10 Scoresheets from World Championship matches
These are the authentic scoresheets from iconic World Chess Championship matches. The handwriting of the grandmasters can reveal intriguing insights into their personality and their mental state during the game
Scoresheet of Game 7 of 1927 World Championship Match Capablanca - Alekhine, Capablanca's handwriting
Scoresheet of Game 7 of the 1927 World Championship Match in Buenos Aires, Argentina. The handwriting is of the defending World Champion Jose Raul Capablanca who won this game to lead the match 2-1 after seven games. However, challenger Alexander Alekhine went on to win five more games and claim the title with the score of 18½-15½ (6-3 and 25 draws).
Scoresheet of Game 20 of 1935 World Championship Match Euwe - Alekhine
Scoresheet of Game 20 of the 1935 World Championship Match between defending champion Alexander Alekhine and challenger Max Euwe. This game was won by Euwe who played White. Despite being 3 points behind after 9 games, Max Euwe bounced back and emerged as a winner by 15½-14½ becoming the 5th World Chess Champion.
Scoresheet of Game 6 of 1954 World Championship Match Botvinnik - Smyslov. Botvinnik's handwriting
Botvinnik had been the champion since 1948, and Smyslov was the challenger. This scoresheet is an example of Botvinnik’s neat and tidy handwriting. By Game 6, Botvinnik was up 3 points after a strong start. However, he then lost four games and found himself on the trailing side. The match ended in a 12-12 tie, with 7 wins for each side and 10 draws. This meant that Botvinnik retained his title.
Scoresheet of Game 4 of the 1981 World Championship Match Karpov - Korchnoi, Korchnoi's handwriting
Scoresheet of Game 4 of the 1981 World Championship Match in Merano, Italy, handwritten by Victor Korchnoi. In this game, played on the 8th of October, defending champion Anatoly Karpov defeated Viktor Korchnoi for the third time in the first four games. The final score of 6–2, with 10 draws, showed how dominant Karpov was in this match, unlike the previous one in 1978, where he won by one point. This match became known as “The Massacre in Merano”.
Scoresheet of Game 2 of the 1990 World Championship Match between Kasparov and Karpov. Karpov's handwriting
Anatoly Karpov’s scoresheet of Game 2 at the 1990 World Championship Match. Garry Kasparov opened the scoring in Game 2 of the fifth world championship match between the two Ks. The first half of the 24-game match took place in New York, USA. Karpov bounced back in Game 7 but suffered three more losses towards the end of the match, losing with an overall score of 12½-11½.
Scoresheet of Game 23 of the 1990 World Championship Match between Kasparov and Karpov. Kasparov's handwriting
Garry Kasparov’s scoresheet of Game 23 at the 1990 World Championship Match. It was the fifth and final Kasparov–Karpov match, the first twelve games of which were played in New York, USA, and the other twelve taking place in Lyon, France. Karpov won this particular game, but Kasparov had been up two points by that point and a draw in the last game secured him a 12½-11½ victory.
Scoresheets of Game 3 of 2008 World Championship Match Kramnik - Anand
Scoresheets of Game 3 of the 2008 World Championship Match between defending champion, Viswanathan Anand, and the previous champion, Vladimir Kramnik, who had been granted a match after not winning the World Chess Championship 2007 tournament. Anand successfully defended his title by 6½–4½. Game 3 was the first victory he scored. One can notice how Kramnik’s handwriting becomes more disordered towards the end of the game.
Scoresheet of Game 6 of 2014 World Championship Match Anand - Carlsen. Carlsen's handwriting
Scoresheet of Game 6 of the 2014 World Championship Match between defending champion Magnus Carlsen and challenger Viswanathan Anand, handwritten by Carlsen. He won this game to gain a one-point lead. Another victory in Game 11 sealed the deal for the Norwegian world champion who clinched the title from Anand a year earlier.
Scoresheet of Game 11 of the 2021 World Championship Match between Magnus Carlsen and Ian Nepomniachtchi. Carlsen's handwriting
Magnus Carlsen’s scoresheet of Game 11 in his world championship match against Ian Nepomniachtchi. This was Carlsen’s final match for the crown and Game 11 was its final game. By winning with Black, Carlsen secured an overall victory with 7½ – 3½.
Scoresheet of Game 1 of the 2023 World Championship Match between Ding Liren and Ian Nepomniachtchi
Scoresheet of the first game of the 2023 World Championship Match between Ian Nepomniachtchi and Ding Liren. The previous champion Magnus Carlsen decided not to defend his title against Ian Nepomniachtchi, the winner of the Candidates Tournament 2022, citing lack of motivation. As a result, Nepomniachtchi played against Ding Liren, who finished second in the Candidates Tournament. After a 7–7 tie in the classical time format, the match proceeded to tiebreaks. Ding won in the fourth rapid game to become the 17th World Chess Champion.
