A game of championship chess can sometimes last five, six, or even seven hours, with each player carefully thinking through dozens of moves.
But sometimes, something goes wrong very early for one player that stops the game before it even really begins, and the game ends shockingly fast.
In chess, a game usually ends either when one player resigns because they can see they are certain to lose, or when a player’s king is checkmated. Below are some of the fastest-ever endings in World Chess Championship history.
Fastest Defeats in World Chess Championship History
| Match | Year | Number of Moves |
|---|---|---|
| Viswanathan Anand vs Boris Gelfand | 2012 | 17 |
| Garry Kasparov vs Deep Blue | 1997 | 19 |
| Vladimir Kramnik vs Garry Kasparov | 2000 | 25 |
| Bobby Fischer vs Boris Spassky | 1972 | Forfeit |
| Tigran Petrosian vs Mikhail Botvinnik | 1963 | 10 |
1. Viswanathan Anand vs Boris Gelfand
This is widely considered the fastest decisive game in World Chess Championship history. In Game 8 of their 2012 match in Moscow, defending champion Viswanathan Anand set a trap that challenger Boris Gelfand walked right into.
On move 17, Anand played a quiet queen move that suddenly threatened to trap Gelfand’s queen completely. Even the strong grandmasters commentating live on the game missed the danger until the very last moment. Gelfand resigned immediately, realizing there was no way to save his queen without losing the game anyway.
Anand went on to successfully defend his title in the tiebreaks that followed. He remains one of the most respected figures in chess today; while he has stepped back from the very top level of classical competition, he continues to compete in select events and mentors young Indian players through his own chess academy.
2. Garry Kasparov vs Deep Blue
This wasn’t a human World Championship match, but it’s one of the most famous fast losses by a reigning World Champion in chess history, so it’s often included in these lists.
In the deciding sixth game of his 1997 rematch against IBM’s chess computer Deep Blue, Garry Kasparov played the solid Caro-Kann Defense, but Deep Blue answered with a surprising knight sacrifice on move 8 that Kasparov struggled to handle.
Rattled, Garry Kasparov reigns after just 19 moves, in a game that lasted barely over an hour. It marked the first time a reigning World Champion had lost a full match to a computer under standard tournament conditions, and Kasparov controversially accused the Deep Blue team of receiving hidden human help.
Later, Kasparov went on to remain the world’s top-ranked player for years before retiring from professional chess in 2005 to focus on political activism.
3. Vladimir Kramnik vs Garry Kasparov
During their 2000 World Championship match in London, Vladimir Kramnik famously used the ultra-solid Berlin Defense to shut down Kasparov’s attacking chances whenever Kasparov had the white pieces.
But Kramnik could also strike himself quickly. In Game 10, playing the Nimzo-Indian Defense against Kasparov, Kramnik exploited a mistake by his opponent, sacrificing a bishop to force a resignation in just 25 moves.
Vladimir Kramnik went on to hold the World Championship title until 2007 and remained one of the sport’s top players for many years afterwards before retiring from classical chess competition in 2019.
4. Bobby Fischer vs Boris Spassky
During their famous 1972 Match of the Century in Reykjavik, Iceland, Bobby Fischer refused to show up for Game 2 at all, in protest over the television cameras filming in the playing hall, which he felt were distracting.
Because he didn’t appear, the game was awarded to Boris Spassky by default, making it the fastest possible way to lose or win a World Championship game: without a single move being played.
Fischer went on to win that legendary match anyway, becoming World Champion, before largely disappearing from public chess life. Later, he passed away in 2008.
5. Tigran Petrosian vs Mikhail Botvinnik
Not every short game ends in a decisive win or a forfeit; sometimes two players simply agree that the position is balanced and shake hands early.
During their 1963 World Championship match, Petrosian and Botvinnik did the same by agreeing to one of the shortest peaceful draws in championship history, calling it quits after just 10 moves.
Petrosian went on to win that match and become World Champion. Both players have since passed away, Botvinnik in 1995, and Petrosian in 1984.
Also Read: From Classical to Freestyle, How FIDE Recognized Chess960 Changed the Game
