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Lightsabers are a central part of the Star Wars galaxy. As Obi Wan says, they're "not as clumsy or random as a blaster," requiring their users to be highly skilled and connecting the Jedi to an older, more personalized style of fighting.
Although there were lightsaber duels in the original trilogy, it was the sequel trilogy that really put them center stage, showing the Jedi at their height. Across episodes one to three, the duels became more important, with fights such as Obi Wan and Qui Gon versus Maul, and Mace Windu versus Palpatine telling important parts of the story.
Qui Gon vs. Maul on Tatooine
The first clash of lightsabers in the prequels comes in the Phantom Menace, as Qui Gon Jinn and Anakin hurry back to the ship, Darth Maul attacks them, swooping down on his speeder. While it's only a small scuffle between the two lightsaber wielders, it has some significance in the story.
The fight is the first time the Jedi have come into contact with the Sith in centuries, and the first time the Sith have been strong enough to risk an outright attack. The duel also hints at Qui Gon's fate at the hands of Darth Maul later, showing the Sith apprentice's skill with a blade that will lead to the Jedi master's demise.
Anakin & Obi Wan vs. Dooku (Episode III)
Like much of what happens in Episode III, the duel between Obi Wan, Anakin and Count Dooku is enhanced by the events of the Clone Wars. This is the final time that the two Jedi face the Count in lightsaber combat, with Dooku's death completing a long orchestrated plan by Palpatine.
The dark ending to the duel, when Anakin coldly executes Dooku at Palpatine's insistence gives a glimpse of how the rest of Revenge of the Sith will play out, with Anakin increasingly coming under the Chancellor's power and acting against his better judgement as he slips under the influence of the Dark Side.
Yoda vs. Palpatine
With Order 66 executed and most of the Jedi either dead or fighting for their life, Yoda and Obi Wan make a final attempt to destroy the Sith. While Obi Wan goes to face his former apprentice, Yoda goes to the Senate to take on Darth Sidious.
The future of the Republic rests on this duel, and Yoda's defeat signals the fall of the Jedi and the rise of the Empire which will rule the galaxy for the next quarter of a century. It's a relatively short duel which culminates in a destructive struggle in the Senate Chamber, and shows the declining power of the Jedi and the rise of the Sith.
Anakin & Obi Wan vs. Dooku (Episode II)
The Clone Wars officially begin when Yoda arrives on Geonosis with the clone troopers. As Dooku flees the battle, Anakin and Obi Wan give chase, hoping to stop him and end the Separatist movement, and end up in an intense duel with the powerful Sith lord.
The fight starts badly, with Anakin ignoring his master and rushing in to face Dooku, which means the Count is able to dispatch each of the Jedi in turn. It's a strong duel that shows Anakin's impetuous nature and its consequences when he loses his hand. It also debuts the Form II "Makashi" style used by Dooku, a much more smooth and delicate method than has been shown before.
Obi Wan vs. Grievous
The fight between Obi Wan and the cyborg general is one of the last major engagements of the Clone Wars. Hoping to bring the conflict to an end, Obi Wan travels to Utapau to duel Grievous, quickly dispatching his Magna guards before engaging the general in lightsaber combat.
It's established in the Clone wars that the two generals have a rivalry that goes back a long way, with the two meeting in battle several times during the conflict. Grievous is one of the few non-Force users who can use a lightsaber with any skill and proves a match for Master Kenobi during their encounters. Ironically, though, it's Obi Wan's use of a blaster that eventually marks the end of the Separatist general.
Yoda vs. Dooku
After subduing Anakin and Obi Wan on Geonosis, Dooku has to face Yoda. This is the first time we see the powerful Jedi master actually fighting, and it's a high-energy battle, with Yoda performing multiple Force jumps to evade his opponent. It gives a sense of just how powerful Yoda really is as the master and his former apprentice test their skills with the Force and the lightsaber.
Despite his power, Dooku isn't strong enough to defeat his old master, and he resorts to cheating to flee the battle, sending debris crashing down on Obi Wan and Anakin, and forcing Yoda to disengage to save the two Jedi. Dooku's escape ends any hope of bringing the Clone Wars to a swift end, setting the stage for the destructive conflict that follows.
Mace Windu vs. Palpatine
When Anakin informs him that the Palpatine is a Sith lord, Mace Windu takes a group of Jedi to face the Chancellor, hoping to save the Republic. Palpatine quickly cuts down three members of the Jedi council, leaving Mace the only one standing. Without Anakin's intervention, cutting off the Jedi master's hand, it's possible that Mace could have defeated Sidious there and then, saving the galaxy from the Empire.
Sidious's victory in the duel allows him to dispense with the facade of Palpatine. He orders the clones to execute Order 66, and pretends to have been the subject of a Jedi assassination attempt. It's a significant fight for Anakin, too, as his involvement signals his fall as a Jedi and rise as Palpatine's new apprentice, Darth Vader.
Obi Wan vs. Anakin
The final battle between Anakin and Obi Wan on Mustafar brings the prequel trilogy to a fitting end, showing the final destruction of Anakin Skywalker and his rise as the Sith lord Darth Vader. It's a fast-paced, epic fight, with the two duelers being in as much danger from the lava flowing around them as they are from each other's lightsabers.
It's an emotional duel, watching the two former friends battle it out so fiercely, and it's clear that its outcome has as much of an effect on Obi Wan as it does on Anakin, as he's forced to destroy his old apprentice and accept that he failed as a teacher. In so many ways it's the final link that perfectly joins the prequels to the original trilogy.
Obi Wan & Qui Gon vs. Darth Maul
The Phantom Menace closes with the first epic lightsaber fight of the prequels, and the most epic of any Star Wars movie up to that point. The fight between the two Jedi and the Sith apprentice is spectacular, with Maul's double-bladed lightsaber and its fast-paced, energetic style, and leaves its mark on all future duels.
The outcome of the duel also sets the stage for the rest of the saga. Qui Gon's death leads to Obi Wan becoming a Jedi knight and training Anakin, while Sidious seeks out a new apprentice. It also leaves behind an enduring storyline that reappears throughout other Star Wars media, as Maul returns and seeks out Obi Wan relentlessly, hoping for revenge.