The Open Amateur

Fictional Chess Literature

Chess literature up to now has pretty much been in two distinct categories, serious works - chess biographies, tournament games, opening theory, middlegame and endgame analysis etc. or whimsical accounts of tournaments or events surrounding chess tournaments. The release of the new book, Kasparov: How His Predecessors Misled Him About Chess by Tibor Karolyi and Nick Aplin breaks the mould. The book which features a "Virtual Kasparov", who analyses his lost games (all the games are actual lost games from the real Kasparov) and the influence his predecessors played. This got me thinking about other fictional flights of chess fantasy and in particular about chess matches which never happened. There have been many but at the top on my list is Fischer vs Karpov, so I fired up my trusty ChessMaster software, and created a six game tournament with my specially customised versions of Fischer and Karpov. My Karpov is strategic, yet will play sharp lines if the occasion demands. My Fischer plays classical lines, solid with a liking for strategically sound positions with a sharp edge. Both make convincing virtual clones of their subjects in my view.

For those of you who don't want to know the score and play through the games in tense anticipation a la "Match of the day" look away now and skip this paragraph.

Fischer went 2-0 down, so that made it seem fairly realistic as he did that against Spassky in the 1972 World Chess Championships. He then fought back to 2-2 before losing in a sharp final sixth game. The result of the match was 3.5-2.5 in Karpov's favour.


Here are the games in pgn:

[Event "Fictional Match Fischer vs Karpov"]
[Site ""]
[Date "2-6-2009"]
[Round "1"]
[White "Fischer"]
[Black "Karpov"]
[Result "0-1"]

1. Nf3 Nf6 2. c4 e6 3. Nc3 d5 4. d4 Be7 5. e3 O-O 6. Bd3 c5 7. dxc5 Nc6
8. O-O Bxc5 9. a3 a5 10. Bd2 dxc4 11. Bxc4 e5 12. Qc2 Bg4 13. Rfd1 Bxf3 14. gxf3 Qd7 15. Bd3 Be7 16. Bf5 Qc7 17. Ne4 g6 18. Nxf6+ Bxf6 19. Be4 Rfd8 20. b4 Qb6 21. bxa5 Qa6 22. Bb4 Rac8 23. Rxd8+ Bxd8 24. Rb1 Rc7 25.Qd3 Qxd3 26. Bxd3 f5 27. Bc4+ Kg7 28. Bd5 Kf6 29. Be1 Ke7 30. Rb5 Kd7 31. Bxc6+ bxc6 32. Rxe5 h5 33. e4 Bf6 34. Rc5 Bd4 35. Rc4 c5 36. Ra4 Kc6 37. a6 Ra7 38. exf5 gxf5 39. Kg2 Kb5 40. Ra5+ Kb6 41. Kg3 Be5+ 42. Kh4 Bxh2 43. Kxh5 Bc7 44. Kg6 Kc6 45. Ra4 Kb5 46. Rh4 f4 47. Rh7 Rxa6+ 48.Kf5 Rc6 49. Rd7 c4 50. Bc3 Ka4 51. Ke4 Kb3 52. Bd2 c3 53. Rd3 Rc4+ 54.Kd5 Ba5 55. Bc1 Bb6 56. Bd2 Bd8 57. Bxc3 Rxc3 58. Rd4 Bg5 59. Ke4 Rc5
60. Rd3+ Kb2 61. Kd4 Ra5 62. Ke4 Ra6 63. Kf5 Bh6 64. Rd1 Ra4 65. Rd6 Bg7 66. Rg6 Bc3 67. Rc6 Bd2 68. Ke5 Rxa3 69. Ke4 Rc3 70. Rd6 Kc2 71. Rb6 Kd1 72. Rb2 Ke2 73. Ra2 Rd3 74. Rc2 Rd8 75. Rb2 Kxf2 76. Ra2 Kg3 77. Ra6 Be3 78. Rg6+ Kf2 79. Rh6 Rd4+ 80. Ke5 Kxf3 81. Rh7 Kg2 82. Rg7+ Kf1 83. Rf7
Ke2 84. Rb7 f3 85. Rb2+ Rd2 86. Rb1 f2 87. Rh1 Rd1 88. Rh2 Kf3 89. Rxf2+ Bxf2 90. Kf6 Ke4 91. Kf7 Kf5 92. Ke7 Bh4+ 93. Kf7 Bf6 94. Ke8 Ke6 95. Kf8 Rd8# 0-1

[Event "Fictional Match Fischer vs Karpov"]
[Site ""]
[Date "2-6-2009"]
[Round "2"]
[White "Karpov"]
[Black "Fischer"]
[Result "1-0"]

1. e4 c5 2. Nf3 d6 3. d4 cxd4 4. Nxd4 Nf6 5. Nc3 a6 6. Be2 e5 7. Nb3 Be7 8. O-O O-O 9. Be3 Qc7 10. f4 b6 11. fxe5 dxe5 12. Rxf6 Bxf6 13. Nd5 Qc6 14. Bxb6 Bg5 15. Na5 Qg6 16. Qd3 Be6 17. Nc4 Nd7 18. Bf2 Bxd5 19. exd5 Qxd3 20. Bxd3 f5 21. Rd1 e4 22. Be2 Rab8 23. b3 Rbc8 24. c3 g6 25. b4
Bf6 26. Be1 Bg7 27. a4 Rfd8 28. Bd2 Bf6 29. a5 h6 30. Rc1 Bg5 31. Bxg5 hxg5 32. Ne3 f4 33. Ng4 Nb8 34. Nf6+ Kg7 35. Nxe4 Rxd5 36. c4 Re5 37. Bf3 Rce8 38. Nd6 Re1+ 39. Rxe1 Rxe1+ 40. Kf2 Rh1 41. b5 Kf6 42. b6 Rxh2 43. c5 Ke6 44. Nc4 Rh8 45. c6 Nxc6 46. Bxc6 Rc8 47. b7 Rb8 48. Kf3 Ke7
49. Kg4 Kd8 50. Kxg5 Kc7 51. Bf3 Rd8 52. Kxg6 Rd4 53. Nb6 Rd2 54. Kf5 Ra2 55. Nc4 Rc2 56. Ne5 Rb2 57. Kxf4 Rb4+ 58. Be4 Rb2 59. g4 Rf2+ 60. Bf3 Rd2 61. g5 Rd8 62. g6 Rf8+ 63. Kg5 Re8 64. Ng4 Re7 65. Nf6 Kb8 66. Kh6 Rxb7 67. Bxb7 Kxb7 68. g7 Kc6 69. g8=Q Kc5 70. Qd5+ Kb4 71. Qb7+ Kc3
72. Qxa6 Kd4 73. Qd6+ Ke3 74. a6 Ke2 75. a7 Ke1 76. Qd3 Kf2 77. Ne4+ Ke1 78. Qd2+ Kf1 79. Qf2# 1-0

[Event "Fictional Match Fischer vs Karpov"]
[Site ""]
[Date "2-6-2009"]
[Round "3"]
[White "Fischer"]
[Black "Karpov"]
[Result "1/2-1/2"]

1. d4 Nf6 2. c4 e6 3. Nf3 b6 4. Nc3 Bb4 5. e3 O-O 6. Bd3 d5 7. cxd5 exd5 8. Qa4 Bxc3+ 9. bxc3 Qe8 10. Qxe8 Rxe8 11. O-O Ba6 12. Bxa6 Nxa6 13. Ba3 Rac8 14. Rfd1 c5 15. Rac1 c4 16. Bd6 Ne4 17. Bf4 Nc7 18. Nd2 Nxd2 19. Rxd2 Ne6 20. Bg3 Nf8 21. Rb2 Re6 22. Rb5 Rd8 23. Rcb1 Ng6 24. a4 Ne7 25.
a5 bxa5 26. Rb8 Rc8 27. Rxc8+ Nxc8 28. Rb8 Re8 29. Rb5 Nb6 30. Rxa5 Re7 31. Kf1 Rb7 32. Bd6 f6 33. Bc5 Nc8 34. Ke2 f5 35. Bb4 Rd7 36. f3 Nb6 37.h3 Kf7 38. g4 g6 39. Kd2 fxg4 40. hxg4 h5 41. gxh5 gxh5 42. e4 h4 43. Ra1 Ke6 44. Rh1 Rh7 45. Ke3 h3 46. Kf4 dxe4 47. fxe4 Rh4+ 48. Kg5 Rh8
49. Kg4 Nd7 50. e5 h2 51. Kg3 Nb8 52. Rxh2 Rxh2 53. Kxh2 Nc6 54. Ba3 a5 55. Kg3 Ne7 56. Bb2 Nd5 57. Kf3 a4 58. Ke2 a3 59. Bxa3 Nxc3+ 60. Ke3 Kf5 61. Bd6 Kg6 62. Bb8 Nd5+ 63. Kd2 Kf5 64. Bd6 Ke4 65. Bc5 Nf4 66. Kc3 Kd5
67. Bb6 Ne2+ 68. Kd2 Nf4 69. Kc2 Nd3 70. Bc7 Nf4 71. Kd1 Kxd4 72. Bd6 Kd3 73. Bb4 Ne6 74. Be7 c3 75. Kc1 c2 76. Ba3 Nd4 77. Kb2 Kd2 78. Ka1 Kd1 79. Ka2 Nb5 80. Bb2 Nc3+ 81. Kb3 Ne2 82. Kc4 Nf4 83. Kc3 Ng6 84. Kd4 Nf8 85. Kd5 Kd2 86. Kd6 Ke3 87. Ba3 Ke4 88. e6 Ng6 89. Bc1 Kd3 90. Kd5
Ne7+ 91. Ke5 Kc4 92. Ke4 Nc6 93. Be3 Nb4 94. Bg5 Nd5 95. Kf5 Nc7 96. e7 Kd5 97. Kf6 Kc6 98. Kf7 Kc5 99. Bf4 Kd5 100. Bc1 Ke4 101. Bd2 Kf5 102. Be3 Nb5 103. Ke8 Ke6 104. Bf4 Nd6+ 105. Kf8 Kd7 106. Bxd6 c1=Q 107. e8=Q+ Kxd6 108. Qe7+ Kd5 109. Qd7+ Ke5 110. Qg7+ Ke4 111. Qg2+ Kf4 112.
Qd5 Qe3 113. Qf7+ Kg3 114. Qg6+ Kf2 115. Qd6 Qe4 116. Kf7 Qh7+ 117. Ke8 Qh5+ 118. Kd8 Qh4+ 119. Kc8 Qe4 120. Qc5+ Kf3 121. Kd7 Kf4 122. Qf2+ Kg4 123. Qg1+ Kh4 124. Qc5 Qg4+ 125. Kc7 Qe6 126. Qd4+ Kg5 127. Kb8 Qc6 128. Qe5+ Kg4 129. Ka7 Kf3 130. Qd4 Qb5 131. Qd6 Ke4 132. Qg6+ Kf4 133. Qf6+
Kg4 134. Qd6 Kf5 135. Ka8 Ke4 136. Qg6+ Kf3 137. Qf6+ Ke2 138. Qd4 Qa6+ 139. Kb8 Qc6 140. Ka7 Kf3 141. Qd3+ Kg4 142. Qe3 Qd5 143. Qf2 Kg5 144. Qg3+ Kf6 145. Qf4+ Ke7 146. Qb4+ Ke6 147. Qe1+ Kf5 148. Qc3 Qe4 149. Qc5+ Kf4 150. Ka6 Qe6+ 151. Kb7 Kg3 152. Qd4 Kg2 153. Qf4 Qd5+ 154. Kb6
Kh3 155. Qh6+ Kg4 156. Qg7+ Qg5 157. Qxg5+ Kxg5 1/2-1/2

[Event "Fictional Match Fischer vs Karpov"]
[Site ""]
[Date "2-6-2009"]
[Round "4"]
[White "Karpov"]
[Black "Fischer"]
[Result "0-1"]

1. Nf3 c5 2. g3 g6 3. Bg2 Bg7 4. c4 Nc6 5. Nc3 e6 6. O-O Nge7 7. d3 O-O 8. a3 d5 9. Bg5 h6 10. cxd5 exd5 11. Bxe7 Nxe7 12. d4 cxd4 13. Nxd4 Nc6 14. Nxc6 bxc6 15. Rc1 Ba6 16. Re1 Rb8 17. b4 Re8 18. Qc2 Bc4 19. Red1 a5 20. b5 a4 21. bxc6 Bb3 22. Qd2 Bxd1 23. Qxd1 d4 24. Nd5 Qc8 25. Qc2 Rb3
26. c7 Rc3 27. Qd1 Kh7 28. Bf3 Rxc1 29. Qxc1 Be5 30. Qc6 Rh8 31. Bg2 Qe6 32. Qxa4 Rc8 33. h3 Bxc7 34. Qxd4 Be5 35. Qd3 Rc1+ 36. Kh2 Ra1 37. Ne3 Bg7 38. Nc4 Qf5 39. Qxf5 gxf5 40. Bc6 Ra2 41. Kg2 Rxe2 42. Kf3 Ra2 43. a4 Bd4 44. Ne3 Kg6 45. Bd7 Bxe3 46. fxe3 Kf6 47. Bb5 Ke5 48. Be8 Kd6 49.
h4 Ke5 50. Bc6 f6 51. Be8 Rb2 52. Bb5 Rc2 53. Bd3 Ra2 54. Bb5 Ra1 55. Bc6 Rf1+ 56. Ke2 Rc1 57. Bb5 Rc2+ 58. Kf3 Rc3 59. Bd7 Rc1 60. Bb5 Rb1 61. Bd3 Ra1 62. Bb5 Ra3 63. Bc6 Kd6 64. Be8 Ra2 65. Bb5 Kc7 66. Be8 Kd8 67. Bc6 Ke7 68. Bb5 h5 69. Bc6 Rb2 70. a5 Ra2 71. Kf4 Rxa5 72. Bf3 Ra2 73. Bxh5 Rf2+ 74. Bf3 Kf7 75. e4 fxe4 76. Kxe4 Kg6 77. Ke3 Rh2 78. Kf4 Kh7 79. Be4+ Kh6 80. Kg4 Rf2 81. Bf5 Kg7 82. Bd3 Rd2 83. Be4 Rb2 84. Kf4 Rh2 85. Bf5 Rf2+ 86. Kg4 Kh6 87. Be4 Rf1 88. Kh3 Re1 89. Bf5 Ra1 90. g4 Ra3+ 91. Kg2 Rc3 92. Be4 Re3 93. Bf3 Rd3 94. Kg3 Rd4 95. Be2 Kg6 96. Bb5
Rd5 97. Be8+ Kg7 98. Bc6 Rd4 99. Bb7 Rc4 100. Bd5 Ra4 101. Be6 Ra6 102. Bd7 Ra3+ 103. Kg2 Kf8 104. h5 Kg7 105. Kh2 Kh7 106. Be6 Kh6 107. Bf5 Re3 108. Kg2 Rb3 109. Kf2 Kg5 110. Ke2 Rh3 111. Be6 Kf4 112. Kd2 Ke4 113. Bc8 Kd4 114. Ke2 Ke5 115. Bd7 Ke4 116. Kf2 Kf4 117. Kg2 Rd3 118. Bf5
Rd2+ 119. Kh3 Kg5 120. Kg3 Rd4 121. Be6 Re4 122. Bd7 Re7 123. Bf5 Re3+ 124. Kg2 Re5 125. Bd7 Rd5 126. Be6 Rb5 127. Kf3 Rc5 128. Bd7 Rd5 129. Bc8 Ra5 130. Ke4 Rc5 131. Bd7 Re5+ 132. Kd4 Kh6 133. Bc6 Kg7 134. Bf3 Rb5 135. Bd1 Rb4+ 136. Ke3 f5 137. g5 Rc4 138. Kf2 Rd4 139. Bf3 Kh7 140.
Kg3 Kg8 141. Be2 Kh8 142. Kh3 Kg7 143. Kg2 Kh7 144. Bf3 Rc4 145. Kg3 Kg7 146. Be2 Ra4 147. Kf2 Re4 148. Bf3 Rf4 149. Kg2 Rc4 150. Kg3 Ra4 151. Be2 Re4 152. Kf2 Rb4 153. Kg2 Rb3 154. Bf3 f4 155. Kf2 Re3 156. Kg2 Kg8 157. Bd5+ Kh8 158. g6 Rg3+ 159. Kf2 Rd3 160. Bf3 Kg7 161. Bg4 Re3 162.
Kf1 Rg3 163. Bd1 Rc3 164. Kf2 Ra3 165. Be2 Rg3 166. Bf3 Rg5 167. Be2 Kh6 168. Bf3 Rb5 169. Ke1 Kg7 170. Kf1 Rb2 171. Bg4 Rc2 172. Be2 Rc5 173. Kf2 Kh6 174. Ke1 Rc1+ 175. Kd2 Rh1 176. Bf3 Rh3 177. Ke2 Kg7 178. Kf2 Rh2+ 179. Ke1 Rb2 180. Be2 Ra2 181. Kf2 Ra3 182. Bd1 Re3 183. Bg4 Kh6
184. Bf3 Rd3 185. Kg2 Kg7 186. Be4 Re3 187. Bb7 Rc3 188. Kf2 Rc2+ 189. Kf3 Rc5 190. Kg4 Kh6 191. Kxf4 Kxh5 192. Be4 Kh6 193. Ke3 Kg7 194. Kd4 Rg5 195. Bd3 Ra5 196. Bc2 Kf6 197. Bb1 Ra7 198. Be4 Rd7+ 199. Ke3 Rc7
200. Kf4 0-1

[Event "Fictional Match Fischer vs Karpov"]
[Site ""]
[Date "2-6-2009"]
[Round "5"]
[White "Fischer"]
[Black "Karpov"]
[Result "1-0"]

1. e4 c6 2. d4 d5 3. exd5 cxd5 4. c4 Nf6 5. Nc3 Nc6 6. Nf3 e6 7. c5 Be7 8. Bb5 O-O 9. O-O Bd7 10. Bf4 Ne4 11. Rc1 Qa5 12. Qb3 Bf6 13. Rfe1 Nxc3 14. bxc3 Be7 15. Rb1 Rfe8 16. Bd3 b6 17. Qc2 bxc5 18. Rb5 Qd8 19. Bxh7+ Kf8 20. Rb7 a6 21. Bd3 Na5 22. Rc7 Rc8 23. Ra7 Nc6 24. Rb7 cxd4 25. Bxa6
dxc3 26. Qh7 f6 27. Bh6 gxh6 28. Nh4 Ne5 29. Rxe5 fxe5 30. Ng6# 1-0

[Event "Fictional Match Fischer vs Karpov"]
[Site ""]
[Date "2-6-2009"]
[Round "6"]
[White "Karpov"]
[Black "Fischer"]
[Result "1-0"]

1. e4 c5 2. Nf3 d6 3. d4 cxd4 4. Nxd4 Nf6 5. Nc3 a6 6. f4 Qc7 7. Be2 e5 8. Nb3 Be7 9. Be3 exf4 10. Bxf4 O-O 11. g4 h6 12. h4 Qd7 13. g5 hxg5 14. hxg5 Ng4 15. Nd5 Bd8 16. Qd2 Re8 17. Qc3 Ne5 18. Qg3 Ng6 19. Nd2 Nxf4 20. Qxf4 f5 21. Qh2 Bxg5 22. Qh8+ Kf7 23. Bh5+ Ke6 24. Bxe8 Bxd2+ 25.
Kxd2 Ke5 26. Bxd7 Nxd7 27. Qxg7+ Nf6 28. Qxf6+ Kxe4 29. Nc3+ Kf3 30. Raf1+ Kg4 31. Qh4# 1-0

A close match and not really conclusive either way, even though fictional Karpov nicks it at the end. Would I buy a book based on fictional chess games annotated by an IM or GM? I most certainly would! Maybe the Tibor Karolyi and Nick Aplin book will open the door to the first of a new niche of fictional yet serious works of chess that never happened. What is certain is you would have to pay for it with real money.

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