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Funny games
Compiled by Benjamin Lau
--*--

This is a collection of funny and stupid games from the top players in chess, both past and present. This collection used to be my "World Class Blunders" collection, but I've made it more broad, now not only the stupid games are in here- sometimes the plain funny or amusing ones are too.

Oops, was that my queen?
Polgar vs Karpov, 1993 
(E54) Nimzo-Indian, 4.e3, Gligoric System, 32 moves, 1-0

Kasparov demonstrates his amazing blitz skills
Kasparov vs K Georgiev, 1988 
(A29) English, Four Knights, Kingside Fianchetto, 78 moves, 1/2-1/2

Minor "oversight"
Reshevsky vs Smyslov, 1991 
(E38) Nimzo-Indian, Classical, 4...c5, 21 moves, 0-1

The Burger eats Fischer
Fischer vs R Burger, 1964 
(C57) Two Knights, 14 moves, 0-1

There goes the queen.
Kasparov vs Kramnik, 1994 
(B33) Sicilian, 36 moves, 1-0

Already lost by move 5
Alekhine vs Euwe, 1921 
(C26) Vienna, 12 moves, 1-0

A "Coffee House Player?"
Kasparov vs Anand, 1992 
(D19) Queen's Gambit Declined Slav, Dutch, 17 moves, 1-0

Geller does not understand what the "Queen's Gambit" really is
S Polgar vs Geller, 1992 
(D37) Queen's Gambit Declined, 23 moves, 1-0

64 Squares may be too many for Kasparov
Kasparov vs Petrosian, 1981 
(E12) Queen's Indian, 41 moves, 0-1

The "Drunken King" opening ;)
S Williams vs M Simons, 1999 
(A00) Uncommon Opening, 40 moves, 1-0

A funny hypermodern caricature
C Guimard vs L Piazzini, 1938 
(A83) Dutch, Staunton Gambit, 34 moves, 0-1

Too much Alekohol
F J Perez Perez vs Alekhine, 1943 
(C25) Vienna, 12 moves, 1-0

Petrosian en prise (yet again)
Petrosian vs Bronstein, 1956 
(E66) King's Indian, Fianchetto, Yugoslav Panno, 36 moves, 0-1

Not so fine anymore (lame pun intended)
Alekhine vs Fine, 1937 
(D23) Queen's Gambit Accepted, 37 moves, 1-0

"You must be joking" - Fischer
Gheorghiu vs Fischer, 1966 
(E20) Nimzo-Indian, 50 moves, 1-0

Sac Sac Oops Did Not Work Oh Wait Thank You Blunder Mate
Fischer vs T Hartwell, 1964 
(B77) Sicilian, Dragon, Yugoslav Attack, 42 moves, 1-0

Capablanca's profound opening play
Saemisch vs Capablanca, 1929 
(E24) Nimzo-Indian, Samisch, 62 moves, 1-0

A gift from a Pal
Benko vs Smyslov, 1964 
(A28) English, 37 moves, 0-1

Fischer blunders away an endgame with an NN-ish error
Fischer vs Letelier, 1959 
(C97) Ruy Lopez, Closed, Chigorin, 61 moves, 0-1

Kasparov's classic blunder
A Huzman vs Kasparov, 2003 
(D45) Queen's Gambit Declined Semi-Slav, 22 moves, 1-0

"Do you want to go over the game?"
L Christiansen vs Karpov, 1993 
(E12) Queen's Indian, 12 moves, 1-0

Botvinnik probably needed new eyeglasses
P Izmailov vs Botvinnik, 1929 
(D52) Queen's Gambit Declined, 14 moves, 1-0

"Blindfold chess at its worst"
Kramnik vs Shirov, 2001 
(E94) King's Indian, Orthodox, 14 moves, 1-0

Spassky decided to go on ritalin after this...
Spassky vs Rodgaisky, 1948 
(B45) Sicilian, Taimanov, 8 moves, 0-1

A Pillsbury miniature... no, he loses!
Pillsbury vs A Neumann, 1902 
(C24) Bishop's Opening, 12 moves, 0-1

Preti Stupid
Spielmann vs Reti, 1928 
(C28) Vienna Game, 14 moves, 0-1

Paul Keres, master of correspondence chess
Keres vs G Menke, 1933 
(C33) King's Gambit Accepted, 12 moves, 0-1

Who really needs a rook anyway?
Piket vs Anand, 1998 
(D86) Grunfeld, Exchange, 60 moves, 1-0

Who really needs a queen either?
Steinitz vs Chigorin, 1892 
(C58) Two Knights, 30 moves, 0-1

Petrovied
A Zapata vs Anand, 1988 
(C42) Petrov Defense, 6 moves, 1-0

Eye for an Eye, Queen for a ???
Topalov vs Karpov, 2002 
(B17) Caro-Kann, Steinitz Variation, 29 moves, 0-1

Fritz could see 18+ ply. But in the end, only 4 ply mattered.
X3D Fritz vs Kasparov, 2003 
(C65) Ruy Lopez, Berlin Defense, 39 moves, 1-0

King activity?
Steinitz vs Paulsen, 1870 
(C25) Vienna, 36 moves, 1-0

Korchnoi "the calculator" fails... but so does his opponent!
Korchnoi vs Mecking, 1974 
(A77) Benoni, Classical, 9...Re8, 10.Nd2, 42 moves, 1-0

Petrosian loses his queen. (I guess this is nothing new)
V Liberzon vs Petrosian, 1964 
(C18) French, Winawer, 15 moves, 1-0

Ghosts
Nisipeanu vs Ivanchuk, 1999 
(C45) Scotch Game, 14 moves, 1-0

Tick Tock. Tick Tock.
Geller vs Portisch, 1973 
(C95) Ruy Lopez, Closed, Breyer, 86 moves, 0-1

IM Shirazi embarrasses himself
K Shirazi vs J Peters, 1984 
(B20) Sicilian, 5 moves, 0-1

The unexpected
Tarrasch vs Alapin, 1889 
(C42) Petrov Defense, 6 moves, 1-0

Reshevsky announces mate...
Reshevsky vs Savon, 1973 
(A77) Benoni, Classical, 9...Re8, 10.Nd2, 40 moves, 0-1

Pushing your luck too far
Lasker vs Euwe, 1936  
(D12) Queen's Gambit Declined Slav, 33 moves, 1-0

"You don't just look for mates in two against Reshevsky."
Szabo vs Reshevsky, 1953 
(D42) Queen's Gambit Declined, Semi-Tarrasch, 7.Bd3, 27 moves, 1/2-1/2

Karpov makes the worst move possible in the position
Karpov vs Bareev, 1994 
(C07) French, Tarrasch, 36 moves, 1-0

"How drunk was Alekhine when THIS happened?"
Alekhine vs Ecole Polytechnique Paris, 1925 
(D05) Queen's Pawn Game, 23 moves, 0-1

Fischer and Petrosian share another thing in common.
Najdorf vs Fischer, 1966 
(E75) King's Indian, Averbakh, Main line, 31 moves, 1-0

Overconfidence
Fischer vs G Thornell, 1964 
(B02) Alekhine's Defense, 38 moves, 0-1

"McShame?"
Kosteniuk vs McShane, 2003 
(B33) Sicilian, 38 moves, 1-0

Only a lack of class keeps Georgiev from resigning earlier...
Nunn vs K Georgiev, 1988 
(B17) Caro-Kann, Steinitz Variation, 42 moves, 1-0

An amusing underpromotion
H Reinle vs Lange, 1936 
(C30) King's Gambit Declined, 8 moves, 1-0

Free rook for Bogo! ;-)
Bogoljubov vs Tartakower, 1920 
(A84) Dutch, 43 moves, 1-0

You don't have to be Fischer to see this
T Ghitescu vs Fischer, 1960 
(E46) Nimzo-Indian, 14 moves, 0-1

Another classic Karpov blunder
Andersson vs Karpov, 1995 
(D28) Queen's Gambit Accepted, Classical, 18 moves, 1-0

Even the "Lightning Kid" can blunder in blitz
Anand vs Ponomariov, 2003 
(C95) Ruy Lopez, Closed, Breyer, 60 moves, 1/2-1/2

Easy conquest
A Cherniaev vs S Conquest, 2004 
(B22) Sicilian, Alapin, 88 moves, 1-0

Um, what did you say again about "feminine weakness?"
Polgar vs Kasparov, 2002 
(C67) Ruy Lopez, 42 moves, 1-0

Samisched by time
Saemisch vs Tarrasch, 1925 
(D01) Richter-Veresov Attack, 27 moves, 0-1

Another unintentional queen sacrifice :-)
Karpov vs Balashov, 1976 
(C92) Ruy Lopez, Closed, 43 moves, 1-0

"Blunder of the century?"
Kasparov vs Karpov, 1985 
(E21) Nimzo-Indian, Three Knights, 25 moves, 1-0

Bologan tries to prove he can beat a 14 year old
Bologan vs Karjakin, 2003 
(B90) Sicilian, Najdorf, 31 moves, 0-1

Did Conquest just black out at the board?
M Hebden vs S Conquest, 2003 
(D30) Queen's Gambit Declined, 30 moves, 1-0

Recurring theme- Geller loses his queen again for the 3rd time
Geller vs Suetin, 1950 
(C89) Ruy Lopez, Marshall, 35 moves, 0-1

Taimanov decides that $400 is a great price for his death wish
Taimanov vs Matulovic, 1970 
(D25) Queen's Gambit Accepted, 42 moves, 1-0

Three fold what?
Fischer vs Petrosian, 1971 
(C11) French, 34 moves, 1/2-1/2

Ouch
Browne vs Karpov, 1977 
(E18) Queen's Indian, Old Main line, 7.Nc3, 38 moves, 0-1

Petrosian falls for a petty trap in the QGD
Kotov vs Petrosian, 1949 
(D35) Queen's Gambit Declined, 13 moves, 1-0

An example of the tactical prowess of modern GMs...
Anand vs Ivanchuk, 1994 
(B17) Caro-Kann, Steinitz Variation, 42 moves, 1-0

Avoiding the perpetual, entering the swindle
Marshall vs K Treybal, 1930 
(D10) Queen's Gambit Declined Slav, 50 moves, 1-0

Tarrasch's stubborness pays off after Bogo blunders
Tarrasch vs Bogoljubov, 1920 
(E12) Queen's Indian, 28 moves, 1-0

Ooops!
Adams vs Short, 1991 
(A45) Queen's Pawn Game, 27 moves, 0-1

Burned (pun shamelessly intended)
Chigorin vs Burn, 1905 
(C30) King's Gambit Declined, 13 moves, 0-1

Kaspatzerov
Kasparov vs Speelman, 1989 
(A81) Dutch, 47 moves, 0-1

"Why must I draw with this idiot??" (Because *I'm* an idiot!)
Botvinnik vs Bronstein, 1951 
(A91) Dutch Defense, 41 moves, 1/2-1/2

Sportsmanship in the royal game
Alekhine vs Gruenfeld, 1922 
(D80) Grunfeld, 55 moves, 0-1

A funny tactic
NN vs G Abrahams, 1929 
(D31) Queen's Gambit Declined, 11 moves, 0-1

Sheer embarrassment
Miles vs L Christiansen, 1987 
(C42) Petrov Defense, 20 moves, 1/2-1/2

One of the funniest games ever
Larsen vs Spassky, 1970 
(A01) Nimzovich-Larsen Attack, 17 moves, 0-1

Intimacy between monarchs... ;-)
Short vs Timman, 1991 
(B04) Alekhine's Defense, Modern, 34 moves, 1-0

"13. Rfd1? is a classic example of "Wrong Rook"! - RT
Capablanca vs Tarrasch, 1914 
(C49) Four Knights, 83 moves, 0-1

An amusing ring around the rosy after 40. Rg5+
Korchnoi vs Petrosian, 1974 
(B39) Sicilian, Accelerated Fianchetto, Breyer Variation, 43 moves, 1-0

So much for symmetry
Traxler vs J Samanek, 1900 
(C49) Four Knights, 16 moves, 1-0

"Not much good comes of this"
Englisch vs Blackburne, 1883  
(E20) Nimzo-Indian, 42 moves, 1/2-1/2

What a silly game!
Pillsbury vs E Chatard, 1900 
(B02) Alekhine's Defense, 16 moves, 1-0

Stupid computers
Deep Junior vs Deep Fritz, 2001 
(C42) Petrov Defense, 109 moves, 1-0

Grandmasters having a sense of humor
Grischuk vs Svidler, 2003 
(B45) Sicilian, Taimanov, 11 moves, 1/2-1/2

According to Nimzo, pushing pawns is bad, therefore...
I Penko vs Jernej Novak, 2001 
(A04) Reti Opening, 10 moves, 0-1

11... Ke7!!!!!!!!!!!!!!!! simply boggles the mind
Kamsky vs Karpov, 1993 
(B17) Caro-Kann, Steinitz Variation, 49 moves, 0-1

But I don't want her!
E Z Adams vs Torre, 1920 
(C41) Philidor Defense, 23 moves, 1-0

One can only imagine Kasparov's sizzling face after this game
Kasparov vs N McDonald, 1986 
(E94) King's Indian, Orthodox, 55 moves, 1/2-1/2

When pins aren't pins
Tarrasch vs B Richter, 1883 
(A84) Dutch, 20 moves, 0-1

"Stupid!"
Evans vs Reshevsky, 1963 
(E55) Nimzo-Indian, 4.e3, Gligoric System, Bronstein Variation, 50 moves, 1/2-1/2

14...Bd6!?!?!?!?!?!?!? is a hilarious attempt to milk Kasparov
Kasparov vs X3D Fritz, 2003 
(D45) Queen's Gambit Declined Semi-Slav, 45 moves, 1-0

Krazy!
Matulovic vs Suttles, 1970 
(B06) Robatsch, 77 moves, 1/2-1/2

What do you do when you blunder away a piece? Sac another one!
Karpov vs Polgar, 1999 
(E32) Nimzo-Indian, Classical, 38 moves, 1/2-1/2

Kramnik gets shake-speared
Kramnik vs Deep Fritz, 2002 
(E15) Queen's Indian, 34 moves, 0-1

Blunder after blunder after blunder after blunder after...
H Stefansson vs Karpov, 2004 
(B17) Caro-Kann, Steinitz Variation, 50 moves, 1-0

Dude, where's the queen?
Korchnoi vs Bronstein, 1959 
(D51) Queen's Gambit Declined, 32 moves, 1-0

Not the correct way to draw against Capablanca...
Capablanca vs NN, 1918 
(C50) Giuoco Piano, 14 moves, 1-0

"I still have time for Reshevsky!"
Fischer vs Reshevsky, 1967 
(C93) Ruy Lopez, Closed, Smyslov Defense, 46 moves, 1-0

Theory versus practice
Fine vs Najdorf, 1949 
(C90) Ruy Lopez, Closed, 71 moves, 0-1

99 games

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