Notable Games
Bent Larsen
15 celebrated games · 1037 in the full archive
◈The games that made the legend
Larsen – Geller · 1960 · 1–0
Copenhagen 1960 (Nimzowitsch Memorial). An early giant-killing: with the offbeat Hungarian Opening (1.g3) Larsen hunts down Efim Geller's king, the knight romp 30.Nf6+ and 39.Qa5+ closing the net. On his chessgames notable list.
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Larsen – Spassky · 1964 · 1–0
Amsterdam Interzonal 1964. Larsen knocks off future World Champion Boris Spassky with his beloved offbeat Bird's Opening (1.f4) — the sort of theory-shunning choice that became his trademark.
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Larsen – Portisch · 1964 · 1–0
Amsterdam Interzonal 1964. A French Winawer win over Lajos Portisch, Larsen's central break (29.d5) and queen raid forcing resignation, 33.Bb4+. On his chessgames notable list.
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Larsen – Tal · 1965 · 1–0
Candidates semifinal 1965. A King's Indian win over former World Champion Mikhail Tal, from their ten-game battle of attackers.
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Larsen – Matanovic · 1965 · 1–0
Zagreb 1965. A crisp 32-move win over Aleksandar Matanović, 31.Nxe6 and 32.Nh6+ deciding. On his chessgames notable list.
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Larsen – Petrosian · 1966 · 1–0
2nd Piatigorsky Cup, Santa Monica 1966. Larsen's daring queen sacrifice (25.Qxg6!) against reigning World Champion Tigran Petrosian — Be6+ and the rooks crashing through to 30.Rg3. He beat Petrosian in both their games that tournament.
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Larsen – Reshevsky · 1966 · 1–0
2nd Piatigorsky Cup, Santa Monica 1966. A Benoni win over the veteran American star Samuel Reshevsky, from the tournament that announced Larsen among the world elite.
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Larsen – Botvinnik · 1970 · 1–0
Leiden 1970. An English-Opening win over the great Mikhail Botvinnik — one more former World Champion for the giant-killer's collection.
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Fischer – Larsen · 1970 · 0–1
Palma de Mallorca Interzonal 1970. Larsen (Black) inflicts Bobby Fischer's only loss of the Interzonal Fischer otherwise dominated — a Sicilian Sozin ground down to a won endgame. On his chessgames notable list.
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Taimanov – Larsen · 1970 · 0–1
Vinkovci 1970. A sharp Black win over Mark Taimanov during Larsen's peak year, the passed g-pawn queening (33…g1=Q+) to force resignation. On his chessgames notable list.
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Larsen – Kavalek · 1970 · 1–0
Lugano 1970. A win in Larsen's signature 1.b3 (the Nimzo-Larsen Attack that bears his name) over Lubomir Kavalek, a kingside assault ending 33.Rh7+.
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Larsen – Uhlmann · 1971 · 1–0
Candidates quarter-final 1971. A win over the French-Defence specialist Wolfgang Uhlmann from the match Larsen won (+4−2) to reach the Candidates semifinals.
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Larsen – Smyslov · 1972 · 1–0
Las Palmas 1972. A 77-move win over former World Champion Vasily Smyslov, Larsen's endgame technique prevailing.
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Larsen – Najdorf · 1973 · 1–0
Manila 1973. A King's Indian win over the legendary Miguel Najdorf.
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Karpov – Larsen · 1980 · 0–1
Tilburg 1980. Larsen (Black) beats reigning World Champion Anatoly Karpov in a Petroff, grinding out the endgame with queenside passed pawns.
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