The first undisputed World Champion in the history of chess was Wilhelm Steinitz, while the 16th and current World Champion is Magnus Carlsen. In this article and in the days to come ChessBase presents 16 games by the World Champions — one per World Champion. Without giving any information when, where and against whom these games were played, can you find out which World Champion played which game by just looking at the moves?
To simplify the task, the 16 World Champions were divided into four groups. In the first group were Wilhelm Steinitz, Emanuel Lasker, José Rául Capablanca and Alexander Alekhine, the second group consists of Max Euwe, Mikhail Botvinnik, Vassily Smyslov and Mihail Tal.
The games were chosen with a random generator. But only tournament and matchgames were taken into account and only wins. Games between two World Champions were also ignored.
Game 1
| 1.e4 | 1,165,570 | 54% | 2421 | --- |
| 1.d4 | 946,474 | 55% | 2434 | --- |
| 1.Nf3 | 281,312 | 56% | 2441 | --- |
| 1.c4 | 181,937 | 56% | 2442 | --- |
| 1.g3 | 19,688 | 56% | 2427 | --- |
| 1.b3 | 14,236 | 54% | 2427 | --- |
| 1.f4 | 5,886 | 48% | 2377 | --- |
| 1.Nc3 | 3,796 | 51% | 2384 | --- |
| 1.b4 | 1,753 | 48% | 2380 | --- |
| 1.a3 | 1,197 | 54% | 2403 | --- |
| 1.e3 | 1,068 | 48% | 2408 | --- |
| 1.d3 | 948 | 50% | 2378 | --- |
| 1.g4 | 662 | 46% | 2361 | --- |
| 1.h4 | 446 | 53% | 2374 | --- |
| 1.c3 | 426 | 51% | 2425 | --- |
| 1.h3 | 279 | 56% | 2416 | --- |
| 1.a4 | 108 | 60% | 2468 | --- |
| 1.f3 | 91 | 47% | 2431 | --- |
| 1.Nh3 | 89 | 66% | 2508 | --- |
| 1.Na3 | 42 | 62% | 2482 | --- |
Please, wait...
1.Nf3 Nf6 2.g3 b5 3.Bg2 Bb7 4.0-0 e6 5.d3 d5 6.Nbd2 Be7 7.e4 0-0 8.Qe2 c5 9.Re1 Nc6 10.c3 a5 11.exd5 exd5 12.d4 Qb6 13.dxc5 Bxc5 14.Nb3 Rfe8 15.Qc2 d4 16.Qf5 Rxe1+ 17.Nxe1 Re8 18.Nf3 Bd6 19.Bg5 Ne4 20.Re1 Ne7 21.Bxe7 g6 22.Qh3 dxc3 23.Rxe4 cxb2 24.Re1 Rxe7 25.Rb1 a4 26.Nbd4 Bxf3 27.Nxf3 Re2 28.Rf1 Rxf2 29.Qc8+ Kg7 30.Qc3+ f6 0–1
- Start an analysis engine:
- Try maximizing the board:
- Use the four cursor keys to replay the game. Make moves to analyse yourself.
- Press Ctrl-B to rotate the board.
- Drag the split bars between window panes.
- Download&Clip PGN/GIF/FEN/QR Codes. Share the game.
- Games viewed here will automatically be stored in your cloud clipboard (if you are logged in). Use the cloud clipboard also in ChessBase.
- Create an account to access the games cloud.
There is only one World Champion who played like this, isn't it? But who?
Game 2
| Replay and check the LiveBook here |
Please, wait...
1.d4 Nf6 2.c4 e6 3.Nc3 Bb4 4.e3 c5 5.Bd3 b6 6.Nf3 Bb7 7.Bd2 0-0 8.a3 Bxc3 9.Bxc3 d6 10.dxc5 bxc5 11.0-0 Nbd7 12.b4 Qc7 13.Rc1 Ne4 14.Bxe4 Bxe4 15.Nd2 Bg6 16.Nb3 Rad8 17.Na5 Nb6 18.Qg4 e5 19.b5 f5 20.Qe2 f4 21.exf4 Rxf4 22.Rfd1 Rdf8 23.Be1 Nc8 24.Nb3 Qf7 25.Nd2 e4 26.Nf1 Bh5 27.Qc2 Bxd1 28.Rxd1 Ne7 29.Ne3 Nf5 30.Nxf5 Qxf5 31.Rxd6 e3 32.Qxf5 exf2+ 33.Bxf2 R8xf5 34.Rd2 Rxc4 35.h3 h5 36.h4 Ra4 37.Rd8+ Kh7 38.Rd3 Ra5 39.Rb3 c4 40.Rc3 Rfxb5 41.Rxc4 Rxa3 42.Bd4 a5 0–1
- Start an analysis engine:
- Try maximizing the board:
- Use the four cursor keys to replay the game. Make moves to analyse yourself.
- Press Ctrl-B to rotate the board.
- Drag the split bars between window panes.
- Download&Clip PGN/GIF/FEN/QR Codes. Share the game.
- Games viewed here will automatically be stored in your cloud clipboard (if you are logged in). Use the cloud clipboard also in ChessBase.
- Create an account to access the games cloud.
Who played Black in this game?
Game 3
| Replay and check the LiveBook here |
Please, wait...
1.d4 d5 2.c4 c6 3.Nf3 Nf6 4.Nc3 g6 5.Bf4 Bg7 6.e3 0-0 7.Qb3 dxc4 8.Bxc4 Nbd7 9.Ne5 Qe8 10.Be2 Nxe5 11.Bxe5 Qd8 12.0-0 Qb6 13.Qa3 Re8 14.Rac1 Bf8 15.Na4 Qd8 16.Rfd1 Nd5 17.e4 e6 18.Qf3 Nb6 19.Nc5 Nd7 20.Nxd7 Bxd7 21.Bf6 Qa5 22.Rc5 Qxa2 23.Rh5 e5 24.dxe5 Be6 25.Qf4 Qxb2 26.Bf1 Be7 27.Qh4 Bc5 28.Rh6 a5 29.Rd3 Bxf2+ 30.Qxf2 Qxf2+ 31.Kxf2 a4 32.Be2 Ra5 33.g4 Rxe5 34.Bxe5 Bc4 35.Rdh3 Bxe2 36.Bf6 Re6 37.e5 Bxg4 38.Rxh7 Rxf6+ 39.exf6 1–0
- Start an analysis engine:
- Try maximizing the board:
- Use the four cursor keys to replay the game. Make moves to analyse yourself.
- Press Ctrl-B to rotate the board.
- Drag the split bars between window panes.
- Download&Clip PGN/GIF/FEN/QR Codes. Share the game.
- Games viewed here will automatically be stored in your cloud clipboard (if you are logged in). Use the cloud clipboard also in ChessBase.
- Create an account to access the games cloud.
And who demonstrated his formidable attacking skills in this game?
Game 4
| 1.e4 | 1,165,570 | 54% | 2421 | --- |
| 1.d4 | 946,474 | 55% | 2434 | --- |
| 1.Nf3 | 281,312 | 56% | 2441 | --- |
| 1.c4 | 181,937 | 56% | 2442 | --- |
| 1.g3 | 19,688 | 56% | 2427 | --- |
| 1.b3 | 14,236 | 54% | 2427 | --- |
| 1.f4 | 5,886 | 48% | 2377 | --- |
| 1.Nc3 | 3,796 | 51% | 2384 | --- |
| 1.b4 | 1,753 | 48% | 2380 | --- |
| 1.a3 | 1,197 | 54% | 2403 | --- |
| 1.e3 | 1,068 | 48% | 2408 | --- |
| 1.d3 | 948 | 50% | 2378 | --- |
| 1.g4 | 662 | 46% | 2361 | --- |
| 1.h4 | 446 | 53% | 2374 | --- |
| 1.c3 | 426 | 51% | 2425 | --- |
| 1.h3 | 279 | 56% | 2416 | --- |
| 1.a4 | 108 | 60% | 2468 | --- |
| 1.f3 | 91 | 47% | 2431 | --- |
| 1.Nh3 | 89 | 66% | 2508 | --- |
| 1.Na3 | 42 | 62% | 2482 | --- |
Please, wait...
1.e4 c5 2.Nf3 d6 3.d4 cxd4 4.Nxd4 Nf6 5.Nc3 e6 6.f4 a6 7.Qf3 Qb6 8.Nb3 Nc6 9.Bd3 Be7 10.Be3 Qc7 11.0-0 0-0 12.Rae1 Nb4 13.a3 Nxd3 14.cxd3 Bd7 15.Rc1 Qb8 16.Na5 Bd8 17.b4 b6 18.Nb3 Be7 19.Nb1 a5 20.Nd4 axb4 21.axb4 Qb7 22.Nd2 Ra3 23.Bf2 b5 24.Nc2 Ra2 25.Nb3 Rc8 26.Ncd4 Bd8 27.Rxc8 Bxc8 28.Rc1 Bd7 29.Kh1 Qa8 30.Bh4 Bb6 31.Qd1 Qa4 32.Be1 h6 33.Bc3 e5 34.fxe5 Ng4 35.Be1 dxe5 36.Nf5 Bxf5 37.exf5 Rxg2 38.Rc8+ Kh7 39.d4 Rxh2+ 40.Kg1 Bxd4+ 0–1
- Start an analysis engine:
- Try maximizing the board:
- Use the four cursor keys to replay the game. Make moves to analyse yourself.
- Press Ctrl-B to rotate the board.
- Drag the split bars between window panes.
- Download&Clip PGN/GIF/FEN/QR Codes. Share the game.
- Games viewed here will automatically be stored in your cloud clipboard (if you are logged in). Use the cloud clipboard also in ChessBase.
- Create an account to access the games cloud.
A nice Sicilian - but who played with Black?
If you want to you can explain your choice the in comments. It is, of course, easy to find out who played which game if you search for the games in the ChessBase Megabase. But this would spoil the fun, so if you do, please keep it to yourself! Moreover, we'll reveal who played which game soon. And part three of the "Exercises in Style" series will also follow soon.
See also:
Exercises in Style: From Wilhelm Steinitz to Magnus Carlsen (1/4)
Exercises in Style (1/4): Solutions
