Top 10 Games

1. Reti,R - Bogoljubow,E [A13] Top 10 games: New York, 1924

A game with everything right: strong strategic theme, neat tactical finish. 25 moves of great polish.

1.Nf3 d5 2.c4 e6 3.g3 Nf6 4.Bg2 Bd6 5.0-0 0-0 6.b3 Re8 7.Bb2 Nbd7 8.d4 c6 9.Nbd2 Ne4 10.Nxe4 dxe4 11.Ne5 f5 12.f3 exf3 13.Bxf3 Qc7 14.Nxd7 Bxd7 15.e4 15...e5 16.c5 Bf8 17.Qc2 exd4 18.exf5 Rad8 19.Bh5 Re5 20.Bxd4 Rxf5 21.Rxf5 Bxf5 22.Qxf5 Rxd4 23.Rf1 Rd8 24.Bf7+ Kh8 25.Be8 1-0

2. Byrne,R - Fischer,R [E60] Top 10 games: , 1963

A wonderfully clear, crisp game - everything I like about Fischer's chess.

1.d4 Nf6 2.c4 g6 3.g3 c6 4.Bg2 d5 5.cxd5 cxd5 6.Nc3 Bg7 7.e3 0-0 8.Nge2 Nc6 9.0-0 b6 10.b3 Ba6 11.Ba3 "...at worse completely safe. To turn this into a mating position in eleven more moves is more witchcraft than chess!" -- KIRBY 11...Re8 12.Qd2 e5 13.dxe5 Nxe5 14.Rfd1 Nd3 15.Qc2 15...Nxf2 16.Kxf2 Ng4+ 17.Kg1 Nxe3 18.Qd2 Nxg2 Eliminating the defensive bishop rather than snatching at material 19.Kxg2 d4 20.Nxd4 Bb7+ 21.Kf1 As Byrne resigned, GMs in the press room were still arguing that White was winning. 21...Qd7 White resigns. 0-1

3. Reti,R - Alekhine,A [A00] Top 10 games: Baden Baden (8), 1925

It's not so much the chess by itself that impresses me here as the man: such sustained courage and drive.

1.g3 e5 2.Nf3 e4 3.Nd4 d5 4.d3 exd3 5.Qxd3 Nf6 6.Bg2 Bb4+ 7.Bd2 Bxd2+ 8.Nxd2 0-0 9.c4 Na6 10.cxd5 Nb4 11.Qc4 Nbxd5 12.N2b3 c6 13.0-0 Re8 14.Rfd1 Bg4 15.Rd2 Qc8 16.Nc5 Bh3 17.Bf3 Bg4 18.Bg2 Bh3 19.Bf3 Bg4 20.Bh1 h5 21.b4 a6 22.Rc1 h4 23.a4 hxg3 24.hxg3 Qc7 25.b5 axb5 26.axb5 26...Re3 27.Nf3 cxb5 28.Qxb5 Nc3 29.Qxb7 Qxb7 30.Nxb7 Nxe2+ 31.Kh2 Ne4 32.Rc4 Nxf2 33.Bg2 Be6 34.Rcc2 Ng4+ 35.Kh3 Ne5+ 36.Kh2 Rxf3 37.Rxe2 Ng4+ 38.Kh3 Ne3+ 39.Kh2 Nxc2 40.Bxf3 Nd4 0-1

4. Bernstein,O - Capablanca,J [D63] Top 10 games: style: Capablanca the elegant, 1914

A chestnut, but a most deft and elegant chestnut

1.d4 d5 2.c4 e6 3.Nc3 Nf6 4.Nf3 Be7 5.Bg5 0-0 6.e3 Nbd7 7.Rc1 b6 8.cxd5 exd5 9.Qa4 Bb7 10.Ba6 Bxa6 11.Qxa6 c5 12.Bxf6 Nxf6 13.dxc5 bxc5 14.0-0 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

5. Samisch - Nimzovitch [E18] Top 10 games: pawn mobility: restraint, 1923

Neither deft nor elegant, but has the same mark of genius.

1.d4 Nf6 2.c4 e6 3.Nf3 b6 4.g3 Bb7 5.Bg2 Be7 6.Nc3 0-0 7.0-0 d5 8.Ne5 c6 9.cxd5 cxd5 10.Bf4 a6 ( idea b5 ) 11.Rc1 b5 12.Qb3 Nc6 "the ghost!" ( idea Na5-c4 ) 13.Nxc6 Bxc6 14.h3 Qd7 15.Kh2 Nh5 ( or Qd2 & Nd7-b6-c4 ) 16.Bd2 f5 17.Qd1 b4 18.Nb1 Bb5 19.Rg1 Bd6 20.e4 fxe4 ! 21.Qxh5 Rxf2 22.Qg5 Raf8 23.Kh1 R8f5 24.Qe3 Bd3 25.Rce1 h6 0-1 samisch-nimzo.( zugzwang! if Kh2 or g4, Rf3 winning wQ ) 26.g4 0-1

6. Bogoljubov Efim - Alekhine Alexander [A90] Top 10 games: Hastings, 1922

The most brilliant game ever played?

1.d4 f5 2.c4 Nf6 3.g3 e6 4.Bg2 Bb4+ 5.Bd2 Bxd2+ 6.Nxd2 Nc6 7.Ngf3 0-0 8.0-0 d6 9.Qb3 Kh8 10.Qc3 e5 11.e3 a5 12.b3 Qe8 13.a3 Qh5 14.h4 Ng4 15.Ng5 Bd7 16.f3 Nf6 17.f4 e4 18.Rfd1 h6 19.Nh3 d5 20.Nf1 Ne7 21.a4 Nc6 22.Rd2 Nb4 23.Bh1 Qe8 24.Rg2 dxc4 25.bxc4 Bxa4 26.Nf2 Bd7 27.Nd2 b5 28.Nd1 Nd3 29.Rxa5 b4 30.Rxa8 bxc3 31.Rxe8 c2 32.Rxf8+ Kh7 33.Nf2 c1Q+ 0-1

7. Tal,M - Simagin (Leningrad ch-SU) [B07] Top 10 games: Lessons from Tal: sacrifice (, 1956

So many Tal brilliancies, but this early (flawed) example remains my favourite.

1.e4 c6 2.d4 d6 3.Nc3 Nf6 4.f4 Qb6 5.Nf3 Bg4 6.Be2 Nbd7 7.e5 Nd5 8.0-0 Nxc3 9.bxc3 9...e6 [9...Bxf3 10.Bxf3 dxe5 11.fxe5 Nxe5 12.Ba3] 10.Ng5 Bxe2 11.Qxe2 h6 12.Nxf7 Easy to see, hard to play! Spielmann calls this a 'real' sacrifice as opposed to those sacrificial combinations where the hoped-for gain is clear and short- term. 12...Kxf7 13.f5 dxe5 14.fxe6+ Kxe6 15.Rb1 Qxb1 16.Qc4+ Kd6 17.Ba3+ Kc7 18.Rxb1 Bxa3 19.Qb3 Be7 20.Qxb7+ Kd6 21.dxe5+ Nxe5 22.Rd1+ Ke6 23.Qb3+ Kf5 24.Rf1+ 24...Ke4 [24...Kg6 25.Qe6+ Bf6 26.Qf5+ Kf7 27.Qxe5] 25.Re1+ Kf5 26.g4+ Kf6 27.Rf1+ Kg6 28.Qe6+ Kh7 29.Qxe5 Rhe8 30.Rf7 Bf8 tal-simagin (23rd USSR ch'p)/sacrifice: unclear ('genuine' - Spielmann) 1956/1-0 (45) 1-0

8. Pillsbury,H - Tarrasch,S [D55] Top 10 games: Hastings Hastings, 1895

That's how to start your international tournament career: an all-out King's-side attack against the great Dr.Tarrasch, burning his boats on the Queen's-side as he goes. I found Pillsbury's vigour and enterprise so exciting when I first cam across it, and still do.

1.d4 d5 2.c4 e6 3.Nc3 Nf6 4.Bg5 Be7 5.Nf3 Nbd7 6.Rc1 0-0 7.e3 b6 8.cxd5 exd5 9.Bd3 Bb7 10.0-0 c5 11.Re1 c4 12.Bb1 a6 13.Ne5 b5 14.f4 Re8 15.Qf3 Nf8 16.Ne2 Ne4 17.Bxe7 Rxe7 18.Bxe4 dxe4 19.Qg3 f6 20.Ng4 Kh8 21.f5 Qd7 22.Rf1 Rd8 23.Rf4 Qd6 24.Qh4 Rde8 25.Nc3 Bd5 26.Nf2 Qc6 27.Rf1 b4 28.Ne2 Qa4 29.Ng4 Nd7 30.R4f2 Kg8 31.Nc1 c3 32.b3 Qc6 33.h3 a5 34.Nh2 a4 35.g4 axb3 36.axb3 Ra8 37.g5 Ra3 38.Ng4 Bxb3 39.Rg2 Kh8 40.gxf6 gxf6 41.Nxb3 Rxb3 42.Nh6 Rg7 43.Rxg7 Kxg7 44.Qg3+ Kxh6 45.Kh1 Qd5 46.Rg1 Qxf5 47.Qh4+ Qh5 48.Qf4+ Qg5 49.Rxg5 fxg5 50.Qd6+ Kh5 51.Qxd7 c2 52.Qxh7# 1-0

9. Petrosian,T - Spassky,B [E66] Top 10 games: Wch26-Moscow (10), 1966

The famous finale is but the cymbal crash after a long drum-roll; Petrosian dominates Spassky on the board but also psychologically.

1.Nf3 Nf6 2.g3 g6 3.c4 Bg7 4.Bg2 0-0 5.0-0 Nc6 6.Nc3 d6 7.d4 a6 8.d5 Na5 9.Nd2 c5 10.Qc2 e5 [10...Rb8!?] 11.b3? [11.a3 b6 12.b4 Nb7 13.Rb1 <<] 11...Ng4 12.e4 [12.Bb2 f5 13.Rae1!?] 12...f5 13.exf5 gxf5 14.Nd1!? [14.Bb2! Bd7 15.Rae1 b5 16.Nd12] 14...b5 15.f3? [15.Bb2 Rb8 16.f3 Nf6 17.Bc3 Bh6 18.Re1] 15...e4! 16.Bb2 exf3 17.Bxf3 Bxb2 18.Qxb2 Ne5 19.Be2 f4! [19...Ra7!?] 20.gxf4 [20.Rxf4 Rxf4 21.gxf4 Ng6 22.Ne4 Nxf4 23.Ndf2 Ra7] 20...Bh3? Petrosian is a master of chess judo: inviting his opponent forward until he topples. Here he launches an attack without having a piece further forward than the second rank! [20...Rxf4 21.Ne3 Qg5+ 22.Kh1 Rxf1+ 23.Ndxf1 Ra7w] 21.Ne3! ! 21...Bxf1 [21...Rxf4? 22.Rxf4 Qg5+ 23.Rg4! (23.Kh1 Qxf4 24.Rg1+5) 23...Nxg4 24.Nxg4 Bxg4 25.Bxg4 Qxg4+ 26.Kh1 Qd4! 27.Rg1+ Kh8 28.Qxd4+ cxd4 29.Rg41 _|_] 22.Rxf1 Ng6 <= [22...Nd7 23.Bg4 Qf6] 23.Bg4 Nxf4? [23...Rxf4? 24.Be6+ Kf8 25.Rxf4+ Nxf4 26.Qh8++-; 23...Qf6! 24.Be6+ Kh8 25.Qxf6+ Rxf6 26.f5 Ne5 27.Ne4!1] 24.Rxf4! Rxf4 25.Be6+ Rf7 26.Ne4 Qh4 [26...Raa7 27.Nf5 Qf8 28.Qf6+-] 27.Nxd6 Qg5+ [27...Qe1+ 28.Kg2 Qxe3 29.Bxf7+ Kf8 30.Qh8+ Ke7 31.Nf5+ Kxf7 32.Qg7+ and 33.Nxe3 +-] 28.Kh1 Raa7 In just eight moves Petrosian has tripped and leg-locked his opponent. The finish is attractive, and worth noting. [28...Qxe3 29.Bxf7+ Kf8 30.Qh8+ Ke7 31.Nf5+ Kxf7 32.Qg7+ and 33.Nxe3] 29.Bxf7+ Rxf7 30.Qh8+! 1-0

10. Karpov,A - Kasparov,G [D55] Top 10 games: style: Karpov keeping control (4), 1985

I am not one of those who found Karpov's calm and neat chess disappointing after Fischer's dynamism; on the contrary, his calm and neat chess is wholly admirable.

1.d4 d5 2.c4 e6 3.Nc3 Be7 4.Nf3 Nf6 5.Bg5 h6 6.Bxf6 Bxf6 7.e3 0-0 8.Qc2 Na6 9.Rd1 c5 10.dxc5 Qa5 11.cxd5 Nxc5 12.Qd2 Rd8 13.Nd4 exd5 14.Be2 Qb6 15.0-0 Ne4 16.Qc2 Nxc3 17.Qxc3 Be6 18.Qc2 Rac8 19.Qb1 Rc7 20.Rd2 Rdc8 21.Nxe6 fxe6 22.Bg4 Rc4 23.h3 Qc6 24.Qd3 Kh8 25.Rfd1 a5 26.b3 Rc3 27.Qe2 Rf8 28.Bh5 b5 29.Bg6 Bd8 30.Bd3 b4 31.Qg4 Qe8 32.e4 Black's exposed pawns are given a push. The trouble with having three pawn islands is the same problem plate spinners have: one is easy, two is harder... 32...Bg5 33.Rc2 Rxc2 34.Bxc2 Qc6 35.Qe2 Qc5 36.Rf1 Qc3 37.exd5 exd5 38.Bb1 Qd2 39.Qe5 Rd8 40.Qf5 Kg8 41.Qe6+ Kh8 42.Qg6 Kg8 43.Qe6+ Kh8 44.Bf5 Qc3 45.Qg6 Kg8 46.Be6+ Kh8 47.Bf5 Kg8 48.g3 Kf8 49.Kg2 Qf6 50.Qh7 Qf7 51.h4 Bd2 52.Rd1 Bc3 53.Rd3 Rd6 54.Rf3 Ke7 55.Qh8 d4 56.Qc8 Rf6 57.Qc5+ Ke8 58.Rf4 Qb7+ 59.Re4+ Kf7 60.Qc4+ Kf8 61.Bh7 Rf7 62.Qe6 Qd7 63.Qe5 Black has to let a plate drop. 1-0