CONTENTS Contents 1900-1919 Symbols and Bibliography 8 Introduction 9 1900 10 1910 30 Tournament victories for Pillsbury, Lasker retains his world title through Schlechter and Lasker two (?) challenges 1901 12 1911 32 Sensational results by Capablanca Another sensational result for Capablanca 1902 14 Good results for Schlechter and 1912 34 Janowski A good year for Rubinstein 1903 16 1913 36 Victories for Tarrasch and Chigorin A mixed year for Capablanca 1904 18 1914 38 Marshall triumphs at Cambridge Lasker edges out Capablanca in the Springs St Petersburg tournament 1905 20 1915 40 Great results for Tarrasch and Maroczy No major tournaments due to the war 1906 22 1916 41 Pillsbury dies, leaving Marshall as the The war rages on leading American player 1917 42 1907 24 No major events Lasker outclasses Marshall 1918 43 1908 26 International chess slowly resumes Lasker fends off Tarrasch’s challenge as the war ends 1909 28 1919 44 Capablanca achieves an astonishing Good results for Spielmann, match victory over Marshall Bogoljubow and Capablanca -+-t-+k+ -+-+-tk+ +l+-+pzp zp+-+-zp pv-+p+-+ -+-+p+-+ +p+-Z-+- +-T-+-W- -Z-+LZnZ -+-s-+-+ Z-t-+-+- +-w-+-+r -V-+Q+-Z P+P+-ZPZ T-+-+R+K +-+-+RM- Black to play and win (1907) Black to play and win (1912) Contents 1920-1939 1920 45 1930 64 The hypermoderns make their mark Alekhine dominant at San Remo 1921 46 1931 66 Capablanca becomes World A great result for Alekhine Champion 1932 68 1922 48 A year of few major tournaments Another good year for Alekhine 1933 70 1923 50 Botvinnik shows his class Successes for Alekhine and 1934 72 Nimzowitsch Alekhine remains Champion 1924 52 1935 74 Lasker triumphs at New York Alekhine loses the world title 1925 54 to Euwe Efim Bogoljubow wins at Moscow 1936 76 1926 56 Vintage performances by A sensational result for Nimzowitsch Capablanca 1927 58 1937 78 Capablanca loses the World Alekhine regains the world title Championship to Alekhine 1938 80 1928 60 The AVRO tournament – a triumph An excellent year for Capablanca for Keres and Fine 1929 62 1939 82 Alekhine retains the World Title World War II throws international chess into chaos r+-+rsk+ -+-+-+-+ zl+-+pz- z-+-w-mp -+-zp+-z -z-+Psp+ +q+-+-VQ +-+pW-+- -Z-Z-+-+ -+pZ-+-+ +-+-S-T- +nZ-+-S- P+-+-ZPZ -V-+-+PZ +-+-T-M- +-+-+-M- White to play and win (1925) White to play and win (1938) Contents 1940-1959 1940 84 1950 104 Chess continues in the USSR Chess and Politics mix and Germany 1951 106 1941 86 A rusty Botvinnik survives Botvinnik proves his ‘Absolute’ Bronstein’s challenge superiority 1952 108 1942 88 Excellent performances by Alekhine and Keres fight it out in Botvinnik, Keres and Kotov Nazi tournaments 1953 110 1943 90 Smyslov triumphs at Zurich Sverdlovsk becomes the centre 1954 112 of chess activity in the USSR Botvinnik hangs on in another 1944 92 drawn World Championship match Less chess as the war escalates 1955 114 1945 94 Bronstein’s brilliant result The USSR dominates the first 1956 116 post-war chess matches Smyslov is the Challenger again 1946 96 1957 118 Alekhine dies Smyslov is the new World 1947 98 Champion FIDE organizes new World 1958 120 Championship Botvinnik regains the world title 1948 100 1959 122 Botvinnik wins the World Tal is to challenge Botvinnik Championship 1949 102 David Bronstein emerges as a new star r+-+-+-+ r+-+-+k+ +p+-+k+- zpz-+r+p -Wps-z-+ -+-z-+-v +-+-+-+- +-+Ps-+- P+-+l+-+ -s-+PZp+ MPZ-+-+- +P+-M-Z- -+-w-Z-+ PVL+N+-w +-T-+-T- T-+Q+-+R Black to play and win (1948) Black to play and win (1958) Contents 1960-1979 1960 124 1970 144 Tal becomes World Champion • Fischer Fischer is back on track • USSR has a mixed year narrowly beats the Rest of the World 1961 126 1971 146 Tal becomes the youngest Ex-World Fischer ruthless: 6-0 twice! Champion 1972 148 1962 128 Fischer is World Champion • Chess Both glory and agony for Fischer is headline news around the world 1963 130 1973 150 Petrosian defeats Botvinnik • Karpov and Mecking become Fischer’s ‘exhibition’ Candidates 1964 132 1974 152 Spassky becomes a Candidate Karpov is Fischer’s challenger 1965 134 1975 154 Spassky dominates the Candidates Karpov becomes World Champion by matches default to the dismay of Fischer’s fans 1966 136 1976 156 Petrosian shows his class by Karpov proves he is a worthy retaining his title Champion • Korchnoi defects 1967 138 1977 158 Fischer quits the Interzonal while Korchnoi wins through a tempestuous leading Candidates cycle 1968 140 1978 160 Spassky is to challenge again • Karpov remains Champion after a Dismay at another Fischer withdrawal thrilling match 1969 142 1979 162 Spassky is World Champion • Garry Kasparov achieves sensational Karpov – a new Soviet star results • Tal has a great year r+-+qt-m r+l+-tk+ zp+-+pvp zp+-+-zp -+ps-+-+ -wn+-v-+ +-+-+-+Q +-+pZ-+- -+-zP+-+ -+-+-+-+ +-SL+-+P +-+L+NM- PZP+-+P+ PZ-+N+PZ T-+-+RM- T-VQT-+- White to play and win (1963) Black to play and win (1976) Contents 1980-1999 1980 164 1990 184 A mixed year for Karpov • England Kasparov wins an exciting match emerges as a chess power 1991 186 1981 166 Anand enters the world elite • The Karpov comfortably defends his title World Cup collapses 1982 168 1992 188 Kasparov gathers momentum, but Fischer is back • Short beats Karpov political storms are brewing 1993 190 1983 170 Kasparov and Short split from FIDE Candidates cycle in crisis • Kasparov 1994 192 faces a stern challenge from Korchnoi The PCA organizes a series of 1984 172 high-profile events Kasparov fights desperately for 1995 194 survival in a marathon match Kasparov retains the PCA title 1985 174 1996 196 Outrage as match is cancelled • Kasparov beats Deep Blue, after Kasparov is the new Champion losing the first game 1986 176 1997 198 Kasparov defends his title • Startling Kasparov loses a bizarre rematch successes by Andrei Sokolov against Deep Blue 1987 178 1998 200 Kasparov survives a scare in Seville Anand dominates tournament chess 1988 180 1999 202 The GMA makes chess more Kasparov reconfirms his dominance democratic and organizes the World Cup 1989 182 Conclusion 204 Kasparov wins the World Cup Index of Games 205 -+-+-+-+ -+-tk+-t +-+-+-+- zR+-+p+p p+-m-z-+ -+p+p+-z +p+p+-+p +-+n+-+- -Z-Z-+-z -+-w-+P+ Z-+-SPZ- +-+LTP+- -+-+-M-+ P+P+-Ml+ +l+-+-+- +-VQ+-+- White to play and win (1984) White to play and win (1997) 66 CHESS HIGHLIGHTS OF THE 20TH CENTURY 1931 A great result for Alekhine Alekhine dominates the Bled tournament; his score of 20Ó/26 puts him 5Ó points clear of r+l+-tk+ second-placed Bogoljubow. +p+-vpz- rslwk+nt W ps-+ps-z zpz-+-zp w-+-+-+- W -+-+p+-+ P+LZ-+-V +-+-+p+- +-S-+N+- -+-Zp+-+ -Z-+QZPZ Z-S-+-+- +-T-+RM- -ZP+-ZPZ T-VQML+R A. Alekhine – G. Maroczy Bled 1931 A. Alekhine – A. Nimzowitsch 15 Íd3! Íd7 16 Ìe5 Îfd8! Bled 1931 16...Íxa4 is strongly met by 17 Ìg6!. 17 f4!? Nimzowitsch has made the risky decision to 17 Ëf3 is a simpler method; White has an cling on to a gambit pawn by 6...f7-f5?!. Ale- edge after 17...Íc6 18 Ìxc6 bxc6 19 Îfd1. khine now attacks ferociously. 17...Íe8 18 Ìg4 Îxd4 19 Íxf6 Íxf6 20 7 f3!? exf3 8 Ëxf3 Ëxd4 Ìxf6+ gxf6 21 Ìe4 Îad8?! 8...Ëh4+ 9 g3 Ëxd4 is also precarious for Better is 21...f5! 22 Ìf6+ Êf8, when White Black after 10 Ìb5!? or 10 Íf4. has no immediate way to smash through. 9 Ëg3! 22 Ìxf6+ Êf8 23 Ìh7+! Êe7 The main threats are 10 Ìb5 and 10 Íf4. 23...Êg7 24 Ëg4+ Êh8 25 Ëh4! Îxd3 26 9...Ìf6!? Ëxh6 leaves Black with no adequate defence. 9...Ìe7 10 Íe3! Ëf6 11 0-0-0 favours White. 24 f5 Î8d6 25 b4! 10 Ëxg7 Ëe5+ This surprising blow on the queenside dis- Black uses a tempo to cover the c7-pawn. rupts the coordination of the black pieces. 10...Îg8!? 11 Ëxc7 Ìc6 12 Íf4 Ìe4 13 Íe2 25...Ëxb4 gives White dangerous play, but is unclear. 25...Îxb4 26 Ëh5 e5 27 f6+ Êd8 28 Ëxh6 11 Íe2 Îg8 12 Ëh6 Îg6 13 Ëh4 Íd7?! Îxd3 29 Ëf8 gives White a winning attack. 13...Îxg2?! 14 Íf4 is good for White, but 26 Ëe5 Ìd7 27 Ëh8! Îxd3? 13...Îg4!? could be tried. 27...Îc6! 28 Îxc6 bxc6 29 fxe6 fxe6 30 Ìf6 14 Íg5! Íc6? leaves White with some advantage, but it is not This leads to trouble, but 14...Ìc6 15 0-0-0 necessarily decisive. 0-0-0 16 Îhe1 is awkward for Black. 28 f6+ 1-0 15 0-0-0 Íxg2 Or 15...Ìbd7 16 Îhe1 with a decisive attack. Capablanca wins the New York tournament 16 Îhe1 Íe4 17 Íh5 Ìxh5 18 Îd8+ Êf7 (scoring 10/11), ahead of Kashdan. However, 19 Ëxh5 1-0 Capablanca’s fabled invincibility may have Black is defenceless; one threat is 20 Ìxe4. been a factor in the following episode. CHESS HIGHLIGHTS OF THE 20TH CENTURY 67 r+-+-+k+ White has handled the opening carelessly, +-+r+pzp giving insufficient attention to his king’s B defences. -+qzps-+ 13...Ía3!! 14 Ìa4 z-z-+-+- Or 14 Ëxe7 Íxb2+ 15 Êb1 Íxc3+ 16 Êc1 Íb2+ 17 Êb1 Ía3+, and Black emerges a PsP+-WPS piece up. 14...Íxb2+! 15 Ìxb2 Ëa3 16 Ëe5 Îe8 17 +N+-+R+P Ëd4 c5! 18 Ëc3 Ëxa2 19 Íe1 -Z-+PZ-+ This allows a forced mate, but 19 Íe3 is also terrible for White.