Brilliant Sacrifices

Every game in this collection turns on a sacrifice the defender could not refuse and could not survive. From Lasker's twin bishops to Kasparov's rook on d4, this is chess at its most spectacular.

1-0 The Evergreen Game Adolf Anderssen vs Jean Dufresne 1852 · Casual game, Berlin · Italian Game: Evans Gambit, Dufresne Defense ⚙ Analysed The Romantic Era 0-1 The Game of the Century Donald Byrne vs Bobby Fischer 1956 · Rosenwald Memorial, New York 1956 · English Opening: Anglo-Indian Defense, King's Indian Formation ⚙ Analysed The Soviet School 1-0 Kasparov's Immortal Garry Kasparov vs Veselin Topalov 1999 · Hoogovens, Wijk aan Zee 1999 · Pirc Defense ⚙ Analysed The Modern Era 1-0 The Double Bishop Sacrifice Emanuel Lasker vs Johann Bauer 1889 · Amsterdam 1889 · Bird Opening: Dutch Variation ⚙ Analysed The Classical Era 1-0 The Battle of Hastings Wilhelm Steinitz vs Curt von Bardeleben 1895 · Hastings 1895 · Italian Game: Giuoco Piano, Greco's Attack ⚙ Analysed The Classical Era 0-1 Rubinstein's Immortal Georg Rotlewi vs Akiba Rubinstein 1907 · Lodz 1907 · Tarrasch Defense: Symmetrical Variation ⚙ Analysed The Classical Era 1-0 The Réti Queen Sacrifice Richard Réti vs Savielly Tartakower 1910 · Casual game, Vienna · Caro-Kann Defense: Main Line ⚙ Analysed The Classical Era 1-0 The AVRO Masterpiece Mikhail Botvinnik vs José Raúl Capablanca 1938 · AVRO 1938 · Nimzo-Indian Defense: Rubinstein System ⚙ Analysed The Classical Era 1-0 The Magician Against the Maestro Mikhail Tal vs Vasily Smyslov 1959 · Candidates Tournament 1959 · Caro-Kann Defense: Breyer Variation ⚙ Analysed The Soviet School 0-1 Anand's Modern Evergreen Levon Aronian vs Viswanathan Anand 2013 · Tata Steel, Wijk aan Zee 2013 · Semi-Slav Defense: Chigorin Defense ⚙ Analysed The Engine Age