Fischer

Robert James Fischer
Eleventh World Chess Champion (1972–1975)
And considered as the greatest player of all time
“I don't believe in psychology. I believe in good moves." Bobby Fischer

Byrne,Donald - Fischer,Robert James
Third Rosenwald Trophy New York, NY USA (8), 17.10.1956
Known as game of the century
1.Nf3 Nf6 2.c4 g6 3.Nc3 Bg7 4.d4 0–0 5.Bf4 d5 6.Qb3 dxc4 7.Qxc4 c6 8.e4 Nbd7
9.Rd1 Nb6 10.Qc5 Bg4 11.Bg5 Na4!! [Often glossed over due to the famous
queen sacrifice but this is an incredibly deep move!]
12.Qa3 [12.Nxa4!? Nxe4 and the only move to defend both pieces is 13.Qc1 now
black can wreak havoc with (13.Qxe7 Bxf3 14.Qxd8 Raxd8 15.Bxd8 Bxd1 and white
has pawn weaknesses with even material and is less developed) 13...Bxf3 14.gxf3
Qa5+]
12...Nxc3 13.bxc3 Nxe4 [knowing white can win the exchange on f8 after]
14.Bxe7 Qb6 15.Bc4 [15.Bxf8 Bxf8 and black has the open e file and very active
pieces in compensation for the exchange. One sample line goes: 16.Qb3 even
exchanging queens won't help 16...Re8 this dominance of the e file is catastrophic
for white 17.Qxb6 axb6 18.Be2 Nxc3 19.Rd2 where though still a pawn down,
black's pieces are all active with lasting pressure - white's h1 rook is not in the
game!]
15...Nxc3 16.Bc5 Rfe8+ [a vital Zwischenzug, in-between move, capitalising on the

open e file]
17.Kf1 Be6! [whilst this is a really great move, it is a logical continuation of a

theme - all black's pieces are active. The move also pretty much obliges white to
take the queen!]
18.Bxb6 [18.Bxe6 Qb5+ 19.Kg1 Ne2+ 20.Kf1 Ng3+ 21.Kg1 Qf1+ 22.Rxf1 Ne2# is
mate!; 18.Qxc3 Qxc5]
18...Bxc4+ 19.Kg1 Ne2+ [though Fischer can now use the knight to get the rook
on d1, he gobbles up everything in sight first before getting the d1 rook - note the
h1 rook is also up for grabs but then the knight is harder to extract]
20.Kf1 Nxd4+ 21.Kg1 Ne2+ 22.Kf1 Nc3+ 23.Kg1 axb6 24.Qb4 Ra4 [the
co-ordination of the black pieces is superb. White's h1 rook hasn't had a look in
and queen is being chased here, there and everywhere!]
25.Qxb6 Nxd1 26.h3 Rxa2 27.Kh2 Nxf2 28.Re1 [the h1 rook finally gets in the
game but after it's exchanged, it's queen and knight versus rook and three good
minor pieces - Fischer makes the rest look effortless!]
28...Rxe1 29.Qd8+ Bf8 30.Nxe1 Bd5 31.Nf3 Ne4 32.Qb8 b5 33.h4 h5 [killing any
final hope of counter-play]
34.Ne5 Kg7 [allowing the f8 bishop to move]
35.Kg1 Bc5+ 36.Kf1 [36.Kh1 Ng3+ 37.Kh2 Nf1+ 38.Kh3 Bxg2#; 36.Kh2 Bd6 is just
horrible]
36...Ng3+ 37.Ke1 Bb4+ 38.Kd1 Bb3+ 39.Kc1 Ne2+ 40.Kb1 Nc3+ 41.Kc1 Rc2#
0–1
Fischer – Lapiken US Open, 1956
1.Nf3 Nf6 2.g3 d5 3.Bg2 Bf5 4.0–0 e6 5.d3 c6 6.Nbd2 Na6
7.a3 [White deci des to play on the queenside rather than the normal 7
Qe1, 8 e4 and kingside play.]
7...Nc5 8.c4 b5 [Creating a weakness on c6, which White exploits

immediately.]
9.Nd4 Qd7 10.Nxf5 exf5 11.Nb3 h6 12.Be3 Ne6
13.Nd4 [Once again White attacks both c6 and f5. Now Black should play
13...Nxd4 14 Bxd4 Be7 and try to defend b5 and d5.]
13...g6 [Trading the weak pawn on f5 for an entire weak diagonal a1–h8.]
14.Qb3 Rb8 [This loses, but he had to drop something. His best chance was
14...Bg7.]
15.Nxc6 Qxc6 16.cxd5 Nc5 [Black must have counted on this, but White has
another double attack coming.]
17.Qc3 Qd6 18.Bxc5 Qxc5 19.Qxf6
1–0
Fischer – Cardoso New York, 1957
1.e4 c5 2.Nf3 d6 3.d4 cxd4 4.Nxd4 Nf6 5.Nc3 a6
6.Bc4 [This has become known as the Fischer Variation. However, the
interesting material of this game lies not in the opening, but in the
endgame.]
6...e6
7.0–0 Bd7 8.Bb3 Nc6 9.Be3 Be7 10.f4 Qc7
11.f5 Nxd4 12.Bxd4 b5 13.a3 e5 14.Be3 Bc6
15.Nd5 Bxd5 16.Bxd5 Nxd5 17.Qxd5 Rc8 18.c3 Qc4
19.Qb7 Qc6 20.Qxc6+ Rxc6 21.a4 Kd7 22.axb5 axb5
23.Ra7+ Rc7 24.Rfa1 Rb8 25.Kf2 Rbb7 26.Rxb7 Rxb7
27.Ke2 Bd8 28.Kd3 h6 29.Ra8 h5 30.b4 Be7
31.Rg8 Bf6 32.Rf8 Kc6
33.c4 [This move creates a passed pawn on the queenside.]
33...Rd7
34.Ra8 bxc4+ 35.Kxc4 Rc7
36.Ra7 [Now the rooks are exchanged. In a bishop endgame where the
bishops are of the same color (light-square or dark-square), a passed pawn
is a valuable asset, and usually leads to victory.]
36...Rxa7
37.Bxa7 Bd8 38.Be3 f6 39.b5+ Kd7
40.Kd5 Ba5 [Black has an additional problem. The bishop is "bad" in that
the pawns are on the same colored squares, making them targets for the
enemy bishop and reducing the space available for maneuvers.]
41.Ba7 [Now advancing the b-pawn would be a mistake. 41.b6 Bb4 42.b7
Kc7 43. Ke6 Kxb7 44.Kf7 Bc5 45.Bd2 Kc6 46.Kxg7 d5 47.Kxf6 dxe4 48.Kxe5
e3 49.Be1 Bd6+ 50.Ke6 Bxh2 51.f6 Bd6 52.f7 Bf8]
41...Bb4 42.Bb8 Bc5
43.g3 [Black is in zugzwang. Any move will lead to a loss. But if it were
possible to just "pass", there would be no way for White to make progress.]
43...Ke7 44.Kc6 g6
45.fxg6 [Now there are two passed pawns.]
45...f5 [Here Fischer brought the game to a quick close with a nifty
sacrifice.]
46.Bxd6+ [Black resigned. Resistance would be futile.]
46...Bxd6
47.g7 Kf7 48.Kxd6 Kxg7 49.b6 fxe4 50.b7 e3
51.b8Q
1–0
Fischer – Reshevsky US Championship, 1958
1.e4 c5 2.Nf3 Nc6 3.d4 cxd4 4.Nxd4 g6 5.Be3 Nf6
6.Nc3 Bg7 7.Bc4 0–0 [7...Qa5! would have been much better.]
8.Bb3 Na5 [A well-known mistake - a Russian chess magazine had recently given the
following moves, known to Fischer, but not to Reshevsky!]
9.e5 Ne8 [Breaking communications between the Queen and Rook. On the
other hand, 9...Nxb3 loses to 10.exf6.]
10.Bxf7+ Kxf7 [The 15–year-old Fischer has found the fatal flaw in
Reshevsky's position.]
[10...Rxf7 11.Ne6]
11.Ne6 dxe6 [11...Kxe6 12.Qd5+ Kf5 13.g4+ Kxg4 14.Rg1+ Kh4 15.Bg5+ Kh5
16.Qd1+ Rf3 17.Qxf3#]
12.Qxd8 [The rest is child's play...]
12...Nc6 13.Qd2 Bxe5 14.0–0 Nd6 15.Bf4 Nc4 16.Qe2 Bxf4
17.Qxc4 Kg7 18.Ne4 Bc7 19.Nc5 Rf6 20.c3 e5 21.Rad1 Nd8
22.Nd7 Rc6 23.Qh4 Re6 24.Nc5 Rf6 25.Ne4 Rf4 26.Qxe7+ Rf7
27.Qa3 Nc6 28.Nd6 Bxd6 29.Rxd6 Bf5 30.b4 Rff8
31.b5 Nd8 32.Rd5 Nf7 33.Rc5 a6 34.b6 Be4
35.Re1 Bc6 36.Rxc6 bxc6 37.b7 Rab8 38.Qxa6 Nd8
39.Rb1 Rf7 40.h3 Rfxb7 41.Rxb7+ Rxb7 42.Qa8 [And Black finally
gave up.]
1–0
Fischer – Euwe Leipzig Olympiad, 1960
1.e4 c6 2.d4 d5 3.exd5 cxd5 4.c4 Nf6 5.Nc3 Nc6 6.Nf3 Bg4
7.cxd5 Nxd5 8.Qb3 Bxf3 9.gxf3 e6 10.Qxb7 Nxd4
11.Bb5+ Nxb5 12.Qc6+ Ke7 13.Qxb5 Nxc3 [13...Qd7 14.Nxd5+ Qxd5
and Black has nothing to worry about.]
14.bxc3 Qd7 [Black should have created some space for the king with
14...f6.]
15.Rb1 Rd8 [Another mistake. The a-pawn needs the support of the rook.]
16.Be3 Qxb5 17.Rxb5 Rd7 18.Ke2 [18.Ra5 Rb7 19.Rxa7 Rxa7

20.Bxa7 Kd7 21.Kd2 Bd6 with the threat of Ra8.]
18...f6
19.Rd1 Rxd1 20.Kxd1 Kd7 21.Rb8 [The threat is Bc5, exploiting the
pin on the back rank.]
21...Kc6 22.Bxa7 g5 [The only way Black can get his pieces into play is
by moving the bishop to g7.]
23.a4 Bg7 24.Rb6+ Kd5 25.Rb7 Bf8 26.Rb8 Bg7

27.Rb5+ Kc6 28.Rb6+ Kd5 [It is not clear why Fischer repeated the
position. Probably he had not worked out the sinning moves yet.]
29.a5 f5 30.Bb8 Rc8 31.a6 Rxc3 32.Rb5+ Kc4 33.Rb7 Bd4
34.Rc7+ Kd3 35.Rxc3+ Kxc3 [It looks as though Black is about to enter
a long period of suffering after 36.a7. But then Black will sacrifice the
bishop for the pawn. There is a better move. Do you see it?]
36.Be5
1–0
Fischer – Purevzhav Varna Olympiad, 1962
1.e4 c5 2.Nf3 d6 3.d4 cxd4 4.Nxd4 Nf6 5.Nc3 g6 6.Be3 Bg7
7.f3 Nc6 8.Qd2 0–0
9.Bc4 Nd7 [The slowest continuation accepted by theory. Black hopes to
get play against White's queenside with his knights, but weakens his king
position.]
10.0–0–0 Nb6 11.Bb3 Na5

12.Qd3 [White doesn't want to allow either knight to move to c4, which
would force him to give up his Be3. Black might then get strong play on the
dark squares.]
12...Bd7 13.h4 Rc8 14.h5 [So White draws first blood. Once he takes
on g6 he will be able to play Bh6, leaving Black's king naked to the wind.]
14...Nac4 15.hxg6 hxg6 [If 15...Nxe3, White would not play 16.gxh7+,
when his own pawn on h7 would keep the kingside closed, but 16.gxf7+
Kh8 17.Qxe3, when h7 is a target and White already threatens 18.Rxh7+
Kxh7 19.Rh1+.]
16.Bh6 e6 17.f4 [Threatening 18.Qh3, when Black will have no defense to

mate on h7 or h8.]
17...e5 18.Nf5 [Renewing the threat of Qh3. If Black takes the knight he
gets mated after 18...gxf5 19.Bxg7 Kxg7 20.Qg3+ Kf6 21.Qg5+ Ke6 22.ef.]
18...Bxf5 19.exf5 Nxb2 [A last desparate bid for counterplay, but

Fischer has seen everything.]
20.Kxb2 e4 21.Bxg7 [Black may have missed this move. He can't take
the queen because of 22.f6 and mate on h8.]
21...Kxg7 22.Nxe4
1–0
Fischer – Najdorf Varna Olympiad, 1962
1.e4 c5 2.Nf3 d6 3.d4 cxd4 4.Nxd4 Nf6 5.Nc3 a6 6.h3 b5
7.Nd5 Bb7 [Black should probably take the pawn. White gets an initiative
after 8.Qf3, but Black seems to hold. Now Najdorf's king has nowhere to
hide.]
8.Nxf6+ gxf6 9.c4 [The kingside is already unsafe, and now Fischer goes to
work on the center and the queenside.]
9...bxc4 10.Bxc4 Bxe4 11.0–0 d5
12.Re1 [No rest for the weary. Black's last move is shown to have serious
drawbacks-- he can't get his bishop back to b7, and his dark squares look
weak.]
12...e5 13.Qa4+ Nd7
14.Rxe4 [This sacrifice reopens the a2–g8 diagonal and gives White control
of all the light squares in the center.]
14...dxe4 15.Nf5 Bc5
16.Ng7+ [Typically, Fischer's play is ruthlessly accurate. The text allows

White to finish his development with the Black king a sitting duck in the
center.]
16...Ke7 17.Nf5+ Ke8
18.Be3 [Again, simple but deadly-Black must either lose time retreating the
bishop or give up d6. If 18...Qb6, 19.Bxf7+.]
18...Bxe3 19.fxe3 Qb6 20.Rd1 Ra7 21.Rd6 Qd8
22.Qb3 [Now if Black could only castle there would be some hope, but
White's 16th move ruled that out.]
22...Qc7 23.Bxf7+ Kd8

24.Be6 [Black is helpless-if he tries 24...Qc1+, after 25.Rd1 he has no way to
cover b6 and b8 without giving up d7.]
1–0
Fischer – Petrosian Candidates' Tournament, 1962
1.e4 e6 2.d4 d5 3.Nc3 Nf6 4.Bg5 Bb4 5.e5 h6
6.Bd2 Bxc3 7.Bxc3 Ne4 8.Ba5 0–0
9.Bd3 Nc6 [Black develops with tempo at the bishop's expense.]
10.Bc3 Nxc3
11.bxc3 [White is worse because of his doubled c-pawns and backward
development.]
11...f6 12.f4 [Since White is lagging behind in development he
desperately tries to keep the position closed. 12.exf6 Qxf6 13.Nf3 e5 when
Black's initiative would give him a big advantage.]
12...fxe5 13.fxe5 Ne7 [The knight makes way for operations

against White's center and queenside.]
14.Nf3 c5 15.0–0 Qa5 16.Qe1 Bd7 [Black is building up his

forces for an attack against White's doubled c- pawns.]
17.c4 Qxe1 18.Rfxe1 dxc4
19.Be4 [White sacrifices a pawn to free his pieces up. 19.Bxc4 b5 20.Bd3 c4
allows Black to stabilize his queenside advantage.]
19...cxd4 20.Bxb7 Rab8 21.Ba6 Rb4
22.Rad1 d3 [Petrosian eliminates the remaining obstacle and creates a

passed pawn.]
23.cxd3 cxd3
24.Rxd3 Bc6 [Black has the advantage due to, the White bishop being
offside while his minor pieces have an excellent post on d5.]
25.Rd4 [25.Nd4 Bd5 would leave the White pieces in each others way.]
25...Rxd4 26.Nxd4 Bd5 27.a4 Rf4 28.Rd1 Ng6

29.Bc8 Kf7 30.a5 Nxe5
31.a6 [With Black being a clear pawn up White's chances rest with the
a-pawn.]
31...Rg4 32.Rd2 Nc4 33.Rf2+ Ke7 34.Nb5 Nd6
35.Nxd6 [35.Nxa7 Rc4 Wins material for Black.]
35...Kxd6 36.Bb7 Bxb7 37.axb7 Kc7
38.h3 [38.Rf7+ Kb8 39.Kf2 a5 40.Re7 Rg6 41.Rd7 e5 42.Rd5 Ra6 when
White has no good way of stopping the a-pawns advance.]
38...Rg5 39.Rb2 Kb8 40.Kf2 Rd5 41.Ke3 Rd7
42.Ke4 Rxb7 43.Rf2 [White resigned because he is two pawns down.]
0–1
Fischer – Ciocaltea Varna Olympiad, 1962
1.e4 e5 2.Nf3 Nc6 3.Bb5 a6 4.Ba4 d6 5.c3 Bd7 6.d4 Nge7 7.Bb3 h6 [Black
can't play 7...Ng6 because of 8.Ng5.]
8.Qe2 Ng6 9.Qc4 [A novel way of confusing the enemy army. 9...Be6 loses a
piece after 10.d5 Na5 11.Qa4+, so Black must either play 9...Qe7,
completely locking up his own kingside, or expose his queen on f6.]
9...Qf6 10.d5 b5 [Otherwise White just captures on c7 and gets away.]
11.Qe2 Na5 12.Bd1 Be7 13.g3 [Black would have done better to simplify
with 12...Nh4 or f4, to get some space on the kingside. Fischer prevents
that and sets a nasty trap as well.]
13...0–0 14.h4 Rfc8 [The losing move. Black had to play 14...Nh8 or Bd8 to
save the queen, though things look grim then too.]
15.Bg5 hxg5 16.hxg5 Qxg5 [Black would do better with 16...Nf4, though it
doesn't matter much, since after 16.gxf6 Nxe2 17.fxe7 Nc1 18.Kd2 he's
down a piece.]
17.Nxg5 Bxg5 18.Na3 c6 19.dxc6 Be6 20.Qh5 Bh6 21.Bg4 Bxg4 22.Qxg4
Nxc6 23.Rd1 b4 24.Nc4 bxc3 25.bxc3 Nd4 26.Nb6
1–0
Fischer,Robert J - Spassky,Boris ,Reykjavik 1972
WORLD CHESS CHAMPIONSHIP (Game 6)
1.c4! [This was a huge move - for a player who relied entirely on a repertoire of
1.e4, this was a gamble!]
1...e6 2.Nf3 d5 [Spassky chooses a very solid line, laying his claim to the centre]
3.d4 Nf6 4.Nc3 Be7 5.Bg5 0–0 6.e3 h6 [In many lines, this is a useful move for
black, not least because it eliminates any later back-rank ideas]
7.Bh4 b6 8.cxd5 [It may seem more natural to develop the Bishop with 8. Bd3 -
however, in many lines, black wants to play the trade ...dxc4 opening up the
a8–h1 diagonal to his Bishop. Fischer clarifies the position instead of losing a
tempo after 8.Bd3 dxc4 9. Bxc4 Bb7 where the loss of time gives black a better
game than in the chosen line]
8...Nxd5 9.Bxe7 [9.Bg3 and like the 8.Bd3?! line above, white is wasting time -
Fischer must have seen this going into 8. cxd5]
9...Qxe7 10.Nxd5 [The dynamics of the position are interesting - the main conflict
is between white's knight on c3 and the black knight on d5 - which should be
exchanged? White would get a nice pawn structure, say after 10 Bd3 Nxc3 11.
bxc3 but suddenly the half-open c-file is gone and black has more freedom to play
a later ...c5, maybe preceded by ...Nd7 - the black queen may also monopolise the
queenside with Qa3 later and black can consider endgame goals of converting the
a-b-c pawns at a later stage. Fischer decides therefore, before black also has
chance to answer Nxd5 with Bxd5, say after 10. Bd3 Bb7 11. Nxd5 Bxd5 to close
off the a8–h1 diagonal. The remainder of the game is very instructive to show
how Fischer never lets Spassky get any kind of grip on Q-side activity]
10...exd5 11.Rc1 [immediately making ...c5 less attractive and getting the
half-open c-file. This develops the most appropriate piece.]
11...Be6 [11...Qb4+ 12.Qd2 after the trade c7 is weak and a big target. If instead,
the queen retreats, white has developed even further whilst black has wasted two
moves - white should have an edge; 11...Nd7? 12.Rxc7; 11...Bb7 is solid but the
Bishop is not on a great diagonal and it's still a hassle to get the knight into the
game.]
12.Qa4 [A few idea behind this move. 1. It is not needed for any king-side duties
so it goes to the Q-side. 2. The knight on b8 can't get into the game and the light
squares around black's queenside are controlled by white. 3. Basic development -
the queen occupies a more useful square than d1]
12...c5 [Spassky tries to get some control of the centre and open the game. He is
castled so this is safe and once there is activity for all his pieces, it could be hard
to win this for white. However...]
13.Qa3! [1. Exploiting a pin against e7 2. Attacking c5 with another piece]
13...Rc8 [Spassky lends support to c5 but already the development of Black is

starting to get very difficult]
[13...Nd7 may have been better to get the last minor piece into the game with
about an equal game]
14.Bb5 [1. Development - it's the last minor piece for white. It's been left this long
for good reason - all the preceding moves have served a higher purpose. 2. Going
to b5 to keep an eye on that diagonal and also to entice...]
14...a6 [Spassky of course knew he could not take the bishop but a6 creates some
space for his rook on a8 with the plan Ra8–a7 and some control of the 7th and
supporting the knight getting into the game]
15.dxc5 bxc5 [A nice idea to give black three pawn islands (a6, c5–d5 and
f7–g7–h6) to white's two (a2–b2 and e3–f2–g2–h2) - Any pawn ending is likely to
favour white already. It will also be hard for black to get both rooks onto the d
and c file without interfering with development - white can do it in two moves,
should he wish 1.0–0 and 2. Rfd1]
16.0–0 Ra7 17.Be2 [the pin is broken so the bishop has to retreat. e2 is a natural
square, supporting the knight and leaving a clear path for Rfd1 (on d3 black may
have later ideas of ...d4)]
17...Nd7 18.Nd4 [white exploits yet another pin and gets ready to trade off the
knight for the bishop. Whilst it isn't the most open position, Fischer soon sets into
motion a plan to blow the centre wide open!]
18...Qf8 19.Nxe6 fxe6 20.e4 d4 [20...dxe4 and black has 4 isolated pawns that
white can pick off at will]
21.f4 [part of the plan to open up the position and give maximum coverage to the
bishop]
21...Qe7 22.e5 [taking away good squares from the knight and halting e6 so a
later f5 has to be met with some exchange of the e pawn, leading to an open
position - without e5 first, a later f5 could run into ...e5 and the closed position
massively favours the knight]
22...Rb8 23.Bc4 Kh8 24.Qh3 [hitting e6, supporting f5 and getting away from the
Q-side where nothing is going on - b2 is loose but white has lots of activity in
compensation]
24...Nf8 [24...Rxb2 25.Qxe6 Qxe6 26.Bxe6 and white has a great march of the f
and e pawns to come supported by the bishop, whereas the knight has no happy
future. True black has the d and c pawns but they are already shaky - white
threatens the simple Bxd7 when c5 is loose 26...Rb5 27.Bc4! and the black pawns
are held in their tracks, whereas white's are ready to march!]
25.b3 a5 26.f5 exf5 [27. f6 was threatened, exploding black's defence!]
27.Rxf5 Nh7 28.Rcf1 Qd8 29.Qg3 Re7 30.h4 Rbb7 31.e6 [passed pawns must be
pushed and it is so well supported - absolute thorn in black's side!]
31...Rbc7 32.Qe5 [just look at all white's pieces - they couldn't be on better
squares!]
32...Qe8 33.a4 Qd8 34.R1f2 Qe8 35.R2f3 Qd8 36.Bd3 [closing in on the other
useful light diagonal]
36...Qe8 37.Qe4 Nf6 38.Rxf6! [Absolutely - black's entire defence relies on this
move - so get rid of the defender - black's other pieces are just observers now!]
38...gxf6 39.Rxf6 Kg8 40.Bc4 Kh8 41.Qf4
1–0
Spassky,Boris V - Fischer,Robert James
WORLD CHESS CHAMPIONSHIP (Game 3)
Reykjavik 16.07.1972
1.d4 Nf6 2.c4 e6 3.Nf3 c5 4.d5 exd5 5.cxd5 d6 6.Nc3 g6 7.Nd2 [white is
reorganising his pieces to strengthen the e4–d5 hold]
7...Nbd7 8.e4 Bg7 9.Be2 0–0 10.0–0 Re8 11.Qc2 Nh5 [this really is a novelty -
voluntarily allowing his pawns to be shattered - in exchange, black has the bishop
pair and white cannot easily win h5 which can then be used to upset the white's
king cover!]
12.Bxh5 gxh5 13.Nc4 Ne5 14.Ne3 [14.Nxe5 Bxe5 15.f4?! Bd4+ and all the levers
belong to black]
14...Qh4 [Black aims all his pieces to the kingside - the basic plans will be to
liberate his queenside with pawns on a6 and b5 and aim his pieces towards the
kingside pawns]
15.Bd2 Ng4 16.Nxg4 [now the pawn weakness is gone]
16...hxg4 17.Bf4 [white's centre is strong but there is no lever - often an e5 break
is helpful but black's development is complete and he owns the e5 square. Whilst
white isn't under serious fire, he has no weaknesses to hit in the black camp,
especially since the long range Be2 is now gone!]
17...Qf6 18.g3 Bd7 19.a4 b6 20.Rfe1 a6 21.Re2 b5 [often once black has his
development complete and he can get b5 in, he is doing really well!]
22.Rae1 Qg6 23.b3 Re7 24.Qd3 Rb8 25.axb5 axb5 26.b4 c4 27.Qd2 Rbe8 28.Re3
h5 29.R3e2 Kh7 30.Re3 Kg8 31.R3e2 Bxc3 [time to crystallise the advantage and
win a pawn on e4]
32.Qxc3 Rxe4 33.Rxe4 Rxe4 34.Rxe4 Qxe4 35.Bh6 Qg6 36.Bc1 Qb1 37.Kf1 Bf5
38.Ke2 Qe4+ 39.Qe3 Qc2+ 40.Qd2 Qb3 41.Qd4 Bd3+ [white now resigned due
to:]
42.Kd2 [42.Ke3 Qd1 and any attempts to save the bishop lead to mate: 43.Bb2
Qf3+ 44.Kd2 Qe2+ 45.Kc1 Qe1# or 45...Qc2#]
42...Qc2+ 43.Ke3 Qxc1#
0–1
Spassky,Boris V (2660) - Fischer,Robert James (2785)
World Championship - Game 5 Reykjavik (5), 20.07.1972
1.d4 Nf6 2.c4 e6 3.Nc3 Bb4 [The Nimzo-Indian. Black undermines white's control
of the centre. The Knight on c3 covers the vital squares, e4 and d5 - this pin
ensures white doesn't get a free hand in developing a strong pawn centre - some
concession will be made.]
4.Nf3 c5 [Another strike at the centre - this adds a strong imbalance and ensures
black will either have some central control or white will block his own pieces in]
5.e3 Nc6 [Continuing to put pressure on d4]
6.Bd3 Bxc3+ [A voluntary exchange but it's sound, although not necessary yet.
Perhaps the idea of 7. Bd2 meant Fischer wasn't keen on a future a3 line where
any c3 exchange would do nothing to hurt the white pawn structure]
7.bxc3 d6 [7...cxd4 8.cxd4 favours white in a big way. Fischer intends to lock the
centre down to ensure white's bishops don't get into the game.]
8.e4 e5!! [this is the move that does it. White is stuck between a rock and a hard
place]
9.d5 [9.dxe5? dxe5! and that white bishop looks ridiculous, the centre is gone and
black has all the play - for example Be6, Na5 ideas to hit c4 and a future knight on
f4. White's attack is very hard to co-ordinate; 9.dxc5 dxc5 is the same position]
9...Ne7 10.Nh4 h6 [a really interesting move - this weakens g6 which is ok, since
e4 blocks Bd3 and prevents Bg5]
11.f4 [Spassky is obviously keen to open the position so his bishops can get active]
11...Ng6! [stunner. Voluntarily allowing his pawn structure to be broken up but

again, white cannot exploit it!]
12.Nxg6 fxg6 13.fxe5 dxe5 14.Be3 b6 [it's strange how the bishops look like they
should cause damage but those central pawns are like a drain blockage]
15.0–0 0–0 16.a4 a5 17.Rb1 Bd7 18.Rb2 Rb8 19.Rbf2 Qe7 20.Bc2 g5 [a nice
finesse, preventing any kingside expansion]
21.Bd2 Qe8 22.Be1 Qg6 23.Qd3 Nh5 [after a lot of careful movement, black is
now ready to exchange the heavy artillery]
24.Rxf8+ Rxf8 25.Rxf8+ Kxf8 26.Bd1 Nf4 [a lovely square to end up on]
27.Qc2 Bxa4 [A marvellous tactic to end with - Spassky resigned here - the
threat?]
28.Qxa4 [and white loses as the g2 pawn cannot be defended without giving up
mate on e1]
[28.Qb1 Bxd1 29.Qxd1 Qxe4 is also a bloodbath]
28...Qxe4
0–1
Spassky,Boris V (2660) - Fischer,Robert James (2785
World Championship 28th Reykjavik (21), 31.08.1972
1.e4 c5 2.Nf3 e6 3.d4 cxd4 4.Nxd4 a6 5.Nc3 Nc6 6.Be3 Nf6 7.Bd3 d5 [7...Nb4
looks good to snag Bd3 but white can ignore it with a good game. 8.0–0 Nxd3
9.cxd3 d6 10.Qa4+ b5 11.Qb3 Bd7 12.f3 Be7 13.Rfc1 and black is cramped.]
8.exd5 exd5 9.0–0 Bd6 10.Nxc6?! [The d pawn on its own was a good target. The
c-d pawn combo now becomes a tactical device.]
[10.Re1 0–0 11.h3 and white enjoys a small advantage with a clear plan - to
undermine and win d5]
10...bxc6 11.Bd4 0–0 12.Qf3 Be6 13.Rfe1 c5 14.Bxf6 Qxf6 15.Qxf6 gxf6 [the pawn
structure looks bad but black has good plans - occupy b and e files and use the
two bishops to gain control of key squares. Whilst white has the better structure
it's very hard to occupy any space whereas black has more than half the board to
enjoy (ranks 3–8)]
16.Rad1 Rfd8 17.Be2 Rab8 18.b3 c4! [having the b file as a focus and the knight
looking vulnerable, Fischer completely ruins his pawn structure in exchange for a
tactically sound advantage]
19.Nxd5 [A horrible concession to make but the alternatives are no better]
[19.bxc4 Bb4 20.Nxd5 (20.Rd3 d4) 20...Bxe1 21.Rxe1 Rb2]
19...Bxd5 20.Rxd5 Bxh2+ [Of course going into it but the technique is very strong
from here.]
21.Kxh2 Rxd5 22.Bxc4 Rd2 23.Bxa6 Rxc2 [Black is going to win more pawns or
force the exchange of rooks, leading to a won ending.]
24.Re2 Rxe2 25.Bxe2 Rd8 26.a4 Rd2 27.Bc4 Ra2 28.Kg3 Kf8 29.Kf3 Ke7 30.g4 f5
[To eliminate a strong pawn structure]
31.gxf5 [31.g5 f6 32.gxf6+ Kxf6 and black has a passed h pawn]

31...f6 [against a white bishop, getting the pawns on dark squares]
32.Bg8 h6 33.Kg3 Kd6 34.Kf3 Ra1 35.Kg2 Ke5 36.Be6 Kf4 37.Bd7 Rb1 38.Be6 Rb2
39.Bc4 Ra2 40.Be6 h5 41.Bd7 h4 42.b4 Kg4 43.Kg1 h3 44.Bb5 [to prevent Rb1
mate ideas]
[44.a5 Ra1+ 45.Kh2 Rf1 46.f3+ Kh4 47.Bb5 Rf2+ 48.Kg1 Kg3 49.a6 h2+ 50.Kh1 Rg2]
44...Rb2 45.a5 Rxb4 46.Bd3 Rb3 47.Bc4 Rc3 48.Bb5 Rc5 [with an easy win]
0–1
Fischer – Burger Simultaneous Exhibition, 1963
1.e4 e5 2.Nf3 Nc6 3.Bc4 Nf6 4.Ng5 d5
5.exd5 Nd4 [Black tries to get compensation for his pawn by attack White's
advanced pieces with gain of time.]
6.c3 b5 7.Bf1 Nxd5 8.cxd4 Qxg5
9.Bxb5+ Kd8 [Black's king is shielded by White's two d-pawns, but White's
king will come under fire on either the e-file or the kingside.]
10.Qf3 Bb7
11.0–0 e4 [Black gives up another pawn to keep White's queen on the

a8–h1 diagonal where it will be a target for discovered attacks from Black's
bishop.]
12.Qxe4 [12.Qxf7 Be7 And White can't meet Black's attack kingside attack.]
12...Bd6 [Black now has four pieces aimed at White's king, more than
enough compensation for White's two sickly d-pawns.]
13.d3 [Overlooking Black's threat.]
13...Bxh2+
14.Kxh2 Nf4 [White resigned, because he can't meet both the threat on his
queen and mate threats by ...Qxg2 or ...Qh4+ and Ne2.]
0–1
Fischer – Benko US Championship, 1963
1.e4 g6 2.d4 Bg7 3.Nc3 d6 4.f4 Nf6 5.Nf3 0–0 6.Bd3 Bg4
7.h3 Bxf3 8.Qxf3 Nc6 9.Be3 e5 10.dxe5 dxe5 11.f5 gxf5
12.Qxf5 Nd4 13.Qf2 Ne8 14.0–0 Nd6 15.Qg3 Kh8 16.Qg4 c6
17.Qh5 Qe8 [White has the f-file, well-placed pieces and a slightly better
pawn structure. Black's forces are scattered, and the bishop does little from
its post at g7. Fischer exploits these factors quickly.]
18.Bxd4 [The knight at d4 was a potential defender on the kingside, and the
bishop was not going to participate in the attack anyway.]
18...exd4 [18...exd4 19.e5 looks like it wins a piece, because of the threat of
Qxh7 mate, but Black has a defense. f5! Qxe8 Nxe8]
19.Rf6 [A brilliant move. The idea is to encourage Black to move the bishop
to a position where it blocks the f-pawn from advancing, eliminating the
defense mentioned in the previous note. 19.Rf6 Bxf6 20.e5 h6 21.Qxh6+
Kg8 22.Qh7+]
19...Kg8 20.e5 h6
21.Ne2 [Here Black resigned, because mate is still unavoidable, for

example]
21...Nc8 22.Qf5
1–0
Fischer – Fine Poughkeepsie, 1963
1.e4 e5 2.Nf3 Nc6 3.Bc4 Bc5 4.b4 Bxb4
5.c3 Ba5 6.d4 exd4 7.0–0 dxc3
8.Qb3 Qe7 [8...Qf6 is normal. Black's move uses the threat of a later ... Qb4
to get play, but Black's pieces just get in each others' way.]
9.Nxc3 Nf6
10.Nd5 [White forces Black to open the e file onto his own king,
accentuating his lead in development.]
10...Nxd5 11.exd5 Ne5 12.Nxe5 Qxe5
13.Bb2 [White's lead in development is decisive, but the tactics Fischer uses
to prove this are most instructive.]
13...Qg5
14.h4 [Deflecting the queen from g7. If Black doesn't White wins by
doubling on the e file and mating on e7 or e8.]
14...Qxh4 15.Bxg7 Rg8 16.Rfe1+ Kd8
17.Qg3 [The second deflection of the queen, and this time there is no
answer-- Black can't hold both his queen and the d8–h4 diagonal.]
1–0
Fischer – Sugerman Simultaneous Exhibition, 1964
1.e4 e5 2.Nf3 Nc6 3.Bc4 Bc5 4.b4 Bxb4 5.c3 Ba5
6.d4 exd4 7.0–0 d6
8.Qb3 [In this standard line of the Evans Gambit White plays for pressure
against f7 to compensate for his pawn.]
8...Bb6 [This loses--Black gives back the pawn for no reason and lets his
king get pushed around.]
9.Bxf7+ Kf8 10.Bxg8 Rxg8

11.Ng5 [This double attack against f7 and h7 wins material.]
11...Ne5 [11...Qe8 12.Nxh7+ Ke7 13.Bg5+ Kd7]
12.Nxh7+ [Black loses a rook after 12... Ke8 13.Qxg8+ or his queen after
12...Ke7 13.Bg5+]
1–0
Fischer - Boatner Simultaneous Exhibition, 1964

1.e4 e5 2.Nf3 Nc6 3.Bc4 Bc5 4.b4 Bxb4
5.c3 Be7 [Black doesn't want to gain a tempo after 6.d4 as he would after
5...Bc5.]
6.d4 d6 [This is a mistake. Black should play 6...Na5 to neutralize White's
bishop.]
7.Qb3 [White should play 7.dxe5. The text lets Black defend by 7...Na5,
since 8. Bxf7+ is no good.]
7...Nh6 8.Bxh6 [Now 8...Na5 doesn't work as Black will come out a piece
down.]
8...gxh6 9.Bxf7+ Kf8 10.Bh5 [Black can only stop the mate on f7 by 10...d5,
when he will end up two pawns down with his king still exposed.]
1–0
Fischer - Gloger Simultaneous Exhibition, 1964
1.b4 [White grabs space on the queenside and prepares to fianchetto his
bishop.]
1...e5 2.Bb2 f6 [Black blocks the bishop's diagonal but weakens his
kingside.]
3.e4 [With Black having weakened his kingside White shifts into gambit
mode and plays for attack.]
3...Bxb4 4.Bc4 [Now Black will be unable to castle.]
4...Ne7 5.Qh5+ Ng6 [5...g6 6.Qh4 leaves Black's knight awkwardly

placed, but now the pin on the knight will become unpleasant.]
6.f4 [White offers another pawn to open his queen bishop's diagonal.]
6...exf4 7.Nf3 [Threatening to attack the pinned knight by 8.Nh4.]
7...Nc6 8.Nc3 [Now White threatens 9.Nh4 Ne7 10.Nd5.]
8...Bxc3 9.Bxc3 d6 10.Nh4 Nce7 11.Nf5 Kf8
12.0–0 [White threatens 13.Rxf4 followed by 14.Nxg7 and 15.Rxf6 or

15.Bxf6.]
12...Qe8 [This loses by cutting off a possible escape square for Black's king.]
13.Bxf6 [Black can't take the bishop because of 14.Qh6 mate.]
13...Bxf5 14.exf5 d5 15.fxg6 gxf6 16.Qh6+ Kg8

17.g7
1–0
Fischer - Jones Simultaneous Exhibition, 1964
1.e4 e5 2.f4 f6 [After this Black is almost lost.]
3.fxe5 Nc6 [3...fxe5 4.Qh5+ gives Black the unhappy choice of losing a rook
after 4...g6 5. Qxe5+ or his king after 4...Ke7 5.Qxe5+ Kf7 6.Bc4+.]
4.d4 Be7 5.exf6 gxf6 [If 5...Nxf6 White plays 6.Bd3 threatening 7.e5
and 8.Qh5+.]
6.Qh5+ Kf8 7.Bc4 Qe8 8.Bh6+
1–0
Fischer - Kral Simultaneous Exhibition, 1964
1.e4 e6 2.d4 d5 3.Nc3 dxe4 4.Nxe4 Nd7

5.Nf3 Ngf6 6.Nxf6+ Nxf6 7.Bd3 Be7 8.Qe2 0–0
9.Bg5 c5 10.dxc5 Qa5+ 11.c3 Qxc5
12.0–0–0 [Here Black makes a big mistake.]
12...b5 [Now there is a path to the rook at a8 on one diagonal, and a path
to h7 on another diagonal. The diagonals intersect at e4. If the White queen
occupies that square, we would have a double attack.]
13.Bxf6 Bxf6 [White to move and win.]
14.Qe4 g6 15.Qxa8 b4 16.c4
1–0
Fischer - Chalker Simultaneous Exhibition, 1964
1.e4 e5 2.Nf3 Nf6 3.d4 exd4 4.e5 Ne4
5.Qe2 [White tries to prove Black's knight is misplaced. 5...f5 or 5...would
lose a pawn for shaky compensation.]
5...Bb4+ [If White interposes on d2 Black will take over the initiative; if he
moves his king Black will have two exposed minor pieces.]
6.Kd1 [Now that W hite's king is stuck in the center Black show sacrifice a
pawn by 6...d5 7. exd6 f5, with complications.]
6...Nc5 [By cutting his bishop off from the kingside Black lets his queen get
trapped.]
7.Bg5 d3 [Black's best try, keeping White's queen out of c4, but not good
enough.]
8.cxd3 f6 9.exf6+ Kf7 10.Ne5+ Ke6 11.Nc6+
1–0
Fischer - Chaney Houston (simul), 1964

1.e4 e5 2.Nf3 d6 3.d4 f5 [Black opens up his kingside while he's behind in
development, a formula for an early demise.]
4.dxe5 fxe4 5.Ng5 [Threatening Black's e-pawn and preventing 5...dxe5.]

5...d5 6.Nc3 [This develops a piece with gain of tempo.]
6...Ne7 [Blocking in his whole kingside.]
7.e6 [This wins at least the exchange, since Black can't do anything to keep
the knight out of f7.]
7...Ng6 8.Nf7 Qf6 9.Nxh8 [Black has no appetite for 9...Nxh8 10.Nxd5,
when he must lose at least another exchange. Play this out against Gambit
if you don't see why.]
1–0
Fischer - Nyman Simultaneous Exhibition, 1964
1.e4 e5 2.f4 exf4 3.Bc4 d5 4.Bxd5 Nf6 5.Nc3 Bb4
6.Nf3 0–0 7.0–0 Bxc3 8.dxc3 c6
9.Bc4 Qb6+ [Black should trade queens and live with a slight disadvantage
after White takes on f4.]
10.Kh1 Nxe4 11.Qe1 Re8 12.Bxf4 Nd6 13.Bxd6 Rxe1

14.Raxe1 [For his queen White has a huge lead in development and threats
against f7. Now 14...Be6 would lose to 15 Ng5.]
14...Bd7 15.Ng5 Na6

16.Rxf7 [After 16...Kh8, the only defense to the threatened discovered
check, White takes the bishop and will mate by Nf7+.]
1–0
Fischer - Gligoric Havana Olympiad, 1966

1.e4 e5 2.Nf3 Nc6 3.Bb5 a6 4.Bxc6 dxc6
5.0–0 [White gains a tempo by threatening to win Black's e-pawn.]
5...f6 6.d4 Bg4

7.c3 [White offers a pawn to maintain his initiative after:]
7...exd4 [Black falls in with White's plans. He should play to hold e5 by

7...Bd6.]
8.cxd4 [The establishment of the pawn center (e4, e4) is the primary goal of
many opening strategies. It limits the mobility of the enemy forces, and
either pawn can advance with good effect.]
8...Qd7 [Black hopes to pressure White's d-pawn, but he has missed a tactic
which will keep a strong initiative for White.]
9.h3 Be6 [It is no better to win White's d-pawn now than before. 9...Bh5
10.Ne5 Bxd1 11.Nxd7 Kxd7 12.Rxd1 leads to a good endgame for White.]
10.Nc3 [But now White's strong center will give him an attack whichever
way Black castles.]
10...0–0–0 11.Bf4 [Now White will get an attack against Black's king,
but waiting in the center wouldn't have worked because White could open
things up by 11.d5.]
11...Ne7 [The losing move, as now he doesn't have time to keep White's
knight out of his king position. 11... Bd6, trying to blunt White's bishop, was
the best chance.]
12.Rc1 Ng6 13.Bg3 Bd6 14.Na4 Bxg3 [Now Black will have no
way to dislodge White's knight from c5, making the attack a straightforward
rout. He should have tried 14... Kb8.14...Rhe8 15.d5 cxd5 16.Nb6+]
15.fxg3 Kb8 16.Nc5 Qd6 17.Qa4 Ka7 [Completely missing

White's next move. He could have tried to hang on by 17... Bc8 18.Rc3 Nf8
although White's attack should win in the end.]
18.Nxa6 Bxh3 [Desperation. Try to find a clear win for White in all lines
after 18... bxa6 19.Rxc6.]
19.e5 [Cutting Black's queen off from g3, which was Black's final, desparate
hope.]
19...Nxe5 20.dxe5 fxe5 21.Nc5+ Kb8 22.gxh3 e4

23.Nxe4 Qe7 24.Rc3 b5 25.Qc2
1–0
Fischer - Dely Skopje, 1967
1.e4 c5 2.Nf3 d6 3.d4 cxd4 4.Nxd4 Nf6
5.Nc3 Nc6 6.Bc4 e6 7.Bb3 a6
8.f4 Qa5 [The queen isn't really doing anything here and Black's king will
soon feel the heat. Black should just play 8...Be7.]
9.0–0 Nxd4
10.Qxd4 d5 [The point of Black's eighth move. He threatens 11...Bc5, but

White has no trouble preventing that and Black is inviting White to open
the center while his king still lives there.]
11.Be3 Nxe4 [This makes things really bad, opening the d-file and wasting
more time.]
12.Nxe4 dxe4
13.f5 [White plays to open more lines, espescially the a2–g8 diagonal and
the f- file.]
13...Qb4 [Hoping to ease the pressure by exchanging, but White doesn't

have to agree to this.]
14.fxe6 Bxe6 [14...Qxd4 15.exf7+ Kd8 16.Bxd4 The threat to take on g7

freezes Black's kingside and White will simply bring his rooks to the e]
15.Bxe6 fxe6 [15...Qxd4 16.Bxf7+ And White comes out a piece ahead.]
16.Rxf8+ [White forces Black's queen back in order to penetrate with his
own queen.]
16...Qxf8 17.Qa4+ [Black resigned here. 17...Ke7 and 17...Kf7 lose the
queen, and 17...Kd8 gets mated after 18.Rd1+ and 19.Qd7+, as you can
confirm with Gambit.]
1–0
Fischer - Sofrevsky Skopje, 1967
1.e4 c5 2.Nf3 d6 3.d4 cxd4 4.Nxd4 Nf6 5.Nc3 Nc6
6.Bc4 e6 7.Bb3 Be7 8.Be3 0–0
9.Qe2 [Fischer has always enjoyed playing the White side of this opening,
known as the Velimirovic Attack in the Sicilian Defense.]
9...Qa5 10.0–0–0 Nxd4 11.Bxd4 Bd7 12.Kb1 Rad8 13.Qe3 b6
14.Bxf6 gxf6 [Black's king is completely undefended, but White does not
have much in the way of an attack. The Black queen can transfer to the
kingside and help in the defense. Fischer eliminates that possibility with a
brilliant stroke.]
15.Nd5 Rfe8 [Black has to decline the sacrifice, otherwise White's rook joins
the queen in the attack, while Black's queen is forced out of the way.
15...exd5 16.Rxd5 Qa6 17.Rh5 Bg4 18.Qg3 Qe2 19.f3 f5 20.h3]
16.Nxe7+ Rxe7
17.Rxd6 [So, White does not get the desired attack, but gains material
instead.]
17...Rc8
18.Qd4 [This is a double attack on the bishop at d7 and pawn at f6, earning
White even more material.]
18...Be8
19.Qxf6 [Black now resigned, as Fischer threatened a big sacrifice at e6. Try
playing 19...Rec7 against Gambit and see what he does!]
1–0
Fischer - Petrosian Buenos Aires (7), 1971
1.e4 c5 2.Nf3 e6 3.d4 cxd4 4.Nxd4 a6 5.Bd3 Nc6
6.Nxc6 bxc6 7.0–0 d5 8.c4 Nf6 9.cxd5 cxd5
10.exd5 exd5 [Clearly the isolated queen pawn is going to play a significant
role in the game. Part of White's strategy will be to dominate the adjacent
files.]
11.Nc3 Be7 12.Qa4+ Qd7
13.Re1 [Fischer does n't engage in cheap theatrics. 13.Bb5?! axb5! 14.Qxa8
O-O and the follow up with Bb7 and an eventual advance of the d-pawn will
give Black an excellent game.]
13...Qxa4
14.Nxa4 [The isolated pawn is even weaker in the endgame, and White is
halfway toward achieving his goal of dominating the c- and e-files. The
pawn at a6, defended doubly for the moment, is also a potential
weakness.]
14...Be6 15.Be3 0–0
16.Bc5 [This is the key move. With the dark-squared bishops off the board,
the rooks can attack the isolated pawn from the side. In addition, the
c5–square will be more easily secured for occupation by the knight.]
16...Rfe8 17.Bxe7 Rxe7

18.b4 [Now we can observe the weakness of the pawn at a6, which will
come under the watchful eye of the knight from its new outpost at c5. This,
combined with the power of the Be2, will tie down Black's forces.]
18...Kf8
19.Nc5 Bc8 [Mission accomplishe d. Now White must find a way to increase
the pressure on d5 but how can he do this?]
20.f3 [Fischer's plan is almost brutal in its simplicity. He threatens to
exchange rooks, march his king up the diagonal to d4, chase the knight
from f6 and grab the weak pawn at d5.]
20...Rea7 21.Re5 [Just as planned back at move 13!]
21...Bd7 22.Nxd7+ [There comes a time in every plan when the

immediate goal is achieved, and it is time to capitalize. The knight, though
well placed, has done its job and now the domination of the remaining
open file is the primary objective.]
22...Rxd7 23.Rc1 [The weakness of the pawns continues to plague

Black, who must now worry about the threat of Rc1–c6.]
23...Rd6 24.Rc7 Nd7 25.Re2 g6 26.Kf2 h5

27.f4 h4 28.Kf3 f5
29.Ke3 [The sixth is protected. Black is virtually in zugzwang, so he

advances his prized pawn, and opens up more lines for White.]
29...d4+ 30.Kd2 Nb6 31.Ree7 Nd5 32.Rf7+ Ke8
33.Rb7 [This appears to drop a a pawn, but in fact it guarantees victory.]
33...Nxb4 34.Bc4 [and Petrosian resigned, because after 34...Nc6

35.Rh7 Rf6 36.Rh8+ Rf8 37.Bf7+.]
1–0
Fischer - Larsen Candidates' Match (5), 1971
1.e4 c5 2.Nf3 d6 3.d4 cxd4 4.Nxd4 Nf6 5.Nc3 Nc6
6.Bc4 e6 7.Bb3 Be7 8.Be3 0–0 9.0–0 Bd7 10.f4 Qc8
11.f5 Nxd4
12.Bxd4 [White has established some pressure in the center, and Black
should have responded by attacking e4 with 12...Bc6.]
12...exf5 13.Qf3 fxe4 14.Nxe4 Nxe4
15.Qxe4 [Now the pressure is not on the center, but directly at the
kingside, where White's forces are aimed.]
15...Be6 16.Rf3 Qc6 [Black is desperately trying to exchange pieces

before he gets checkmated.]
17.Re1 Qxe4
18.Rxe4 d5 [18...Bxb3 19.Rxb3 with a double attack at b7 and e7.]
19.Rg3 [Black cannot capture the rook.]
19...g6 [19...dxe4 20.Rxg7+ Kh8 21.Rxf7+ Kg8 22.Rg7+ Kh8 23.Rxe7+ Kg8
24.Bxe6+]
20.Bxd5 Bd6 [Here the White bishops work so well together that Fischer is
able to sacrifice the exchange. 20...Bxd5 21.Rxe7 Black would have had
excellent drawing chances, thanks to the bishops of opposite color.]
21.Rxe6 Bxg3 [21...fxe6 22.Bxe6+ Rf7 23.Rf3 Raf8 24.Rxf7 Rxf7 25.Bxa7]
22.Re7 Bd6 23.Rxb7 Rac8
24.c4 [White's passed pawn is the key to victory.]

24...a5 25.Ra7 Bc7 26.g3 Rfe8
27.Kf1 [Even the king takes part in the game, by defending against an
incursion by the rook.]
27...Re7 28.Bf6 Re3 29.Bc3 h5
30.Ra6 [This threatens Rxg6+, because the f-pawn is pinned.]
30...Be5 31.Bd2 Rd3 32.Ke2 Rd4
33.Bc3 Rcxc4 [A puzzling tableau, but when the smoke clears White cruises
to victory.]
34.Bxc4 Rxc4 35.Kd3 Rc5 36.Rxa5 Rxa5 37.Bxa5 Bxb2
38.a4 Kf8 39.Bc3 Bxc3
40.Kxc3 [This king and pawn endgame is a very easy win, and it is rare that
White would even continue the game at this level of competition. But it
does give us a chance to see how the outside passed pawn decides the
game.]
40...Ke7 41.Kd4 Kd6 42.a5 f6 43.a6 Kc6 44.a7 Kb7

45.Kd5 h4 46.Ke6
1–0
Fischer - Spassky Belgrade (29), 1992
1.e4 e5 2.Nf3 Nc6 3.Bb5 a6 4.Ba4 Nf6 5.0–0 Be7 6.Re1 b5 7.Bb3 d6 8.c3
0–0 9.h3 Nb8 [We return to the Breyer Variation which dominated the
early games of the match .]
10.d4 Nbd7 11.c4 [Fischer tries a different plan, which dates back to the
1950's, when it scored heavily for White.]
11...c6 [The approved reaction, which has been established for 30 years.]
12.cxb5 [There are many alternatives here. It should come as no surprise

that Fischer chooses the continuation which was most popular in the early
1970s.]
12...axb5 13.Nc3 Bb7 [An interesting decision, since 13...Ba6 has long been
considered best.]
14.Bg5 b4 15.Nb1 h6 [An attempt to improve upon previous games.]
16.Bh4 c5 17.dxe5 [17.d5 Nb6 18.Nbd2 Ba6 19.Rc1 Ne8 and the knight will
leap to b5 via c7.]
17...Nxe4 [17...Nxe5 18.Nxe5 dxe5 19.Nd2 would leave Black with big
problems on the queenside.]
18.Bxe7 Qxe7 19.exd6 Qf6 [19...Qxd6?! 20.Qxd6 Nxd6 21.Rd1 Ra6 22.Nbd2
and White would play Rc1 with pressure at c5.]
20.Nbd2 Nxd6 21.Nc4 Nxc4 22.Bxc4 Nb6 23.Ne5 [This is forced, since
otherwise the pawn at b2 is lost. But White's pieces are not as
well-coordinated as they seem.]
23...Rae8 [Spassky aims for complications, but he could have settled for a
slight edge with quieter play. 23...Nxc4 24.Nxc4 Rfd8 25.Qe2 Qg5 26.f3 Ba6]
24.Bxf7+ Rxf7 25.Nxf7 Rxe1+ 26.Qxe1 Kxf7 27.Qe3 [Black has a small
material advantage, but his king is vulnerable and the queenside pawns are
weak.]
27...Qg5 [The idea is to exchange queens and eliminate mating threats.

27...Qxb2 28. Re1 and Black is in trouble. 27...Nd7 28.Re1]
28.Qxg5 hxg5 29.b3 Ke6 [Now Black has the advantage, with a more active
king and two pieces for the rook and pawn.]
30.a3 Kd6 [30...bxa3! 31.Rxa3 Kd6 32.f3 Nd5 33.Ra1 g6]
31.axb4 cxb4 32.Ra5 [Now there are no longer any winning plans, since
32...Bd5 is met by 33.Rb5!]
32...Nd5 33.f3 Bc8 34.Kf2 Bf5 35.Ra7 g6 [35...Bc2 36.Rxg7 Bxb3 37. Rxg5
Bc4 38.Ke1 b3 39.Kd2 and the king can handle the b-pawn all by itself.]
36.Ra6+ Kc5 37.Ke1 Nf4 [Black attacks the kingside pawns, as the
queenside offers nothing. 37...Bc2 38.Kd2 Bxb3 39.Rxg6]
38.g3 Nxh3 39.Kd2 [White hopes to be able to advance the pawn to g4.]
39...Kb5 40.Rd6 Kc5 41.Ra6 Nf2 [The knight re-enters the game, but a draw
by repetition is forced.]
42.g4 Bd3 43.Re6

1.e4 e5 2.Nf3 Nc6 3.Bb5 a6 4.Bxc6 dxc6 5.0–0 f6
6.d4 exd4 7.Nxd4 c5 8.Ne2 Qxd1 9.Rxd1 Bd7
10.Nbc3 Ne7 [This takes control of the important d5 square, and the knight
can be developed later at g6.]
11.Bf4 0–0–0 12.Rd2 [This is a new idea. Fischer intends to create pressure
on the d-file. But the standard plan with 12.Bg3 makes more sense.]
12...Ng6 13.Bg3 Ne5

14.Bxe5 [14.b3 prevents the knight from entering at c4, but the pawn can
go there instead.]
14...c4 15.Nd5 Bd6
16.Rad1 Be6 [This position is even. fxe5 Rad1 c4]
17.Kf1 Bc5 [Black's active bishops give him the advantage, but Fischer
manages to redeploy his knights and keep the balance.]
18.Ng1 Bg4 [Rxd8+ Rxd8 Rxd8+ Kxd8 Nce2 Ke7]
19.Ke1 b5 20.c3 [Kf6 h3]
20...Bh5 [Ng3 24.g4 is more active. Bf7]
21.Nf3 g6 [Nf1 g5!? This is an attempt to rattle White's position and create
some targets for the bishops. But it allows White to establish strong
outposts on the weakened light squares.]
22.Ke2 [Bg6 N3d2! With this move Fischer completes his defensive
program. Now the game is even, but Spassky presses on. h5 Ne3]
22...c6 [Kf3 Bf7 The exchange of dark-squared bishop for knight would
bring Black nothing. Ndf1 a5 Ke2 Be6 Ng3 Kg6]
23.a3 [Bf7 Ngf5 6 Kf3 Bd7 Kg3 Be6 h4! Fischer loses patience, but 38.Ke2
would also have been equal. Bd7 hxg5 Kxg5 Nh4]
23...Bg4 [Now Black has to play carefully in order to maintain the balance.
Nxg4 41.Nf3+ Bxf3 42.Kxf3 h4 hxg4 Nf5]
24.a4 [f3 gxf3 Kxf3]
24...Bf8 [This prevents the White knight from reaching e7 and d6.]
25.Ne3 [Kh5 Nf5]
25...Bc5 [The bishop at c5 dominates the knight at f5, preventing it from

entering. So a draw was agreed. g4+ would have been too risky: Kg5 Ng7
Kf6 Ne8+? Kf7 Nc7 Be7 followed by Bg5 and Black is better.]

1.e4 c5 2.Nc3 e6 3.Nge2 Nc6 4.g3 d5 [Spassky repeats the opening which
did not bring him success in game 17, but he must have had some
improvement in mind. Fischer does not let him spring it.]
5.exd5 exd5 6.d3 [Fischer deviates from game 17.]
6...Nf6 [6...Bg4 is not so good here: 7.Bg2 Nd4 8.h3 and White has the
better game.]
7.Bg2 Be7 8.Bg5 [White threatens to exchange at f6, and increase pressure
on the center. In the present match Fischer seems to have evidenced a
disrespect for the common wisdom that bishops are stronger than knights.]
8...d4 [8...Be6 9.Nf4! Bg4 10.f3 Be6 11.Nxe6 fxe6 12.O-O will leave Black
with the difficult task of defending the pawn at e6.]
9.Bxf6 Bxf6 10.Ne4 Be7 11.Nf4 0–0 12.0–0 Re8 13.Qh5 [White has
harmoniously developed his forces and Spassky must now be careful.]
13...g6 14.Qd5 Bf5 [14...Qxd5?! 15.Nxd5 and the knights round up all the
critical dark squares, especially f6 and c7.]
15.Rfe1 Kg7 16.a3 Rc8 17.h3 Qxd5 18.Nxd5 Bf8 [Spassky has successfully
repulsed the initial wave of the attack, and chances are roughly level. Even
without queens, Fischer goes after the kingside.]
19.g4 Be6 20.Nef6 Rcd8 21.g5 Bd6 22.Re4 [Fischer prepars his beloved
march of the h-pawn. But Black's resources are up to the defensive task.]
22...Ne7 23.Rh4 Rh8 24.Re1 Nf5 25.Rhe4 h6 [Now it is White who must be
careful on the kingside, where Black is setting up a counterattack.]
26.h4 hxg5 27.hxg5 Rh4 28.Rxh4 Nxh4 [Black now has a slight advantage,
threatening to capture at g2 and use the bishop pair to great effect.]
29.Re4 [Fischer is willing to argue that the knights are as strong as the
bishops. 29.Be4 c4! leaves White in an uncomfortable position.]
29...Nf5 [The most sensible decision. 29...Nxg2 30.Kxg2 Rh8 31.Nf4! Bxf4
32. Rxf4 Rd8 33.Rh4 and now White stands better, as any exchange of
rooks will provide an easy win.]
30.Nf4 Ba2 [Spassky wants to hang onto his bishop pair, trying to squeeze a
full point from the position. The idea is to attack the base of the pawn chain
with Bb1.30...Bxf4 31.Rxf4 b6 would have provided an even endgame.]
31.N4d5 Bxd5 32.Nxd5 Kf8 33.Kf1 Re8 34.Rxe8+ Kxe8 [This endgame is
likely to be drawn as a result of the bishops of opposite colors.]
35.Nf6+ Kd8 36.Bxb7 [36.Bd5 Bf4 37.Bxf7 Nd6 38.Bxg6 Bxg5 39.Ne4 Nxe4
40.Bxe4 b6 41.a4 Kd7 42.Ke2]
36...Bf4 [The weakness of the g-pawn now provides Black with the
necessary target.]
37.Ne4 Bc1 38.a4 Bxb2 39.Nxc5 Bc1 40.Be4 [Fischer decides to continue
the battle. 40.Ne4 Ke7 41.Bd5 Bf4 and Black will follow with Nd6, with an
easy draw.]
40...Bxg5 41.Bxf5 gxf5 42.Nb3 Bf6 43.Kg2 [White starts the long trek to the
pawn at f7.]
43...Kd7 44.Kg3 Ke6 45.Na5 [White's plan is simple. Capture the enemy
pawn at a7 and then advance the pawn at a2 to the 8th rank.]
45...Be5+ [45...Kd5?! 46.Kf4!]
46.Kh4 Bf6+ [Spassky helps Fischer toward the objective at f7, confident in
the counterplay on the queenside.]
47.Kh5 Kd5 48.Kh6 Kc5 [48...Ke5 49.Nc6+ Kf4 50.Nxa7 Kf3 51.Nc6 Kxf2
52.a5 and White achieves the goal more quickly than in the game.]
49.Kh7 Kb4 50.Nc6+ Kc3 51.Kg8 [51.Nxa7 Kb4 gets rid of the pesky
a-pawn.]
51...Kxc2 52.Kxf7 Bh8 [The only move.]
53.a5 Kxd3 54.a6 Ke2 55.Nxa7 d3 56.Nc6 d2 57.a7 d1Q 58.a8Q [Black has
the advantage in this endgame, and it is up to Fischer to display strong
defensive technique.]
58...Qd5+ 59.Kg6 Qe6+ 60.Kh7 Bc3 61.Nd8 [The final finesse in the long
game. The draw is now unavoidable, but Spassky tries to create a mating
net anyway.]
61...Qe7+ 62.Kg6 Qf6+ 63.Kh5 Qh8+ [63...Bd2 64.f4 Bxf4 65.Qg2+!?]
64.Kg6 Qg7+ 65.Kxf5 Qf6+ 66.Kg4 Qg6+ 67.Kf4 Bd2+ 68.Ke5 Bc3+ 69.Kf4
Qd6+ 70.Kf5 Qd7+ 71.Kg5 Qe7+ 72.Kf5 Qf6+ 73.Kg4 Qg7+ 74.Kf5 Qf6+
75.Kg4 Qg6+ 76.Kf4 Bd2+ 77.Ke5 Qg5+ 78.Ke6 Qg4+ 79.Kf7 Qd7+ 80.Kg6

1.e4 c5 2.Nc3 Nc6 3.Nge2 d6 4.d4 cxd4 5.Nxd4 e6 [Another open Sicilian,
this time a Scheveningen.]
6.Be3 [This is used to steer the game into a specific variation of the
Scheveningen, namely, a delayed Keres Attack. The idea of a Keres Attack is
to play an early g2–g4–g5, aiming directly at the enemy king.]
6...Nf6 7.Qd2 Be7 8.f3 [This introduces the English Attack, favored by Nigel
Short and other British Grandmasters.]
8...a6 9.0–0–0 [Black can also launch the kingside attack before castling.]
9...0–0 [With players castled on opposite wings the life-or-death struggle

begins.]
10.g4 [This is the basic idea of the English Attack, which is sort of a delayed
Keres Attack. White launches a pawnstorm against the Black king.]
10...Nxd4 [10...Nd7 will just transpose below after an eventual g4–g5.]
11.Bxd4 [11.Qxd4 b5 12.h4 Bb7]
11...b5 [11...Nd7 is also possible.]
12.g5 [Technically this is a theoretical new idea, but in fact the game steers
back into charted territory quickly. 12.Kb1 is the alternative.]
12...Nd7 13.h4 b4 [13...Bb7 14.Bd3 Rc8 15.Kb1 Ne5 16.Qf2 White stands
better.]
14.Na4 Bb7 [Here is the true new idea. 14...Qa5 15.b3 Nc5]
15.Nb6 [This is Fischer's new idea. 15.Qxb4? Bc6 Intending Rb8, an idea
that had already been noticed by theoreticians, though it had not yet been
played in an attested game.]
15...Rb8 [15...Nxb6 16.Qxb4 d5 17.Qxb6 Qxb6 18.Bxb6 dxe4 19.Rd7! wins

for White.]
16.Nxd7 Qxd7 17.Kb1 [White has the superior position because of a spatial
advantage and prospects for a kingside attack.]
17...Qc7 18.Bd3 Bc8 19.h5 e5 20.Be3 Be6 [Spassky could have reached a
similar position some time ago, with less danger to himself on the kingside.
Now Fischer quickly builds his attack.]
21.Rdg1 a5 22.g6 [A typical example of the g6–break, seen many times in

the games of Mikhail Tal.]
22...Bf6 [Relatively best, since any capture at g6 could prove deadly.]
23.gxh7+ Kh8 24.Bg5 [White eliminates Black's most effective defender.]
24...Qe7 [24...Bxg5 25.Rxg5 f6 would have provided stiffer resistance,

though White would still have had an impressive attack.]
25.Rg3 [White wants to double rooks on the g-file.]
25...Bxg5 26.Rxg5 Qf6 [26...f6! would have been a stronger defense.]
27.Rhg1 Qxf3 [Otherwise Wh ite will play his queen to g2 with an

overpowering attack. Now Fischer must work for the win.]
28.Rxg7 Qf6 29.h6 [A problem-like solution. White must sacrifice both

h-pawns to expose the enemy king to the mating attack.]
29...a4 30.b3 [A prophylactic move to eliminate any counterplay.]

30...axb3 31.axb3 Rfd8 [Black tries to play d5, and get something going.]
32.Qg2 Rf8 33.Rg8+ Kxh7 34.Rg7+ Kh8 35.h7 [Since Rg8+ followed by a
check on the h-file is inevitable, Black resigned.]
Fischer - Spassky Sveti Stefan (9), 1992
1.e4 e5 2.Nf3 Nc6 3.Bb5 a6 4.Bxc6 dxc6 [Fischer abandons the Spanish
Inquisition in favor of one of his old weapons, the Exchange Variation.]
5.0–0 f6 6.d4 exd4 7.Nxd4 c5 8.Nb3 Qxd1 9.Rxd1 Bg4 10.f3 Be6 11.Nc3
[This is an important move order finesse. 11.Be3 b6 12.Nc3 Ne7 Black has a
comfortable position since 13.Bf4 can be met by 13...c4, when the d-file will
be blocked.]
11...Bd6 12.Be3 b6 13.a4 0–0–0 14.a5 Kb7 15.e5 [A strong move, but
contrary to some opinion, not a new idea.]
15...Be7 16.Rxd8 Bxd8 [Here is where Fischer innovates, improving on a

1976 game.]
17.Ne4 [Exploiting the possibility of a fork at c5.17.axb6 cxb6 18.Ne4 Bxb3

19.Nd6+ Kc6 20.cxb3 Ne7 21.Rxa6 Nd5 was agreed drawn in Adorjan-Ivkov,
Skopje 1976.]
17...Kc6 [17...Bxb3 18.cxb3 f5 19.Rd1! Ne7 20.Ng5 Nc6 21.axb6 Bxg5 22.
Bxg5 Kxb6 23.Rd7 Re8 24.Rxg7 Rxe5 25.Rxh7 Re1+ 26.Kf2 Rb1 27.h4!]
18.axb6 cxb6 [18...Bxb3 19.b7! Kxb7 20.Nxc5+ and White should win easily.
Or 18.. .fxe5 19.b7 Kxb7 20.Nbxc5+ and White wins.]
19.Nbxc5 Bc8 [19...bxc5 20.Rxa6+ Kb7 21.Nxc5+]
20.Nxa6 fxe5 21.Nb4+ [and Spassky resigned. An effective opening

preparation leading to a quick kill and a big match lead.]
1–0
1.e4 c5 [After the disaster of the previous Spanish Inquisition, Spassky
slides into Sicilian territory.]
2.Nf3 Nc6 3.Bb5 [Somewhat of a surprise. Fischer usually prefers the

well-traveled paths of more topical lines, enjoying the theoretical duels.]
3...g6 4.Bxc6 bxc6 [Theory prefers 4...dxc6, but there is nothing wrong with
this choice.]
5.0–0 Bg7 6.Re1 e5 [A critical advance, which prevents White from playing
e4–e5 or d2–d4. But the blocking of the long diagonal creates an interesting
opportunity for White. Spassky consistently rejects previous praxis, but
opts for 6...f6 in game 13.]
7.b4 [A typical example of a move which is trivial when played prematurely

(at move 2) but which can be quite effective if delayed until an appropriate
moment.]
7...cxb4 8.a3 [This gambit underlines the defects of 6...e5.]
8...c5 [8...d6 9.axb4 Ne7 10. h3 O-O 11.d3 gives White a slightly better
position, because there are some weaknesses in Black's position. But
8...bxa3 9.Bxa3 d6 gives White sufficient compensation for the pawn, but
how much more?]
9.axb4 cxb4 10.d4 [10.Bb2 d6 11.d4 exd4 would transpose back to the
game.]
10...exd4 [10...d6?! 11.dxe5 dxe5 12.Qxd8+ Kxd8 13.Bd2! regains the pawn
with interest.]
11.Bb2 d6 [Now the long diagonal can be the site of some tactical
operations.]
12.Nxd4 [12.Bxd4 Nf6 would be roughly equal, with the bishop pair working
to Black's advantage.]
12...Qd7 [12...Qb6 13.Nd2 Bxd4 14.Nc4 Bxf2+ 15.Kh1 Qc5 16.Nxd6+ Ke7
17.Nf5+! wins for White.]
13.Nd2 Bb7 [13...Ne7 would have been more cautious but White would
have had a strong position in any case.]
14.Nc4 Nh6 [Now the White knight makes a brilliant leap.]
15.Nf5 Bxb2 [15...Nxf5 16.exf5+ Kf8 17.Bxg7+ Kxg7 18.f6+ Kg8 19.Qxd6
Qxd6 20.Nxd6 Bc6 21. Ra6! Bd5 22.Rxa7! would lead to a rapid White
victory.]
16.Ncxd6+ Kf8 17.Nxh6 f6 [The losing move.]
18.Ndf7 Qxd1 19.Raxd1 Ke7 20.Nxh8 Rxh8 21.Nf5+ [A reprise of the main
theme. This time, it is decisive.]
21...gxf5 22.exf5+ Be5 [The only way to avoid losing a rook. 22...Kf8
23.Rd8+ Kg7 24.Re7+]
23.f4 Rc8 24.fxe5 Rxc2 [24...fxe5 25.Rxe5+ Kf6 26.Rb5 and Black has no
counterplay at all.]
25.e6 [The protected passed pawn will remain a pain in Black's side for
some time.]
25...Bc6 26.Rc1 [This forces the exchange of rooks.]
26...Rxc1 [26...b3 27. Rxc2 bxc2 28.Rc1 Be4 29.g4 a5 30.Kf2 a4 31.Ke3 and
Black can give up.]
27.Rxc1 Kd6 28.Rd1+ Ke5 [28...Ke7 29.Ra1 and the a-pawn goes.]
29.e7 a5 [Black's last gasp. 29...Kxf5 30.Rd6 Ba4 31.Ra6]

30.Rc1 Bd7 31.Rc5+ Kd4 32.Rxa5 [The rest is simple.]
32...b3 33.Ra7 Be8 34.Rb7 Kc3 35.Kf2 b2 36.Ke3 Bf7 37.g4 Kc2 38.Kd4 b1Q
39.Rxb1 Kxb1 40.Kc5 Kc2 41.Kd6 [and Black resigned, since a losing
endgame is inevitable:]
41...Kd3 42.Kd7 Ke4 43.e8Q+ Bxe8+ 44.Kxe8 Kf4 45.Kf7 Kg5 46.Kg7 [etc.]
1–0

0–0 9.d3 [Fischer decides to avoid the main lines, rather
uncharacteristically.]
9...Na5 [Spassky shifts from the Breyer to the Classical Chigorin formation.]
10.Bc2 c5 11.Nbd2 Re8 [11...Nc6 is a good alternative.]
12.h3 [12.Nf1 might lead to some messy complications, for example h6

13.a4 b4 14.cxb4 cxb4 15.Ne3 Bf8 16.d4 Qb6]
12...Bf8 13.Nf1 Bb7 14.Ng3 g6 15.Bg5 h6 16.Bd2 d5 [A tactical error. Black

must be very careful with this methodical break. The Spassky himself
succeeded with d5 vs. Tal in a fairly similar situation. 16... Nc6 is correct.]
17.exd5 c4 [Apparently Spassky overlooked a tactical point here or at the

next move. 17...Qxd5 18.c4! Qd8 19.Ne4 is clearly better for White.]
18.b4 [It is even more effective, then the same break in the first game.]
18...cxd3 [18...cxb3 19.axb3 and there is no way to prevent c4, after which
White is cruising.]
19.Bxd3 Qxd5 [19...Nc4 20.Bxc4 bxc4 21.Nxe5 Qxd5 22.Qf3! Rxe5 23.Rxe5
Qxe5 24.Qxb7 and Black has no compensation for the pawn.]
20.Be4 [This is the point.]
20...Nxe4 21.Nxe4 Bg7 22.bxa5 f5 [Spassky decides that he is going to

sacrifice a piece for active counterplay, the bishop pair, and a pawnstorm.]
23.Ng3 e4 24.Nh4 Bf6 [The critical mistake. 24...Rad8 would have provided
adequate counterplay.]
25.Nxg6 e3 [This sharp continuation regains the piece, because of the

threat of mate at g2 , but the endgame nevertheless favors White.]
26.Nf4 [Guarding g2 and forcing the next few moves.]
26...Qxd2 27.Rxe3 Qxd1+ 28.Rxd1 Rxe3 29.fxe3 [The smoke clears and
Spassky's bishops are not enough compensation for the pawns.]
29...Rd8 [29...Bxc3 30.Nxf5 is an easy win for White.]
30.Rxd8+ Bxd8 31.Nxf5 Bxa5 [Black hopes that the bishops will
compensate for the missing pawns, but the clerics are not all-powerful
ayatollahs!]
32.Nd5 Kf8 [32...Bxd5 33.Ne7+ Kf7 34.Nxd5]
33.e4 Bxd5 [What else? 33...Ke8 34.Nd6+]
34.exd5 h5 35.Kf2 Bxc3 [Black finally gets this pawn out of the way, but
White has one passed pawn and one potential passed pawn, which prove
decisive.]
36.Ke3 Kf7 37.Kd3 Bb2 38.g4 hxg4 39.hxg4 Kf6 40.d6 Ke6 41.g5 a5
[41...Kxf5 42.d7]
42.g6 Bf6 43.g7 [The pawns are just too active. Even sacrificing the
remaining piece will not help.]
43...Kf7 [43...Bxg7 44. Nxg7+ Kxd6 45.Kd4 a4 46.Nf5+ is a simple winning
endgame, since Black cannot eliminate the White pawn.]
44.d7
1–0

0–0 9.h3 Nb8 10.d4 Nbd7 11.Nbd2 Bb7 12.Bc2 Re8 13.Nf1 Bf8 14.Ng3 g6
15.Bg5 h6 16.Bd2 exd4 [Spassky deviates from the first game of the match.
The idea is to create more scope for the dark-squared bishop.]
17.cxd4 c5 18.Bf4 [This is the most logical reaction, targeting the weak
pawn at d6. Black's position is solid however, with the bishop guarding d6
from f8.]
18...cxd4 [This second exchange brings Spassky good fortune. It is hardly a
new idea, however. The idea was used in a game between Tal and Keres, at
Curacao 1962. Black gets active piece play in return for his suspect pawn
structure.]
19.Nxd4 [19.Qxd4 Nc5]
19...Ne5 20.b3 d5 [This classical central thrust gives Black an active game.]
21.Qd2 [21.Bxe5 Rxe5 22.f4 Rxe4 23.Nxe4 dxe4]
21...dxe4 22.Nxe4 Nd5 23.Bg3 Rc8 24.Re2 [Perhaps this was an error.
24.Rad1 f5 25.Nc5 Bxc5 26.Bxe5 Rxe5 27.Rxe5 Bxd4 28.Qxd4 Rxc2]
24...f5 25.Bxe5 Rxe5 26.Ng3 Rxe2 27.Ngxe2 Nb4 28.Rd1 Nxc2 [28...Nxa2
29.Bxf5 gxf5 30.Qxa2 Qg5 In this complicated position both sides have
chances.]
29.Nxc2 Qxd2 30.Rxd2 [We have reached a position where Black should
hold the advantage thanks to his bishop pair, but in fact it is hard to achieve
much.]
30...Rc7 31.Ne3 Kf7 32.h4 Bc8 [32...h5 looks good, too.]
33.Nf4 g5 34.hxg5 hxg5 35.Nd3 Bg7 [Black could have tried for a little more
with 35...Be6.]
36.Nd5 Rc6 37.N5b4 Rc7 38.Nd5 Rc6 39.N5b4 Rc7
1.e4 c5 2.Nf3 Nc6 3.Bb5 g6 4.Bxc6 bxc6 5.0–0 Bg7 6.Re1 f6 [Here Spassky
deviates from game 11, where 6...e5 7.b4! proved problematic.]
7.c3 [Preparing a classical central advance. 7.b3!? comes into consideration,

and seems more appropriate for the position, given Black's doubled
pawns.]
7...Nh6 8.d4 cxd4 9.cxd4 0–0 10.Nc3 d6 [Black's position has a couple of
holes on the light squares, but these do not seem to be serious
weaknesses.]
11.Qa4 [This allows Black to exchange queens almost by force, which gives
him a comfortable position. 11.Qc2 seems more promising.]
11...Qb6 12.Nd2 [An ugly little move, which hopes to drive Black's queen
from its strong position. 12.h3 Nf7 13.Be3? Qxb2 14.Qxc6??Bb7]
12...Nf7 13.Nc4 Qa6 [13...Qxd4?? would be a horrible blunder: 14.Be3 Qd3

15.Rad1 and the queen is lost.]
14.Be3 Qxa4 15.Nxa4 f5 [This essential move activates Black's bishop pair.]
16.exf5 [16.f3 fxe4 17. fxe4 Bd7 gives Black a fluid position with a great deal
of counterplay.]
16...Bxf5 [16...gxf5 is an interesting alternative.]
17.Rac1 Rfc8 [This is a dynamically balanced position, with each side having
to worry about a weak pawn (d4, c6).]
18.Na5 Bd7 19.b3 Rab8 20.Nc3 Kf8 21.a3 Nh6 [The knight will be
transferred to a strong position at f5.21...c5 22.dxc5 dxc5 23.Nd5! is clearly
favorable for White.]
22.b4 Nf5 23.Red1 Ke8 [23...Nxe3 24.fxe3 Bh6 25.Kf2 gives Black two
bishops against two knights, but the bishops lack natural targets.]
24.Ne4 Rb5 [Spassky realizes that the knight on f5 is a major asset.]
25.h3 h5 [Black does not want the horse to be chased away!]
26.Rd2 a6 27.Kf1 Rd5 28.Rcd1 Rb5 [The position is fully equal and the rest
of the game contains mostly minor thrusts and parries of little interest.]
29.Ke2 Be6 30.Rc1 Kd7 31.Nc3 Rbb8 32.Kf1 h4 33.Ke2 Bf6 34.Ne4 Bd5
35.Kd3 [35.Nxf6+ exf6 36.f3 Re8 37.Rd3 Nxe3 38.Rxe3 Rxe3+ 39.Kxe3 Re8+
gives Black better chances, because the Na4 is dominated by the Bd5.]
35...Bg7 36.Rdc2 Rc7 37.Re1 Rf8 38.f3 Rb8 39.Nc3 Bg8 40.Ne2 Bf7 41.Bd2
Bf6 42.Rec1 Rbc8 43.Nc4 [This threatens Nb6+ and brings the game to a
drawn conclusion.]
43...Rb7 44.Na5 Rbc7 45.Nc4 Rb7

1.e4 c5 2.Nf3 Nc6 3.d4 cxd4 4.Nxd4 e6 5.Nb5 d6 6.c4 Nf6 7.N5c3 Be7 8.g3
[This seems to be a new idea. The bishop is usually developed at e2.]
8...0–0 9.Bg2 a6 10.0–0 Rb8 [This prepares a break with b7–b5, which had
to be delayed because of pressure on the long diagonal.]
11.Na3 Qc7 [11...b6 is a more convincing defence, setting up a hedgehog.]
12.Be3 Bd7 13.Rc1 [White is setting up threats of Nb5 and Nd5.]
13...Ne5 14.h3 Rfc8 15.f4 Ng6 [This is not the normal position for a knight
in this setup, but it is playable.]
16.Qd2 [16.f5 Ne5 would provide Black with a useful outpost.]
16...Be8 [16...b6 might be better played immediately.]
17.Rfd1 b6 18.Qf2 h6 19.Kh2 [A useful waiting move in a position in which

no immediate action is useful.]
19...Qa7 [The idea is to prepare to establish a battery on the long diagonal

with Bc6 and Qb7.]
20.Qe2 Qc7 [Perhaps Spassky decided that Nc3–d5 was no big deal, but in
any event 20...Bc6 would have been a useful move.]
21.Bf3 Bc6 22.Nab1 Qb7 23.Nd2 b5 24.cxb5 axb5 25.b4 [It is necessary to
stop Black's b-pawn from advancing and taking control of valuable
territory.]
25...Qa8 [Now that there are weaknesses on the a-file, this is a good place
for the queen. 25...Ra8 also comes into consideration.]
26.Rc2 d5 [This is gener ally a strong strategic move in the Sicilian, but
there was an interesting alternative in 26...Qa3!?]
27.e5 Ne4 28.Bxe4 dxe4 29.Bc5 [This is very strong, achieving the strategic
goal of closing the c-file. Spassky now counts on the pressure on the long
diagonal and his active pieces.]
29...Bxc5 30.bxc5 Rd8 31.Re1 [31.Ndxe4? Rxd1 32.Qxd1 Bxe4]
31...Ne7 [The knight prepares to occupy d5.]
32.Ncxe4 Nf5 [32...Qa4 is an interesting option, leading to unclear

complications.]
33.Nb3 Nd4 34.Nxd4 Rxd4 35.Nd6 Qa4 36.f5 [An important thrust!]
36...Ra8 37.Rb2 Qa3 [This is better than 37...Rb4.]
38.fxe6 fxe6 39.Nxb5 Bxb5 40.Qxb5 Rd3 [Spassky targets g3.]
41.Rg2 Qc3 42.Ree2 Ra3 43.Rc2 Qxe5 44.Rce2 Re3 45.Rxe3 Rxe3 46.a4 Rc3
47.c6 Qd6 [The c-pawn just marches along...]
48.c7 Rxc7 [This is the decisive mistake. Black should have played 48. ..Qxc7
49.Qe8+ Kh7 50.Qxe6 and tried to grovel in the endgame.]
49.Qb8+ Kh7 50.a5 h5 [50...Rc6 51.Qxd6 Rxd6 52.Ra2 Ra6 53.Kg2 and
White will win.]
51.h4 Qc5 52.a6 Rf7 53.Qb1+ Kh6 54.Qa2 Re7 55.Qd2+ Kg6 56.Re2 Kh7
57.Qc2+ Qxc2 58.Rxc2 Kg6 59.Ra2 [Simple technique brings the game to a
close.]
59...Ra7 60.Ra5 e5 61.Kg2 Kf6 62.Kf2 Ke6 63.Ke3 Kf5 64.Kf3 g6 65.Ra3 g5
66.hxg5 Kxg5 67.Ke4
1–0
1.e4 c5 2.Nc3 Nc6 3.Nge2 e5 4.Nd5 [This knight immediately occupies
Black's weak square.]
4...Nge7 5.Nec3 Nxd5 6.Nxd5 Be7 7.g3 [The fianchetto of the bishop is an
innovation which leads to quite different play from that of the normal lines.
It is probably more flexible than the development of the bishop at c4.7.Bc4
is a major alternative.]
7...d6 8.Bg2 h5 [This threatens to advance the h-pawn with great effect.]
9.h4 [9.h3 h4 10.g4 Bg5! gives Black excellent counterplay.]
9...Be6 [9...Bg4!? deserves consideration.]
10.d3 Bxd5 11.exd5 Nb8 [11...Nd4?! 12.c3 Nf5 13.Bh3!]
12.f4 [Fischer tries to grab the initiative right way, since otherwise Black will
simply complete his development and enjoy a comfortable game.]
12...Nd7 13.0–0 g6 14.Rb1 [Fischer now turns his attention to the

queenside. 14.f5 is tempting, but it is not strong: Nf6! 15. fxg6 fxg6 16.Bg5
O-O and control of g4 gives Black a good game.]
14...f5 15.b4 b6 16.bxc5 bxc5 17.c4 0–0 18.Qa4 Bf6 [How should this
position be evaluated? A bishop pair is useful, of course, but these clerics
are not very active right now, compared with Black's pieces.]
19.Rb7 [It is clear that White's strategy must involve penetration of the
queenside.]
19...Nb6 20.Qb5 [20.Qc6 Rc8 accomplishes nothing for White.]
20...Rf7 21.Rxf7 Kxf7 22.Bd2 Rb8 23.Qc6 [White wants to play Rb1, but
that could not be played right away. 23.Rb1 Nd7 and Black has no
problems.]
23...Nc8 [This parri es the threat of Rb1, but now Black's forces are too far
from the important strategic ouposts at e5 and d7.]
24.Re1 Ne7 25.Qa4 Qc7 26.Kh2 exf4 [Opening up the position now favors
White, who controls the e- file. 26...Rb2?! 27.Bc3 Rf2? 28.Kg1 26...Ng8! is a
strange move, but it is best, because the knight will be able to gallop to g4.
Nevertheless, White will still have an advantage.]
27.Bxf4 Be5 28.Re2 [Now we can see that the second rank needs
protection. 28.Bxe5?! dxe5 and Black can cover the sixth rank with Rb6, and
then adopt the knight maneuver with Ng8–f6–g4.]
28...Rb6 [Preventing Qc6, and thus freeing the knight from the defensive
chore.]
29.Kh3 [White's king finds the safest square.]
29...Ng8 [An outrageous blunder, though Black's position was in any event
difficult. 29...Bxf4 30.gxf4 Rb8]
30.Rxe5 [This is the easiest way to win. 30.Bxe5 dxe5 31.Rxe5 Nf6!]
30...dxe5 31.Bxe5 Qe7 [31...Qxe5 32.Qxa7+ Ne7 33.Qxb6 and the safety of
the White king means that the a-pawn flies.]
32.d6 [Opening up d5 for the bishop.]
32...Rxd6 33.Bxd6 Qxd6 34.Bd5+ Kf8 35.Qxa7 Ne7 36.Qa8+ Kg7 37.Qb7
Kf8 38.a4 f4 [Black is busted, but Spassky creates some complications.]
39.a5 fxg3 40.a6 Qf4 41.Bf3 [41.Bg2?? Qg4++]
41...Nf5 42.Qe4 g2 43.Qxf4 g1Q 44.Be4 Qa1 45.a7 Qxa7 46.Bxf5 gxf5
47.Qxf5+ Kg7 48.Qg5+ Kf8 49.Qh6+ Kg8 50.Qxh5 Qc7 51.Qg6+ Kh8 52.Qf6+
Kg8 53.Qe6+ [53.Kg4 Qd7+ 54.Kg5 Qxd3?? 55.Qg6+ and White wins easily.]
53...Kh8 54.Qd5 [54.h5! was best.]
54...Qf7 55.Kg2 [55.Qxf7 is stalemate! 55.d4 Qf1+ 56.Kg4 Qg1+ 57.Kh5

Qd1+ 58.Kg6 Qg4+ 59.Kf7 Qg8+! 60.Ke7 Qh7+ 61.Kd8 Qxh4+ 62.Kc7 Qxd4=]
55...Qg6+ 56.Kh3 Qf7 57.Qe5+ Kh7 58.Kg4 Qg6+ 59.Kf4 Qh6+ 60.Kf3 Qg6
61.Qe4 Kh8 62.Ke2 [62.Qxg6 is also stalemate.]
62...Qd6 63.Qe3 Qh2+ 64.Kd1 Qh1+ 65.Kd2 Qh2+ 66.Kc3 Qxh4 67.d4 Kh7
[67...cxd4+ 68.Qxd4+ Qxd4+ 69.Kxd4 and White wins.]
68.d5 [68.dxc5! would have won, since the pawns create a barrier against
perpetual check.]
68...Qf6+ 69.Kd3 Qd6 70.Qg5 Kh8 71.Kd2 Qb6 72.Qe5+ Kg8 73.Qe8+ Kg7
74.Qb5 Qc7 75.Kc2 Kf8 76.Qa6 Qh2+ 77.Kb3 Qb8+ 78.Qb5 Qc7 79.Ka3
Qa7+ 80.Kb3 Ke7 81.Kc2 Kd8 82.Kd2 Qc7 83.Qa6 Qf4+ 84.Kc2 [Now there
is no avoiding the perpetual check. Fischer's endgame play in this game was
simply terrible, and he must have been kicking himself all night.]
84...Qe4+
1.c4 [Something of a surprise, although Fischer did play the English in the
first match too.]
1...e6 2.Nf3 Nf6 3.g3 [The choice of the kingside fianchetto means that we
are headed for a Tarrasch, Catalan, English, or Hedgehog. Still a wide
choice!]
3...d5 4.Bg2 Be7 5.0–0 0–0 6.d4 [Now we have a Catalan Opening, and
Spassky opts for the closed variation.]
6...Nbd7 7.Nbd2 [This is a fairly popular line, but does not place much
pressure at d5, and White can hope for a minimal advantage, at best.]
7...b6 8.cxd5 [The double fianchetto approach.]
8...exd5 9.Ne5 Bb7 10.Ndf3 [10.Ndc4 perhaps makes better use of the long
diagonal, exploiting the pin at d5.]
10...Ne4 11.Bf4 Ndf6 [Black has achieved full equality.]
12.Rc1 c5 13.dxc5 bxc5 [Black's hanging pawns at c5 and d5 are strong in

this configuration. One can compare game 6 of the first match, where they
proved to be weak.]
14.Ng5 Nxg5 15.Bxg5 Ne4 [The excellent coordination of Black's forces lead
to simplifications without risk.]
16.Bxe7 Qxe7 17.Bxe4 dxe4 [17...Qxe5 18.Bf3 maintains strong pressure at

d5.]
18.Nc4 e3 [This is a bold attempt to punish White for ignoring

Nimzowitsch's principle that central pawns must be blockaded.]
19.f3 [Now the question is whether the pawn at e3 is strong or weak.

19.Nxe3? Qe4]
19...Rad8 20.Qb3 Rfe8 21.Rc3 Bd5 [This preserves the important e-pawn.]
22.Rfc1 [22.Rxe3 Bxc4 23.Rxe7 Bxb3 24.Rxe8+ Rxe8 25.axb3 Rxe2 with a
drawish endgame.]
22...g6 23.Qa3 [23.Qa4 was preferred by Deep Thought.]
23...Bxf3 [Spassky pl ays with youthful vigor. The piece sacrifice is romantic
and worthy of consideration, but there was a less interesting drawing line.
23...Bxc4 24. Rxc4 Rd2! 25.Re4 Qd7 26.Qxe3 Rxe4 27.Qxe4 Qd4+! 28.Qxd4
cxd4 with equal chances in the endgame.]
24.exf3 [24.Rxe3? Be4!]
24...e2 25.Re1 Rd1 26.Kf2 Rxe1 27.Kxe1 Qd7 [There are two threats here:
Qd1+ and Qh3. Now White must play with extreme caution.]
28.Qb3 [28.Rd3 Qh3 29.Ne3 Rxe3! 30.Rxe3 Qf1+ 31.Kd2 Qd1+ and a draw
will result.]
28...Qh3 29.Ne3 Qxh2 [29...Rxe3? 30.Rxe3 Qf1+ 31.Kd2 and the d1–square
is covered by the Qb3.]
30.g4 Rb8 31.Qd5 [31.Qc2?? would lose to Rxb2!! 32.Qxb2 Qg1+ 33.Kxe2
Qh2+ 34.Kd3 Qxb2 and White's pawns will fall quickly.]
31...Rxb2 [Now White must force the draw.]
32.Qd8+ Kg7 33.Nf5+ gxf5

1.e4 c5 2.Nc3 [Again Fischer avoids the main lines of the Sicilian. This
variation, however, comes as quite a surprise since it has always been a
favorite of Spassky's.]
2...Nc6 3.Nge2 [This flexible approach allows White to transpose back into
the main lines, should that prove appropriate.]
3...e6 [Black aims for the traditional d7–d5 break. 3...e5 is considered
stronger.]
4.g3 d5 [4...d6 could have led back to a Scheveningen Sicilian, e.g., 4... d6
5.d4 cxd4 6.Nxd4 Nf6 7.Bg2]
5.exd5 exd5 6.Bg2 [6.d4 stops the advance of Black's d-pawn but it is a
weak move because of Bg4 7.Bg2 Nxd4 8.h3 Bf3! and White is already in
trouble.]
6...d4 7.Nd5 Nf6 8.Nef4 Nxd5 9.Nxd5 Bd6 10.0–0 0–0 11.d3 [11.c4!? is an
interesting alternative.]
11...Be6 12.Nf4 [A new move. 12.Qh5 was played in an earlier game.]
12...Bf5 [Yet again Spassky fails to react properly to an opening surprise.

Black must preserve the light-squared bishop, of course, but this was not
the best way to accomplish the task. 12...Bxf4 13.Bxf4 Bd5 14.Re1 Qd7
15.Qh5! f5 16.a3 gives White a slight initiative and the bishop pair.]
13.h3 Rb8 [Black has difficulty countering White's pressure on the light-
squares.]
14.Bd2 Re8 15.Re1 Rxe1+ 16.Qxe1 Qd7 [This allows White to eliminate one
of Black's bishops, but there were no happy alternatives. 16...Bd7 17.Qe4!
16.. .h6 17.g4! and White will punish Black for weakening the kingside pawn
structure.]
17.g4 Re8 18.Qd1 Bxf4 19.Bxf4 Be6 20.Qf3 [This prevents Bd5 by Black.]
20...Nb4 [Spassky introduces some interesting complications with this
move, but they turn out better for White. 20...Rd8 seems more sensible,
e.g., 21.a3 f6 and Black will be able to transfer the bishop to d5.]
21.Qxb7 [21.a3 Bd5]
21...Nxc2 22.Rc1 Qxb7 23.Bxb7 [Yet again we have an early endgame!]
23...Nb4 [The pawn at d3 is now under attack, as well as the pawn at a2.]
24.Be4 Bxa2 25.Bd2 [A necessary finesse. 25.Rxc5? Bb1! 26.Rc4 Bxd3

27.Bxd3 Nxd3 28.Rxd4 Nxf4 29.Rxf4=]
25...Bd5 [There is no saving the c-pawn, so Black at least occupies the d5

square. 25...a5 26.Rxc5 Bb1 27.Bxb4 axb4 28.Rc4! and Black will not be able
to save the pawns or the game.]
26.Bxd5 Nxd5 27.Rxc5 Nb6 28.Kf1 f6 29.Ra5 [White's superiority is beyond

doubt. he has an active rook and Black has weak pawns. Still, it is not all
that easy to get the full point, because there are sources of counterplay in
the Black position, as Spassky demonstrates.]
29...Re7 30.Bb4 Rd7 31.Bc5 Kf7 32.Ke2 g5 [32...Ke6 33.Ra6 Rb7 34.Bxd4
and White wins.]
33.Kf3 Kg6 34.Ke4 [Fischer starts sending the king on a fantastic voyage.]
34...h5 35.Bxd4 Re7+ 36.Kf3 h4 [This fixes the pawn at h3, giving some
chance of picking it off later.]
37.Bc5 Re1 [Passive play simply will not do! 37...Rd7 38.Ke4 Nc8 39.d4 etc.]
38.Rxa7 Nd5 [Black's pieces are finally active, but it has cost two pawns.
The threat is Nf4.]
39.Bf8 [White responds with a threat of his own: 40.Rg7+!]
39...Re8 40.Bd6 [40.Rg7+ Kh6 41.Rd7+ Rxf8 42.Rxd5 Rb8 and Black can
hold.]
40...Re6 [40...Rd8 41.Ra6! Rd7 42.Ke4]
41.Rd7 [41.Ra6 Nb4! exploits the pin on the sixth rank.]
41...Nb6 42.Rd8 Nd5 43.b4 Re1 [Another counterattack is launched.]
44.b5 [Fischer sees deeply into the endgame pool, plumbing the depths in
an effort to find his way to victory. 44.Bc5 Nf4 45.b5 looks logical, but Black
has real drawing chances after 45...Ne6.]
44...Rb1 45.Rb8 Rb3 [This is the decisive error. The problem is that Spassky
will lose an important tempo. 45...Kf7! was the correct move, intending to
centralize the king.]
46.Ke4 [Fischer provides an instructive endgame lesson here.]
46...Nc3+ 47.Kd4 Nxb5+ 48.Kc4 Rc3+ 49.Kxb5 Rxd3 50.Kc6 Rxh3 [Black has
sacrificed the knight for a single pawn, but it is a very dangerous passed
pawn. Still, Fischer plays with great precision in this problem- like
endgame.]
51.Kd5 Rf3 52.Ke6 Rxf2 53.Rg8+ Kh7 54.Kf7 [The Black monarch cannot be
spared from the intrusion into his home.]
54...Ra2 [54...h3 55.Rg7+ Kh6 56.Bf8 with a mating net.]
55.Rg7+ Kh6 [55...Kh8 56.Kg6 Ra6 57.Rf7 Ra8 58.Rf8+ Rxf8 59.Bxf8 h3
60.Bd6]
56.Bf8 Ra7+ 57.Kxf6 [57.Kg8?? Rxg7+ 58.Bxg7+ Kg6 59.Bf8 f5! 60.gxf5+ Kxf5
and Black wins!]
57...Ra6+ 58.Kf7 [There is no longer any defense to Kg8, so Black resigned.]
1–0
1.e4 e5 2.Nf3 Nc6 3.Bb5 [Quite brave of Spassky, to test Fischer in the
latter's favorite opening. But then Spassky is also the master of the Black
side of the Spanish Game!]
3...a6 4.Ba4 Nf6 5.0–0 Be7 6.Re1 b5 7.Bb3 0–0 8.c3 d6 9.h3 Nb8 [The
Breyer System, Spassky's pride and joy.]
10.d4 Nbd7 11.Nbd2 Bb7 12.Bc2 Re8 13.Nf1 [13.b4 a5! prevents the
planned advance of White's a-pawn to a5.]
13...Bf8 14.Ng3 g6 15.Bg5 h6 16.Bd2 Bg7 17.a4 c5 18.d5 c4 19.b4 [This is

an , and perhaps a strong one. It is not just the move that is new, but the
idea of a delayed b4 after Black has advanced to c4.]
19...Nh7 20.Be3 h5 21.Qd2 Rf8 22.Ra3 [Spassky must have been feeling a
creeping uneasiness, caused by the potential problems on the a-file, where
White's heavy artillery will congregate.]
22...Ndf6 [Black lacks adequate counterply, since there is no real hope of

playing f7–f5. Therefore he tries to regroup his pieces to prevent a capture
at b5, and also prepares to sacrifice a piece for the dominating central
pawns.]
23.Rea1 Qd7 24.R1a2 Rfc8 25.Qc1 Bf8 26.Qa1 Qe8 27.Nf1 Be7 28.N1d2
[28.N3d2 is an interesting alternative, intending to advance the f-pawn.]
28...Kg7 29.Nb1 [This threatens to liquidate a lot of pieces following

captures on a5 and a8, after which Nb1–a3 will win the weak pawn at b5.
So Black must try a desperate sacrifice.]
29...Nxe4 30.Bxe4 f5 31.Bc2 Bxd5 32.axb5 axb5 33.Ra7 Kf6 34.Nbd2 [The
knight has done its duty on the queenside and returns to provide support
for the center and for its fellow steed at f3.]
34...Rxa7 35.Rxa7 Ra8 36.g4 [Fischer strives to open the position, even if
this entails exposing his king to some danger. This is better than exchanging
at a8, as the resulting simplification would not help White's attack.]
36...hxg4 37.hxg4 Rxa7 38.Qxa7 f4 [Well-timed! 38...Qa8 would lead to an

easy win for White.]
39.Bxf4 [Fischer's superb technique is evident as he returns his trophy

immediately. If he had tried to hang on to it, victory would have been less
likely. 39.Bb6?! Qa8! 40. Qd7 Bxf3 41.Nxf3 Qxf3 42.Bd8 Bxd8 43.Qxd8+ is
unclear.]
39...exf4 40.Nh4 [Another strong move which is not obvious. The natural
path would lead White astray: 40.Qd4+ Ke6 41.Qg7 Nf8 and Black can hold
on.]
40...Bf7 [The fatal err or. The knight retreat was called for. 40...Nf8!
41.Qd4+ Ke6 42.Nf5 Bf6! 43. Qxf4 Be5 and Black could still put up a fight.]
41.Qd4+ Ke6 42.Nf5 [There is the threat of a big fork at g7.]
42...Bf8 [42...gxf5 43.Bxf5++]
43.Qxf4 Kd7 44.Nd4 [The b5–pawn is unprotected. Spassky makes one

more attempt at counterplay.]
44...Qe1+ 45.Kg2 Bd5+ 46.Be4 Bxe4+ 47.Nxe4 Be7 48.Nxb5 Nf8 49.Nbxd6
Ne6 [Spassky resigned here, rather than face...]
50.Qe5
1–0
Byrne,R - Fischer US Championship, 1963
1.d4 Nf6 2.c4 g6 3.g3 c6 4.Bg2 d5 5.cxd5 cxd5
6.Nc3 Bg7 7.e3 0–0 8.Nge2 Nc6 9.0–0 b6 10.b3 Ba6
11.Ba3 Re8 12.Qd2 e5 [Opening the center. Black's piece activity offsets the
resulting isolani.]
13.dxe5 Nxe5 14.Rfd1 [The wrong Rook!]
14...Nd3 15.Qc2 Nxf2 16.Kxf2 Ng4+ 17.Kg1 Nxe3
18.Qd2 Nxg2 [A brilliant attack now ensues.]
19.Kxg2 d4 20.Nxd4 Bb7+
21.Kf1 [There is a great story that accompanies this game. In a hall adjacent to the
playing room, Grandmaster Rossolimo was commenting on the games for a large
audience. He had been completely mystified by this game; at this point, in fact, he
told his audience that there was obviously nothing left for Fischer to do but give
up. Suddenly, the messenger came with the next report, and announced that
Byrne had resigned! Can you guess Fischer's deadly final stroke?]
21...Qd7 [0–1]
Euwe - Fischer New York, 1957
1.d4 Nf6 2.c4 e6 3.Nc3 d5 4.cxd5 exd5 5.Bg5 Bb4
6.e3 h6 7.Bh4 c5 8.Bd3 Nc6 9.Nge2 cxd4 10.exd4 0–0
11.0–0 Be6 [This misplaces the other bishop, which is now a target for Nf4. He
should try 11...Be7, though White keeps some edge.]
12.Bc2 Be7
13.Nf4 Qb6 [This loses, but Black is in trouble after other moves as well since he
can't keep White from getting the Bc2/Qd3 battery.]
14.Bxf6 Bxf6
15.Qd3 [Now Black can't play 15...g6 because of 16 Nxe6, so he has to let White's
queen into his kingside.]
15...Rfd8
16.Rae1 [The check at h7 can't be stopped, so White prepares to take away

Black's only flight square (after Qh7+ Kf8 Qh8+), e7.]
16...Nb4 [After 16...Kh8 White can simply play 17 Qh7.]
17.Qh7+ Kf8 18.a3 Nxc2 19.Ncxd5 Rxd5
20.Nxd5 [1–0]
Dale Ruth - Fischer US Open, 1956
1.e4 c5 2.Nf3 d6 3.d4 cxd4 4.Nxd4 Nf6 5.Nc3 a6
6.Be2 e5 7.Nf3 Be7 8.0–0 0–0 9.h3 Nbd7 10.Re1 b5
11.a4 [Provoking an advance he isn't ready to meet.]
11...b4 12.Nd5 Nxd5 13.Qxd5 Qc7

14.Qb3 [White can't take the rook because of 14...Nb6, but the queen is
still misplaced and exposed on b3. It was best to retreat to d1 and suffer
quietly.]
14...Nc5 15.Qxb4 d5
16.exd5 [Now White loses by force. Black would have a huge edge after 16
Qc3 d4 17 Qd2 Nxe4, but no immediate win.]
16...e4 17.Nd2 Nd3 18.Qxe4 Nxe1 19.d6 Bxd6
20.Qxa8 Bb7 21.Qxf8+ Kxf8
22.Kf1 Nxc2 23.Rb1 Nd4 24.Bd3 Bb4 [0–1]

Spassky - Fischer Reykjavik (5), 1972
1.d4 Nf6 2.c4 e6 3.Nc3 Bb4 4.Nf3 c5 5.e3 Nc6 6.Bd3 Bxc3+ 7.bxc3 d6 8.e4 e5 9.d5
[White has taken a fundamental decision to close the center and try to exploit his spatial
advantage.]
9...Ne7 [This may seem to go against the conventional strategy of deploying the knight
on the flank to attack the P at c4, but in this position such a strategy will not be
effective, so the N is transferred to the kingside where it will be useful.]
10.Nh4 [White aims at an early f2–f4, a logical plan. 10.Nd2 is also sensible, but Black
can get a good game without difficulty by bravely placing his King on the queenside.]
10...h6 [This keeps the White bishop from getting to g5 where it can cause trouble, and
paves the way for the eventual advance of the g-pawn.]
11.f4 Ng6 [A bold move, permitting White to cripple the pawn structure on the kingside.
But Fischer knew what he was doing.]
12.Nxg6 fxg6 [The g-pawn will be able to advance, but in the meantime it sits and
prevents f4–f5.]
13.fxe5 [A very poor move, though history has shown that Black has a good game
anyway.]
13...dxe5 14.Be3 b6 15.0–0 0–0 16.a4 [When the White pawns are locked on
light-squares in the center this is usually a bad idea, because the P can be cemented to
the light square by a7–a5, after which it becomes a target.]
16...a5 17.Rb1 Bd7 18.Rb2 Rb8 19.Rbf2 Qe7 20.Bc2 g5 [Both of White's bishops have
been rendered harmless. Black is preparing to establish a knight outpost on f4.]
21.Bd2 Qe8 [The queen will be redeployed at g6 and the e-pawn will come under fire.]
22.Be1 Qg6 23.Qd3 Nh5 24.Rxf8+ Rxf8 25.Rxf8+ Kxf8 26.Bd1 Nf4 ["Nimzowitsch would
have loved this position -- restraint, blockade, doubled P complexes and an outpost in
an open." -- Keene (Aron Nimzowitsch -- A Reappraisal).]
27.Qc2 [A simply awful move for a World Championship game. 27.Qb1 and White could
have continued the battle.]
27...Bxa4 [and here Spassky resigned, rather than face]
28.Qxa4 Qxe4 [0–1]
Elo - Fischer Milwaukee, 1957

1.e4 c5 [The interesting point of this game is the ending, so you might want to
advance to move 37.]
2.Nf3 d6 3.d4 cxd4 4.Nxd4 Nf6 5.Nc3 a6 6.f4 e5 7.Nf3 Qc7

8.Bd3 Nbd7 9.0–0 b5 10.Qe1 Bb7 11.a3 g6 12.Qh4 Bg7 13.g4 exf4
14.Bxf4 0–0 15.Qg3 Ne5 16.Nxe5 dxe5 17.Bxe5 Qc5+ 18.Rf2 Nh5
19.Bd6 Qxc3 20.bxc3 Nxg3 21.Bxf8 Rxf8 22.hxg3 Bxc3 23.Rb1 Bd4
24.a4 Bc8 25.axb5 axb5 26.Rxb5 Bxg4 27.Kg2 Bxf2 28.Kxf2 Be6
29.Rc5 Kg7 30.Kf3 Kf6 31.Kf4 Ra8 32.g4 h6 33.g5+ hxg5+ 34.Rxg5 Rh8
35.Rg2 g5+ 36.Kf3 Rh3+ 37.Rg3 Rxg3+
38.Kxg3 [We have reached a pure bishop endgame where Black has a good bishop and White
has a bad bishop, hemmed in by the pawns at c2 and e4 .]
38...Ke5 [In any endgame, the king should play an active role. Here it infiltrates on the dark
squares.]
39.c3 [White prevents the Black king from reaching d4.]
39...Bd7 40.Bc4 f6 [On the dark squares the pawns are immune to attack from the
enemy bishop.]
41.Bd5 [The bishop now protects the pawn from a more active position.]
41...Be8 [The bishop circles to a new post from which it can attack the pawn.]
42.c4 [White hopes this pawn will just march down the board. In fact, all this does
is weaken d4.]
42...Kd4 43.Kg4 Bg6 [The White king cannot get across the central line, and, since
the pawns are safe, White is in a passive position.]
44.Kf3 Bh5+ 45.Kf2 Bd1 [The idea is that the White king is cut off from the other
forces. Now the c-pawn is doomed.]
46.Kg3 Be2 47.c5 Kxc5 48.Be6 Kd4 49.Bf5 [The White forces are better
coordinated, but the game is lost.]
49...Ke3 [Here White resigned, since Bf3 follows and the remaining pawn falls.
0–1]
Geller - Fischer Palma de Mallorca, 1970
1.Nf3 Nf6 2.c4 g6 3.g3 Bg7 4.Bg2 0–0 5.0–0 c6
6.d4 d5 7.cxd5 cxd5 8.Ne5 Bf5 9.Nc3 Ne4 10.Be3 Nxc3
11.bxc3 Nc6 12.Nxc6 bxc6 13.Qa4 Qb6 14.Rac1 Rab8 15.c4 Bxd4
16.Bxd4 Qxd4 17.e3 Qe5 18.cxd5 cxd5 19.Rfd1 e6 20.Qxa7 Ra8
21.Qd4 Qxd4 22.Rxd4 Rxa2 23.e4 dxe4 24.Bxe4 Bxe4
25.Rxe4 [We have reached a double-rook endgame. Black has an extra pawn and
control of the seventh rank, but the large number of open files gives White plenty
of room to maneuver and, with no pawn weaknesses, White should survive.]
25...Rb8 26.Re3 g5 27.h3 Kg7
28.Rc7 [White takes the seventh rank and threatens to play Rf3, tying down
Black's forces.]
28...Kg6 29.Rf3 f6 30.Re7 Re2
31.g4 [White has a good defensive formation and it is hard to see how Black can
make progress. But Fischer is famous for his refusal to agree to draws while there
is still play in the position.]
31...Rb1+ 32.Kg2 Ree1
33.Ra3 [This creates an escape path for the king.]
33...h5 34.Raa7 Rg1+ 35.Kf3 hxg4+ 36.hxg4 Rb3+ 37.Ke2 Rxg4

38.Rxe6 [The picture has clarified a bit. But White still has no reason to worry.]
38...Rb1 39.Raa6 Rf4 40.Ra2 Rh1 41.Rea6 Rb4
42.R6a4 [If a pair of rooks are exchanged now, the draw would be fairly simple for
White.]
42...Rbb1 43.Ra8 Rhg1 44.Kf3 Rb5 45.R8a5 Rb3+ 46.Ke2 Rbb1
47.Ra8 Kf5 48.R2a5+ Kg4 49.Ra4+ Kh5

50.Rh8+ [We enter an arid period of maneuvering without much purpose.]
50...Kg6 51.Rg8+ Kf7 52.Rd8 Rbe1+ 53.Kf3 Re5 54.Rd2 Rf5+

55.Ke2 Re5+ 56.Kf3 Kg6 57.Re4 Rf5+ 58.Ke2 Ra5 59.Re3 Kh5
60.Red3 Raa1 61.Rd8 f5 62.Kf3 Ra3+ 63.R2d3 g4+
64.Kf4 [Now Fischer finally decides to try his hand at the single-rook endgame.]
64...Rxd3 65.Rxd3 Rf1
66.Rd2 Kh4 [66...Kg6 67.Ra2 Black could never make any progress here.]
67.Kxf5 g3 [Black uses the pin to advance the pawn. After the game, Geller said
he was confused, and thought that he could capture the pawn with check here.]
68.f4 Kh3
69.Rd3 [White is prepared to sacrifice the rook for the pawn at the appropriate
time, when the Black king is further down the board. The idea is that king and
pawn against rook is drawn provided that the pawn is far enough advanced.]
69...Kh4 70.Rd2 [A big mistake. White needs a certain amount of distance

between his rook and the enemy king, in order to constantly give check without
the king being able to come up and attack the rook. 70.Rd7 Kh3 71.Rh7+ Kg2
72.Kg4 Kf2 73.f5 g2 74.Rh2 Rh1 75.Rxg2+ Kxg2 76.f6 and a drawn position results.]
70...Ra1 71.Ke5 [This is the decisive error. White could still have drawn with the
correct move . 71.Rd8 g2 72.Rh8+ Kg3 73.Rg8+ Kf3 74.Ke6 g1Q 75.Rxg1 Rxg1 76.f5
Kf4 77.f6 Kg5 78.f7 Rf1 79.Ke7 Re1+ 80.Kd8 Rf1 81.Ke8 Re1+ 82.Kd8]
71...Kg4 [Now White is going to lose the f-pawn.]
72.f5 [72.Rd8 Re1+ 73.Kf6 Kxf4]

72...Ra5+ [0–1]
Bernstein - Fischer Netanya, 1968

1.e4 c5 2.Nc3 d6 3.g3 Nc6 4.Bg2 g6 5.d3 Bg7
6.f4 b6 [Black waits to commit his king knight in order not to give White a kingside
target.]
7.Nf3 Bb7 8.0–0 Qd7 9.Be3 f5 [In one stoke Black prevents White from
getting play by f5, prepares to pile up on White's e-pawn and enhances his queen
bishops diagonal.]
10.Qd2 Nf6 11.Kh1 [To save his queen bishop from 11...Ng4.]
11...0–0–0
12.Rae1 [White tries to play in the center where he has no real object of attack.
He should have gone after Black's king with 12.a3 intending to follow up with b4.]
12...Kb8 13.Bg1 [Losing. White pursues his imaginary play on the e-file completely
oblivious to how tangled his pieces are becoming on the kingside.]
13...fxe4 14.dxe4 [14.Nxe4 is no better.]
14...Ba6 [Black wins the exchange for nothing, since 15.Rf2 doesn't work after
15...Ng4.]
15.Ng5 Bxf1 16.Bxf1 Rhe8 17.Bb5 [White hopes to get counterchances by

e4–e5–e6, but Black's next move squelches this.]
17...e5 18.fxe5 Rxe5 19.Bxc6 Qxc6 20.Nf7 Rde8 [Black gives back the
exchange to eliminate White's only active piece.]
21.Nxe5 Rxe5 22.Qf4 b5 23.a3 b4 24.axb4 cxb4

25.Bd4 [This loses a piece, but if the knight moves away Black plays 25...Nxe4 and
Black will win by a discovered check on the a8–h1 diagonal.]
25...Rf5 [0–1]

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Fischer

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Robert James Fischer

Eleventh World Chess Champion (1972–1975)

And considered as the greatest player of all time

“I don't believe in psychology. I believe in good moves." Bobby Fischer

15...Nxc3 16.Bc5 Rfe8+ [a vital Zwischenzug, in-between move, capitalising on the

17.Kf1 Be6! [whilst this is a really great move, it is a logical continuation of a

34.Ne5 Kg7 [allowing the f8 bishop to move]

7...Nc5 8.c4 b5 [Creating a weakness on c6, which White exploits

9.Nd4 Qd7 10.Nxf5 exf5 11.Nb3 h6 12.Be3 Ne6

17.Qc3 Qd6 18.Bxc5 Qxc5 19.Qxf6

7.0–0 Bd7 8.Bb3 Nc6 9.Be3 Be7 10.f4 Qc7

11.f5 Nxd4 12.Bxd4 b5 13.a3 e5 14.Be3 Bc6

15.Nd5 Bxd5 16.Bxd5 Nxd5 17.Qxd5 Rc8 18.c3 Qc4

19.Qb7 Qc6 20.Qxc6+ Rxc6 21.a4 Kd7 22.axb5 axb5

23.Ra7+ Rc7 24.Rfa1 Rb8 25.Kf2 Rbb7 26.Rxb7 Rxb7

27.Ke2 Bd8 28.Kd3 h6 29.Ra8 h5 30.b4 Be7

31.Rg8 Bf6 32.Rf8 Kc6

33.c4 [This move creates a passed pawn on the queenside.]

34.Ra8 bxc4+ 35.Kxc4 Rc7

41...Bb4 42.Bb8 Bc5

45.fxg6 [Now there are two passed pawns.]

46.Bxd6+ [Black resigned. Resistance would be futile.]

47.g7 Kf7 48.Kxd6 Kxg7 49.b6 fxe4 50.b7 e3

12.Qxd8 [The rest is child's play...]

12...Nc6 13.Qd2 Bxe5 14.0–0 Nd6 15.Bf4 Nc4 16.Qe2 Bxf4

17.Qxc4 Kg7 18.Ne4 Bc7 19.Nc5 Rf6 20.c3 e5 21.Rad1 Nd8

27.Qa3 Nc6 28.Nd6 Bxd6 29.Rxd6 Bf5 30.b4 Rff8

31.b5 Nd8 32.Rd5 Nf7 33.Rc5 a6 34.b6 Be4

35.Re1 Bc6 36.Rxc6 bxc6 37.b7 Rab8 38.Qxa6 Nd8

16.Be3 Qxb5 17.Rxb5 Rd7 18.Ke2 [18.Ra5 Rb7 19.Rxa7 Rxa7

23.a4 Bg7 24.Rb6+ Kd5 25.Rb7 Bf8 26.Rb8 Bg7

29.a5 f5 30.Bb8 Rc8 31.a6 Rxc3 32.Rb5+ Kc4 33.Rb7 Bd4

10.0–0–0 Nb6 11.Bb3 Na5

16.Bh6 e6 17.f4 [Threatening 18.Qh3, when Black will have no defense to

18...Bxf5 19.exf5 Nxb2 [A last desparate bid for counterplay, but

14...dxe4 15.Nf5 Bc5

16.Ng7+ [Typically, Fischer's play is ruthlessly accurate. The text allows

22...Qc7 23.Bxf7+ Kd8

12...fxe5 13.fxe5 Ne7 [The knight makes way for operations

14.Nf3 c5 15.0–0 Qa5 16.Qe1 Bd7 [Black is building up his

22.Rad1 d3 [Petrosian eliminates the remaining obstacle and creates a

25...Rxd4 26.Nxd4 Bd5 27.a4 Rf4 28.Rd1 Ng6

35...Kxd6 36.Bb7 Bxb7 37.axb7 Kc7

38...Rg5 39.Rb2 Kb8 40.Kf2 Rd5 41.Ke3 Rd7

42.Ke4 Rxb7 43.Rf2 [White resigned because he is two pawns down.]

Fischer – Ciocaltea Varna Olympiad, 1962

13.Qa3! [1. Exploiting a pin against e7 2. Attacking c5 with another piece]

13...Rc8 [Spassky lends support to c5 but already the development of Black is

25.b3 a5 26.f5 exf5 [27. f6 was threatened, exploding black's defence!]

5.e3 Nc6 [Continuing to put pressure on d4]

11...Ng6! [stunner. Voluntarily allowing his pawn structure to be broken up but

[28.Qb1 Bxd1 29.Qxd1 Qxe4 is also a bloodbath]

19.Nxd5 [A horrible concession to make but the alternatives are no better]

[19.bxc4 Bb4 20.Nxd5 (20.Rd3 d4) 20...Bxe1 21.Rxe1 Rb2]

31.gxf5 [31.g5 f6 32.gxf6+ Kxf6 and black has a passed h pawn]

6.c3 b5 7.Bf1 Nxd5 8.cxd4 Qxg5

11.0–0 e4 [Black gives up another pawn to keep White's queen on the

13.d3 [Overlooking Black's threat.]

7.h3 Bxf3 8.Qxf3 Nc6 9.Be3 e5 10.dxe5 dxe5 11.f5 gxf5