Sam Trenholme’s blog

Famous Chess games

These are famous Chess games which I refer to in other articles. The games are shown here without commentary.

Karpov v. Miles, 1980

The above is an interactive chessboard. Click on the right arrow button to advance the move. The single left arrow goes back one move; the double left arrows return to the beginning of the game; and the double right arrows go to the end of the game

1. e4 a6 2. d4 b5 3. Nf3 Bb7 4. Bd3 Nf6 5. Qe2 e6 6. a4 c5 7. dxc5 Bxc5 8. Nbd2 b4 9. e5 Nd5 10. Ne4 Be7 11. O-O Nc6 12. Bd2 Qc7 13. c4 bxc3 14. Nxc3 Nxc3 15. Bxc3 Nb4 16. Bxb4 Bxb4 17. Rac1 Qb6 18. Be4 O-O 19. Ng5 h6 20. Bh7+ Kh8 21. Bb1 Be7 22. Ne4 Rac8 23. Qd3 Rxc1 24. Rxc1 Qxb2 25. Re1 Qxe5 26. Qxd7 Bb4 27. Re3 Qd5 28. Qxd5 Bxd5 29. Nc3 Rc8 30. Ne2 g5 31. h4 Kg7 32. hxg5 hxg5 33. Bd3 a5 34. Rg3 Kf6 35. Rg4 Bd6 36. Kf1 Be5 37. Ke1 Rh8 38. f4 gxf4 39. Nxf4 Bc6 40. Ne2 Rh1+ 41. Kd2 Rh2 42. g3 Bf3 43. Rg8 Rg2 44. Ke1 Bxe2 45. Bxe2 Rxg3 46. Ra8 Bc7 0-1

White here is Karpov, who was world champion at the time. Black is Tony Miles, England’s first Grandmaster, who was quite a character. His life was sadly cut short at the age of 46 in 2001. It’s Only Me is a touching biography that honors Miles’ life.

Fischer vs. Fine, 1963

1. e4 e5 2. Nf3 Nc6 3. Bc4 Bc5 4. b4 Bxb4 5. c3 Ba5 6. d4 exd4 7. O-O dxc3 8. Qb3 Qe7 9. Nxc3 Nf6 10. Nd5 Nxd5 11. exd5 Ne5 12. Nxe5 Qxe5 13. Bb2 Qg5 14. h4 Qxh4 15. Bxg7 Rg8 16. Rfe1+ Kd8 17. Qg3 1-0

Fischer beats Reuben Fine in 17 moves playing the Evans Gambit.

Spassky v. Fischer, 1960

1. e4 e5 2. f4 exf4 3. Nf3 g5 4. h4 g4 5. Ne5 Nf6 6. d4 d6 7. Nd3 Nxe4 8. Bxf4 Bg7 9. Nc3 Nxc3 10. bxc3 c5 11. Be2 cxd4 12. O-O Nc6 13. Bxg4 O-O 14. Bxc8 Rxc8 15. Qg4 f5 16. Qg3 dxc3 17. Rae1 Kh8 18. Kh1 Rg8 19. Bxd6 Bf8 20. Be5+ Nxe5 21. Qxe5+ Rg7 22. Rxf5 Qxh4+ 23. Kg1 Qg4 24. Rf2 Be7 25. Re4 Qg5 26. Qd4 Rf8 27. Re5 Rd8 28. Qe4 Qh4 29. Rf4 1-0

This loss stung Fischer so much, he wrote an article on how to bust the King’s Gambit as Black.

Short v. Kasparov, 1993 (Exhibition game)

1. e4 e5 2. f4 exf4 3. Bc4 Qh4+ 4. Kf1 b5 5. Bxb5 Nf6 6. Nf3 Qh6 7. Nc3 g5 8. d4 Bb7 9. h4 Rg8 10. Kg1 gxh4 11. Rxh4 Qg6 12. Qe2 Nxe4 13. Rxf4 f5 14. Nh4 Qg3 15. Nxe4 1-0

This was a series of themed games, where the tournament organizers told the players what opening they had to play. After two drawn games, Kasparov was asked to play the Black side of the very dubious Bryan countergambit, and quickly lost.