Classic games
Classic Chess Games: Edited Studies and Complete Replays
The library contains 129 complete replay records centred on Morphy, Anderssen, Capablanca, Tal, Fischer and Kasparov. 19 games include additional authored notes at selected moments; the remaining 110 are clearly labelled reference replays. Every record has a synchronized board, legal PGN main line, opening reference, observable board facts and a short set of practice positions.
On this page
This is a selected collection of decisive wins by six featured players, not a representative history of tournament chess and not a ranking of the greatest games. The figures below describe only the records in this library.
Library at a glance
- Complete replay records
- 129
- Edited studies / reference replays
- 19 / 110
- Years covered
- 1851–2005
- Game length (Q1 / median / Q3)
- 26 / 32 / 38 full moves
- Recorded plies
- 8,231
- Half-moves by phase (opening / middlegame / endgame)
- 2,570 / 5,201 / 460
- Scores ending in checkmate
- 13 of 129
Famous games
- The Immortal Game: Anderssen vs Kieseritzky (1851)
Adolf Anderssen vs Lionel Kieseritzky · London (casual) 1851 - The Opera Game: Morphy vs the Duke and Count (1858)
Paul Morphy vs Duke Karl of Brunswick and Count Isouard · Paris Opera 1858 - The Game of the Century: Byrne vs Fischer (1956)
Donald Byrne vs Robert James Fischer · New York Rosenwald 1956 - The Game That Won Fischer the Crown
Boris V Spassky vs Robert James Fischer · World Championship 28th 1972 - Kasparov vs Karpov: Preparing e4
Garry Kasparov vs Anatoly Karpov · World Championship 32th-KK2 1985
Wondering who else belongs on this list? See the complete lineage of world chess champions.
All edited studies
- Kasparov vs Ivanchuk: The Central Break (Garry Kasparov vs Vassily Ivanchuk, 1988)
- Fischer's Najdorf Counterstrike (Robert E Byrne vs Robert James Fischer, 1967)
- Anderssen's Evans Gambit King Hunt (Adolf Anderssen vs Jean Dufresne, 1851)
- Fischer vs Petrosian: The Seventh Game (Robert James Fischer vs Tigran V Petrosian, 1971)
- Capablanca vs Marshall: Meeting the Schliemann (Jose Raul Capablanca vs Frank James Marshall, 1909)
- Alekhine vs Capablanca: Future Champions Meet (Alexander Alekhine vs Jose Raul Capablanca, 1913)
- Tal vs Geller in the Open Ruy (Mikhail Tal vs Efim P Geller, 1967)
- Capablanca's Breakthrough at San Sebastian (Jose Raul Capablanca vs Amos Burn, 1911)
- Kasparov vs Karpov: Preparing e4 (Garry Kasparov vs Anatoly Karpov, 1985)
- Fischer vs Bolbochan: The Knight on d5 (Robert James Fischer vs Julio Bolbochan, 1962)
- Capablanca's Active-King Endgame (Jose Raul Capablanca vs Saviely Tartakower, 1928)
- Morphy's Lead in Development (Paul Morphy vs Adolf Anderssen, 1858)
- The Game That Won Fischer the Crown (Boris V Spassky vs Robert James Fischer, 1972)
- Fischer vs Gligoric: Race to the King (Robert James Fischer vs Svetozar Gligoric, 1959)
- Capablanca's Rook Offer on e6 (Jose Raul Capablanca vs Charles Jaffe, 1910)
- Tal's Rook Sacrifice at Nice (Mikhail Tal vs Lhamsuren Myagmarsuren, 1974)
- The Immortal Game: Anderssen vs Kieseritzky (1851) (Adolf Anderssen vs Lionel Kieseritzky, 1851)
- The Opera Game: Morphy vs the Duke and Count (1858) (Paul Morphy vs Duke Karl of Brunswick and Count Isouard, 1858)
- The Game of the Century: Byrne vs Fischer (1956) (Donald Byrne vs Robert James Fischer, 1956)
Complete replay library by featured player
Tal
- Mikhail Tal vs Jiri Fichtl, 1964 · 40 full moves · replay record
- Anatoly Bannik vs Mikhail Tal, 1955 · 31 full moves · replay record
- Imre Varasdy vs Mikhail Tal, 1986 · 44 full moves · replay record
- Mikhail Tal vs Hetman, 1963 · 30 full moves · replay record
- Boris F Gulko vs Mikhail Tal, 1977 · 36 full moves · replay record
- Mikhail Tal vs Andrey Peterson, 1965 · 27 full moves · replay record
- Mikhail Tal vs Ivan Radulov, 1973 · 41 full moves · replay record
- Eduard Bukhman vs Mikhail Tal, 1967 · 33 full moves · replay record
- Mikhail Tal vs Efim P Geller, 1967 · 24 full moves · edited study
- Mikhail Tal vs Anatoly M Kremenietsky, 1990 · 38 full moves · replay record
- Gennadi Zaichik vs Mikhail Tal, 1986 · 29 full moves · replay record
- Mikhail Tal vs Miguel Najdorf, 1970 · 43 full moves · replay record
- Mikhail Tal vs Juan Manuel Bellon Lopez, 1977 · 35 full moves · replay record
- Mikhail Tal vs Aivars Gipslis, 1958 · 26 full moves · replay record
- Mikhail Tal vs Aleksandrs Koblencs, 1954 · 41 full moves · replay record
- Norman Littlewood vs Mikhail Tal, 1963 · 32 full moves · replay record
- Mikhail Tal vs Margeir Petursson, 1987 · 46 full moves · replay record
- Mikhail Tal vs Alexander N Zaitsev, 1969 · 21 full moves · replay record
- Iivo Nei vs Mikhail Tal, 1979 · 37 full moves · replay record
- Vladimir K Doroshkievich vs Mikhail Tal, 1975 · 28 full moves · replay record
- Mikhail Tal vs Georgy K Borisenko, 1964 · 42 full moves · replay record
- Mikhail Tal vs Lhamsuren Myagmarsuren, 1974 · 34 full moves · edited study
Anderssen
- Johannes Hermann Zukertort vs Adolf Anderssen, 1864 · 27 full moves · replay record
- Adolf Anderssen vs Louis Paulsen, 1876 · 43 full moves · replay record
- Adolf Anderssen vs Jean Dufresne, 1851 · 31 full moves · edited study
- Adolf Anderssen vs Victor Knorre, 1865 · 34 full moves · replay record
- Adolf Anderssen vs Gustav Richard Neumann, 1866 · 23 full moves · replay record
- Emil Schallopp vs Adolf Anderssen, 1864 · 39 full moves · replay record
- Serafino Dubois vs Adolf Anderssen, 1862 · 30 full moves · replay record
- Adolf Anderssen vs Johann Jacob Loewenthal, 1851 · 20 full moves · replay record
- Carl Mayet vs Adolf Anderssen, 1855 · 37 full moves · replay record
- Adolf Anderssen vs Carl Mayet, 1855 · 26 full moves · replay record
- Adolf Anderssen vs Jozsef Szen, 1851 · 42 full moves · replay record
- H. Kloos vs Adolf Anderssen, 1861 · 19 full moves · replay record
- Bruno Schurig vs Adolf Anderssen, 1855 · 22 full moves · replay record
- Johann Jacob Loewenthal vs Adolf Anderssen, 1851 · 38 full moves · replay record
- Adolf Anderssen vs Louis Paulsen, 1862 · 29 full moves · replay record
- William Steinitz vs Adolf Anderssen, 1870 · 45 full moves · replay record
- Carl Mayet vs Adolf Anderssen, 1855 · 45 full moves · replay record
- Johannes Hermann Zukertort vs Adolf Anderssen, 1868 · 35 full moves · replay record
- Adolf Anderssen vs Jean Dufresne, 1855 · 25 full moves · replay record
- Johannes Von Minckwitz vs Adolf Anderssen, 1871 · 40 full moves · replay record
- George Alcock MacDonnell vs Adolf Anderssen, 1862 · 31 full moves · replay record
- Adolf Anderssen vs Lionel Kieseritzky, 1851 · 23 full moves · edited study
Kasparov
- Garry Kasparov vs Vassily Ivanchuk, 1988 · 24 full moves · edited study
- Garry Kasparov vs R Ponomariov, 2002 · 38 full moves · replay record
- Garry Kasparov vs Joseph Nigra Meyer, 2004 · 30 full moves · replay record
- Garry Kasparov vs Miguel Illescas Cordoba, 1994 · 43 full moves · replay record
- Lubomir Kavalek vs Garry Kasparov, 1982 · 27 full moves · replay record
- Alexei Shirov vs Garry Kasparov, 1997 · 40 full moves · replay record
- Garry Kasparov vs Evgeny Bareev, 1991 · 33 full moves · replay record
- Ortvin Sarapu vs Garry Kasparov, 1982 · 46 full moves · replay record
- Garry Kasparov vs A. Prieto, 1991 · 21 full moves · replay record
- Garry Kasparov vs M Mchedlishvili, 2002 · 37 full moves · replay record
- Garry Kasparov vs Albalate Paco, 1997 · 29 full moves · replay record
- Garry Kasparov vs Anatoly Karpov, 1985 · 42 full moves · edited study
- Garry Kasparov vs H Banikas, 2001 · 34 full moves · replay record
- Garry Kasparov vs E Vladimirov, 2001 · 25 full moves · replay record
- V Babula vs Garry Kasparov, 2001 · 44 full moves · replay record
- Garry Kasparov vs Steve Brown, 1998 · 20 full moves · replay record
- R Kasimdzhanov vs Garry Kasparov, 2005 · 36 full moves · replay record
- Garry Kasparov vs Alexander G Beliavsky, 1992 · 28 full moves · replay record
- Gata Kamsky vs Garry Kasparov, 1992 · 41 full moves · replay record
Capablanca
- Abraham Kupchik vs Jose Raul Capablanca, 1926 · 39 full moves · replay record
- Frank James Marshall vs Jose Raul Capablanca, 1927 · 34 full moves · replay record
- Jose Raul Capablanca vs Vladas Mikenas, 1939 · 26 full moves · replay record
- Eugene Znosko Borovsky vs Jose Raul Capablanca, 1913 · 37 full moves · replay record
- Jose Raul Capablanca vs Frank James Marshall, 1909 · 32 full moves · edited study
- Alexander Alekhine vs Jose Raul Capablanca, 1913 · 42 full moves · edited study
- Jose Raul Capablanca vs Herman Steiner, 1933 · 25 full moves · replay record
- Jose Raul Capablanca vs Jacques Mieses, 1935 · 35 full moves · replay record
- Vera Menchik vs Jose Raul Capablanca, 1929 · 29 full moves · replay record
- E. Price vs Jose Raul Capablanca, 1929 · 38 full moves · replay record
- Mario Monticelli vs Jose Raul Capablanca, 1929 · 33 full moves · replay record
- Jose Raul Capablanca vs Amos Burn, 1911 · 46 full moves · edited study
- Murray Smith vs Jose Raul Capablanca, 1911 · 25 full moves · replay record
- Joaquim Font vs Jose Raul Capablanca, 1929 · 36 full moves · replay record
- Jose Raul Capablanca vs Edward Lasker, 1926 · 30 full moves · replay record
- Jose Raul Capablanca vs Saviely Tartakower, 1928 · 40 full moves · edited study
- Jose Raul Capablanca vs Edward Tennenwurzel, 1913 · 35 full moves · replay record
- Fedor Parfenovich Bohatirchuk vs Jose Raul Capablanca, 1925 · 28 full moves · replay record
- Jose Raul Capablanca vs Salo Flohr, 1938 · 37 full moves · replay record
- Jose Raul Capablanca vs P. Soler, 1929 · 32 full moves · replay record
- LM. Brown vs Jose Raul Capablanca, 1919 · 43 full moves · replay record
- Jose Raul Capablanca vs Charles Jaffe, 1910 · 20 full moves · edited study
Morphy
- Jules Arnous De Riviere vs Paul Morphy, 1863 · 24 full moves · replay record
- Augustus Mongredien vs Paul Morphy, 1859 · 18 full moves · replay record
- Paul Morphy vs G. Hammond, 1859 · 22 full moves · replay record
- Theodor Lichtenhein vs Paul Morphy, 1857 · 34 full moves · replay record
- Paul Morphy vs NN, 1858 · 23 full moves · replay record
- Paul Morphy vs George Webb Medley, 1858 · 26 full moves · replay record
- Alexander Beaufort Meek vs Paul Morphy, 1855 · 21 full moves · replay record
- Alexander Beaufort Meek vs Paul Morphy, 1857 · 31 full moves · replay record
- Paul Morphy vs J. Preti, 1858 · 24 full moves · replay record
- Paul Morphy vs Johann Jacob Loewenthal, 1858 · 28 full moves · replay record
- Thomas Wilson Barnes vs Paul Morphy, 1858 · 22 full moves · replay record
- Paul Morphy vs Bornemann, 1858 · 32 full moves · replay record
- Paul Morphy vs NN, 1856 · 20 full moves · replay record
- Paul Morphy vs Adolf Anderssen, 1858 · 25 full moves · edited study
- Paul Morphy vs Adolf Anderssen, 1858 · 19 full moves · replay record
- Paul Morphy vs Celso Golmayo Zupide, 1864 · 29 full moves · replay record
- Paul Morphy vs Paul Ross, 1858 · 24 full moves · replay record
- Paul Morphy vs Jules Arnous De Riviere, 1863 · 34 full moves · replay record
- Paul Morphy vs Frederic Lewis, 1858 · 28 full moves · replay record
- Paul Morphy vs H. Baucher, 1858 · 27 full moves · replay record
- Paul Morphy vs Duke Karl of Brunswick and Count Isouard, 1858 · 17 full moves · edited study
Fischer
- Robert E Byrne vs Robert James Fischer, 1967 · 28 full moves · edited study
- Arthur Bernard Bisguier vs Robert James Fischer, 1961 · 41 full moves · replay record
- Robert James Fischer vs Tigran V Petrosian, 1971 · 34 full moves · edited study
- Robert James Fischer vs Robert Graham Wade, 1960 · 45 full moves · replay record
- Robert James Fischer vs Albert Sandrin, 1964 · 23 full moves · replay record
- William Addison vs Robert James Fischer, 1963 · 38 full moves · replay record
- Mario Bertok vs Robert James Fischer, 1962 · 31 full moves · replay record
- A. Swank vs Robert James Fischer, 1956 · 43 full moves · replay record
- Robert James Fischer vs Greenblatt Programm, 1977 · 21 full moves · replay record
- Robert James Fischer vs Raymond Allen Weinstein, 1963 · 36 full moves · replay record
- Robert James Fischer vs Robert E Byrne, 1971 · 26 full moves · replay record
- Bernardo Wexler vs Robert James Fischer, 1960 · 40 full moves · replay record
- Robert James Fischer vs R. Hoppe, 1964 · 33 full moves · replay record
- Sidney Norman Bernstein vs Robert James Fischer, 1957 · 44 full moves · replay record
- L. Hill vs Robert James Fischer, 1957 · 21 full moves · replay record
- Robert James Fischer vs Julio Bolbochan, 1962 · 37 full moves · edited study
- Robert James Fischer vs S. Sholomson, 1957 · 30 full moves · replay record
- Boris V Spassky vs Robert James Fischer, 1972 · 41 full moves · edited study
- Svetozar Gligoric vs Robert James Fischer, 1970 · 35 full moves · replay record
- Robert James Fischer vs E. Stephans, 1957 · 25 full moves · replay record
- Robert James Fischer vs Izak Aloni, 1962 · 39 full moves · replay record
- Robert James Fischer vs Svetozar Gligoric, 1959 · 32 full moves · edited study
- Donald Byrne vs Robert James Fischer, 1956 · 41 full moves · edited study