Kasparov Mugs

Garry Kimovich Kasparov is a Russian chess grandmaster, former World Chess Champion, writer, and political activist, whom many consider to be the greatest player of all time

Garry Kimovich Kasparov is a Russian chess grandmaster, former World Chess Champion, writer, and political activist, whom many consider to be the greatest player of all time

Bobby Fischer / Chess Legend

Garry Kasparov - Russian chess grandmaster

Kasparov vs Deepblue

Michal Krasenkow versus Hikaru Nakamura, Barcelona, 2007. Krasenkow plays Bxf6 thinking that he’s captured a free piece as the move reveals his rook to attack Nakamura’s queen. Unfortunately for Krasenkow his opponent spotted an exceptional tactic: Qxf2* sacrificing the queen. This sucked out the king to middle of the board whereupon seven moves later Krasenkow resigned.

Michal Krasenkow versus Hikaru Nakamura, Barcelona, 2007. Krasenkow plays Bxf6 thinking that he’s captured a free piece as the move reveals his rook to attack Nakamura’s queen. Unfortunately for Krasenkow his opponent spotted an exceptional tactic: Qxf2* sacrificing the queen. This sucked out the king to middle of the board whereupon seven moves later Krasenkow resigned.

Wear a legend on your chest.

Viswanathan Anand versus Garry Kasparov, New York, 1995. Kasparov offers up both of his rooks but whichever one Anand takes it is game over. BOOM!

Viswanathan Anand versus Garry Kasparov, New York, 1995. Kasparov offers up both of his rooks but whichever one Anand takes it is game over. BOOM!

Magnus Carlsen versus Hans Harestad, Copenhagen, 2003. Carlsen sacrifices the queen which leads to a forced checkmate. Carlsen was 12. Harestad’s rating was about 2250. Fast forward 20 years and Magnus Carlsen is surely the greatest ever chess player.

Garry Kasparov versus Viswanathan Anand, New York, 1995. Kasparov sacrifices his bishop to bust wide open Anand’s defence. Ultimately a devastating move.

Garry Kasparov versus Viswanathan Anand, New York, 1995. Kasparov sacrifices his bishop to bust wide open Anand’s defence. Ultimately a devastating move.

Garry Kimovich Kasparov is a chess grandmaster, former World Chess Champion, writer, and political activist, whom many consider to be the greatest player of all time

Prince Andria Dadiani of Mingrelia versus M. Bitcham, Zugdidi, 1892. The prince busts open his opponent’s defence by sacrificing his knight and then his queen and then mates with his remaining knight. Boom!

Ossip Bernstein versus José Raúl Capablanca. When you find the perfect square and the game ends instantly; Capablanca throws and hits the bullseye!

Rashid Nezhmetdinov versus Oleg Chernikov, Rostov-on-Don, 1962. Nezhmetdinov’s queen sacrifice is astonishing; a zen-like understanding of his position. Simply outstanding.

Martin Ortueta Esteban versus Jose Sanz Aguado, Madrid, 1933. Some could argue that the follow up moves c4 and a5 were better, but either way Aguado played a bunch of incredible moves.

Mikhail Botvinnik versus Lajos Portisch, Monte Carlo, 1968. Botvinnik had seen the trap and had an answer for it: R1xc6 paves the way to victory. Boom!

Nigel Short versus Jan Timman, Tilburg, 1991. Short’s king marches up the board heading to the dizzy heights of h6 to assist the queen in checkmating. Exceptionally rare that a king finds himself at such a position during the middle game. Brilliant stuff.

Alexander Shuvalov versus Maurice Ashley, Saint Martin, 1993. Shuvalov was on the attack but Ashley’s Nxg3 completely exposes white’s king. Shuvalov must have been stunned by Ashley’s counterattacking.

Tigran Petrosian versus Ara Minasian, Yerevan, 2006. Petrosian’s queen sacrifice is arguably the move of the game but the pleasure of delivering checkmate with a pawn is also to be celebrated.

Viswanathan Anand versus Kiril Ninov, Baguio, 1987. Anand’s innocuous g6* signals the end of Ninov's defence.

Levon Aronian versus Santosh Vidit, www, 2020. The game looked to be drawn but Vidit snapped up the pushed pawn b2-b4 at which point Aronian’s bishop stepped back to trap Vidit’s bishop. This was quickly followed by the rest of black’s pieces being trapped leaving Aronian’s a pawn, with a smile upon its face, to skip its way to the top of the board. An exceptional tactic by Aronian.

Alexander Shuvalov versus Maurice Ashley, Saint Martin, 1993. Shuvalov was on the attack but Ashley’s Nxg3 completely exposes white’s king. Shuvalov must have been stunned by Ashley’s counterattacking.

Stefan Levitsky versus Frank Marshall, Breslau, 1912. Marshall moves queen to g3 threatening checkmate next move. It's a stunning play because the queen can be taken by three different pieces but regardless of the sacrifice each move will lead to Levitsky being checkmated. Astonishing!

Mikhail Botvinnik versus Lajos Portisch, Monte Carlo, 1968. Botvinnik had seen the trap and had an answer for it: R1xc6 paves the way to victory. Boom!

Andrey Esipenko versus Magnus Carlsen, Wijk aan Zee, 2021. Esipenko’s g4 on move eight signalled his intent; the 18-year-old was not to be intimidated. Ncxb5 had Carlsen on the back foot for the rest of the game. Outstanding play from Esipenko.

Anish Giri versus Alexander Morozevich, Beijing, 2012. At a time in the game when Giri might have considered re-grouping he carried on attacking. Bf6* is a stunning game-winning move.

Donald Byrne versus Bobby Fischer, New York, 1956. Fischer's bishop move sacrifices his queen but the subsequent demolition job was absolutely incredible. At age 13 this move signalled the arrival of one of the greatest attackers to ever play chess.

Poster for the famous match between Kasparov and IBM's deep blue

The Queens Gambit Chess Opening Poster Fine Art Print

Alexander Alekhine versus Supico, Lisbon, 1941. Alekhine was playing a blindfolded simul and still found this astonishing move that follows in the footsteps of Frank Marshall. Absolutely remarkable!

Gunnar Gundersen versus A. H. Faul, Melbourne, 1928. Gundersen’s move celebrates all things beautiful, checkmate with en passant.

Vladimir Kramnik versus Garry Kasparov, Moscow, 1994. Kramnik sacrifices his bishop and uses his f pawn to bust through Kasparov’s control of the centre. Fifteen moves later this pawn is pushed forward to the 7th rank and signals Kasparov’s resignation.

Alexander Alekhine versus Supico, Lisbon, 1941. Alekhine was playing a blindfolded simul and still found this astonishing move that follows in the footsteps of Frank Marshall. Absolutely remarkable!