Chess.com, a popular chess site where online games can be contested among players of international and lesser stature, has published its interpretation of “The Ten Best Chess Moves of All Time”.
These moves were chosen from literally billions. Chess.com said it mounted a team assisted by modern computer technology to find the most astonishing moves of all time from “tense world championship matches, subtle endgames, incredible studies and scintillating attacks.” After some time, the Chess.com content team members voted for their choices and finalized a list.
Chess.com succinctly described how the task was done: “Our original list was created by scouring books, articles and multiple expert lists. We added moves from newer games and we researched the overlaps. Next, we started cutting down the long list – again and again. Eventually, we created a strong list of candidate moves and then the Chess.com content team voted.”
Coming in at number nine on the list of all-time greats for best moves is a game by Jose Sanz Aguado, a Spaniard, who stunned the chess world with an amazing Rook sacrifice. I replayed this game sometime in the 1980s and was justifiably impressed by it.
An amazing move
On move 31 Black uncorked an amazing move: 31… Rxb2!! sacrificing the Rook. Black’s c-pawns cannot be stopped. According to Chess.com, it took the chess computer, Stockfish, extra time to realize White was completely lost.
Madrid, 1933
White: Martin Ortueta Esteban
Black: Jose Sanz Aguado
1. e4e6 2. d3d5 3. Nc3Nf6 4. e5Nfd7 5. f4Bb4 6. Bd2O-O 7. Nf3f6 8. d4c5 9. Nb5fxe5 10. dxe5Rxf4 11. c3Re4+ 12. Be2Ba5 13. O-ONxe5 14. Nxe5Rxe5 15. Bf4Rf5 16. Bd3Rf6 17. Qc2h6 18. Be5Nd7 19. Bxf6Nxf6 20. Rxf6Qxf6 21. Rf1Qe7 22. Bh7+Kh8 23. Qg6Bd7 24. Rf7Qg5 25. Qxg5hxg5 26. Rxd7Kxh7 27. Rxb7Bb6 28. c4dxc4 29. Nc3Rd8 30. h3Rd2 31. Na4 (Diagram) Rxb2!!32. Nxb2c333. Rxb6c434. Rb4a535. Nxc4c20-1.
