diff --git a/chess/pgn.py b/chess/pgn.py
index 3d4d7e5ff..9dfa60090 100644
--- a/chess/pgn.py
+++ b/chess/pgn.py
@@ -1711,6 +1711,7 @@ def read_game(handle: TextIO, *, Visitor: Any = GameBuilder) -> Any:
 
     # Parse movetext.
     skip_variation_depth = 0
+    skip_after_error = False
     fresh_line = True
     while line:
         if fresh_line:
@@ -1755,14 +1756,22 @@ def read_game(handle: TextIO, *, Visitor: Any = GameBuilder) -> Any:
                 elif board_stack[-1].move_stack:
                     if visitor.begin_variation() is SKIP:
                         skip_variation_depth = 1
+                        skip_after_error = False
                     else:
                         board = board_stack[-1].copy()
                         board.pop()
                         board_stack.append(board)
             elif token == ")":
                 if skip_variation_depth == 1:
-                    skip_variation_depth = 0
-                    visitor.end_variation()
+                    if not skip_after_error:
+                        skip_variation_depth = 0
+                        visitor.end_variation()
+                    elif len(board_stack) > 1:
+                        skip_variation_depth = 0
+                        visitor.end_variation()
+                        board_stack.pop()
+                    # Otherwise the error was in the mainline. Ignore the
+                    # unmatched closing bracket and keep skipping.
                 elif skip_variation_depth:
                     skip_variation_depth -= 1
                 elif len(board_stack) > 1:
@@ -1797,6 +1806,7 @@ def read_game(handle: TextIO, *, Visitor: Any = GameBuilder) -> Any:
                     except ValueError as error:
                         visitor.handle_error(error)
                         skip_variation_depth = 1
+                        skip_after_error = True
                     else:
                         visitor.visit_move(board_stack[-1], move)
                         board_stack[-1].push(move)
diff --git a/test.py b/test.py
index a481c2adb..7965f7765 100755
--- a/test.py
+++ b/test.py
@@ -2402,6 +2402,59 @@ def test_variation_stack(self):
         self.assertEqual(game[0].san(), "c4")
         self.assertEqual(len(game.errors), 0)
 
+    def test_variation_stack_after_illegal_move(self):
+        # Illegal move in the mainline, followed by an unmatched closing
+        # bracket. The rest of the game is skipped.
+        pgn = io.StringIO("1. e4 Nf3 ) e5 *")
+        logging.disable(logging.ERROR)
+        game = chess.pgn.read_game(pgn)
+        logging.disable(logging.NOTSET)
+        self.assertEqual(game.end().board().move_stack, [chess.Move.from_uci("e2e4")])
+        self.assertEqual(len(game.variations), 1)
+        self.assertEqual(len(game[0].variations), 0)
+        self.assertEqual(len(game.errors), 1)
+        self.assertIsInstance(game.errors[0], chess.IllegalMoveError)
+        self.assertIn("Nf3", str(game.errors[0]))
+
+        # Illegal move in a variation. The mainline continues after the
+        # variation is closed.
+        pgn = io.StringIO("1. e4 (1. d4 Nf6 2. Nf6) e5 2. Nf3 *")
+        logging.disable(logging.ERROR)
+        game = chess.pgn.read_game(pgn)
+        logging.disable(logging.NOTSET)
+        self.assertEqual([node.san() for node in game.mainline()], ["e4", "e5", "Nf3"])
+        variation = game.variations[1]
+        self.assertEqual([variation.san()] + [node.san() for node in variation.mainline()], ["d4", "Nf6"])
+        self.assertEqual(game.headers["Result"], "*")
+        self.assertEqual(len(game.errors), 1)
+        self.assertIsInstance(game.errors[0], chess.IllegalMoveError)
+        self.assertIn("Nf6", str(game.errors[0]))
+
+        pgn = io.StringIO("1. e4 (1. d4 Nf3) e5 2. Nf3 *")
+        logging.disable(logging.ERROR)
+        game = chess.pgn.read_game(pgn)
+        logging.disable(logging.NOTSET)
+        self.assertEqual([node.san() for node in game.mainline()], ["e4", "e5", "Nf3"])
+        variation = game.variations[1]
+        self.assertEqual([variation.san()] + [node.san() for node in variation.mainline()], ["d4"])
+        self.assertEqual(len(game.errors), 1)
+        self.assertIsInstance(game.errors[0], chess.IllegalMoveError)
+        self.assertIn("Nf3", str(game.errors[0]))
+
+    def test_variation_stack_skip_variation(self):
+        class SkipVariations(chess.pgn.GameBuilder):
+            def begin_variation(self):
+                super().begin_variation()
+                return chess.pgn.SKIP
+
+        pgn = io.StringIO("1. e4 (1. d4 d5 (1... Nf6) 2. Nf6) e5 (1... c5) 2. Nf3 *")
+        game = chess.pgn.read_game(pgn, Visitor=SkipVariations)
+        self.assertEqual([node.san() for node in game.mainline()], ["e4", "e5", "Nf3"])
+        self.assertTrue(all(node.is_mainline() for node in game.mainline()))
+        self.assertEqual(len(game.variations), 1)
+        self.assertEqual(len(game[0].variations), 1)
+        self.assertEqual(len(game.errors), 0)
+
     def test_game_starting_comment(self):
         pgn = io.StringIO("{ Game starting comment } 1. d3")
         game = chess.pgn.read_game(pgn)