Notable Games
Michael Adams
15 celebrated games · 1293 in the full archive
◈The games that made the legend
Adams – Tiviakov · 1994 · 1–0
The game Adams calls his most memorable. The sixth and last tie-break game of a marathon 1994 PCA Candidates match in New York — a 92-move Sicilian Alapin that clinched the tie 7½–6½ and sent the 22-year-old into the semi-finals.
→
Adams – Karpov · 1994 · 1–0
A 59-move win over World Champion Anatoly Karpov at Dortmund 1994, meeting his Caro-Kann — a marquee scalp as Adams established himself among the world elite.
→
Adams – Agdestein · 1994 · 1–0
An Alekhine's Defence win over Simen Agdestein in their 1994 Oslo match — long a fixture on lists of Adams's best games.
→
Adams – Anand · 1998 · 1–0
A Sicilian win over future World Champion Viswanathan Anand at Dortmund 1998 — one of Adams's few classical victories over a lifelong rival who usually held the upper hand.
→
Polgar – Adams · 1999 · 0–1
With Black, Adams defends the Marshall Attack to beat Judit Polgar at Dos Hermanas 1999 — the event he won outright ahead of Kramnik, Anand, Karpov and Topalov.
→
Morozevich – Adams · 2001 · 0–1
Invited into an Evans Gambit by the ever-inventive Alexander Morozevich, Adams defends precisely and wins in 27 moves as Black at Corus (Wijk aan Zee) 2001.
→
Adams – Ponomariov · 2002 · 1–0
A patient Ruy Lopez win over reigning FIDE World Champion Ruslan Ponomariov at Linares 2002, Adams grinding out the full point over 76 moves.
→
Adams – Bareev · 2004 · 1–0
A 25-move French Defence miniature against Evgeny Bareev at Corus 2004 — the kind of clean attacking win that belied Adams's quiet, positional reputation.
→
Adams – Akopian · 2004 · 1–0
A crisp 25-move French Defence win over Vladimir Akopian in the 2004 Armenia vs. the Rest of the World match in Moscow — often cited as one of Adams's very best games.
→
Adams – Kramnik · 2004 · 1–0
"Grizzly Adams": a tactical slugfest against the Najdorf that beat reigning World Champion Vladimir Kramnik at Corus 2004 — one of a string of classical wins Adams scored against Kramnik in these years.
→
Adams – Topalov · 2006 · 1–0
"Adam's Grapple": a Scheveningen Sicilian win over reigning FIDE World Champion Veselin Topalov at Corus 2006.
→
Adams – Carlsen · 2010 · 1–0
"Mad Dogs and Englishmen": Adams punishes Magnus Carlsen's offbeat Modern Defence at the 2010 Khanty-Mansiysk Olympiad, with Carlsen then the world No. 1 and three years from the world title.
→
Caruana – Adams · 2013 · 0–1
A Berlin Defence win with Black over Fabiano Caruana at Dortmund 2013 — the tournament Adams won outright ahead of Kramnik with a 2923 performance, the finest result of his career.
→
Muzychuk – Adams · 2015 · 0–1
Playing Black, Adams defeats reigning Women's World Champion Mariya Muzychuk in their first-round match at the 2015 World Cup in Baku.
→
Adams – Topalov · 2016 · 1–0
A 33-move Berlin win over former World Champion Veselin Topalov at the 2016 London Chess Classic — a late-career reminder of Adams's enduring class, the year he took a record-tying British Championship.
→