Dubov's Immortal

Daniil Dubov produced what chessgames.com later nicknamed Dubov's Immortal in round eleven of the 2020 Russian Championship Superfinal in Moscow, a game with direct consequences for the title race, since Sergey Karjakin needed only a draw here to tie Ian Nepomniachtchi for first place going into the last round.

From an Italian Game, Dubov sacrificed a piece for a long term attack, and after 20.Rxe6 the game turned into the kind of genuinely chaotic middlegame Dubov is known for, with material swinging back and forth several times as both kings came under fire. The point 26.Be5, hitting Karjakin's queen while also guarding against mating tricks, was the move that finally turned the position decisively in White's favour. Karjakin resigned on move 38 with his king caught in the open on e4.

Nepomniachtchi went on to win the tournament outright, meaning Dubov's win here directly affected the destination of the title. It remains one of the most spectacular games of Dubov's career and a favourite among players who enjoy chaos over pure technique.