Chess of the Grandmasters
Encyclopedia
Chess of the Grandmasters (original title: Schach der Großmeister) is a former German TV programme
. The programme was devised, supervised and presented by Claus Spahn
.
(WDR) broadcasting corporation. The concept of the programme was that two Grandmasters played a game of chess
against each other that was commentated and analysed by two Grandmasters, Helmut Pfleger
and Vlastimil Hort
, and later also analysed by the chess program Fritz
. The winner received the WDR TV Chess Award and had the opportunity to defend the title against a new challenger in the following year.
The invited players included Garry Kasparov
, Vladimir Kramnik
, Viswanathan Anand
, Peter Leko
, Jan Timman
and lot more. The first game was played in 1983 by Chess Worldchampion
Anatoly Karpov
and the strongest German player at that time, Robert Hübner
. In the final broadcast in 2005, the two commentators Pfleger and Hort themselves played against each other.
In 1995, Kasparov won a two-game match (1½-½) against the Chess Genius 3 computer program. This contest attracted great attention in the media, because Kasparov had shortly before lost against this program in a Fast chess tournament in London
.
, aged just 14 at the time, against the experienced German Grandmaster Rainer Knaak
in 1990, as well as the defeat of Hübner against Kasparov in just 15 moves in 1992.
Judit Polgár – Rainer Knaak, Chess of the Grandmasters 1990
1.e4 e6 2.d4 d5 3.Nc3 Bb4 4.e5 c5 5.a3 Bxc3+ 6.bxc3 Ne7 (the Winawer Variation of the French Defence
, ECO code C18) 7.Qg4 Qc7 8.Bd3 cxd4 9.Ne2 Qxe5 10.Bf4 Qf6 11.Bg5 Qe5 12.cxd4 h5 13.Qh4 Qc7 14.Bf4 Qa5+ 15.Bd2 Qd8 16.g4 e5 17.dxe5 Bxg4 18.Rg1 Qd7 19.f3 Be6 20.Nd4 Nbc6 21.Nxc6 Nxc6 22.Rxg7 Qc7 23.f4 Nxe5 24.fxe5 Qxe5+ 25.Kf2 Qxg7 26.Rg1 Qb2 27.Bb4 f6 28.Re1 O-O-O 29.Rxe6 Kb8 30.Qxf6 Qa2 31.Qd4 Rc8 32.Bd2 Ka8 33.Be3 Rxc2+ 34.Bxc2 Qxc2+ 35.Ke1 Qb1+ 36.Kd2 Qa2+ 37.Kd1 Qb1+ 38.Ke2 Qc2+ 39.Bd2 Rf8 40.Qxd5 1-0
TV Chess Award:
Other broadcasts:
Television
Television is a telecommunication medium for transmitting and receiving moving images that can be monochrome or colored, with accompanying sound...
. The programme was devised, supervised and presented by Claus Spahn
Claus Spahn
Claus Spahn is a former TV programme editor of Germany's Westdeutscher Rundfunk broadcasting corporation, a presenter, producer and author...
.
History
Between 1983 and 2005, the programme was broadcast once a year by Germany's Westdeutscher RundfunkWestdeutscher Rundfunk
Westdeutscher Rundfunk is a German public-broadcasting institution based in the Federal State of North Rhine-Westphalia with its main office in Cologne. WDR is a constituent member of the consortium of German public-broadcasting institutions, ARD...
(WDR) broadcasting corporation. The concept of the programme was that two Grandmasters played a game of chess
Chess
Chess is a two-player board game played on a chessboard, a square-checkered board with 64 squares arranged in an eight-by-eight grid. It is one of the world's most popular games, played by millions of people worldwide at home, in clubs, online, by correspondence, and in tournaments.Each player...
against each other that was commentated and analysed by two Grandmasters, Helmut Pfleger
Helmut Pfleger
Helmut Pfleger is a German chess Grandmaster and author. He was one of the most promising chess players in the sixties and seventies. By profession, he is a doctor of medicine.- Chess career :...
and Vlastimil Hort
Vlastimil Hort
Vlastimil Hort is a chess Grandmaster of Czech nationality. During the 1960s and 1970s he was one of the world's strongest players and reached the Candidates stage of competition for the world chess championship, but was never able to compete for the actual title.Hort was born in Kladno,...
, and later also analysed by the chess program Fritz
Fritz (chess)
Fritz is a German chess program developed by Frans Morsch and Mathias Feist and published by ChessBase. There is also a version called Deep Fritz that is designed for multiprocessing....
. The winner received the WDR TV Chess Award and had the opportunity to defend the title against a new challenger in the following year.
The invited players included Garry Kasparov
Garry Kasparov
Garry Kimovich Kasparov is a Russian chess grandmaster, a former World Chess Champion, writer, political activist, and one of the greatest chess players of all time....
, Vladimir Kramnik
Vladimir Kramnik
Vladimir Borisovich Kramnik is a Russian chess grandmaster. He was the Classical World Chess Champion from 2000 to 2006, and the undisputed World Chess Champion from 2006 to 2007...
, Viswanathan Anand
Viswanathan Anand
V. Anand or Anand Viswanathan, usually referred as Viswanathan Anand, is an Indian chess Grandmaster, the current World Chess Champion, and currently second highest rated player in the world....
, Peter Leko
Péter Lékó
On the way to winning the prestigious Corus chess tournament in 2005, Lékó defeated Grandmaster Viswanathan Anand with the black pieces. The moves were:...
, Jan Timman
Jan Timman
Jan Timman is a Dutch chess Grandmaster who was one of the world's leading players from the late 1970s to the early 1990s. At the peak of his career he was considered to be the best non-Soviet player and was known as "The Best of the West"...
and lot more. The first game was played in 1983 by Chess Worldchampion
World Chess Championship
The World Chess Championship is played to determine the World Champion in the board game chess. Men and women of any age are eligible to contest this title....
Anatoly Karpov
Anatoly Karpov
Anatoly Yevgenyevich Karpov is a Russian chess grandmaster and former World Champion. He was the official world champion from 1975 to 1985 when he was defeated by Garry Kasparov. He played three matches against Kasparov for the title from 1986 to 1990, before becoming FIDE World Champion once...
and the strongest German player at that time, Robert Hübner
Robert Hübner
Robert Hübner is a respected German chess Grandmaster, chess writer, and papyrologist . At eighteen, he was joint winner of the West German Chess Championship...
. In the final broadcast in 2005, the two commentators Pfleger and Hort themselves played against each other.
In 1995, Kasparov won a two-game match (1½-½) against the Chess Genius 3 computer program. This contest attracted great attention in the media, because Kasparov had shortly before lost against this program in a Fast chess tournament in London
London
London is the capital city of :England and the :United Kingdom, the largest metropolitan area in the United Kingdom, and the largest urban zone in the European Union by most measures. Located on the River Thames, London has been a major settlement for two millennia, its history going back to its...
.
Examples of games
The most remarkable games in the series included the victory of Judit PolgárJudit Polgár
Judit Polgár is a Hungarian chess grandmaster. She is by far the strongest female chess player in history. In 1991, Polgár achieved the title of Grandmaster at the age of 15 years and 4 months, the youngest person ever to do so at that time.Polgár was ranked No...
, aged just 14 at the time, against the experienced German Grandmaster Rainer Knaak
Rainer Knaak
Rainer Fritz Albert Knaak is a German Chess Grandmaster.He learned the game at the age of 5 from his father, Hans Knaak. Rapid progress brought him to the pinnacle of junior chess and in 1966, 1969 and 1970, he was crowned national junior champion in his age range...
in 1990, as well as the defeat of Hübner against Kasparov in just 15 moves in 1992.
Judit Polgár – Rainer Knaak, Chess of the Grandmasters 1990
1.e4 e6 2.d4 d5 3.Nc3 Bb4 4.e5 c5 5.a3 Bxc3+ 6.bxc3 Ne7 (the Winawer Variation of the French Defence
French Defence
The French Defence is a chess opening. It is characterised by the moves:The French has a reputation for solidity and resilience, though it can result in a somewhat cramped game for Black in the early stages...
, ECO code C18) 7.Qg4 Qc7 8.Bd3 cxd4 9.Ne2 Qxe5 10.Bf4 Qf6 11.Bg5 Qe5 12.cxd4 h5 13.Qh4 Qc7 14.Bf4 Qa5+ 15.Bd2 Qd8 16.g4 e5 17.dxe5 Bxg4 18.Rg1 Qd7 19.f3 Be6 20.Nd4 Nbc6 21.Nxc6 Nxc6 22.Rxg7 Qc7 23.f4 Nxe5 24.fxe5 Qxe5+ 25.Kf2 Qxg7 26.Rg1 Qb2 27.Bb4 f6 28.Re1 O-O-O 29.Rxe6 Kb8 30.Qxf6 Qa2 31.Qd4 Rc8 32.Bd2 Ka8 33.Be3 Rxc2+ 34.Bxc2 Qxc2+ 35.Ke1 Qb1+ 36.Kd2 Qa2+ 37.Kd1 Qb1+ 38.Ke2 Qc2+ 39.Bd2 Rf8 40.Qxd5 1-0
Games and results
The tables below list games than can be played (Java Script).TV Chess Award:
| Year | White | Black | Result | Game |
|---|---|---|---|---|
| 1983 | Robert Hübner | Anatoly Karpov | Remis | (1983) |
| 1984 | Viktor Korchnoi Viktor Korchnoi Viktor Lvovich Korchnoi ; pronounced in the original Russian as "karch NOY"; Ви́ктор Льво́вич Корчно́й, born March 23, 1931 is a professional chess player, author and currently the oldest active grandmaster on the tournament circuit... |
Robert Hübner | 0-1 | (1984) |
| 1985 | Robert Hübner | Jan Timman | 0-1 | (1985) |
| 1986 | Tony Miles Tony Miles Anthony John Miles was an English chess Grandmaster.- Early achievements in chess :Miles was born in Edgbaston, a suburb of Birmingham... |
Jan Timman | 0-1 | (1986) |
| 1987 | Jan Timman | Susan Polgar Susan Polgar Susan Polgar is a Hungarian-American chess Grandmaster... |
Remis | (1987) |
| 1988 | Jörg Hickl | Susan Polgar | Remis | (1988) |
| 1989 | Eric Lobron Eric Lobron Eric Lobron is a German chess player of American descent. A former two-time national champion, he has been awarded the title Grandmaster by the World Chess Federation .... |
Judit Polgár | Remis | (1989) |
| 1990 | Judit Polgár | Rainer Knaak | 1-0 | (1990) |
| 1991 | Judit Polgár | Gerald Hertneck | 0-1 | (1991) |
| 1992 | Matthias Wahls | Gerald Hertneck | 1-0 | (1992) |
| 1993 | Matthias Wahls | Christopher Lutz Christopher Lutz Christopher Lutz is a German chess grandmaster and the German chess champion in 1995 and 2001. In 2000 he was a member of the German team that won a silver medal in the 34th Chess Olympiad in Istanbul.... |
Remis | (1993) |
| 1994 | Christopher Lutz | Jeroen Piket Jeroen Piket Jeroen Piket is a retired Dutch chess player who earned the Grandmaster title in 1989. He won the Dutch Chess Championship in 1990, 1991, 1992, and 1994. Other notable results include a second place at the Hoogovens tournament 1997... |
0-1 | (1994) |
| 1995 | Jeroen Piket | Viswanathan Anand | 0-1 | (1995) |
| 1996 | Viswanathan Anand | Vladimir Kramnik | Remis | (1996) |
| 1997 | Vladimir Kramnik | Judit Polgár | 1-0 | (1997) |
| 1998 | Vladimir Kramnik | Michael Adams | 1-0 | (1998) |
| 1999 | Artur Yusupov Artur Yusupov Artur Mayakovich Yusupov is a German International Grandmaster of chess, and a chess writer.-Chess career:... |
Jörg Hickl | 1-0 | (1999) |
| 2000 | Vladimir Kramnik | Péter Lékó | 1-0 | (2000) |
| 2001 | Péter Lékó | Viswanathan Anand | Remis | (2001) |
| 2002 | Anatoly Karpov | Robert Hübner | Remis, Remis, 0-1 (Fast chess) | (2002) |
| 2003 | Jan Timman | Arkadij Naiditsch Arkadij Naiditsch Arkadij Naiditsch is a German chess Grandmaster who was the clear winner of the Dortmund Sparkassen 2005 Tournament, ahead of higher-rated and well-known players such as Loek Van Wely, Veselin Topalov, Peter Svidler, Vladimir Kramnik, Michael Adams, and Peter Leko... |
0-1 | (2003) |
| 2004 | Arkadij Naiditsch | Rustam Kasimdzhanov Rustam Kasimdzhanov Rustam Kasimdzhanov is an Uzbekistani chess Grandmaster, best known for winning the FIDE World Chess Championship 2004. He was born in Tashkent, in the former Uzbek Soviet Socialist Republic... |
1-0 | (2004) |
| 2005 | Helmut Pfleger | Vlastimil Hort | Remis | (2005) |
Other broadcasts:
| Year | White | Black | Result | Remarks |
|---|---|---|---|---|
| 1992 | Garry Kasparov | Robert Hübner | Draw | |
| 1992 | Robert Hübner | Garry Kasparov | 0-1 | |
| 1992 | Robert Hübner | Garry Kasparov | 0-1 | Fast chess |
| 1992 | Garry Kasparov | Robert Hübner | 0-1 | Fast chess |
| 1995 | Garry Kasparov | Chess Genius 3 | 1-0 | Computer |
| 1995 | Chess Genius 3 | Garry Kasparov | Remis | Computer |
External links
- Schach der Großmeister '97 : Wladimir Kramnik - Judit Polgar, 31. August 1997 in Köln (in German)
- WDR: Schach der Großmeister '98 - Wladimir Kramnik - Michael Adams, 16. August 1998 (in German)
- WDR: Schach der Großmeister '99 - Artur Jussupow - Jörg Hickl, 15. August 1999 (in German)
- Interview mit Claus Spahn, 12. Juli 2001 anläßlich der Verleihung des Deutschen Schachpreises 2001 (in German)
- "Schach der Großmeister" im WDR-Fernsehen am 12. August 2001 in Köln (in German)
- Zur letzten Sendung Schach der Großmeister am 24. August 2005 (in German)