Chapter Three
Fischer on the Dynamic Element

In this chapter we examine Fischer’s feel for the initiative. As mentioned in the Introduction, Capablanca and Fischer were very much alike stylistically, except in one notable respect: Fischer had a more natural touch for the initiative. He was also willing to take far greater sacrificial risks than Capa, feeling it was money well spent. When his opponents appeared to dwell safely behind an impregnable citadel, Fischer always somehow managed to finagle a set of keys to the side gate, allowing him to enter surreptitiously. Examples from the chapter:

This position is from his Game of the Century win versus Donald Byrne. Fischer, as Black, looks to be in trouble. After all, both his queen and knight hang simultaneously. If you find Black’s stunning response, then all becomes clear.

 

A single glance tells us the opening stage went horribly wrong for White, who lags badly in development. The question is how was it possible for Fisher, playing Black, to achieve such a position against the great Vasily Smyslov, whose name is synonymous with harmony, and on the black side of a Symmetrical English no less?

 

This is Fischer-Spassky, from their 1992 rematch. Fischer speculated in the opening with a startling Wing Gambit-like pawn sacrifice/opening novelty. Now comes the payoff. How would you continue? For the answer to this question and the first diagram, you need to read the chapter.

Game 19
D.Byrne-R.Fischer
New York 1956
Grünfeld Defence

Bobby was 13-years-old when he played this game, aka ‘The Game of the Century’. I would be hard pressed to find competing performances by other prodigies, like Capablanca, Kasparov and Carlsen, which equal the quality of Fischer’s combination.

 

1 Nf3 Nf6 2 c4 g6 3 Nc3 Bg7 4 d4 0-0 5 Bf4 d5

Fischer switches to the Grünfeld, rather than go 5 ... d6 which gets us into London System versus the King’s Indian, or 5 ... c5 which scores decently for Black, since it isn’t clear if White wants his bishop on f4 in this structure.

6 Qb3 dxc4 7 Qxc4 c6!?

An uncharacteristically passive choice for Fischer. 7 ... Na6 8 e4 c5 is the choice of most of today’s GMs.

8 e4 Nbd7!?

 

Question: Isn’t this move a tad passive.

 

Answer: Correct. This is the Dynamic Element chapter, yet Fischer’s passive opening play is anything but dynamic. Sharper is 8 ... b5 9 Qb3 (after 9 Qd3 Ba6 10 Qc2 Qa5 11 Bd2 b4 12 Nd1 Bxf1 13 Rxf1 c5! White’s pieces are disjointed and Black already stands better, A.Morozevich-I.Kurnosov, Astana (rapid) 2012) 9 ... Be6 10 Qc2 Qa5 11 Bd2 b4 12 Nd1 c5! 13 d5 Bg4 14 Be2 when White stands a shade better, since Ne3 is coming which will give him the bishop-pair and control over c4, I.Ivanisevic-V.Mikhalevski, Skopje 2013.

9 Rd1 Nb6 10 Qc5!

White’s most accurate move.

 

Question: Why is c5 a better square than b3 or d3?

 

Answer: 10 Qb3 walks into tempo loss after ... Be6, while 10 Qd3 is just clunky, where the queen gets in the way of the f1-bishop and doesn’t sit well on the d-file. On c5, the queen suppresses both the ... c5 and ... e5 freeing breaks from Black.

10 ... Bg4 11 Bg5?

Correct was 11 Be2 Nfd7 12 Qa3 Bxf3 13 Bxf3 e5 14 dxe5 Qe8 15 Be2 Nxe5 16 0-0 when White’s bishop-pair offers him an edge, G.Flear-P.Morris, Dublin 1991.

 

Question: What is the motivation behind White’s

last move, since it moves a piece already developed?

 

Answer: This move violates the principle: Don’t move a piece more than once in the opening, especially in open positions. Byrne’s motivation is to lock down Black’s f6-knight, preventing ... Nfd7, due to Qxe7. However, the loss of time involved for White is disastrous.

When our inner voice whispers alluringly into our ear, beckoning us to a tempting yet doomed idea, we sometimes wish the inner voice would just shut the hell up. The tactical signposts are there before us, but sometimes we are like unaware tourists who don’t speak or read the language. Not all theoretical novelties are good ones. I’m not sure if this move – a waste of time and a construction of artifice, in a position which can’t afford such a luxury – is an impromptu attempt to escape opening routine, or simply ignorance of the book move.

 

Exercise (combination alert): Believe it or not, White’s last

move is the losing move and disaster germinates just under the

position’s surface for White. Try and find Fischer’s startling refutation.

 

Answer: Deflection.

11 ... Na4!! 12 Qa3

Forced. White’s c3-knight, normally his queen’s most obedient servant, this time says “No!” to the a4 gift. White’s position spins out of control after 12 Nxa4?? Nxe4 13 Bxe7 (not 13 Qc1?? Bxf3 14 gxf3 Qa5+ and Black regains the piece with a completely winning position) 13 ... Re8! 14 Bxd8 Nxc5+ 15 Be2 Nxa4 16 Bg5 Nxb2 17 Rb1 Bxf3 18 gxf3 Bxd4 when he is down two pawns, with a completely wrecked position.

12 ... Nxc3 13 bxc3 Nxe4!

The loss of the exchange is chump change, when compared to Black’s open lines, development lead and bishop-pair.

14 Bxe7 Qb6 15 Bc4

White can’t even take the exchange: 15 Bxf8 Bxf8 16 Qb3 Re8! 17 Qxb6 (17 Be2?? walks into 17 ... Nxc3! 18 Rd2 Qa5 19 Ne5 Be6 20 Qc2 Nxe2 21 Kxe2 f6 and game over, since White’s knight is unable to move) 17 ... axb6 and White is crushed, due to the coming discovered check along the e-file.

15 ... Nxc3!

One blow follows another. Fischer accurately calculated the consequences of this move.

16 Bc5

The old bishop’s leer lingers upon the black queen’s youthful body with caressing eyes.

16 Qxc3 Rae8 17 0-0 Rxe7 regains the piece with a winning position.

16 ... Rfe8+ 17 Kf1

 

Exercise (combination alert): Now what? Black’s queen and c3-knight hang simultaneously. Crank the gear which sets the combination’s machinery into motion.

 

Answer: Queen sacrifice/windmill/smothered mate.

17 ... Be6!!

Fischer never felt comfortable in irrational, amorphous positions where only a comp or Tal would feel at home. Yet in this one, everything can be worked out to exact detail, so Fischer was actually in his element. Byrne undoubtedly expected 17 ... Nb5? 18 Bxf7+! Kh8 19 Bxb6 Nxa3 20 Bc5! Rf8 21 Bxf8 Rxf8 22 Rd3 Nb5 23 Bc4 which leaves White up material in the ending.

18 Bxb6

If White tosses in 18 Bxe6?? he walks into smothered mate after 18 ... Qb5+ 19 Kg1 Ne2+ 20 Kf1 Ng3+ 21 Kg1 Qf1+ 22 Rxf1 Ne2.

18 ... Bxc4+

“You don’t look well. Are you okay?” asks the bishop solicitously of his f1 cousin. He knows perfectly well that White’s king is anything but okay, since the bishop was the one who poisoned him.

19 Kg1 Ne2+

It was Einstein who declared that compound interest was the most powerful force in the universe. Gulp! White’s king must now prepare himself for the humiliation of entering Black’s windmill.

20 Kf1 Nxd4+

This obnoxious knight is the petulant child who screams and throws tantrums until he gets what he wants.

21 Kg1 Ne2+

Hi, I’m back again!

22 Kf1 Nc3+ 23 Kg1 axb6 24 Qb4 Ra4!

Oh, no you don’t. Fischer takes the d1-rook only after protecting his c4-bishop.

25 Qxb6

White’s once wealthy queen now finds herself cutting out 25%-off coupons for macaroni and cheese.

25 ... Nxd1

White warehouses a position of unwanted and unmarketable commodities, and Byrne could have resigned here (or even earlier), since his lone queen has no prayer against Black’s mob.

26 h3 Rxa2 27 Kh2 Nxf2 28 Re1 Rxe1 29 Qd8+ Bf8 30 Nxe1 Bd5

Fischer targets g2 and the remainder is almost painful to watch.

31 Nf3 Ne4 32 Qb8 b5 33 h4

Refurbishing the shabby furniture in your hovel is fine, except for the fact that you still live in a hovel.

33 ... h5 34 Ne5

Threat: Nd7.

34 ... Kg7

Covering against Nd7, while threatening ... Bd6+.

35 Kg1

 

Exercise (combination alert/calculation): Work out Black’s

forced mate in your head, without moving the pieces.

 

Answer: 35 ... Bc5+

The bishop refuses to absolve White’s king of his many sins.

36 Kf1

If 36 Kh2 Nd2! 37 Kh1 Ra1+ 38 Kh2 Nf1+ 39 Kh1 Bf2 40 Nf3 Ng3+ 41 Kh2 Rh1 mate.

36 ... Ng3+

Or 36 ... Rf2+ 37 Ke1 Bb4+ 38 Kd1 Bb3+ 39 Kc1 Ba3+ 40 Kb1 Rf1 mate.

37 Ke1 Bb4+

Black mates one move quicker with 37 ... Re2+! 38 Kd1 Bb3+ 39 Kc1 Ba3+ 40 Kb1 Re1 mate.

38 Kd1 Bb3+ 39 Kc1

Donald Byrne obviously had a high degree of tolerance for pain.

 

Question: Why would Byrne play on to mate?

 

Answer: I suspect that Byrne was a good sport and an altruist, who gifted kid-Fischer the thrill of delivering mate on the board.

39 ... Ne2+ 40 Kb1 Nc3+

The conversation in the room flagged somewhat when the knight indelicately brought up the touch subject of the white king’s upcoming execution date.

41 Kc1 Rc2 mate 0-1

Oh, the humanity!

Game 20
R.Fischer-J.Sherwin
East Orange 1957
King’s Indian Attack

1 e4 c5 2 Nf3 e6 3 d3

Fischer relied heavily on the King’s Indian Attack early in his career.

3 ... Nc6 4 g3 Nf6

Black avoids an early ... d5.

5 Bg2

 

Question: Can White profit from pushing Black’s f6-knight around with 5 e5?

 

Answer: I don’t think so. Black looks just fine after 5 ... Ng4 6 Qe2 f6! (forcing the swap of a central pawn for a wing pawn) 7 exf6, B.Radic-B.Tomic, Zenica 2008. After 7 ... Nxf6 Black should benefit from the open f-file.

5 ... Be7 6 0-0 0-0 7 Nbd2 Rb8!?

Sherwin is determined to weird it up. He avoids 7 ... d5 which transposes to book lines.

8 Re1

8 a4 looks slightly inaccurate to me, since Black can switch back to normal lines with 8 ... d5! 9 Re1 a6 10 c3 b5 when the inclusion of a4 benefits Black, since the queenside opened more than in normal positions, E.Sutovsky-V.Milov, Polanica Zdroj 1999.

8 ... d6

Black once again avoids ... d5 and plays the position as if against an Open Sicilian.

 

Question: It feels to me like White’s normal kingside attacking plan

doesn’t work against Black’s ... d6 set-up. What is White’s correct plan?

 

Answer: Play for c3 and d4, just as Fischer did in the game.

9 c3

The once glutinous centre begins to flow in alteration.

9 ... b6!?

This passive move allows Fischer to generate a central initiative.

 

Question: Isn’t 9 ... b5 a more vigorous response,

which seeks to expand on the queenside?

 

Answer: That is what I would play, but White may yet get an edge even in that version after 10 d4 b4 11 e5 dxe5 (not 11 ... Ne8?! 12 exd6 Bxd6, as in D.Pikula-R.Govedarica, Belgrade 2000; White has a huge advantage after 13 Nc4!, and if 13 ... Be7? 14 Bf4 Rb7 15 dxc5 bxc3 16 bxc3 Bxc5 17 Ng5 Qxd1 18 Raxd1 Ne7 19 Bxb7 Bxb7 when Black is busted, down an exchange in the ending) 12 Nxe5 Nxe5 13 dxe5 bxc3 14 bxc3 Nd7 15 Nc4 Ba6 16 Qg4. I prefer White’s position, due to his grip over the d6-square.

10 d4 Qc7 11 e5!

Fischer gains kingside space, perhaps dreaming of a kingside attack.

11 ... Nd5?

A seemingly insignificant contingency, if left unattended, can easily turn into a true emergency. It was necessary to first swap with 11 ... dxe5 12 dxe5 and only then play 12 ... Nd5, which is a bit better for White, but nowhere near what Fischer got in the game. Instead, 12 ... Nd7 13 Qe2 Bb7 14 Nc4 and now 14 ... b5?! is met with 15 Nd6! with advantage to White.

12 exd6 Bxd6 13 Ne4!

Fischer angles for tactics based on Nxd6, c4 and Bf4, which skewers Black’s queen and b8-rook.

13 ... c4?!

This cuts off White’s future c4, but isn’t the best line:

a) 13 ... cxd4? directly walks into Fischer’s idea after 14 c4! Nde7 15 Nxd6 Qxd6 16 Bf4 Qb4 17 a3! Qxc4 (17 ... Qxb2? 18 Ne5 Nxe5 19 Bxe5 Rb7 20 Bxd4 Rd7 21 Bxb2 Rxd1 22 Rexd1 leaves Black down a rook) 18 Rc1 Qa6 19 Bxb8 Nxb8 20 Nxd4 when Black is down the exchange and his queen awkwardly placed.

b) 13 ... Be7? 14 c4 and the problem is if Black’s d5-knight moves, then Bf4 follows.

c) Relatively best was 13 ... Ba6! (halting c4) 14 dxc5 Be7! 15 cxb6 Qxb6 when Black can hope for some degree of compensation for his pawn from the open queenside files.

14 Nxd6 Qxd6 15 Ng5

Perhaps more accurate was 15 Qc2! (menacing Ng5) 15 ... h6 16 Nd2 b5 17 Ne4 Qe7 18 b3 Na5 19 b4 Nc6 20 a4 a6 21 Nc5 with a queenside bind.

15 ... Nce7?

As the complications increase, it throws the position’s requirements out of focus – but only for one side. Black dismisses a very real threat as harmless. White’s knight should immediately be ejected with 15 ... h6.

16 Qc2!

Black suddenly experiences grave difficulties defending h7.

16 ... Ng6

 

Question: What is wrong with 16 ... g6?

 

Answer: It creates terminal dark-square punctures around Black’s king after 17 Ne4 Qd8 18 Bh6 Re8 19 Bg5 Kg7 20 Qe2! Qc7 (20 ... f6?? fails to 21 Nxf6 Nxf6 22 Bxf6+ Kxf6 23 Qe5+ Kf7 24 Qxb8) 21 Nf6! Nxf6 (21 ... Rf8 22 Bxd5 Nxd5 23 Nxd5 exd5 24 Bf4 Qb7 25 Qe5+ wins a full rook) 22 Bf4 Qd7 23 Bxb8 with a full exchange up and continued control over the dark squares after 23 ... Nfd5 24 g4!.

17 h4!

Threatening h5.

17 ... Nf6

17 ... f5 is strategically awful: 18 b3 h6 19 Nh3 b5 20 h5 Nge7 21 Bf4 Nxf4 22 Nxf4 Kh7 23 bxc4 bxc4 24 Qa4 and Black won’t survive.

 

 

Exercise (combination alert): White’s position feels like it contains the

proper tint for a combination. How did Fischer pursue his kingside agenda?

 

Answer: Pin/removal of a key defender.

18 Nxh7!

An elegant combination tends to drape the overt crudity to what was once a Neanderthal attack.

18 ... Nxh7

After 18 ... Kxh7 19 Bf4 Black loses material.

19 h5

Fischer’s point. He threatens both hxg6 and if the knight moves, Bf4.

19 ... Nh4!?

It seems contradictory that when we set up a trap, our actions are born of manipulation and falsehood, yet we – supposedly good human beings (outside the chessboard!) – all pray our machinations come to fruition. Sherwin attempts a swindle which the ever-alert Fischer sees through.

Black is also unable to survive 19 ... Bb7 20 hxg6 fxg6 21 Bxb7 Rxb7 22 Qxg6 Nf6 23 Re5.

20 Bf4

The f4-square, a shining street lamp on a foggy street, has been a guidepost to White’s intentions for quite some time.

20 ... Qd8 21 gxh4!

21 Bxb8?? walks into Sherwin’s trap after 21 ... Nxg2 22 Kxg2 Bb7+ (double attack) 23 f3 Qxb8 and White is the one busted.

21 ... Rb7 22 h6!

Foolish would be 22 Bxb7? which sells the light squares for a mere exchange.

22 ... Qxh4

After 22 ... g6 23 h5 Qh4 24 Bd6 Rd8 25 hxg6 Rxd6 26 gxh7+ Kh8 27 Re4 Qh5 28 Re3 Re7 29 Rg3 Rd8 30 Qe4 Qxh6 31 Re1 Black’s king won’t survive.

23 hxg7 Kxg7?!

This move is similar to the judge who decides to levy a fine upon himself. Now Black’s king is exposed beyond hope. He had to use the g7-pawn as a shield with 23 ... Rd8.

24 Re4!

Threat: Be5+. Now White’s attack/initiative rages out of control.

24 ... Qh5 25 Re3

The rook operates effectively along the third rank.

25 ... f5

Black prays his king has time to run from the embattled sector, but bound within such powerful constraints, there is no remedial action available for Black.

26 Rh3 Qe8 27 Be5+

Fischer decides not to tarnish his aspirations with merely material gain: 27 Bh6+ Kh8 28 Bxf8 Qxf8 29 Bxb7 Bxb7 30 f3 with two extra exchanges.

27 ... Nf6 28 Qd2

Threatening both Qg5+ and Qh6+.

28 ... Kf7

Lassie attempts to drag little Timmy away from the edge of the precipice.

29 Qg5 Qe7

 

Exercise (combination alert): Black’s position threatens to disintegrate

into embarrassment. We get a clear sense of dispersal in Black’s harmony,

as at a sporting event where one team leads by a too-large margin, and

we note the spectators filing for the exits to beat the future traffic jam in

the parking lot. White has multiple wins here. Find one of them.

 

Answer: Removal of a key defender.

30 Bxf6!

Answer no.2 Also crushing is 30 Rh6! after which Black’s knight is unable to move, due to Rh7+.

30 ... Qxf6 31 Rh7+

Black must adjust for inflation. The b7-rook hangs.

31 ... Ke8

“My husband’s greatest ability is his talent to consistently disappoint all those who depend upon him,” remarks Black’s queen.

32 Qxf6 Rxh7

32 ... Rxf6 33 Bxb7 leaves Black down a full rook.

33 Bc6+ 1-0

33 ... Bd7 34 Qxe6+ Kd8 35 Qd6 and it’s pretty easy to do the maths. Black is down way too much material.

Game 21
R.Fischer-M.Tal
Bled 1961
Sicilian Taimanov

I have always felt that Santa Clause is a just man, since he holds the naughty accountable for their actions. Alas, the chess board is outside Santa’s jurisdiction. Due to this lack of a policing force, tactical con artists like Tal often got away with all sorts of crimes – but not in this game.

 

1 e4 c5 2 Nf3 Nc6 3 d4 cxd4 4 Nxd4 e6 5 Nc3!?

Perhaps an attempt to dodge Tal’s opening prep. Fischer normally played 5 Nb5.

5 ... Qc7 6 g3 Nf6?!

Even distantly related species, like a human and a clam, share common genes. This may look like a Taimanov Sicilian, but it’s pretty far removed, since Black’s last move is a known inaccuracy.

 

Question: Then why did Tal enter it?

 

Answer: Apparently Tal wrote 6 ... a6 on his score sheet, intending 7 Bg2 Nf6, but then inadvertently played the second move first. Sadly we have all done this when our concentration fragments at the board.

7 Ndb5!

Now Black essentially gets an inferior Taimanov Sicilian.

7 ... Qb8 8 Bf4 Ne5?

This makes matters a lot worse. Tal should go into damage control mode with 8 ... e5 9 Bg5 a6 10 Bxf6 gxf6 11 Na3 Bxa3 12 bxa3 Ne7 13 Qf3 Qc7 14 Bg2 d6 15 0-0 Rg8 16 Nd1 Rg6 17 Ne3. White stands better, but it’s not the end of the world for Black, A.Ivanov-I.Ivanov, US Championship 1989.

9 Be2!

 

Question: Why prepare to fianchetto, and then develop the bishop to e2?

 

Answer: Circumstances changed with Tal’s last move and Fischer is quick to adapt to the new environment. The bishop covers f3, as well as c4, while preparing Qd4.

9 ... Bc5

Kasparov frowns on this move. I don’t see any great viable alternatives:

a) 9 ... d6 10 Qd4 Be7 11 Nxd6+! wins a pawn, since 11 ... Bxd6 12 Rd1 0-0 (12 ... Bc7 is met with the trick 13 Bxe5) 13 Qxd6 Qxd6 14 Rxd6 Nc6 15 Be3 is a hopeless, pawn-down ending for Black.

b) 9 ... a6 10 Qd4 d6 11 0-0-0! axb5 12 Bxe5 and Black’s position collapses.

c) Tal suggested the insane looking retreat 9 ... Ng8!?. This shady looking move doesn’t meet with the requisite qualifications for a successful defence. The move does make sense in a twisted kind of way, in that it manages to avoid material loss, but at dire strategic and developmental costs after 10 Qd4 f6 11 0-0-0 a6 12 Nd6+ Qxd6 13 Qxd6 Bxd6 14 Rxd6 b5 15 Rhd1 with the bishop-pair, dark-square control, central space, and pressure on both d6 and d7-squares.

10 Bxe5!

The bishop continues to weary Black’s queen with unwanted suggestions for her conduct.

 

Question: Doesn’t this violate the principle: Don’t trade away a pinned piece?

 

Answer: It’s an exception to the rule. Fischer was a master of disorienting opponents by swapping one advantage for another. In this case he gives up his powerful dark-squared bishop in exchange for time gained and central space.

10 ... Qxe5 11 f4 Qb8

As failed mad scientists like to bemoan: “Back to the drawing board”.

12 e5 a6

After 12 ... Ng8? 13 Ne4 Be7 14 Qd4 Nh6 15 Nbd6+ Kf8 16 0-0-0 Black’s position resembles a Salvador Dali painting, where objects begin to distort and melt.

13 exf6 axb5 14 fxg7

The g-pawn pushes its way through like a cork forced down a wine bottle’s neck. The practical move, winning a pawn. Keres suggested 14 Ne4 Bf8 15 Qd4 which Houdini also prefers. Fischer explained: “With only two draws against Tal, out of six times to bat, I was in no mood to speculate!”

Tacticians love sudden and violent alterations to the landscape, feeling in their hearts that they will be the ones who profit from the chaos. Natural strategists, on the other hand, prefer familiarity, incorruptible to the laws of chaos. To me Fischer’s last move indicates that he was a natural strategist, rather than a tactician at heart.

14 ... Rg8 15 Ne4 Be7 16 Qd4 Ra4

16 ... Qa7 17 Nf6+ Bxf6 18 Qxf6 Qc5 19 Rf1! intends f5, fxe6 and Qf7+. Now if 19 ... Qxc2 20 f5 and Black is crushed.

17 Nf6+

Brigands begin to infest the kingside.

17 ... Bxf6 18 Qxf6 Qc7

 

Black’s position contains multiple encumbering properties:

1. He lags in development.

2. The lonely c8-bishop’s tenure is the equivalent of an arduous religious retreat in the wilderness.

3. Black’s king is in a dire state, with both Bh5 and Bd3 in the air.

 

Exercise (planning): How does White continue his initiative?

 

Answer: 19 0-0-0!

Just keep developing. Initiative over material (which is a big switch from last chapter); the a2-pawn doesn’t matter. As a chess writer I’m acutely aware that I often offer the reader advice without personal application. Meaning, I see the comp’s evaluation which says White should castle queenside, sacrificing the a2-pawn, and then I write something like “Initiative over material,” knowing full well that if I had Fischer’s position, odds are I wouldn’t have to guts to play his last move. Fischer’s move is even stronger than the continuation 19 Bd3 Qd8 20 Qh6 f5.

19 ... Rxa2 20 Kb1 Ra6

 

Question: Isn’t Black taking over the initiative after 20 ... Qa5?

 

Answer: On the contrary, it is White who rules the board after 21 b4! Qa4 22 Qc3! Kd8 23 Bd3 (threat: Bxh7) 23 ... Ra3 24 Qb2 f5 25 Rhe1 d5 26 g4 and Black crumbles.

21 Bxb5

This wins, but Bobby missed the even more crushing 21 Bh5! d6 22 Rhe1 Qe7 23 Qh6 Kd8 24 Qxh7 Qe8 25 f5, and if 25 ... e5 26 Rxe5! which overloads the queen.

21 ... Rb6 22 Bd3

Here h7 is the gateway to great treasure. Threat: Bxh7, which in turn forces Tal’s next.

22 ... e5

 

Exercise (combination alert): Wounded positions rarely mend themselves without need of extraneous medical assistance. How would you continue with White?

 

Answer: Queen sacrifice. Black loses too much to take White’s queen.

23 fxe5!

The nature of initiative is thirsty soil, which demands ever more water to nourish it.

23 ... Rxf6 24 exf6

Despite Tal’s impressive (temporary) surplus of material, he remains completely busted, since there is no remedy against the coming Bxh7 and Bxg8.

24 ... Qc5 25 Bxh7

“You are only a heartbeat away from the fires of hell,” the bishop warns the g8-rook.

25 ... Qg5 26 Bxg8

26 Rhf1 is met with 26 ... Rxg7.

26 ... Qxf6 27 Rhf1 Qxg7 28 Bxf7+ Kd8 29 Be6!

Target: d7.

29 ... Qh6

29 ... Kc7 30 Bf5 is also completely hopeless for Black.

 

 

Exercise (combination alert): This one is easy. White to play and win more material.

 

Answer: Pin.

30 Bxd7!

Pawns continue to fall away from Black’s leprous structure. Tal’s philanthropic efforts left his bank account at a dangerously low level.

30 ... Bxd7

Well, on the plus side, the buried c8-bishop finally gets to see sunlight, for a single minute more.

31 Rf7

White immediately regains the piece and wipes out the remainder of Black’s pawns.

31 ... Qxh2 32 Rdxd7+

Once something is extinct (i.e. Black’s hopes), there is no way to reverse the process, except for some kind of Jurassic Park cloning scenario. White simply needs to exercise reasonable care not to walk into perpetual check.

32 ... Ke8 33 Rde7+ Kd8 34 Rd7+ Kc8 35 Rc7+ Kd8 36 Rfd7+ Ke8 37 Rd1

There was nothing wrong with 37 Rxb7.

37 ... b5 38 Rb7 Qh5 39 g4 Qh3

Alternatively, 39 ... Qxg4 40 Rh1 (threatening a back rank mate) 40 ... Qd4 41 Rhh7 (Black must watch for potential mates on both b8 and h8) 41 ... Qe5 (or 41 ... Qd1+ 42 Ka2 Qd5+ 43 b3 Qe5 44 Ra7 when Black is unable to simultaneously cover a8 and h8, and try as he may, his king is unable to concoct an escape of the just reckoning White’s rooks have planned for him), and now simplest is 42 Rh8+ (attraction) 42 ... Qxh8 43 Rb8+, regaining the queen and remaining up a rook.

40 g5 Qf3 41 Re1+

It doesn’t take a clairvoyant to see that the unfortunate black king’s future is to be one of eternal servitude to the rooks’ bullying and capricious whims.

41 ... Kf8 42 Rxb5 Kg7 43 Rb6 Qg3 44 Rd1 Qc7 45 Rdd6 Qc8 46 b3 Kh7 47 Ra6 1-0

Game 22
R.Byrne-R.Fischer
USA Championship, New York 1963
Grünfeld Defence

1 d4 Nf6 2 c4 g6 3 g3 c6

This is one of the most solid lines Black can play against White’s set-up.

4 Bg2

In a previous game from this position, Byrne played 4 d5!?. Now Fischer decided to undermine with 4 ... b5! 5 dxc6 bxc4 6 cxd7+ Nbxd7 7 Bg2 Rb8 8 Nf3 Bg7 9 0-0 0-0. Fischer’s open b-file pressure easily makes up for the potential weakness of his c4-pawn, R.Byrne-R.Fischer, USA Championship, New York 1962.

4 ... d5 5 cxd5 cxd5 6 Nc3 Bg7 7 e3

This set-up isn’t as common as 7 Nf3 0-0 8 Ne5! (8 0-0 Ne4! is equal) 8 ... Bf5 (8 ... e6 was popularized by Kasparov, who held Karpov to four draws from this position; more recently, 9 0-0 Nfd7 10 Nf3 Nf6 11 Bf4 Nc6 12 Rc1 Bd7 13 Qd2 Rc8 14 Ne5 Qe7 15 Rfd1 Rfd8 16 Bg5 Qf8 was M.Carlsen-Le Quang Liem, Dubai (blitz) 2014, where White has only a minuscule edge after 17 Qf4 Nh5 18 Qe3) 9 0-0 Ne4 10 Qb3 Nc6 11 Qxd5 Nxc3 12 bxc3 Qxd5 13 Bxd5 Nxe5 14 dxe5 Bxe5 which was even in P.Benko-R.Fischer, USA Championship, New York 1962.

7 ... 0-0 8 Nge2 Nc6 9 0-0 b6 10 b3

10 Nf4 e6 11 b3 Ba6 12 Re1 Rc8 13 Ba3 Re8 14 Rc1 was completely even in G.Stahlberg-S.Flohr, Kemeri 1937.

10 ... Ba6 11 Ba3 Re8 12 Qd2

A tiny inaccuracy. 12 Rc1 is dead even.

 

Question: Can White clamp down on Black’s ... e5 break with 12 f4?

 

Answer: f4 doesn’t fit as well with White’s knight on e2. Normally White plays Nf3, Ne5, and only then f4. Black looks a shade better after 12 ... Qd7 13 Qd2 e6 14 Rac1 Rac8, since White’s knight is misplaced on e2.

12 ... e5!

 

The e-pawn warbles a happy tune in celebration of its new-found freedom. Fischer’s intention crystallizes into the resolve to go for the full point, by bravely setting himself up on a potential path of structural discomfort.

 

Question: Doesn’t this play in to White’s hands, since it weakens Black’s d5-pawn?

 

Answer: It’s very difficult to contrive opportunities without ceding any strategic concession in return. Fischer’s confident last move, which in a way places his trust in the whims of fortune, is a trade-off. He willingly agrees to a desecration of structure to generate enhanced piece activity. The comps all give it the thumbs up. 12 ... e6 is boringly equal.

13 dxe5

 

Question: Can White ignore Black’s provocation with 13 Rac1?

 

Answer: Black looks slightly better after 13 ... exd4 14 exd4 Qd7 15 Rfe1 Ne4 16 Nxe4 dxe4 17 d5 Bxe2 18 Rxc6 Bd3.

13 ... Nxe5 14 Rfd1?

Predictability becomes a fatal encumbrance in battle. This move looks logical, since the rook frees itself from the a6-bishop’s pin. Yet the paradoxical 14 Rad1! is correct. Now Fischer gave 14 ... Qc8!. Black achieves loads of compensation if White goes for 15 Nxd5 Nxd5 16 Bxd5 Rd8 (threat: ... Nf3+) 17 f4 Rxd5! 18 Qxd5 Bb7 19 Qd2 Qc6 20 Qd5 Qxd5 21 Rxd5 Bxd5 22 fxe5 Bxe5 23 Rd1 Be4 24 Rd7 when Black’s bishop-pair probably means more than White’s seventh rank control.

14 ... Nd3!

The d3-square becomes an open invitation for occupation and Black’s initiative threatens to spin out of control. Now ... Ne4 becomes an irritating strategic threat.

15 Qc2?

This move chokes off the defence’s flow of life-sustaining nutrients, but if:

a) 15 Nd4! Ne4 16 Nxe4 dxe4 17 Bb2 Rc8 is admittedly unpleasant, but probably White’s lone hope to save the game.

b) 15 f3 is met with 15 ... Bh6! 16 f4 (16 Nf4?? d4! sends White spinning) 16 ... Bg7!, intending ... Ne4, with a gigantic bind.

c) 15 Nf4 Ne4 16 Nxe4 dxe4 17 Rab1 Rc8 and now 18 Nxd3? is met with the zwischenzug 18 ... Bc3! with a winning position.

 

Exercise (combination alert): Amazingly, White’s last

move loses by force. How would you continue as Black?

 

Answer: Annihilation of the defensive barrier.

15 ... Nxf2!

Fischer decides now is not the moment for tact, or even common politeness.

16 Kxf2

The recollection of this meeting has White’s king waking from his disturbed sleep and screaming into the night, for years to come.

16 ... Ng4+ 17 Kg1 Nxe3

Fischer’s raging initiative projects sharply against a backdrop of White’s cringing defenders.

18 Qd2

 

 

Exercise (combination alert): Like all collectors, we crave that

which is rare and unattainable. In this case a once in a lifetime

combinational opportunity presents itself. Continue Black’s attack.

 

Answer: Decimate the light squares around White’s king.

18 ... Nxg2!!

“I emit glory the way a flower diffuses scent,” proclaims the knight. White’s position boils, not so much from an external threat, but instead from within his own weakened light squares. When it comes to sacrifice, Fischer’s appetite refuses to be dulled by habit. Now the white king’s circle of defenders continues to deplete.

Byrne expected 18 ... Nxd1? 19 Rxd1 when it’s anybody’s game.

19 Kxg2

When we falsely believe we managed to overcome a long-standing problem, we mustn’t be oblivious to the possibility of its recurrence.

19 ... d4!

Every time one attacker is killed, two more seem to rise up to take the dead man’s place. Fischer clears the h1-a8 diagonal for his light-squared bishop.

20 Nxd4 Bb7+ 21 Kf1

Alternatively:

a) 21 Kg1 is crushed by 21 ... Bxd4+ 22 Qxd4 Re1+! (deflection) 23 Kf2 Qxd4+ 24 Rxd4 Rxa1 when Black is up a full exchange and a pawn.

b) 21 Kf2 Qc8 22 Nce2 Qh3 23 Nf3 Bxa1 24 Rxa1 Rad8 25 Qc2 Qe6 26 Neg1 (26 Nfg1 Qf6+ pops the loose a1-rook) 26 ... Qe3+ 27 Kg2 Rd2+ wins.

21 ... Qd7! 0-1

 

The queen begins to vocalize her own sense of self-importance.

 

Question: I realize that Black has a strong attack,

but isn’t this a premature resignation on Byrne’s part?

 

Answer: Houdini evaluation: ‘-7.50’! White is completely busted. Byrne wrote: “Both grandmasters who were commenting on the play for the spectators in a separate room believed that I had a won game!” This also happened to me. In 2004 at the U.S. Championship, I was a pawn up against GM Boris Gulko. Both IMs in the commentary room said I stood either better or at least equal. In truth I was busted, but only Gulko and I realized the fact.

If the Byrne-Fischer game continued, it may have concluded this way: 21 ... Qd7! 22 Qf2 (or 22 Ndb5 Qh3+ 23 Kg1 Bh6 with ... Be3+ to follow) 22 ... Qh3+ (the queen holds up her hand in a ‘please-stop-talking’ gesture to her brother’s complaints) 23 Kg1.

 

Exercise (combination alert): Find the move both

Byrne and Fischer saw, but everyone else missed.

 

Answer: Deflection/pin. 23 ... Re1+!! 24 Rxe1 Bxd4. The bishop is less forgiving than most priests. This is the kind of move which discourages argument from an opponent. Black wins.

Game 23
R.Fischer-U.Geller
Netanya 1968
King’s Indian Attack

1 Nf3 d5 2 g3 c5 3 Bg2 Nc6 4 0-0 Nf6 5 d3

We soon reach yet another King’s Indian Attack – Fischer’s one-size-fits-all remedy against multiple opening variations from Black – from a different move order.

5 ... e6

Playing a pure, Reversed King’s Indian with 5 ... e5 against Fischer would be inadvisable against the top KID player of his day.

6 Nbd2 Be7 7 e4 0-0 8 Re1 Qc7 9 e5 Nd7

 

Question: Can Black get away with 9 ... Ng4!? 10 Qe2 f6?

 

Answer: It looks playable, but White may still have a touch of an edge due to Black’s backward e-pawn after 11 exf6 Bxf6 12 c3 b5 13 h3 Nge5 14 Nxe5 Nxe5, M.Zupe-S.Williams, Budapest 1994. Now White should play 15 Nb3! (threat: Bf4) 15 ... Nxd3 16 Qxd3 c4 17 Qe2 cxb3 18 axb3 Bd7 19 Bf4 Qb7 20 b4 when his blockade of e5 offers him a clear advantage.

10 Qe2 b5 11 Nf1 a5 12 Bf4 Nd4!?

Varying from the Fischer-Miagmasuren game seen in the first chapter.

13 Nxd4 cxd4

Black loses some flexibility on the queenside, but on the plus side the c-file has been conveniently opened.

 

Question: With this altered structure, how

does Black make headway on the queenside?

 

Answer: Black plans to hammer away at c2 by loading up major pieces along the c-file.

14 h4 Ra6

Black intends ... Rc6, ... Ba6 and ... Rfc8, piling up on c2. White has only a few moves to do something about it.

15 Nh2 Rc6 16 Rac1 Ba6?

Correct was 16 ... Bb4! 17 Bd2 (or 17 Red1 a4 18 a3 Be7 19 Nf3 Bc5 20 c3 dxc3 21 Rxc3 b4 22 axb4 Bxb4 23 Rxc6 Qxc6 24 Rc1 Qb5 25 Bf1 Ba6 and Black doesn’t stand worse, since White looks too tied down in the centre and queenside to organize his own kingside attack) 17 ... Bxd2 18 Qxd2 Nxe5 19 f4 Nd7 20 Nf3 Qb6 21 Qf2 b4 22 Nxd4 when the game is approximately even.

 

Exercise (combination alert): A variety of motivations, which

combined, can produce a plan which is at cross purposes with

our intent. With his last move, Black was too intent on his own plan,

oblivious to Fischer’s coming trick. How did White seize the initiative?

 

Answer: Deflection/discovered attack.

17 Bxd5!

The tone of the game shifts abruptly, from a whisper to a shriek.

17 ... exd5?!

With an over-correction, we risk curing the disease and also killing the body. It may have been better to just admit his mistake and decline with 17 ... Rc5. I’m allergic to bees and wasps, and when I see one approaching, my best defence is to remain completely motionless, rather than swat and risk its ire. In the same way, Black decides to temporarily shelve all grievances and submit to his opponent’s wishes. Here 18 Be4 Rc8 19 Nf3 (c2 can’t be defended, so White goes after d4) 19 ... Rxc2 20 Rxc2 Qxc2 21 Nxd4 Qxe2 22 Rxe2 is a pawn up ending for White, but I would actually take this route over Black’s choice in the game, as after 22 ... a4 (22 ... Nc5 is met strongly with 23 Nc6) 23 Nc6 Bf8 24 d4 Nb6 25 Bg5 Nd5 26 Rc2 Bb7 27 Na5 Rxc2 28 Bxc2 Ba8 Black’s blockade of d5 allows him to put up a fight.

18 e6

 

Question: Isn’t this a purchase of a luxury which costs more than

its worth? It seems to me that White’s plan entails grave risk on the

light squares, with few other compensating qualities. What about

the fact that White gave away his powerful light-squared bishop?

 

Answer: White regains the piece favourably, for the following reasons:

1. White’s central counter disorganized Black’s queenside initiative.

2. White’s central counter chronically weakened the d4 isolani, as well as generates potential to take d5 in an ending.

3. Surprisingly, Black is unable to exploit White’s light-square holes on the kingside, mainly since his d5-pawn gums up his a6-bishop’s access to the kingside.

18 ... Qd8 19 exd7 Re6 20 Qg4 f5

A desperate attempt to complicate to hide his strategic weaknesses. This weakens e6 and e5. The trouble is 20 ... Qxd7 is met with 21 Rxe6 Qxe6 22 Qxe6 fxe6 23 Re1 Bc8 24 Be5 Bf6 25 Nf3 b4 26 Nxd4, which leaves Black in a completely lost, pawn-down ending, tied down to e6, with chronically weak dark squares on d4 and e5.

21 Qh5 Qxd7 22 Nf3

Black’s d4-pawn is weak.

22 ... g6

This move weakens the dark squares around Black’s king. However:

a) 22 ... Bc5? allows White a combination with 23 Rxe6 Qxe6 24 Qxh7+! Kxh7 25 Ng5+ Kg8 26 Nxe6 Rc8 27 Be5 when he wins a second pawn.

b) 22 ... Bf6 23 Rxe6 Qxe6 24 Re1 Qc6 (or 24 ... Qf7 25 Qxf7+ Kxf7 26 Bg5 and the d4-pawn falls) 25 Be5! Bxe5 26 Rxe5, and if 26 ... Qxc2? 27 Ng5 h6 28 Qg6! hxg5 29 Re7 forces mate.

23 Qh6 Bf6 24 Rxe6 Qxe6

 

Exercise (planning): How did Fischer increase his initiative?

 

Answer: Pin. Principles:

1. When your opponent has the bishop-pair, remove one of them.

2. Create confrontation on your strong colour.

25 Be5!!

The bishop rolls his eyes heavenward, seeking out new sins to which he can later be penitent.

 

Question: I agree with both principles applied here,

but why not first toss in 25 Re1 to gain a tempo?

 

Answer: This is another example of Fischer’s legendary alertness. Your suggestion walks into Black’s diabolical trap after 25 ... Qxe1+! (the queen scolds others for behaviour she herself exhibits) 26 Nxe1 Bg7 27 Qg5 Bf6 and now to avoid a repetition of moves, White must go for 28 Bd6 Bxg5 29 Bxf8 Bc1 30 Bc5 Bxb2 31 Nf3 Bc8 32 Bxd4 Ba3. Black’s bishop-pair ensures that he doesn’t stand worse in the ending.

25 ... Bxe5 26 Re1

Fischer regains his piece, remaining with the dominant minor piece.

26 ... f4

Black’s would-be initiative hopes to recover its sense of fading outline. As every kid understands, if a person of authority forces obedience, this in turn breeds resentment and rebellion. Black attempts a desperate counterattack along the f-file, hoping to mitigate his tiresome defence with a touch of frivolity.

26 ... Bg7 27 Qxg7+ Kxg7 28 Rxe6 Rf6 29 Nxd4 Kf7 30 Rxf6+ Kxf6 31 f4 is a lost ending for Black, who suffers down a pawn, with the clearly inferior minor piece.

27 Rxe5 Qd7

Avoiding 27 ... Qh3?? 28 Re7 (threatening mate on the move) 28 ... Rf7 29 Re8+ Rf8 30 Rxf8 mate.

 

Exercise (combination alert): It appears as if Black has strong counterplay

down the f-file, since ... fxg3 is threatened. What did Fischer do about it?

 

Answer: Nothing! Fischer ignores Black’s threat and proceeds with his own attack, correctly gauging it to be faster.

28 h5!

This venture inextricably involves the safety, or lack of it, of the two kings. Fischer, chipping away at the black king’s cover with the patience of a war monument, correctly assesses that the enemy king is the more exposed of the two.

28 ... fxg3 29 hxg6!

The hidden blade inside Fischer’s scabbard slowly begins to display steel. It feels as if both sides launch simultaneous attacks on everything, all at once. Initiative-based players hate to take time out to defend anything hanging in their position, interpreting the task as demeaning.

29 ... gxf2+

Fischer’s pretty idea is seen in the line 29 ... Rxf3?? (a move made with the philosophy: Wealth isn’t happiness, but it’s not such a bad substitute) 30 Re8+! (deflection) 30 ... Qxe8 31 Qxh7+ (“You dared defy my authority, so I see that the rod of correction is necessary to help you ‘understand’ your error,” lectures the queen) 31 ... Kf8 32 g7+ Ke7 33 g8Q+ and wins.

30 Kxf2 hxg6 31 Qxg6+ Qg7

 

Exercise (combination alert): White to play and force the win.

 

Answer: Double attack/pin.

32 Rg5!

Most certainly not 32 Qxa6?? walking into 32 ... Qxe5.

32 ... Rf7

This drops the queen, but there was no salvation for Black, as if 32 ... Qxg6 33 Rxg6+ and the double attack picks off a piece after 33 ... Kf7 34 Rxa6.

33 Qh6 1-0

White’s queen, unencumbered by societal delicacies, decides to give her g7 sister a swift kick while she isn’t looking.

Game 24
V.Smyslov-R.Fischer
Palma de Mallorca Interzonal 1970
English Opening

1 c4 g6 2 Nc3 Bg7 3 g3 c5 4 Bg2 Nc6 5 b3

 

Question: Isn’t this move a bit too tame to hope for an edge?

 

Answer: I agree. White’s best shot may be 5 a3 when Black has at his or her disposal a variety of set-ups.

5 ... e6 6 Bb2 Nge7 7 Na4?!

An irrational idea germinates in Smyslov’s mind. Each theoretical novelty carries the seed of the heretical thought: “My idea takes precedence over the entirety of the past”. Smyslov tried this inferior move first on Tal, lost the game and then for some bizarre reason, he repeated it against Fischer.

If I had to describe Smyslov’s style in a single word, I would choose: Harmony. Yet this move is anything but harmonious, and now it is White who fights for equality. Smyslov eliminates the dark-squared bishops at the high cost of time, for which he later pays. He should try something like 7 Qc1 d6 (7 ... d5? walks into White’s trap after 8 cxd5 exd5 9 Nxd5!) 8 f4 0-0 9 Ne4 e5 10 fxe5 Nxe5 11 Nf3 with a weird but playable game, V.Hort-B.Gulko, Niksic 1978.

7 ... Bxb2 8 Nxb2

As everyone knows, Reti frowned upon fianchettoed knights. The b2 specimen is clearly confused about its identity and role in the world.

 

Question: Why would Smyslov go so far out of his way to swap bishops?

 

Answer: Black’s g7-bishop was Fischer’s best piece. But it’s a question of degree. I just don’t think the time lost and the misplacement of White’s b2-knight is worth the slight gain of the bishop swap.

8 ... 0-0 9 e3!?

Very leisurely, as if he has all day. It feels to me as if Smyslov isn’t attuned to the danger yet, and is torn between the wish to retain allegiance to his originally planned set-up, and the lurking fear that it may be an unsound project.

I would just bring out pieces quickly to castle with 9 Nf3 d5 10 cxd5 exd5 11 0-0 when White only stands a shade worse. If 11 ... d4 12 Rc1 b6 13 Ne5! (principle: Trades benefit the cramped side), when White’s position is inferior, yet still quite playable.

9 ... d5 10 cxd5

Earlier, after 10 Nf3 Nf5 11 0-0 b6 12 Na4 Bb7 13 cxd5 exd5 14 d3 Qf6 15 Qd2 Rad8 16 Rfd1 Rfe8 17 Rab1 Nd6 18 Ne1 d4 Black already stood better, due to the extra central space, and Smyslov didn’t manage to save the game, V.Smyslov-M.Tal, Moscow 1964.

10 ... Nxd5 11 Ne2 b6 12 d4?

This move is a bit like deciding to forego cream in your morning coffee, and adding vinegar instead. Every bad idea which pops into our head carries its own particular brand of decay. When we fluff our opening, we become Tolstoy’s character Ivan Ilyich, who asks himself: “What if my whole life has been wrong?” White’s last move is a mistake, after which the normally easy task of achieving castling (as White) suddenly becomes difficult to achieve.

White stands only slightly worse after 12 0-0 (a move motivated by fear is a move motivated by necessity) 12 ... Bb7 13 a3.

 

Exercise (planning): On his last move, White violated the

principles: Don’t open the game or create confrontation when

lagging in development. How did Fischer exploit his development lead?

 

12 ... Ba6!

“Lead us not into temptation,” prays the bishop, as he yields to it. This move prevents White from castling.

13 dxc5

Otherwise:

a) 13 0-0? cxd4 14 exd4 Bxe2 15 Qxe2 Nxd4 and White hangs a pawn.

b) Houdini suggests 13 Nc4, which wastes yet more time: 13 ... Qf6! 14 dxc5 bxc5 15 0-0 Rfd8 with unpleasant pressure from Black.

13 ... Qf6!

Fischer launches simultaneous assaults on separate ramparts. Now White falls dangerously behind in development.

14 Nc4!

The only move. If 14 Nd4? Rad8! 15 Nc4 (or 15 Nxc6?? Nxe3 16 Nxd8 Nxg2+ 17 Kd2 Qxb2+ 18 Qc2 Rxd8 mate) 15 ... Nc3 16 Qf3 Qxf3 17 Nxf3 Nb4 18 0-0 bxc5 when ... Nbxa2 is threatened and White can barely move.

14 ... Nc3! 15 Nxc3

Following 15 Qc1 Nxe2 16 Kxe2 Rac8 17 Rd1 Na5 18 c6 Nxc6 19 Qa3 Na5 20 Rac1 Rc5 21 Ke1 Bxc4 22 bxc4 Nxc4, and if 23 Qxa7? Qb2 24 Rb1 Qc3+ 25 Kf1 Ra5 (Black threatens White’s queen and also ... Nd2+) 26 Qd7 Rxa2 27 Kg1 Qc2 28 Rf1 Nd2 29 Rbc1 Qb2 Black also picks up the exchange, since 30 Rfd1?? is met with 30 ... Nf3+.

15 ... Qxc3+ 16 Kf1

The king makes a sound eerily similar to the startled yelp by that citizen of Tokyo (circa early 1950’s), when he first caught a glimpse of Godzilla entering the city limits.

16 ... Rfd8 17 Qc1 Bxc4+ 18 bxc4 Qd3+ 19 Kg1 Rac8 20 cxb6 axb6

 

Question: Does Black have full compensation for the pawn?

 

Answer: More than enough compensation. Despite being a pawn up, Smyslov experiences difficulties completing his development. Just as in Fischer’s game against Petrosian in the first chapter, here yet another ex-world champion suffers a buried h-rook, unable to participate for a long time.

21 Qb2 Na5 22 h4!

Smyslov to make use of the dead rook on h1, with h5 next, rather than:

a) 22 Bf1 Nxc4 23 Bxd3 Nxb2 24 Bb5 Nd1 25 Kg2 Nc3 26 a4 Rc5 27 Rac1 Rd2 28 Rhf1 leaves White tangled up, with troubles on b5 and f2.

b) 22 Qxb6 Nxc4 23 Qb3 (it looks like White should hold the draw by eliminating the final black pawn on the queenside, but Black’s pressure is deceptively potent) 23 ... Qd2 24 h3 Ne5 25 Rf1 Rc2 (threat: ... Nd3, after which f2 falls) 26 Rh2 Rxa2 and I think White will be hard pressed to hold the game, despite the fact that all the remaining pawns are on the same side of the board.

22 ... Nxc4 23 Qf6

White menaces h5.

23 ... Qf5!

Superb judgement.

 

Question: Why would Black, who has both initiative

and chances for an attack, agree to swap queens?

 

Answer: Fischer correctly decided that he had enough of an armed force built up to threaten White’s king, but not enough to destroy him. So instead, he followed the principle: Swap off your opponent’s active pieces. He enlarges the horizon of his ambitions, beyond simply playing for mate. The ending is still clearly superior for Black, due to his development lead.

24 Qxf5 gxf5!

Rendering White’s h5 and hxg6 idea ineffective.

25 h5

The h1-rook attempts its escape via h4.

25 ... Rd2 26 Rc1 Rc5!

Fischer doesn’t bother with wasting a tempo with capturing a2.

27 Rh4

The rook, which for so long contemplated and sat as impassively as a statue of Buddha, finally comes to life.

27 ... Ne5! 28 Rxc5

Matters of extreme urgency force White’s hand and Smyslov reconciles himself to an unpleasant necessity. Houdini suggests 28 Rf1 but then 28 ... Rxa2 looks equally hopeless for White.

28 ... bxc5

Fischer’s once invisible intent begins to manifest itself on a physical, macroscopic level. He earns himself a dangerous passed c-pawn, which will be hard to stop.

29 Ra4 c4 30 h6

Threatening mate.

30 ... Kf8 31 Ra8+ Ke7 32 Rc8

32 Rh8?? is froth without true substance. Black wins after 32 ... c3 33 Rc8 c2 34 Bf1 Nf3+ 35 Kg2 Ne1+ 36 Kg1 Rd1 and White can resign.

32 ... Rxa2

Fischer finally captures a2, almost as an afterthought.

33 Bf1

If 33 f4 Ra1+ 34 Bf1 (34 Kh2 Ng4+ 35 Kh3 Nxe3 wins) 34 ... Ng4 and the problem is 35 Rxc4 is met with 35 ... Rxf1+ 36 Kxf1 Nxe3+ forking.

33 ... Rc2 34 Kg2

White’s king slinks about wearing dark glasses, even at night, pretty much like every character in The Matrix.

34 ... Ng4!

 

Black rook and knight spit on their right palms and then clasp hands, signalling a mutual oath to go after White’s pawns, and kill them all, one by one. Here we see Fischer’s trademark switch of one advantage for another. By trading the passed c-pawn for f2, he leaves Smyslov with several sickly pawns.

35 Kg1 Rxf2 36 Bxc4 Rf3

The drooping profile of White’s pawns gives us a picture of his misery. All three are hanging!

37 Kg2 Rxe3 38 Rh8 Nxh6 39 Rxh7 Ng4 40 Bb5 Rb3 41 Bc6 Rb2+ 42 Kg1

Alternatively:

a) 42 Kf3 Rf2 mate.

b) 42 Kh3 Rh2 mate. The blow to the king’s back had that awful wet sound of the butcher’s axe driving into a particularly tender cut of meat.

42 ... Ne5 43 Bh1 0-1

The ending is a trivial win for Fischer, so Smyslov resigned.

Game 25
R.Fischer-B.Spassky
World Championship (Game 10), Reykjavik 1972
Ruy Lopez

This epic battle is a strong candidate for the greatest Ruy Lopez game ever played (although fans of the Fischer-Stein Introduction game of the book may dispute this claim).

 

1 e4 e5

When I enter the gym each morning, I know which of my gym rat friends prefer a handshake, and which prefer a fist bump. Fischer and Spassky, who understood the other’s styles and opening preferences this well, both certainly logged heavy pre-match hours into preparing for their inevitable and much anticipated Lopez clash.

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

Learning must pass the mere level of information to reach the desired state of understanding. Spassky at the time was the world’s leading expert (and maybe still is!) on the Breyer line of the Ruy Lopez. He understood its treacherous byways and recesses like no other player of his time.

I was 11-years-old when this game was played and remember my father explaining Black’s retreat as (and I’m paraphrasing), “Clear evidence that Spassky was terrified of Fischer.” I’m afraid I must contradict my father and explain that Black’s last move is to re-route the knight to d7, after which Black’s c-pawn is free to move forward.

 

Question: Doesn’t the move cost Black too much time?

 

Answer: No. Principle: In closed positions, quality trumps quantity when it comes to development.

10 d4 Nbd7 11 Nbd2

This is White’s main line, yet it may have come as a bit of a surprise for Spassky, since Fischer normally played 11 Nh4 and then:

a) 11 ... Nb6 12 Nd2 c5 13 dxc5 dxc5 14 Nf5 Bxf5 15 exf5 Qc7 16 g4 h6 17 h4 c4 18 Bc2 Nh7 (centralizing with 18 ... Nfd5 looks like a better idea) 19 Nf3 f6 20 Nd2 when White’s light-square superiority and use of e4 gave him an edge, R.Fischer-P.Benko, New York 1965.

b) 11 ... exd4 12 cxd4 Nb6 13 Nd2 (or 13 Nf3 c5 14 Bf4 Bb7 15 dxc5 dxc5 16 Qxd8 Bxd8 17 Bd6 Re8 18 Bxc5 Nbd7 19 Bd4 Nxe4 20 Nc3 Bf6, R.Fischer-K.Robatsch, Vinkovci 1968, and White looks a shade better after 21 Bd5) 13 ... Nfd5 (uncovering on the loose h4-knight) 14 Nhf3 Nb4 15 d5 c5 16 dxc6 Nxc6 17 Nf1 Bf6 18 Be3 Na5 (18 ... Bxb2?! is met with the tricky 19 Qc2! with advantage to White) 19 Bd4 Bb7 and Black’s active pieces compensate his slightly weak d6-pawn, R.Fischer-G.Forintos, Monte Carlo 1967.

In his rematch against Spassky, Fischer tried 11 c4 c6 12 cxb5 axb5 13 Nc3 Bb7 14 Bg5 b4 15 Nb1 h6 16 Bh4 c5 17 dxe5 Nxe4 18 Bxe7?! (18 Bd5! keeps White equal) 18 ... Qxe7 19 exd6 Qf6 20 Nbd2 Nxd6 and White is the one fighting for equality, R.Fischer-B.Spassky, 29th matchgame, Belgrade 1992.

11 ... Bb7 12 Bc2 Re8 13 b4

White seizes queenside space. Fischer stuck with 13 Nf1 in three encounters in his 1992 rematch with Spassky.

13 ... Bf8 14 a4 Nb6

More time lost. Black feels it is in his best interests to force a partial resolution of the queenside pawn structure.

15 a5

15 axb5 leads to nothing for White after 15 ... axb5 16 Rxa8 Qxa8 17 Bd3 exd4 18 Nxd4 Nxe4 19 Nxe4 Bxe4 20 Bxe4 Rxe4 21 Nxb5 Qd5. Black equalized, J.Timman-G.Kasparov, London 1984. Now 22 Nxc7 is met with 22 ... Rxe1+ 23 Qxe1 Qc6 24 Na6 Na4 25 b5 Qxb5 26 Nb4 with complete equality.

15 ... Nbd7 16 Bb2

Now c4 is in the air.

16 ... Qb8!?

Kasparov felt this move was artificial. Spassky improved on his move a year later with 16 ... Rb8! 17 Rb1 Ba8 18 Ba1 g6 19 c4 exd4?! (this move may hand the advantage back to White; Black stands slightly better after 19 ... bxc4! 20 dxe5 Nxe5 21 Nxe5 dxe5 22 Nxc4 Qxd1) 20 cxb5 axb5 21 Nxd4 d5, A.Planinec-B.Spassky, Amsterdam 1973. White looks slightly better after 22 Bd3!.

17 Rb1

A year later Kavalek found the improvement 17 c4! bxc4 18 Ba4 c6?! (18 ... exd4 19 Bxd4 is correct) 19 Nxc4 exd4 20 Qxd4 when Black found himself under heavy pressure on d6 in L.Kavalek-S.Reshevsky, Chicago 1973.

17 ... c5 18 bxc5 dxc5 19 dxe5

This move sharpens the game, creating opposite wing pawn majorities.

 

Question: Why wouldn’t White play 19 d5 securing a passed pawn?

 

Answer: First, the passer is easily blocked by a bishop on d6. Secondly, Black’s queenside play looks fully sufficient after 19 ... c4, clearing c5 for a knight.

19 ... Nxe5 20 Nxe5 Qxe5 21 c4

Fischer uncovers on Black’s queen, as well as the latent threat to pick off a pawn on b5.

21 ... Qf4!

A move played with the thought: A challenge unanswered is to allow ourselves to be diminished.

 

Question: Doesn’t this move hang a pawn on b5?

 

Answer: Few players in chess history had a feel for the initiative like Boris Spassky. It’s a deliberate sacrifice. As we will see, Black’s enhanced piece activity makes up for the pawn. Of course, as we saw in the Defence chapter, Fischer isn’t shy about grabbing pawns, even when it entails discomfort.

22 Bxf6

Also playable is 22 e5, R.Sallinen-J.Vatto, Finland 1988. Black should continue 22 ... Rad8. Houdini works it out to a draw after 23 exf6 Rxe1+ 24 Qxe1 Qxd2 25 fxg7 Qxe1+ 26 Rxe1 Bxg7 27 Bxg7 Kxg7 28 Re7 Ba8 29 Rc7 Rd2 30 cxb5! Rxc2 31 bxa6 c4 32 Rc8 Bd5 33 a7 c3 34 a8Q Bxa8 35 Rxa8 Rd2 36 Rc8 c2 37 Kh2 Rxf2 38 a6 Rf6 39 Rxc2 Rxa6.

22 ... Qxf6 23 cxb5 Red8!?

Given an exclam by Kasparov. Houdini doesn’t agree.

 

Question: Why wouldn’t Black develop his only undeveloped piece, the a8-rook?

 

Answer: Spassky wants to play ... axb5, when his a8-rook pressures White’s a5-pawn. But I agree, the move contains a hint of artificiality and Black appears to secure full equality with the natural 23 ... Rad8 24 Qc1 axb5 25 Rxb5 Qa6! 26 Rb6 Qxa5 27 Rxb7 Qxd2 28 Bb3 Re7 29 Rxe7 Bxe7 30 Bd5 Qxc1 31 Rxc1. The opposite-coloured bishops ensure a near-certain draw.

24 Qc1

Fischer removes his queen from the d-file.

24 ... Qc3!?

The queen simultaneously attacks a5 and d2. Black can also follow through on his idea and activate his a8-rook with 24 ... axb5 25 Rxb5, when it looks to me like he has enough for the pawn after 25 ... Qc6 26 Rb6 Qc7 27 Nc4 Rd4 28 Bb1 Rxa5!. Black regains the pawn with a tactical sequence: 29 Rxb7 Qxb7 30 Nxa5 Qb5! 31 Qc3 Rb4! (now White’s knight, lacking safe refuge, falls) 32 Ba2 Qxa5 33 Bd5 Ra4 with a likely draw.

25 Nf3

White can also consider 25 bxa6! Bxa6 26 Nf3 Qxa5 27 e5 g6 28 e6 fxe6 29 Bb3 Bc8 30 Bc4 Ra7 31 h4 when roles reversed and it is White down a pawn, with initiative and attacking chances. If given a choice I prefer White.

25 ... Qxa5

25 ... c4 was suggested by Botvinnik and Smyslov. White stands better after 26 bxa6 Bxa6 27 e5 (threat: Bxh7+) 27 ... g6 28 e6 fxe6 29 Bf5! (discovered attack/zwischenzug) 29 ... Qxc1 30 Bxe6+ Kg7 31 Rexc1 Bc8 32 Bxc8 Rdxc8 33 Rb5 c3 34 Kf1 and White has winning chances with his extra pawn.

 

Exercise (planning/combination alert): “Circumstantial evidence is a very

tricky thing,” declared the sleuth, adding: “It may seem to point very straight

to one thing, but if you shift your own point of view a little, you may find it

pointing in an equally uncompromising manner to something entirely different.” Sherlock Holmes was right. White’s power seems to have vanished in an eye blink.

At a deeper level, this isn’t the case. Fischer found a plan of almost inhuman

subtlety and depth in this position. How would you continue as White?

 

Answer: Pin/double attack. Fischer unexpectedly targets f7 through a series of geometric tricks.

26 Bb3!!

Fischer’s initiative needs just that extra inch an archer requires on his string to drive his arrow into an enemy who believes he is out of range. “The subsequent events in this game were etched for a long time in the memories of players: it is from such model games that one learns to play the ‘Spanish!’” writes Kasparov.

Spassky, having been freed from a few minor defensive obligations, in no way is released from a major problem. A new reality emerges, seemingly purely from Fischer’s will, more than the dictates of the position: f7 is impossible to protect.

Fischer’s move is so much stronger than 26 bxa6?! Bxa6 27 e5 Bd3! and the removal of the light-squared bishops takes the heat out of White’s kingside attacking chances.

26 ... axb5 27 Qf4!

Details are important. White is unable to proceed with 27 Ng5?? due to 27 ... c4 28 Bxc4 bxc4 29 Rxb7 Ba3! (this move short circuits White’s queen) 30 Qe3 Rd3, overloading White’s queen, who is now unable to guard both e1 and g5.

27 ... Rd7?!

The disease is still at the reversible stage, but with low margin for further decline. When matters begin to go wrong in our position, the great fear is that it is merely an early symptom of a progressively declining slope. After this move Black suffers.

The comp found the almost impossible-to-find solution: 27 ... c4!!. To lure our opponent into our trap, we must first tell him exactly what he wants to hear. On the surface this move seems to fail its intent to block out White’s bishop, since it is met with 28 Bxc4 bxc4 29 Rxb7, but then Black has a much easier time of protecting f7 with 29 ... f6 30 e5 Qd5 31 Rc7 Rdc8 32 Rxc8 Rxc8 33 exf6. White won a pawn, but Black’s dangerous passed c-pawn ensures Spassky of equality at a minimum after 33 ... c3.

28 Ne5

Predators tend to hunt in packs. Fischer simultaneously attacks d7 and f7.

28 ... Qc7

Black’s only move.

29 Rbd1!

A masterful zwischenzug, after which f7 can no longer be covered. This is Fischer’s equivalent of an attention-seeking throat clearing, putting Spassky on notice that ownership of f7 is about to change hands.

29 ... Re7

Spassky avoids the trap 29 ... Rxd1?? 30 Bxf7+ Kh8 31 Ng6+ hxg6 32 Qh4 mate. “It is not rational to believe that a promise of a truce, made in haste, must also be kept,” the queen chides her brother.

However, Kasparov felt that Spassky’s last move was an error, suggesting 29 ... Rad8, which takes one pair of rooks off the board. This line doesn’t look so easy for Black after 30 Bxf7+ Rxf7 31 Qxf7+ Qxf7 32 Nxf7 Rxd1 33 Rxd1 b4 34 Ne5 Bxe4 35 Rd8 Bf5 36 g4 Be6 37 f4. Black is passively placed and it feels to me like White’s winning chances are about the same as what transpired in the game.

 

 

Exercise (combination alert): White to play and win material.

 

Answer: Attraction/double attack.

30 Bxf7+! Rxf7 31 Qxf7+ Qxf7 32 Nxf7 Bxe4!

32 ... Kxf7? 33 Rd7+ Ke6 34 Rxb7 offers White a better version than he got in the game, since his e4-pawn remains.

33 Rxe4!

Fischer would rather have the extra tempo over a damaged black structure after 33 Nh6+ gxh6 34 Rxe4 c4.

33 ... Kxf7 34 Rd7+ Kf6 35 Rb7

Endgame principle: Place your rooks behind passed pawns – yours or the opponent’s.

35 ... Ra1+?

In time pressure our attention may wander from fact to fiction in an instant. When you rethink a plan, make certain that you don’t re-re-think it too far. I am hard pressed to posit a rational motive behind this check, which destabilizes Spassky’s bishop (could it be that Spassky felt it decentralized White’s king further?). It’s funny how such a seemingly insignificant decision can inflict so much harm on Black’s position.

 

Question: What is the discrepancy in Spassky’s logic?

 

Answer: It’s a classic misallocation of resources. Patzer sees a check ... well, you know the rest. But Spassky, the reigning World Champion at the time, can hardly be accused of being a patzer.

Larsen felt this move was wrong, since it destabilized Black’s bishop, who was short on safe squares and required protection. He suggested 35 ... b4!, which does indeed look like a tougher defensive set-up. A non-event can have great meaning. The most relevant thing about Black’s rook is not what it has done, but instead, what it has not: It didn’t leave its post of the critical eighth rank. After 36 Kf1 Rc8 37 Rc4 Re8 38 Rb6+ Kf7 39 Rf4+ Kg8 it feels like White has no way to make progress.

36 Kh2 Bd6+ 37 g3 b4

The numbers may tally in general approximation, but not the position itself. So Black got a pawn for the exchange and two connected/blockaded queenside passers. From this point, Fischer’s technique is breathtakingly accurate.

38 Kg2 h5 39 Rb6 Rd1 40 Kf3!

An example of Fischer’s comp-like accuracy. The natural 40 f4? allows Black to equalize with 40 ... Kf5 41 Kf3 (or 41 Rc4 Rd3 42 Kf2 Bf8 and White is unable to make progress) 41 ... Rf1+ 42 Ke3 Re1+ 43 Kf3 Rf1+!, which is drawn.

40 ... Kf7

Following 40 ... Rd3+ 41 Ke2 Rd5 42 f4 g5 43 Re8 gxf4 44 gxf4 Kf7 45 Ra8 Ke7 (f4 can’t be touched: 45 ... Bxf4?? 46 Ra7+ Kg8 47 Rg6+ Kh8 48 Rf6, which threatens mate on f8 and Black’s bishop; 48 ... Bd6 49 Rd7 Re5+ 50 Kd3 c4+ 51 Kd4! the bishop falls) 46 Ra7+ Ke6 47 Raa6 Kd7 48 f5 Kc7 (48 ... Ke7? 49 f6+! Ke6 50 f7 wins) 49 f6 Bf8 50 f7 Rf5 51 Rg6! Kb7 52 Raf6 Re5+ 53 Kd3 Rd5+ 54 Kc2 c4 55 Rg8 Rd8 56 Re6 there is no defence to Re8.

41 Ke2!

Forcing Black’s rook to a central, yet passive square, where it is unable to harass White’s king.

41 ... Rd5 42 f4

 

Fischer managed to fix Black’s two passed pawns and now he activates his kingside majority.

42 ... g6 43 g4 hxg4

Principle: It is in the defending side’s interest to reduce the number of pawns on the board.

44 hxg4 g5

Black is nearly in zugzwang: for example, 44 ... Kg7 45 g5 Kf7 46 Rb7+ Kf8 (the king paces back and forth so many times that he has the feeling of meeting himself) 47 Re6 Rd4 48 Rd7 Be5 49 Rxd4 Bxd4 50 Rxg6 c4 51 Rc6 c3 52 Kd3 wins, since Black’s passers are blockaded while White’s remain mobile.

Moreover, 44 ... Kf6 45 Rb7 is zugzwang and Black must play 45 ... g5 (or 45 ... Bf8 46 Re3 Bd6 47 g5+! Kf5 48 Kf3! and nothing can be done about the deadly threat on f7; after 48 ... Bxf4 49 Rf7+ Kxg5 50 Rxf4 White wins) 46 f5 Be5 47 Rb5 (zugzwang again!) 47 ... Kf7 48 Rexb4! when White wins.

45 f5 Be5 46 Rb5 Kf6

Likewise, after 46 ... Bc3 47 Kf3 Rd3+ 48 Re3 Rxe3+ 49 Kxe3 Bd4+ 50 Kd3 Bg1 51 Rb7+ Kf6 52 Kc4 Be3 53 Rd7 Bf2 54 Rd6+ Kf7 55 Rg6 Be3 56 Kd3 Bc1 57 Rc6 c5 falls and White wins.

 

 

Exercise (combination alert): Black’s last move, a

mistake in an already lost position, hung material. How?

 

Answer: Pin.

47 Rexb4!

The rook adds his voice to the discussion and now Black is left insolvent, with liabilities exceeding assets.

47 ... Bd4 48 Rb6+ Ke5 49 Kf3!

Oh, how sneaky!

49 ... Rd8

After 49 ... cxb4?? we reach the controversial subject of end-of-life bioethics. Is suicide a morally acceptable option to end one’s terminal pain? 50 Re6 is mate.

50 Rb8 Rd7 51 R4b7 Rd6 52 Rb6 Rd7 53 Rg6

Now g5 falls and White gains two connected passers.

53 ... Kd5 54 Rxg5 Be5 55 f6 Kd4

 

 

Exercise (combination alert): White to play and win heavy material.

 

Answer: Double attack/overloaded defender.

56 Rb1! 1-0

The threat is Rd1+ and Rxd7, and following 56 ... Bd6 (or 56 ... Rf7 57 Rd1+ Kc4 58 Rxe5) 57 Rd1+ Kc4 58 Rgd5 the bishop falls.

Game 26
B.Spassky-R.Fischer
World Championship (Game 18), Reykjavik 1972
Alekhine’s Defence

1 e4 Nf6 2 e5 Nd5 3 d4 d6 4 Nf3 Bg4

It’s funny how chess fashions, like women’s hemlines, alter with the seasons. Today, most Alekhine’s Defence experts go for the Caro-Kann-like 4 ... dxe5 5 Nxe5 c6, a line popularized first by GM Tony Miles.

In the 13th game of the match Fischer played 4 ... g6 and won an absolutely amazing game, which I can’t put in this book, since I used it as the introduction game for Alekhine’s Defence: Move by Move.

5 Be2 e6

In the 1980’s until the early part of the 21st Century, I played 5 ... c6, but am convinced today that Black is unable to equalize completely. So the 4 ... dxe5, Miles Variation may be Black’s only reliable hope to attain full equality.

6 0-0 Be7 7 h3

The position can also be played with 7 c4, omitting h3.

7 ... Bh5 8 c4 Nb6 9 Nc3 0-0 10 Be3 d5 11 c5 Bxf3 12 Bxf3

Today, we know that 12 gxf3! Nc8 gives White a nasty space advantage which is difficult to chip away, since White gets f4 options.

 

Question: Why does the knight retreat to c8, rather than to d7?

 

Answer: c8 is actually standard operating procedure for Black in such Alekhine’s positions. The awkward c8-knight tends to re-route to better pastures later on via e7 (Black fails to generate compensation for the pawn after 12 ... Nc4? 13 Bxc4 dxc4 14 Qe2 when c4 falls). Following 13 f4 Nc6 14 Kh2 Bxc5 (or 14 ... f5 15 b4 with a comfortable space advantage for White) 15 dxc5 d4 16 Ne4 dxe3 17 fxe3 Qxd1 18 Raxd1 White enjoys a slight yet nagging bind, A.Motylev-R.Appel, German League 2014.

12 ... Nc4 13 b3

White can also preserve the bishop: 13 Bf4 b6 14 b3 Na5 15 Rc1 (or 15 b4 Nc4 16 Rc1 c6 17 Be2, A.Lukin-V.Bagirov, Cheliabinsk 1975; Black’s powerfully posted c4-knight ensures him equality after 17 ... b5) 15 ... bxc5 16 dxc5 Nac6 17 Re1, as in L.Kavalek-L.Schmid, Nice Olympiad 1974. The position is roughly balanced after 17 ... a5 18 Nxd5!? (otherwise White lacks a useful plan) 18 ... exd5 19 Bxd5, which the comp rates at dead even. Black is up a piece for two pawns, but is badly tied down.

13 ... Nxe3

Fischer rids his opponent of the bishop-pair, at the cost of opening the f-file, which Spassky later uses to his benefit.

14 fxe3 b6!?

 

An attempt to chip away at White’s centre.

 

Question: Doesn’t this move violate the principle:

Avoid confrontation when lagging in development?

 

Answer: Correct, yet it’s still playable, as long as Black remains alert to the tactics. Principles operate as safeguards, not ironclad rules, to be followed with blind obedience.

Safer is 14 ... Nc6 15 Rc1 Qd7 16 Qd3 Kh8 17 Bg4 Bg5 18 Ne2 f5 19 exf6 gxf6 20 Nf4 f5 21 Bf3 Rae8 when Black gets a playable game, H.Westerinen-V.Bagirov, Solingen 1979.

15 e4!

Spassky intensifies the pressure on d5.

15 ... c6 16 b4 bxc5?!

This seemingly insignificant course correction should have led to unpleasant consequences for Fischer. Correct was 16 ... a5 17 a3 b5 18 exd5 exd5 when Black should be okay.

17 bxc5 Qa5

When we sense our opponent’s threats, yet are unable to specifically identify them, we experience a fearful sense of who’s-thereness, a feeling similar to the one experienced when a loud and threatening knock, pounds our front door in the middle of the night. After 17 ... Na6 18 exd5 cxd5 19 Nb5 Nxc5!? (otherwise Black is strategically lost) 20 dxc5 Bxc5+ 21 Kh1 Qg5 22 Qe2 I don’t believe in Black’s compensation for the piece.

18 Nxd5!?

The mad knight tenderly kisses his dagger and whispers to it: “Patience, my love. I will soon feed you.” In chess there is a smudged line between the principled and the felonious.

In chess we are punished for having both too much and too little imagination. Spassky’s last move qualifies as the former. As usual, the comp has to ruin things for us humans by offering the unplayed 18 Qe1! (threatening Nxd5) 18 ... Bxc5!? (I have a feeling Fischer planned the slightly fishy sacrifice; he wasn’t the type to play the dispirited 18 ... Qd8?! 19 Rb1, handing White two tempi) 19 dxc5 Qxc5+ 20 Rf2 Nd7 21 Rc1 Qb6 22 exd5 cxd5 23 Bd1 Qd4 24 Nb5 Qxe5 25 Qxe5 Nxe5 26 Rc7 a6 27 Na7! when Black will be hard pressed to hold this ending.

 

Exercise (critical decision): Should Black accept the

sacrificed knight? And if not, what should Black play?

 

Answer: Zwischenzug/trapped piece. Black should decline. Now White’s pseudo-sac’ed knight has no place to run.

18 ... Bg5!

Avoiding 18 ... cxd5?? (a sin is only a sin if we act upon it) 19 exd5 exd5 20 Bxd5 Nd7 21 Bxa8 Rxa8 22 Qb3.

 

Exercise (combination alert): Fischer attempts to bind the wind, combining a taste for simultaneous adventure and greed. We gleefully laugh inwardly when we set up a trap, but what happens if your opponent turns out to be a bigger scoundrel than you, by setting a counter-trap? Spassky did just that with his next move. Now what? White’s knight is trapped. Find the combination which extricated Spassky.

 

Answer: Double attack. White threatens to take twice on f7, followed by Qh5+.

19 Bh5!!

The counter-counter trap. We see here two great masters of initiative, matching each other blow for blow. Spassky conjures tactics on the f7-square, forcing Fischer to accept the hanging d5-knight.

19 ... cxd5

Matters of extreme urgency force Black’s hand: 19 ... g6? 20 Nf6+, and if 20 ... Bxf6 21 exf6 and Black is unable to capture White’s bishop.

20 Bxf7+

“Subtle hints failed to extract your confession, so now we shall proceed to a more overt form of coercion,” the bishop tells Black’s king, as he displays the instruments of torture.

After 20 exd5 exd5 21 Bxf7+ Rxf7 22 Rxf7 Qc3 23 Rb1 Nc6 24 Rbb7 Bh6 25 Kh1 (threat: Qg4) 25 ... Qxd4 26 Qxd4 Nxd4 27 Rfd7 Rc8 28 Rxd5 Ne6 29 Rxa7 Be3 Black should hold the game with accurate play.

20 ... Rxf7

 

Question: Can Black decline with 20 ... Kh8 when he remains up a piece?

 

Answer: White’s initiative gets completely out of control after 21 exd5 Qc3 22 Kh1 Be3 23 Qh5 (the queen’s subjects rarely utter her name without a preamble profanity) 23 ... h6 24 Bxe6 Na6 25 Qg6 Bxd4 26 Bf5 Rxf5 27 Qxf5 Bxe5 28 Rae1 Bg3 29 Rc1 and his two central passers carry the day.

21 Rxf7 Qd2!?

This move essentially tells White: You interpret the position your way, and I’ll interpret it in mine. The incessant neediness of Black’s king requires round-the-clock care for his defensive attendants. Fischer risks the overpress by playing for the full point, rejecting the forced draw after 21 ... Nc6 22 Qh5 (or 22 Qg4 Nxd4 23 Raf1 Qxc5 24 Rxg7+ Kxg7 25 Qxg5+ Kh8 26 Qf6+ with perpetual check) 22 ... Be3+ 23 Kh1 Bxd4 and White has nothing better than to take perpetual check with 24 Rxg7+ Kxg7 25 Qg5+ Kh8 26 Qf6+.

Instead, 21 ... Kxf7?? is a move played with the philosophy: If you procure a difficult-to-attain item once, there is no guarantee that you will be successful the second time round. Here 22 Qh5+ g6 23 Qxh7+! Ke8 24 Qxg6+ Kd7 (the king’s dignity suffers an unending series of affronts; he is now glad that he had the wisdom and foresight to wear his ‘adult undergarments’ on the day his sister paid him a visit) 25 exd5 Kc7 (25 ... exd5 26 e6+ Kc7 27 Qxg5 Nc6 28 Qg7+ Kb8 29 Rb1+ Nb4 30 Qd7 forces mate) 26 Qxg5 leaves White with too many pawns for the piece and a winning attack.

22 Qxd2 Bxd2 23 Raf1

Threatening mate on f8.

23 ... Nc6 24 exd5

White’s fast-fading initiative reminds us of Claude Rains as the Invisible Man, with his body only partially vanished. This move allows Black to escape. White’s only chance for the win lay in 24 Rc7! Nxd4. The point of this line is that Black’s knight lacks access to e6, protecting g7: 25 Rff7 Bh6 26 g4! (threat: g5) 26 ... g6 27 Rxh7 Bf8 28 exd5 exd5 29 Rhd7 Ne6 30 Rc6 Re8 31 Rxd5 Nf4 32 Rd7 Rxe5 and once again Black should have enough play to hold the game, according to the comps.

24 ... exd5 25 Rd7 Be3+ 26 Kh1 Bxd4

Black’s previous apprehensions begin to dissolve. The difference is that Black’s bishop covers g7 from a less awkward square than h6, as in the above line.

27 e6

As it turns out, the ending is balanced.

27 ... Be5 28 Rxd5 Re8 29 Re1 Rxe6

White’s passed pawn has been blockaded and if Black has time to centralize his king, the advantage may swing to Fischer’s side. Spassky’s next move forces a clear draw.

30 Rd6! Kf7!

More clear than 30 ... Rxd6 31 cxd6 Kf7 32 Rc1 Nd8 33 Rc7+ Ke6 34 Rxa7 Kxd6 which is also a likely draw.

31 Rxc6!

White wins a mostly symbolic pawn and the game remains drawn.

31 ... Rxc6 32 Rxe5 Kf6 33 Rd5 Ke6 34 Rh5 h6 35 Kh2 Ra6

This move regains the lost pawn.

36 c6

 

Exercise (calculation): Should Black take the a2-pawn or the c6-pawn?

 

Answer: Black’s most straightforward path to the draw is to remove the c6 irritation.

36 ... Rxc6!

This is a Hyde-to-Jekyll transformation, on the scale of my wife Nancy’s mood before her morning coffee, and after a soothing cup. Now all becomes clear and the game is drawn, whereas after 36 ... Rxa2?? 37 Rc5 reality has this awful way of clearing our field of misconceptions and Black has no way to halt the c-pawn’s promotion.

Instead, 36 ... Kd6 37 Rf5 Kxc6 38 Rf7!? gets quite tricky. It’s drawn, but with pitfalls for both sides after 38 ... Rxa2 39 Rxg7 a5 40 Rg6+ Kb5 41 Rxh6 a4.

 

 

Question: Who wins this one?

 

Answer: A position like this is almost impossible to assess. We are down to six pieces, so my infallible endgame tablebase tells me it ends in a draw the following way: 42 Rh8 a3 43 Ra8 Kb4 44 h4 (if I had this position over the board, I would have no clue if it was a win for either side, or a draw; as it turns out, it’s a drawn ending) 44 ... Rc2 45 h5 Rc5! (threats: ... Ra5 and ... Rxh5+, which forces White to hand over his rook rather early) 46 Rxa3 Kxa3 47 g4 Kb4 48 h6 (now Black must play very carefully) 48 ... Rc8! 49 g5 Rh8! (White’s pawns are unable to move forward without the help of his king; this gives Black just enough time to get his own king back to draw the game) 50 Kg3 Kc5 51 Kg4 Kd6 52 g6! (the only move and not 52 Kf5?? Ke7 53 Kg6 Rg8+ followed by 54 Kh7 Rxg5 55 Kh8 Kf6 56 Kh7 Rh5 or 54 Kh5 Kf7 55 h7 Ra8 56 Kh6 Ra6+ 57 Kh5 Kg7 and Black wins) 52 ... Rxh6 53 Kg5 Rh1 54 g7 Ke7 55 g8N+ Ke6 56 Nf6 and White draws, although Fischer would surely have made Spassky play out 49 more moves from this position.

37 Ra5 a6 38 Kg3 Kf6 39 Kf3 Rc3+ 40 Kf2 Rc2+ ½-½

Game 27
R.Fischer-B.Spassky
11th matchgame, Sveti Stefan 1992
Sicilian Rossolimo

Fischer and Elvis had much in common, in that they lived two distinctly separate periods of their lives. There was young, handsome, movie star-on-the-beach Elvis. And then there was elderly, obese, deep fried peanut butter and banana sandwich-loving, drug addict, glitzy, Vegas Elvis. In the chess version, there was young, indomitable hero Fischer, who single-handedly dismantled the Soviet chess machine. Then we endured the crazy, hillbilly-bearded, paranoid, ‘I’m-still-the-world-champion-even-though-I-refused-to-defend-my-title’, old Fischer, who defied the U.S. State Department’s order not to play in Yugoslavia, emerging from his self-imposed exile in 1992 to play a rematch against Spassky. Fischer’s play wasn’t what it was in his prime, but he proved he could still play chess at a very high level, despite evidence that he hadn’t seriously studied chess in years.

 

1 e4 c5 2 Nf3 Nc6 3 Bb5 g6 4 Bxc6

A change from his disastrous opening against Matulovic, from the last chapter, where Fischer played 4 c3.

4 ... bxc6

4 ... dxc6 5 h3 e5 6 0-0 Bg7 and here we see a new incarnation of Fischer’s idea with 7 b4!? cxb4 8 a3 when White had compensation for the pawn, D.Aldama-C.Lakdawala, San Diego (rapid) 2012.

5 0-0 Bg7 6 Re1 e5

Two games later, Spassky improved with 6 ... f6! 7 c3 Nh6 8 d4 cxd4 9 cxd4 0-0 10 Nc3 d6 11 Qa4 Qb6 12 Nd2 Nf7 13 Nc4 Qa6 14 Be3 Qxa4 15 Nxa4 f5 and Black’s bishop-pair offered him good play, R.Fischer-B.Spassky, 13th matchgame, Belgrade 1992.

7 b4!?

It seems that rebels are inherently immune from social taboos. In this instance, the need for adventure demands a substantial fee. An attempt at obfuscation is natural when we sense our position going South. It’s another matter when we deliberately do it in a perfectly good position. With his last move, Fischer attempts to test Spassky’s patience, hoping to incite a reaction, with a move which appears to contradict both precedence and reason.

 

Question: Is this some sort of a Wing Gambit?

 

Answer: Fischer mixes an idea from the Wing Gambit, with the Rossolimo Sicilian. It was a completely new idea at the time the game was played, and apparently it’s sound (as opposed to the somewhat shady Wing Gambit, which goes 1 e4 c5 2 b4?!). Normally seen were the moves 7 c3 and 7 d3.

7 ... cxb4

Black opens the gate of the city and sees a giant wooden gift horse on b4.

8 a3

White scores a very healthy 60% from this position, according to my database.

8 ... c5

Spassky logically refuses to co-operate with 8 ... bxa3. Nevertheless, this move is also playable: 9 Nxa3 Ne7 10 Nc4 (or 10 Bb2 d6 11 d4 Bg4 12 dxe5 0-0 13 Nc4 d5! when Black looks okay to me) 10 ... d6 11 d4 Be6 12 Qd3 exd4 13 Nxd4 Bxc4 14 Qxc4 c5 was D.Kerigan-J.Jackson, Haarlem 2014. Now White should play 15 Nb3 0-0! (White gets huge dark-square compensation after the risky 15 ... Bxa1!? 16 Qa4+ Qd7 17 Qxa1) 16 Ra6 Nc8 when he probably has enough for the pawn, although if given a choice, I would still take Black.

9 axb4 cxb4 10 d4!

Principle: Open the position when leading in development.

 

Question: Even when the opponent has the bishop-pair?

 

Answer: Yes. Development lead trumps bishop-pair when applying this principle.

10 ... exd4 11 Bb2 d6?!

This is a spent tempo Black can’t afford. An improvement was found with 11 ... Bb7 12 Bxd4 Nf6 13 Bc5 (13 e5 Nd5 14 Bc5 a5 15 Nd4 Bf8! looks fine for Black, who remains up a pawn), G.Pulkis-H.Isigkeit, correspondence 2008. Now Black gets away with the counterintuitive 13 ... d6! 14 Bxd6 Nxe4! 15 c3 Qd7 16 Bxb4 Qxd1 17 Rxd1 a5! (Black must find a way to castle) 18 Rxa5 Rxa5 19 Bxa5 0-0 20 Nd4 Rc8 21 Bb4 when his super-active pieces and bishop-pair easily make up for White’s extra pawn.

12 Nxd4 Qd7 13 Nd2 Bb7

Alternatively, 13 ... Ne7 14 Nc4 0-0 (14 ... Bb7? is met with the shot 15 Nf5! Bxb2 16 Nfxd6+ Kf8 17 Nxb2 Nc8 18 Nxb7 Qxb7 19 Qd4 Kg8 20 Nd3 a5 21 Nc5 Qe7 22 Red1 h5 23 c3 with a winning position for White) 15 Nb6! axb6 16 Rxa8 Nc6 17 Ra2 Ne5 18 Nb3 and I don’t believe in Black’s compensation for the exchange, M.Egner-N.Bier, German League 1995.

14 Nc4

Fischer begins to target d6.

14 ... Nh6

14 ... Ne7? is weak, but I can’t tell you why, since it would give away the answer to the coming exercise.

 

Exercise (combination alert): Not only is Black up a pawn, with the bishop-pair, but

he also threatens to castle to safety on his next move. It’s now or never. White

must apply the principle: Create confrontation when leading in development. How?

 

Answer: Annihilation of defensive barrier.

15 Nf5!!

When I was a kid, my mother told me: “Before crossing the street, always look right, left and right again.” With his last move Fischer ignores her advice and violates a boundary. Fischer seems to have a chunk of his army en prise, yet everything miraculously adheres.

15 ... Bxb2 16 Ncxd6+!

White’s knights draw a dragnet over Black’s king, from which he may temporarily hide, but never fully escape.

16 ... Kf8

The only move.

17 Nxh6 f6?

This move, more a placebo than actual relief, does little to soothe Spassky’s already jangled nervous system. When we get depressed defending a difficult position, we tend to expect little. And that’s exactly what we get.

Spassky, by now boggled by White’s growing initiative, had to try 17 ... Bxa1 18 Qxa1 Qxd6 19 Rd1 Qf4 20 Qxh8+ Ke7 21 Qd4 a5 22 Qd7+ Kf8 23 Qxb7 Re8! (White’s trapped knight isn’t going anywhere) 24 Qb5 Qxh6 25 Qxa5 Rxe4 26 Rd8+ Ke7 (but not 26 ... Kg7?? 27 Qa1+ f6 28 Qa7+ Re7 29 Qxe7 mate) 27 g3 Qh3 28 Re8+! Kxe8 29 Qa8+ Kd7 30 Qb7+ Kd6 31 Qxe4 (Black’s b-pawn falls) 31 ... Qe6 32 Qxb4+ Kc6 and Black’s active king offers him chances of saving the game in the pawn-down queen ending.

18 Ndf7!?

Now the attack suffers some degree of metabolic distress and goes sluggish. Fischer exhibits that Capa-like trait of preferring a favourable ending to a larger advantage in a more complex position. Black can barely move after 18 Ra5! Bc6 (covering the queen to enable ... Kg7) 19 Rc5 Kg7 20 Nhf7 Rhf8 21 e5! with a winning attack.

18 ... Qxd1

The queens greet one another with the cold nods we use when we don’t like the other person, yet wish to remain on polite good terms.

19 Raxd1

Black’s h8-rook is trapped and White will win the exchange, while remaining up in development.

19 ... Ke7 20 Nxh8 Rxh8

 

Exercise (combination alert): Black appears to have generated quite

a bit for the exchange. After all, he has the bishop-pair and a dangerous

looking passed a-pawn. It feels as if the supply of White’s threats is

close to exhausted. If you find Fischer’s next move, you dispel this illusion.

 

Answer: Line opening/pin.

21 Nf5+! gxf5

Alternatively:

a) 21 ... Ke6 22 Rd6+ Ke5 23 Rd7 gxf5 24 exf5+ Kxf5 25 Rxb7 Bc3 26 Rd1 Ra8 27 Rd5+ Kg6 28 Rdd7 a5 29 Ra7 Re8 30 Rg7+ wins.

b) 21 ... Ke8?? hangs material to 22 Nd6+.

22 exf5+ Be5

Black is forced to walk into this pin, as 22 ... Kf8?? (when a general divides his army, it is an open invitation for the enemy to defeat the fragments separately, in easier battles) 23 Rd8+ Kg7 24 Re7+ Kh6 25 Rxh8 wins.

23 f4 Rc8 24 fxe5 Rxc2

This looks pretty scary. Spassky not only threatens to get into White’s underbelly on g2, but also owns two dangerous looking passed queenside pawns.

25 e6!

Threat: Rd7+. Amazingly, g2 remains safe.

25 ... Bc6

25 ... Rxg2+?? 26 Kf1 Bc6 27 Rc1 Bf3 28 Rc7+ Kd6 29 Rd7+ Kc6 30 Re3 runs the bishop out of viable squares.

26 Rc1!

Eliminating Black’s most dangerous piece.

26 ... Rxc1

26 ... Rxg2+?? 27 Kf1 transposes to the line above, while after 26 ... Be4 27 Rxc2 Bxc2 28 Ra1 Bxf5 29 Rxa7+ Kxe6 30 Rb7 both queenside passers fall and White wins the ending.

27 Rxc1 Kd6

Fischer once again emerges with a an extra exchange versus two connected passers, just like the Breyer Lopez versus Spassky earlier in the chapter.

28 Rd1+ Ke5

There was nothing much better:

a) 28 ... Ke7 29 Ra1 b3 30 Rxa7+ Kd6 31 Ra6 Kc5 32 e7 (threat: Rxc6+ and e8Q) 32 ... Bd7 33 Ra8 wins.

b) 28 ... Kc7 29 e7 a5 30 Rc1! and there is no defence to Rxc6 next.

c) 28 ... Kc5 29 e7 (threat: Rc1+ and Rxc6) 29 ... Bb5 30 Ra1 Kb6 31 Kf2 a5 32 Ke3 a4 33 Kd4 a3 34 Kd5 (now Black lacks a useful move) 34 ... h5 35 g3 Be8 36 Ke6 Kc5 37 Kxf6 Kc4 38 Rc1+ Kd3 39 Ra1! Kc2 40 Kg7 Kb2 41 Re1 a2 42 f6 a1Q 43 Rxa1 Kxa1 44 f7 Bxf7 45 Kxf7 b3 46 e8Q and White wins the queening race.

29 e7 a5 30 Rc1!

Deadly accuracy. Fischer avoids the trap 30 Re1+ Kd4 31 e8Q?? (in a winning position, the worst possible mind state is one where you take your inevitable victory for granted) 31 ... Bxe8 32 Rxe8 b3 33 g4 a4 34 Rb8 Kc3 35 g5 a3 36 gxf6 a2 37 f7 a1Q+ 38 Kg2 Qd1 39 f8Q Qg4+ 40 Kf2 Qf4+ 41 Ke2 Qe4+ and White is unable to avoid perpetual check.

30 ... Bd7 31 Rc5+

The point: Black’s a-pawn falls, reducing his number of passers to just one.

31 ... Kd4

Spassky, attempting to walk off the effects of the series of tactical blows, makes a final desperate bid with his b-pawn, now supported by his king, who reminds us of the delusional high school nerd who believes he is the wavy-haired football player’s rival for the cheerleader’s affections.

31 ... Kd6 32 Rxa5 Kxe7 33 Ra7 Kd6 34 Rb7 Bxf5 35 Rxb4 is a technically won ending for White.

32 Rxa5

Black’s sources of income begin to fail on the queenside.

32 ... b3 33 Ra7 Be8 34 Rb7 Kc3

 

Exercise (planning): Black plans ... b2, ... Kc2 and

 ... b1(Q). Come up with a winning plan for White.

 

Answer: Transfer the king to d8, promote, and then win the king and pawn ending – by a single tempo.

35 Kf2! b2 36 Ke3 Bf7

A subtlety, which attempts to save a future tempo when White’s king reaches d8. However, it isn’t enough to save Black, since White wins with moves to spare.

37 g4 Kc2 38 Kd4 b1Q 39 Rxb1 Kxb1 40 Kc5 Kc2 41 Kd6 1-0

41 ... Kd3 42 Kd7 Ke4 43 e8Q+ Bxe8+ 44 Kxe8 Kf4 45 Kf7 Kg5 (or 45 ... Kxg4 and the queening race isn’t even close after 46 Kxf6 h5 47 Kg6 h4 48 f6 Kh3 49 f7 Kxh2 50 f8Q) 46 Kg7 h6 47 h3 is zugzwang, since 47 ... h5 48 gxh5 wins.

Game 28
R.Fischer-L.Portisch
Havana Olympiad 1966
Ruy Lopez

1 e4 e5 2 Nf3 Nc6 3 Bb5 a6 4 Bxc6

Fischer single-handedly revived the Exchange Variation – once thought an infirm relic of Lasker’s day – into a dangerous weapon in the ‘60s.

4 ... dxc6 5 0-0!

This slight but important alteration was Fischer’s huge improvement, which revived the line for White.

 

Question: What is the difference between Fischer’s castling and the old move 5 d4?

 

Answer: A subtle point: By castling, White in a sense, gains a tempo over 5 d4, since now Black’s e5-pawn really is hanging. BC (before Fischer) White played the immediate 5 d4:

a) 5 ... Bg4 6 dxe5 Qxd1+ 7 Kxd1 was E.Lasker-W.Pollock, Baltimore 1892. Here Black should proceed in (endgame!) gambit fashion with 7 ... f6 8 Bf4 0-0-0+ 9 Nbd2 fxe5 10 Bxe5 Nf6 when Black’s development lead more than compensates White’s extra pawn.

b) 5 ... exd4 6 Qxd4 Qxd4 7 Nxd4 c5 8 Ne2 Bd7 9 Nbc3 0-0-0 10 Bf4 Bc6 11 0-0 Nf6 12 f3 Be7 13 Ng3 g6 14 Rfe1 Nd7 15 Nd1 Nb6 16 Nf1 and Black’s position was at least equal, E.Lasker-W.Steinitz, World Championship (Game 13), USA 1894.

5 ... f6

Black’s main response. But now by playing d4 next, Fischer gained a full move over what Lasker got, since Black’s ... f6 is a somewhat wasted move.

5 ... Bg4 and 5 ... Qd6 are also commonly played here.

6 d4 exd4 7 Nxd4

That which is old is new again. Nakamura attempted to ambush Ivanchuk with 7 Qxd4, and got nothing after 7 ... Qxd4 8 Nxd4 Bd7 9 Nc3 0-0-0 10 Be3 Bd6 11 Rfd1 Re8 12 Rd2 Ne7 13 Nb3 Be6 14 Nc5 Ng6 15 f3 (15 Nxe6 Rxe6 16 f3 Bb4 is fine for Black) 15 ... Bf7 16 Nd3 b6 17 Bf2 Rd8 18 Rad1 Rd7 19 b3 Rhd8 when Black stood at least equal, H.Nakamura-V.Ivanchuk, London 2012.

7 ... c5

Black’s main move. It is in his best interest to swap queens, with the bishop-pair his compensatory factor for White’s kingside majority. However, this is a secondary factor in Fischer’s 5 0-0. Black, in order to swap queens, must play ... c5, which weakens his queenside structure and the d5-square, made all the more dangerous for him from the fact that he creates confrontation while lagging in development.

8 Nb3

From b3 the knight adds heat to the c5-pawn and also eyes a5 as a potential square.

8 ... Qxd1 9 Rxd1 Bd6?!

Today, this move is considered inaccurate, due to Fischer’s next move. 9 ... Bg4 is Black’s most popular response: for example, 10 f3 Bd7 11 Nc3 0-0-0 12 Be3 b6 13 a4 c4, L.Ljubojevic-A.Karpov, European Team Championship, Skara 1980. After 14 Nd4 whose side you prefer depends upon your style.

10 Na5!

 

Question: It looks to me like the knight just dangles there on a5.

Why play such a move when White can develop a piece instead?

 

Answer: The a5-knight proves to be very annoying for Black for two reasons:

1. It pins down Black’s c8-bishop, which must now stand guard over b7.

2. Nc4 is in the air, which attacks the d6-bishop. If the bishop moves, then Bf4 follows, harassing the c7-pawn.

10 ... b5!?

Risky. This move weakens Black’s queenside pawns, which are now vulnerable due to his development lag. Alternatives are:

a) 10 ... Bg4? 11 f3 0-0-0?? (Black intends to play a ... Bxh2+ trick on White, but he had to admit the loss of two tempi and try the embarrassing 11 ... Bc8, a move impossible to play without blushing) 12 e5! 1-0 and White wins a full piece, V.Hort-V.Zheljandinov, Havana 1967.

b) 10 ... b6 is perhaps best. Black assumes a default posture concerning his queenside pawns, with a move played with the philosophy: A moral life may atone for a sinning past. However, after 11 Nc4 Be7 12 Bf4 Bd8 13 Nc3 Ne7 14 Rd2 Be6 15 Ne3 Rf8 16 Rad1 Rf7 17 Ncd5 Nxd5 18 exd5 Bd7 19 g4! Black’s pieces are cramped and tangled, N.Firman-A.Graf, Dresden 2007.

11 c4!

Principle: If your opponent has the bishop-pair, a rigid structure favours the knight’s side. In a single stroke, Fischer removes the fluidity from Black’s queenside pawns, and secondly, fixes c5 as a stationary target.

11 ... Ne7

Portisch hurries to develop.

11 ... b4?! 12 Nd2 Kf7 13 Ndb3 f5 14 exf5 Nf6 15 Be3 Ng4 16 Bxc5 Bxh2+ 17 Kf1 Be5 was the later G.Peshina-O.Romanischin, USSR Team Championship 1968. White has a winning position after 18 Nd4.

12 Be3

 

Question: Does White really stand better?

 

Answer: Houdini is fooled here, assessing the position as even, while I would assess at plus over minus – a clear advantage for White, for the following reasons:

1. He leads in development.

2. Black’s c5-pawn is a potential target.

3. Black’s queenside pawns are far flung, which is dangerous when lagging in development, since White is in a position to create all sorts of trouble there.

12 ... f5!?

A desperate opponent is also an invigorated, emboldened opponent. Portisch is one of those super-active GMs who resents being placed on the defensive. So he lashes out, hoping to dispel the defensive boredom by confusing the issue and violating the kingside armistice, intending to chase the e3-bishop away with ... f4 next.

Black loses ground if he goes with the reserved 12 ... Rb8 13 Nd2 Be6, S.Iuldachev-M.Lodhi, Chennai 2004. Now White is in control after 14 Rac1 Kf7 15 cxb5! Rxb5 16 Ndc4 when Black nurses multiple weak pawns.

13 Nc3 f4 14 e5!

 

Principle: Create confrontation when leading in development. Fischer channels the energy flow into a new direction: A deadly development lead/initiative.

Houdini likes the humble 14 Bd2 c6 15 f3 g5 16 Ne2 Kf7 17 Nc1 Bc7 18 Nd3 g4! when I still prefer White’s position, since he can pick on so many weak pawns.

14 ... Bxe5

Alternatively, 14 ... fxe3 15 exd6 exf2+ 16 Kxf2 0-0+ 17 Kg1 cxd6 18 Rxd6 Bf5 19 Re1 Ng6 20 h3 when Black’s queenside pawns remain under heavy pressure.

15 Bxc5

This is another example of Fischer’s willingness to swap one advantage for another. He ‘fixed’ Black’s queenside crippled majority (although in actuality Black’s queenside remains weak), in exchange for an even larger development lead. He threatens Re1 and Portisch’s next move is forced.

15 ... Bxc3

The bishop is known as a man of peace, mainly since he lost every battle he ever fought, and now seeks to negotiate. There goes Black’s bishop-pair. Personal preference is pushed aside to make way for duty. Our position’s imperatives sometimes force us to act in ways which go against our fundamental nature. Portisch must have hated making this concession.

Black’s position can’t tolerate a line like 15 ... Ng6?! 16 Rac1 bxc4 17 Nxc4 Bf6? 18 Nd5 Bd8 and now White has the shot 19 Bd6! when Black is unable to accept: 19 ... cxd6? 20 Nxd6+ Kd7 21 Nf7 Rf8 (21 ... Rb8 22 Nxh8 Nxh8 23 Nb4+! Ke8 24 Nc6 wins) 22 Nb6+ Ke7 23 Nxd8, winning.

16 bxc3

Threat: Re1.

16 ... Ng6 17 Nc6 Be6

Possibly the wrong square for the bishop. Instead, after 17 ... Bd7 18 cxb5 axb5 19 Na7! Rf8! (a novel way to develop the rook, which can’t be taken, since then the a7-knight is trapped) 20 Rd5 Rf6 21 Re1+ Re6 22 Red1 Nf8! 23 h4 Ra6 24 Bxf8 Kxf8 25 Nxb5 Bxb5 26 Rxb5 Black continues to struggle in the ending, yet is better off than in the game’s continuation.

18 cxb5 axb5

 

Exercise (planning/combination alert): Find

Fischer’s odd idea and you win material by force.

 

Answer: Go after the b5-pawn.

19 Na7!

An avaricious gleam shimmers in the knight’s eyes, as it eyes b5. A brilliant strategic decision where White’s knight becomes deeply invested in the decision. The knight covers against Black’s attack on a2, while applying pressure to the b5-pawn.

Black looks just fine after the mundane 19 Nb4 Kf7.

19 ... Rb8

19 ... Bc4 is met with 20 a4!, and if 20 ... bxa4 21 Rxa4 Be6 22 Ra6 Kf7 23 Rc6 picks off c7, while if 19 ... Bd7? 20 Rd2 and b5 falls all the same, since the Black’s bishop must move away after the coming Rad1.

20 Rdb1!

Now b5 falls and White’s initiative doesn’t require much effort or maintenance, much like my crockpot meals, where I dump in random vegetables, beans, rice, oil, salt and water, and it’s ready in eight hours.

20 ... Kf7

20 ... Bc4 is met with 21 a4, while after 20 ... Bd7 21 a4 c6 22 axb5 cxb5 23 c4 the b-pawn falls.

21 Nxb5

The discussion moves to the knight’s substantial fee.

21 ... Rhd8

Black’s counterplay gasps for life itself. Portisch managed to unravel and develop his pieces, at the high cost of a pawn-down ending.

22 Rb4

Threat: Nxc7. Houdini found the complicated line 22 a4 Rd5 23 Bd4 c5 24 Nc7! Rxb1+ 25 Rxb1 Rf5 (Black is unlikely to save himself in the line 25 ... cxd4 26 Nxd5 Bxd5 27 cxd4) 26 Nxe6 Kxe6 27 Bxg7 Rf7 28 Bh6 Kd5 29 Ra1 Kc4 30 a5 Kxc3 31 a6 Ra7 32 h4! (threat: h5 and Bxf4) 32 ... f3 33 Be3 Kb4 34 Rb1+ Ka4 35 h5 Ne5 36 Rb7 Rxa6 37 Rxh7 and White’s h-pawn will win the game.

22 ... Bxa2!

Portisch seizes upon White’s weak back rank to eliminate the passed a-pawn, yet he remains down a pawn.

23 Nxc7 Rbc8

If 23 ... Rxb4 24 cxb4 Rd2 25 b5 and the passed b-pawn will win the game.

24 h4!

 

Black’s counterplay shrivels like a three-day-old party balloon. Multipurpose:

1. White frees his king of back rank mate issues.

2. h5 is in the air, which undermines Black’s f4-pawn.

24 ... Rd2

Taking the ‘hanging’ piece with 24 ... Rxc7?? loses to 25 Bb6 Rdd7 26 Bxc7 Rxc7 27 Rxa2 with an extra exchange, and h5 to follow.

25 Bb6 f3

25 ... h5 26 Ra4 Rd6 27 R1xa2 Rxb6 28 Nd5 Rd6 29 Nxf4 leaves White up two pawns. If 29 ... Nxh4 30 Ra7+ Kg8 31 Nxh5 Nf5 32 R2a5 with a winning position.

26 Be3 Re2 27 Nb5

Covering c3 and threatening a fork on d6.

27 ... Ra8 28 h5 Ne5 29 Rf4+ Ke7?

Black had to try the admittedly depressing 29 ... Kg8 30 Nd4 Rb2 31 Nxf3 Nxf3+ 32 Rxf3 with two extra pawns for White. The opposite-coloured bishops won’t save Black.

 

Exercise (combination alert): Portisch attempts to keep his

king active. White can have anything he desires, just so long as he

knows what the desire is. How did Fischer pounce on Black’s mistake?

 

Answer: Mating attack. Principle: When hunting the opponent’s king, don’t chase it; instead, cut off flight squares. Threat: Bc5+ and Nc7 mate.

30 Rd1!

Fumes rise from the vat of Fischer’s attacking ambition.

30 ... Rc8

Portisch desperately covers the Nc7 mate part of the equation, which in turn walks into a deadly pin.

31 Re4! Kf6

31 ... Ke6 32 gxf3, threatening f4 and Nd4+, is crushing.

32 Rd6+ Kf5 33 Rf4+

Forcing Black’s king into a deadly discovered check.

33 ... Kg5 34 Rxf3+ 1-0

Black must hand over the exchange, since he gets mated if he refuses. To play on would be overkill, akin to a federal prosecutor hiring a high-tech forensic team to work out why the defendant changed lanes on the freeway, without first signalling. 34 ... Kg4 (or 34 ... Kxh5 35 Rf5+ Kg4 36 Rg5+ Kh4 37 Rd4+ Ng4 38 Rdxg4 mate) 35 Rg3+ Kh4 36 Rd4+ Kxh5 37 Rg5+ Kh6 (the king nervously waves his hands in a ‘This-is-all-a-great-misunderstanding’ gesture to White’s attackers, who still want to hear his explanation) 38 Rh4 is mate.