The Edinburgh Scots pound the sassenachs.
Edinburgh CC vs London, 1826  (C44) King's Pawn Game, 60 moves, 1-0
Captain Evans and his great discovery.
Captain Evans vs McDonnell, 1827  (C52) Evans Gambit, 20 moves, 1-0
"A Gift of the Gods to a Languishing Chess World"?! Florid.
Captain Evans vs McDonnell, 1829  (C51) Evans Gambit, 20 moves, 1-0
McDonnell's take on the King's Gambit.
McDonnell vs NN, 1830  (000) Chess variants, 18 moves, 1-0
And here against stronger opposition.
McDonnell vs La Bourdonnais, 1834  (C37) King's Gambit Accepted, 19 moves, 1-0
Those damned Frogs nearly ruined chess with this one...
London vs Paris, 1834  (C01) French, Exchange, 30 moves, 0-1
Here's how Staunton took on the Dutch Defense.
Staunton vs Horwitz, 1846  (A83) Dutch, Staunton Gambit, 56 moves, 1-0
The ultimate devil-may-care speculator meets the Petrov.
Cochrane vs Mohishunder, 1848  (C42) Petrov Defense, 25 moves, 1-0
Staunton: thanks to him, 1. c4 is the English Opening.
Staunton vs Horwitz, 1851  (A13) English, 46 moves, 1-0
Staunton's contribution to the Petrov Defense.
E Williams vs Staunton, 1851  (C42) Petrov Defense, 30 moves, 0-1
Kieseritsky's Revenge!
Kieseritzky vs Anderssen, 1851  (C39) King's Gambit Accepted, 41 moves, 1-0
Harrwitz could defeat the best with his QGD variant.
Harrwitz vs Morphy, 1858  (D35) Queen's Gambit Declined, 55 moves, 1-0
Morphy uncorks 3. ... a6 (the Morphy Defense), in the Ruy Lopez
T Barnes vs Morphy, 1858  (C77) Ruy Lopez, 30 moves, 0-1
Morphy often tried 2. d4 (Morphy gambit) against the Sicilian.
Morphy vs Anderssen, 1858  (B44) Sicilian, 17 moves, 1-0
The 19th Century's counterpart to Karpov-Miles.
Morphy vs Owen, 1858  (B00) Uncommon King's Pawn Opening, 46 moves, 0-1
The Steinitz Gambit (a.k.a. The Jackass Gambit).
Steinitz vs Paulsen, 1870  (C25) Vienna, 36 moves, 1-0
The Bird-Brain.
Bird vs Englisch, 1878  (A03) Bird's Opening, 37 moves, 1-0
A coffee-house gambit? Or just underestimated?
A E Blackmar vs A Lapeyre, 1882  (D00) Queen's Pawn Game, 23 moves, 1-0
Winawer gives chess an eternal headache.
J Mortimer vs Winawer, 1883  (C17) French, Winawer, Advance, 51 moves, 0-1
The founder of positional chess. Oh, and a new variation also.
Steinitz vs A Sellman, 1885  (C11) French, 35 moves, 1-0
The Caro Can!
J Mieses vs M Kann, 1885  (B12) Caro-Kann Defense, 24 moves, 0-1
The McCutcheon KO's the world champ in its first outing.
Steinitz vs McCutcheon, 1885  (C12) French, McCutcheon, 28 moves, 0-1
Much later, Tarrasch rejected 3. Nd2. Ironic.
Tarrasch vs K Eckart, 1889  (C05) French, Tarrasch, 17 moves, 1-0
Chigorin's _weird_ second move in the French.
Chigorin vs Tarrasch, 1893  (A07) King's Indian Attack, 34 moves, 1-0
The conservative Amos Burn tries something new.
G Marco vs Burn, 1895  (C11) French, 31 moves, 0-1
Pillsbury's famous attack in the QGD.
Pillsbury vs Tarrasch, 1895  (D63) Queen's Gambit Declined, Orthodox Defense, 52 moves, 1-0
Death knell of Romantics: Lasker's defense to the Evans Gambit
Chigorin vs Lasker, 1895  (C52) Evans Gambit, 26 moves, 0-1
Steinitz adopts 3. d4 against the Petrov. What a battle!
Steinitz vs Pillsbury, 1895  (C43) Petrov, Modern Attack, 60 moves, 1-0
Prelude to the Chigorin Defense.
Lasker vs Chigorin, 1895  (D02) Queen's Pawn Game, 57 moves, 0-1
Chig's weird, ugly, and wonderful defense to the Queen's Gambit
Pillsbury vs Chigorin, 1896  (D07) Queen's Gambit Declined, Chigorin Defense, 38 moves, 0-1
Traxler boldly enters the labyrinth.
B Mikyska vs Traxler, 1896  (C57) Two Knights, 18 moves, 0-1
Steinitz's best contribution to opening theory.
Lasker vs Steinitz, 1896  (C71) Ruy Lopez, 30 moves, 0-1
The most popular anti-Sicilian sees the light of day.
Alapin vs Schiffers, 1898  (B22) Sicilian, Alapin, 44 moves, 1-0
Albin couldn't beat Lasker, but weaker foes lost to his gambit.
A Schwarz vs Albin, 1899  (D08) Queen's Gambit Declined, Albin Counter Gambit, 40 moves, 0-1
Marshall's _other_ famous gambit.
Marshall vs Schlechter, 1902  (D31) Queen's Gambit Declined, 28 moves, 1-0
Still today one of the best defenses to the Ruy Lopez.
Duras vs Chigorin, 1906  (C97) Ruy Lopez, Closed, Chigorin, 57 moves, 0-1
Mieses found white's best continuation in the Scotch.
J Mieses vs O Bernstein, 1907 (C45) Scotch Game, 42 moves, 1-0
Exchange pieces, reduce cramp, what could be easier?
Marshall vs Lasker, 1907  (D53) Queen's Gambit Declined, 43 moves, 0-1
The Four Knights is boring? Rubinstein didn't think so...
Spielmann vs Rubinstein, 1912  (C48) Four Knights, 45 moves, 0-1
Rubinstein didn't like the closed French pawn center.
P Johner vs Rubinstein, 1912  (C10) French, 27 moves, 0-1
The Doctor's famous defense.
Burn vs Tarrasch, 1912  (D33) Queen's Gambit Declined, Tarrasch, 39 moves, 0-1
And here is the Doctor's proudest Tarrasch Defense moment.
Nimzowitsch vs Tarrasch, 1914  (D30) Queen's Gambit Declined, 32 moves, 0-1
Alekhine tries out a new gambit against the French.
Alekhine vs H Fahrni, 1914  (C13) French, 23 moves, 1-0
Ok, Marshall lost. But what a debut!
Capablanca vs Marshall, 1918  (C89) Ruy Lopez, Marshall, 36 moves, 1-0
First use of the Budapest at GM level.
Rubinstein vs Vidmar, 1918  (A52) Budapest Gambit, 24 moves, 0-1
Nimzo annotates--his own new first move for black.
Spielmann vs Nimzowitsch, 1920  (B00) Uncommon King's Pawn Opening, 28 moves, 0-1
A new opening on move one. Only Alekhine...
E Steiner vs Alekhine, 1921  (B03) Alekhine's Defense, 62 moves, 0-1
Victory for the Gruenfeld, and Alekhine "lets fly" as a bonus.
Alekhine vs Gruenfeld, 1922  (D80) Grunfeld, 55 moves, 0-1
It _should_ be named the Rubinstein Defense, not the Meran.
Gruenfeld vs Rubinstein, 1924  (D48) Queen's Gambit Declined Semi-Slav, Meran, 36 moves, 0-1
Colle's cure-all and be-all.
Colle vs Euwe, 1924  (D05) Queen's Pawn Game, 39 moves, 1-0
The Reti Trilogy, part I. Watch Reti's last move.
Reti vs Bogoljubov, 1924  (A13) English, 25 moves, 1-0
The Reti Trilogy, part II. Capa's first defeat since 1916.
Reti vs Capablanca, 1924  (A15) English, 31 moves, 1-0
The Reti Trilogy, part III. A great endgame also.
Reti vs P Romanovsky, 1925  (A15) English, 47 moves, 1-0
Not to be outdone, Bogo wanted his own defense to 1. d4.
Gruenfeld vs Bogoljubov, 1925  (E11) Bogo-Indian Defense, 24 moves, 0-1
The Torre Attack claims its greatest victim.
Torre vs Lasker, 1925  (A46) Queen's Pawn Game, 43 moves, 1-0
Samisch liked formations with the f3 pawn, apparently.
Saemisch vs Koltanowski, 1926  (E80) King's Indian, Samisch Variation, 30 moves, 1-0
Nimzo's masterpiece. Enough said.
P Johner vs Nimzowitsch, 1926  (E47) Nimzo-Indian, 4.e3 O-O 5.Bd3, 40 moves, 0-1
Samisch: "Hmm. Why not play 4. a3?! immediately?"
Saemisch vs Reti, 1928  (E24) Nimzo-Indian, Samisch, 69 moves, 1-0
For the Nimzoindian, know how to use your knights!
H Mattison vs Nimzowitsch, 1929  (E21) Nimzo-Indian, Three Knights, 23 moves, 0-1
The best white 4th move against the Nimzoindian?
Rubinstein vs Maroczy, 1930  (E42) Nimzo-Indian, 4.e3 c5, 5.Ne2 (Rubinstein), 25 moves, 1-0
Alekhine's pet line in the QGD.
Alekhine vs Colle, 1931  (D51) Queen's Gambit Declined, 36 moves, 1-0
In the old days, it was called the Richter attack...
K Richter vs H Wagner, 1932  (B62) Sicilian, Richter-Rauzer, 18 moves, 1-0
The Botvinnik part of the Panov-Botvinnik attack.
Botvinnik vs Flohr, 1933  (B13) Caro-Kann, Exchange, 33 moves, 1-0
Tartakower defeats the world champ with his new defense.
Alekhine vs Tartakower, 1933  (D58) Queen's Gambit Declined, Tartakower (Makagonov-Bondarevsky) Syst, 74 moves, 0-1
Tromp Tromp Tromp!
O Trompowsky vs L Endzelins, 1936  (A45) Queen's Pawn Game, 24 moves, 1-0
An early example of Don Miguel's big idea.
L Steiner vs Najdorf, 1937  (B96) Sicilian, Najdorf, 33 moves, 0-1
Marshall introduces the best continuation to his gambit.
J Battell vs Marshall, 1938  (C89) Ruy Lopez, Marshall, 28 moves, 0-1
Levenfish was no fish (sorry).
Levenfish vs I Rabinovich, 1939  (B71) Sicilian, Dragon, Levenfish Variation, 45 moves, 1-0
Bot grabs a pawn...and a whole new chapter in opening theory.
Ragozin vs Botvinnik, 1941  (D44) Queen's Gambit Declined Semi-Slav, 35 moves, 0-1
Keres' 5. g4 would have shocked the classicists!
Keres vs Bogoljubov, 1943  (B81) Sicilian, Scheveningen, Keres Attack, 32 moves, 1-0
The Botvinnik in all its misshapen glory.
Lilienthal vs Botvinnik, 1944  (D44) Queen's Gambit Declined Semi-Slav, 57 moves, 0-1
Boleslavsky decides he likes that backward d-pawn...
G Stoltz vs Boleslavsky, 1946  (B58) Sicilian, 46 moves, 0-1
Doubled f-pawns? No king-side castling? Great, says Bronstein.
N Kopaev vs Bronstein, 1946  (B16) Caro-Kann, Bronstein-Larsen Variation, 33 moves, 0-1
The Rossolimo. What a great name...
Rossolimo vs H Mueller, 1948  (B52) Sicilian, Canal-Sokolsky (Rossolimo) Attack, 21 moves, 1-0
Veresov, a dyslexic, tries to play the Ruy Lopez ;-)
Veresov vs Suetin, 1953 (D01) Richter-Veresov Attack, 30 moves, 1-0
Averbakh knew about openings as well as endgames.
Averbakh vs Boleslavsky, 1953  (E75) King's Indian, Averbakh, Main line, 75 moves, 1-0
Even in its youth, the Najdorf = mind-boggling battle.
Bronstein vs Najdorf, 1954  (B90) Sicilian, Najdorf, 43 moves, 0-1
Panno piper...
J H Donner vs Panno, 1955  (E63) King's Indian, Fianchetto, Panno Variation, 25 moves, 0-1
A heavy opening with a heavy name.
J Durao vs Robatsch, 1960  (A42) Modern Defense, Averbakh System, 38 moves, 0-1
Polugaevsky gets revenge, with his own variation.
R Nezhmetdinov vs Polugaevsky, 1961  (B96) Sicilian, Najdorf, 34 moves, 0-1
Pirc's best victory with his opening.
Szabo vs Pirc, 1962  (B07) Pirc, 56 moves, 0-1
Hungarian? It should be the Benko Opening, dammit...
Benko vs Fischer, 1962  (B07) Pirc, 40 moves, 1-0
A big victory in Fischer's pet Sicilian line.
Fischer vs Geller, 1962  (B88) Sicilian, Fischer-Sozin Attack, 43 moves, 1-0
A fierce win by the Taimanov's founder.
V Mikenas vs Taimanov, 1962  (B49) Sicilian, Taimanov Variation, 42 moves, 0-1
The attention Grobber (har har).
Grob vs Wiedemeier, 1965  (A00) Uncommon Opening, 16 moves, 1-0
The Benkoni was too whimsical a name ;-)
M Vukic vs Benko, 1967  (A58) Benko Gambit, 39 moves, 0-1
QID 4. a3: modest and indestructible, like Petrosian himself.
Petrosian vs Larsen, 1968  (E12) Queen's Indian, 32 moves, 1-0
Against Velimirovic, play 1. e4 e5, not the Sicilian!
Velimirovic vs Stein, 1970  (B89) Sicilian, 41 moves, 1-0
Larsen becomes the eternal champion of 1. b3.
Larsen vs Andersson, 1972  (A01) Nimzovich-Larsen Attack, 45 moves, 1-0
A whole new way of playing the Sicilian, courtesy of Sveshnikov
Geller vs Sveshnikov, 1978  (B33) Sicilian, 34 moves, 0-1
It only drew, but it's one of the few sacs Korchnoi declined.
Karpov vs Korchnoi, 1978  (C80) Ruy Lopez, Open, 44 moves, 1/2-1/2
1. ... a6 against the world champion? What was Miles smoking?
Karpov vs Miles, 1980  (B00) Uncommon King's Pawn Opening, 46 moves, 0-1
Ok, he lost, but Murey's insane 4th move hasn't been refuted.
Timman vs J Murey, 1993  (C43) Petrov, Modern Attack, 54 moves, 1-0
The Zvjaginsev variation? Too hard to pronounce...
Zvjaginsev vs Khalifman, 2005  (B20) Sicilian, 37 moves, 1-0
94 games |