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Budapest, 1934

The Peruvian Immortal

Esteban Canal – an unknown amateur · 1-0

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Result
1-0
Moves
14
Opening
Scandinavian Defense: Main Line
The names end at
3... Qa5

Watch it on the mapFinal position on the map

The story

Played by the Peruvian master Esteban Canal in a simultaneous exhibition in Budapest in 1934, against an amateur whose name is not known for certain.

In a Scandinavian Defense Black castles long — a mistake. Canal gives up both rooks and then his queen with 13. Qxc6+!, and mates with the two bishops on move 14: 14. Ba6#, the pattern known as Boden’s mate.

In thirteen moves Canal sacrifices both rooks and his queen, which is why the game is called the Peruvian Immortal.

The Peruvian Immortal: the map where the opening names end
The position where the game leaves the named openings, with every game of the next four moves around it.

The moves

1.e4 d5 2.exd5 Qxd5 3.Nc3 Qa5 4.d4 c6 5.Nf3 Bg4 6.Bf4 e6 7.h3 Bxf3 8.Qxf3 Bb4 9.Be2 Nd7 10.a3 O-O-O 11.axb4 Qxa1+ 12.Kd2 Qxh1 13.Qxc6+ bxc6 14.Ba6# 1-0

Through the openings

  1. 1. e4King's Pawn Game
  2. 1... d5Scandinavian Defense
  3. 2... Qxd5Scandinavian Defense: Mieses-Kotroc Variation
  4. 3... Qa5Scandinavian Defense: Main Line

Source of the moves: en.wikipedia.org

More famous games

The Opera GameMorphy, Paris 1858Playing from a box at the opera, Morphy mates his two opponents in 17 moves. The Immortal GameAnderssen, London 1851Anderssen gives up both rooks, a bishop and his queen, then mates with the minor pieces he has left. The Evergreen GameAnderssen, Berlin 1852Anderssen sacrifices his queen and mates with a bishop; more than 170 years on, the game is still fresh. The Game of the CenturyD. Byrne – Fischer, New York 1956Thirteen-year-old Bobby Fischer gives up his queen and wins. Kasparov's ImmortalKasparov – Topalov, Wijk aan Zee 1999A rook sacrifice on move 24 starts a hunt that chases Black's king across the whole board. Deep Blue Beats KasparovDeep Blue – Kasparov, New York 1997The last game of the first match a computer won against the world champion, over in 19 moves. The Game Spassky ApplaudedFischer – Spassky, Reykjavik 1972Fischer almost never opened 1.c4; here he did, and at the end even Spassky joined the applause. The Octopus KnightKarpov – Kasparov, Moscow 1985Kasparov's knight digs in on d3 and paralyses White; that match made him world champion. Botvinnik's Bishop SacrificeBotvinnik – Capablanca, AVRO 1938Botvinnik beats former world champion Capablanca with a bishop sacrifice on move 30.