Here's another great issue for the week. We are very grateful to have The Weekender sent to us for posting, as what Tito Manny said, since last year. Of course, this great endeavor has always been a collaboration between the two best chess journalist of our time, Manny Benitez and Bobby Ang. Without these two, Philippine Chess would not be in existence.
As what I have always said, it was Mr. Bobby Ang's book, Inside Philippine Chess which I bought last December 2003, made me go back into chess, and after three years, made me want to put up a personal blog.
Thanks guys!
Here it is:
The Chess Plaza Weekender
Sunday, 27 January 2008
Quezon Memorial Circle, Quezon City
Vol. II No. 33
FOR PHILIPPINE CHESS
‘I am willing to go to jail,’ says NCFP boss
By Marlon Bernardino
FOR the sake of Philippine chess, former Surigao del Sur Rep. Prospero Pichay Jr. is willing to go to jail.
“Handa akong magpakulong para sa kapakanan ng Philippine chess (I am willing to go to jail for the sake of Philippine chess),” the president of the National Chess Federation of the Philippines told media representatives. “Filipino chess lovers are worth dying for,” he added, paraphrasing Ninoy Aquino..
Butch Pichay made the statement just before delivering the keynote address at the opening of the 20th season of the State Colleges and Universities Athletic Association-National Capital Region last Monday at the Rizal Memorial Track Oval.
Pichay was apparently alluding to the contempt suit filed against him by lawyer Samuel Estimo, which arose from the latter’s petition seeking to stop the NCFP from holding its board election in Tagaytay City last Saturday, January 19.
Despite a temporary restraining order issued by Judge Reynaldo Daway of the Quezon City Regional Trial Court, the board election was held as scheduled, ostensibly by a general assembly of NCFP delegates under the supervision of the Philippine Olympic Committee.
With Atty. Rommel Tacorda of the Bureau of Customs presiding, the NCFP general assembly took note of a report that there was no NCFP constitution and by-laws filed with the Securities and Exchange Commission.
The assembly then drafted a new constitution and a new set of by-laws and proceeded with the election.
This prompted Estimo to file a contempt suit, charging that Pichay and his group had “toyed with the rule of law.”
A hearing was held last week by the judge but nobody from the NCFP showed up in court. The Pichay camp has said that it had no active participation in the proceedings.
In a press release to the media, Estimo claimed that Judge Daway “showed displeasure” at the non-appearance of the respondents and ordered them through their lawyers to explain their absence.
The judge has scheduled another hearing on the petition for Wednesday, January 30.
Newspaper reports said Pichay was reelected president and named concurrent chairman at the board’s first meeting at Linden Suites on Ortigas Avenue in Pasig City last Thursday.
Tagaytay Mayor Abraham “Bambol” Tolentino was also reelected secretary general.
Present at the meeting was Fide’s honorary president Florencio Campomanes.
Three vice presidents were likewise elected, namely, Romeo Serratubias, Bro. Rolando Dizon and Val Rosabal.
Former NCFP directors Willy Abalos and Casto “Toti” Abundo, who had inhibited themselves from running for the board in Tagaytay, were named executive and events director, and Fide representative, respectively.
‘I can’t believe Fischer is dead,’ Torre laments
A WEEK after news of the death of former world champion Robert James Fischer flashed across the globe, his bosom friend for many years, Grandmaster Eugenio Torre, finally broke his silence.
“Hanggang sa ngayon ay hindi pa rin ako makapaniwalang na wala na si Bobby (Up to now I still cannot believe that Bobby is gone),” said Torre.
Asia’s first grandmaster was interviewed during the closing rites of the State Colleges and Universities Athletic Association-National Capitol Region in Pasay City Thursday.
Torre gave the inspirational talk to the players. With him at the rites was the country’s newest grandmaster, Jayson Gonzales.
“Wish ko kay Bobby ay ‘Rest in peace’ and may he receive in heaven the love he missed here on earth,” he added.
The 56-year-old icon who served as Fischer’s second during his return match against Boris Spassky in the old Yugoslavia in 1992 also told vignettes on the life and career of Fischer.
“Sa tingin ko ay ’yung ‘trust’ sa akin ni Bobby kaya ako ang kinuha niyang second/trainer sa rematch nila ni Spassky noong 1992 sa Yugoslavia. Baka kasi may mag-iispay sa kanya (I think he got me as his second/trainer because of his trust in me. You know, there might be people spying on him),” Torre said.
He also revealed Fischer’s fondness for balut and sinigang.
“That is why he loved eating balut,” he said, recalling that he once brought the American eccentric lots of balut in Belgrade in 1992.
He said he could not believe Fischer had died of kidney failure because he knew him as a physical fitness buff who used to walk two to three kilometers as his morning exercise every day. —Marlon Bernardino
To be continued next week.
BIGGEST UPSET YET IN WIJK AAN ZEE
Carlsen clobbers Kramnik
NORWEGIAN wonder boy Magnus Carlsen clobbered world No. 1 Vladimir Kramnik in the penultimate 12th round of the Corus Super in Wijk aan Zee Saturday.
In what could be the biggest upset yet in this prestigious event, Carlsen (Black) forced the resignation of the former world champion from Russia on the 57th turn of a positional Symmetrical English, Fianchetto and Hedgehog duel.
Carlsen pulled it off just two rounds after losing with White to reigning world champion Viswanathan Anand of India, Kramnik’s foremost rival.
The 17-year-old Norwegian sensation bounced back into the lead jointly with Levon Aronian, the 25-year-old super hero of Armenia.
Between themselves, the two young superstars have been dominating the main event of the Corus Super since Day One.
Each had 7.5 points.
MY FAVORITES
‘The best player in history’
LIKE the millions of his fans worldwide, I closely followed the career of Robert James Fischer, played over countless games of his (usually only those he won), and got terribly disappointed when he refused to face his Soviet challenger, Anatoly Karpov, a refusal that led to his being stripped of the world title in 1975.
To me, Fischer epitomized Caissa’s fiercest warrior on earth for all time, one whose mind thrived on conflict and rage—the “killer’s instinct”.
I remember buying most of Bobby’s books and books about Bobby—The Life and Games of Bobby Fischer by Frank Brady, Bobby Fischer Teaches Chess (borrowed by someone and never returned), My 60 Memorable Games, Fischer’s Chess Games (with an Introduction by Raymond Keene), FISCHER SPASSK:, The New York Times Report on The Chess Match of the Century, etc.
Just recently, Weekender problemist Joselito P. Marcos gave me Garry Kasparov’s My Great Predecessors Part IV. Sometime ago, my good friend and neighbor, architect Ady Yazon, also gave me Bobby Fischer Goes to War by David Edmonds and John Eidinow.
I must confess that I have put Fischer and Kasparov on a pedestal as my top favorites, along with Paul Morphy, Adolf Anderssen, Alexander Alekhine, Mikhail Tal, Frank Marshall, and all the immortals like Akiba Rubinstein and Rudolf Spielmann who were fierce fighters on the board, in that order.
In Fischer’s book, the devil-may-care spirit of adventure and romance, as manifested in the sacrifice of a piece, particularly the queen, reigns supreme.
The following game (dated 1957 in a database but 1956 in Fischer’s Chess Games published by the Oxford University Press) was selected by Kasparov as the first game to illustrate Bobby’s brilliance on the board even in his adolescence and teens.
For some undisclosed reason, Fischer himself did not include this in My 60 Memorable Games, although it has been dubbed “The Game of the Century.”
Donald Byrne – Bobby Fischer
Rosenwald, New York 1956
Gruenfeld, Russian System (D97)
1.Nf3 Nf6 2.c4 g6 3.Nc3 Bg7 4.d4 0-0 5.Bf4 d5 5...d6 6.e4 would have equalized 6.Qb3 dxc4 Black has equalized 7.Qxc4 c6 d5 8.e4 Nbd7 9.Rd1 Nb6 10.Qc5 Bg4 11.Bg5 Na4 12.Qa3 Not 12.Nxa4? Nxe4 13.Qb4 a5 14.Qxb7 Nxg5 15.Qxc6 Rc8!Nxc3 13.bxc3 Nxe4 14.Bxe7 Qb6 15.Bc4 Nxc3 16.Bc5 Rfe8+ 17.Kf1 Be6!!
17...Nxd1? would be bad: 18.Bxb6 axb6 19.Qb3 Bxf3 20.Qxf3! 18.Bxb6? 18.Qxc3 was a bit better, but Black would still be ahead Bxc4+! 19.Kg1 Ne2+ 20.Kf1 Nxd4+ 21.Kg1 Ne2+ 22.Kf1 Nc3+ 23.Kg1 axb6 24.Qb4 Ra4 25.Qxb6 Nxd1 26.h3 Rxa2 27.Kh2 Nxf2 28.Re1 Rxe1 29.Qd8+ Bf8 30.Nxe1 Bd5 31.Nf3 Ne4 32.Qb8 b5 Missing the more decisive 32...Kg7! 33.h4 h5 34.Ne5 Kg7 35.Kg1 Bc5+ 36.Kf1 Ng3+ 37.Ke1 Bb4+ 37...Re2+ was quicker: 38.Kd1 Bb3+ 39.Kc1 Ba3+ 40.Kb1 Re1#! But Bobby the child is now playing for fun 38.Kd1 Bb3+ 39.Kc1 Ne2+ 40.Kb1 Nc3+ 41.Kc1 Rc2#! 0-1
Here is another Fischer gem highlighted by a queen sacrifice.
Bobby Fischer – L. Myagmarsuren
Rd 3, Interzonal, Sousse 1967
King's Indian Attack (A08)
1.e4 e6 2.d3 d5 3.Nd2 Nf6 4.g3 c5 5.Bg2 Nc6 6.Ngf3 Be7 7.0-0 0-0 8.e5 Nd7 9.Re1 b5 10.Nf1 b4 11.h4 a5 12.Bf4 a4 13.a3 bxa3 14.bxa3 Na5 14...Bb7 15.Rb1 Qc7 16.h5 equalizes 15.Ne3 Ba6 16.Bh3 d4 17.Nf1 Nb6 18.Ng5 Nd5 18...h6 would have led to equality 19.Bd2 Bxg5 20.Bxg5 Qd7 21.Qh5 Rfc8 22.Nd2 Nc3 23.Bf6 Qe8 23...Kh8 24.Qg5 Rg8 should restore the balance 24.Ne4 g6 25.Qg5 Nxe4 26.Rxe4 c4 Fritz suggests 26...Bb7 27.Rf4 Qf8 27.h5 cxd3 28.Rh4 Ra7 29.Bg2 dxc2 30.Qh6 Qf8 31.Qxh7+!!
There is no doubt that Bobby had a photographic mind and an elephantine memory, as well as a lively imagination. It is said that he could remember almost all the games he had played and could discuss the moves with any of his opponents even if the games took place a long time ago.
While on a tour of West Germany in 1967, I met GM Wolfgang Unzicker at his office in Munich and he told me that in his teens, Bobby used to have a miniature chessboard and pieces with him wherever he went.
Another German player I met in Berlin, whose name I cannot now recall, told me that he and his friends once invited Bobby to tour Buenos Aires one evening.
While they all watched a rather exciting girlie-girlie show, they noticed that Bobby was silently moving pieces about on his magnetic board!
Also, Bobby learned to read Russian and used to buy or borrow Russian chess magazines so he could keep abreast of the latest trends in opening theory.
To accommodate as many of his gems as possible, the next games are “in the raw.”
The first game shows his win against “the Great Dane”, who was the strongest grandmaster in the West before Fischer burst onto the scene.
R.J. Fischer – B. Larsen
Rd 8, Interzonal Portoroz 1958
Sicilian Defense (B77)
1.e4 c5 2.Nf3 d6 3.d4 cxd4 4.Nxd4 Nf6 5.Nc3 g6 6.Be3 Bg7 7.f3 0-0 8.Qd2 Nc6 9.Bc4 Nxd4 10.Bxd4 Be6 11.Bb3 Qa5 12.0-0-0 b5 13.Kb1 b4 14.Nd5 Bxd5 15.Bxd5 Rac8 16.Bb3 Rc7 17.h4 Qb5 18.h5 Rfc8 19.hxg6 hxg6 20.g4 a5 21.g5 Nh5
22.Rxh5! gxh5 23.g6 e5 24.gxf7+ Kf8 25.Be3 d5 26.exd5 Rxf7 27.d6 Rf6 28.Bg5 Qb7 29.Bxf6 Bxf6 30.d7 Rd8 31.Qd6+ 1-0
The following game shows young Bobby’s advanced knowledge of opening theory because of his avid reading of Russian chess magazines.
R.J. Fischer – S. Reshevsky
Rd 6, US Ch, New York 1958
Sicilian Defense (B35)
1.e4 c5 2.Nf3 Nc6 3.d4 cxd4 4.Nxd4 g6 5.Nc3 Bg7 6.Be3 Nf6 7.Bc4 0-0 8.Bb3 Na5 9.e5 Ne8
10.Bxf7+! Kxf7 11.Ne6! dxe6 12.Qxd8 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 1-0
Here’s a beautiful game illustrating a move that is both offense and defense while ostensibly sacrificing a bishop.
R.J. Fischer – R. Shocron
Mar del Plata 1959
Ruy Lopez (C97)
1.e4 e5 2.Nf3 Nc6 3.Bb5 a6 4.Ba4 Nf6 5.0-0 Be7 6.Re1 b5 7.Bb3 0-0 8.c3 d6 9.h3 Na5 10.Bc2 c5 11.d4 Qc7 12.Nbd2 Bd7 13.Nf1 Rfe8 14.Ne3 g6 15.dxe5 dxe5 16.Nh2 Rad8 17.Qf3 Be6 18.Nhg4 Nxg4 19.hxg4 Qc6 20.g5 Nc4 21.Ng4 Bxg4 22.Qxg4 Nb6 23.g3 c4 24.Kg2 Nd7 25.Rh1 Nf8 26.b4 Qe6 27.Qe2 a5 28.bxa5 Qa6 29.Be3 Qxa5 30.a4 Ra8 31.axb5 Qxb5 32.Rhb1 Qc6 33.Rb6 Qc7 34.Rba6 Rxa6 35.Rxa6 Rc8 36.Qg4 Ne6 37.Ba4 Rb8 38.Rc6 Qd8 39.Rxe6 Qc8 40.Bd7!!
Unpinning the rook and attacking the enemy queen. The bishop is immune, e.g., 40…Qxd7?? 41.Rxg6#!, and Black’s queen is doomed. If 40…Qc7 41 Rxe7 Qd6 42.Re8+! Rxe8 42. Bxe8. 1-0
The next was played in the 1959 Candidates’ Tournament hosted by the old Yugoslavia, where Fischer was treated as a folk hero. Black is the grandmaster that popularized the gambit named after him.
R.J. Fischer – P. Benko
Rd 10, CT, Bled/Zagreb/Belgrade, old Yugoslavia 1959
Sicilian Defense (B57) 1.e4 c5 2.Nf3 Nc6 3.d4 cxd4 4.Nxd4 Nf6 5.Nc3 d6 6.Bc4 Qb6 7.Nde2 e6 8.0-0 Be7 9.Bb3 0-0 10.Kh1 Na5 11.Bg5 Qc5 12.f4 b5 13.Ng3 b4 14.e5 dxe5 15.Bxf6 gxf6 16.Nce4 Qd4 17.Qh5 Nxb3
After 17…Nxb3
18.Qh6! exf4 19.Nh5 f5 20.Rad1 Qe5 21.Nef6+ Bxf6 22.Nxf6+ Qxf6 23.Qxf6 Nc5 24.Qg5+ Kh8 25.Qe7 Ba6 26.Qxc5 Bxf1 27.Rxf1 1-0
The Estonian grandmaster, Paul Keres, was one of the top three players in the world when World War II broke out. Showing no awe, Fischer trots out a tactical gem to force him to surrender.
P. Keres - R. Fischer
Rd 15, Candidates Tournament, Bled/Zagreb/Belgrade 1959
Modern Benoni (A48)
1.d4 Nf6 2.Nf3 g6 3.Bf4 Bg7 4.Nbd2 c5 5.c3 cxd4 6.cxd4 d5 7.Bxb8 Rxb8 8.Qa4+ Bd7 9.Qxa7 Ne4 10.e3 Nxd2 11.Nxd2 e5 12.Nb3 0–0 13.Qc5 Rc8 14.Qb4 Re8 15.Be2 exd4 16.Nxd4 Qh4 17.Qxb7 Bxd4 18.Qxd7 Bxb2 19.Rd1 Bc3+ 20.Kf1 d4 21.exd4 Qe4 22.Qg4 Qc2 23.g3 Qxa2 24.Bb5 Qd5 25.Bxe8 Qxh1+ 26.Ke2 Rxe8+ 27.Kd3 Be1!
After 27…Be1!
The bishop cuts the line of force from the rook to clear the way for the queen to take a bead on White’s king. 0–1
Back in America, Fischer once again proved he was head and shoulders above everybody else.
R.J. Fischer – S. Bernstein
US Ch, New York 1959
Ruy Lopez, Marshall Attack (C89)
1.e4 e5 2.Nf3 Nc6 3.Bb5 a6 4.Ba4 Nf6 5.0–0 Be7 6.Re1 b5 7.Bb3 0–0 8.c3 d5 9.exd5 e4 10.dxc6 exf3 11.Qxf3!?
After 1.Qxf3!?
Meeting Black’s plan head-on.
11…Bg4 12.Qg3 Bd6 13.Qh4 Re8 14.f3 Bf5 15.d4 Bxh2+ 16.Kxh2 Ng4+ 17.Kg3 Qxh4+ 18.Kxh4 Rxe1 19.fxg4 Rxc1 20.gxf5 Rd8 21.a4 b4 22.d5 Rb8 23.d6 cxd6 24.Bc4 Rc8 25.Bxa6 Rxc6 26.Bb5 Rb6 27.c4 d5 28.a5 g5+ 29.Kxg5 h6+ 30.Kg4 Rb8 31.a6 dxc4 32.a7 Ra8 33.Bc6 h5+ 34.Kg5 Rxb1 35.Rxb1 Rxa7 36.Rc1 Ra2 37.Rxc4 Rxb2 38.f6 1–0
In this game, he shows his mastery of the Marshall Attack—from the White side.
R.J. Fischer – H. Berliner
US Ch, New York 1960
Alekhine’s Defense (B03)
1.e4 Nf6 2.e5 Nd5 3.d4 d6 4.c4 Nb6 5.exd6 cxd6 6.Nc3 g6 7.Bd3 Bg7 8.Nge2 Nc6 9.Be3 0-0 10.0-0 e5 11.d5 Ne7 12.b3 Nd7 13.Ne4 Nf5 14.Bg5 f6 15.Bd2 Nc5 16.Nxc5 dxc5 17.Bxf5 Bxf5 18.f4 exf4 19.Nxf4 Qd6 20.Nh5 Rae8 21.Nxg7 Kxg7 22.Bf4 Qd7 23.Qd2 Rf7 24.Bh6+ Kg8 25.Rae1 Rfe7 26.Rxe7 Qxe7 27.h3 Qe4 28.Qf2 Qe7 29.g4 Bd3 30.Rd1 Be4 31.d6 Qe5 32.Bf4 Qc3 33.d7 Rd8 34.Qe2 Qf3 35.Qxf3 Bxf3 36.Bc7 1-0
One thing noticeable about Fischer’s play even during his teens was his mastery of opening theory, thanks, I must repeat, to his knowledge of Russian trends.
R.J. Fischer – H. Seidman
US Ch, New York 1960
Ruy Lopez (C89)
1.e4 e5 2.Nf3 Nc6 3.Bb5 a6 4.Ba4 Nf6 5.0-0 Be7 6.Re1 b5 7.Bb3 0-0 8.c3 d5 9.exd5 e4 10.dxc6 exf3 11.Qxf3 Bg4 12.Qg3 Bd6 13.f4 g5 14.d4 Kh8 15.Re5 gxf4 16.Bxf4 Nh5 17.Rxh5 Bxh5 18.Nd2 Re8 19.Rf1 Re2 20.Bd1 Rxd2 21.Bxh5 f6 22.Re1 Bxf4 23.Qxf4 Rxb2 24.Re8+ Qxe8 25.Bxe8 Rxe8 26.h3 b4 27.cxb4 Rxb4 28.Qxf6+ Kg8 29.Qg5+ Kh8 30.Qf4 Ra4 31.Qf7 Rg8 32.Qxc7 Rxa2 33.Qe5+ Rg7 34.g4 h6 35.Qb8+ Rg8 36.c7 1-0
And here is an amusing mating threat in the middle of the board!
R. Fischer – T. Petrosian
Bled 1961
French Defense, (B17)
1.e4 c6 2.d4 d5 3.Nc3 dxe4 4.Nxe4 Nd7 5.Nf3 Ngf6 6.Nxf6+ Nxf6 7.Bc4 Bf5 8.Qe2 e6 9.Bg5 Bg4 10.0–0–0 Be7 11.h3 Bxf3 12.Qxf3 Nd5 13.Bxe7 Qxe7 14.Kb1 Rd8 15.Qe4 b5 16.Bd3 a5 17.c3 Qd6 18.g3 b4 19.c4 Nf6 20.Qe5 c5 21.Qg5 h6 22.Qxc5 Qxc5 23.dxc5 Ke7 24.c6 Rd6 25.Rhe1 Rxc6 26.Re5 Ra8 27.Be4 Rd6 28.Bxa8 Rxd1+ 29.Kc2 Rf1 30.Rxa5 Rxf2+ 31.Kb3 Rh2 32.c5 Kd8 33.Rb5 Rxh3 34.Rb8+ Kc7 35.Rb7+ Kc6 36.Kc4!
After 36.Kc4!
Black resigns as his king faces 37.Ra7#! 1–0
A close examination of almost all the games Fischer played as he matured would show more than a hint of creativity.
It is said that Soviet GM Efim Geller was ahead in their lifetime score. The game below belies the implication of the Russian’s claim.
R.J. Fischer – E. Geller [C72]
Bled 1961
Ruy Lopez (C72)
1.e4 e5 2.Nf3 Nc6 3.Bb5 a6 4.Ba4 d6 5.0-0 Bg4 6.h3 Bh5 7.c3 Qf6 8.g4 Bg6 9.d4 Bxe4 10.Nbd2 Bg6 11.Bxc6+ bxc6 12.dxe5 dxe5 13.Nxe5 Bd6 14.Nxg6 Qxg6 15.Re1+ Kf8 16.Nc4 h5 17.Nxd6 cxd6 18.Bf4 d5 19.Qb3 hxg4 20.Qb7 gxh3+ 21.Bg3 Rd8 22.Qb4+ 1-0
Manuel Aaron of India, Fischer’s opponent in the next game, was Asia’s second international master, next only to IM Cardoso. Here the young American wizard toys with the outstanding Indian player.
M. Aaron – R. Fischer
Rd. 3, Interzonal, Stockholm 1962
King’s Indian (B81)
1.d4 Nf6 2.c4 g6 3.Nc3 Bg7 4.e4 d6 5.f3 0-0 6.Be3 Nbd7 7.Qd2 c5 8.Nge2 a6 9.Ng3 cxd4 10.Bxd4 Ne5 11.Be2 Be6 12.Nd5 b5 13.cxb5 axb5 14.Bxb5 Nxd5 15.exd5 Bxd5 16.a4 e6 17.0-0 Qh4 18.Ne2 Rfc8 19.Be3 Nc4 20.Bxc4 Qxc4 21.Rfc1 Qa6 22.Rxc8+ Rxc8 23.Nc3 Bc4 24.f4 d5 25.Bd4 Bxd4+ 26.Qxd4 Qb7 27.Qf2 Ba6 28.Rd1 Rc4 29.Rd2 Rxc3! 0-1
And now, here are two miniature gems Fischer carved against much older rivals in major tournaments.
R. Fischer - R. Steinmeyer
USA-ch New York (6), 1963
1.e4 c6 2.d4 d5 3.Nc3 dxe4 4.Nxe4 Bf5 5.Ng3 Bg6 6.Nf3 Nf6 7.h4 h6 8.Bd3 Bxd3 9.Qxd3 e6 10.Bd2 Nbd7 11.0-0-0 Qc7 12.c4 0-0-0 13.Bc3 Qf4+ 14.Kb1 Nc5 15.Qc2 Nce4 16.Ne5 Nxf2 17.Rdf1 1-0
When you play over Bobby’s games, you can feel the tension all throughout as he tries to make every move count.
R. J. Fischer – R. Weinstein
US Ch New York 1963
Ruy Lopez (C96)
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 Na5 10.Bc2 c5 11.d4 cxd4 12.cxd4 Bb7 13.d5 Bc8 14.Nbd2 g6 15.b4 Nb7 16.a4 Bd7 17.axb5 axb5 18.Rxa8 Qxa8 19.Re3 Qc8 20.Ra3 Qc7 21.Nb3 Nh5 22.Bd3 Rc8 23.Qf1 Nf6 24.Bg5 Rb8 25.Ra7 Qd8 26.Qa1 Qe8 27.Qa6 Qc8 28.Nxe5 dxe5 29.Bxf6 Bxf6 30.Qxf6 Qc3 31.Nc5 Nxc5 32.bxc5 Be8 33.Bf1 Qxc5 34.Re7 b4 35.d6 Qb6 36.Bc4 1-0
When he first came to Manila in 1967 at the invitation of Meralco, Fischer was known as the unofficial world champion. He quickly showed his vaunted strength by beating all his Filipino opponents, except the late Rosendo Balinas Jr., who escaped with a draw.
R. Balinas Jr. – R. Fischer
Meralco, Manila 1967
1.e4 c5 2.Nf3 d6 3.d4 cxd4 4.Nxd4 Nf6 5.Nc3 a6 6.g3 g6 7.Bg2 Bg7 8.0-0 0-0 9.h3 Bd7 10.Nde2 Nc6 11.b3 b5 12.Be3 Qc8 13.Kh2 Qc7 14.Nd5 Nxd5 15.exd5 Nd8 16.Bd4 Rc8 17.Bxg7 Kxg7 18.Qd4+ Kg8 19.c3 e5 20.dxe6 fxe6 21.Rad1 Nf7 22.f4 Qc5 23.Qxc5 Rxc5 24.Rd3 Rfc8 25.Rfd1 a5 26.g4 Kf8 27.Re3 Ke7 28.Bd5 Kf6 29.g5+ Ke7 30.c4 Nd8 31.Nd4 bxc4 32.bxc4 Kf7 33.Rde1 exd5 34.Re7+ Kf8 35.Rxd7 Rxc4 36.Ree7 Rxd4 37.Rxh7 Kg8 38.Rhg7+ Kf8 39.Rh7 ½-½
Rosendo Bandal – R.J. Fischer
Meralco, Manila 1967
1.d4 Nf6 2.c4 c5 3.d5 e6 4.Nc3 exd5 5.Nxd5 Nxd5 6.Qxd5 Nc6 7.Nf3 d6 8.Ng5 Qe7 9.Qe4 h6 10.Qxe7+ Bxe7 11.Ne4 Be6 12.Bf4 Nb4 13.Kd2 0–0–0 14.a3 Nc6 15.e3 d5 16.Nc3 dxc4+ 17.Ke1 a6 18.Be2 Bf6 19.Bf3 Ne5 20.Bxe5 Bxe5 21.Ke2 b5 22.Rac1 Kc7 23.Rhd1 Kb6 24.Rc2 Rxd1 25.Kxd1 Rd8+ 26.Kc1 b4 27.Nd1 bxa3 28.bxa3 Rd3 29.Nb2 Bxb2+ 30.Rxb2+ Ka5 31.Ra2 c3 32.Be2 Bxa2 33.Bxd3 Bb3 34.f4 c4 35.Be4 Ka4 36.Bd5 Kxa3 37.Bxf7 Kb4 38.e4 a5 39.e5 a4 40.Bg6 a3 41.Bb1 c2 42.Bxc2 a2 43.Kb2 c3+ 0–1
R.J. Fischer – Ramon Lontoc
Meralco, Manila, 1967
1.e4 c5 2.Nf3 d6 3.d4 cxd4 4.Nxd4 Nf6 5.Nc3 a6 6.Bc4 e6 7.Bb3 Be7 8.f4 Nbd7 9.Qf3 h5 10.Be3 Qc7 11.0-0-0 Nc5 12.f5 e5 13.Nde2 Nxb3+ 14.axb3 b5 15.Bg5 Bb7 16.Bxf6 Bxf6 17.Nd5 Bxd5 18.Rxd5 Rc8 19.Qd3 Ke7 20.Kb1 h4 21.Rd1 Rhd8 22.c3 Qb6 23.b4 Rc6 24.Ng1 Bg5 25.Nf3 f6 26.g3 hxg3 27.Nxg5 fxg5 28.Qxg3 Kd7 29.Qxe5 Kc7 30.Qxg7+ Rd7 31.Qxg5 1-0
R.J. Fischer – Glicerio Badilles
Meralco Manila 1967
1.e4 c5 2.Nf3 e6 3.d4 cxd4 4.Nxd4 Nc6 5.Nb5 d6 6.Bf4 e5 7.Be3 a6 8.N5c3 Nf6 9.Bc4 Be7 10.Nd5 Nxd5 11.Bxd5 0-0 12.Nc3 Kh8 13.0-0 Be6 14.Bb3 Na5 15.Nd5 Nxb3 16.axb3 Bxd5 17.Qxd5 Qc7 18.c3 g5 19.Ra4 Rad8 20.Rb4 Rd7 21.Rb6 Kg7 22.Ra1 f5 23.exf5 Rxf5 24.Ra4 Rf8 25.Rc4 Qb8 26.Rcb4 Qa8 27.c4 a5 28.R4b5 a4 29.Rxb7 axb3 30.h4 Rxb7 31.Rxb7 Rf7 32.Bxg5 Qa1+ 33.Kh2 Qxb2 34.Qe6 Qxf2 35.Rxe7 1-0
R.J. Fischer – Renato Naranja
Meralco, Manila 1967
1.e4 c5 2.Nc3 Nc6 3.Nge2 e5 4.Nd5 Nf6 5.Nec3 Be7 6.Bc4 0–0 7.d3 h6 8.f4 d6 9.f5 b6 10.h4 Bb7 11.a3 Rc8 12.Nxf6+ Bxf6 13.Qh5 Ne7 14.Bg5 d5 15.Bxf6 dxc4 16.Qg4 g6 17.dxc4 Qd6 18.Bxe7 Qxe7 19.fxg6 fxg6 20.Qxg6+ Qg7 21.Qxg7+ Kxg7 22.Rd1 Rcd8 23.Rxd8 Rxd8 24.Nd5 b5 25.cxb5 Bxd5 26.exd5 c4 27.a4 Rxd5 28.Ke2 Rd4 29.Rd1 Re4+ 30.Kf3 Rf4+ 31.Ke3 c3 32.b3 1–0
R.J. Fischer – Agustus Vister
Meralco, Manila 1967
1.e4 c6 2.d3 d6 3.f4 Nf6 4.Nf3 g6 5.g3 Bg7 6.Bg2 Nbd7 7.0-0 Qb6+ 8.Kh1 Ng4 9.d4 Ndf6 10.Nc3 h5 11.h3 Nh6 12.Nh4 Bd7 13.e5 dxe5 14.fxe5 Nfg8 15.Na4 Qc7 16.Nc5 0-0-0 17.Bf4 Bf5 18.e6 Qb6 19.exf7 Nf6 20.Bxh6 Bxh6 21.Nxf5 gxf5 22.Qe2 Qxb2 23.Qe6+ Nd7 24.Nxd7 Rxd7 25.Qxh6 Rdd8 26.Qe6+ Rd7 27.Rab1 Qc3 28.Rxf5 Qxd4 29.Bxc6 1-0
Roumel Reyes – R.J. Fischer
Meralco, Manila, 1967
1.e4 c5 2.Nf3 d6 3.d4 cxd4 4.Nxd4 Nf6 5.Nc3 a6 6.Bg5 e6 7.g3 Be7 8.Be3 b5 9.a3 Bb7 10.Bg2 Nbd7 11.Qe2 Rc8 12.Rd1 Rxc3 13.bxc3 Nxe4 14.Bxe4 Bxe4 15.0-0 Qa8 16.f3 Bd5 17.Rf2 0-0 18.Re1 Rc8 19.Bd2 Bd8 20.Qd1 Bb6 21.Be3 Rxc3 22.Nf5 exf5 23.Bxb6 Nxb6 24.Qd4 Rc6 25.Re7 Be6 26.Re2 Qf8 27.Rb7 Nc4 28.h4 h5 29.g4 Ne5 30.Re3 hxg4 31.fxg4 f4 32.Rc3 Rc4 33.Qd2 Qc8 0-1
As most players today know, Robert James Fischer proved to all and sundry that he was indeed the strongest player in the world when he crushed his rival candidates for the world title and shutting out two of them, Mark Taimanov of the Soviet Union and Bent Larsen of Denmark, 6-0, one after the other.
To show that neither outcome was a fluke, Bobby proceeded to dispose of former world champion Tigran Petrosian, also of the mighty Soviet Union, by a lopsided 6.5-2.5 score, in the semifinal match.
This set the stage for his “Match of the Century” versus the Soviet world champion, Boris Spassky.
Fischer, however, demanded that the prize fund be increased—the original pot was only US$1,400. This was raised by 50,000 British pounds (about $125,000) donated at the 11th hour by a London millionaire, James Slater.
The match began on July 11 and ended on August 31, 1972 in Reykjavik, the same city where he would die 35 and one-half years later.
Until Fischer actually sat on his swivel chair to play in Reykjavik, nobody could be sure that the match would go on as scheduled. In fact even after the first round, which he lost after impetuously grabbing a poisoned pawn with his bishop, Fischer still threatened to leave Reykjavik.
B. Spassky – R.J. Fischer
Rd 1, Wch28, Reykjavik 1972
Nimzo-Indian, Rubinstein (E56)
1.d4 Nf6 2.c4 e6 3.Nf3 d5 4.Nc3 Bb4 5.e3 0–0 6.Bd3 c5 7.0–0 Nc6 8.a3 Ba5 9.Ne2 dxc4 10.Bxc4 Bb6 11.dxc5 Qxd1 12.Rxd1 Bxc5 13.b4 Be7 14.Bb2 Bd7 15.Rac1 Rfd8 16.Ned4 Nxd4 17.Nxd4 Ba4 18.Bb3 Bxb3 19.Nxb3 Rxd1+ 20.Rxd1 Rc8 21.Kf1 Kf8 22.Ke2 Ne4 23.Rc1 Rxc1 24.Bxc1 f6 25.Na5 Nd6 26.Kd3 Bd8 27.Nc4 Bc7 28.Nxd6 Bxd6 29.b5 Bxh2
After 29…Bxh2
30.g3 h5 31.Ke2 h4 32.Kf3 Ke7 33.Kg2 hxg3 34.fxg3 Bxg3 35.Kxg3 Kd6 36.a4 Kd5 37.Ba3 Ke4 38.Bc5 a6 39.b6 f5 40.Kh4 f4 41.exf4 Kxf4 42.Kh5 Kf5 43.Be3 Ke4 44.Bf2 Kf5 45.Bh4 e5 46.Bg5 e4 47.Be3 Kf6 48.Kg4 Ke5 49.Kg5 Kd5 50.Kf5 a5 51.Bf2 g5 52.Kxg5 Kc4 53.Kf5 Kb4 54.Kxe4 Kxa4 55.Kd5 Kb5 Black threatens to counter with Kd6 56.Kd6 1–0
Fischer lost his second game by default because he had stubbornly refused to play unless cameras were banned from the playing hall.
It took a lot of effort to bring back Fischer to the arena. He finally acceded after the organizers agreed to ban all cameras. He was down 2-0 and everybody thought it would be a long and difficult struggle for the 29-year-old American.
Because of his insistence that there should be total silence in the playing hall, the third game was played in a small “ping-pong” room backstage. And there, Fischer scored his first-ever win against the Soviet champion!
B. Spassky – R.J. Fischer
Rd 3, Modern Benoni (A77)
1.d4 Nf6 2.c4 e6 3.Nf3 c5 4.d5 exd5 5.cxd5 d6 6.Nc3 g6 7.Nd2 Nbd7 8.e4 Bg7 9.Be2 0–0 10.0–0 Re8 11.Qc2 Nh5 12.Bxh5 gxh5 13.Nc4 Ne5 14.Ne3 Qh4 15.Bd2 Ng4 16.Nxg4 hxg4 17.Bf4 Qf6 18.g3 Bd7 19.a4 b6 20.Rfe1 a6 21.Re2 b5 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 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? Better was 41.Ke1 but this also gives Black a big lead, says Fritz Bd3+!
After 41…Bd3+!
Black resigns. If 42.Ke1 Qxb4+ 43.Kd1 Qb3+ 44.Ke1 b4! 0–1
From hereon Fischer gained momentum, drawing level with Spassky in the fifth round, 2.5-2.5, and it was all systems go for him.
After the 10th round, Fischer was safely ahead, 6.5 - 3.5, an incredible feat considering his 2-0 score after the first two games, the second of which he had lost by default.
Fischer’s fans held their breath as their hero continued preparing for the next games. At this point, disaster struck, caused by Bobby’s tendency to throw caution to the winds when he spots a chance to crush his opponent’s ego in over-the-board play. Once again, it was a poisoned pawn that proved too tempting to ignore.
Actually, after that fateful backstage duel, Spassky was barely recognizable, except in the 11th round when Fischer took his bait, hook line and sinker.
B. Spassky (2660) – R.J. Fischer (2785)
Rd 11, Sicilian Najdorf (B97)
1.e4 c5 2.Nf3 d6 3.d4 cxd4 4.Nxd4 Nf6 5.Nc3 a6 6.Bg5 e6 7.f4 Qb6 8.Qd2 Qxb2 Taking the so-called poisoned pawn 9.Nb3! Qa3 10.Bxf6 gxf6 11.Be2 h5 12.0–0 Nc6 13.Kh1 Bd7 14.Nb1 Qb4 15.Qe3 d5 16.exd5 Ne7 17.c4 Nf5 18.Qd3 h4 19.Bg4 Nd6 20.N1d2 f5 21.a3 Qb6 22.c5 Qb5 23.Qc3 fxg4 24.a4 h3 25.axb5 hxg2+ 26.Kxg2 Rh3 27.Qf6 Nf5 28.c6 Bc8 28...bxc6 offers the last chance for counterplay: 29.Rxa6 Rxa6 30.dxe6 Bxe6 31.bxa6 Be7 32.Qxf5, with equality 29.dxe6 fxe6 30.Rfe1 Be7 31.Rxe6!
After 31.Rxe6!
Decisive, and Black resigns. 1–0
Fresh insights can be had from an account of that historic match by GM William Lombardy, then a priest and former world junior champion, who served as Fischer’s second.
The Weekender is fortunate to have a copy, courtesy of journalist Ignacio “Iggy” Dee, of Lombardy’s insightful narration of the event from the Fischer camp’s viewpoint.
According to Lombardy, the most crucial game occurred in the 13th round, which was adjourned overnight.
Here is what happened on the board.
B. Spassky (2660) – R.J. Fischer (2785)
Rd 13, Wch28, Reykjavik, Iceland 1972
Alekhine’s Defense (B04)
1.e4 Nf6 2.e5 Nd5 3.d4 d6 4.Nf3 g6 5.Bc4 Nb6 6.Bb3 Bg7 7.Nbd2 0-0 8.h3 a5 9.a4 dxe5 10.dxe5 Na6 11.0-0 Nc5 12.Qe2 Qe8 13.Ne4 Nbxa4 14.Bxa4 Nxa4 15.Re1 Nb6 16.Bd2 a4 17.Bg5 h6 18.Bh4 Bf5 19.g4 Fritz suggests 19.Red1 Be6 20.Nd4 Bc4 21.Qd2 Qd7 22.Rad1 Rfe8 22...Bxe5 was best 23.f4 Bd5 24.Nc5 Qc8 25.Qc3 e6 26.Kh2 Nd7 26...Bf8 could be tried 27.Nd3? Missing his best shot, 27.Nxd7! c5! 28.Nb5 Qc6 29.Nd6 Qxd6 30.exd6 Bxc3 31.bxc3 f6 32.g5 hxg5 33.fxg5 f5 34.Bg3 Kf7 35.Ne5+ Nxe5 36.Bxe5 b5 37.Rf1 Rh8 38.Bf6 a3 39.Rf4 a2 40.c4 Bxc4 41.d7 Bd5 42.Kg3 Ra3+ 43.c3 Rha8 Best was 43...a1=Q! 44.Rh4 e5 45.Rh7+ Ke6 46.Re7+ Kd6 47.Rxe5 Rxc3+ 48.Kf2 Rc2+ 49.Ke1 Kxd7 50.Rexd5+ Kc6 51.Rd6+ Kb7 52.Rd7+ Ka6 53.R7d2 Rxd2 54.Kxd2 b4 55.h4 Kb5 56.h5 c4 57.Ra1 gxh5 58.g6 h4 59.g7 h3 60.Be7 Rg8 61.Bf8 h2 62.Kc2 Kc6 63.Rd1 b3+ 64.Kc3 Fischer spent an hour searching for the best reply and came up with h1=Q! 65.Rxh1 Kd5 66.Kb2 66.Rd1+ should be tried to restore the balance f4 67.Rd1+ Ke4 68.Rc1 Kd3 69.Rd1+??
After 69.Rd1??
The final blunder. Better but not enough was 69.Rc3+ Kd4 70.Rf3 c3+ 71.Ka1.
"I didn't make enough of the fact that Fischer had consumed an entire hour over only one move," Spassky said later.
69...Ke2! 70.Rc1 f3! 71.Bc5 Rxg7! 72.Rxc4 Rd7 73.Re4+ Kf1 74.Bd4 f2!, and White resigns in a hopeless situation. 0-1
Botvinnik was quoted as saying that this was Fischer’s “highest creative achievement”. What possibly impressed the doyen of world chess at the time was the way Bobby went about resolving the problem of having two bishops of opposite colors left on the board, and herding his phalanx of passed pawns toward their goal.
How I wish we had enough space to print the entire Lombardy article!
In any event, Fischer reached the 21st and last round without further mishap. And he was crowned the new world champion, the first and only American to win the honor and the only player from the West to break the Soviet Union’s stranglehold on this game of kings.
Here is the 21st game.
Boris Spassky (2660) – Bobby Fischer (2785)
Rd 21, Wch28, Reykjavik 1972
Sicilian Taimanov (B46)
1.e4 c5 2.Nf3 e6 3.d4 cxd4 4.Nxd4 a6 5.Nc3 Nc6 6.Be3 Nf6 7.Bd3 d5 8.exd5 exd5 9.0–0 Bd6 10.Nxc6 bxc6 11.Bd4 0–0 12.Qf3 Be6 13.Rfe1 c5 14.Bxf6 Qxf6 15.Qxf6 gxf6 16.Rad1 Rfd8 17.Be2 Rab8 18.b3 Better than 18.Bxa6 Rxb2 19.a4 Rxc2! c4 19.Nxd5!
After 18.Nxd5!
Exploiting the potential pin.
19…Bxd5 20.Rxd5 Bxh2+! A counterblow, as Black fights back 21.Kxh2 Rxd5 22.Bxc4 Rd2 23.Bxa6 Rxc2 24.Re2 Rxe2 25.Bxe2 Rd8 26.a4 Rd2 27.Bc4 Ra2 28.Kg3 Kf8 29.Kf3 Ke7 30.g4 f5 31.gxf5 f6 32.Bg8 h6 33.Kg3 Kd6 34.Kf3 Ra1 35.Kg2 Ke5 36.Be6 Kf4 Activating its king for the endgame 37.Bd7 Rb1 38.Be6 Rb2 39.Bc4 Ra2 40.Be6 h5 41.Bd7!, and the game was adourned for the night. 0–1
The first two games below are my favorites when I was just beginning to understand the beauty of chess, having learned the moves quite late in life at the age of 24, a por’binsiyano just arrived in the Big City fresh from the backwoods of Mindanao.
What I like most, after Bobby’s fantastic “Game of the Century” was his win against the inventor of the Najdorf variation in the Sicilian Defense, the Polish-Argentine Jew who fled from Hitler’s Nazi “storm troopers.”
Miguel Najdorf was an authentic prodigy who mastered blindfold chess, setting the world record in the most successful simultaneous exhibition without sight of the board.
Here is how Fischer (White) outwitted Najdorf in his pet Sicilian Najdorf.
R.J. Fischer – M. Najdorf
Rd 2, OIympiad, Varna 1962
Sicilian Najdorf (B90)
1.e4 c5 2.Nf3 d6 3.d4 cxd4 4.Nxd4 Nf6 5.Nc3 a6 6.h3 b5 7.Nd5 Bb7 8.Nxf6+ gxf6 9.c4 bxc4 10.Bxc4 Bxe4 11.0-0 d5 12.Re1 12.Bb3 e6 leads to equality e5 Best was 12...Bxg2!?, e.g., 13.Ne6 Qd7! 13.Qa4+ Nd7 14.Rxe4!
After 14.Rxe4!
14…dxe4 15.Nf5 Bc5 Fritz suggests 15...Rb8!? 16.Ng7+ Ke7 17.Nf5+ Ke8 18.Be3 Not 18.Bxa6? Qb6! Bxe3 19.fxe3 Qb6 20.Rd1 Ra7 21.Rd6 Qd8 21...Qb8 would be bad because of 22.Rc6 Kd8 23.Qa5+ Rc7 24.Rxa6!, and White surges ahead 22.Qb3 Qc7 22...Qc8 was necessary but not enough, e.g., 23.Bd5 Rc7 24.Bxf7+! 23.Bxf7+ Kd8 24.Be6! Complete encirclement! 1-0
One can almost hear the boom-boom-boom from Bobby’s crushing blows, right?
Here is the other Fischer gem I admire because of its originality and, consequently, creativity.
R.J. Fischer – P. Benko
Rd 10, US Ch, New York 1963
Pirc Defence: Austrian Attack (B09)
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 15.Rad1 Kh8 gives White a clear advantage Kh8 16.Qg4 c6 If 16...c5 17.b3! 17.Qh5 Qe8?? A costly blunder. 17...c5 offers the best chance, says Fritz: 18.b3 f5 18.Bxd4 exd4 19.Rf6!
After 19.Rf6!
Lovely—a blockade that only a Fischer can conceive over the board, indeed!
19...Kg8 Of course not 19...Bxf6 because of 20.e5! The text is meant to evade the queen’s lethal line of fire 20.e5 Better than 20.Rxd6?! dxc3 21.bxc3 Qe5 22.Qxe5 h6 21.Ne2! Without effective counterplay, Black resigns, e.g., 21…c5 22.Rxd6! Qxe5 23.Qxe5 Bxe5 24.Rxh6! 1-0
One of Iggy Dee’s favorites is this win with White by Bobby against Oscar Panno of Argentina in Buenos Aires in 1962.
What makes it fascinating is its sudden violent turn from a quiet positional game to a highly tactical assault unleashed by Fischer after the preparatory 28.Be4!.
R.J. Fischer – O. Panno
Rd 8, Buenos Aires 1970
King’s Indian Attack (A04)
1.e4 c5 2.Nf3 e6 3.d3 Nc6 4.g3 g6 5.Bg2 Bg7 6.0–0 Nge7 7.Re1 d6 8.c3 0–0 9.d4 cxd4 10.cxd4 d5 11.e5 Bd7 12.Nc3 Rc8 13.Bf4 Na5 14.Rc1 b5 15.b3 b4 16.Ne2 Bb5 17.Qd2 Nac6 18.g4 a5 19.Ng3 Qb6 20.h4 Nb8 21.Bh6 Nd7 22.Qg5 Rxc1 23.Rxc1 Bxh6 24.Qxh6 Rc8 25.Rxc8+ Nxc8 26.h5 Qd8 26...Qc7 may be tried 27.Ng5 Nf8 28.Be4 Qe7 29.Nxh7!
After 29.Nxh7!
Breaching Black’s defenses.
29...Nxh7 30.hxg6 fxg6 31.Bxg6 Ng5 If 31...Qg7 32.Bxh7+!, with White forging ahead 32.Nh5 Nf3+ 33.Kg2 Nh4+ 34.Kg3 Nxg6 35.Nf6+ Kf7 35...Qxf6 does not improve anything, says Fritz: 36.exf6 Kf7 37.Qg7+ Ke8 38.Qxg6+ Kd7 39.Qg7+ Ne7 40.Qxe7+ Kc8 41.f7 Bd7 42.f8Q+ Kb7 43.Qxd7+ Ka6 44.Qfd6#! 36.Qh7+! It’s mate next: 36….Kf8 37.Qg8#! 1–0
Perhaps the best known game played by Bobby Fischer in his younger years, besides his “Game of the Century” at the age of 13 against Donald Byrne, was his Board 1 draw with world champion Mikhail Botvinnik of the Soviet Union at the Varna Olympiad in 1962.
Here is the score and comments culled from various sources, courtesy of Iggy Dee.
M. Botvinnik – R.J. Fischer Rd. 10, Olympiad, Varna 1962
Gruenfeld, Russian System (D98)
1.c4 g6 2.d4 Nf6 3.Nc3 d5 4.Nf3 Bg7 5.Qb3 dxc4 6.Qxc4 0–0 7.e4 Bg4 8.Be3 Nfd7 9.Be2 If 9.Qb3 Nb6 Nc6 9...Nb6 10.Qd3 would have equalized 10.Rd1 Nb6 11.Qc5 Qd6 12.h3 Bxf3 13.gxf3 Rfd8 14.d5 Ne5 15.Nb5 Qf6 16.f4 Ned7 17.e5 17.Qc2!? may be more exact, e.g., 17…Qxb2 18.Qxb2 Bxb2 19.Rb1! Qxf4! Black has equalized 18.Bxf4 Better than 18.Qxe7 Qe4 19.0–0 Bxe5! Nxc5 19.Nxc7 Rac8 20.d6 exd6 21.exd6 Bxb2 22.0–0 Nbd7 23.Rd5 b6 24.Bf3 Ne6 25.Nxe6 fxe6 26.Rd3 Not 26.Rdd1 Nc5 27.Kg2 Bc3! Nc5! 27.Re3 e5 28.Bxe5 Bxe5 29.Rxe5 Rxd6 30.Re7 Rd7 31.Rxd7 Nxd7 32.Bg4 Rc7 33.Re1 Kf7 34.Kg2 Nc5 35.Re3 Re7 36.Rf3+ Kg7 37.Rc3 Re4 38.Bd1 Rd4 39.Bc2 Kf6 40.Kf3 Kg5 41.Kg3 Ne4+
After 41…Ne4+
The sealed move at adjournment. Fritz suggests 41...h5!? to keep the advantage.
42.Bxe4! The drawing move found in overnight analysis Rxe4 43.Ra3 If 43.Rc7 Ra4! Re7 44.Rf3 Rc7 45.a4 Rc5 45...Kh6!? could be tried for a winning chance 46.Rf7 Ra5 47.Rxh7 Rxa4 48.h4+ Kf5 49.Rf7+ Ke5 50.Rg7 Ra1 51.Kf3 b5 52.h5 Ra3+ 53.Kg2 gxh5 54.Rg5+ Kd6 55.Rxb5 h4 56.f4 If 56.Rf5 a5! Kc6 57.Rb8 57.Re5!? may be better h3+ 58.Kh2 a5 59.f5 Kc7 60.Rb5 Kd6 61.f6 Ke6 62.Rb6+ If 62.Rf5 Kf7! Kf7 63.Ra6 Kg6 64.Rc6 a4 65.Ra6 Kf7 66.Rc6 Rd3 67.Ra6 a3 68.Kg1 ½–½
I remember reading reports from the scene saying that the two protagonists, 32 years apart in age, spoke not a word throughout the event, their heads nearly bumping into each other in a vivid portrait of intense and unwavering focus and concentration.
It was the following game, however, that gave Fischer’s reputation as a chess master without peer a big, big boost.
R.E. Byrne – R.J. Fischer
Rd 3, USA Ch, New York 1963
Fianchetto Gruenfeld (D71)
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 13.dxe5 Nxe5 14.Rfd1 Increasing the pressure on the isolated pawn on d5, Fritz notes, saying that 14.Rad1 could ensure equality Nd3! 15.Qc2 Nxf2 16.Kxf2 Ng4+ 17.Kg1 Nxe3 18.Qd2 Nxg2!!
After 18…Nxg2!!
Instead of 18...Nxd1 19.Rxd1 Bxe2 20.Nxe2, which would have given White a clear advantage—Frit.z 19.Kxg2 d4 Theme: Clearance for a6-b7 20.Nxd4 Theme: Interference. If 20.Qxd4 Bxd4, says Fritz Bb7+ 21.Kf1? More accurate was 21.Kf2, but this would still give Black winning chances, e.g., 21…Qd7 22.Nf3 Qxd2+ 23.Nxd2 Bxc3 24.Rac1 Bd4+! Qd7!!
After 21…Qd7!!
A quiet move that seals White’s doom: 22.Ndb5 Qh3+ 23.Kg1 Bh6! 0-1
“A bitter disappointment,” Fischer writes in My 60 Memorable Games, explaining: “I’d hoped for 22.Qg2 Qh3+ 23.Kg1 Re1+!! 24.Rxe1 Bxd4+ with mate to follow.”
Needless to state, this game won the brilliancy prize.
The introductory note to the game, written by GM Larry Evans who helped Bobby write the book, quoted K. F. Kirby, editor of the South African Chess Quarterly: “The Byrne game was quite fabulous, and I cannot call to mind anything to parallel it. After White’s eleventh move I should adjudicate his position as slightly superior, and at worst completely safe. To turn this into a mating position in eleven more moves is more witchcraft than chess! Quite honestly, I do not see the man who can stop Bobby at this time…”
It also quotes Byrne as saying: “And as I sat pondering why Fischer would choose such a line, because it was so obviously lost for Black, there suddenly came 18…Nxg2. This dazzling move came as the shocker, the culminating combination of such depth that even at the very moment at which I resigned, both grandmasters who were commenting on the play for the spectators in a separate room believed that I had a won game!”
PINOY GEMS WITH A HISTORY
Trio of dauntless fighters
BECAUSE it never came to pass, one can only speculate how Bobby Fischer would have fared if he had played a simultaneous exhibition here in 1967 when he came as a guest of Meralco to face seven Filipino masters across the board one on one.
Be that as it may, not one of the local masters could hold a candle to the then 24-year-old American who was regarded in the West as the uncrowned chess champion of the world.
That reputation of course was part of the anti-Soviet media hype during the Cold War because at the time he still could not beat Russian GM Boris Spassky, who was yet to become world champion in 1969.
At any rate, of the seven brave Pinoys, only one managed to pass muster in a way: Rosendo Balinas Jr., who, playing White, held him to a draw by repetition of moves. Nine years later, Balinas won his GM spurs by topping a tough Soviet tournament in faraway Odessa.
Ten years earlier, however, another Filipino, Asia’s first International Master, then 19-year-old Rodolfo Tan Cardoso, had beaten the 14-year-old Fischer in the third round of their exhibition match in New York sponsored by the soft-drink manufacturer, Pepsi Cola.
Thirteen years after the 1967 Meralco exhibition series, Fischer would meet one of the seven again—IM Renato Naranja, who very nearly upset him but had to settle for a draw in the 1970 Interzonal Tournament held in Palma de Mallorca in Spain.
Here are the Cardoso and Naranja games in chronological order (see Balinas game on page 10):
R. Cardoso – R. Fischer
Rd 3, Exhibition Match, NewYork 1957
Sicilian Najdorf (B91)
1.e4 c5 2.Nf3 d6 3.d4 cxd4 4.Nxd4 Nf6 5.Nc3 a6 6.g3 e5 7.Nde2 Be7 8.Bg2 0–0 9.0–0 Nbd7 10.h3 b5 11.a4 b4 12.Nd5 Nxd5 13.Qxd5 Qc7 14.c3 Better than 14.Qxa8 Nb6 15.Qxc8 Rxc8! Bb7 15.Qd1 Nc5 16.f3 a5 17.Be3 Ba6 18.Rc1 Rab8 19.f4 19.c4!? was a viable option bxc3 20.Rxc3 20.Nxc3 Bxf1 21.Bxf1 Bf6 favors Black Rxb2 21.Rf2 Qb6 21...Qb7 22.fxe5 Nxe4 23.Qd4 would benefit Black 22.Rc1 Qb3 23.Nc3³ exf4 24.Rxb2 Qxb2 25.Bxc5 Better was 25.gxf4 Bc4 26.Bd4! dxc5! 26.gxf4 Not 26.Nd5 Bf6 27.gxf4 Bd4+ 28.Kh1 Bd3!, and Black is way ahead c4 Missing 26...Bd3! 27.Nd5 Bh4! 27.Nd5 Bc5+ 28.Kh2 Bb4 29.Rc2 Qb3! Black is way ahead 30.e5 Qxa4?? Missing 30...Qd3!? 31.Bf3 c3! 31.Be4! g6 32.Qg4 Missing 32.Nf6+ Kh8 33.Qg4! Bb7?. Best was 32...f5 33.exf6 Qe8! 33.Nf6+! Kg7 34.Qh4 Rc8?? The final mistake 35.Qxh7+ Kf8 36.e6!
After 36.e6!
The central breakthrough aimed at breaking up the pawn shield and exposing the bishop on b7.
36...Rc7 Not 36...fxe6 because of 37.Bxg6 37.Qg8+ Ke7 38.Qxf7+ Kd8 39.Rd2+! Decisive Bd5 Of course not 39...Bxd2+ because of 40.Qf8#! 40.Rxd5+! Black resigns as mate is in the air, although White missed the more decisive 40.Qg8+! Ke7 41.Nxd5+ Kd6 42.Qf8+ Kc6 43.Nxc7+ Kb6 44.Qb8+ Kc5 45.Na6#! 1–0
Several analysts believe that Naranja missed an opportunity or two for a win. You be the judge.
R. Naranja – R.J. Fischer
Rd 8, Interzonal, Palma de Mallorca 1970
Symmetrical English (A35)
1.c4 c5 2.Nc3 g6 3.Nf3 Bg7 4.d4 cxd4 5.Nxd4 Nc6 6.e3 Nf6 7.Be2 0-0 8.0-0 Nxd4 9.Qxd4 d6 10.Qh4 Be6 11.Rd1 Qb6 12.Rb1 Qc5 13.b4 13.b3 Qe5 14.Bb2 g5 could favor Black Qf5 Missing the equalizer: 13...Qe5, e.g., 14.Bb2 g5 15.Qd4, with equal chances 14.e4 Qe5 15.Rb3 Bd7 16.f4 Qe6 17.f5 gxf5 18.exf5 Qxf5 19.Bg5 h6 20.Bxh6 Qh7 21.Bg5 Qxh4 22.Bxh4 Be6 23.Bxf6 exf6?? Fritz condemns this move, saying it allows White back into the game. Instead, it suggests 23...Bxf6, e.g., 24.Nd5 Bxd5 25.Rxd5 Rfd8 24.Nd5 24.Nb5 was stronger Rfd8 25.Rf3 Kf8 26.Nxf6 Fritz suggests 26.Kf2 Rac8! 27.Nh7+?!
After 27.Nh7+?!
Missing his best shot, 27.Rd4! Could this have led to a win against one of the strongest players in the world?
27…Kg8 Keeping the balance 28.Nf6+ Bxf6 29.Rxf6 Bxc4 30.Bxc4 Rxc4 31.Rfxd6 Rxd6 32.Rxd6 Rxb4 33.Rd2 b5 34.Kf2 Ra4 35.Ke3 Kg7 36.Kd3 Ra3+ 37.Kd4 a5 38.Kc5! White’s king marches forward e, but Black neutralizes its advance b4! 39.Kb5 f5! 40.g3 Kf6 Activating his king to meet the enemy in the open field: a draw is in the offing 41.Re2 Kg5 42.Rf2 Kg6 43.Rd2 Kf7 44.Re2 Kf6 45.Kc4 g5 46.Kb5 Kg4 47.Rf2 Kh3 48.Rd2 ½-½
BOBBY ANG’S BUSINESSWORLD COLUMN, CHESS PIECE (1)
Matter of Attitude (Part II)
ONE day I went to watch an international tournament with Naser Sharief, a strong chess-playing executive who has had stints here and abroad as a management consultant. After spending the whole afternoon walking back and forth from several games, he came up to me and told me that he did not see anything special from the games of the GMs and IMs. They were just more consistent in avoiding mistakes.
I am sure there is a lot of truth in this – last “Chess Piece” we went over some truly exceptional players, but admittedly they are few and far between. Let us take a look at the leading Chinese players. By the way, I am going to make a few controversial statements here which will surely result in my image appearing in some voodoo dolls created for perpetual stabbing and eternal damnation, enough perhaps to bring me to the special hell alongside child molesters and people who talk in theaters.
Several years ago, GM Alex Yermolinsky (this is the Russian-turned American GM who has an opinion on everything) wrote a very uncomplimentary article in his open chess diary against the Chinese players. He said a lot of idiotic things, but one part of the following passage made sense:
“For long years I have had difficulties distinguishing one Chinese player from another. It was not only due to their physical resemblance as appears to my untrained eye, but also thanks to the striking similarities of their chess styles. They all were booked up in the opening, solid yet passive in the middlegame, but with an alert tactical eye to seize their chances. Good players, all in the 2525 to 2575 range. I almost had the feeling that I was up against the tag team of an opening specialist, to be replaced by a middlegame tactical wizard, followed by an endgame virtuoso”.
If you look at the rating list the top Chinese players are:
1 GM Wang Yue 2698
2 GM Bu Xiangzhi 2691
3 GM Ni Hua 2680
4 GM Wang Hao 2665
5 GM Zhang Pengxiang
2640
6 GM Ye Jiangchuan
2612
7 GM Peng Xiaomin
2590
8 GM Zhao Jun 2589
9 GM Xie Jun 2574
10 GM Li Chao 2566
With a few notable exceptions, they have the same characteristics:
1) Good preparation in the openings.
2) Solid yet passive in the middlegame, but with an alert tactical eye to seize their chances.
3) Good technique in the endgame.
4) Do not socialize with other players, after every game they would retire to their rooms with their laptops to prepare for the next.
5) Play the whole year round in local, team and international tournaments.
Yermo’s feeling that he is going up against a tag team is quite a good insight.
How about the Filipino players? In terms of theoretical preparation, for many years it was the perception that the best-schooled were GM Joey Antonio, GM Mark Paragua and IM Jayson Gonzales. But we are slipping here. GM Joey, for example, has recently been wiped out for playing into a refuted line, which is a bit surprising considering that it was in his favorite opening:
Jakovenko, Dmitrij (2596) - Antonio, R. (2539) [B19]
Montreal WCT Montreal (6), 19.01.2005
1.e4 c6 2.d4 d5 3.Nc3 dxe4 4.Nxe4 Bf5 5.Ng3 Bg6 6.h4 h6 7.Nf3 Nd7 8.h5 Bh7 9.Bd3 Bxd3 10.Qxd3 e6 11.Bf4 Qa5+ 12.Bd2 Bb4 13.c3 Be7 14.c4 Bb4?
The game Acs-Gyimesi from Hungary 2003 has already shown this move to be misguided. Better is 14...Qa6.
15.Ne4! Ngf6 16.Nd6+! Ke7 17.c5! b6 18.0–0 bxc5 19.Ne5! Nxe5 20.dxe5 Bxd2?
Another mistake. The only way to continue resisting is 20...Nd5.
21.exf6+ gxf6 22.Rad1 Bf4
After 22...Bf4
23.Nxf7! Kxf7 24.Qg6+! 1–0
I can show you many more examples, but the bottom line is that we need a training school which gives the players the proper materials to brush up on their openings. Here are some mistakes our Federation has made:
● Issue laptops to players without the appropriate software and without training them in computers. What the heck are they going to use their laptops for? Play counter-strike, probably.
● There is an item in the budget of the Philippine Sports Commission for “chess coach”. For a long time they have appointed office staff to this position so that he can get a salary without the Federation spending for it. This has to stop – appoint a coach who is really a coach, and appoint a coach who can really help. There are many kinds of coaches – IM Rudy Tan Cardoso, for example, would be brilliant teaching kiddies to play chess, but he would be out of place teaching the likes of Wesley So whose skill and theoretical level is far above his own.
● Give money to the players and ask them to do self-study at home. Am I the only one who can see that this is perhaps the most ineffective way to train?
● Give money to the players and ask them to go abroad to play in tournaments. This is another obvious mistake. You have to train them here before letting them go abroad and convince them that they are supposed to get results and not treat the tournament as a junket. In the corporate world executives are grounded, demoted and even fired for not getting results. Why should our players be any different?
In closing, I will show you this game played by NM Efren Bagamasbad against the superGM from Singapore (formerly China), Zhang Zhong.
Zhang Zhong (2634) - Bagamasbad, Efren (2342) [B27]
3rd Pichay Cup Intl Open Duty Free Fiesta Mall (3.11), 02.12.2007
Take note that the disparity in ratings between Zhang and Efren is around 300 points. This means that in a 10–game match Zhang will beat him seven times and draw thrice without a single loss.
1.e4 c5 2.Nf3 g6 3.c3 Bg7 4.d4 cxd4 5.cxd4 d5 6.e5 Nc6 7.Bb5 Bd7 8.Nc3 a6 9.Bxc6 Bxc6 10.Bf4 e6 11.0–0 Ne7 12.Qd2 h6 13.h3 Rc8 14.Rfe1 Nf5 15.Ne2 Bb5 16.Ng3 Nxg3 17.Bxg3 0–0 18.Nh2 Kh7 19.h4 Qe7 20.Ng4 Rc4 21.b3 Qb4! 22.Qe3?!
[22.Qxb4 Rxb4 23.Rad1 Rc8 is equal, but Zhang wants more]
22...Rc3?!
Taking the pawn right away is better, but Efren wins it later anyway
23.Qf4 Rd3 24.Nf6+ Bxf6 25.Qxf6 Rxd4 26.a3 Qxb3 27.Qe7 Kg8 28.Qxb7 Bc4?
As explained to me by Bagamasbad, he was so excited that he had it in him to outplay a superGM with Black that his brain refused to function. He need not have rushed and could have just consolidated his forces with 28...Re8 (preventing the queen from getting back into the game via e7 and f6) followed by grabbing control of the c-file, etc., etc.
29.Qa7! Rg4 30.Kh2 Qb8?
Blind to White's threat. 30...Bd3 retains the advantage.
31.Qe3!
Threatens the pawn on h6 as well as 32.f3, trapping the rook.
31...Kh7?
Black falls apart. He should have given up the pawn instead of the exchange. After 31...Qb3 32.Qxh6 Bd3, there is still a lot of fight.
32.f3 Rxg3 33.Kxg3 f5 34.Rab1 Qc7 35.Qb6 f4+ 36.Kf2 Qe7 37.Qb7 Rf7 38.Qxe7 Rxe7 39.Rb8 g5 40.hxg5 hxg5 41.Rh1+ Kg7 42.Rhh8 Bd3 43.Rbg8+ Kf7 44.Rxg5 Rc7 45.Rhg8 1–0
Yes, even a master who is not internationally titled like Efren can outplay a Zhang Zhong. Our players can do it, with every new tournament we have discoveries like Kim Steven Yap, David Elorta, Hamed Nouri, Rolando Andador, Dino Ballecer, Ernesto Fernandez, etc., but in the next tournament we find out that they are inconsistent. With more training, local tournaments and strong competition, this consistency will come.
We can beat the Chinese. It is just a matter of attitude on the part of the players and political will on the part of the Federation.
Reader comments and/or suggestions are urgently solicited. Email address is bangcpa@gmail.com.
This column was first published in BusinessWorld on Monday, January 21, 2008.
BOBBY ANG’S BUSINESSWORLD COLUMN, CHESS PIECE (2)
Fischer Nuggets
BY this time everyone already knows that one of the world’s greatest chess geniuses, Bobby Fischer, has died of kidney failure. He was 64 years of age. As our Davao correspondent Jun Atmosfera points out, even Fischer's death has chessic significance --he died at 64, the number of squares in a chessboard.
In a nutshell, Bobby Fischer became the 11th world chess champion after he defeated Boris Spassky in their 1972 “Match of the Century” at Reykjavik, Iceland. Fischer will be remembered for his deep opening preparation (he completely raised the bar and forced his contemporaries to try to follow his pace), his precision (much imitated but not approached), and a clear strategic style which makes chess seem all too easy.
Fischer learned the rules of the game in 1951 at the age 6 together with his 12-year-old sister Joan from the instructions in a chess set. He was so fascinated with the game that he played night and day and pretty soon his mother was publishing advertisements looking for chessplaying children of the same age.
He played in chess tournaments one after the other, but his early chess successes cannot be compared to those of a genius, and the quality of his games as well gave no hint that he would become world champion.
The year 1957 was his break-out year. Fischer wryly commented that after all those games and tournaments he “just got better.” In July he won the US Junior Championship in San Francisco and in August the USA Open Championship in Cleveland, Ohio (he finished even with GM Arthur Bisguier, but was declared winner on tiebreaks). Finally, in December there came the 4th Rosenwald Tournament, which also served as the USA Closed Championship and the zonal tournament in which the first two would qualify for the 1958 Interzonal in Portoroz. In a great sensation, the 14-year-old Fischer scored eight wins and five draws to become USA Champion, a full point ahead of chess legend Samuel Reshevsky.
He went on to play at Portoroz and qualified for the Candidates’ tournament, in the process earning for himself the International Grandmaster title, the youngest ever in history at that time. This record was to stand for 33 years until it was broken in 1991 by the Hungarian Judit Polgar. From an unknown in early 1957, Fischer had already become the toast of the chess world, and everyone awaited his inevitable climb to claim the chess throne. It was to take 14 more years.
Fischer had always made a big deal about not caring what everybody said about him, but that was not true. For example during this time the press nicknamed him “the Corduroy Killer” because of the sweaters and corduroy trousers Bobby always wore, but by the time of the 1959 US Championship he was already playing in a suit, white shirt and tie.
There is a nice epilogue to this story about the suits. Bobby Fischer admired the dapper appearance of GM Miguel Najdorf of Argentina, who turned up in a different suit every day. One day he came up to “Don Miguel” and asked if he had a lot of suits. “About one hundred and fifty” was the answer.
Ten years later they met again and Fischer excitedly came up to Najdorf with the news that he had built up his personal collection of suits to 187, which was met by the response “Congratulations Bobby! But I was only joking all those years ago. At most I only had about ten different suits.”
In 1963 Bobby Fischer made history by winning all 11 of his games in the USA Championship to emphasize his dominance of American chess.
His detractors talked about the weak field in the US tournament, but I don’t buy that – how can you say that Sammy Reshevsky, Pal Benko and Robert Byrne, all of whom were either former and future Candidates, were weak? And what about Larry Evans, Donald Byrne and Art Bisguier?
The critics also pointed out that in the 1962 Stockholm Interzonal which Fischer won by a mile, 17.5/22, he only got one win out of the top eight opponents – most of his points were against the bottom 14 players, against whom he had 12 wins and two draws.
Now this criticism was refuted in a very convincing manner by Fischer. In the 1970 Palma de Mallorca Interzonal he closed with seven wins against the likes of Gligoric, Taimanov, Mecking and Uhlmann, and then blanked Taimanov 6-0 in their Candidates Match. This was followed by another 6-0 whitewash, this time against the Danish chess legend Bent Larsen, and then victory in the first game of his Final Candidates’ Match with Tigran Petrosian, an unparalleled 20 straight games. His powerful play continued and culminated in a 6.5-2.5 victory over the former world champion, and finally in a 12.5-8.5 triumph over Boris Spassky for the chess crown, after which he disappeared, never to play another official game of chess.
Most readers were brought up in the bible of My 60 Memorable Games. It only covered his career up to 1967 though, and today I will show you what I believe to be his best game from 1967 up to the end of his career. This is the 7th game of his Candidates’ Finals Match with Tigran Petrosian.
Fischer,Robert James (2760) - Petrosian,Tigran V (2640) [B42]
Candidates Final, Buenos Aires (7), 19.10.1971
1.e4 c5 2.Nf3 e6 3.d4 cxd4 4.Nxd4 a6
Known as the Sicilian Kan.
5.Bd3 Nc6
After 5...Nc6
Nowadays this move is considered inaccurate and replaced by 5...Nf6. Fischer's continuation in this game has a lot to do with the current assessment. If Black had wanted to go into the Taimanov, he would have played 4...Nc6. Now, after 4...a6 5.Bd3 Nc6, he allows White to go into a variation of the Taimanov with the useless move ...a6 played.
6.Nxc6! bxc6
Neither pawn capture equalizes. Now, by simple means (c2-c4 and Nc3) White achieves an advantage in space and has an excellent game. If on the other hand Black had taken with the d-pawn then 6...dxc6 7.Nd2! e5 (otherwise White will cramp him with e4-e5) 8.Nc4 (or he can try 8.Qh5) 8...Nf6 9.0–0 Qc7 10.Bd2 (threatening Bd2-a5) 10...Bg4 11.Qe1 b5 12.Ne3 (12.Ba5) 12...Bc5 (12...Be6 13.a4) 13.Nxg4 Nxg4 14.Qe2 Nf6 15.b4 White is doing well. Leko,P (2701)-Khalifman,A (2628)/ Budapest 2000 1–0 (52).
7.0–0 d5 8.c4! Nf6
Both
1) 8...dxe4 9.Bxe4 Qxd1 10.Rxd1 Bd7 11.Nc3 Nf6 12.Bf3 followed by Na4 and Bf4 (Short,N (2615)-Stoeckmann,H/ Krefeld 1986 1–0 39); and
2) 8...dxc4 9.Bxc4 Qxd1 10.Rxd1 Nf6 11.Nc3 Be7 12.Bf4 0–0 13.Bd6 Ra7 14.f3 Re8 15.Bxe7 Raxe7 16.Na4 (Byrne,R-Denker,A/ Lincoln 1969 1–0 65) leave Black with the inferior game.
9.cxd5 cxd5 10.exd5 exd5?
Either 10...Qxd5! or 10...Nxd5 was better. Fischer is usually a fast player, but now he feels the stirrings of a novelty and devoted 20 minutes of thought calculating the final sequence.
11.Nc3! Be7 12.Qa4+! Qd7?!
Better is 12...Bd7 13.Qc2! 0–0 14.Bg5! but even then White is better.
13.Re1!
Fischer can win material with 13.Bb5 axb5 14.Qxa8 0–0 but then Black gets counterplay. He prefers a squeeze.
13...Qxa4 14.Nxa4 Be6 15.Be3 0–0
[15...Nd7 to watch over the b6 and c5 pawns is met by 16.f4! g6 17.Bd4 0–0 18.Rac1 followed by a2-a3 and b2-b4 with a strong grip on the queenside]
16.Bc5 Rfe8 17.Bxe7 Rxe7 18.b4! Kf8 19.Nc5 Bc8 20.f3 Rea7 21.Re5! Bd7 22.Nxd7+! Rxd7 23.Rc1
Threatening Bxa6.
23...Rd6 24.Rc7 Nd7 25.Re2 g6 26.Kf2 h5 27.f4 h4 28.Kf3 f5 29.Ke3 d4+
[29...Nf6 30.Kd4 Ne4 31.Rec2 followed by Ra7 and Rcc7 wins]
30.Kd2 Nb6 31.Ree7 Nd5 32.Rf7+ Ke8 33.Rb7 Nxb4 34.Bc4
Petrosian resigns. He cannot prevent 35.Rh7, after which it is a forced mate after 35...Rf6 36.Rh8+ Rf8 37.Bf7+ Kd8 38.Rxf8. 1–0
I am sure that there have already been many articles about Fischer the chess player. The Filipino reader, of course, would like to know more about Fischer and the Pinoys or Fischer and the Philippines, especially back in 2000 when he stayed for the better part of a year in Baguio City.
All that will be taken up on Monday. Once again, beg, borrow or steal, but be sure to buy Businessworld then.
Reader comments and/or suggestions are urgently solicited. Email address is bangcpa@gmail.com.
This column was first published in BusinessWorld on Friday, January 25, 2008.
FROM MY SWIVEL CHAIR
Bobby Fischer’s enduring legacy
THIS issue is dedicated to the memory of Robert James Fischer, whose “secret” burial in a quiet Catholic churchyard in the countryside of Iceland has generated controversy. Indeed, in death as in life, controversy seems to dog the greatest player of all time.
That is not, however, Bobby Fischer’s enduring legacy. What must endure for all time is the grace and beauty of his games.
This is why I decided to devote nine pages of this issue to his games, including a couple that he had lost in his brilliant, albeit at times stormy, career. From his “Game of the Century” as a 13-year-old who “suddenly became good,” to his quietly positional game that everybody, including two grandmasters at the scene who were analyzing the game for the spectators, thought he would lose.
Unfortunately, I have failed, because of space limitations, to include one exceptionally brilliant game, which I dub his swan song: the 11th game in his 1992 rematch vs Boris Spassky in the old Yugoslavia. Abangan ang kasunod!.
We invite all readers to play over these games to be able to appreciate the competitive—nay, combative—spirit of Bobby Fischer as chess player without peer, one who strove to win at every turn of the road, however rough and rocky it might be.
More than the storms that buffeted his life and career, Fischer’s lasting legacy has been his uncompromising fidelity to truth and integrity in the way he played chess. He elevated this mind-boggling game into an art of incomparable beauty by striving to play to win—always!
With the presentation of these games, we bid farewell to the “best player in history.”
—0—
CHESS czar Butch Pichay’s avowal that he is “willing to go to jail” for the sake of Philippine chess shows how dedicated he is in his advocacy of this game of kings as a national sport for Filipinos.
Nevertheless, I hope he and his co-respondents in the case filed by lawyer Sammy Estimo will appear in court on Wednesday to present their side. I say this with only peace and NCFP unity and solidarity in mind. It takes two to tango, you know.
Gens una sumus! We are one family!
—0—
TWO prodigies, Magnus Carlsen of Norway and Fabiano Caruana of Italy, are showing to the world that being young is no hindrance to their domination of the game despite the presence of much older, more experienced and higher rated rivals.
We are confident that 14-year-old Wesley So will follow in their footsteps. And so will many of our gifted youngsters. May their tribe increase!
—0—
I WISH to thank Lorenzo “Lawrence” Escalante of Sydney, New South Wales, Australia for his gift to The Weekender: Adobe Acrobat 5. He is here on vacation and went out of his way early Saturday night to visit us at our home in Quezon City.
Lawrence was with two of his friends and former classmates at the Pamantasan ng Lungsod ng Maynila—they belonged to the first graduating class of this very prestigious university run by the city government of Manila.
Chess quote
“Fischer demolished the Soviet chess machine but could build nothing in its place. He was an ideal challenger - but a disastrous champion.” —Garry Kasparov
The Weekender
Quezon Memorial Circle
Quezon City
Manuel O. Benitez
Editor & Publisher
Alfredo V. Chay
Circulation Manager
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