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Missed chances
Compiled by Honza Cervenka
--*--

A collection of games where one of players missed any nice tactical chance to get better result.

35.Bb3!!
Bogoljubov vs Alekhine, 1929 
(C74) Ruy Lopez, Modern Steinitz Defense, 48 moves, 1/2-1/2

30.Qxh6!!
L Schneider vs Tal, 1982 
(B93) Sicilian, Najdorf, 6.f4, 36 moves, 0-1

60.Rxb3+ Kxa2 61.Ra3+! forces stalemate
W Wittmann vs A Rodriguez Cespedes, 1980 
(C77) Ruy Lopez, 59 moves, 0-1

Letting outplayed Smyslov slip of the hook
L A Tan vs Smyslov, 1973 
(B07) Pirc, 37 moves, 0-1

22...Rh1+!!
Schiffers vs Chigorin, 1897 
(C20) King's Pawn Game, 34 moves, 1/2-1/2

20.Qh4! wins
Showalter vs Lasker, 1893 
(C84) Ruy Lopez, Closed, 39 moves, 0-1

29.Rxg7+! was one of chances to refute Black's incorrect attack
Duke Karl / Count Casabianca vs Kolisch, 1859 
(D30) Queen's Gambit Declined, 36 moves, 0-1

19...Ra3 or 20...Ba5 would have sealed white's defeat.
Morphy vs Loewenthal, 1858 
(C30) King's Gambit Declined, 28 moves, 1-0

21...Rfh6!!
Ljubojevic vs Lobron, 1983 
(B42) Sicilian, Kan, 46 moves, 1-0

Subtle 24.Rh1! Bf5 25.Rh5! Bxc2 26.Re5 could achieve more.
A Petrov vs P Journoud, 1863 
(C39) King's Gambit Accepted, 33 moves, 1/2-1/2

37.e6+! Rxe6 38.g6+! leads to perpetual check
H Staunton / J de Riviere / W Wayt vs J Loewenthal / T Barnes / J Owen, 1856 
(C54) Giuoco Piano, 36 moves, 0-1

42.Rxg8 Kxg8 43.Rg3+!! forces stalemate.
Taimanov vs Geller, 1951  
(A48) King's Indian, 43 moves, 0-1

Lucky blunder - 36...Nxe5 37.Rxe6 Nxd3 -+
Korchnoi vs G van der Stricht, 2003 
(C01) French, Exchange, 36 moves, 1-0

36.Rca7! or 36.Rb7! with threat 37.Be7 forces win
Gligoric vs Tartakower, 1948 
(D48) Queen's Gambit Declined Semi-Slav, Meran, 45 moves, 1/2-1/2

48.Qxd5!!
Reshevsky vs Fine, 1941 
(E40) Nimzo-Indian, 4.e3, 60 moves, 1/2-1/2

Annihilated Gem
Morozevich vs Topalov, 1999 
(B80) Sicilian, Scheveningen, 75 moves, 0-1

42...Qg7+! 43.Rxg7 Rxh3+! forces stalemate.
M Klinova vs D Spence, 2006 
(B00) Uncommon King's Pawn Opening, 42 moves, 1-0

24.Bg5! +-
Razuvaev vs Bagirov, 1972 
(D47) Queen's Gambit Declined Semi-Slav, 57 moves, 1/2-1/2

44...Rh8+ 45.Kg2 Bh3+ 46.Kg1 Nd3!! and 46...Bh3+ 47.Kg1 Nd3!
Korchnoi vs Smyslov, 1951 
(C50) Giuoco Piano, 60 moves, 1/2-1/2

30.Bc6! +-
Adams vs Topalov, 2007 
(B25) Sicilian, Closed, 52 moves, 1/2-1/2

26.Rb1! Qxa2 27.Qh6 Qa5+ 28.Kd3! Qa3+ 29.Bb3 +-
Bacrot vs Karjakin, 2007 
(D11) Queen's Gambit Declined Slav, 30 moves, 0-1

45...Qc1!!
Tarrasch vs E Schallopp, 1885 
(C45) Scotch Game, 63 moves, 1-0

37.Rg7!!
Tarrasch vs Paulsen, 1888 
(B40) Sicilian, 91 moves, 1/2-1/2

28. Bxf7+!
Tartakower vs Yates, 1929 
(C51) Evans Gambit, 33 moves, 1/2-1/2

26.Kh1 avoids the threatening mate and white wins.
Flohr vs Grob, 1933 
(D02) Queen's Pawn Game, 25 moves, 0-1

22.Bc3! wins a piece and game.
Spassky vs Chandler, 1988 
(D27) Queen's Gambit Accepted, Classical, 45 moves, 1/2-1/2

33.b4! +-
Marshall vs Duras, 1907 
(D08) Queen's Gambit Declined, Albin Counter Gambit, 39 moves, 1/2-1/2

37.d6!
Charousek vs Steinitz, 1896 
(C33) King's Gambit Accepted, 40 moves, 0-1

31...Nxd4! -+
H Suechting vs Rubinstein, 1911 
(C01) French, Exchange, 61 moves, 1/2-1/2

25.Ra5! or 27.Nh6+!
Steinitz vs Anderssen, 1870 
(C25) Vienna, 45 moves, 0-1

37.Nxd7! Rxd7 38.Bb5 +-
Ivanchuk vs Movsesian, 2010 
(A25) English, 41 moves, 1/2-1/2

Better order of moves with 21.Qh3! wins.
J Mieses vs Teichmann, 1894 
(C13) French, 36 moves, 0-1

52.Qh3! +-
K Walbrodt vs A Zinkl, 1894 
(C13) French, 65 moves, 1/2-1/2

27...Rb1!! wins.
H Bouwmeester vs Botvinnik, 1958 
(A37) English, Symmetrical, 30 moves, 1/2-1/2

Lovely Zwischenzug 29.bxc5!! wins.
D Reinderman vs L Bruzon Batista, 2012 
(A15) English, 31 moves, 1/2-1/2

17.Qe1!! +-
F Chalupetzky vs K Treybal, 1908 
(D05) Queen's Pawn Game, 42 moves, 0-1

30.Qxd3!! cxd3 31.Rhc1+ Kd8 32.Bf6+ Qe7 33.Bxe7+ Ke8 34.Rc7! +-
K Treybal vs E Post, 1912 
(C26) Vienna, 46 moves, 1/2-1/2

Missed mate in four.
Huebner vs Petrosian, 1976 
(A04) Reti Opening, 41 moves, 0-1

30.Rh5!! wins, 36.Rxf6+!! draws
R Cardoso vs Petrosian, 1975 
(B81) Sicilian, Scheveningen, Keres Attack, 50 moves, 0-1

26...Qf2
K Treybal vs F Kafka, 1921 
(B01) Scandinavian, 39 moves, 1-0

49.f6! +-
Meitner vs M Fleissig, 1873 
(D32) Queen's Gambit Declined, Tarrasch, 49 moves, 0-1

14...Ba3!!, 27...Rae8
Smyslov vs Bronstein, 1953 
(A12) English with b3, 40 moves, 1/2-1/2

21...Nb5!! saves the day for black
Spassky vs Ehlvest, 1991 
(B06) Robatsch, 30 moves, 1-0

29.h7! +- and 36.Nxf7! Rxg2+ 37.Rxg2 Qxf7 38.Qd3+ Kh8 39.Qd6 +-
L Mista vs Korchnoi, 1969 
(E19) Queen's Indian, Old Main line, 9.Qxc3, 36 moves, 0-1

19...Rxh4!! gives black clear advantage.
Geller vs Bronstein, 1968 
(B32) Sicilian, 37 moves, 1-0

30...Nh3+! 31.Kg2 Nf4+ 32.Kh1 Nh3! = forces draw.
Maroczy vs Marshall, 1902 
(C42) Petrov Defense, 39 moves, 1-0

26.Rg7! +-
Chigorin vs Englisch, 1882 
(C33) King's Gambit Accepted, 34 moves, 1/2-1/2

31...Reh4!! -+
Botvinnik vs Tal, 1960 
(D32) Queen's Gambit Declined, Tarrasch, 72 moves, 1/2-1/2

26.e5!! with decisive attack was better.
Suetin vs Polugaevsky, 1959 
(B96) Sicilian, Najdorf, 72 moves, 1/2-1/2

42...Nxe3+!! -+; 51...f5+! 52.Kxf5 Rxe5+!! 53.fxe5! Rg5+! =
Gunsberg vs Winawer, 1883 
(D02) Queen's Pawn Game, 55 moves, 1-0

20.Qxh5!! +-
Jansa vs M Orsag, 1993 
(B84) Sicilian, Scheveningen, 62 moves, 0-1

37.Qxg6! Rh1+ 38.Bf1!! +-
P Johner vs Bogoljubov, 1928 
(D35) Queen's Gambit Declined, 41 moves, 0-1

35.Ne6!! +-
Janowski vs Maroczy, 1905 
(D40) Queen's Gambit Declined, Semi-Tarrasch, 75 moves, 0-1

26.f4! Qe7 27.Qg4 or 27.Qb2 wins.
M Walter vs A Pokorny, 1923 
(D44) Queen's Gambit Declined Semi-Slav, 47 moves, 1/2-1/2

37...b4! -+
H Wolf vs Tartakower, 1923 
(B40) Sicilian, 79 moves, 1/2-1/2

38...Bf7 wins easily
D Przepiorka vs Euwe, 1922 
(D15) Queen's Gambit Declined Slav, 47 moves, 1/2-1/2

29...Rxa2!! could have saved the day for black.
Capablanca vs G A Thomas, 1919 
(C66) Ruy Lopez, 29 moves, 1-0

22.b6! +- was correct continuation of white's counter-attack
P Duffy vs Steinitz, 1865 
(C63) Ruy Lopez, Schliemann Defense, 33 moves, 0-1

28...Rxe1+! 29.Kxe1 Qxc1+ 30.Nd1 Rb1 31.Rd2 Qc3 -+
Larsen vs Spassky, 1968 
(A25) English, 42 moves, 1/2-1/2

28...Kg7!! 29.Rd1 Rxf3!!
A Moiseenko vs B Grachev, 2012 
(D44) Queen's Gambit Declined Semi-Slav, 66 moves, 1/2-1/2

24.Qxh8+ Ke7 25.Rd7+!!
L Asztalos vs Alekhine, 1931 
(C11) French, 52 moves, 1/2-1/2

30....Rdg8!! -+
J Bauer vs E Schallopp, 1889 
(D10) Queen's Gambit Declined Slav, 64 moves, 1-0

29.Rh3!! +-
Kotov vs Bronstein, 1972 
(A13) English, 43 moves, 0-1

27.Rxh6+! Kxh6 28.Qxf8 +-
J Schwarz vs Blackburne, 1883 
(C49) Four Knights, 42 moves, 0-1

19.Nxe5!! Bxd1 20.Nxc6 Bf8 21.Rexd1 Kh8 22.Nxb8 Qxb8 23.Bxa6 +-
Short vs Timman, 1983 
(C84) Ruy Lopez, Closed, 83 moves, 1/2-1/2

36...Rxe3! 37.fxe3 Qb5 -+
Short vs Timman, 1980 
(B52) Sicilian, Canal-Sokolsky (Rossolimo) Attack, 93 moves, 1/2-1/2

24...Ng3+! -+
L Rudenko vs F Heemskerk, 1949 
(E47) Nimzo-Indian, 4.e3 O-O 5.Bd3, 72 moves, 1-0

35.Qf4! +-
Flohr vs Ragozin, 1939 
(D51) Queen's Gambit Declined, 43 moves, 1/2-1/2

17.Be4! +-
Najdorf vs P Johner, 1936 
(D31) Queen's Gambit Declined, 65 moves, 0-1

Missed mate in 2.
W Leonhardt vs O Ferreira, 1976 
(A56) Benoni Defense, 36 moves, 0-1

40.Qxa5 +-
Duras vs A Neumann, 1904 
(C70) Ruy Lopez, 63 moves, 0-1

23.Rxf6!! gxf6 24.exf6 +-
Botvinnik vs I Rabinovich, 1926 
(D48) Queen's Gambit Declined Semi-Slav, Meran, 50 moves, 1/2-1/2

33.Ng6+! leads to mate.
Blatny vs V Malaniuk, 1993 
(C45) Scotch Game, 74 moves, 0-1

25...Qg4!
Kotov vs Ragozin, 1942 
(E51) Nimzo-Indian, 4.e3, 57 moves, 1-0

21...f3! or 21...Rhg8 22.Kh1 f3!
Kotov vs Ragozin, 1939 
(E21) Nimzo-Indian, Three Knights, 32 moves, 1-0

30...Qxe4! 31.dxe4 d3 32.Bc1 Bb2!! -+
J Schwarz vs H Von Schuetz, 1881 
(C49) Four Knights, 39 moves, 1-0

36.Rbd1! +-
Paulsen vs Blackburne, 1881 
(C02) French, Advance, 74 moves, 0-1

29.a3! +-
Gelfand vs Ding Liren, 2020 
(D86) Grunfeld, Exchange, 48 moves, 1/2-1/2

23.Nb8!!
Bronstein vs Uhlmann, 1965 
(C18) French, Winawer, 38 moves, 1/2-1/2

40.h4! +-
K Treybal vs Rubinstein, 1922 
(C78) Ruy Lopez, 71 moves, 1/2-1/2

35.Nxh7! Nxh7 36.Rh5! +-
I Kan vs V Chekhover, 1935 
(B58) Sicilian, 44 moves, 1/2-1/2

36.Rxg7!! or 36.Nde4!! are winning.
L Winants vs Karpov, 1988 
(E15) Queen's Indian, 43 moves, 0-1

18.Bxg6!!
Filip vs J Pogats, 1961 
(D40) Queen's Gambit Declined, Semi-Tarrasch, 24 moves, 1/2-1/2

34...e4 -+
Plachetka vs G Kluger, 1972 
(C96) Ruy Lopez, Closed, 37 moves, 1-0

19.Qc1!! holds the position with huge advantage.
A Fier vs N Dzagnidze, 2012 
(E15) Queen's Indian, 24 moves, 0-1

39...Qd3! leaves white in big troubles.
Kramnik vs Topalov, 1996 
(E97) King's Indian, 45 moves, 1/2-1/2

28...Rxf5 29.gxf5 Nf3+ followed by Qxg2+ and Nxe1+ wins.
Panno vs F Olafsson, 1953 
(E69) King's Indian, Fianchetto, Classical Main line, 35 moves, 1-0

34.Kf6! Qxd4+ 35.Kf7! +-
Spassky vs Polugaevsky, 1961 
(E12) Queen's Indian, 51 moves, 0-1

23...g4! 24.h4 b6 25.Bb4 c5 26.Bd2 Rf8 -+
Euwe vs Vidmar, 1946 
(C85) Ruy Lopez, Exchange Variation Doubly Deferred (DERLD), 40 moves, 1-0

21...Ke8!! -+
M Bier vs W Paulsen, 1883 
(B43) Sicilian, Kan, 5.Nc3, 67 moves, 1-0

24...Rxg2! -+
Mackenzie vs Tarrasch, 1887 
(B25) Sicilian, Closed, 30 moves, 1-0

31...f5! -+
Van der Wiel vs Short, 1985 
(C42) Petrov Defense, 34 moves, 1-0

34...Rxe6! 35.dxe6 Rxe6 -+
Hort vs Portisch, 1969 
(C45) Scotch Game, 41 moves, 1-0

29...Qf2!! -+
R Teschner vs Portisch, 1969 
(C02) French, Advance, 40 moves, 1/2-1/2

25...Qe7! 26.Nc4 Bb7 27.Qf4 Rf3 28.Qd2 Qh4 -+
Tartakower vs Spielmann, 1909  
(D00) Queen's Pawn Game, 37 moves, 1/2-1/2

22...Rf2! 23.Qe1 Qf7 24.h3 Be4 -+
Spielmann vs Tartakower, 1907 
(C13) French, 42 moves, 1/2-1/2

19.e5!! could win.
Lipke vs Steinitz, 1898 
(C60) Ruy Lopez, 56 moves, 0-1

42.Bxb7! +-
Stein vs Bobotsov, 1967 
(B44) Sicilian, 67 moves, 1/2-1/2

27.Bd6!! +-
Keres vs Lilienthal, 1940 
(C19) French, Winawer, Advance, 41 moves, 1/2-1/2

43...Qh5! -+
Rubinstein vs Marshall, 1908 
(D02) Queen's Pawn Game, 68 moves, 1/2-1/2

26...Qc7! -+
Forintos vs Matulovic, 1965 
(A57) Benko Gambit, 84 moves, 1/2-1/2

19...Qh3! -+
von der Lasa vs Mayet, 1839 
(C45) Scotch Game, 36 moves, 1-0

38.c5!! +-
B Malich vs Jansa, 1966 
(A56) Benoni Defense, 43 moves, 1/2-1/2

32.e5! +-
Najdorf vs A Medina Garcia, 1969 
(A26) English, 58 moves, 1/2-1/2

46.Be4+! +-
Niemann vs P Maghsoodloo, 2022 
(E11) Bogo-Indian Defense, 56 moves, 1/2-1/2

31.Qh4! +-
P Seuffert vs Tarrasch, 1894 
(C49) Four Knights, 49 moves, 0-1

34.Ba3!!
R Loman vs Alekhine, 1913 
(C84) Ruy Lopez, Closed, 41 moves, 0-1

30.Rxf6+! +-
Hort vs Kholmov, 1960 
(A33) English, Symmetrical, 33 moves, 1/2-1/2

30.Bf3! +-
V Knorre vs G Neumann, 1865 
(C51) Evans Gambit, 35 moves, 0-1

41.Kg1!! +-
Hort vs O Kinnmark, 1961 
(A14) English, 46 moves, 1/2-1/2

26...Qa5! -+; 28...Kf8! 29.Re7 Bd5! -+
Browne vs Polugaevsky, 1978 
(D47) Queen's Gambit Declined Semi-Slav, 32 moves, 1-0

24.Bc5! +-; 32...Ke8!! -+
Miles vs Huebner, 1986 
(D29) Queen's Gambit Accepted, Classical, 42 moves, 1/2-1/2

39...dxe5 40.fxe5 f5! -+
Pachman vs Timman, 1977 
(A49) King's Indian, Fianchetto without c4, 58 moves, 1/2-1/2

58...Bxa4! -+; 77...Nd1! -+
W Ju vs U Fataliyeva, 2023 
(A28) English, 131 moves, 1-0

31...Bh6+ 32.Kc3 Qe1+ 33.Kb3 Rf3+ 34.c3 Rxc3+! -+
L Alster vs Hort, 1963 
(B92) Sicilian, Najdorf, Opocensky Variation, 39 moves, 1-0

115 games

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