chessgames.com
Members · Prefs · Laboratory · Collections · Openings · Endgames · Sacrifices · History · Search Kibitzing · Kibitzer's Café · Chessforums · Tournament Index · Players · Kibitzing
 
Blunders deluxe
Compiled by Timwestlund
--*--

We all know how it feels to make a really bad blunder. The feeling right after you let go of your queen and realise it's en prise. The disbelief you feel when you resign what moments ago was an equal or maybe even winning position. To help you all deal with the trauma theese blunders can cause it 's often good to know that top players mess up to wich is demonstrated in this collection. Not all of theese blunders are moves, incorrect resignations are included and Kasparov forgetting to press his clock has to count as a blunder.

Was that bishop protecting something?
Chigorin vs Steinitz, 1892 
(C34) King's Gambit Accepted, 32 moves, 0-1

White to play and helpmate in 2
Short vs A Beliavsky, 1992 
(C48) Four Knights, 58 moves, 0-1

Blindfold chess is hard
J Polgar vs Karpov, 1993 
(E54) Nimzo-Indian, 4.e3, Gligoric System, 32 moves, 1-0

I don't need to explain this one
Deep Fritz vs Kramnik, 2006 
(D20) Queen's Gambit Accepted, 35 moves, 1-0

Apparently, saving a pawn is more important than stopping mate
Carlsen vs M Gagunashvili, 2006 
(B48) Sicilian, Taimanov Variation, 65 moves, 0-1

One of the most famous blunders of all time
Karpov vs Kasparov, 1987 
(A34) English, Symmetrical, 57 moves, 1-0

Fischer grabs a rook pawn like a beginner
Spassky vs Fischer, 1972 
(E56) Nimzo-Indian, 4.e3, Main line with 7...Nc6, 56 moves, 1-0

Petrosian leaves his queen en prise in a winning position
Petrosian vs Bronstein, 1956 
(E66) King's Indian, Fianchetto, Yugoslav Panno, 36 moves, 0-1

Black resigns a position that's resignable ...for white!
von Popiel vs G Marco, 1902 
(C41) Philidor Defense, 36 moves, 1-0

Blunder of the century
Karpov vs Bareev, 1994 
(C07) French, Tarrasch, 36 moves, 1-0

We all know what happens to loose pieces
L Christiansen vs Karpov, 1993 
(E12) Queen's Indian, 12 moves, 1-0

Kasparov mates his opponent, but it was the wrong kind of mate
Kasparov vs K Georgiev, 1988 
(A29) English, Four Knights, Kingside Fianchetto, 78 moves, 1/2-1/2

You have to say "j'adoube" BEFORE you touch the piece
Aronian vs Nakamura, 2016 
(E15) Queen's Indian, 83 moves, 1-0

Black decides to go pawn hunting. In the meantime he gets mated
Browne vs Quinteros, 1974 
(B52) Sicilian, Canal-Sokolsky (Rossolimo) Attack, 18 moves, 1-0

The ex-world champ gets an overdue christmas present
Petrosian vs H Ree, 1971 
(A29) English, Four Knights, Kingside Fianchetto, 8 moves, 1-0

Anand's preparation fiasco
A Zapata vs Anand, 1988 
(C42) Petrov Defense, 6 moves, 1-0

Ra1??
Korchnoi vs Karpov, 1978 
(E47) Nimzo-Indian, 4.e3 O-O 5.Bd3, 39 moves, 0-1

Black does not settle for a draw, and blunders mate
Avrukh vs G Timoscenko, 2001 
(D53) Queen's Gambit Declined, 96 moves, 1-0

Kd2? followed by a4?. Absurd double blunder
Carlsen vs Anand, 2014 
(B41) Sicilian, Kan, 38 moves, 1-0

Carlsen hangs a piece and Aronian misses it
Carlsen vs Aronian, 2012 
(C65) Ruy Lopez, Berlin Defense, 48 moves, 1/2-1/2

Article 7.5.2
Nakamura vs Topalov, 2016 
(E46) Nimzo-Indian, 42 moves, 1-0

No, this was not an online game, thus Re8 was not a mouse slip
Kasparov vs Le Quang Liem, 2017 
(E34) Nimzo-Indian, Classical, Noa Variation, 41 moves, 1-0

White blunders from winning to losing but black resigned
F Vallejo Pons vs J Santos Latasa, 2018 
(E34) Nimzo-Indian, Classical, Noa Variation, 68 moves, 1-0

white played the worst possible 3:rd move(if you disregard Qg4)
O Rigaud vs J Cooper, 1974 
(C30) King's Gambit Declined, 5 moves, 0-1

Kasparov blunders Qg4 and shows why he doesn't play poker
Anand vs Kasparov, 1996 
(B90) Sicilian, Najdorf, 54 moves, 1-0

Nigel Short forgets how the knight moves
Short vs Krasenkow, 2004 
(B33) Sicilian, 122 moves, 0-1

It's a worse position but Qf8?? was not the best defense
Kasparov vs Kramnik, 1994 
(B33) Sicilian, 36 moves, 1-0

A (not so) free pawn
C Mayet vs Harrwitz, 1848 
(D51) Queen's Gambit Declined, 8 moves, 0-1

Black gambits his king
E Schiller vs H Pack, 1969 
(C20) King's Pawn Game, 3 moves, 1-0

Black has two queens but it's still a dr... awww dang it
Anand vs Carlsen, 2013 
(E25) Nimzo-Indian, Samisch, 28 moves, 0-1

Kasparov played Qd1? due to distraction by arbiter
Kasparov vs Karpov, 1987  
(A13) English, 64 moves, 1-0

The worst game ever played at the top level?
Schiffers vs Chigorin, 1897 
(C20) King's Pawn Game, 34 moves, 1/2-1/2

Reshevsky gives checkma... up his queen and resigns
Reshevsky vs Savon, 1973 
(A77) Benoni, Classical, 9...Re8, 10.Nd2, 40 moves, 0-1

Mr Ivanchuk, please explain what's wrong with 29...Qh1#
Anand vs Ivanchuk, 1994 
(B17) Caro-Kann, Steinitz Variation, 42 moves, 1-0

Shankland resigns in a drawn position
Giri vs Shankland, 2019 
(C50) Giuoco Piano, 45 moves, 1-0

A shocking discovery, at least for Topalov
D Donchev vs Topalov, 1989 
(C04) French, Tarrasch, Guimard Main line, 19 moves, 1-0

Karpov overlooks a "subtle" threat
Karpov vs Sadler, 1998 
(A06) Reti Opening, 13 moves, 0-1

another example of what happens to loose pieces
Kramnik vs H Wang, 2013 
(D16) Queen's Gambit Declined Slav, 26 moves, 1-0

Even engines blunder!
P Lafuente vs Shredder, 2005 
(E32) Nimzo-Indian, Classical, 52 moves, 1-0

A pinned piece is a poor defender
Morozevich vs Gelfand, 2009 
(C24) Bishop's Opening, 31 moves, 1-0

Karjankin moves his king...and hangs the rook on a1
P H Nielsen vs Karjakin, 2005 
(D44) Queen's Gambit Declined Semi-Slav, 101 moves, 1-0

This is a brilliancy by black but f4? was a grave error
Larsen vs Spassky, 1970 
(A01) Nimzovich-Larsen Attack, 17 moves, 0-1

Carlos Torre resigns instead of playing the winning Rd6!!
Torre vs F E Parker, 1924 
(C55) Two Knights Defense, 29 moves, 0-1

Black makes an elementary endgame blunder(Kg4??)
Alekhine vs Bogoljubov, 1929 
(D51) Queen's Gambit Declined, 77 moves, 1-0

Bronstein plays Kc2?? instead of the drawing move Ne6+
Bronstein vs Botvinnik, 1951 
(B63) Sicilian, Richter-Rauzer Attack, 57 moves, 0-1

Don't forget the clock
Kasparov vs Karpov, 1987 
(A29) English, Four Knights, Kingside Fianchetto, 32 moves, 0-1

Taimanov blunders like a 1300 player
Taimanov vs Fischer, 1971 
(D80) Grunfeld, 47 moves, 0-1

Taimanov moves his king the wrong way
Fischer vs Taimanov, 1971 
(B44) Sicilian, 89 moves, 1-0

white enters a wrong colour rook pawn position with gxh6??
Chandler vs S Polgar, 1987 
(B33) Sicilian, 56 moves, 1/2-1/2

Beliavsky plays the worst possible move
A Beliavsky vs L E Johannessen, 2002 
(D58) Queen's Gambit Declined, Tartakower (Makagonov-Bondarevsky) Syst, 69 moves, 0-1

Fischer walks into a tactic and loses a piece
Najdorf vs Fischer, 1966 
(E75) King's Indian, Averbakh, Main line, 31 moves, 1-0

Another case of a GM forgetting how the knight moves
Bacrot vs E Inarkiev, 2008 
(C69) Ruy Lopez, Exchange, Gligoric Variation, 23 moves, 0-1

Young Boris Spassky places his knight en prise
Spassky vs Rodgaisky, 1948 
(B45) Sicilian, Taimanov, 8 moves, 0-1

White plays Qa4 relying on a pin, that doesn't exist
V Kirillov vs A S Blankstein, 1938 
(C04) French, Tarrasch, Guimard Main line, 10 moves, 0-1

Black blunders like a beginner and white resigns
K Darga vs Lengyel, 1964 
(A17) English, 41 moves, 0-1

White played Bg5?, walking right into his opponent's trap
V Knorre vs Chigorin, 1874 
(C50) Giuoco Piano, 14 moves, 0-1

Topalov self-pins and drops a piece
Ivanchuk vs Topalov, 2007 
(B90) Sicilian, Najdorf, 41 moves, 1-0

Magnus Carlsen hangs a knight
Carlsen vs So, 2020 
(000) Chess variants, 29 moves, 0-1

Firouzja does not know the oposition
Firouzja vs Carlsen, 2020 
(A07) King's Indian Attack, 69 moves, 0-1

Reshevsky plays the horrendous blunder Kg1??
Reshevsky vs Fischer, 1970 
(A32) English, Symmetrical Variation, 30 moves, 0-1

Qh8?? and the position goes from crushing for white to unclear
Lowenthal vs Morphy, 1858 
(C42) Petrov Defense, 44 moves, 1/2-1/2

Never play f6
Greco vs NN, 1620 
(C40) King's Knight Opening, 11 moves, 1-0

Bd2??
Reshevsky vs Smyslov, 1991 
(E38) Nimzo-Indian, Classical, 4...c5, 21 moves, 0-1

Bronstein plays d4?? hanging his queen
Korchnoi vs Bronstein, 1959 
(D51) Queen's Gambit Declined, 32 moves, 1-0

64 games

 » View all game collections by Timwestlund PGN Download
 » Search entire game collection library
 » Clone this game collection (copy it to your account)
 » FAQ: Help with Game Collections
Home | About | Login | Logout | F.A.Q. | Profile | Preferences | Premium Membership | Kibitzer's Café | Biographer's Bistro | New Kibitzing | Chessforums | Tournament Index | Player Directory | Notable Games | World Chess Championships | Opening Explorer | Guess the Move | Game Collections | ChessBookie Game | Chessgames Challenge | Store | Privacy Notice | Contact Us

Copyright 2001-2025, Chessgames Services LLC