The Most Amazing Games By Chess Amateurs
Chess literature is full of amazing games by grandmasters. Yet, there are tens of millions of games played around the world every day, the vast majority of them by untitled players. On average, a grandmaster game will be higher quality, but the collective minds of the rest of us produce brilliant ideas all the time. Let's take a look at some of the greatest moments in the history of amateur chess. All of these games were played by people with no FIDE titles, and who view chess as a hobby, not a livelihood.
- 5. Baldvinsson - Thorfinnsson
- 4. Tanaka - Gagunashvili
- 3. Morel - Edouard
- 2. Mackenzie - Pruess
- 1. Catig - Mills
5. Baldvinsson - Thorfinnsson: A Shocking Checkmate
Loftur Baldvinsson is an Icelandic chess player. He's played many tournaments through the years, with a fairly consistent level between 1800 and 2000 Elo FIDE. This makes him a strong player, but well below master level. Yet, on a good day, he can beat anyone. Just check out his 2015 upset of a young GM Hans Niemann.
But I think Baldvinsson's greatest performance was a 2013 slugfest with IM Bragi Thorfinnsson. Black was much higher rated, played a successful opening, and seemed on his way to victory, but that's when Baldvinsson began sacrificing to get at the black king. First he gave a pawn, then a rook, then a bishop. Finally, right before Black resigned, White was ready to checkmate with his last remaining piece, while behind by two rooks and a knight!
4. Tanaka - Gagunashvili
GM Daniel Naroditsky began a story about his friend, Christian Tanaka: In round four, Christian—14 years old and rated 2116—faced the strong Georgian GM Merab Gagunashvili, one of the pre-tournament favorites at 2625. "So how did he crush you?" Christian's friends must have asked after he left the tournament hall less than two hours after the game began...
In their game, Christian played calm developing moves, controlling the center and finding good squares for his pieces. Meanwhile, his grandmaster opponent tried a surprising opening, delayed development for a positional maneuver, and got himself crushed!
3. Morel - Edouard
Anthony Morel was a young, talented chess player in 2014, when he faced a strong grandmaster, Romain Edouard. Edouard had been on GM Veselin Topalov's team, preparing him for world championship matches. Morel was a 1700-rated teenager, but he knew sound tactics and positional strategy, and was ready to pounce when his esteemed opponent made a couple serious mistakes early on. This game demonstrates that you can't take any opponent, even one 900 points below your rating, too lightly.
2. Mackenzie - Pruess
NM Dana Mackenzie is a huge chess enthusiast. He recently turned his decades of blogging into a book, Did You Come Here To Play Chess Or To Have Fun? Mackenzie is a strong player, but heading into this 2006 game with IM David Pruess, the odds were against him. Yet, Pruess made the mistake of walking into Mackenzie's favorite insane gambit line, one that he had practiced many times against an engine. He had even worked out his "Five Commandments of the Bryntse Gambit."
- Thou Shalt Not Open Files
- Thou Shalt Exchange One Of Thy Knights For Black's Bishop
- Thou Shalt Keep Black's Queen Under Lock And Key
- Thou Shalt Not Covet Thy Opponent's Material
- Thou Shalt Be Patient For Time Is On Thy Side
Mackenzie used all of this experience to play the game of his life!
You can hear more of Mackenzie's stories in his appearance on the Perpetual Chess Podcast.
1. Catig - Mills
Our final game was a story that IM Jeremy Silman loved to tell. He called it the greatest amateur chess game of all time, and it's hard to argue. Neither player was especially strong, or even having a good tournament that weekend. Yet, relying on what he learned from studying The Art Of Attack, Michael Mills played a game that won a brilliancy prize, ahead of the grandmasters and national champions who were competing for first in the tournament.
More than half a century after the game was played, Game Review still awards Mills four brilliant moves in his beautiful mating attack.
Check out NM Sam Copeland's review of this amazing game:
Anyone can play a chess game for the ages. It might even be your next game. Time to play!
What's the best amateur chess game that you've ever seen? Let us know in the comments!
