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Classic Grandmaster Games

Game 1

This was the 16th game in the World Championship match of 1985, a game that was deeply prepared for by Kasparov who later said that the position on the board at move 19 was one he had considered in his pre-match analysis! This game is remarkable because Kasparov totally outplayed Karpov, himself one of the best players of all time, to a point where many of white's pieces were out of position at one point. Look out for the powerful knight on d3, black's rooks controlling the c and e files and the overall coordination of black's pieces. These factors gave Kasparov the advantage but the game still had to be won and Kasparov was clinical.  

  

Game 2

What can you say about Bobby Fischer? This game is simply sensational. White makes a minor mistake in the opening which gives Fischer the chance to open the game up leading to an advantage but not victory. Just admire black's 17th move Be6!! sacrificing the queen. Whilst a modern computer can find this move easily how many mere mortals would see the sacrifice and the lines that follow allowing black to recapture the queen's value and more in minor pieces and pawns through a series of repetitive checks? Even then the game is not won but Fischer, aged only 13 at the time, proceeds to force the white king along the first rank towards mate. Voted in Chess review as the game of the 20th century.  

Game 3

This is another brilliant game by Kasparov played at the Wijk aan Zee tournament in 1999. Topalov plays a Pirc defence and Kasparov takes a typical dragon Sicilian set up for white against it aiming to exchange off black's dark squared bishop. There follows a period of manoeuvring until, on move 24, Kasparov sacrifices a rook in order to open paths to the black king. A knight is also sacrificed but the black king is stuck amongst pawns on the A file. This provides plenty of tactical opportunities but the game still needs to be won. White's stunning 36th and 37th moves end any hope for black for when the dust settles white has too much material for black to continue fighting.    

More games to follow shortly

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