Anatoly Lein
Notable Games

Anatoly Lein

15 celebrated games · 486 in the full archive
Player Index ◈ Biography 486 CURATED GAMES

Notable Games

  • 1955.05 Lein, Anatoly vsTal, Mikhail 1-0 Sicilian Defense: Richter-Rauzer Variation, Neo-Modern Variation 92 moves URS-ch23 Quarterfinal USSR Championship 23 quarter-final, 1955. As White in a Richter–Rauzer Sicilian, the young Lein grinds down 18-year-old Mikhail Tal — the future eighth World Champion, five years before he took the crown — in a 92-move queen-ending marathon.
  • 1965 Ujtumen, Tudev vsLein, Anatoly 0-1 Ruy Lopez: Bird Variation 24 moves Chigorin Memorial-05 Chigorin Memorial (Sochi) 1965. A Ruy Lopez Bird Variation in which Lein's black pieces storm the king — 14…Qf2 and 16…Bxd1 win material and a mating attack in just 24 moves. It sits high on his chessgames notable list.
  • 1966.12.30 Lein, Anatoly vsPolugaevsky, Lev 1-0 English Opening: Symmetrical Variation, Ultra-Symmetrical Variation 36 moves URS-ch34 Final USSR Championship 34 final, 1966. A Symmetrical English where Lein's queen harvests the kingside (26.Qxg6, 27.Qxf5) before 32.Ng6+ and 36.Bd5+ finish off the great theoretician Lev Polugaevsky.
  • 1967.01.02 Lein, Anatoly vsSavon, Vladimir A 1-0 Torre Attack: Fianchetto Defense, Euwe Variation 34 moves URS-ch34 Final USSR Championship 34 final, 1967. A Torre Attack kingside demolition — 18.Bxg6 rips open the king and Lein mates future Soviet champion Vladimir Savon on the board, 34.Qg7#.
  • 1967.01.22 Lein, Anatoly vsSmyslov, Vasily V 1-0 Alekhine Defense: Modern Variation, Main Line 108 moves URS-ch34 Final USSR Championship 34 final, 1967. A 108-move endgame grind that wears down former World Champion Vassily Smyslov, who had answered 1.e4 with the Alekhine Defence.
  • 1969.01.19 Lein, Anatoly vsAverbakh, Yuri L 1-0 Queen's Gambit Declined: Semi-Tarrasch Defense, Pillsbury Variation 36 moves URS-ch36 Final USSR Championship 36 final, 1969. A central passed e-pawn overruns endgame theoretician Yuri Averbakh; the pawn marches to e7 and Black resigns.
  • 1971.10.11 Lein, Anatoly vsTaimanov, Mark E 1-0 Indian Defense: Spielmann-Indian 41 moves URS-ch39 Final USSR Championship 39 final, 1971. Lein escorts a passed e-pawn home (33.e5, 37.e6) to beat Mark Taimanov, finishing 41.Rxa7.
  • 1972.12.07 Lein, Anatoly vsBronstein, David Ionovich 1-0 Modern Defense: Two Knights Variation, Suttles Variation 41 moves URS-ch40 Final USSR Championship 40 final, 1972. Lein outplays David Bronstein — the 1951 World Championship challenger — in a sharp Modern Defence, winning the exchange and closing with 41.Qxc8.
  • 1977.03.30 Formanek, Edward W vsLein, Anatoly 0-1 Ruy Lopez: Classical Variation 51 moves Lone Pine op Louis D. Statham Masters Lone Pine 1977. A patient Ruy Lopez endgame Lein wins with Black, marching the queenside pawns (…b4, …c4, …c2) home; it tops his chessgames notable-games list.
  • 1978 Lein, Anatoly vsRegan, Kenneth 1-0 Queen's Indian Defense, with e3 28 moves USA-ch US Championship 1978. A Queen's Indian kingside demolition — Lein sacrifices a rook on h6 (23.Rxh6) and another on h7 to shred Kenneth Regan's king, resigning move 28 to 28.Qe4+.
  • 1979.04.03 Lein, Anatoly vsBarle, Janez 1-0 Bishop's Opening: Vienna Hybrid 42 moves Lone Pine op Louis D. Statham Masters Lone Pine 1979. A wild Bishop's Opening attack chessgames dubbed “Life in the Fast Lein” — Lein's assault (24.Qh5, 25.Qxh7+) outruns Black's own passed a-pawn (30…a1=Q+) to a winning finish, 42.Ng5+.
  • 1979.05 Lein, Anatoly vsMiles, Anthony John 1-0 Queen's Indian Defense: Spassky System 16 moves Johannesburg Johannesburg 1979. A 16-move miniature: top English grandmaster Tony Miles goes pawn-grabbing with his queen (10…Qxe3+, 11…Qxd4), Lein snares it, and Miles resigns on move 16 to 16.Ng5.
  • 1982.04.21 Lein, Anatoly vsBrowne, Walter Shawn 1-0 Nimzo-Indian Defense: Rubinstein System 66 moves Chicago International Chicago 1982. A 66-move technical win over six-time US champion Walter Browne, Lein's king marching in at the finish (66.Kg6).
  • 1986 Lein, Anatoly vsBenjamin, Joel 1-0 Queen's Indian Defense: Kasparov Variation 40 moves USA-ch US Championship 1986. A Queen's Indian where Lein's passed d-pawn breaks through: after 33.d5 both sides queen (36.d8=Q+, 37…b1=Q+) but Lein's attack crashes home, 40.Qd7+, beating Joel Benjamin.
  • 1989 Ashley, Maurice vsLein, Anatoly 0-1 English Opening: Four Knights System, Nimzowitsch Variation 34 moves New York op New York 1989. A sharp Black win over Maurice Ashley — the future grandmaster and renowned commentator — capped by the sacrifices 30…Rxh3+ and 33…Rxg3+.
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