Blunders

Top 10 Biggest Blunders Grandmasters Made at Chess

Yury Markushin
11.04.2013
Category: General Information
Tags: chess blunder, grandmaster blunder, carlsen blunder, kramnik blunder,

I have decided to do a little research and to compile a list of the biggest blunders made by top chess
players in the world for last 20 or so years.
If you think that 2700 – 2800 rated players and the World Chess Champions don’t blunder at all, or if
their blunders require a microscope (aka Houdini) to be spotted you definitely need to read this!
Note: the blunders are not sorted by their sizes, since it’s difficult to judge whose missed mate in one is
a bigger blunder: Carlsen’s or Kramnik’s.

Chess Blunder #1. Magnus Carlsen – Merab Gagunashvili

Carlsen decided that saving a pawn is more important than preventing the checkmate, so he played
65. e5?? and ofcourse got mated 65…Rc1#

White to move

Chess Blunder #2. Larry Christiansen – Anatoly Karpov

L. Christiansen never became a world champion, but he has beaten one in just 12 moves. In this game
Karpov played 11…Bd6?? without and sense of danger. Now Christiansen is winning a piece with a
nifty queen fork 12. Qd1. Karpov did not bother to continue the game and resigned immediately.

position after Karpov played 11…Bd6??

Chess Blunder #3. Deep Fritz – Vladimir Kramnik

Kramnik offered a queen exchange to a German computer program Fritz, by playing 34…Qe3??. I bet
the computer did not take long to find mate in one, which Kramnik has missed: 35. Qh7#.

position after Kramnik played 34…Qe3??

Chess Blunder #4. Donchev – Topalov

In this position Topalov missed a simple discovered attack with a check by Dimitar Donchev: 19.
Nh6+ winning the queen. Black resigned a move later.
 position after Donchev played 19. Nh6+!

Chess Blunder #5. Anatoly Karpov – Matthew Sadler

In this game Karpov did not notice a subtle threat after Sadler played 12…e4. Karpov responded with
pawn capture via 13. Rxf7?? losing his queen to a pawn (!!) 13…exd3.

White to move

Chess Blunder #6. Garry Kasparov – Vladimir Kramnik

In this game Kramnik offered a queen exchange once again playing 35…Qf8?? but here he did not get
mated in one like in the game before. That still loses the game though, 36. Bd7+ winning the queen.
 position after Kramnik played 35…Qf8??

Chess Blunder #7. Vladimir Kramnik – Wang Hao

Wang Hao missed a two-move tactical hit by Kramnik 26. Qb8+ followed by 27.Qb1 winning the rook
via the fork.

position after Kramnik played 26. Qb8+

Chess Blunder #8. Pablo Lafuente – Shredder

In this game the player who blunders is surprisingly… a computer. After the bishop
exchange 19.Bxb7 Shredder calculated its variation 20 moves ahead and interestingly enough decided
to ignore the white’s bishop whatsoever. Shredder played 19…Rfd8?? not regaining the material.
Laufente won some 30 moves later. The Shredder’s lose was later explained as ‘hash tables error’,
with one in a million chance.

Shredder about to play 19…Rfd8??

Chess Blunder #9. Alexander Morozevich – Boris Gelfand

In this game Gelfand played 30…Rd6?? missing the hidden pin and tactical hit by Morozevich ended
the game quickly 31.Rxe4 winning the knight.
 position after Gelfand played 30…Rd6??

Chess Blunder #10. Peter Heine Nielsen – Sergey Karjakin

Here Karjakin played 100…Kg5?? hanging the rook. Nielsen was happy to finally finish off this long
game with 101.Kxa1.

Karjakin is about to play 100…Kg5??

Conclusions
1. Grandmasters and World Champions are human. They do make mistakes and blunder like 1500
rated players… not as often though.
2. Computers can blunder too! That was actually a big surprise for me.

Question?
Which one in your opinion is the biggest blunder from these 10?
Credits:
The image of Kasparov is taken from the public domain.
100...Kg5??? And what about the rook on a1?
P H Nielsen vs Karjakin, 2005
(D44) Queen's Gambit Declined Semi-Slav, 101 moves, 1-0

Spassky losing his knight by Scholar愀 Mate threat

H Lieb vs Spassky, 1979
(C26) Vienna, 24 moves, 1-0

Bb4? Self-mate by Chigorin.

Chigorin vs Steinitz, 1892
(C34) King's Gambit Accepted, 32 moves, 0-1

Trapped Queen
Nunn vs Kiril D Georgiev, 1988
(B17) Caro-Kann, Steinitz Variation, 42 moves, 1-0

S*** happens - particularly if the game is blindfolded

Karpov vs Sadler, 1998
(A06) Reti Opening, 13 moves, 0-1

Again Chigorin!
Chigorin vs Steinitz, 1889
(C52) Evans Gambit, 26 moves, 0-1

One more self-mate

Karpov vs Bareev, 1994
(C07) French, Tarrasch, 36 moves, 1-0

Karpov in a bad mood

L Christiansen vs Karpov, 1993
(E12) Queen's Indian, 12 moves, 1-0

Mate?No, just a queen loss

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

One more queen

Kramnik vs Shirov, 2001
(E94) King's Indian, Orthodox, 14 moves, 1-0

Was Anand drunk?????

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

And Short self-mates himself

Short vs Beliavsky, 1992
(C48) Four Knights, 58 moves, 0-1

Three big blunders in one game between two great players

Kramnik vs Topalov, 2005
(B80) Sicilian, Scheveningen, 34 moves, 0-1

24..cxd5?, 25..bxd5?
Karpov vs Kasparov, 1990
(E87) King's Indian, Samisch, Orthodox, 29 moves, 1-0

Missed fork
Adams vs Leko, 1996
(A45) Queen's Pawn Game, 31 moves, 1-0

Poor Katy... :-(

Lagno vs Areshchenko, 2003
(B90) Sicilian, Najdorf, 30 moves, 0-1
Wth happened to Karjakin here?
Karjakin vs T L Petrosian, 2005
(B09) Pirc, Austrian Attack, 21 moves, 0-1

Qf8?? Probably the most fatal blunder in Carlsen's career

Carlsen vs Bareev, 2005
(B12) Caro-Kann Defense, 46 moves, 0-1

A one-move-blundered Queen at GM level? Yes!!!

L Bruzon Batista vs Krasenkow, 2005
(B40) Sicilian, 64 moves, 1-0

Magnus? It can't be true!

Carlsen vs M Gagunashvili, 2006
(B48) Sicilian, Taimanov Variation, 65 moves, 0-1

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

Qxa2??
Larsen vs Najdorf, 1968
(A01) Nimzovich-Larsen Attack, 39 moves, 0-1

Qf8??
Kasparov vs Kramnik, 1994
(B33) Sicilian, 36 moves, 1-0

24.exd4??
Aronian vs Svidler, 2006
(D80) Grunfeld, 24 moves, 0-1

Mate in ONE
Deep Fritz vs Kramnik, 2006
(D20) Queen's Gambit Accepted, 35 moves, 1-0

Ehrm, Pari, wasn't it mate? And what did Rg1 mean at all?
Negi vs Lagno, 2006
(C78) Ruy Lopez, 39 moves, 1/2-1/2

Lost Draw
Carlsen vs Topalov, 2007
(D45) Queen's Gambit Declined Semi-Slav, 64 moves, 1-0

Rf1??
K Urban vs Naiditsch, 2007
(A15) English, 50 moves, 1-0

Bent Larsen
S Giardelli vs Larsen, 2004
(A47) Queen's Indian, 21 moves, 1-0

A mistake which he won't make in the next 70 years?

Portisch vs Spassky, 2007
(A95) Dutch, Stonewall, 25 moves, 1-0

Spassky III
Spassky vs Karpov, 1988
(B17) Caro-Kann, Steinitz Variation, 22 moves, 0-1

Mate in 1 missed by both players.

F Bellini vs V Gashimov, 2002
(B30) Sicilian, 75 moves, 1/2-1/2
Bd6??
Motylev vs Carlsen, 2007
(C95) Ruy Lopez, Closed, Breyer, 35 moves, 0-1

Qxh5 makes it complete

D Donchev vs Topalov, 1989
(C04) French, Tarrasch, Guimard Main line, 19 moves, 1-0

Kasparov
Anand vs Kasparov, 1996
(B90) Sicilian, Najdorf, 54 moves, 1-0

Kamsky vs Shirov, 2007

(D00) Queen's Pawn Game, 29 moves, 0-1

Short vs Chiburdanidze, 1985

(B72) Sicilian, Dragon, 31 moves, 0-1

stalemate
Kasparov vs Kiril D Georgiev, 1988
(A29) English, Four Knights, Kingside Fianchetto, 78 moves, 1/2-1/2

stalemate 2
Karpov vs Judit Polgar, 1998
(E60) King's Indian Defense, 75 moves, 1/2-1/2

Blundering Thrice (black 28, white 30, white 37)

Ivanchuk vs Aronian, 2008
(C84) Ruy Lopez, Closed, 60 moves, 0-1

Ke5?? Some say worst, but game #1 is much worse:)

Carlsen vs Shirov, 2008
(C78) Ruy Lopez, 80 moves, 1-0

Queen
Bacrot vs E Inarkiev, 2008
(C69) Ruy Lopez, Exchange, Gligoric Variation, 23 moves, 0-1

Morozevich vs Gelfand, 2009

(C24) Bishop's Opening, 31 moves, 1-0

Helpmate in one
Beliavsky vs L E Johannessen, 2002
(D58) Queen's Gambit Declined, Tartakower (Makagonov-Bondarevsky) Syst, 69 moves, 0-1

A blunder by a computer!
P Lafuente vs Shredder, 2005
(E32) Nimzo-Indian, Classical, 52 moves, 1-0

Moves 59+
J Zawadzka vs E Paehtz, 2010
(B12) Caro-Kann Defense, 64 moves, 1/2-1/2

One-move blunder on move 11

Stripunsky vs Onischuk, 2012
(B11) Caro-Kann, Two Knights, 3...Bg4, 11 moves, 0-1

One-move blundered queen (black's 34th, the opponent misses it)

J Emma vs Stein, 1966
(B50) Sicilian, 48 moves, 1/2-1/2

Mate in two missed by both

Rubinstein vs Nimzowitsch, 1912
(A55) Old Indian, Main line, 50 moves, 1-0
Szabo vs Reshevsky, 1953
(D42) Queen's Gambit Declined, Semi-Tarrasch, 7.Bd3, 27 moves, 1/2-1/2

Kramnik vs Wang Hao, 2013

(D16) Queen's Gambit Declined Slav, 26 moves, 1-0

Greatest chess blunders in the

history of chess
BEST OF CHESSENTIALS CHESS HISTORY FAMOUS CHESS MOVES JANUARY 7, 2017 SHARE

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ERRARE HUMANUM EST…

The last tournament game I played was a Croatian league match. I was playing White and played a
very good game, untill the following position was reached:

Considering that my opponent was female, it was somewhat expected, since I score terribly against
women.

And they also often beat me in chess.

…BUT EVEN GRANDMASTERS ARE HUMANS

After that “dramatic” finish to the game, I was so shocked that all I could do was laugh. However,
later, after computer showed me that my advantage was worth 13 pawns, I seriously started
doubting the ancient “laughter is the best medicine” saying.
In order to make myself feel better, I got the motivation to write this article.

Because something malicious in our subconsciousness makes us enjoy seeing our idols failing
miserably.

Or as they say, “There are two types of luck, my luck and misery of others.”

Therefore, without further ado, I bring the compilation of the biggest blunders made by top
grandmasters in the history of chess.

1. PETROSIAN BLUNDERS HIS QUEEN

Probably one of the most famous blunders in the history is following blunder by the 9th chess
champion Tigran Vartanovich Petrosian.

In his game against David Bronstein in Amsterdam Candidates tournament in 1956, the following
position was reached:

2. BACROT BLUNDERS HIS QUEEN

Petrosian is not the only one that commited a one move blunder. Etienne Bacrot, a very
strong Grandmaster and seven times French Champion can also join that club.

In his game against Ernesto Inarkiev in the Baku Grand Prix 2008 , the following positions was
reached:

3. KARJAKIN BLUNDERS HIS ROOK

Not only World Champions, but also World Champion Candidates are prone to blundering their
heavy pieces once in a while. In the game Peter Heine Nielsen – Sergey Karjakin, Corus Chess
Tournament 2005, the following position was reached:

4. KRAMNIK BLUNDERS MATE IN ONE

Another shocking example is the blunder of the 14th World Champion Vladimir Kramnik. In
his game against the computer Deep Fritz from the year 2006 a following position was reached:

5. CHIGORIN BLUNDERS MATE IN TWO

Another famous, and probably the most shocking blunder on this list, is the blunder by the Russian
Grandmaster Chigorin in the 23rd match game in his 1892 World Championship Match against the
champion Wilhelm Steinitz.

The importance of this blunder can best be evaluated if we consider that the score in the match
was standing at 9-8 in Steinitz’s favour. The match was played in the best of 10 format, and the
following position in the 23rd game was reached:

6. KORCHNOI BLUNDERS MATE IN THREE

Viktor Korchnoi is widely considered as the best chess player ever never to become a World
Champion. The closest he ever came to winning the title was the 1978 Baguio city World
Championship match against Anatoly Karpov. I remind the reader that at one point the score in the
match was 5-5, and Karpov managed to prevail by the closes possible margin by winning the 32nd
game and thus the match.
However, everything might have ended differently if 17th game of that match went differently.

In that game, the following position was reached:

7. FISCHER BLUNDERS HIS BISHOP

The Fischer – Spassky “MATCH OF THE CENTURY” is probably most famous chess event of all
times. However, it would be a big blunder not to include the events that occurred in the game one
of that match in this list.

In the following position, Fischer as black decided to grab a pawn:

8. BOGOLJUBOW BLUNDERS IN A DRAWN ENDGAME

For the next blunder we go back to year 1929 and Alekhine – Bogoljubov match. In the game 19,
the following endgame occurred on the board:

9. BRONSTEIN BLUNDERS IN A DRAWN ENDGAME

The long list of blunder in the World Championship matches continues with amazing Bronstein
blunder in the 6th game of the Botvinnik – Bronstein World Championship match from the year
1951.

In the following position, Bronstein’s brain tilted:

The blunder is even more significant if you bear in mind that the match ended with the 12-12 score,
which allowed Botvinnik to retain his title, according to the match regulations.

10. ANAND NAIVELY BLUNDERS TWO PAWNS

The last, but not the least on this list, is the Indian superstar and World Champion Vishwanathan
Anand’s blunder in the 11th game of his 1995 World Championship match against Garry Kasparov.

It has to be said that up to this point it has been a very close match. Both players have scored one
win, and Kasparov was unable to break through Anand’s deep opening preparation.

In the 11th game he decided to play the Sicilian Dragon for the first time in his life, and the
following position was reached:

CONCLUSION
To conclude, this list could probably continue further. These are some of the most vivid examples of
the grandmaster blunders in the history of chess. If you have your favourite, or your own thoughts

about the theme of this article, feel free to comment below

Therefore, next time you overlook your queen, don’t give up your hope of becoming a GM.

After my atrocious Nxg6, I certainly haven’t. But as my favourite band Architects sing in their song,
“HOPE IS A PRISON.”