf4 Kxf4 42. Kh5 Kf5 43. Be3 Ke4 44. Bf2 Kf5 45. Bh4 e5
46. Bg5 e4 47. Be3 Kf6 48. Kg4 Ke5 49. Kg5 Kd5 50. Kf5 a5
51. Bf2 g5 52. Kxg5 Kc4 53. Kf5 Kb4 54. Kxe4 Kxa4 55. Kd5 Kb5
56. Kd6 1-0

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Tigran Petrosian

World Champion 1963-1969
Born: 1929, Tbilisi













Tigran Vartanovich Petrosian was born in 1929 in Tbilisi, Georgia of Armenian parents. His parents died before he was 16 and he found consolation in chess. He was greatly influenced by Nimzovitch's theories and his play was deeply prophylactic, preventing any plans his opponents might come up with. He enjoyed slowly improving the position of his pieces and closed positions where he could quietly fight for the control of key squares. His style of play made his games less accessible to anyone other than masters and this made him one of the least popular of the World Champions. He defeated Mikhail Botvinnik in 1963 to become World Champion and lost his title to Boris Spassky in 1969.

Petrosian had a special talent for prophylaxis. Nobody could do anything against him. As soon as someone began mobilizing their forces for an attack, Petrosian would see their plan and put it to rest. He rarely tried to initiate his own attacks. Often he would think only of his opponent's plans and stop them, leaving his opponents not knowing what to do. Eventually his antagonist would make some small error and Petrosian would pounce just like a tiger who has been lying in wait for just the right moment. This tendency earned him the name "Tiger".

Games
-------
[White "Petrosian"]
[Black "Boris Spassky"]

1. Nf3 Nf6 2. g3 g6 3. c4 Bg7 4. Bg2 O-O 5. O-O Nc6 6. Nc3 d6
7. d4 a6 8. d5 Na5 9. Nd2 c5 10. Qc2 e5 11. b3 Ng4 12. e4 f5
13. exf5 gxf5 14. Nd1 b5 15. f3 e4 16. Bb2 exf3 17. Bxf3 Bxb2
18. Qxb2 Ne5 19. Be2 f4 20. gxf4 Bh3 21. Ne3 Bxf1 22. Rxf1 Ng6
23. Bg4 Nxf4 24. Rxf4 Rxf4 25. Be6+ Rf7 26. Ne4 Qh4 27. Nxd6
Qg5+ 28. Kh1 Ra7 29. Bxf7+ Rxf7 30. Qh8+ 1-0

[White "Petrosian"]
[Black "Ludek Pachman"]
[ECO "A04"]


1.Nf3 c5 2.g3 Nc6 3.Bg2 g6 4.O-O Bg7 5.d3 e6 6.e4 Nge7 7.Re1
O-O 8.e5 d6 9.exd6 Qxd6 10.Nbd2 Qc7 11.Nb3 Nd4 12.Bf4 Qb6
13.Ne5 Nxb3 14.Nc4 {Very nice tempo move. --Fischer} Qb5
15.axb3 a5 16.Bd6 Bf6 17.Qf3 Kg7 18.Re4 {Now Petrosian is
preparing for a very beautiful finish.--Fischer} Rd8 19.Qxf6+
Kxf6 20.Be5+ Kg5 21.Bg7 {This is a real problem
move. --Fischer} 1-0

[White "Boris Spassky"]
[Black "Petrosian"]

1. d4 Nf6 2. Nf3 e6 3. Bg5 d5 4. Nbd2 Be7 5. e3 Nbd7 6. Bd3 c5
7. c3 b6 8. O-O Bb7 9. Ne5 Nxe5 10. dxe5 Nd7 11. Bf4 Qc7
12. Nf3 h6 13. b4 g5 14. Bg3 h5 15. h4 gxh4 16. Bf4 O-O-O
17. a4 c4 18. Be2 a6 19. Kh1 Rdg8 20. Rg1 Rg4 21. Qd2 Rhg8
22. a5 b5 23. Rad1 Bf8 24. Nh2 Nxe5 25. Nxg4 hxg4 26. e4 Bd6
27. Qe3 Nd7 28. Bxd6 Qxd6 29. Rd4 e5 30. Rd2 f5 31. exd5 f4
32. Qe4 Nf6 33. Qf5+ Kb8 34. f3 Bc8 35. Qb1 g3 36. Re1 h3
37. Bf1 Rh8 38. gxh3 Bxh3 39. Kg1 Bxf1 40. Kxf1 e4 41. Qd1 Ng4
42. fxg4 f3 43. Rg2 fxg2+ 0-1

[White "Petrosian"]
[Black "Mikhail Botvinnik"]

1.c4 g6 2.d4 Nf6 3.Nc3 d5 4.Nf3 Bg7 5.e3 O-O 6.Be2 dxc4 7.Bxc4
c5 8.d5 e6 9.dxe6 Qxd1+ 10.Kxd1 Bxe6 11.Bxe6 fxe6 12.Ke2 Nc6
13.Rd1 Rad8 14.Rxd8 Rxd8 15.Ng5 Re8 16.Nge4 Nxe4 17.Nxe4 b6
18.Rb1 Nb4 19.Bd2 Nd5 20.a4 Rc8 21.b3 Bf8 22.Rc1 Be7 23.b4 c4
24.b5 Kf7 25.Bc3 Ba3 26.Rc2 Nxc3+ 27.Rxc3 Bb4 28.Rc2 Ke7
29.Nd2 c3 30.Ne4 Ba5 31.Kd3 Rd8+ 32.Kc4 Rd1 33.Nxc3 Rh1 34.Ne4
Rxh2 35.Kd4 Kd7 36.g3 Bb4 37.Ke5 Rh5+ 38.Kf6 Be7+ 39.Kg7 e5
40.Rc6 Rh1 41.Kf7 Ra1 42.Re6 Bd8 43.Rd6+ Kc8 44.Ke8 Bc7 45.Rc6
Rd1 46.Ng5 Rd8+ 47.Kf7 Rd7+ 48.Kg8 1-0

[White "Paul Keres"]
[Black "Petrosian"]

1.e4 c5 2.Nf3 Nc6 3.d4 cxd4 4.Nxd4 g6 5.c4 Bg7 6.Be3 Nf6 7.Nc3
Ng4 8.Qxg4 Nxd4 9.Qd1 Ne6 10.Qd2 d6 11.Be2 Bd7 12.O-O O-O
13.Rac1 Bc6 14.Rfd1 Nc5 15.f3 a5 16.b3 Qb6 17.Nb5 Rfc8 18.Bf1
Qd8 19.Qf2 Qe8 20.Nc3 b6 21.Rc2 Qf8 22.Qd2 Bd7 23.Nd5 Rab8
24.Bg5 Re8 25.Re1 Rb7 26.Qf2 Bc6 27.Qh4 f6 28.Be3 e6 29.Nc3
Rd7 30.Bd4 f5 31.exf5 gxf5 32.Rd2 Bxd4+ 33.Rxd4 Rg7 34.Kh1 Rg6
35.Rd2 Rd8 36.Red1 Rd7 37.Qf2 Qd8 38.Qe3 e5 39.f4 e4 40.Ne2
Rdg7 41.Nd4 Bd7 42.a3 Qa8 43.Kg1 h5 44.Rb1 h4 45.Rbb2 Rg4
46.Rf2 Qd8 47.b4 Rg3 48.hxg3 hxg3 49.Rfd2 Qh4 50.Be2 Rh7
51.Kf1 Qxf4+ 0-1

[White "Petrosian"]
[Black "Vasily Smyslov"]

1. c4 Nf6 2. Nc3 e6 3. Nf3 b6 4. d4 Bb7 5. a3 d5 6. cxd5 Nxd5
7. e3 Be7 8. Bb5+ c6 9. Bd3 c5 10. Nxd5 Qxd5 11. dxc5 Qxc5
12. Bd2 Nc6 13. Rc1 Qd6 14. Qc2 Rc8 15. O-O h6 16. Rfd1 O-O
17. Bc3 Qb8 18. Qa4 Rfd8 19. Qe4 g6 20. Qg4 h5 21. Qh3 f5
22. Bc4 Rxd1+ 23. Rxd1 Kf7 24. e4 Qf4 25. Re1 Qg4 26. exf5
Qxc4 27. fxg6+ Ke8 28. g7 e5 29. Qxh5+ Kd7 30. Rd1+ Bd6
31. Bxe5 Nd4 32. Nxd4 1-0

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Mikhail Tal

(born Nov-09-1936, died Jun-28-1992) Latvia

Later, I began to succeed in decisive games. Perhaps because I realized a very simple truth: not only was I worried, but also my opponent. – Mikhail Tal

There are two kinds of sacrifices; correct ones and mine. – Mikhail Tal

Some sacrifices are sound; the rest are mine. – Mikhail Tal

First, how to sac my queen, then rook, then bishop, then knight, then pawns. – Mikhail Tal (on what he thinks about after his opponent moves)

I will not hide the fact that I love to hear the spectators react after a sacrifice of a piece or pawn. – Mikhail Tal

Tal develops all his pieces in the center and then sacrifices them somewhere. – David Bronstein

Even after losing four games in a row to him I still consider his play unsound. He is always on the lookout for some spectacular sacrifice, that one shot, that dramatic breakthrough to give him the win. – Bobby Fischer (on Tal)

Renowned for his aggressive, sacrificial playing style, Tal was also a noted chess journalist and author. His autobiography, The Life and Games of Mikhail Tal, annotates 100 of his greatest games.

Games
-----
[White "Mikhail Tal"]
[Black "Marks Pasman"]

1.e4 c5 2.Nf3 d6 3.d4 cxd4 4.Nxd4 Nf6 5.Nc3 a6 6.f4 e5 7.Nf3
Nbd7 8.Bd3 Be7 9.O-O O-O 10.Kh1 b5 11.a3 Qc7 12.fxe5 dxe5
13.Nh4 Nc5 14.Bg5 Qd8 15.Nf5 Bxf5 16.Rxf5 Nfd7 17.Bxe7 Qxe7
18.Nd5 Qd6 19.Qg4 g6 20.Raf1 f6 21.h4 Kh8 22.R5f3 f5 23.exf5
Qxd5 24.fxg6 Rxf3 25.g7 Kg8 26.Bxh7+ Kxh7 27.Rxf3 Ne4 28.h5
Ndf6 29.Qg6+ Kg8 30.h6 Ra7 31.Kh2 Re7 32.Rh3 Nh7 33.Rd3 Qa8
34.Qxe4 Qxe4 35.Rd8+ Kf7 36.g8=Q+ Kf6 37.Rd6+ Kf5 38.Qg6+ Kf4
39.g3+ Ke3 40.Rd3+ Qxd3 1-0

[White "Mikhail Tal"]
[Black "Bent Larsen"]

1.e4 c5 2.Nf3 Nc6 3.d4 cxd4 4.Nxd4 e6 5.Nc3 d6 6.Be3 Nf6 7.f4
Be7 8.Qf3 O-O 9.O-O-O Qc7 10.Ndb5 Qb8 11.g4 a6 12.Nd4 Nxd4
13.Bxd4 b5 14.g5 Nd7 15.Bd3 b4


16.Nd5! exd5 17.exd5 {The piece
sacrifice is a positional one, since it has been used to erect
an invisible barrier on the e-file. A number of squares on it
(e5 and e6) are controlled by white pawns, and a white rook
will soon be moved to e1. -- Iakov Damsky} f5 18.Rde1 Rf7
19.h4 Bb7 20.Bxf5 Rxf5 21.Rxe7 Ne5 22.Qe4 Qf8 23.fxe5 Rf4
24.Qe3 Rf3 25.Qe2 Qxe7 26.Qxf3 dxe5 27.Re1 Rd8 28.Rxe5 Qd6
29.Qf4! {With this simple tactic 29 ...Bxd5 30. Re8+ White
keeps his two extra pawns. The finish is straightforward. --
Damsky} Rf8 30.Qe4 b3 31.axb3 Rf1+ 32.Kd2 Qb4+ 33.c3 Qd6


34.Bc5! , Qxc5 35.Re8+ Rf8 36.Qe6+ Kh8 37.Qf7! 1-0



[White "Mikhail Tal"]
[Black "Vasily Smyslov"]













1.e4 c6 2.d3 d5 3.Nd2 e5 4.Ngf3 Nd7 5.d4 dxe4 6.Nxe4 exd4
7.Qxd4 Ngf6 8.Bg5 Be7 9.O-O-O O-O 10.Nd6 Qa5 11.Bc4 b5 12.Bd2
Qa6 13.Nf5 Bd8 14.Qh4 bxc4 15.Qg5 Nh5 16.Nh6+ Kh8 17.Qxh5 Qxa2
18.Bc3 Nf6 19.Qxf7 Qa1+ 20.Kd2 Rxf7 21.Nxf7+ Kg8 22.Rxa1 Kxf7
23.Ne5+ Ke6 24.Nxc6 Ne4+ 25.Ke3 Bb6+ 26.Bd4 1-0

[White "Mikhail Tal"]
[Black "Johann Hjartarson"]
[ECO "C97"]

1.e4 e5 2.Nf3 Nc6 3.Bb5 a6 4.Ba4 Nf6 5.O-O Be7 6.Re1 b5 7.Bb3
O-O 8.c3 d6 9.h3 Na5 10.Bc2 c5 11.d4 Qc7 12.Nbd2 Bd7 13.Nf1
cxd4 14.cxd4 Rac8 15.Ne3 Nc6 16.d5 Nb4 17.Bb1 a5 18.a3 Na6
19.b4 g6 20.Bd2 axb4 21.axb4 Qb7 22.Bd3 Nc7 23.Nc2 Nh5 24.Be3
Ra8 25.Qd2 Rxa1 26.Nxa1 f5 27.Bh6 Ng7 28.Nb3 f4 29.Na5 Qb6
30.Rc1 Ra8 31.Qc2 Nce8 32.Qb3 Bf6 33.Nc6 Nh5 34.Qb2 Bg7
35.Bxg7 Kxg7


36.Rc5 !! Qa6 37.Rxb5 Nc7 38.Rb8 Qxd3


39.Ncxe5! Qd1+
40.Kh2 Ra1 41.Ng4+! Kf7 42.Nh6+ Ke7 43.Ng8+! 1-0





[White "Mileika"]
[Black "Mikhail Tal"]

1.d4 Nf6 2.c4 c5 3.d5 e6 4.g3 exd5 5.cxd5 b5 6.a4 b4 7.b3 g6
8.Bg2 d6 9.e4 Bg7 10.Bb2 O-O 11.Ne2 Re8 12.Nd2 Nxe4 13.Bxg7
Nxd2 14.Bh6 Bg4 15.Be3 Nf3+ 16.Bxf3 Bxf3 17.Rg1 Nd7 18.Qd2 Nf6
19.Nf4 g5 20.Ne2 Re5 21.O-O-O Ne4 22.Qc2 Bxe2 23.Qxe2 Nc3 0-1

[White "Isaak Birbrager"]
[Black "Mikhail Tal"]

1.d4 Nf6 2.c4 c5 3.d5 e6 4.Nc3 exd5 5.cxd5 d6 6.e4 g6 7.Nf3
Bg7 8.Bd3 O-O 9.O-O Na6 10.Nd2 Nb4 11.Be2 Re8 12.a3 Na6 13.Re1
Nc7 14.Qc2 Rb8 15.a4 b6 16.Nb5 a6 17.Nxc7 Qxc7 18.Ra2 Qe7
19.f3 Nh5 20.Nf1 f5 21.Bd3 f4 22.g4 Bd4+ 23.Kh1 Qh4 24.Re2 Qh3
25.Rg2 Qxf3 26.Nd2 Qe3 27.Nf1 Qf3 28.Nd2


28. ,...Bxg4 !? 29.Nxf3 Bxf3
30.h4 Rf8 31.Be2 Ng3+ 32.Kh2 Bxg2! 33.Kxg2 Nxe2! 34.Qxe2 f3
35.Qxf3 Rxf3 36.Kxf3 Rf8+ 37.Kg3 Be5+ 38.Kg2 Bf4! 0-1

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Vasily Smyslov

1921 -

7th World Champion, 1957 - 1958

Vasily Vasilievich Smyslov was born in Moscow, Russia in 1921. He learned to play chess at the age of 6. He learned much about chess from his father and studied the chess books in his father's library. Smyslov was an opera singer but made chess his career after narrowly failing an audition for the Bolshoi Opera in 1950. He once said, "I have always lived between chess and music." and brought music to his games. He once sang operatic extracts on Swiss radio and during the interval of a serious living chess game against Botvinnik he sang to an audience of thousands. He defeated Botvinnik in 1957 World Championship match but lost the title to Botvinnik in the 1958 rematch.

Games
-------

[White "Mikhail Botvinnik"]
[Black "Vasily Smyslov"]

1.d4 Nf6 2.c4 g6 3.g3 Bg7 4.Bg2 O-O 5.Nc3 d6 6.Nf3 Nbd7 7.O-O
e5 8.e4 c6 9.Be3 Ng4 10.Bg5 Qb6 11.h3 exd4 12.Na4 Qa6 13.hxg4
b5 14.Nxd4 bxa4 15.Nxc6 Qxc6 16.e5 Qxc4 17.Bxa8 Nxe5 18.Rc1
Qb4 19.a3 Qxb2 20.Qxa4 Bb7 21.Rb1 Nf3+ 22.Kh1 Bxa8 23.Rxb2
Nxg5 24.Kh2 Nf3+ 25.Kh3 Bxb2 26.Qxa7 Be4 27.a4 Kg7 28.Rd1 Be5
29.Qe7 Rc8 30.a5 Rc2 31.Kg2 Nd4 32.Kf1 Bf3 33.Rb1 Nc6 0-1

[White "Mikhail Botvinnik"]
[Black "Vasily Smyslov"]

















1.Nf3 Nf6 2.g3 g6 3.c4 c6 4.Bg2 Bg7 5.d4 O-O 6.Nc3 d5 7.cxd5
cxd5 8.Ne5 b6 9.Bg5 Bb7 10.Bxf6 Bxf6 11.O-O e6 12.f4 Bg7
13.Rc1 f6 14.Nf3 Nc6 15.e3 Qd7 16.Qe2 Na5 17.h4 Nc4 18.Bh3 Nd6
19.Kh2 a5 20.Rfe1 b5 21.Nd1 b4 22.Nf2 Ba6 23.Qd1 Rfc8 24.Rxc8+
Rxc8 25.Bf1 Bxf1 26.Rxf1 Qc6 27.Nd3 Qc2+ 28.Qxc2 Rxc2+ 29.Rf2
Rxf2+ 30.Nxf2 Nc4 31.Nd1 Kf7 32.b3 Nd6 33.Kg2 h5 34.Kh3 Ne4
35.g4 hxg4 36.Kxg4 f5 37.Kh3 Bf6 38.Ne1 Kg7 39.Nd3 Nc3 40.Nxc3
bxc3 41.Ne1 Kh6 42.Nc2 Be7 43.Kg3 Kh5 44.Kf3 Kxh4 45.Ne1 g5
46.fxg5 Kxg5 47.Nc2 Bd6 48.Ne1 Kh4 49.Nc2 Kh3 50.Na1 Kh2
51.Kf2 Bg3+ 52.Kf3 Bh4 53.Nc2 Kg1 54.Ke2 Kg2 55.Na1 Be7 56.Nc2
Kg3 57.Ne1 Bd8 58.Nc2 Bf6 59.a3 Be7 60.b4 a4 61.Ne1 Bg5 62.Nc2
Bf6 63.Kd3 Kf2 64.Na1 Bd8 65.Nc2 Bg5 66.b5 Bd8 67.Nb4 Bb6
68.Nc2 Ba5 69.Nb4 Ke1 0-1

[White "Vasily Smyslov"]
[Black "V Liberzon"]

1. c4 e5 2. Nc3 Nc6 3. g3 g6 4. Bg2 Bg7 5. Rb1 d6 6. b4 a6
7. e3 f5 8. Nge2 Nf6 9. d3 O-O 10. O-O Bd7 11. a4 Rb8 12. b5
axb5 13. axb5 Ne7 14. Ba3 Be6 15. Qb3 b6 16. d4 e4 17. d5 Bf7
18. Nd4 Qd7 19. Bb2 g5 20. Nce2 Kh8 21. Ra1 Ng6 22. f4 exf3
23. Rxf3 Ne7 24. Nc6 Rbe8 25. Ned4 Nfxd5 26. cxd5 Bxd5
27. Nxf5 Rxf5 28. Bxg7+ Kg8 29. Rxf5 Bxb3 30. Rxg5 Ng6 31. Bh6
Qe6 32. h4 Qxe3+ 33. Kh2 Qc3 34. Rf1 Bc4 35. Rf2 Qe1 36. Rgf5
Bxb5 37. Bd2 Qb1 38. Bd5+ Kh8 39. Bc3+ Ne5 40. Nxe5 dxe5
41. Rxe5 1-0

[White "Vasily Smyslov"]
[Black "Samuel Reshevsky"]

1. e4 e5 2. Nf3 Nc6 3. Bb5 a6 4. Ba4 d6 5. c3 Nge7 6. d4 Bd7
7. Bb3 h6 8. Nbd2 Ng6 9. Nc4 Be7 10. O-O O-O 11. Ne3 Bf6
12. Nd5 Re8 13. dxe5 Bxe5 14. Nxe5 dxe5 15. Qf3 Be6 16. Rd1
Bxd5 17. Rxd5 Qe7 18. Qf5 Nf8 19. Be3 Ne6 20. Rad1 Red8 21. g3
Rd6 22. Rxd6 cxd6 23. Qg4 Kh8 24. Bb6 Nb8 25. Bxe6 fxe6
26. Qh4 Qd7 27. Qd8+ Qxd8 28. Bxd8 Nd7 29. Bc7 Nc5 30. Rxd6
Rc8 31. Bb6 Na4 32. Rxe6 Nxb2 33. Rxe5 Nc4 34. Re6 Nxb6
35. Rxb6 Rxc3 36. Rxb7 Rc2 37. h4 Rxa2 38. Kg2 a5 39. h5 a4
40. Ra7 Kg8 41. g4 a3 42. Kg3 Re2 43. Kf3 Ra2 44. Ke3 Kf8
45. f3 Ra1 46. Kf4 a2 47. e5 Kg8 48. Kf5 Rf1 49. Rxa2 Rxf3+
50. Kg6 Kf8 51. Ra8+ Ke7 52. Ra7+ 1-0


[White "Wolfgang Uhlmann"]
[Black "Vasily Smyslov"]

1. d4 Nf6 2. c4 e6 3. Nf3 b6 4. g3 Ba6 5. b3 d5 6. Bg2 Bb4+
7. Nfd2 c5 8. dxc5 Bxc5 9. Bb2 O-O 10. O-O Nc6 11. Nc3 Rc8
12. cxd5 exd5 13. Na4 Nd4 14. Nc3 Qe7 15. Re1 Nc2 16. Rf1 Nxa1
17. Qxa1 Rfd8 18. Bf3 Ba3 0-1

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Mikhail Botvinnik

1911 - 1995
6th World Champion
1948 - 1957, 1958 - 1960, 1961 - 1963
Mikhail Moiseevich Botvinnik was born in St Petersburg, Russia in 1911. He learned to play chess at the age of 12. An electrical engineer by training, he was the first Russian to hold the World Championship title after he won the 1948 tournament following the death of Alexander Alekhine. He held on to the world title until his defeat by Petrosian in 1963, except for two occasions when he lost the title for one year, to Smyslov (1957 - 1958) and Tal (1960 - 1961).
Generally regarded as the Patriarch of the Soviet Chess School, his style was based on rigorous opening preparation, deep calculation, and accurate endgame technique. Students of his school include Anatoli Karpov, Garry Kasparov and many more.


Games
-----
[White "Mikhail Botvinnik"]
[Black "Jose Raul Capablanca"]

1.d4 Nf6 2.c4 e6 3.Nc3 Bb4 4.e3 d5 5.a3 Bxc3+ 6.bxc3 c5 7.cxd5
exd5 8.Bd3 O-O 9.Ne2 b6 10.O-O Ba6 11.Bxa6 Nxa6 12.Bb2 Qd7
13.a4 Rfe8 14.Qd3 c4 15.Qc2 Nb8 16.Rae1 Nc6 17.Ng3 Na5 18.f3
Nb3 19.e4 Qxa4 20.e5 Nd7 21.Qf2 g6 22.f4 f5 23.exf6 Nxf6 24.f5
Rxe1 25.Rxe1 Re8 26.Re6 Rxe6 27.fxe6 Kg7 28.Qf4 Qe8 29.Qe5 Qe7

30.Ba3! Qxa3
31.Nh5+! gxh5
32.Qg5+ Kf8 33.Qxf6+ Kg8 34.e7 Qc1+
35.Kf2 Qc2+ 36.Kg3 Qd3+ 37.Kh4 Qe4+ 38.Kxh5 Qe2+ 39.Kh4 Qe4+
40.g4 Qe1+ 41.Kh5 1-0

[White "Mikhail Botvinnik"]
[Black "Lajos Portisch"]

1.c4 e5 2.Nc3 Nf6 3.g3 d5 4.cxd5 Nxd5 5.Bg2 Be6 6.Nf3 Nc6
7.O-O Nb6 8.d3 Be7 9.a3 a5 10.Be3 O-O 11.Na4 Nxa4 12.Qxa4 Bd5
13.Rfc1 Re8 14.Rc2 Bf8 15.Rac1 Nb8 16.Rxc7 Bc6


17.R1xc6!! bxc6



18.Rxf7!! h6
19.Rb7 Qc8 20.Qc4+ Kh8
21.Nh4! Qxb7 22.Ng6+ Kh7
23.Be4 Bd6 24.Nxe5 g6 25.Bxg6+ Kg7 26.Bxh6+!! 1-0

[White "Mikhail Botvinnik"]
[Black "Milan Vidmar"]

1. c4 {Notes by Alekhine} e6 2. Nf3 d5 3. d4 Nf6 4. Nc3 Be7
5. Bg5 O-O 6. e3 Nbd7 7. Bd3 {The variations starting with 7
Rc1 have been so much analysed of recent years that the
text-move, though it allows the immediate ...c5, offers better
fighting chances.} c5 8. O-O cxd4 {As the Black pieces are not
developed so as to attack the isolated d-pawn, the better
policy here is the usual line 8...dxc4 9 Bxc4 a6 10 a4 Re8.}
9. exd4 dxc4 10. Bxc4 Nb6 11. Bb3 Bd7 {The beginning of a
risky plan, in view of White's prospects of a K side
attack. The haf-pinning of his king's knight, which seems so
harmless at the moment, will in a few moves become extremely
disagreeable for Black. It was wiser therefore to clear the
situation at once by 11...Nfd5 without much danger in the near
future.} 12. Qd3 {! Intending, if 12...Nfd5; 13 Bc2.} Nbd5
13. Ne5 Bc6 14. Rad1 Nb4 {? A second mistake, after which
White's attack becomes tremendously strong. A lesser evil was
...Rc8 in order to answer 15 Qh3 with ...Nxc3 16 bxc3 Be4.}
15. Qh3 Bd5 {This does not solve the problem of the defence,
as White preserves his powerful king's bishop.} 16. Nxd5 Nbxd5
17. f4 {!} Rc8 {Or ...g6 18 Bh6 Re8 19 g4, etc.} 18. f5 exf5
19. Rxf5 Qd6 {? Losing immediately. The only move was ...Rc7,
after which White would increase his pressure against f7 by 20
Rdf1 followed eventually by Qh4 with decisive advantage.}


20. Nxf7 {! Simple and neat. Black cannot avoid serious
material loss.} Rxf7 21. Bxf6 Bxf6 22. Rxd5 {Much stronger
than 22 Bxd5.} Qc6 {Or 22... 22...Bxd4+ 23 Kh1.} 23. Rd6 Qe8
24. Rd7 1-0


[White "Mikhail Botvinnik"]
[Black "Vitaly Chekhover"]

1.Nf3 d5 2.c4 e6 3.b3 Nf6 4.Bb2 Be7 5.e3 O-O 6.Be2 c6 7.O-O
Nbd7 8.Nc3 a6 9.Nd4 dxc4 10.bxc4 Nc5 11.f4 Qc7 12.Nf3 Rd8
13.Qc2 Ncd7 14.d4 c5 15.Ne5 b6 16.Bd3 cxd4 17.exd4 Bb7 18.Qe2
Nf8 19.Nd1 Ra7 20.Nf2 Qb8 21.Nh3 h6

22.Ng5! hxg5
23.fxg5 N8d7



24.Nxf7 Kxf7 25.g6+ Kg8 26.Qxe6+ Kh8 27.Qh3+ Kg8 28.Bf5 Nf8
29.Be6+ Nxe6 30.Qxe6+ Kh8 31.Qh3+ Kg8

32.Rxf6! Bxf6
33.Qh7+ Kf8
34.Re1! Be5
35.Qh8+ Ke7 36.Qxg7+ Kd6 37.Qxe5+ Kd7 38.Qf5+ Kc6
39.d5+ Kc5 40.Ba3+ Kxc4 41.Qe4+ Kc3 42.Bb4+ Kb2 43.Qb1#

Juz hav a look at the final Position of the Black King!!!!
1-0



[White "Mikhail Botvinnik"]
[Black "Paul Keres"]

1.c4 Nf6 2.Nc3 e5 3.Nf3 Nc6 4.g3 Bc5 5.Nxe5 Bxf2+ 6.Kxf2 Nxe5
7.e4 c5 8.d3 d6 9.h3 h5 10.Be2 Nh7 11.Kg2 h4 12.g4 Ng5 13.Be3
Bd7 14.Qd2 Ne6 15.b4 b6 16.Rab1 Bc6 17.Rhf1 Bb7 18.Kg1 Nc6
19.Nd5 Ncd4 20.Bd1 f6 21.Kh2 Bc6 22.a4 a5 23.bxa5 bxa5 24.Qf2
Ra7 25.g5 O-O 26.g6 f5

Take a look at the Position and make a wild guess..!!!



27.Rb8!!!! 1-0

[White "Mikhail Botvinnik"]
[Black "Alexander Alekhine"]

1. Nf3 d5 2. d4 Nf6 3. c4 e6 4. Nc3 c5 5. cxd5 Nxd5 6. e3 Nc6
7. Bc4 cxd4 8. exd4 Be7 9. O-O O-O 10. Re1 b6 11. Nxd5 exd5
12. Bb5 Bd7 13. Qa4 Nb8 14. Bf4 Bxb5 15. Qxb5 a6 16. Qa4 Bd6
17. Bxd6 Qxd6 18. Rac1 Ra7 19. Qc2 Re7 20. Rxe7 Qxe7 21. Qc7
Qxc7 22. Rxc7 f6 23. Kf1 Rf7 24. Rc8+ Rf8 25. Rc3 g5 26. Ne1
h5 27. h4 Nd7 28. Rc7 Rf7 29. Nf3 g4 30. Ne1 f5 31. Nd3 f4
32. f3 gxf3 33. gxf3 a5 34. a4 Kf8 35. Rc6 Ke7 36. Kf2 Rf5
37. b3 Kd8 38. Ke2 Nb8 39. Rg6 Kc7 40. Ne5 Na6 41. Rg7+ Kc8
42. Nc6 Rf6 43. Ne7+ Kb8 44. Nxd5 Rd6 45. Rg5 Nb4 46. Nxb4
axb4 47. Rxh5 Rc6 48. Rb5 Kc7 49. Rxb4 Rh6 50. Rb5 Rxh4
51. Kd3 1-0

[White "Mikhail Botvinnik"]
[Black "David Bronstein"]

1.d4 Nf6 2.c4 g6 3.g3 c6 4.Bg2 d5 5.cxd5 cxd5 6.Nc3 Bg7 7.Nh3
Bxh3 8.Bxh3 Nc6 9.Bg2 e6 10.e3 O-O 11.Bd2 Rc8 12.O-O Nd7
13.Ne2 Qb6 14.Bc3 Rfd8 15.Nf4 Nf6 16.Qb3 Ne4 17.Qxb6 axb6
18.Be1 Na5 19.Nd3 Bf8 20.f3 Nd6 21.Bf2 Bh6 22.Rac1 Nac4
23.Rfe1 Na5 24.Kf1 Bg7 25.g4 Nc6 26.b3 Nb5 27.Ke2 Bf8 28.a4
Nc7 29.Bg3 Na6 30.Bf1 f6 31.Red1 Na5 32.Rxc8 Rxc8 33.Rc1 Rxc1
34.Nxc1 Ba3 35.Kd1 Bxc1 36.Kxc1 Nxb3+ 37.Kc2 Na5 38.Kc3 Kf7
39.e4 f5 40.gxf5 gxf5 41.Bd3 Kg6 42.Bd6 Nc6 43.Bb1 Kf6 44.Bg3
fxe4 45.fxe4 h6 46.Bf4 h5 47.exd5 exd5 48.h4 Nab8 49.Bg5+ Kf7
50.Bf5 Na7 51.Bf4 Nbc6 52.Bd3 Nc8 53.Be2 Kg6 54.Bd3+ Kf6
55.Be2 Kg6 56.Bf3 N6e7 57.Bg5 1-0

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Max Euwe

World chess champion 1935-1937

Born 5.5.1901 Amsterdam, The Netherlands

Died 26.11.1981 Amsterdam, The Netherlands


In 1935 Alexander Alekhine selected him as his opponent for the World title. Euwe won the match (+9 =13 -8) to become the 5th World Champion. In 1937 he lost the rematch (+4 =11 -10). After the Second World War he had his best tournament result, second at Groningen in 1946.

After the death of Alexander Alekhine in 1946, the World Chess Federation, FIDE, assembled in 1947 and the delegates decided the Euwe should become world champion pending the next championship match. The Soviet delegates, arriving late the next day, had the decision annulled, and the title should be vacant until a match or tournament was played to decide a new world chess champion. The world championship match-tournament held at The Hague and Moscow in 1948 was won by Mikhail Botvinnik, who became the 6th world champion. Max Euwe took last place among Botvinnik, Smyslov, Keres, Reshevsky, and himself. He scored only 1 win, 6 draws, and 13 losses in this event.

In March, 1957 Max Euwe played Bobby Fischer in two unofficial games in New York. Euwe one one game and drew the second game.

Max Euwe was elected president of FIDE in 1970 and held the post for 8 years. He traveled to over 100 countries at his own expense during that time promoting chess. Over 30 new member countries joined FIDE due to his efforts.

Max Euwe died in Amsterdam on November 26, 1981. Max Euwe won 14, drew 30, and lost 31 world championship games. His historical ELO rating has been calculated to be 2660. He played about 600 tournament games in his career, scoring 57 percent.

He was also a prolific author and many of his works are still in print.

Games
-----

[White "Savielly Tartakower"]
[Black "Max Euwe"]

1. e4 e5 2. Nf3 Nc6 3. Bc4 Bc5 4. c3 Bb6 5. d4 Qe7 6. O-O d6
7. h3 Nf6 8. Re1 O-O 9. Na3 Nd8 10. Bf1 Ne8 11. Nc4 f6 12. a4
c6 13. Nxb6 axb6 14. Qb3+ Ne6 15. Qxb6 g5 16. Bc4 h6 17. h4
Kh7 18. hxg5 hxg5 19. dxe5 dxe5 20. Be3 Rh8 21. g3 Kg6 22. Kg2


22..Nf4+!
23. gxf4 Bh3+ 24. Kg3 exf4+ 25. Bxf4 Qd7! 26. Nh2 gxf4+
27. Kxf4 Rh4+ 28. Ke3 Bg2! 29. Nf3


29...Rxe4+!!
30. Kxe4 Nd6+
31. Kd3Qf5+ 32. Kd4 Qf4+ 33. Kd3 Qxc4+ 34. Kc2 Bxf3 35. b3 Be4+
36. Kb2 Qd3 37. Rg1+ Kf7 38. Rac1 Qd2+ 39. Ka3


39....Nc4+!!
40. bxc4 Rxa4+!!
41. Kxa4 Qa2+
42. Kb4 Qb2+

0-1


[White "Max Euwe"]
[Black "Alexander Alekhine"]

1. d4 e6 2. c4 f5 3. g3 Bb4+ 4. Bd2 Be7 5. Bg2 Nf6 6. Nc3 O-O
7. Nf3 Ne4 8. O-O b6 9. Qc2 Bb7 10. Ne5 Nxc3 11. Bxc3 Bxg2
12. Kxg2 Qc8 13. d5 d6 14. Nd3 e5 15. Kh1 c6 16. Qb3 Kh8
17. f4 e4 18. Nb4 c5 19. Nc2 Nd7 20. Ne3 Bf6 21. Nxf5 Bxc3
22. Nxd6 Qb8 23. Nxe4 Bf6 24. Nd2 g5 25. e4 gxf4 26. gxf4 Bd4
27. e5 Qe8 28. e6 Rg8 29. Nf3 Qg6 30. Rg1 Bxg1 31. Rxg1 Qf6
32. Ng5 Rg7 33. exd7 Rxd7 34. Qe3 Re7 35. Ne6 Rf8 36. Qe5 Qxe5
37. fxe5 Rf5 38. Re1 h6 39. Nd8 Rf2 40. e6 Rd2 41. Nc6 Re8
42. e7 b5 43. Nd8 Kg7 44. Nb7 Kf6 45. Re6+ Kg5 46. Nd6 Rxe7
47. Ne4+ 1-0

[White "Efim Geller"]
[Black "Max Euwe"]

1. d4 Nf6 2. c4 e6 3. Nc3 Bb4 4. e3 c5 5. a3 Bxc3+ 6. bxc3 b6
7. Bd3 Bb7 8. f3 Nc6 9. Ne2 O-O 10. O-O Na5 11. e4 Ne8 12. Ng3
cxd4 13. cxd4 Rc8 14. f4 Nxc4 15. f5 f6 16. Rf4 b5 17. Rh4 Qb6
18. e5 Nxe5 19. fxe6 Nxd3 20. Qxd3 Qxe6 21. Qxh7+ Kf7 22. Bh6

22.....Rh8!! [Just for deviation!!!]
23. Qxh8 Rc2! 24. Rc1 Rxg2+ 25. Kf1 Qb3! 26. Ke1 Qf3! 0-1

[White "Max Euwe"]
[Black "Miguel Najdorf"]

1. d4 Nf6 2. c4 g6 3. g3 Bg7 4. Bg2 O-O 5. Nc3 c5 6. d5 e5
7. Bg5 h6 8. Bxf6 Qxf6 9. d6 Nc6 10. e3 b6 11. Bd5 Kh8 12. Ne4
Qd8 13. h4 f5

14. Ng5! Bb7 15. g4 e4 16. Ne2 Bxb2 17. Nf4 Qf6


18. gxf5! Bxa1 19. Nxg6+ Kg7 20. Nxe4 Bc3+ 21. Kf1 Qxf5 22. Nf4! Kh8
23. Nxc3 Rae8 24. Nce2 Rg8 25. h5! Rg5 26. Ng3 Rxg3
27. fxg3 Rxe3 28. Kf2 Re8 29. Re1 Rxe1 30. Qxe1 Kg7 31. Qe8!


31....Qc2+
32. Kg1 Qd1+ 33. Kh2 Qc2+ 34. Ng2 Qf5 35. Qg8+ Kf6
36. Qh8+ Kg5 37. Qg7+ 1-0

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Alexander Alekhine

(October 31, 1892 – March 24, 1946) was the fourth World Chess Champion.

By the age of twenty-two, he was already among the strongest chess players in the world. During the 1920s, he won most of the tournaments in which he played. In 1927, he became the fourth World Chess Champion by defeating Capablanca, widely considered invincible, in what would stand as the longest chess championship match held until 1985.
In the early 1930s, Alekhine dominated tournament play and won two top-class tournaments by large margins. He also played first board for France in four Chess Olympiads, winning individual prizes in each. His tournament record became more erratic from the mid-1930s onwards, and alcoholism is often blamed for his decline. Alekhine offered Capablanca a rematch on the same demanding terms that Capablanca had set for him, and negotiations dragged on for years without making much progress. Meanwhile, Alekhine defended his title with ease against Bogoljubov in 1929 and 1934. He was defeated by Euwe in 1935, but regained his crown in the 1937 rematch. His tournament record, however, remained uneven, and rising young stars like Keres, Fine, and Botvinnik threatened his title. Negotiations for a title match with Keres or Botvinnik were halted by the outbreak of World War II in Europe in 1939.

Alekhine stayed in Nazi-occupied Europe during the war, where he played in tournaments which were organised by the Nazis. Anti-Semitic articles appeared under his name, although he later claimed they were forged by the Nazis. Alekhine had good relationships with several Jewish chess players, and his fourth wife was Jewish. After the war, Alekhine was ostracized by players and tournament organizers because of the anti-Semitic articles. Negotiations with Mikhail Botvinnik for a world title match were proceeding in 1946 when Alekhine died in Portugal, in unclear circumstances.
Alekhine is known for his fierce and imaginative attacking style, combined with great positional and endgame skill. He produced innovations in a wide range of chess openings.His contributions to opening theory are numerous, but best known is Alekhine's Defense 1.e4 Nf6.

Capablanca vs Alekhine 1927

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Jose Raul Capablanca ( Cuba )

(born Nov-19-1888, died Mar-08-1942)
Jose Raul Capablanca was born in Havana, Cuba on November 19, 1888. He learned to play chess at age four by watching his father's games, and his rise to the top of the sport was quick. When he was twelve years old he defeated the Cuban Champion Juan Corzo in an informal match. He then won another match against one of the world's most famous players, the American Frank James Marshall. Finally in his first major tournament, San Sebastian 1911, Capa made a spectacular debut, taking first place ahead of Carl Schlechter and Akiba Rubinstein. Many in the chess world considered him the logical successor to World Champion Emanuel Lasker, including Lasker himself. World War I delayed a Lasker-Capablanca match, but in 1921 the two finally met in Havana. Capa won the title without losing a single game.

During his tenure as Champion, which lasted until 1927, Capablanca competed in four major international tournaments. He took two first prizes, one second, and one third place from the four events. His renowned technical skill, particularly in the endgame, soon earned him a reputation for being all but invincible. In fact, when he lost a game to Richard Reti at the New York Tournament of 1924, it was his first defeat in eight years.

In 1927, Capablanca lost his title to Alexander Alekhine in an exhausting match. He was unable to obtain a rematch despite winning several more international tournaments in the years to come.

Lasker Vs Capablanca - Games

Other Games
-------------
[White "Jose Raul Capablanca"]
[Black "Savielly Tartakower"]

1. d4 e6 2. Nf3 f5 3. c4 Nf6 4. Bg5 Be7 5. Nc3 O-O 6. e3 b6
7. Bd3 Bb7 8. O-O 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


[White "Jose Raul Capablanca"]
[Black "Frank James Marshall"]

1.e4 e5 2.Nf3 Nc6 3.Bb5 a6 4.Ba4 Nf6 5.O-O Be7 6.Re1 b5 7.Bb3
O-O 8.c3 d5 9.exd5 Nxd5 10.Nxe5 Nxe5 11.Rxe5 Nf6 12.Re1 Bd6
13.h3 Ng4 14.Qf3 Qh4 15.d4 Nxf2 16.Re2 Bg4 17.hxg4 Bh2+ 18.Kf1
Bg3 19.Rxf2 Qh1+ 20.Ke2 Bxf2 21.Bd2 Bh4 22.Qh3 Rae8+ 23.Kd3
Qf1+ 24.Kc2 Bf2 25.Qf3 Qg1 26.Bd5 c5 27.dxc5 Bxc5 28.b4 Bd6
29.a4 a5 30.axb5 axb4 31.Ra6 bxc3 32.Nxc3 Bb4 33.b6 Bxc3
34.Bxc3 h6 35.b7 Re3 36.Bxf7+ 1-0


[White "Aron Nimzowitsch"]
[Black "Jose Raul Capablanca"]

1. e4 { Notes by Raymond Keene. } c6 2. d4 d5 3. e5 Bf5 4. Bd3
Bxd3 5. Qxd3 e6 6. Nc3 Qb6 7. Nge2 c5 {A possibility favoured
by Nimzowitsch as Black in such positions, e.g. his game
versus Duras from San Sebastian 1912, was 7...Qa6. Capablanca
had borrowed that idea to beat Atkins at London 1922. }
8. dxc5 Bxc5 9. O-O Ne7 10. Na4 Qc6 11. Nxc5 Qxc5 12. Be3 Qc7
13. f4 Nf5 {It is rather amusing to compare this with the
Vajda-Nimzowitsch game.} 14. c3 Nc6 15. Rad1 g6 16. g4 {?
Creating a permanent weakness. Better is 16 Bf2. } 16...Nxe3
17. Qxe3 h5 18. g5 O-O 19. Nd4 Qb6 20. Rf2 Rfc8 21. a3 Rc7
22. Rd3 Na5 23. Re2 Re8 24. Kg2 Nc6 25. Red2 Rec8 26. Re2 Ne7
27. Red2 Rc4 {!} 28. Qh3 Kg7 29. Rf2 a5 30. Re2 Nf5 {!}
31. Nxf5+ gxf5 32. Qf3 Kg6 33. Red2 Re4 34. Rd4 Rc4 35. Qf2
Qb5 36. Kg3 Rcxd4 37. cxd4 Qc4 38. Kg2 b5 39. Kg1 b4 40. axb4
axb4 41. Kg2 Qc1 42. Kg3 Qh1 43. Rd3 Re1 44. Rf3 Rd1 45. b3
Rc1 {! Zugzwang. } 46. Re3 Rf1 {One might suppose from this
game that Capablanca had carefully read My System and then
used all the theories contained therein against their
inventor!} 0-1


[White "Ossip Bernstein"]
[Black "Jose Raul Capablanca"]

1. d4 d5 2. c4 e6 3. Nc3 Nf6 4. Nf3 Be7 5. Bg5 O-O 6. e3 Nbd7
7. Rc1 b6 8. cxd5 exd5 9. Qa4 Bb7 10. Ba6 Bxa6 11. Qxa6 c5
12. Bxf6 Nxf6 13. dxc5 bxc5 14. O-O Qb6 15. Qe2 c4 16. Rfd1
Rfd8 17. Nd4 Bb4 18. b3 Rac8 19. bxc4 dxc4 20. Rc2 Bxc3
21. Rxc3 Nd5 22. Rc2 c3 23. Rdc1 Rc5 24. Nb3 Rc6 25. Nd4 Rc7
26. Nb5 Rc5 27. Nxc3?, Nxc3 28. Rxc3 Rxc3 29. Rxc3

Qb2! 0-1


[White "Emanuel Lasker"]
[Black "Jose Raul Capablanca"]

1.e4 e5 2.Nf3 Nc6 3.Bb5 a6 4.Bxc6 dxc6 5.d4 exd4 6.Qxd4 Qxd4
7.Nxd4 Bd6 8.Nc3 Ne7 9.O-O O-O 10.f4 Re8 11.Nb3 f6 12.f5 b6
13.Bf4 Bb7 14.Bxd6 cxd6 15.Nd4 Rad8 16.Ne6 Rd7 17.Rad1 Nc8
18.Rf2 b5 19.Rfd2 Rde7 20.b4 Kf7 21.a3 Ba8 22.Kf2 Ra7 23.g4 h6
24.Rd3 a5 25.h4 axb4 26.axb4 Rae7 27.Kf3 Rg8 28.Kf4 g6 29.Rg3
g5+ 30.Kf3 Nb6 31.hxg5 hxg5 32.Rh3 Rd7 33.Kg3 Ke8 34.Rdh1 Bb7
35.e5 dxe5 36.Ne4 Nd5 37.N6c5 Bc8 38.Nxd7 Bxd7 39.Rh7 Rf8
40.Ra1 Kd8 41.Ra8+ Bc8 42.Nc5 1-0

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Emanuel Lasker

Emanuel Lasker, born December 24, 1868 in Berlinchen, Germany, was the second official World Chess Champion. After winning that title from Wilhelm Steinitz in 1894, he held onto it for 27 years, which is still a record. He died in the Mount Sinai Hospital, New York.

By today's standards, Lasker played relatively little during his time as champion, routinely taking lengthy sabbaticals to pursue his other interests in mathematics and philosophy. But when he did play, his defensive ability and his handling of complicated positions always earned him great respect. Lasker won seven of the eight major tournaments in which he competed between 1895 and 1925. These included London 1899 (by a full 4.5 points over Harry Nelson Pillsbury), Paris 1900 (scoring thirteen wins out of fifteen games), and the St. Petersburg event in 1914. He defended his title a record six times, but finally lost it to Jose Raul Capablanca in 1921. However, he continued to record further competitive successes for fifteen years: he won the 1924 New York tournament by 1.5 points over Capablanca, and, at the age of sixty-seven, he finished third at Moscow 1935, again ahead of Capablanca.

On May-06, 2008, Dr. Lasker was among the first 40 German sportsmen to be elected into the "Hall of Fame des Deutschen Sports".


Lasker vs Steinitz 1894

More Info



Some Games
-------------

[White "Emanuel Lasker"]
[Black "Jose Raul Capablanca"]

1.e4 e5 2.Nf3 Nc6 3.Bb5 a6 4.Bxc6 dxc6 5.d4 exd4 6.Qxd4 Qxd4
7.Nxd4 Bd6 8.Nc3 Ne7 9.O-O O-O 10.f4 Re8 11.Nb3 f6 12.f5 b6
13.Bf4 Bb7 14.Bxd6 cxd6 15.Nd4 Rad8 16.Ne6 Rd7 17.Rad1 Nc8
18.Rf2 b5 19.Rfd2 Rde7 20.b4 Kf7 21.a3 Ba8 22.Kf2 Ra7 23.g4 h6
24.Rd3 a5 25.h4 axb4 26.axb4 Rae7 27.Kf3 Rg8 28.Kf4 g6 29.Rg3
g5+ 30.Kf3 Nb6 31.hxg5 hxg5 32.Rh3 Rd7 33.Kg3 Ke8 34.Rdh1 Bb7


35.e5!, dxe5 36.Ne4!, Nd5 37.N6c5!, Bc8 38.Nxd7 Bxd7 39.Rh7 Rf8
40.Ra1 Kd8 41.Ra8+ Bc8 42.Nc5 1-0


[White "Harry Nelson Pillsbury"]
[Black "Emanuel Lasker"]

1. d4 d5 2. c4 e6 3. Nc3 Nf6 4. Nf3 c5 5. Bg5 cxd4 6. Qxd4 Nc6
7. Qh4 Be7 8. O-O-O Qa5 9. e3 Bd7 10. Kb1 h6 11. cxd5 exd5
12. Nd4 O-O 13. Bxf6 Bxf6 14. Qh5 Nxd4 15. exd4 Be6 16. f4
Rac8 17. f5 , Rxc3!! 18. fxe6


18. ....Ra3!!!!
19. exf7+ Rxf7 20. bxa3 Qb6+!
21. Bb5 Qxb5+ 22. Ka1 Rc7 23. Rd2 Rc4 24. Rhd1 Rc3 25. Qf5 Qc4
26. Kb2 Rxa3 27. Qe6+ Kh7 28. Kxa3 Qc3+ 29. Ka4 b5+ 30. Kxb5
Qc4+ 0-1


[White "Emanuel Lasker"]
[Black "Johann Hermann Bauer"]

1.f4 d5 2.e3 Nf6 3.b3 e6 4.Bb2 Be7 5.Bd3 b6 6.Nc3 Bb7 7.Nf3
Nbd7 8.O-O O-O 9.Ne2 c5 10.Ng3 Qc7 11.Ne5 Nxe5 12.Bxe5 Qc6
13.Qe2 a6 14.Nh5 Nxh5


15.Bxh7+!, Kxh7 16.Qxh5+ Kg8 17.Bxg7 !, Kxg7
18.Qg4+ Kh7 19.Rf3 e5 20.Rh3+ Qh6 21.Rxh6+ Kxh6 22.Qd7!

The final point..!!! Bang...
22. ,...Bf6
23.Qxb7 Kg7 24.Rf1 Rab8 25.Qd7 Rfd8 26.Qg4+ Kf8 27.fxe5 Bg7
28.e6 Rb7 29.Qg6 f6 30.Rxf6+ Bxf6 31.Qxf6+ Ke8 32.Qh8+ Ke7
33.Qg7+ Kxe6 34. Qxb7 Rd6 35. Qxa6 d4 36. exd4 cxd4 37. h4 d3
38. Qxd3 1-0


[White "Emanuel Lasker"]
[Black "Wilhelm Steinitz"]

1. e4 e5 2. Nf3 Nc6 3. Bb5 d6 4. d4 Bd7 5. Nc3 Nge7 6. Be3 Ng6
7. Qd2 Be7 8. O-O-O a6 9. Be2 exd4 10. Nxd4 Nxd4 11. Qxd4 Bf6
12. Qd2 Bc6 13. Nd5 O-O 14. g4 Re8 15. g5 Bxd5 16. Qxd5 Re5
17. Qd2 Bxg5 18. f4 Rxe4 19. fxg5 Qe7 20. Rdf1 Rxe3 21. Bc4
Nh8 22. h4 c6 23. g6 d5 24. gxh7+ Kxh7 25. Bd3+ Kg8 26. h5 Re8
27. h6 g6 28. h7+ Kg7 29. Kb1 Qe5 30. a3 c5 31. Qf2 c4 32. Qh4
f6 33. Bf5 Kf7 34. Rhg1 gxf5 35. Qh5+ Ke7 36. Rg8 Kd6 37. Rxf5
Qe6 38. Rxe8 Qxe8 39. Rxf6+ Kc5 40. Qh6 Re7 41. Qh2 Qd7
42. Qg1+ d4 43. Qg5+ Qd5 44. Rf5 Qxf5 45. Qxf5+ Kd6 46. Qf6+

1-0

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WILHELM STEINITZ

(born May-14-1836, died Aug-12-1900)

Wilhelm Steinitz, born in Prague on May 14, 1836, was the first official World Champion of chess. He was recognized as the world's leading player after he defeated Adolf Anderssen in a match in 1866, but it was not until his defeat of Johannes Zukertort twenty years later that he was recognized as the first undisputed world chess champion.

Although Steinitz became world champion by winning in the attacking style championed by Paul Morphy and others, he unveiled in 1873 a new positional style of play. This new style was controversial and some even branded it as "cowardly", but many of Steinitz's games showed that it could also provide a platform for attacks as ferocious as those of the old school. By the early 1890s Steinitz's approach was widely accepted and the next generation of top players acknowledged their debt to him, most notably his successor as world champion, Emanuel Lasker.

As champion, Steinitz contributed a lot to positional theory and other elements of chess strategy. He defended his title twice against Mikhail Chigorin and once against Isidor Gunsberg, but in 1894 he lost it to Emanuel Lasker. He then lost the rematch, and died just a few years later in New York City.

Some GaMES
-----------
[White "Wilhelm Steinitz"]
[Black "Mikhail Chigorin"]

1. e4 e5 2. Nf3 Nc6 3. Bb5 Nf6 4. d3 d6 5. c3 g6 6. Nbd2 Bg7
7. Nf1 O-O 8. Ba4 Nd7 9. Ne3 Nc5 10. Bc2 Ne6 11. h4 Ne7 12. h5
d5 13. hxg6 fxg6 14. exd5 Nxd5 15. Nxd5 Qxd5 16. Bb3 Qc6
17. Qe2 Bd7 18. Be3 Kh8 19. O-O-O Rae8 20. Qf1 a5 21. d4 exd4
22. Nxd4 Bxd4 23. Rxd4 Nxd4 24. Rxh7+ Kxh7 25. Qh1+ Kg7
26. Bh6+ Kf6 27. Qh4+ Ke5 28. Qxd4+ 1-0


[White "Johannes Zukertort"]
[Black "Wilhelm Steinitz"]

1. d4 {Notes by Robert James Fischer from a television
interview. } d5 2. c4 e6 3. Nc3 Nf6 4. Bg5 Be7 5. Nf3 O-O
6. c5 {White plays a mistake already; he should just play e3,
naturally.--Fischer} b6 7. b4 bxc5 8. dxc5 a5 9. a3 {Now he
plays this fantastic move; it's the winning move. -- Fischer}
d4 {He can't take with the knight, because of axb4.--Fischer}
10. Bxf6 gxf6 11. Na4 e5 {This kingside weakness is nothing;
the center is easily winning.--Fischer} 12. b5 Be6 13. g3 c6
14. bxc6 Nxc6 15. Bg2 Rb8 {Threatening Bb3.--Fischer} 16. Qc1
d3 17. e3 e4 18. Nd2 f5 19. O-O Re8 {A very modern move; a
quiet positional move. The rook is doing nothing now, but
later...--Fischer} 20. f3 {To break up the center, it's his
only chance.--Fischer} Nd4 21. exd4 Qxd4+ 22. Kh1 e3 23. Nc3
Bf6 24. Ndb1 d2 25. Qc2 Bb3 26. Qxf5 d1=Q 27. Nxd1 Bxd1

28. Nc3 e2 29. Raxd1 Qxc3 0-1

[White "Wilhelm Steinitz"]
[Black "Rock"]

1. e4 e5 2. Nf3 Nc6 3. Bc4 Bc5 4. b4 Bxb4 5. c3 Ba5 6. d4 exd4
7. O-O Nf6 8. Ba3 Bb6 9. Qb3 d5 10. exd5 Na5 11. Re1+ Be6
12. dxe6 Nxb3 13. exf7+ Kd7 14. Be6+ Kc6 15. Ne5+ Kb5 16. Bc4+
Ka5 17. Bb4+ Ka4 18. axb3# 1-0

[If you smell what the rock is cooking!!] :d

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Paul Morphy

"Morphy - I think everyone agrees was probably the greatest of them all"
- Bobby Fischer




















Can u see a Mate?!!








Studying famous chess games such as this one (Morphy's famous Opera House Game) can be a great way to improve your chess.

Hmmm,about Morphy.......
Paul Charles Morphy was born on June 22, 1837 in New Orleans. He was the son of a successful lawyer and judge Alonzo Morphy. His uncle, Ernest Morphy, claims that no one formally taught Morphy how to play chess, but rather that he learned the rules by observing games between himself and Alonzo. When Morphy was only 12 years old, Johann Jacob Loewenthal visited New Orleans and at the behest of his father, agreed to play a casual match with the prodigy. Young Paul won 2½ to ½.

In 1857 Morphy won the First American Chess Congress with a dominating performance. This success was followed by a European trip where he met and triumphed over most of the prominent masters of the period, including Adolf Anderssen whom he defeated +7 -2 =2. Upon returning to America, he announced his retirement from chess.

Some Games
-------------

[White "Paul Morphy"]
[Black "Duke Karl / Count Isouard"]

1.e4 e5 2.Nf3 d6 3.d4 Bg4 {This is a weak move
already.--Fischer} 4.dxe5 Bxf3 5.Qxf3 dxe5 6.Bc4 Nf6 7.Qb3 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 10.Nxb5 cxb5 11.Bxb5+ Nbd7 12.O-O-O Rd8


13.Rxd7 Rxd7 14.Rd1 Qe6 15.Bxd7+ Nxd7 16.Qb8+ Nxb8 17.Rd8# 1-0



[White "Louis Paulsen"]
[Black "Paul Morphy"]

1. e4 e5 2. Nf3 Nc6 3. Nc3 Nf6 4. Bb5 Bc5 5. O-O O-O 6. Nxe5
Re8 7. Nxc6 dxc6 8. Bc4 b5 9. Be2 Nxe4 10. Nxe4 Rxe4 11. Bf3
Re6 12. c3 Qd3 13. b4 Bb6 14. a4 bxa4 15. Qxa4 Bd7 16. Ra2
Rae8 17. Qa6 {Morphy took twelve minutes over his next move,
probably to assure himself that the combination was sound and
that he had a forced win in every variation. -- Chernev}

Qxf3! 18. gxf3 Rg6+ 19. Kh1 Bh3 20. Rd1 {Not 20 Rg1 Rxg1+ 21 Kxg1
Re1+} Bg2+ 21. Kg1 Bxf3+ 22. Kf1 Bg2+ {The "quiet" 22...Rg2!
would have won more quickly: 23.Qd3 Rxf2+ 24.Kg1 Rg2+ 25.Kh1
Rg1 -- Zukertort} 23. Kg1 Bh3+ 24. Kh1 Bxf2 25. Qf1
{Absolutely forced.} Bxf1 26. Rxf1 Re2 27. Ra1 Rh6 28. d4 Be3
0-1


[White "Paul Morphy"]
[Black "Adolf Anderssen"]

1.e4 {Notes by Lowenthal} c5 2.d4 cxd4 3.Nf3 Nc6 4.Nxd4 e6
5.Nb5 d6 {This is better than ...a6; but even now the King's
Bishop is shut in, and the Queen's Pawn rendered weak.} 6.Bf4
{Correctly played, compelling the advance of the e-Pawn, which
leaves the Queen's Pawn weak and unsupported.} e5 7.Be3 f5
{...a6 would have been sounder play, but even then the game
would have been in favor of the first player.} 8.N1c3 {A fine
conception.} f4 {Had Black played ...a6, White's reply would
still have been Nd5, with a winning game.} 9.Nd5 fxe3 10.Nbc7+
Kf7 11.Qf3+ Nf6 12.Bc4 {The attack is now irresistable.} Nd4
13.Nxf6+ d5 {If the Bishop had been interposed, White would
have taken it, checking; and on Knight retaking have played
Nd5 discovering check, and won without difficulty.} 14.Bxd5+
Kg6 {Had the Queen captured the Bishop, White would have taken
with Knight, discovering check, and have remained eventually
with a Pawn ahead and a winning position.} 15.Qh5+ Kxf6
16.fxe3 {Ne8+, seemingly a good move, is only in appearance,
as Black might have taken it when placed there; and on White
taking Queen, have answered with ...Bb4+, obtaining a winning
game.} Nxc2+ 17.Ke2 1-0


[White "Paul Morphy"]
[Black "Schrufer"]

1.e4 e5 2.Nf3 Nc6 3.Bc4 Nf6 4.d4 exd4 5.O-O Nxe4 6.Re1 d5
7.Bxd5 Qxd5 8.Nc3 Qh5 9.Nxe4 Be6 10.Neg5 Bb4 11.Rxe6+ fxe6
12.Nxe6 Qf7 13.Nfg5 Qe7 14.Qe2 Bd6 15.Nxg7+ Kd7 16.Qg4+ Kd8
17.Nf7+ Qxf7 18.Bg5+ Be7 19.Ne6+ Kc8 20.Nc5+ Kb8 21.Nd7+ Kc8
22.Nb6+ Kb8 23.Qc8+ Rxc8 24.Nd7# 1-0

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