Questions tagged [master-games]
Games played by demonstrably skilled players such as FIDE IMs and GMs, or those of similar strength pre-FIDE.
28
votes
6answers
5k views
Would studying the games of old players hurt my progress?
I was watching a video last night by Ben Finegold on Paul Morphy and some of his games. He mentioned that some current GMs would discount Morphy's ability since all of his opponents were "terrible". ...
1
vote
1answer
68 views
What are the most instructive Zurich 1953 games? [closed]
I'm a club player that never really figured out the importance of studying master games. Since I want to improve my middlegame understanding I read that Bronstein's Zurich 1953 is an excellent place ...
3
votes
1answer
130 views
Exchange sacrifice to dominate black squares in Najdorf
My question is a bit ambiguous and not that specific (it wouldn't be if I could remember more details):
I'm looking for a Najdorf game played against Lazaro Bruzon (or against Lenier?) probably ...
3
votes
2answers
93 views
Looking for a Horowitz game
I just remembered a puzzle from a Horowitz game in which he played white against an Italian (I believe) player whose name started with "M".
The black queen was defending f6, preventing Bxf6#. There ...
1
vote
1answer
62 views
From which top class game is the endgame motive?
I think this happened in Kasparov game but I am not sure about that. It was minor piece endgame with quite blocked queenside. Black took pawn on the kingside (h4 maybe) and white, instead of 'obvious' ...
3
votes
1answer
129 views
Q+N in attacking K
I've always been told that Q and N are very strong in attacking K. Could someone show me some real GM games where Q+N attack decides the game? (where at the end of the aggression, the attacking side ...
-2
votes
2answers
180 views
Why Miniature games at Master/ Grandmaster level?
We say that Grandmasters think of next many moves before moving a piece. Then how Miniature game happens( less than 25 moves)?
6
votes
3answers
196 views
Two questions about: Wesley So vs Varuzhan Akobian (2016)
http://www.chessgames.com/perl/chessgame?gid=1819775
[FEN ""]
[White "Wesley So"]
[Black "Varuzhan Akobian"]
1. e4 e6 2. d4 d5 3. Nc3 dxe4 4. Nxe4 Nd7 5. Nf3 Ngf6 6. Nxf6+
Nxf6 7. c3 c5 8. Be3 cxd4 ...
7
votes
3answers
172 views
Trying to locate a historical game in which the win involves sacrificing two rooks
I can't remember whether White won or Black won, but I've been wondering for years where I saw this game. I remember toward the end, only heavy pieces and pawns were left, and the winner sacrificed ...
7
votes
2answers
423 views
Could you help me to find which game this is?
When I was a kid, I remember reading a newspaper article about a chess game. The article was written as if the writer was one of the players. It was a pretty surprising game and it looked as if it was ...
9
votes
1answer
379 views
Because of the distortion of the computer era, is it preferable to study mainly old opening lines?
I realize that you get rather a lot of questions from lower-rated players who ask, should I try this? should I play that? how can I improve? Many of you have been extraordinarily patient with these ...
3
votes
4answers
1k views
Can watching grandmasters' games improve my chess 'thinking'?
Can my chess "thinking" (positional, tactical, strategic thinking, etc.) improve by watching grandmasters' games regularly? Of course, this is in addition to regular games/tactics solving etc.
As an ...
6
votes
3answers
2k views
Java Library for PGN parser
I would like to find a Java library that will allow me to read a PGN file that could contain several chess games, probably with comments inserted also. But, it won't be used to generate moves or play ...
5
votes
2answers
154 views
Examples of hidden gems
For the moment, I have a hard time finding time for chess due to studies, so for the time being, chess has to be a purely recreational activity for me. What I'm looking for are examples of beutiful ...
3
votes
4answers
330 views
Do sacrifices work mostly for Masters?
Many beautiful and celebrated master games feature heavy sacrifices of material that result in check mate, or at least the re-gaining of more material than was sacrificed. In most cases, the original ...
3
votes
1answer
153 views
Professional match where neither player castles?
Are there any professional matches from serious players where neither player castles during the course of the game?
3
votes
2answers
135 views
Does anyone have the game De Groot - Simmelink, correspondence 1996
First 12.5 moves were:
[FEN ""]
1. d4 Nf6 2. c4 Nc6 3. Nc3 e5 4. d5 Ne7 5. h4 Neg8 6. a3 a6 7. Nf3 Ng4 8.
Ng5 f5 9. Qc2 Bc5 10. e3 Ne7 11. Be2 Nf6 12. b4 Ba7 13. Bb2
Many thanks...
3
votes
2answers
144 views
A question about the time to evacuate a queen in a master game
I am studying a book about chess strategy, and in the chapter concerning the d4,e4 center I have this game:
(PACHMAN, VESELY, Pragues, 1953)
r1b2rk1/pp1nqppp/2pb1n2/4p3/2PP4/2N1PN2/P1Q1BPPP/R1B1R1K1 ...
4
votes
3answers
975 views
How long is a miniature?
A miniature is a short game of chess. Depending on the forums you ask in or the blogs you look at, the length of the miniature is always a problem.
Is there a standard number of moves under which the ...
3
votes
3answers
433 views
Chess games similar to Morphy versus the Duke of Brunswick and Count Isouard
In college I memorized a few chess games, and the only one that has stayed in my memory is Morphy vs. the Duke.
[fen ""]
[Event "Paris"]
[Site "Paris"]
[Date "1858"]
[Result "1-0"]
[White "Paul ...
6
votes
1answer
533 views
Has the 50 move rule been used in serious games?
There are a lot of questions about the 50-move rule; details on how to claim the draw, why the number 50, etc...
But the most interesting question seems to be whether the rule has ever been applied ...
5
votes
3answers
4k views
How do you analyze master games?
One of the pieces of advice (usually from masters) that I see over and over is that I should be analyzing master games. But how do I do that?
Most of the tactics are over my head (obviously the ...
12
votes
5answers
3k views
How does one memorize a chess game?
I study games from books, and would like to retain some of them in my memory, especially the opening part. I also want to remember my own games (I play about 5-10 tournament games - mostly against >...
8
votes
1answer
178 views
Where can I find a free list of a strong GM (2575+) annotated games?
Where can I find a free list of strong GM (2575+) annotated games?
8
votes
3answers
245 views
Why isn't there a big advantage in this position for black?
I was browsing some interesting games, and found this one "Jerzy Lewi vs Jan Adamski" (1969):
[fen "r1b2r1k/1pq3bp/8/3Qp2n/1P1n1pp1/2NP2P1/3BPPBP/1R2NRK1 b - - 0 0"]
1... Qxc3 2. Bxc3 Nxe2+ 3. Kh1 ...
5
votes
3answers
594 views
Best book with several annotated games by top GMs with the Dutch
I'm looking for annotated games by top GMs featuring the Dutch defense. These could be in a book with lots of other non-Dutch games. Unfortunately Botvinnik's "Botvinnik: One Hundred Selected Games" ...
4
votes
3answers
346 views
Why did Black resign this game?
This is a game between Jose Raul Capablanca and Viacheslav Ragozin, Moscow 1935:
[FEN ""]
1.d4 Nf6 2.c4 e6 3.Nc3 Bb4 4.a3 Bxc3+ 5.bxc3 d6 6.Qc2 O-O 7.e4 e5 8.Bd3 c5 9.Ne2 Nc6 10.d5 Ne7? 11.f3 Nd7 12....
11
votes
2answers
408 views
Annotated games in the Makogonov Grünfeld?
I would appreciate references to sources, be they books or any other sort of media, that contain annotated games in the Makogonov Variation of the Grünfeld Defense (two possible move-orders for which ...
7
votes
1answer
241 views
Did Reinfeld make a mistake?
One of the illustrative games featured in Fred Reinfeld's The Complete Chessplayer is a game between A. Muffang - P. Devos, France-Belgium 1948:
[FEN ""]
1. d4 d5 2. c4 dxc4 3. Nf3 Nf6 4. e3 e6 5. ...
5
votes
3answers
612 views
Are there any examples of high-level games in which the game was resigned or drawn without any captures?
Are there examples of high-level games which were resigned or drawn before any captures were made? Along similar lines, what game had the most moves before a capture was made?
Edit: I'm especially ...
9
votes
1answer
757 views
Why 8…Na6 was played in the immortal draw?
From the other question: Is there a "perfect" game? , an interesting game came up:
[fen ""]
[title "Hamppe-Meitner, Vienna"]
1.e4 e5 2.Nc3 Bc5 3.Na4 Bxf2+ 4.Kxf2 Qh4+ 5.Ke3 Qf4+ 6.Kd3 d5 7....
