The Dojo ranks the Top 10 greatest chess games of all time.
Part 1 (pre-1920) –
Part 2 (1920-1972) –
Part 3 (post-1972) –
Link to the games:
0:00 Intro
2:36 Number 10
7:00 Number 9
12:00 Number 8
15:39 Number 7
19:48 Number 6
25:00 Number 5
34:40 Number 4
44:00 Number 3
57:00 Number 2
1:03:40 Number 1
1:11:30 Final Rankings
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Yes another chess dojo W well done
Every time I look at the Geller – Euwe game, the more I enjoy it
We had only 2 games from the years 2000 onwards. Why is that? I know the classics end up with a lot of magic around them and we see them how the things that built where we are today, but can't we find any magic on modern chess? Since they are too close to us I think it demystifies them, but I'd like to see more love to them
The one-sided 6-0 score obscures the fact that many of the games were incredibly hard fought—as Fischer pointed out at the time
When a 13-year old plays a great tactical game today, it’s almost surely the result of computer prep.
Re: Kasparov-Topalov. Yes, the combination was a bit of a roll of the dice after an iffy opening, and Topalov could have refused the sacrifice. But that doesn’t lessen its luster for me one bit. The fact remains that Kasparov saw the entire line, 14 moves deep, including Bf1 and Rd7, all at once. I was watching the game live in 1999 and it remains deservedly the stuff of legend. Whereas the fame of Kasparov-Kramnik 2001 is mostly an artifact of a concerted PR effort. Was it a nice breakthrough in the Berlin? Sure. But Garry spent years arguing that, because he belatedly knocked down the Berlin Wall, he somehow deserved a rematch with Kramnik. That never made sense, then or now.
The game where Alpha Zero put Stockfish's queen in jail is the greatest, most beautiful chess game ever played. I know, I know it doesn't count; but DAMMMN.
Didn’t Nezhmetdinov – Chernihov 1962 get 13 points?
One issue with Geller – Panno, is that it's actually flawed. Black equalizes with 13…Rh7!! Fischer himself is the person who proved it's an equalizing move, and SF 15 agrees there's nothing there. Refuting the early g5 should actually done with 11. Qh5 instead of Nxe6.
Alright here's my list:
1. Aronian – Anand, 2013
2. Karpov – Kasparov, 1985 (Nd3 octopus game)
3. Fischer – Spassky, 1972 (6)
4. Caruana – Nakamura, 2016
5. Fischer – Petrosian (7)
6. Karpov – Korchnoi, 1974
7. Fedoseev – Carlsen, 2021
8. Karpov – Unzicker, 1975
9. Capablanca – Marshall, 1918
10. Bird – Morphy, 1858
My list of best games ever had a lot more modern games than y'all. But maybe that's because my chess only "grew up" in the last 10 years, so some of the most modern games taught me things that older games might have shown you earlier instead.
I'll briefly go through my thoughts on my rankings in the replies to this comment.
Thanks so much! It would be awesome if you could make a pgn with all these games so aanyone can annotate them. Greetings from Argentina
I’ve really enjoyed these! I’ve been introduced to a lot of interesting games through this! Usually, my lists were similar to Kostya’s, and I didn’t know a lot of David’s. I was surprised last show to only see Jesse mention Aronian – Anand last episode and that it didn’t show up this episode, but understand that I’d need to make a full list. I liked the Botvinnik games from Kostya last episode because my internet introduction to Kostya was him suggesting I look through Botvinnik’s games collection, so I recognized all those 🙂
Top 10 greatest boomer tech support moments LOL
🔥
I enjoyed this series. Maybe in the future you go decade by decade, or best game of a 20 year period. The discussion is entertaining. When it is over the viewer has a list of games to analyze. What a treat.
Jesse was basing his list on games which impacted him the greatest. I'm not certain that is what is meant by the top 10 greatest games of all time. I am more in line with David's view where it is games that are tremendously creative. But I disagree with David about Kasparov – Topalov. Kostya seems to be a mix of 'his parents' views but incorporates that the game should have a chess cultural tie. To me its about the greatest game period and the game should stand on its own merit. But obviously this is all subjective, which is part of the fun.
Surprised that it wasn't mentioned Serper sacs every piece in his game. That said, I'm with Jesse that it isn't worthy of the greatest game. Black didn't put up enough of a fight. A great game nonetheless.
The economy and elegance of Morphy's game is what sets it apart. That it is understandable even to beginners is a point in its favor IMHO. Who says a great game has to be incomprehensible? So many themes of chess in this one short game.
Geller-Panno was not played in a team competition. It's from round 14 of the Gothemburg Interzonal. As are Keres-Najdorf and Spassky-Pilnik. Argentina just happened to have 4 representatives playing there.
Jesse’s enthusiasm for the game is infectious. Then I play and lose a game and get pissed… 🤣
55:03 wrong
The 'Octopus game'…Kasparov admitted that Nd3 move had been played…what a few weeks earlier by someone else…and you include it?? He did not even come up with his idea.
Of course, I may be misremembering…
NEXT:
Most Instructional games of all time.
The best examples for
Time
Development
Positional Exchange Sac
Rook Endgame
Bishop Pair Superiority
Pawn Weaknesses
Breaking Through
Dynamic Play
Defense by Tactic
Center Control
Space advantage
Converting advantage to another advantage
Etc
Surely some games will represent multiple concepts in one game, making them more instructional.
NEXT
Best Game Collection Book
Not just best included games, but best prose. Not just a “calculus textbook” with overwhelming computer variations, rather an author who explains like a coach.
60 Memorable?
Tal Life and Games?
Alekhine?
Hastings?
New York?
You all share your criteria for best chess games ever….
My basic criteria starts with one idea:
A game that changed how people play chess.
•Fischer Endgame
• Octopus Knight – Nd3
• Opera Game – Time/Development
Which other games changed chess?
We need to turn Jesse's clicking meltdown into a Short
We need a dojo senseis Top 10 Games from their own career!! Each person can go round robin and show the main ideas of why they loved that particular game of their own.
The antagonism between Jesse and David is endlessly entertaining.
Alireza Firoujza- Murali Karthikeyan was a nice game too
The jesse boomer tech support moment was golden 😂
I totally agree with David's top 10 here. Here's some Wikipedia on Serper vs Nikolaidis: "Chess Informant's panel of judges voted the following game the second-best game of the 666 games in Volume 59 of Chess Informant.[7] Larry Christiansen rated it his sixth favorite attacking game of the 1990s.[8] Yasser Seirawan wrote, "Can you imagine a game in which you sacrifice … all of your pieces? Toss in the promotion of two pawns as well and you have a game to last!"