In the Master Class series, GMs and experts present the games and ideas of the best players in chess history. These are first and foremost, but not only, the world champions. Learn from the geniuses who left their mark on chess in their time and enriched the game with new ideas. It’s well worth replaying their games to take away the lessons and ideas they contain, as well as their flashes of tactical genius and perfect endgame technique.
This week:
The set includes:
Master Class Vol. 1: Bobby Fischer – World Champion 1972-1975
No other world chess champion has achieved such notoriety outside the small world of chess as Robert James Fischer.
Master Class Vol. 2: Mihail Tal – World Champion 1960-1961
No other world champion has ever excited the chess world as much as Mihail Tal. His star as World Champion twinkled only briefly, but it shone with unprecedented intensity.
Master Class Vol. 3: Alexander Aljechin – World Champion 1927-1935 and 1937-1946
Thanks to many fantastic attacking games, the fourth World Chess Champion Alexander Alekhine is still considered an attacking genius today.
Master Class Vol 4: José Raúl Capablanca – World Champion 1921-1977
The Cuban chess machine lost very few games throughout his career, and won many with disconcerting ease.
Master Class Vol. 5: Emanuel Lasker – World Champion 1894-1921
Emanuel Lasker’s name will always be associated with his 27 long years on the chessboard throne.
Master Class Vol. 6: Anatoly Karpov – World Champion 1975-1985
When Anatoly Karpov was invited to the Botvinnik chess school at the age of 11, the “patriarch” made a damning judgment: “This boy has no idea about chess. There is no future for him in this business”. Rarely has a judgment on a chess talent been more erroneous than this one.
Master Class Vol. 7: Garry Kasparov – World Champion 1985-2000
Garry Kasparov’s talent was recognized very early on, but at the latest when he qualified for the prestigious USSR national championship at the age of just 15. At the time, he was regarded the world over as a possible future world champion. But on his way to the throne, the Baku Ogre had to overcome a great deal of resistance.
Master Class Vol. 8: Magnus Carlsen (2. edition) – World Champion 2013-2024
Few world champions have enchanted chess fans and the general public alike as much as Magnus Carlsen. The Norwegian started from virtually nothing and dominated the competition like no other until today. Remaining unbeaten since taking the title in 2013, he retired 2024 from the race.
Master Class Vol. 9: Paul Morphy – Best player of his time
Meet one of chess history’s greatest geniuses! Paul Morphy’s (1837-1884) career lasted just a few years, yet he managed to beat the best chess players of his time.
Master Class Vol. 10: Mikhail Botvinnik – World Champion 1948-1957, 1958-1960, 1961-1963
Mikhail Botvinnik became world champion in 1948 and remained so until 1963, during which time he successfully defended his title or regained it in rematch competitions against David Bronstein, Vasily Smyslov and Mihail Tal.
Master Class Vol. 11: Vladimir Kramnik – World Champion 2000-2007
Garry Kasparov declared early on who would be his successor at the top: Vladimir Kramnik himself!
Master Class Vol. 12: Viswanathan Anand – World Champion 2007-2013
After the reunification of the world championships in 2006, Anand won the world championship tournament in 2007. In 2008, he successfully defended his title against Vladimir Kramnik, in 2010 against Veselin Topalov and in 2012 against Boris Gelfand. In his native India, Anand has triggered a chess boom.
Master Class Vol. 13: Tigran Petrosian – World Cup 1963-1969
Tigran Petrosian became the 9th World Champion in the history of chess, having defeated the defending champion Mikhail Botvinnik in 1963. In 1969, he relinquished the crown to Boris Spassky.
Master Class Vol. 14: Vasily Smyslov – World Champion 1957-1958
In 1957, Vasily Smyslov defeated Botvinnik on his second attempt to become the 7th World Champion in chess history, but had to relinquish his title the following year in a rematch.
Master Class Vol. 15: Viktor Kortschnoi – One of the strongest players among non-World Champions
Viktor Kortchnoi (1931-2016) is one of the greatest players in chess history. As early as 1962, he qualified for a Candidate Tournament for the first time, but despite numerous attempts, he was never able to win the title.
Master Class Vol. 16: Judit Polgar – The best player of all time
Judit Polgar became the best female player in chess history and the first woman to achieve an Elo rating above 2700. She took part in numerous top-level tournaments and was a dangerous opponent for the best male players. At the height of her talent, Judit Polgar was one of the world’s top 10 players.
New:
Master Class Vol 17: Boris Spassky – World Champion 1969-1972
Boris Spassky may have been the most talented of the Soviet GMs, but his career wasn’t exactly linear. In 1969, he won the title against Tigran Petrosjan at his second attempt, but lost it three years later in a war of nerves against Bobby Fischer.
