                      |
One of the most brilliant games
ever played. (Especially in a U.S. Championship game.)
(This new look definitely offers
a completely fresh perspective here.)
***
It was also played
at the National Championship level.
In addition to this, this tour de
force was
part of Fischer's perfect
performance in a U.S.
Championship, a feat that may
never be equaled.
***
(Fischer won EVERY GAME HE
PLAYED in this U.S. Championship
performance!!!
Not even Kasparov
or Paul Morphy can boast such an
accomplishment.).
***
This game is
NOT in the book, "The 1000 Best Short Games
of Chess,"
by Irving Chernev.
(It was printed {1955} BEFORE Fischer was considered even a
decent player.).
***
BUT; if it was ... ... ... ... ... ... ... ... ... ... ... ... ... ... ... ... ... ... ...
If we pretend this game had been
included in this outstanding book,
this is the introduction
that I imagine
that Chernev would have given it:
"Fischer possesses one of the
greatest tactical abilities of our time.
In this game, he plays
a game that could be likened to a symphony in
two parts. First - he begins like
Mozart ...
gently placing each note
(piece) with extreme care and
sound (but soft) artistry. Then he
concludes the piece in the manner of Beethoven, clashing thunderously
and brilliantly
with drums, symbols ...
and horns blaring aloud!
---> A true
masterpiece, and a real game for
the ages! One to remember!!"
***
(I have quoted Fischer's own
annotations to this game from
his book,
"My Sixty Memorable Games.").
1.e4
g6; 2.d4
Bg7;
The game actually starts off
as a "Modern Defense."
3.Nc3,
There is nothing wrong with
simple development.
[ The move, 3.h4, {Diagram?} is mentioned by Fischer, and was a favorite of B. Spassky.
If White had played:
3.c4
d6; 4.Nc3, {Diagram?}
he would have transposed to
a King's Indian.
(Lines that
Fischer never played, at least
in those days.);
The other alternative here is: 3.Nf3, "=" {Diagram?} with good play for White. ].
3...d6; 4.f4!?, (Maybe - '!')
White heads for the Austrian
Attack of the Pirc.
[ Another book line here is:
4.Nf3
Nf6; 5.Be2
0-0;
6.0-0
c6; 7.a4,
"+/=" {Diagram?}
with a slight advantage for White
in this position.
GM B. Gulko - GM Ian Rogers; Groningen, 1990. (Drawn in less than 30 moves.) ].
4...Nf6;
Transposing out of the Modern
and back into a Pirc.
[ 4...c6!?; ].
5.Nf3, (Maybe - '!')
Fischer - very much like Capa -
chose simple development to
meet various complex and
strange
systems. The big
difference between the two was
that Fischer was willing to work
very hard and
analyze these
systems for a lot of hours.
(Capa couldn't be bothered.)
[ Another possible line here was:
5.e5!?
dxe5; 6.fxe5
Nd5;
7.Ne4!?, "~" {Diagram?}
with vast complications. ].
5...0-0;
One of the advantages of the Pirc
is that, in the main lines at least,
Black normally
develops very quickly.
The other main alternative here
is 5...c5!? {Diagram?} (counter-attacking the center)
(GM Alburt - in his new book - considers this move to be the {new}
main line!)
(For a detailed analysis of these lines, I suggest you consult a
good book on the Pirc.)
[ The other main alternative here
for Black is the pawn break, ... Pawn to c5:
5...c5!?; 6.dxc5!?, {Diagram?}
Not the only move, but at one
time this was considered the
best
and safest by opening theory.
(White can also play the very
sharp move: 6.Bb5+!?, {Diag?}
with immensely complex play. Or the less sharp: 6.e5!?,
{Diagram?} also with a myriad of
variations
to choose from here.) 6...Qa5;
7.Bd3,
(7.cxd6!? Nxe4! "<=>" is much too
risky for White here.) 7...Qxc5;
8.Qe2
Bg4; 9.Be3
Qa5; 10.0-0
Nc6;
(development)
11.h3
Bxf3; 12.Qxf3
0-0; {Diagram?}
The end of the column. 13.Kh1
Nd7; 14.Bd2
Nc5;
15.Rad1!?, {Diagram?}
Perhaps too routine? (Maybe better was:
15.a3!?
More energetic?)
15...Qb6;
16.Bc1!?, "~" {Diagram?}
(Maybe - slightly better for Black, or "=/+")
GM S. Kindermann -
GM Alexander Khalifman; Hamburg, 1991.
[ See MCO-14; page # 364,
column # 10, & also note # (n.). ]. ].
6.Bd3, ('!')
White heads for the best set-up
in the Austrian Attack.
(A Fischer favorite.)
[ 6.Be2
c5; 7.dxc5
Qa5;
8.0-0, {Diagram?}
This is probably best. ( 8.cxd6!?
Nxe4!; "Comp.").
8...Qxc5+; 9.Kh1
Nc6;
10.Nd2
a5!; 11.Nb3
Qb6;
12.a4
Nb4; 13.g4?!,
{Diagram?}
This move is a mistake.
(Much better is: 13.h3!?
d5!; "=").
13...Bxg4!;
"/+" {Diagram?}
Black is clearly better here. GM
Robert J. Fischer - GM Victor Korchnoi;
Candidates Tournament, Curacao, 1962. ["My Sixty Memorable
Games." pg. # 287.] ].
6...Bg4!?; (Maybe inferior?)
Black pins a valuable Knight,
preparing d4 as a possible
outpost. (This move - undermining
White's support of the center - is FULLY in keeping with the Hyper-Modern
ideas of this
opening.)
According to modern theory,
this may not be the best move here.
But it may not be as bad
as
some people made it out to be ...
and even could be fully playable.
(As long as it is followed up correctly! And I am 100% certain it does NOT
deserve all
the criticism that has been heaped upon it.)
Fischer (or Evans) gave this move
a whole question mark, but that is
a completely wrong assessment.
(I have had to face this move in
tournament chess against a
Master who plays this system
religiously.
Although I eventually
win that game - due to a mistake
in the ending - the game probably
should have
been a draw.).
The computer only awards about 15-one-hundredths of a point advantage
to White here. This is
hardly a winning
advantage and hardly constitutes a
won game for White. (!!)
(Click here to see another game with 6...Bg4.)
[
Fischer gives the line:
6...Nbd7; 7.0-0!?,
(I like 7.e5!, "+/=" a little better.)
7...e5;
(7...c5!;)
8.dxe5
dxe5; {Diagram?}
Now comes an interesting tactic.
9.fxe5,
(9.f5!?, {A.J.G.})
9...Nxe5; 10.Nxe5
Qd4+; 11.Kh1
Qxe5; 12.Bf4
Qc5;
"~" {Diagram?}
"with a tenable game." - Fischer.
["My Sixty Memorable Games." pg. # 287.].
(White may be just a tad better
here. {A.J.G.});
Fischer also analyzes the line:
6...Na6!?; {Diagram?}
Fischer says this is M. Valvo's move
in this position.
7.e5
dxe5; 8.fxe5
Nd5;
9.Nxd5
Qxd5; {Diagram?}
... "is about equal,"
says Fischer. GM A. Bisguier -
GM P. Benko; Match Game, USA/1964.
10.0-0, "+/=" {Diagram?}
White has a very small, but solid
advantage here.
Probably the best line for Black
is the following, slightly more
modern approach here:
The best line here is: 6...Nc6; 7.e5,
(Maybe - '!') {Diagram?}
The sharpest and best move
here, according to theory.
(The line: 7.0-0
Bg4!?; {Diagram?}
is similar to the game.). 7...dxe5; {Diagram?}
Probably the safest and the line
that is given by most books.
(Wild and crazy is: 7...Nh5!?;
"~" Many hours of analysis yielded
no clear refutation. {A.J.G.}).
8.dxe5
Nd5; {Diagram?}
Practically the only good square
for the Knight here.
(8...Ne8?!; 9.Be3,
"+/="). 9.Bd2
Bg4!?; {Diagram?}
Even though this move was
heavily criticized by Fischer, (in
this game) now this move is the main line here.
(9...Ncb4; 10.Be4
c6; 11.Nxd5!?
cxd5!;
(Or 11...Nxd5; 12.c4,
"+/=").
12.Bxb4
dxe4, "=" {Diagram?}
Zude - Bernard;
Val, 1988.). 10.Be4!
e6; 11.h3
Bxf3;
12.Qxf3
Nd4; 13.Qf2
c5; The end of the column.
14.0-0!?, {Diagram?}
This move is
very 'mild.' It may not be energetic enough
to yield any advantage for White.
(Maybe White should try: 14.0-0-0!?,
in this position.). 14...f6;
15.exf6
Nxf6;
16.Bd3
Nh5;
"~" ("=/+") {Diagram?} MCO considers this position
slightly better
for Black. Grigorian - Spilker;
USSR, 1978.
[ See MCO-14, page # 362,
column # 3, & also note # (j.). ] ].
7.h3!, (tempo &
initiative)
The most demanding move by
White, and the toughest move
Black to meet.
(White immediately, 'puts the
question' to the Black Bishop.)
[ Many Masters - before this game,
and long after - have tried the
move:
7.Be3!?, "=" {Diagram?}
in this position, but gained little
or no appreciable
advantage
for White. ].
7...Bxf3;
Retreating the Bishop is
not really a viable alternative
for a really good player.
[ Much worse (inferior) was: 7...Bd7?!; 8.e5, "+/=" ].
8.Qxf3, (Maybe -
'!')
White keeps the lines open and his pieces active. (!)
[ 8.gxf3!? ]
8...Nc6; (!)
Black develops and pressures
White's center.
(Black also prepares ...e5; immediately putting the maximum amount of
pressure on
White's 'Big' center here, in this position.)
9.Be3
e5!?; 10.dxe5!
dxe5; 11.f5!,
(correct)
A nice advance, gaining crucial
space near Black's King.
{A.J.G.}
[ Also good was the line: 11.0-0-0!?, "+/=" {Diagram?} with a small advantage for White. ].
11...gxf5; {Box?}
This move is forced. If Black
allows White time to play g4, Black is finished.
[ 11...Qe7?!; 12.g4, "--->" {Diagram?} White has a VERY strong attack.
Or 11...Nd4; 12.Qf2
gxf5;
13.exf5, "--->"
{Diagram.} (White has a great attack.)
"with a quick crush in sight."
- Fischer. 13...b5;
14.0-0
c5;
15.Ne4
c4; 16.Nxf6+
Qxf6;
17.Be4
Rad8; 18.c3
Rfe8;
19.Kh1!
Kh8; 20.Rae1!
b4;
21.cxd4
exd4; 22.Bc1
d3;
23.b3!?
Bh6;
(23...c3?!; 24.Bxd3!
Rxe1; 25.Rxe1
Rxd3; 26.Re8+
Bf8; 27.Rxf8+
Kg7;
28.Re8
Rd1+; 29.Re1,
"+/-"). 24.Bxh6
Qxh6; 25.Bf3
Rxe1;
26.Qxe1
c3; 27.Qe7,
"+/"
or even "+/-"
- GM R.J. Fischer. This is Bednarski - Kraidman; Tel-Aviv, 1964.
1-0 in about ten more moves.
- Fischer. "My Sixty Memorable Games."
].
12.Qxf5!, (Maybe - '!!')
{A nice move.}
White does several things with
this move:
# 1.) He opens the f-file for his
Rooks; (and Queen)
# 2.) He gains the f5-square as an
outpost for his pieces;
# 3.) He keeps the dangerous e-file
closed;
(A good idea while the
White King remains in the center!!)
# 4.) While it seems he loses a
tempo, Fischer has seen that the
Knight to d4 - in the long run -
is pretty much unimportant in this
position. In fact, Fischer has seen
that ...Nd4; in some
ways can be
seen as a very dangerous move
for Black. (White can play Bxd4, and
after
the pawn recaptures, White
has the ability to play e4-e5, opening up the action of
White's very dangerous light-squared Bishop.)
[ The continuation: 12.exf5!? e4!; "<=>" {Diagram?} gives Black dangerous counterplay. ].
12...Nd4!?;
(Maybe - '!')
Fischer says: "Benko is willing to gamble a Pawn
to drive White's Queen from its
dominating
post. 12...Q-Q2; (Qd7)
is safer, however."
(Several writers have given this daring move an exclam.)
[ 12...Qd7!? ].
13.Qf2!,
(Really -
'!!')
The best square for the Queen,
although Benko did not fully
appreciate this at the time.
(A search of archival records reveal Fischer did an in-depth analysis of this
game for a
sixties magazine. He found like close to a dozen wins for White after
Qxe5! {See below.}
But he avoided it because his instincts probably told him that this was
too risky.)
[ 13.Qxe5!?
Ng4; (This could be
risky.) 14.Qxg7+! Kxg7;
15.hxg4
Nc6; "~"
(Bad for Black is: 15...Ne6?; 16.e5
Rh8; 17.Bh6+
Kg8; 18.Ne4
f6; 19.Bc4
Kf7;
20.Rd1
Qe7; 21.0-0,
"+/-" when White has a completely won game.)
The best line is probably: 15...Re8;
('!') 16.0-0-0, "~"
with good counterplay.);
Another good line for White
is the following, (which I
worked with another master
many years ago.): 13.Bxd4
exd4; 14.Nb5
Re8;
15.0-0
Qe7; 16.Rae1,
"+/=" ].
13...Ne8!; (avoidance)
This Knight was just blocking all
of Black's pieces ... and is
subject to being pinned by the
coming move, Bg5. (White could
then castle, winning a piece.)
So Black removes the threat.
Fischer calls this move interesting, and, "more active than 12...Nd7."
[ Probably less attractive for Black was: 13...Nd7;
14.0-0-0
Nc5;
15.Kb1, "+/=" - Fischer.
Or 13...Qd6; ('!?') 14.0-0-0, "+/=" {A.J.G.} ].
14.0-0!, (Maybe -
'!!') (Best!)
A lot of players thought Fischer
would castle Q-side. But his
King is much safer on the
K-side.
Castling K-side also
increases White's pressure
down the f-file.
(Most good players know that when you castle on opposite sides, the strategy
changes. Both
sides go for an all-out attack on the opponent's King. Here Fischer
deftly avoids that scenario,
by keeping his King on the same side as Black. He gets almost as many
attacking opportunities,
but avoids any potential dangerous counter-attacks by Black.)
[ 14.0-0-0!?
Nd6; 15.Ne2,
"+/" This looks good for White, but
Black should certainly
be able to start an attack against
White's King. ].
14...Nd6; {Re-deployment.}
(Maybe - '!')
Naturally Black did not want
to leave his Knight on e8.
Fischer calls this move both sharp (!) and somewhat unexpected.
[ 14...c6; 15.Ne2, "+/" ].
15.Qg3!,
Now White threatens a
devastating pin on the g-file.
[ White could play: 15.Nd5
f5; 16.Bxd4
Nxe4!;
17.Bxe4
fxe4; "=/+"
when maybe Black is just a little
better here.
Or 15.Ne2 f5; "<=>" {Diagram?} with good play for Black. ].
15...Kh8!?, (Hmmm.)
This natural-looking move ...
but the wrong response in this
particular position!
(At least this was what was written
in the chess press at the time of
this game.)
(Interesting note: In
May of 2002,
an Internet student analyzed this
game with a Pentium 4 and
the
program, "ChessMaster 8000." After over an hour's worth of
analysis, it picked the
move ... 15...Kh8!)
[ Fischer says a slight improvement
is the following line:
15...f5!?; 16.Bh6!?, {Diagram?}
This is OK, but ...
(Maybe better is: 16.Bg5!,
"+/=" {A.J.G.}) 16...Qf6;
17.Bxg7
Qxg7;
18.Qxg7+
Kxg7; 19.exf5
N6xf5; 20.Rae1
Rae8; {Diagram?} This
is about the best
move here. 21.Ne4,
"+/=" (See the diagram just below.)
|
|
{Analysis Diagram}
is, "A comfortable edge for White, but certainly no forced win." - Fischer. ["My Sixty Memorable Games." pg. # 289.] ].
16.Qg4!, (nice)
A really good move. White prevents Black from playing the freeing pawn break, ...f5; all the
while eyeing the h5-square for his own Queen.
This move fully deserves an exclam, because White had so many playable alternatives.
(An
analysis, using the program Nimzo 8.0
and lasting over 3 days, indicates that the move,
Rad1 leads to a VERY substantial advantage for White. But I don't
feel like reproducing all
the variations here.)
[ 16. Rad1!?, leads to positions that could possibly be evaluated as "+/."
White could prepare to double on the f-file here with: 16. Rf2!? ("+/=") ].
16...c6!?; {Prevention}
(Dubious? Maybe - '?!')
Black keeps the White Knight off
the f5-square. But this piece is
NOT the one that poses
the real
danger to the Black King! (The Bishop on d3 is the killer!)
"Too passive," says Fischer. (But the first choice of of a strong {2400+} DMP.)
[ Much better was: 16...c5!; according to Bobby Fischer. ].
17.Qh5!?, (Maybe - '!')
White increases considerably ...
his pressure on the light squares.
[ 17.Rf2!? ].
17...Qe8?!; {Diagram?}
(Bad, probably - '?')
Benko had counted on this
threatened exchange of Queens
to save his position.
But he had not foreseen White's very imaginative and brilliant response.
[ Forced was: 17...Ne6[]; -
R.J. Fischer.
(The position still looks to be
a little better for White. {A.J.G.})
Crafty likes: 17...c5!?;
18.b3!?, "+/="
{Diagram?}
when White is
clearly a little better here. ].
White now releases the action of
his light-squared King's Bishop.
18.Bxd4!
exd4;
{Diagram?}
Black appears to be defending reasonably in this position.
(Several GM's -who were watching this game - thought Black was better here!!)
***
White to move here. What move
would you make in this position?
19.Rf6!!,
(Maybe - '!!!') {Diagram?}
A stunning and completely
unexpected move.
Bobby
Fischer calls this great move:
"A bolt from the blue!"
(None of the other Masters who were
present predicted this play.)
With his Knight on c3 still hanging ...
White plays GIVE-AWAY with his
Rook!!!
What a move!
(The main idea is box the Black
King in for 3-4 tempi ...
just long
enough for White to deliver a mate!)
[ If 19.e5!? f5!; and "Black is defending." - Fischer. ].
19...Kg8; (Hmmm,
forced?)
White threatened Pawn to the
King's Five Square (e5) followed
by a checkmate ...
- in very short order!!
Black's King tries to run away from Fischer's devastating attack.
[ If 19...dxc3;
20.e5
Ne4;
21.Bxe4
Bh6;
(Or 21...h6; 22.Rxh6+
Kg8;
23.Rh8+!
Bxh8; 24.Qh7#
). 22.Qxh6,
"+/-" {Diagram?}
It is mate next move.
20.e5! h6; 21.Ne2!, ("+/-")
Black Resigns.
[ 21.Raf1!? ].
Play could proceed:
21...Bxf6;
Everything loses here.
[ 21...Rd8; 22.Rxd6 Rxd6; 23.exd6, "+/-" or 21...Nb5; 22.Qf5, "+/-" ].
22.Qxh6!, {Diagram?} ("+/-")
and ...
"Mate is unavoidable." - Fischer.
[ See Fischer's, "My Sixty Memorable Games." Game # 46, beginning on pg. # 286. ].
***
A little appreciated fact is that Benko was one of the world's best players,
(Easily in the 'Top 25'
in the World!); when this game was played!!!
This game was first posted on my web site on July 12th, 2002.
(Updated on: )
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Copyright (c) A.J. Goldsby, 1995-2008.
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