user1009: What is the most beautiful checkmate you've ever seen in high-level play? The beauty might be caused by one of the following:

A brilliant setup (the couple moves preceding the mate were brilliant)
Totally unexpected/against the odds (for example, the other opponnent was up a lot of material)
Swiftness (of course no fool's mate or such)
etc.


user109: I don't really see too many high level games that end in checkmate, especially beautiful checkmates, but this game is one of my personal favorites, although White resigned:
Lev Polugaevsky vs Rashid Gibiatovich Nezhmetdinov
Sochi 28th RSFSR ch 1958  ·  Old Indian Defense: Ukrainian Variation (A54)  ·  0-1
[FEN ""]
1. d4 Nf6 2. c4 d6 3. Nc3 e5 4. e4 exd4 5. Qxd4 Nc6 6. Qd2 g6 7. b3 Bg7 8. Bb2 O-O 9. Bd3 Ng4 10. Nge2 Qh4 11. Ng3 Nge5 12. O-O f5 13. f3 Bh6 14. Qd1 f4 15. Nge2 g5 16. Nd5 g4 17. g3 fxg3 18. hxg3 Qh3 19. f4 Be6 20. Bc2 Rf7 21. Kf2 Qh2 22. Ke3 Bxd5 23. cxd5 Nb4 24. Rh1 Rxf4 25. Rxh2 Rf3 26. Kd4 Bg7 27. a4 c5 28. dxc6 bxc6 29. Bd3 Nexd3 30. Kc4 d5 31. exd5 cxd5 32. Kb5 Rb8 33. Ka5 Nc6


user118: Check the list of Immortal games listed here :http://www.chessgames.com/perl/chesscollection?cid=1000589
Especially enjoyed Paul Morphy vs Duke Karl : http://www.chessgames.com/perl/chessgame?gid=1233404
and Lev Polugaevsky vs Rashid Gibiatovich Nezhmetdinov (this is simply stunning): http://www.chessgames.com/perl/chessgame?gid=1111459

1009: <p>What is the most beautiful checkmate you've ever seen in high-level play? The beauty might be caused by one of the following:</p>

<ul>
<li><p>A brilliant setup (the couple moves preceding the mate were brilliant)</p></li>
<li><p>Totally unexpected/against the odds (for example, the other opponnent was up a lot of material)</p></li>
<li><p>Swiftness (of course no fool's mate or such)</p></li>
<li><p>etc.</p></li>
</ul>
 109: <p>I don't really see too many high level games that end in checkmate, especially beautiful checkmates, but this game is one of my personal favorites, although White resigned:</p>

<p><code>Lev Polugaevsky vs Rashid Gibiatovich Nezhmetdinov</code></p>

<p><code>Sochi 28th RSFSR ch 1958  ·  Old Indian Defense: Ukrainian Variation (A54)  ·  0-1</code></p>

<pre><code>[FEN ""]
1. d4 Nf6 2. c4 d6 3. Nc3 e5 4. e4 exd4 5. Qxd4 Nc6 6. Qd2 g6 7. b3 Bg7 8. Bb2 O-O 9. Bd3 Ng4 10. Nge2 Qh4 11. Ng3 Nge5 12. O-O f5 13. f3 Bh6 14. Qd1 f4 15. Nge2 g5 16. Nd5 g4 17. g3 fxg3 18. hxg3 Qh3 19. f4 Be6 20. Bc2 Rf7 21. Kf2 Qh2 22. Ke3 Bxd5 23. cxd5 Nb4 24. Rh1 Rxf4 25. Rxh2 Rf3 26. Kd4 Bg7 27. a4 c5 28. dxc6 bxc6 29. Bd3 Nexd3 30. Kc4 d5 31. exd5 cxd5 32. Kb5 Rb8 33. Ka5 Nc6
</code></pre>
 118: <p>Check the list of <em>Immortal</em> games listed here :<a href="http://www.chessgames.com/perl/chesscollection?cid=1000589" rel="noreferrer">http://www.chessgames.com/perl/chesscollection?cid=1000589</a></p>

<p>Especially enjoyed Paul Morphy vs Duke Karl : <a href="http://www.chessgames.com/perl/chessgame?gid=1233404" rel="noreferrer">http://www.chessgames.com/perl/chessgame?gid=1233404</a></p>

<p>and Lev Polugaevsky vs Rashid Gibiatovich Nezhmetdinov (this is simply stunning): <a href="http://www.chessgames.com/perl/chessgame?gid=1111459" rel="noreferrer">http://www.chessgames.com/perl/chessgame?gid=1111459</a></p>
