Schacksnack

In this video, chess enthusiast Björn Knöppel presents what he considers to be Alexander Khalifman’s immortal game. Khalifman, the 14th FIDE World Champion after winning the knockout event in Las Vegas in 1999, produced several brilliant games throughout his career — but the one featured here stands out for its extraordinary tactical clarity.

The game is taken from Gennady Nesis’ book Khalifman: Life & Games (Everyman Chess, 2000). Nesis, who trained Khalifman for 17 years, offers deep insights into his pupil’s style, and Knöppel shares both background about Khalifman and his impressions of the book before guiding you through the game itself.

The highlight is a stunning Rubinstein-style combination, where a quiet move concludes a sequence of sacrifices and checks — the kind of silent finishing touch that elevates a tactical idea to true artistry.

ilmed by IM Thomas Engqvist.