Chapter Four
Fischer on Exploiting Imbalances
Fischer’s eyes were exquisitely attuned to even the slightest imbalance shift on the board, even when hidden from his peers. The following diagrams are two examples of how he recycled a space advantage, nurturing it into decisive proportions:
In the first diagram, GM Gheorghiu, as Black, attempted an experiment on Fischer. In this game he allowed Fischer an unopposed space advantage, while Black’s position remains absolutely weakness free. In this game Fischer teaches us the following:
1. It’s impossible to claim a privilege without assuming at least some obligations.
2. A dull opening choice doesn’t necessarily invite a dull game.
Fischer instructively turned his extra space into a kingside assault, which resulted not in mate, but in the annihilation of Black’s pawn structure in the ending.
In this position Fischer had the white pieces versus Panno. Both parties build on their own strong wing, hovering in a state of pre-war, putting off the engagement for a more favourable moment. As you may have guessed, Black’s queenside attack went nowhere, while Fischer ably executed a devastating assault upon Black’s king, underwritten by his central space advantage as collateral. His e5 point, which Panno refused to challenge with ... f6, proved to be the rock on which the defence broke itself.
Game 29
R.Fischer-R.Cardoso
New York 1957
King’s Indian Attack
1 Nf3 Nf6 2 g3 d5 3 Bg2 Bf5 4 0-0 e6 5 d3
This line offered the young Fischer a priceless asset: A deep familiarity with the nuances of the structure. We once again reach King’s Indian Attack, this time against a Reversed London System.
5 ... Bd6?!
In my London System book, I warned the reader about this posting. The bishop should be developed on e7.
Question: What is wrong with the d6, which is a more centralized square?
Answer: The bishop is tactically misplaced on d6 and Black experiences difficulty dealing with White’s crude threat to play e4 and then e5, skewering f6-knight and the misplaced d6-bishop.
6 Nbd2 h6?!
Black prepares ... Bh7, underestimating the latent power in White’s position.
I think Black should go into damage control mode with 6 ... c6 7 e4 Bg4 8 h3 Bxf3, where he hands White both a tempo (playing ... Bf5 and then ... Bg4) and also the bishop-pair.
7 e4!
Fischer’s secret weapon was the same one used by Sherlock Holmes: acute observation to small detail, which others may dismiss as trifles or irrelevant. No Qe1 prep necessary. Fischer achieves his e4 break with the help of tactics.
7 ... Bg4
Cardoso makes the best of a bad situation by admitting to the loss of a tempo. 7 ... dxe4 8 dxe4 Nxe4? (8 ... Bxe4?? 9 Nxe4 Nxe4 10 Nd4! Nc5 11 b4 wins material) 9 Nd4 Be5 10 Nxf5 exf5 11 Nxe4 Qxd1 12 Rxd1 fxe4 13 Bxe4 c6 14 Be3 will be a very rough ending for Black to hold.
8 h3 Bxf3 9 Nxf3!
Stronger than the automatic recapture with the queen. Fischer sets up two cheapos by ‘hanging’ his e-pawn yet again, and also threatening e5.
9 ... Nbd7
9 ... dxe4 10 dxe4 Nxe4?? 11 Nd4 Nc5 12 b4 transposes to the line we looked at earlier.
10 Qe2
Threatening e5 yet again. By now Cardoso undoubtedly regretted the unfortunate d6 posting of his bishop.
10 ... dxe4 11 dxe4 Bc5?!
White already owns the bishop-pair, and now Cardoso allows Fischer space. He gets better survival chances by attempting to halt White’s central expansion with 11 ... e5 12 Nh4 g6, an admittedly nauseating concession, intending ... Qe7, ... Kf8!?, and ... Kg7.
12 e5 Nd5 13 c4 Ne7 14 Bd2
Another cheapo attempt, this time threatening to trap Black’s bishop with b4 and c5.
Also possible was 14 Rd1 Nc6 15 Ne1! (clearing the path to g4 for his queen) 15 ... 0-0 16 Nd3 Qe7 17 Nxc5 Nxc5 18 Bxc6! (the permanent structural damage is more important than the light-squared bishop) 18 ... bxc6 19 b3 (intending to pin with Ba3) 19 ... Nd7 20 Bb2 c5 21 Qe4 with a wretched looking position for Black. White menaces Qc6 or Qb7, as well as the simple plan of doubling rooks on the d-file.
14 ... Nf5
Cheapo alert: ... Nxg3 is the threat.
15 Kh2 c6?!
After this move, Black is in danger of getting pushed off the board. He should play 15 ... a5 to stop White’s coming queenside expansion. However, misguided would be 15 ... Nd4? 16 Nxd4 Bxd4 17 Rad1! Qc8 (not 17 ... Bxb2?? 18 Bf4 Ba3 19 Bxb7 and White menaces both Bc6 and Bxa8) 18 Bxh6 Bxe5 19 Be3 Kf8 20 f4, which will be rough for Black, since White has the bishop-pair, development lead and kingside attacking chances.
16 b4!
Fischer gains useful queenside territory.
16 ... Be7
16 ... Nd4! follows the principle: Seek swaps when cramped. After 17 Qe4 Nxf3+ 18 Bxf3 Be7 19 Bc3 Black is slightly better off than what he got in the game, since here White is denied the Nd2-e4 manoeuvre.
17 Bc3 g5?
Particles of a still unformed plan begin to congregate in a back room of Cardoso’s mind. He decides to sidestep reason and directly appeal to emotion, with a desperado attack, which is in a way, our final court of appeal on the chess board. We all fear death, yet those who commit suicide go out of their way to embrace it. In this case Cardoso entertains a mischievous whim, which as we all understand, is likely to lead to painful, unintended consequences.
Question: Admittedly, Black plays as if the world is about to end. But why criticize this move? Black realizes that he stands worse and attempts to complicate.
Answer: Black plays under the fundamental misconception that he is the one attacking, with a violation of the principle: Don’t launch an attack with a weakening thrust from a position of weakness. Black’s last move, like a bathroom ‘attendant’ in a fancy hotel, is unnecessary and makes everyone uncomfortable.
I think Black would be better off hunkering down for a long period of strategic misery after the more sensible 17 ... 0-0 (sometimes silence on a matter communicates more than angry words) 18 c5 Qc8 19 a3 a5 20 Qe4.
18 Nd2 Qc7 19 Ne4 Rg8
Allowing the centre to open with 19 ... Nxe5?? is suicidal after 20 Nc5 Bf6 21 Rfe1 Nd7 22 Nxe6 and Black collapses.
Question: Why can’t Black just castle long and
then try and attack White’s king on the other side?
Answer: I think that was Cardoso’s original intent when he played 17 ... g5?. At this stage I think he realized that his intended ‘attack’ is a mirage and that he gets crushed after 19 ... 0-0-0 20 c5! h5 21 Nd6+ and Black can resign.
Exercise (planning): Black’s strategic sins have overtaken him and his intent tangles until it is scarcely recognizable from its original motive. Come up with a clear plan after 19 ... Rg8 to dramatically increase White’s growing strategic edge.
Answer: Gain more space and seize control over d6. Now Black’s cramped position goes into further oxygen debt.
20 c5! Kf8 21 Nd6 b6
This move allows White to pry open the centre. 21 ... Bxd6 22 exd6 Qd8 is a position so strategically wretched, that I would prefer to resign, rather than play it out.
22 Nxf5 exf5 23 e6
Of course. Dual principles:
1. Open the game and create confrontation when leading in development.
2. Open the position when you own the bishop-pair.
23 ... Bf6
Instead, 23 ... Nf6 24 Rfe1 Rg6 25 Qc2 bxc5 26 Qxf5 cxb4 27 exf7 Kxf7 28 Bxf6! (the opposite-coloured bishops leave Black’s king defenceless) 28 ... Bxf6 29 Rad1 (threat: Rd7+) 29 ... Rd8 30 Be4 Rg7 31 Bd3! Rd6 32 Bc4+ Kf8 33 Rxd6 Qxd6 34 Re6 is curtains for Black.
Exercise (planning): Find the strongest continuation of White’s attack.
Answer: Invade the seventh rank.
24 Rad1! Ne5
24 ... fxe6 25 Qxe6 Re8 26 Qxf5 is also completely hopeless.
25 Rfe1 Ng4+ 26 hxg4 Bxc3
A new imbalance arises: opposite-coloured bishops, which benefit the attacker.
27 Rd7 Qc8
The rook approaches Black’s flustered queen, who realizes that her chastity is in danger of violation. Boy, this is the definition of an optimist, to play on from this position!
28 Rxf7+ Ke8
Exercise (combination alert): Black’s position is like a butler’s son, who grows
up poor, surrounded by the shadow of wealth. Cardoso’s position is in a process
of endless recessive drift. The move Fischer played wins easily, but here, he
missed a forced mate in seven. It’s pretty difficult to see, but give it a shot.
29 Rd1
Answer: The serpent-like queen weaves her way into the weakened light squares: 29 Qf3!! 29 ... Bxe1 30 Qxf5 (there is no defence to Qh7) 30 ... Bc3 31 Qh7 Rh8 32 Re7+ Kd8 33 Rd7+ Ke8 34 Qf7 mate. The queen clenches and unclenches her fingers, probably to test to see if her fists are in good working order, before she pounds her brother black and blue.
29 ... Rg7 30 Rxg7 Bxg7 31 gxf5
Threatening mate, starting with Qh5+.
31 ... Kf8 32 e7+ 1-0
32 ... Kf7 33 Rd8 Qb7 34 Qe6 is mate.
Game 30
K.Robatsch-R.Fischer
Capablanca Memorial, Havana 1965
Sicilian Najdorf
1 e4 c5 2 Nf3 d6 3 d4 cxd4 4 Nxd4 Nf6 5 Nc3 a6 6 Bc4 e6 7 a3
Today, this line is considered a bit limp for White and would probably get a ‘?!’ mark. 7 Bb3 is White’s most reliable move, and even then, Black equalizes, according to current theory.
Question: Why don’t you like 7 a3? It has the benefit of preserving
the light-squared bishop, since now it has a safe haven on a2.
Answer: True enough, but at the cost of a precious tempo, which I think is worth more than the preservation of the bishop.
7 ... Be7 8 Ba2 0-0 9 0-0 b5 10 f4 Bb7 11 f5 e5 12 Nde2
12 ... Nbd7
A rare case of restraint from Fischer, who normally loves pawn grabs.
Question: Does White get full compensation for the pawn after 12 ... Nxe4?
Answer: If Fischer, knowing his tendency for risky pawn grabs, declines a pawn, we suspect there is real peril for his side. Let’s look at 13 Nxe4 Bxe4. Before you get too excited about Black’s extra pawn, be warned: White scores 81% from this position in my database. Houdini slightly prefers Black, but of course comps defend infinitely better than humans.
14 Ng3 d5! (Black’s safest path is to return the pawn; 14 ... Bb7 15 Nh5 looks pretty scary) 15 Nxe4 dxe4 16 Qd5 (White regains the pawn) 16 ... Nd7 17 Qxe4 was J.Bokan-A.Benderac, Ulcinj 1997. Black doesn’t stand worse after 17 ... Nf6!. Now if White gets greedy with 18 Qxe5?! Black seizes a strong initiative with 18 ... Bd6 19 Qe2 Re8 20 Qf3 Qc7 (the double attack on h2 and c2 regains the pawn favourably, since Black now leads in development) 21 g3 Qxc2 and he stands better. So it looks like the pawn grab is sound, yet full of practical peril for Black.
13 Ng3
Covering e4.
13 ... Rc8 14 Be3
Question: Isn’t 14 Bg5 going after a protector of d5, White’s most thematic plan?
Answer: It is White’s main line, but I’m not so sure it should be. Black has a promising exchange sacrifice with 14 ... Rxc3! 15 bxc3 Nxe4 16 Bxe7 Qxe7 17 Nxe4 Bxe4 18 Bd5 Nf6 19 Bxe4 Nxe4 (threat: ... Qa7+ and ... Nf2+), as in D.Ciric-S.Gligoric, Novi Sad 1965. Black already stands better, with a pawn for the exchange, plus the superior structure.
14 ... Nb6
I already prefer Black’s position. We catch a glimpse into Fisher’s stylistic preferences. He declines to make a promising exchange sacrifice on c3. Why? The way he played offers him a relatively risk-free edge. Fischer gives his opponent a choice of handing over his valuable dark-squared bishop, or losing control over d5.
Question: How does the exchange sacrifice work out in this position?
Answer: Oddly enough, the exchange sacrifice has never been played in this position, perhaps since Fischer’s move gives Black a safe edge. 14 ... Rxc3 15 bxc3 Nxe4 16 Nxe4 Bxe4 17 c4! undoubles White’s c-pawns, although even here I still slightly prefer Black after 17 ... Qa8.
15 Bxb6?!
I think this is the precursor to White’s future dark-square troubles. He has a better shot with 15 Qe2 Nc4 16 Bxc4 Rxc4 when Black applies strong pressure on e4. If 17 Bg5 Nxe4! 18 Ncxe4 Bxg5 19 b3 Rc6 20 f6 gxf6 21 Nh5 d5 22 Nxg5 fxg5 23 Qxe5 f6 24 Qe2 and White is down a pawn, yet has some fishing chances since Black’s kingside pawns are loose.
15 ... Qxb6+ 16 Kh1 Qe3!
Fischer’s intuition fastens upon a powerful plan. He, like Capablanca before him, was always attracted to the simple path. He once again rejects a more complex path of an exchange sacrifice on c3. Instead he swings his queen to the kingside, which accomplishes two goals:
1. He effectively squelches White’s would-be attack.
2. He follows the principle: Operate on your strong colour – in this case the dark squares.
16 ... Rxc3 is also exceedingly tempting and 17 bxc3 Bxe4 with strong compensation for the exchange, C.Bartsch-V.Tasic, correspondence 2005. Maybe White should continue 18 Nxe4 Nxe4 19 Qf3 Nd2 20 Qf2 Qxf2 21 Rxf2 Ne4 22 Rf3 Rc8 23 c4 bxc4 24 Re1 d5 25 Rfe3!, threatening to get a drawish position by re-sacing the exchange on e4.
17 Nd5
Alternatively, 17 Rf3 Qh6 18 Qe2 Rc5 19 Rd1 Rfc8 20 Rd2 a5! (threat: ... b4, followed by ... Rxc2) 21 Bb3, A.Danilovic-L.Fressinet, Oropesa del Mar 1999, and Black is in control of the position after 21 ... Qh4!.
17 ... Bxd5 18 Bxd5 Bd8!?
Fischer plays on the opposite-coloured bishops’ imbalance. He can also try 18 ... Nxd5 19 exd5 Bh4! 20 Rf3 Qd4 21 c3 Qxd1+ 22 Rxd1 Bxg3 23 Rxg3 Rc4 with a favourable rook ending for the following reasons:
1. Black owns a protected passed e-pawn.
2. White’s d5-pawn is artificially isolated. It’s safe enough for now, but may later become weak.
3. Black can play for a queenside minority attack with ... a5 and ... b4, weakening White’s queenside pawns.
19 a4!
Robatsch attempts to create further light-square weakness in Fischer’s position.
19 ... Bb6
Nobody dares call him a bad bishop now.
20 axb5 axb5 21 Ra6 b4 22 Nh5 Nxd5!
22 ... Nxh5?! 23 Qxh5 leaves White in good shape. Now 23 ... Rxc2?? walks into Robatsch’s devious trap.
Exercise (combination alert): What should White play?
Answer: Queen sacrifice/weak back rank: 24 Qxf7+! Rxf7 25 Ra8+ Rc8 26 Rxc8+ Bd8 27 Rxd8 mate.
23 Qg4?
In a war setting, we can’t always have our data arranged before us in a neat list. When we arrive at such critical cross-roads, it’s as if we have a choice of entering parallel universes, one sacred and the other profane. Now White’s aspirations are stillborn. Robatsch, who awakens as if from a trance, is willing to hand over his queenside pawns to go for a last-ditch kingside assault, with queen, knight, f-pawn and f1-rook. The trouble is this just isn’t enough to force perpetual check or mate on Black’s well protected king. And the reason he is well protected lies in the black queen’s powerfully centralized posting. Fischer accurately calculates that he can grab the material and get away with the crime.
The alternatives were:
a) 23 Qxd5? Rxc2 with a pawn up and a winning position. If 24 Qxd6?? the simple 24 ... Qe2 forces mate.
b) White may just hold his own with accurate play after the correct 23 exd5! Rc4 24 Qd3 Rc7 25 Qd1 f6 26 h3 Qd4 27 Qxd4 Bxd4 28 Rxd6 Rxc2 29 Rd7 e4 (after 29 ... Rf7 30 Rd8+ Rf8 31 Rd7 the game is drawn by repetition of moves) 30 Rxg7+ Kh8 31 Rg4 Rxb2 32 Rxe4 Be5 33 Nf4 b3 34 Nd3 Rc2 35 Rb1 b2 36 d6! Rb8 37 d7 Rd2 38 Nxe5 fxe5 39 Rxe5 Rxd7 40 Re2 Rdb7 41 g4 Kg7 42 g5 and he reinforces his defences to last out until Judgement Day. The likely result is a draw.
23 ... g6 24 exd5 Rxc2 25 fxg6 hxg6 26 Nf6+ Kg7 27 Nh5+ Kh6
No draw. The king nears the knight with the attitude of a collector who approaches a rare butterfly, certain to fly off if he makes even the least erratic motion.
28 Nf6
White threatens mate in two moves, starting with Qh4+.
28 ... Rf2!
A once closely guarded family secret threatens to be exposed to public view. White’s position is weighed down by multiple strategic anxieties. Now we add another one: Weak back rank. Fischer’s move also renders White’s mating threat inactive.
29 Raa1
White puts up the strongest resistance in the line 29 Qh4+ Kg7 (now there is no mate on h7, since White’s knight hangs) 30 Qxf2 Qxf2 31 Rxf2 Bxf2 32 Rxd6 Bd4 33 Ne4 (forced; 33 b3?? is met with 33 ... e4! 34 Nxe4 Re8 winning, due to White’s weak back rank) 33 ... Bxb2 34 Rb6 Rc8 35 g3 Rc4 36 Nd6 Rd4 37 Rb7 Rxd5 38 Rxb4 Ba3 39 Ne8+ Kf8 40 Ra4 Rd1+ 41 Kg2 Rd2+ 42 Kh1 Be7 when Black is only up one pawn, but should convert, since he owns the superior minor piece in conjunction with a passed e-pawn. Also, White’s king is cut off on the first rank.
29 ... Ra8!
The rook devises a new scheme to enrich itself. Fischer continues to play on White’s weak back rank.
30 Qxb4
Alternatively:
a) 30 Qh4+ Kg7 and now 31 Ng4 is met with 31 ... Rxa1! 32 Rxa1 Qf4! 33 h3 Rf1+ 34 Rxf1 Qxf1+ 35 Kh2 Bg1+ 36 Kh1 Bf2+ 37 Kh2 Qg1 mate.
b) 30 Rad1 Kg7 31 Nh5+ Kf8 32 Nf6 Bd4 33 Ne4 Rf4! 34 Rxf4 Qxf4 35 Qxf4 exf4 (that loose back rank again) 36 b3 Ra3 37 g3 Be5 38 Rd3 Ke7 and Black is up a pawn, with White’s rook tied down.
30 ... Kg7! 31 Qxd6
Otherwise:
a) 31 Ng4 is met by 31 ... Qf4! 32 Qxf4 Rxf4 33 h3 f5! 34 Nh2 Rxa1 35 Rxa1 Rd4 36 Nf3 Rxd5 with an easy win in the ending for Black.
b) 31 Nd7?? Qe2 32 Rg1 Rxa1 forces a quick mate.
Exercise (combination alert): Black’s threats are felt, more than immediately seen or grasped. He has two ways to win, both based on White’s weak back rank. Find one.
Answer: Weak back rank/double attack.
31 ... Qe2!
The queen decides upon a contribution to the weak back-rank conversation. When we outguess an opponent, we become clairvoyants, capable of eavesdropping on our enemies’ thoughts.
Answer no.2: Also winning was 31 ... Qg5! (weak back rank/double attack) 32 Ne8+ Kh7 33 Nf6+ Kh6 34 Rg1 Qxg2+! 35 Rxg2 Rxa1+ 36 Rg1 Rxg1+ 37 Kxg1 Rxf6+.
32 Ne8+
This knight, who occasionally has the tendency to get above himself, flops on e8 like a mis-flipped pancake, but if 32 Rg1 Rxa1 33 Ne8+ Kh7 34 Nf6+ Rxf6 35 Qxf6 Rxg1 mate.
32 ... Rxe8
The human move. The comp likes the even more crushing 32 ... Kh6!, which leaves White totally helpless. Of course it’s a million times easier to find strong moves when you are a non-participating annotator, with a delicately brewed cup of tea on one side, and a 3200-rated comp, whispering double exclam variations in our ear, on the other.
33 Rfe1 Qb5 0-1
Black is up a piece.
It’s impossible to force a combination’s geometry into our consciousness. Instead, it must come to us. The show-offy comp found 33 ... Qg4! (troubles pile up on White’s king, faster than he is capable of relieving them) 34 Rg1 Qg3!! (a long-held suspicion now becomes a deadly certainty) 35 Qxb6 (or 35 hxg3 Rh8 mate) 35 ... Rh8 36 h3 Qxh3+! (I told you the comp was a show-off) 37 gxh3 Rxh3 mate. My fingers are exhausted from typing in “mate” so many times in the notes.
Game 31
L.Portisch-R.Fischer
Piatigorsky Cup, Santa Monica 1966
Nimzo-Indian Defence
1 d4 Nf6 2 c4 e6 3 Nc3 Bb4
In this case Fischer refuses to give blind conformity to his normal opening tradition. He “felt Portisch was just too well-versed in the King’s Indian.”
4 e3 b6
4 ... 0-0 and 4 ... c5 are played more often. Fischer’s choice is the most Nimzowitschian of Nimzos. Aaron Nimzowitsch often played this set-up, but with colours reversed, with a 1 Nf3 and 2 b3 move order.
5 Nge2
More popular than 5 Bd3.
Question: Why develop the knight to a square where it
blocks the development of White’s light-squared bishop?
Answer: e2 is just a temporary stop for the knight. The move serves the purpose of being able to recapture on c3 with a knight, if Black ever plays ... Bxc3+. After chasing Black’s b4-bishop away with a3, White normally follows with either Ng3 or Nf4, which frees the f1-bishop.
5 ... Ba6
Bronstein’s idea, which immediately puts the question to White on how he plans to defend c4.
6 Ng3!?
Portisch deliberately follows Saidy-Fischer, armed with an improvement.
Botvinnik, the king of the white side of Nimzo-Indians, always played 6 a3 Bxc3+ (Black can also back the bishop to e7) 7 Nxc3 d5 (Black would love to swap off White’s good, light-squared bishop) 8 b3 0-0 9 a4 c5 (it becomes a battle of White’s bishop-pair, over Black’s development lead) 10 Ba3 dxc4 11 bxc4 Nc6!? 12 Nb5 (after 12 dxc5 bxc5 13 Qxd8 Rfxd8 14 Bxc5 Na5 15 Bb4 Nxc4 Black regains the pawn with a decent position) 12 ... Bb7 13 Be2 Ne4 14 Bf3 Ng5 15 Bxc6 Bxc6 16 f3 a6 17 Nc3, M.Botvinnik-V.Smyslov, World Championship (Game 13), Moscow 1957. Black earns equal chances after 17 ... Qf6.
6 ... Bxc3+
Nimzowitsch always chopped the c3-knight if it inflicted his opponent with doubled pawns.
7 bxc3 d5!
Question: Why would Black hand over the bishop-pair to double
White’s c-pawns and then the very next move, offer to undouble them?
Answer: Principle: If your opponent has the bishop-pair, eliminate one of them. Black generates excellent play on the central and queenside light squares if the light-squared bishops are forced off the board.
8 Qf3!?
After 8 cxd5 Bxf1 9 Kxf1 Qxd5 10 Qd3 Nbd7 11 e4 Qa5 12 e5 Nd5 13 c4 Nb4 14 Qb3 Nc6 15 Bb2 0-0 16 Bc3 Qa6 17 Qb5 Qb7 18 Re1 Rfd8 19 h4 Nf8 20 Re4?! Ne7 White’s coming kingside attack looks fishy and Black already looks better, due to the coming central pressure and his control over the light squares, S.Gligoric-L.Portisch, Wijk aan Zee 1975.
8 ... 0-0 9 e4!?
Still following the Saidy-Fischer game. It is at this point that both players’ research commences. With hindsight of what followed in the game, this move actually deserves a ‘?!’ Mark.
Normal is 9 cxd5 Qxd5 10 e4 Qb7 11 Be2 Bxe2 12 Qxe2 c5 13 0-0 Qa6 14 Qxa6 Nxa6 15 Ba3 Rfc8 and Black stood no worse, A.Lombard-B.Larsen, Biel 1976.
9 ... dxe4!
Fischer improves upon his own past play. The point is White’s c4-pawn is in grave danger. Portisch undoubtedly expected Fischer to follow his own precedent with 9 ... dxc4?! 10 Bg5 h6. Here Saidy retreated the bishop to d2 in A.Saidy-R.Fischer, New York 1965, but Portisch planned the powerful theoretical novelty 11 h4! when Black is under heavy pressure.
10 Nxe4 Nxe4 11 Qxe4 Qd7!!
Astounding predictive insight on Fischer’s part. This move may look like a concession, but one with a political facade behind a submissive posture.
Question: I see that if White takes the a8-rook, then ... Nc6 traps
the queen. But then doesn’t White get two rooks for the queen?
Answer: Two rooks are nearly always superior to a lone queen. This position is an exception for these reasons:
1. White’s queenside pawns are the maggots in otherwise perfectly formed apples. Black’s queen has a field day of white targets on c4, a2 and c3.
2. Taking the a8-rook costs White time, and he is already behind in development.
3. If Black manages to swap light-squared bishops (which is highly likely in this position if c4 falls), then White is left with a bad bishop versus Black’s strong knight.
12 Ba3?!
This move fails to convey conviction in the correctness of White’s idea.
Question: Why criticize the gain of a tempo?
Answer: I’m not so sure it’s White who gains the tempo. Black’s rook is better placed now on e8 and White’s a3-bishop is vulnerable to future ... Qa4 attacks.
Otherwise:
a) 12 Qxa8? Nc6 13 Qxf8+ Kxf8 14 f3 Na5 15 c5 Bxf1 16 Rxf1 Qb5 17 cxb6 cxb6 18 Kf2 Nc4 will be a rough ending for White to hold, since Black has a stranglehold on the light squares c4 and d5, and White’s undeveloped and uninspiring pieces lack viable targets.
b) Fischer suggested the superior 12 Bd3 f5 13 Qe2 Nc6. Black looks better here, but not as much as in the game continuation.
12 ... Re8 13 Bd3 f5 14 Qxa8?!
Portisch frames an ascent. A natural optimist isn’t easily discouraged, even when presented with evidence that he should be. When we reject a position’s correct plan, we swim against the current. Portisch, whose ebullient mood isn’t borne out by the data, is fooled by the allure of the ‘favourable’ swap of queen for two rooks. Both parties give up something to gain something. However, Fischer assessed the resulting position far more accurately than Portisch.
White should have settled for the admittedly discouraging looking 14 Qe2 Qa4 15 Bc1 c5 16 dxc5 Nd7! 17 cxb6 axb6 18 0-0 Nc5 19 Bc2 Qxc4 20 Qxc4 Bxc4 when Black regains the sacrificed pawn and has the better chances in the ending.
14 ... Nc6 15 Qxe8+ Qxe8
A pair of oxen are more powerful than a horse, yet will be beaten badly if they race. In this position speed matters more than raw numbers, since Black’s queen soon finds prey in the form of multiple pawn targets.
16 0-0 Na5
Now c4 falls, so it’s a queen and pawn versus two rooks.
17 Rae1 Bxc4
The comp likes 17 ... Qa4! 18 Bc1 Bxc4 19 Bxc4 Qxc4 20 Bf4 when Black’s position is even better than the one he got in the game.
18 Bxc4 Nxc4
Black’s knight towers over White’s bishop, whose joy continues to corrode.
19 Bc1 c5!?
Kasparov gives his move an exclamation mark. I think there exists an even stronger plan with 19 ... Kf7 20 Re2 Qd8 21 Rfe1 e5! 22 dxe5 Ke6! (the king is an ideal blockader of White’s passed e-pawn) 23 h3 Qd3 24 Bf4 a5 25 g3 h6 26 h4 Qxc3 27 Rc1 Qf3 28 Ree1 b5 when White’s ineffective pieces stand helplessly in mute witness to the carnage all around them. It’s just a matter of time and technique before Black pushes forward his queenside pawns.
20 dxc5 bxc5 21 Bf4 h6 22 Re2 g5 23 Be5
The bishop stubbornly refuses to leave the premises. Kasparov didn’t like this move, writing: “A rare instance when a ‘powerful’ bishop on e5 is transformed into a target of attack”. Probably true, but it hardly seems better to play the passive 23 Bc1 and allow Black’s kingside pawns to roll forward with 23 ... e5.
Instead, if 23 Bc7 Qd7 24 Bb8 Qd8! and the bishop must return to e5 all the same, since 25 Rb1? loses to 25 ... Na3, while 25 Bxa7? Qc7 traps the bishop.
23 ... Qd8 24 Rfe1 Kf7 25 h3 f4!
Now White must be on constant watch for disruptive ... f3 tricks.
26 Kh2 a6
Here is the Fischerian eye for detail. He moves his a-pawn up one square, so that when White later plays Bb8, it won’t be with tempo.
27 Re4
Alternatives:
a) 27 h4 f3! (preferable to 27 ... Qd5 28 Bh8 e5 29 hxg5 hxg5 30 Bxe5 f3! 31 gxf3 Nd2 32 c4 Qd3 33 Re3 Nf1+ 34 Kg2 Nxe3+ 35 Rxe3 Qxc4 36 a3 when White has chances to achieve a fortress draw) 28 gxf3 Nd2 29 Kg2 gxh4 30 Re3 Qg5+ 31 Kh1 Qf5 32 f4 Nc4 33 Rf3 a5 34 Kh2 Nd2 35 Rfe3 Qg4 and Black wins, since there is no remedy to the coming ... Nf3+.
b) 27 a4 a5 28 Kg1 (the do-nothing strategy) 28 ... Qd7 29 Bb8 (the bungling bishop hasn’t exactly discharged his mission in good faith; it’s amazing how Fischer keeps the bishop hemmed in on an open board) 29 ... Qb7 30 Be5 h5! (here come the kingside pawns) 31 Bh8 (the bishop is driven into a penitential state in the corner) 31 ... Qa8! 32 Be5 f3 33 gxf3 Qxf3 34 Re4 Nd2 35 R4e3 Qc6 36 f3 Qxa4 and the fall of White’s a-pawn is decisive.
27 ... Qd5!
The queen, who lurked on the fringes, now moves to the middle. Rather than attack a pinpoint target, Fischer goes for an unpatterned dispersal of threats:
1. To White’s queenside pawns.
2. To White’s bishop and e4-rook.
3. To White’s king, since ... f3, as well as a kingside pawn avalanche, is in the air.
28 h4
White is unable to avoid Fischer’s coming combination with 28 R4e2? f3 29 gxf3 Nd2, winning material.
Exercise (combination alert): The two armies press as close as lovers in the
middle. White’s resistance boils down to a single pocket of intransigence:
His blockade of e4 and e5. How did Fischer short circuit White’s harmony?
Answer: Interference. White’s e4-rook is cut off.
28 ... Ne3!
Tenacity, no matter how courageous, can be humbled through raw might. Portisch is unable to compete with Fischer’s queen and knight’s manipulations.
29 R1xe3
Question: Why can’t the e4-rook be protected with 29 f3?
Answer: White gets mated if he insists on hanging on to all his material after 29 ... Qd2! 30 Rg1 Qf2!. White’s king, still alive, is laid to rest in his coffin, and all which emerges of his complaints is a series of tubercular throat-clearing croaks. There is no remedy to the coming mate on h4.
29 ... fxe3 30 Rxe3 Qxa2
The passed a-pawn will be decisive.
31 Rf3+ Ke8 32 Bg7 Qc4 33 hxg5
Or 33 Bxh6 Qxh4+ 34 Rh3 Qxf2 35 Bxg5 Qf5 and the a-pawn will win.
33 ... hxg5 34 Rf8+ Kd7 35 Ra8 Kc6 0-1
Game 32
B.Larsen-R.Fischer
Monte Carlo 1967
King’s Indian Defence
When your writer was but a lad in his twenties, I played the King’s Indian Defence with Black. (Don’t give me that disapproving look. We all do crazy things when we are young!) Each January, I would dust off my copy of Fischer’s complete games (a book I don’t own anymore, since we now use databases), and go through all his King’s Indian Attacks as White, and all his KIDs as Black. This game is a complete schematic of how to play the black side of a KID Exchange Variation structure.
1 d4 Nf6 2 c4 g6 3 Nc3 Bg7 4 e4 d6 5 Be2
Larsen successfully experimented with 5 Nf3 0-0 6 Be3!?.
5 ... 0-0 6 Nf3 e5 7 0-0 Nc6 8 Be3
Gligoric’s line, currently rather fashionable at the GM level today. Larsen switched his lines around constantly, to the point where it was nearly impossible to prepare for him. Fischer may have expected 8 d5 Ne7 9 Ne1 Nd7 10 Nd3 f5 11 Bd2, as in B.Larsen-M.Najdorf, Santa Monica 1966.
8 ... Re8
Today, most GMs play 8 ... Ng4 9 Bg5 f6, and now either 10 Bc1 or 10 Bh4.
9 dxe5!
The only way to play for an edge. 9 d5 is met with the simplification trick 9 ... Nd4! when Black equalizes.
9 ... dxe5 10 Qxd8 Nxd8
10 ... Rxd8 is also played here.
Question: What is the difference?
Answer: By recapturing with the rook, Black’s knight remains poised for ... Nd4, taking advantage of the hole. The trouble is White gets to play Nd5 and Black can’t easily play ... c6. That said, after 11 Bg5 Rf8 12 Rfd1 Bg4 13 h3 Bxf3 14 Bxf3 Nd4 15 Nd5 Nxd5 16 cxd5 f5 17 Be3 Nxf3+ 18 gxf3 Rf7 19 Rac1 Bf8! 20 Bc5 Bh6! Black equalized in A.Shneider-A.Beliavsky, Bern 1995.
11 Nb5
Larsen goes after the underbelly, attacking both c7 and at least getting Black worried about a7. If 11 Nd5 Ne6 12 Ng5 and now Black equalizes with the trick 12 ... Nf4!, Z.Mijailovic-V.Kotronias, Vrnjacka Banja 2006.
11 ... Ne6
Certainly not 11 ... Re7? 12 Bc5 Rd7 13 Nxe5 Rd2 14 Nxc7 Rxe2 15 Nxa8 Nxe4 16 Rad1 Ne6 17 Bxa7! and Black’s problem is that with 17 ... Bxe5?? 18 Rfe1! White regains the piece and remains up the exchange.
12 Ng5
Attempting to undermine the defender of c7.
12 ... Re7
13 Rfd1
Larsen’s attempted improvement over 13 Nxe6 Bxe6 14 f3 c6 15 Nc3 Rd7 16 Rfd1 Bf8 17 Kf2 b6 18 b3 Rb7 19 Na4 Nd7 20 Nb2 b5 when Black is active and fully equal, S.Reshevsky-R.Fischer, Santa Monica 1966.
Question: Can White get away with 13 Nxa7?
Answer: The move is playable, but White gets no advantage after 13 ... Nd4! 14 Bxd4 exd4 15 Nxc8 Rxc8 16 f3. White is up a pawn, while his bad bishop and weakness on the dark squares ensure Black full compensation, P.Martin-B.Ivkov, Buenos Aires 1955.
13 ... b6!
Just like the last game, Fischer throws his opponent off balance by beating him to the opening novelty.
Larsen expected 13 ... c6!? which followed S.Reshevsky-R.Fischer, Los Angeles 1961, from their ninth matchgame. Larsen said he planned the new move at the time 14 Nxa7!? when Fischer noted in 60 Memorable Games he would have gone for the line 14 ... Bd7 (also to be considered is 14 ... Nd4! 15 Bxd4 exd4 16 Nxc8 Rxc8 17 f3 Nd7 which leaves White up a pawn, but with a bad bishop, weak dark squares and facing Black’s passed d-pawn; Black should have full compensation here) 15 Nxe6 Bxe6 16 f3 Rd7 threatening ... Rd4! when “Black has fair play for the pawn, considering that the knight is stranded on a7”.
14 c5!?
Some plans are as perilous as they are desirable, and another player’s notion of what constitutes inappropriate behaviour may not square with ours. Having written a book on Larsen, I came to the conclusion that his great ambition in life was to break every chess law he could possibly get away with. He sometimes forgot that the chess goddess, above all, is capricious. She sometimes gives, but she also loves to take away that which is most precious to us. This raw show of aggression is both risky and typical of Larsen’s speculative style.
The safe route 14 Nxe6 (a move played with the philosophy: If we let go of expectations, we can never be disappointed) 14 ... Bxe6 15 f3 offers White nothing, except safety.
14 ... Nxc5
Foolish would be 14 ... bxc5? 15 Nxe6 Bxe6 16 Bxc5 Rd7 17 f3 when Black has no compensation for his damaged queenside structure.
15 Rd8+
Exercise (critical decision): Black has a choice of 15 ... Re8, 15 ... Ne8 and 15 ... Bf8.
Only one of them allows Black to remain equal. Which one would you play?
Answer: 15 ... Bf8!
Fischer finds the best defence, avoiding:
a) 15 ... Re8?! 16 Rxe8+ Nxe8 17 Bc4! Be6 18 Nxe6 Nxe6 19 Bd5 Rd8 20 Nxa7 Nd4 21 Nc6 Nxc6 22 Bxc6 with the bishop-pair and a slight light-square bind on the queenside for White.
b) 15 ... Ne8? walks into a combination after 16 Bxc5 bxc5 17 Nxc7! (overloaded defender/pin) 17 ... Rxc7 18 Rxe8+ Bf8 19 Nxh7! (overloaded defender/pin, again) 19 ... Kxh7 20 Rxf8 with an extra pawn for White in the ending.
16 Nxa7!
Overloaded defender. Larsen regains his sacrificed pawn, but not the advantage.
16 ... Rxa7
16 ... Bb7 17 Rxa8 Bxa8 18 f3 h6 19 Nh3 Ne6 20 Rc1 c5 21 Nb5 Nd4 is also fine for Black.
17 Rxc8 Kg7
Fischer avoids the trap 17 ... Ncxe4?? 18 Nxe4 Nxe4 19 Bh6, forcing mate.
18 f3
Question: Why would White avoid 18 Bxc5 bxc5
which inflicts serious damage to Black’s structure?
Answer: Black gets adequate compensatory play on the dark squares after 19 a4 (if 19 f3 Rd7 20 Bc4 h6 and White must hand over two pieces for the rook and pawn, since 21 Nh3? Rd4 22 b3 Nd7 23 Rd8 Be7 24 Re8 Bd6 25 Nf2 Nb6 gives Black a close-to-winning initiative) 19 ... h6 20 Nf3 Nxe4 21 a5 Nd6 22 Rb8 e4 23 Nd2 e3 24 fxe3 Rxe3 25 Kf1 Re6 with an unbalanced game, where White’s passed a-pawn compensates him for his missing pawn.
18 ... Ne8 19 a3?!
White’s would-be initiative needs both time and reinforcements – both of which he lacks. Fischer gives this move a ‘?’ mark, writing: “Larsen’s reluctance to simplify will soon backfire.” He suggested the continuation 19 Bxc5 bxc5 20 Rb8, claiming White has all the chances due to his passed a-pawn. Houdini is unimpressed and assesses the position at ‘0.00’ – dead even. Let’s look further to see which assessment is the more accurate: 20 ... Nf6 21 a4 Rd7 22 a5 Rd4 23 b3 Nd7 24 Re8 Rb4 25 Bc4 Nb6! 26 Bxf7 h6 27 Rd1 Rxa5 28 Rdd8 hxg5 29 Rxf8 Nd7! 30 Rh8 Ra1+ 31 Kf2 Ra2+ 32 Kg3 Rd4 33 Bc4 Nf6. The assessment remains at ‘0.00’ and it feels to me that Houdini won the assessment battle.
19 ... Nd6 20 Rd8!?
Larsen rejects the repetition draw after 20 Rb8 Nd7 21 Rd8 Nb7 22 Rc8 Nd6.
20 ... h6 21 Nh3 Ne6 22 Rb8 Re8
The final white invader is exchanged away.
23 Rxe8 Nxe8
Question: How would you assess this ending?
Answer: I prefer Black. The game becomes a battle between White’s bishop-pair and Black’s dark-square control. The problem for White is that I don’t see a way for him to retain the bishop-pair against a swap on c5.
24 Bb5?!
A waste of time. White should recentralize his knight with 24 Nf2.
24 ... Nd6 25 Bf1
Not 25 Bc6? Nc4 26 Bc1 Nd4 27 Bd5 Ra4 28 Nf2 c6 29 Bxc4 Rxc4 when the coming ... Rc2 leaves Black in control.
25 ... Nb7! 26 Nf2
Note that White is unable to prevent the coming bishop swap with 26 b4?? since Black has the simple 26 ... Bxb4.
26 ... Bc5!
Principle: When the opponent has the bishop-pair, trade one away.
27 Bxc5
White has no choice but to trade since 27 Bd2?! Bd4 turns Black’s bishop into a monster.
27 ... Nbxc5 28 Rd1 h5!
An example of Fischer’s super-alertness. If 28 ... Nd4 29 Ng4 f6 30 f4! Nxe4 31 fxe5 c5 32 exf6+ Nxf6 33 Nxf6 Kxf6 and the simplification benefited White, who should hold the game.
29 Rd5
After 29 Nd3?! Nxd3 30 Bxd3 Nd4 Black’s knight displays obvious superiority over White’s bishop.
29 ... Kf6 30 h4 Ke7!
Clever. The e5-pawn doesn’t hang.
31 Bc4
Avoiding 31 Rxe5?? c6 and the coming ... f6 wins the exchange.
31 ... c6 32 Rd2 Nd4 33 Kf1
Larsen is understandably reluctant to play 33 Nd3 Nxd3 34 Bxd3 b5, turning it into a pure good knight versus mediocre bishop contest.
33 ... f5!
The centre is as overcrowded as my garage. Just visually, we see that Black’s creeping army begins to take over on both sides of the board.
34 b4?
The act of overextension is clear proof that it’s possible to love something to death. Larsen is in danger of laying waste to his natural resources through over consumption. White’s position is unable to withstand the creation of a fresh weakness on a3. This move was made in that pre-time control zone where our clocks run low, and illumination begins to unsettle and fade, just before the chaos. White had to try and hunker down with a move like 34 Ba2.
34 ... b5! 35 Bg8
It’s suicide to allow Black a passed c-pawn: 35 bxc5?? bxc4 36 exf5 gxf5 37 Ra2 c3 38 Nd3 Ke6 39 Nb4 (in order to halt Black’s king entry with ... Kd5) 39 ... Ra5 40 Nd3 e4 41 fxe4 fxe4 42 Nb4 Rxc5 43 Nc2 Kd5 44 Ne3+ Ke5 45 Ra1 c2 46 Rc1 Rc3 47 Kf2 Rd3 48 Rf1 Nb3! 49 Nxc2 Rd2+ and wins.
Also bad is 35 Bxb5?, which hangs material to 35 ... Ncb3.
35 ... fxe4!
White is handed yet other weaknesses to defend on e4.
36 fxe4
After 36 bxc5 e3 37 Rd3 exf2 38 f4 Kf6 39 fxe5+ Kxe5 40 Kxf2 Nf5 White soon loses material, since he is unable to cover the a3-, c5- and h4-pawns.
36 ... Nd7 37 Rd3 Ra6!
Covering c6, which enables the threat: ... Nc2. The immediate 37 ... Nc2 allows 38 Rc3 when Black has nothing better than to return with 38 ... Nd4.
38 Rc3
Exercise (combination alert): When we are maddeningly close to
finding a combinational pattern, dim geometric associations float
past our minds, taunting us to try and latch on to one. Fischer found a
hidden tactical idea in the position. What would you play here?
Answer: Weak back rank.
38 ... c5!
A fringe benefit arising from White’s unfortunately placed king appears. Larsen missed this energetic shot, which plays on White’s weak back rank.
Answer no.2: Also powerful is the comp’s suggestion 38 ... Ra8! 39 Ba2 c5! 40 bxc5 b4!.
39 g4?!
The more elaborate the plan, the more likely it will fail due to unforeseen consequences. Larsen had to try 39 bxc5 b4! 40 Rc1 (40 axb4?? walks headlong into the weak back-rank theme after 40 ... Ra1+) 40 ... Nf6 41 Bc4 Rxa3. White is also lost here, but has better chances than he did in the game.
39 ... c4!
A new advantage emerges: a protected passed c-pawn. Larsen may have counted on 39 ... Nf6 when White could try and confuse the issue with 40 Rxc5!.
40 gxh5 gxh5 41 Bd5 Nf6 42 Rg3 Nxd5 43 exd5 Rf6 44 Kg2
44 Kg1?? walks into the fork 44 ... Ne2+, or if 44 Ke1 Rf4 and Black completely dominates.
44 ... Nf5!
Forcing White’s rook into passivity.
45 Rh3 Rg6+ 46 Kf3 Nd4+ 47 Ke3
47 Ke4 Kd6 48 Rh2 Rg3 49 Nd1 Rg4+ 50 Ke3 Rg1 51 Rd2 (51 Nc3?? Rg3+ wins a piece) 51 ... Rh1! leaves White in zugzwang, where every move loses material.
47 ... Rg2 48 Rh1
48 Ne4?? walks into 48 ... Re2 mate.
48 ... Kd6
The d5-pawn falls.
49 Ne4+ Kxd5 50 Nc3+ Ke6 51 Rc1
Exile is always an option. White’s knight is trapped on c3, since moving it allows mate on e2. This means that responsibility for the well-being of the c3-knight keeps getting passed up the chain of command, until the rook assumes the menial duty.
51 ... Rh2 52 a4
This is way too little, coming way too late.
52 ... Rh3+ 53 Kf2 Nb3!
The knight ending is a trivial win for Black.
54 Kg2
54 Rc2?? walks into 54 ... Rh2+.
54 ... Nxc1 55 Kxh3 bxa4 56 Nxa4 Ne2!
The knight seizes control over both c2 and c1, the queening square.
57 b5 c3 58 b6 c2!
Here we see a case of two minds blending toward a unified thought: ‘I must promote before he does’.
59 Nc5+
If 59 b7 c1Q 60 b8Q Qh1 mate. Black’s queen feels something deeper and more passionate than mere friendship, but as you may have guessed, Black’s king doesn’t share her sentiments.
59 ... Kd5 60 Nb3
“White can choose his own end,” writes Fischer:
a) 60 Nd3 Nf4+! 61 Nxf4+ exf4 62 b7 c1Q 63 b8Q and we revisit 63 ... Qh1 mate.
b) 60 b7 c1Q 61 b8Q Qh1 mate. Does this mating theme have a familiar ring to it?
60 ... Kc6 61 Kg2 Kxb6 0-1
Game 33
R.Fischer-F.Gheorghiu
Buenos Aires 1970
Petroff Defence
1 e4 e5
After this move a black pawn won’t cross the fourth rank threshold until move 19.
2 Nf3 Nf6 3 Nxe5 d6 4 Nf3 Nxe4 5 d4 Be7
Question: This is quite passive on Black’s part isn’t it?
Answer: Passive and solid. To some players, this is a form of anti-chess, and avoiding ... d5 admittedly makes Black’s game look as limp as overcooked pasta. He cedes White space, hoping the impregnability of his position allows him to draw. I only cover the main line 5 ... d5 in The Petroff: Move by Move.
6 Bd3 Nf6 7 h3!
Question: This move wastes a tempo. Is it really worthy of an exclamation mark?
Answer: It’s a tempo well spent, since the move follows the principle: When you own more space, prevent swaps. In this case Fischer prevents ... Bg4, which in turn keeps the bishop passively placed.
7 ... 0-0 8 0-0 Re8 9 c4
Fischer grabs more valuable central space.
9 ... Nc6
This follows Black’s philosophy in the line, which is to give White space but deprive him of any targets. If 9 ... d5 10 Nc3 Nc6, as in J.Filipek-I.Cipka, correspondence 2007, then 11 a3! offers White a slightly favourable version of the main line, since Black is deprived of the traditional ... Nb4 tempo-gaining manoeuvre.
10 Nc3 h6!?
This move allows Black the convenience of ... Bf8 without fear of Bg5. However, it also creates a prominent sacrifice target for White on h6 (which we later see crop up in multiple lines in the notes), and also weakens f6. Fischer exploited both factors later in the game.
11 Re1 Bf8 12 Rxe8 Qxe8
Black gets a single swap, which isn’t enough to shake White’s space advantage. Also, Black’s queen must lose time moving off the open e-file.
13 Bf4!
Question: Why an exclamation mark? The bishop hits a wall on d6.
Answer: White plans Qd2, Re1 and d5, and he trains his forces on the e5-square which prevents ... Ne5.
13 ... Bd7 14 Qd2 Qc8
Gheorghiu continues to seek swaps, this time with ... Bf5.
15 d5!
Now we see why Fischer played his bishop to f4:
1. Black is denied ... Ne5.
2. White follows with Nd4, which controls the key f5-square.
15 ... Nb4
I would play 15 ... Ne7 intending ... Bf5, and if 16 Re1 Bf5 17 Bf1 Qd7, intending to unravel at some point with ... Re8. White still holds a nagging space edge here though.
16 Ne4!
Also to be considered is the simple 16 Bf1 intending Nd4.
16 ... Nxe4
Question: Doesn’t 16 ... Nh5 pick off the bishop-pair?
Answer: True, but it fails to equalize. White stands better after 17 Bb1 f5 (or 17 ... Bf5 18 Bh2 Na6 19 Nd4 Bh7 20 Nb5 and Black experiences problems unravelling) 18 Ng3 Nxf4 19 Qxf4 g6 20 Qd2 Na6 21 h4! h5 (otherwise White undermines with h5 next) 22 Bc2 when Black’s position remains difficult since he must deal with holes on both e6 and g6.
17 Bxe4 Na6
Gheorghiu’s create-no-weakness strategy continues. I would play 17 ... a5, just to stake out a touch of space on the queenside.
18 Nd4!
Fischer prevents ... Bf5.
18 ... Nc5 19 Bc2 a5
Hooray! At long last, a black pawn passed the third rank.
20 Re1 Qd8
Exercise (planning): Black threatens to unravel with ... Qf6 and ... Re8,
and also ... Be7 and ... Bg5. How did Fischer cross up both plans?
Answer: Lift a rook to the third rank in preparation for a direct kingside attack.
21 Re3!
This move follows Steinitz’s principle: When you control more space, you must take action and attack, otherwise your advantage dissipates.
21 ... b6
Black may have been better off than in the game continuation, with 21 ... Qf6 22 Rg3 (threat: Bxh6) 22 ... Kh8 23 Be3! Qe7 (23 ... b6?? 24 Nf3! clears d4 for the bishop and after 24 ... Qe7 25 Bd4 f6 26 Nh4 Be8 27 Re3 Qd7 28 Bb1! Qc2 follows, with a winning attack) 24 Nb5! Ne4 (24 ... Bxb5?? is met with the zwischenzug 25 Bd4! f6 26 cxb5 Black’s game is riddled with light-square holes) 25 Bxe4 Qxe4 26 Nxc7 Rc8 27 Qxa5 Be7 28 Na8 Bf5 29 Nb6 Re8 30 Qc3 Bf6 31 Qc1 Qb1 32 Qxb1 Bxb1 33 b4 Bxa2 34 c5 with an extra pawn and excellent winning chances for White.
The second point of Fischer’s rook lift is that 21 ... Be7?? is smashed with 22 Bxh6! when Black isn’t able to accept.
22 Rg3
The g-file serves as a conduit to supply the attack with reinforcements.
22 ... Kh8 23 Nf3!
Clearing d4 for either the queen or the dark-squared bishop.
23 ... Qe7
Exercise (combination alert): When a plan goes wrong it isn’t always readily
visible or measurable, like a crack in the wall. Inner rot is so much harder to
identify. How did Fischer force Black to compromise his pawn structure?
Answer: Target g7.
24 Qd4!
White threatens Bxh6, which forces Black’s next move. So far Gheorghiu has conducted himself with the structural correctness of Mr. Rogers, combined with a particularly eager-to-be-a-good-citizen cub scout. This is about to change.
Answer no.2: My student Jason suggested the wild lunge 24 Bxh6! which seems to work, but isn’t as clear as Fischer’s line. For example, 24 ... gxh6 25 Qd4+ f6 26 Nh4 Be8 27 Qg4 Qg7 28 Bg6 a4 (28 ... Bxg6?? 29 Nxg6+ Kg8 30 Qf5 and then Re8 31 Nh4 or 30 ... Kf7 31 Nh4 Qh8 32 Qh5+ Ke7 33 Ng6+ wins) 29 Qf3 Qd7 30 Bxe8 Rxe8 31 Qh5 Bg7 32 Nf5 Re1+ 33 Kh2 Re5 34 Rxg7 Qxg7 35 Nxg7 Rxh5 36 Nxh5 Nd3 37 Nxf6 Nxb2 38 Ne4 Nxc4 39 Nc3 Na3 40 Kg3 b5 41 Kf4 and Black is busted, since his queenside majority is frozen, while White’s is about to roll forward.
24 ... Qf6
Black’s troubles spread like baseless rumours on the internet. Hmm. It appears as if Black’s sunny faith in his original zero-weakness policy seems to have warped a tad.
Question: To me, Black’s last move is strategic suicide. Can he get away with 24 ... f6?
Answer: This move self-punctures his light squares beyond repair. White has a winning attack after 25 Nh4 Be8 (25 ... Qe2? is another of Jason’s suggestions, but not such a good one this time as 26 Ng6+ Kg8 27 Bxh6! Qxc2 28 Nxf8 Rxf8 29 Rxg7+ Kh8 30 Re7 wins) 26 Be3 Nd7 27 Nf5 Qf7 28 Qd2! (target: h6) 28 ... g5 (not 28 ... Ne5? 29 Bxh6 gxh6 30 Nxh6 and Black’s game collapses) 29 Bd4 Ne5 30 f4! gxf4 (30 ... Nxc4 31 Qc3 Ne5 32 fxe5 dxe5 33 Bf2 is lost for Black) 31 Qxf4 and there is no remedy to the coming Nxh6, as 31 ... Qh7 is met with the crushing clearance shot 32 Nxd6!.
25 Qxf6 gxf6 26 Nd4 Re8 27 Re3! Rb8
Gheorghiu begins a labour-intensive project on the queenside.
Question: This move goes against principle. Why did
Black avoid the swap and abandon the e-file?
Answer: After 27 ... Rxe3 28 Bxe3 Kg7 White has a remarkable winning plan in 29 Kh2!! intending to play the king up to h5, and then pick off h6. Humans are still better than comps in conceptual positions. I saw this plan right away, yet my computers miss it, since it exceeds their analytical horizon. After 29 ... Na4 30 b3 Nc5 (or 30 ... Nc3 31 a4 f5 32 Bxf5 Bxf5 33 Nxf5+ Kg6 34 g4 when White should win without much difficulty) 31 Kg3 there is no good answer to the king’s march to h5.
28 b3 b5!?
Black, having no appetite for enduring an interminable siege, decides to provoke an immediate clash, praying for a vinegar-to-wine effect. When we attempt to seize the initiative from a position of inferiority, each attempt tends to feel more shaky than the last.
29 cxb5 Bxb5 30 Nf5
Also winning is the line 30 Rf3! Ba6 31 Bd2 Bb7 32 Nc6 Bxc6 33 dxc6 Rb6 34 Rxf6 and Black has no hope.
30 ... Bd7
He doesn’t bother with h6, since an urgent matter presupposes a client’s willingness to pay extra. Black’s last move looks like it was made with the thought: Why set sentries to guard an object which the enemy barely desires?
Black won’t save himself with 30 ... h5 31 Nh6 Bxh6 32 Bxh6 a4 33 b4 Nd7 34 Rc3 Rb7 35 Rg3.
31 Nxh6 Rb4
Exercise (combination alert): After an extended period of strategic privation,
Black at last senses wealth coming his way. It looks like Black may have
gained counterplay, since White’s f4-bishop and his knight look wobbly. But
this is an illusion, and Black remains within the realm of hope, not reality.
Fischer had the situation worked out. White to play and not lose material:
Answer: Mating net.
32 Rg3!
It’s not easy to refuse a ‘request’ this definite.
Answer no.2: The comp found the inhuman 32 Nxf7+! Kg7 33 Nd8!!, and if 33 ... Rxf4 34 Rg3+. Black must block with the bishop, handing back the extra piece, since 34 ... Kh6?? walks into 35 Nf7+ Kh5 36 Rg8 (threats: Rh8+ and Rxf8) 36 ... Bh6 37 Rh8, which forces mate.
32 ... Bxh6
32 ... Rxf4?? walks into 33 Nxf7 mate.
33 Bxh6 Ne4 34 Bg7+ Kh7?
34 ... Kg8 fails to save Black after 35 Bxe4 Rxe4 36 Bxf6+ Kf8 37 Rc3, which is an easy win for White.
This move hangs heavy material. The king hears a terrible moaning sound, and then recognizes it as his own voice.
Exercise (combination alert): Find one move and you force Black’s resignation.
Answer: Pin.
35 f3 1-0
Game 34
R.Fischer-O.Panno
Buenos Aires 1970
King’s Indian Attack
1 e4 c5 2 Nf3 e6 3 d3
Here we are again in another King’s Indian Attack. It’s amazing how such an innocuous set-up earned Fischer so many points. Your elderly and possibly senile writer loathes the tyranny of forced memorization, which opening theory demands upon us. So all-inclusive lines like KIA hold allure, since they require understanding far more than memorization.
3 ... Nc6 4 g3 g6
This is considered a reliable set-up for Black.
5 Bg2
Question: Can White pull a fast one and switch to an Open Sicilian with 5 d4?
Answer: Your suggestion is tempting, since Black created a lot of dark-square holes. The trouble is White wastes a tempo on d3 and then d4. Black should be fine after 5 ... cxd4 6 Nxd4 a6 (6 ... Bg7!? is the tactical route, which brazenly ignores White’s Nb5 intention, and after 7 Nb5 d5 8 exd5 exd5 9 Bf4?! Bxb2 10 N1c3, as in A.Stripunsky-I.Foygel, Chelmsford 2001, Black stands clearly better after 10 ... Nf6; here correct is 9 Qxd5 Qe7+ 10 Be2 Be5 11 0-0 a6 12 N5c3 Bh3 13 Re1 Nf6 14 Qc4 Bd4 and Black has compensation for the pawn) 7 Nxc6 bxc6 8 c4 Bg7 9 Bg2 Ne7 10 0-0 d6 11 Nc3, H.Nakamura-S.Tiviakov, Hoogeveen 2012. Black’s position looks fine after 11 ... Rb8 12 Qd3 c5 13 Rd1 Bd4 14 Ne2 Nc6 with a stronghold on d4.
5 ... Bg7 6 0-0 Nge7 7 Re1 d6
I prefer 7 ... e5 just in case Black manages to later slip in ... d5 in one go.
8 c3 0-0
This is Black’s main move, which I believe is somewhat compliant to White’s wishes.
I prefer 8 ... e5! which yields Black fully equal chances, and if 9 Be3 0-0. Now if White insists on his d4 central expansion plan, Black achieves excellent counterplay after 10 d4?! (White should probably play something slower, like 10 Na3, with a balanced position) 10 ... exd4 11 cxd4 Bg4 (pressuring the d4-pawn) 12 dxc5 Bxf3 13 Bxf3 Bxb2 14 Nd2 Bxa1 15 Qxa1 dxc5 16 Nb3 b6 17 Rd1 Qc8. White can regain the exchange here, but this leaves him down a pawn. I just don’t believe in White’s attacking chances for his material deficit, A.Gemesi-A.Poluljahov, Budapest 1992.
9 d4 cxd4 10 cxd4 d5?!
Although this is book, I don’t much like Black’s position after this move. Black wants a chunk of the centre himself, yet the move allows White a nagging space advantage on the kingside, which if challenged with ... f6, will lead to a backward e6-pawn when White exchanges.
Black may be better off risking 10 ... Qb6!? 11 d5 Bxb2 12 Bxb2 Qxb2 13 dxc6 (13 Nbd2 Na5 14 Rb1 Qf6 15 Rc1 also gives White compensation) 13 ... Qxa1 14 Qb3 Nxc6 15 Nc3 Nd4 16 Rxa1 Nxb3 17 axb3 Bd7 when he looks okay, with a rook and two pawns for two minor pieces, L.Ljubojevic-R.Hübner, Buenos Aires 1978.
11 e5
Fischer picks up kingside space, along with the potential for exploitation of Black’s numerous dark-square holes.
11 ... Bd7 12 Nc3 Rc8 13 Bf4
Question: Why pile up on e5, which hardly requires protection?
Answer: Nimzowitsch would disagree with you. This is classical Nimzowitschian overprotection. Black has the following choices:
1. Play ... f6. White then captures on f6, making use of the newly created e5 hole, applying too pressure to Black’s backward e6-pawn. In this version White’s d4-pawn can also become weak.
2. Black refuses to challenge White’s e5 point with ... f6. Then White can use his kingside space to generate an attack on Black’s king, as Fischer managed to achieve in the game’s continuation.
Of the two plans, I think number one is the superior option, with greater chances of counterplay for Black. In the game Panno went with version two.
13 ... Na5 14 Rc1 b5
Panno logically seeks to expand on the queenside, hoping to counterbalance White’s growing kingside build-up.
15 b3
Black’s knight gets cut off from entry to c4.
15 ... b4 16 Ne2
The knight moves in an easterly direction, where Black’s king lives.
16 ... Bb5 17 Qd2 Nac6 18 g4
Dual purpose:
1. Fischer makes room for Ng3 in preparation for a kingside assault.
2. By playing g4, Black’s knight is deprived of the f5-square.
18 ... a5!?
Question: Should Black chop on e2, eliminating a potential white attacker?
Answer: That’s a tough question. Black’s king will clearly be safer if he chops the knight. However, the exchange hands White both the bishop-pair and light-square control. I think White still remains better after 18 ... Bxe2 19 Qxe2 Qb6, U.Eggenberger-B.Toth, correspondence 1973. I like White’s position after 20 Qd2 a5 21 Bf1 Na7 22 Bg5 Nec6 23 h4! Nb5 24 Bxb5 Qxb5 25 h5 with a dangerous attack brewing on the kingside dark squares.
19 Ng3
The knight enters the kingside. For now it has no viable squares, yet we sense the potential of future sacrifices, like Nh5, Nf5 and Ne4, looming over the black king’s head.
19 ... Qb6 20 h4!
Here he comes.
20 ... Nb8
Dual purpose:
1. Panno hopes to remove rooks from the board, which may keep his king safer.
2. Panno wants to cover the f6-square with ... Nd7.
21 Bh6 Nd7 22 Qg5!
The queen weaponizes her beauty by luring her besmitten enemies to their doom. She threatens the e7-knight, which induces Black into the concession of capturing h6.
22 ... Rxc1 23 Rxc1 Bxh6!?
This allows White a wicked attack on the kingside dark squares. The alternative is the depressing 23 ... Qd8 which allows 24 Bxg7 Kxg7 25 Nh5+ Kh8 26 Nf6 Ng8 27 Nxg8! Qxg5 28 hxg5 Kxg8 29 Rc7 (Black is forced on to the defensive) 29 ... Ra8 30 Bf1 Bxf1 31 Kxf1 Nb6 32 Ne1 Nc8 33 Nd3. Black will be hard pressed to hold the ending since White dominates the seventh rank and Black’s pieces are tied down to passivity. It’s hard to say if this line holds any more hope for Black than the path Panno took in the game.
24 Qxh6 Rc8
Theoretically, the swap of all the rooks should keep his king safer. In this instance Fischer’s attack proceeded without use of his rooks.
25 Rxc8+ Nxc8 26 h5 Qd8?
The queen neglects an irksome yet required duty. A moment of inattention is a moment we can’t afford. Panno finds himself in a state of abstraction and makes a fatal slip.
White’s advantage is held to a minimum after 26 ... Nf8!. Sometimes we can disarm a belligerent opponent with an unexpectedly mild response. Black’s queen must remain where she stands to tie White down to his d4-pawn. After 27 Qg5 (or 27 Ng5 Qxd4 28 Nxh7 Nxh7 29 hxg6 Nf8! and Black fends off the brunt of White’s attack) 27 ... Qc7 28 Bf1 Bxf1 29 Kxf1 Qe7 30 Qc1 Qd8 Black has reasonable chances of holding the game, despite his kingside dark-square punctures.
27 Ng5 Nf8
Exercise (combination alert): White has a dangerous looking build-up
around Black’s king. How would you proceed with the attack?
Answer: Add reinforcements by loading up on the g6-square.
28 Be4!!
As a precaution, the bishop worships all religions and all gods, showing absolute impartiality among them. “Only a madman pursues the impossible,” wrote Marcus Aurelius. Fischer gives his bishop the ‘all clear’ signal to enter the attack and become an accessory to the crime-to-come. Fischer’s move is played with the thought: To gain everything, one must be willing to risk everything in return.
Psychologically, this move is very difficult to play, since when we are happy, the thing we fear most is change. Fischer’s elegant shot draws closer to the position’s truth and is actually stronger than the safely favourable line most of us found:
Answer no.2: 28 Nxh7! (deflection/undermining/annihilation of defensive barrier) 28 ... Nxh7 29 hxg6 fxg6 30 Qxg6+ Kh8 31 Qxe6 Ne7 32 f4 Qd7 33 Qxd7 Bxd7 34 Bf3 when White’s three pawns for the piece should be decisive. In this version, Black obtains some drawing chances, unlike the ruthlessly accurate path Fischer took in the game.
28 ... Qe7
Acceptance of the bishop is unthinkable: 28 ... dxe4?? 29 N3xe4 Qe7 30 Nf6+ Kh8 31 Ngxh7 forces mate.
However, 28 ... Be8 is Black’s toughest defence. After 29 hxg6 he has:
a) 29 ... hxg6 30 Nh5! gxh5 31 Bh7+ Nxh7 32 Nxh7 (the threat of Nf6+ costs Black his queen) 32 ... f6 33 Nxf6+ Kf7 34 g5 Ke7 35 Qh7+ Kf8 36 g6 Bxg6 37 Qxg6 threat: Qg8 mate) 37 ... Ne7 38 Nh7 mate. Deflection/undermining/annihilation of the defensive barrier.
b) 29 ... fxg6 and now the simplest is 30 Qxf8+! (attraction/knight fork; 30 Nh5!, the comp’s choice, is even more ruthless, yet impractical for human calculation: 30 ... Qe7 31 Nf6+ Kh8 32 Bd3 Nb6 33 Nxe8 Qxe8 34 Bxg6! overloads the defenders and White wins) 30 ... Kxf8 31 Nxe6+ Ke7 32 Nxd8 dxe4 33 Nb7 with an easily won ending for White.
Exercise (combination alert): No time to rest. Continue the attack.
Answer: 29 Nxh7!
Answer no.2: Even more startling is the comp’s solution: 29 Nf5!! exf5 30 gxf5 (threat: f6) 30 ... Qd7 31 Bxd5! Qxf5 (31 ... Qxd5 32 f6 forces mate) 32 Bxf7+ Qxf7 33 Nxf7 Kxf7 34 e6+. This disruptive shot forces the win.
29 ... Nxh7
With each sacrifice we accept, we receive some degree of consolation for our otherwise miserable position – but not here. Panno must have surely realized his position was without hope.
30 hxg6 fxg6 31 Bxg6 Ng5
31 ... Qg7 32 Bxh7+ Qxh7 33 Qxe6+ Qf7 34 Qxc8+ wins.
32 Nh5
Threat: Nf6+. When I was a kid, my mother insisted on dressing me for school to look like a combination of Little Lord Fauntleroy and a middle-aged golfer. As you may have guessed this got me beaten up quite a lot – and deservedly so! Somehow, looking at Black’s traumatized king reminds me of those days.
32 ... Nf3+ 33 Kg2 Nh4+ 34 Kg3 Nxg6
Exercise (combination alert): In Black’s world there is no shortage of
misery and a dearth of happiness. How did Fischer end the game?
Answer: 35 Nf6+! Kf7
The king’s eyes swim, so that it appears as if his h6 sister and a carbon copy of her flicker before his vision.
36 Qh7+ 1-0
36 ... Kf8 (Black’s king accepts his sister’s Skype call, but on audio only, since he doesn’t want her to see him crying) 37 Qg8 is mate.
Game 35
R.Fischer-I.Ibrahimoglu
Siegen Olympiad 1970
King’s Indian Attack
1 e4 c6 2 d3
By now we all know that the King’s Indian Attack was Fischer’s default setting as White, when he didn’t want to bother with theory.
2 ... d5 3 Nd2 g6
This is considered one of Black’s most impregnable kingside set-ups. As Black, I generally go for 3 ... e5 4 Ngf3 Bd6 5 g3 Nf6.
4 Ngf3 Bg7 5 g3 Nf6?!
After this White stands better. Today, this move is considered slightly inaccurate, since it loses control over e5 and offers White opportunities to gain space with e5 later on. Black equalizes with 5 ... e5! 6 Bg2 Ne7 7 0-0 0-0 and White has got nothing from the opening: for example, 8 b4 a5 9 bxa5 Qxa5 10 Bb2 d4 11 Nb3 Qc7 12 c3 dxc3 13 Bxc3 c5! (clamping down on White’s intended d4 break) 14 Nfd2 b5 and I prefer Black’s position, T.Radjabov-I.Cheparinov, Baku 2008.
6 Bg2 0-0 7 0-0 Bg4
The first imbalance is about to arise, as Black logically prepares to rid himself of his bad bishop, after switching the structure to favour his dark-squared one.
8 h3 Bxf3 9 Qxf3!
The accurate recapture.
Question: Why is queen-takes better than the bishop recapture?
Answer: Recapture with the queen gains a tempo over Bxf3 since White must move whatever piece is on f3. So with Qxf3, White’s queen goes to e2 – a tempo gain over Bxf3 and Bg2. After 9 Bxf3?! Nbd7 10 Bg2 the white queen sits on d1, not e2 in this line.
9 ... Nbd7
Alternatively, 9 ... a5 10 a4 Na6 11 Qe2 dxe4 12 dxe4 Nc5 13 Nc4 Nfd7 14 e5! Qc7 15 Re1 e6 16 Bd2 Rfd8 when Black lags in space and must worry about the d6 hole, F.Caruana-V.Anand, Dubai (blitz) 2014.
10 Qe2
Clearing the way for e5 and f4 central/kingside expansion.
10 ... dxe4!?
This move breaks the principle of not opening the position when the opponent owns the bishop-pair, yet it isn’t such an egregious violation, since it also stabilizes the centre, which helps the side with the knights. I would maintain the central tension with 10 ... e5.
11 dxe4 Qc7 12 a4!
Question: What is the point of this move?
Answer: Fischer gains queenside space, while simultaneously discouraging Black from ideas like ... b5 queenside expansion.
12 ... Rad8?!
This turns out to be the wrong rook, since White is about to engage his opponent on the queenside.
13 Nb3
Fischer clears the way for Bf4.
13 ... b6
After 13 ... c5 14 Bf4 Ne5 15 Be3 c4 (or 15 ... b6 16 a5 Nc6 17 c3 when White applies uncomfortable light-square pressure on the queenside) 16 Nd4 a6 17 Rfd1 Nfd7 18 a5, f4 is coming and Black is in deep trouble.
14 Be3 c5?!
Addictions are far easier to acquire than to discard. This ‘active’ move accelerates Black’s decline. He understandably seeks space and activity, yet this move weakens the queenside light squares, a6, b5, and c4, which Fischer soon exploits. Black should go passive and curl up with 14 ... Ne8 to minimize his disadvantage.
15 a5 e5?
Black remains obdurate, refusing to cede Fischer an inch of central space. He should reinforce the weak b5- and c4-squares with 15 ... Ne8 16 c3 Nd6 and hope for the best.
This unnecessarily weakening move doesn’t exactly bolster reassurance in the survivability of Black’s position. The push of the e-pawn has all the looks of the powered wig aristocrat who impulsively decides to go shopping (for snuff) in downtown Paris, during the French Revolution. From a historical standpoint, 1970 was not that long ago, yet chess understanding has advanced to the point where I believe the average club player of today would recognise this move as a strategic error. If he looked at his decision objectively and took embittered stock in his position, he would realize his last move:
1 Punctures his light squares further.
2 Unnecessarily creates a hole on d5.
3 Violates the principle: Avoid fixing your pawns on the same colour as your remaining bishop.
Exercise (planning): How would you go about exploiting Black’s last move?
Answer: Transfer the knight to c3, via d2 and b1 where the knight eyes both the d5 and b5 holes.
16 Nd2! Ne8!
The knight heads for c7 in a desperate attempt to cover the b5 and d5 holes.
17 axb6 axb6 18 Nb1
White’s concept begins to assume form. The knight is re-routed for greater things on c3.
18 ... Qb7 19 Nc3 Nc7 20 Nb5
Question: It seems to me that White expended a lot of energy
with his knight, just to swap it away. Why did he allow this?
Answer: It’s not such a bad deal for White, since he also eliminated Black’s sole defender of his queenside and central light squares.
20 ... Qc6 21 Nxc7 Qxc7 22 Qb5!
Normally, the queen is considered the worst blockader, but not here, since Black has no minor piece which is capable of ejecting it.
22 ... Ra8 23 c3
This move takes control over d4 and gets Black nervous about future b4 ideas.
23 ... Rxa1?!
A violation of the principle: Don’t release piece (or pawn) tension without good reason. Black shouldn’t hand over the a-file without a fight. Black’s best defence lies in 23 ... Nf6 24 Rfd1 Rxa1! (now the move is okay, since White wasted a tempo with his last move) 25 Rxa1 Rb8 followed by ... Ne8 and ... Nd6, when he still holds hope to save the game.
24 Rxa1 Rb8 25 Ra6!
Dual purpose:
1. The move ties Black down to defence of b6.
2. Black must watch out for the idea Bf1 (to retain control over c4 and b5), followed by Qa4, when he must worry about rook infiltration to a7 or a8.
25 ... Bf8 26 Bf1
The bishop can now play to either c4 or b5, when White’s queen moves.
26 ... Kg7
26 ... Nf6 intending ... Ne8 and ... Nd6, is met with 27 Qa4, and if 27 ... Ne8? 28 Ra7 Qc8 29 Bc4 Target: f7. 29 ... Nd6 30 Bd5 b5 31 Qd1! intending Qf3, when unbearable pressure is applied to f7.
27 Qa4!
Now both Ra5 and Bb5 are new worries for Black.
27 ... Rb7 28 Bb5 Nb8
An obvious sign that matters are not going well for Black. One look and we see that Black’s odds are long, reminding me of the times when my 90 pound Akita Emma wants my runty Terrier Kahless’ doggie toy, she usually gets her way.
Following 28 ... Nf6 29 Bc6 Rb8 30 Ra7 Qd6 31 Qc4! (targeting f7) 31 ... Be7 (31 ... Qxc6?? 32 Qxf7+ Kh8 33 Bg5 forces mate) 32 Ba4! (intending Bb3) 32 ... b5 33 Bxb5 Nxe4 34 Ba4 Nf6 35 Bb3 Rf8 White completely dominates the light squares.
29 Ra8 Bd6 30 Qd1!
The queen is ready to occupy d5.
30 ... Nc6
Exercise (combination alert): There is a fatalistic sense of Black being drawn
into a fight for which he isn’t ready or willing to engage in. White has an
amazing combination which even Fischer missed. Take your time and look for it.
31 Qd2
Threatening a nasty bishop check on h6. White still has a winning position after this move, but he had so much stronger with:
Answer: Mating net/zwischenzug: 31 Bh6+!! (if any of you found this idea, I would tip my hat to you, if I wore one) 31 ... Kxh6 32 Rg8! (Black’s king is caught with this beautiful zwischenzug, which follows the principle: Cut off the enemy king’s escape squares in a king hunt, rather than chase him) 32 ... Be7 (or 32 ... Kg5 33 Qf3! f5 34 exf5 e4 35 Qg4+ Kf6 36 fxg6 and Black is crushed) 33 h4 Now if 33 ... Qd7 34 Qc1+ Kh5 35 Be2+ forces mate.
31 ... h5 32 Bh6+ Kh7 33 Bg5 Rb8
Or 33 ... Be7?? 34 Bxc6 Qxc6 35 Bxe7 Rxe7 36 Qd8 and the game ends.
34 Rxb8 Nxb8 35 Bf6! Nc6
35 ... Be7 is met with 36 Qg5 Bxf6 37 Qxf6 c4 38 h4 Kg8 39 Be8 Kf8 (or 39 ... Na6 40 Bc6 Nc5 41 Bd5 Kf8 42 Qh8+ Ke7 43 Bxf7! and wins) 40 Qh8+ Ke7 41 Bxf7! winning.
36 Qd5 Na7 37 Be8 Kg8
Black’s paralyzed position lapses into a silence which can’t be described as restful.
Exercise (combination alert): Normally, there is no such thing as easy plunder in a chess game, since our opponents tend to fight madly to hang on to their property. This position is an exception to the rule. All means are poised menacingly to attain White’s end. How did Fischer convert his strategic plusses into something tangible?
Answer: Attraction/overloaded defender.
38 Bxf7+!
The arrogant bishop tends to chide others for their weakness of character – even God Himself.
38 ... Qxf7 39 Qxd6
Black can resign, since not only did White win a pawn, but e5 and b6 hang as well.
39 ... Nc8 40 Qc6!
Even more accurate than 40 Qxe5.
40 ... Kh7 41 Bxe5 Qf8 42 Bf6 Nd6
Exercise (combination alert): How did Fischer force the win?
Answer: Step 1: Seize control over e7.
43 Qd7+!
The city council makes a new bylaw which prohibits the queen from frightening citizens. Unfortunately she brazenly violates the law each day.
43 ... Kg8
Step 2: The double attack wins a piece.
44 Be7!
Game over.
44 ... Qe8
Hey, I said “Game over”! Bankruptcy isn’t the best of foundations to begin life anew.
45 Qxd6 c4 46 f4 Kg7 47 e5 b5 48 Qf6+ Kh7 49 Bf8 1-0
Game 36
R.Fischer-W.Unzicker
Siegen Olympiad 1970
Ruy Lopez
1 e4 e5 2 Nf3 Nc6 3 Bb5 a6 4 Bxc6
Once again Fischer unfurls his Exchange Lopez banner, which as mentioned before, in his era, was alien territory for players who expected the black side of a Closed Lopez, as if that was the law of the land.
4 ... dxc6 5 0-0
Compare Fischer’s f4-f5 idea with this game: 5 d4 exd4 6 Qxd4 Qxd4 7 Nxd4 Bd6 8 Nc3 Ne7 9 0-0 0-0 10 f4 Re8 11 Nb3 f6 12 f5! b6?! 13 Bf4 Bb7 14 Bxd6 cxd6 15 Nd4 (heading for the e6 hole) 15 ... Rad8 16 Ne6 Rd7 17 Rad1 Nc8 18 Rf2 b5 19 Rfd2 when Capa was badly tied down and Lasker went on to win a brilliant ending, E.Lasker-J.Capablanca, St Petersburg 1914.
5 ... f6 6 d4 exd4 7 Nxd4 Ne7
Today, this is considered a tad inaccurate. Of course, to give the move a ‘?!’ symbol is a bit unfair and akin to a six-month-old baby saying her first word, which she mispronounces – and then you correct her. 7 ... c5 is Black’s most common continuation today.
8 Be3 Ng6 9 Nd2
Question: Why d2, rather than the more natural c3-square?
Answer: Both are playable. Fischer’s move intends to meet ... Bd6 with Nc4, as played in the game. Instead, after 9 Nc3 Bb4 10 Nce2 0-0 11 Nf4 Nxf4 12 Bxf4 Bd6 13 Bxd6 Qxd6 14 Ne2 Qe7 15 Nc3 f5 16 Qd4 f4 17 f3 Rd8 18 Qf2 Qb4 19 Rab1 Be6 Black’s active pieces ensured equality, R.Edouard-V.Ivanchuk, Cap d’Agde (rapid) 2012.
9 ... Bd6 10 Nc4 0-0 11 Qd3
Preparing to double on the d-file.
11 ... Ne5 12 Nxe5 Bxe5
After 12 ... fxe5?! 13 Qb3+ Kh8 14 Ne6 (this move eliminates Black’s bishop-pair) 14 ... Bxe6 15 Qxe6 Black remains with a dismal looking bishop and the inferior pawn majority.
13 f4
Fischer isn’t afraid of the opposite-coloured bishops.
13 ... Bd6
Question: Can’t Black force a drawish opposite
coloured bishops position with 13 ... Bxd4?
Answer: I feel like Black just gave away his only trump, the bishop-pair. White is essentially up a pawn, due to his mobile kingside pawn majority after 14 Bxd4 b6 (not 14 ... Be6? 15 f5 Bf7 16 Qe3 Re8 17 e5! fxe5 18 Bxe5 and g7 soon becomes a target) 15 Qc4+ Rf7 16 Bc3 Qe8 17 Rfe1. Black’s position looks awfully unpleasant to me, despite Houdini’s near-even assessment.
14 f5!
Fischer undoubtedly was inspired by the Lasker-Capablanca game.
Question: Why did White voluntarily hand over control of e5?
Answer: Fischer gets something more important in return: He cramps Black’s light-squared bishop and seizes kingside space.
14 ... Qe7 15 Bf4!
Principle: When the opponent has the bishop-pair, swap one of them off.
15 ... Bxf4
I feel like Black is just a shade worse after this compliant move. Black can consider:
a) 15 ... Bc5 16 Rae1 (now the e5 break hangs over Black’s head) 16 ... Bb6 17 Be3 Re8 18 Rf4 Bd7 19 Nf3 Qd6 20 Qxd6 Bxe3+ 21 Rxe3 cxd6 22 Rd3 c5 23 Rxd6 Bc6 24 Nd2 Red8 25 Rxd8+ Rxd8 26 Rf2 Kf7 and White of course stands better with his extra pawn. However, the win won’t be so easy, since White is tied down to his e4 weakness and all of Black’s pieces maintain high levels of activity.
b) 15 ... Bd7 16 Bxd6 cxd6 17 Rad1 Rfe8 18 Rfe1 and I still prefer White, whose target on d6 looks more chronic than the e4-pawn. White’s kingside space should offer him the edge.
16 Rxf4
Let’s take stock of the imbalances:
1. It’s White’s knight versus Black’s bishop. It’s too early to tell which one is the more useful piece.
2. White has a healthy kingside majority, juxtaposed with Black’s crippled queenside model.
3. For now, Black controls e5. However, White has plans based on Re1, Nf3 and e5, activating his majority and eliminating his backward e-pawn.
Conclusion: White stands better.
16 ... Bd7 17 Re1 Qc5?!
I don’t like this move, which blocks his c-pawn. Black should try for a ... c5, ... Bc6 plan with 17 ... c5! 18 Qb3+ Kh8 19 Nf3 Bc6 20 e5 Bxf3 21 Rxf3 fxe5 22 Qxb7 Rab8 23 Qxa6 Qh4 24 Qf1 Rxb2 25 c3 Rxa2 26 Rxe5 and I think Black’s activity should secure the draw.
18 c3 Rae8 19 g4!
Fischer secures his f-pawn, in case he later achieves e5. Also Black must now worry about a kingside pawn storm, with a potential future g5 break.
19 ... Qd6 20 Qg3!
Triple purpose:
1. The queen covers the f4-rook.
2. She worries Black about a future g5 push.
3. She supports a future e5 push.
20 ... Re7 21 Nf3
White’s forces continue to organize for war upon the e5-square.
21 ... c5 22 e5!
No more backward e-pawn. White’s thematic break is achieved and his kingside majority begins to roll forward.
After 22 g5?! Kh8 23 Qh4 Rfe8 24 gxf6 Qxf6 Black looks okay, since e4 is under fire.
22 ... fxe5 23 Rfe4 Bc6 24 Rxe5 Rfe8
Alternatively, 24 ... Rxe5 25 Nxe5 Re8 26 Kf2 Qd2+ 27 Re2 Qd1 28 Qd3 Qh1 29 Qg3 Qd1 30 b3 and White has all the chances in this ending, since his kingside pawns are free to roll forward, which may endanger Black’s king.
25 Rxe7 Rxe7 26 Ne5!
26 ... h6?!
I feel like Unzicker’s best shot at a draw was to force a queen ending with 26 ... Qd5! 27 Nxc6 Rxe1+ 28 Qxe1 Qxc6 29 Qe5 h6 30 Kf2 Kh7 31 Kg3 b6 32 h4 Qh1 33 Qe2. White has all the chances, since his kingside pawns flow forward, endangering Black’s king. Also, White’s king may be able to enter Black’s position via the centre. Still, this may be Black’s best practical shot at holding the game, since perpetual check attempts loom over White’s king.
27 h4 Bd7
Intending to undermine with ... h5.
28 Qf4!
Dual purpose:
1. White covers d2 infiltration.
2. White protects f5, immunizing himself against ... h5 tricks.
28 ... Qf6
Renewing the ... h5 threat.
29 Re2!
Now White’s knight can move in some variations, since Black lacks ... Rxe1+.
29 ... Bc8
Black would regret both:
a) 29 ... Qxh4?? 30 Ng6 forking.
b) 29 ... h5?? 30 Qc4+ Kh7 31 g5! Qxf5 32 g6+ Kh6 (32 ... Kh8 33 Nf7+ wins) 33 Qg8 (threatening mate on the move) 33 ... Qb1+ 34 Kg2 Bc6+ 35 Kf2 Qf5+ 36 Kg3 and Black runs out of checks.
30 Qc4+ Kh7 31 Ng6! Rxe2 32 Qxe2 Bd7
32 ... h5?? is too slow. White forces mate after 33 Qe8 Bxf5 34 Qh8+ Kxg6 35 Qxh5.
Exercise (planning): Come up with a winning plan for White.
Answer: Simplification. Black is curiously helpless in the ending.
33 Qe7! Qxe7
33 ... Qd6?? 34 Qxd6 cxd6 35 Nf8+ picks off the bishop.
34 Nxe7
An assessment:
1. Black’s king is cut off. He can activate it with ... g5, which allows White a connected f5 passer. White’s king, on the other hand, can centralize unopposed.
2. White’s majority is healthy, unlike Black’s. So in essence White is up a pawn here, among other advantages.
3. This is a rare case of a knight completely dominating its bishop counterpart in an open position.
It feels as if some gooey, molasses-like substance has been liberally poured into the gears of Black’s defence, which now grates with friction. Fischer handles the technical phase with computer-like precision.
34 ... g5
There is nothing better.
35 hxg5 hxg5 36 Nd5! Bc6
A move made with the philosophy: When force fails, a fat bribe is the next best thing. Black has no choice but to hand over c7.
37 Nxc7 Bf3
Exercise (combination alert): With his last move, Unzicker decides he has
endured the g4-pawn’s presence long enough. White is up a pawn, yet it
appears as if Black will regain it. A distinction must be made between
abstract symbols and concrete analysis. How did Fischer secure his extra pawn?
Answer: Knight fork. g4 is safe due to the knight check on f6.
38 Ne8!
The greatest joy in the knight’s life is to deny others their joy. This is impressive tycoonery from Fischer, who worked out the schematic of his involved scheme to defraud Black of a key pawn, and then hang on to it for dear life.
38 ... Kh6 39 Nf6 Kg7 40 Kf2! Bd1
The g4-pawn is an object of mutual contemplation.
Exercise (critical decision/combination alert): The harried bishop’s
denunciations grow ever louder. White can hang on to his g-pawn with 41 Nh5+ and 42 Kg3. Is this White’s best continuation? If not, what else does he have?
Answer: Knight fork/pawn promotion.
41 Nd7!
The knight’s gyrations resemble one of those MC Escher paradox drawings, where a box, when opened, is larger than the ones contained within it. Fischer gives notice that his g4 base pawn is not a trinket to be bought and sold. His amazing knight acts as a powerful adhesive which keeps his g-pawn in place, through the use of clever tactics.
I don’t believe White can win after the natural 41 Nh5+? which falls into Unzicker’s devious fortress trap: 41 ... Kf7 42 Kg3 Be2. Since he can’t unravel his knight after 43 Kh3 Bf1+ 44 Kg3 Be2, White would have to try something like 45 b4 cxb4 46 cxb4 b6 47 a3 a5 48 bxa5 bxa5 and I don’t see a way for him to make progress, as 49 Kh3 is met with the familiar 49 ... Bf1+ 50 Kg3 Be2 and the game is drawn.
41 ... c4
Indifference is but a dormant form of unfriendless. It becomes apparent that Black’s plan involves sculpting water into solid form. Despite Unzicker’s frantic efforts to shift the geometry this way and that, he is unable to hang on to his property.
Question: Isn’t 41 ... Bxg4 an easy draw for Black?
Answer: I was hoping you would ask that! White wins by force. Let’s turn the position into an exercise:
Exercise (combination alert): White to play and win Black’s bishop.
Answer: Attraction/knight fork. 42 f6+ Kg8 43 f7+! (attraction) 43 ... Kxf7 (the exhausted king cups his hands to splash cold water on his face, yet the haze continues; and now comes the fork) 44 Ne5+ Ke6 45 Nxg4 wins.
42 Kg3 1-0
This is one of Capablanca’s best endings, except that it was played by Fischer! The threat is Nc5, and now if 42 ... Ba4 43 Nb6! Bb5 44 Kf3 Kf6 45 Ke4 Bc6+ 46 Ke3 Bb5 47 Kd4 Bc6 (intending ... Bf3) 48 Nxc4 (the knight takes a tour of the financial district) 48 ... Bf3 49 Ne3 leaves White up two clean pawns.
Game 37
R.Fischer-B.Larsen
1st matchgame, Denver 1971
French Defence
Larsen said in an interview before the match: “I will cause as much pressure to Fischer as I can. I’m sure that if he loses the first game, this will upset him.” Of course, the opposite happened. This nail-biting game was the best of the match. Losing such a heart-breakingly close one dented Larsen’s natural optimism in the remaining games of the 6-0 route.
1 e4 e6!?
Probably a shocking surprise for Fischer, since Larsen had only played the black side of a French Defence three times in his life before this game. Also, it was well known that Fischer experienced difficulties against Winawer French, having been notably upset with White on numerous occasions. Fischer had a 57% score with White in the line – quite dismal for him, if you include all the non-professional strength players in the line-up. Would Fischer chicken out and switch to the King’s Indian Attack?
2 d4
No second-tier openings this time, like the KIA. Fischer accepts the challenge, heading straight for the main lines of the Winawer.
2 ... d5 3 Nc3 Bb4 4 e5
Fischer experimented with 4 a3 against Kovacevic, with disastrous results: 4 ... Bxc3+ 5 bxc3 dxe4 6 Qg4 Nf6 7 Qxg7 Rg8 8 Qh6 Nbd7 9 Ne2 b6 10 Bg5 Qe7 11 Qh4 Bb7 12 Ng3 h6 13 Bd2 0-0-0 14 Be2 Nf8 15 0-0 Ng6 16 Qxh6? and gulp! There is self-confidence, overconfidence, and then there is outright suicide. This is just asking for it.
Fischer recklessly grabs the h-pawn, unafraid of opening the h-file for Black’s rooks. Following 16 ... Rh8 17 Qg5?! (Fischer had to try 17 Qe3 Nd5 18 Qg5 Qd6 19 Bh5 Ndf4 20 Bxg6 Ne2+ 21 Kh1 e3! 22 Bxe3 Rdg8 23 Qe5 Qxe5 24 dxe5 Rxg6 25 Rae1 Nxc3 26 Bd4 Rgh6 27 f3 Rxh2+ 28 Kg1 Nd5 and White has hopes to save himself in this inferior ending) 17 ... Rdg8 18 f3 (18 c4 Nh4 19 Qe3 Nf3+ 20 Bxf3 exf3 21 gxf3 Nh5 22 Rfe1 Qh4 is also decisive) 18 ... e3! 19 Bxe3 (19 Qxe3 Nd5 20 Qf2 Qh4 21 h3 Ngf4 22 Be1 Ne3! forces mate) 19 ... Nf8! 20 Qb5 Nd5 21 Kf2 a6 22 Qd3 Rxh2 23 Rh1 Qh4 24 Rxh2 Qxh2 25 Nf1 Rxg2+ Fischer resigned in a few moves, R.Fischer-V.Kovacevic, Zagreb 1970.
4 ... Ne7
4 ... c5 5 a3 Bxc3+ 6 bxc3 Ne7 transposes to the game.
5 a3 Bxc3+ 6 bxc3 c5
Fischer once famously declared that the Winawer French was an anti-positional line. Of course, to a French player like me, these are fighting words.
7 a4
The positional route. White hopes to place his unopposed dark-squared bishop on the a3-f8 diagonal. Today 7 Qg4 is all the rage. Black responds with the Poisoned Pawn line 7 ... Qc7 or just castles into it, daring White to deliver checkmate with 7 ... 0-0.
7 ... Nbc6 8 Nf3 Bd7
8 ... Qa5 is Black’s most common response, and I believe Black’s best move: 9 Bd2 (after 9 Qd2 Bd7 10 Bd3 f6 11 0-0 fxe5 12 Nxe5 Nxe5 13 dxe5 0-0 14 c4 Qc7 15 Re1 Bc6 16 Qe2 dxc4 17 Bxc4 Bd5 Black achieved equal chances, G.Tringov-V.Korchnoi, Skopje 1972) 9 ... Bd7 10 Bb5 and at this point Black can try 10 ... c4, ensuring that he swaps away White’s b5-bishop.
9 Bd3 Qc7?!
Larsen attempts a discrete interrogation of e5, with a high-risk/high-greed plan, intending ... f6, and if White refuses to trade, then to capture on e5.
Question: Why don’t you like this plan, which looks logical to me?
Answer: It costs Black in two ways: Time, and also allowing White to favourably open the game for his bishops. Far more sensible is 9 ... Qa5, transposing to the Tringov-Korchnoi note from above.
10 0-0 c4
Resolving central tension like this in a Winawer French is double-edged. It closes the game, which helps Black, yet it also weakens the dark squares, benefiting White.
11 Be2 f6
At some stage Black must challenge e5, since White now threatens to play his dark-squared bishop to d6.
12 Re1!
Fischer refuses to swap on f6 and is willing to sacrifice his e5-pawn to open lines for his bishops.
Black scores well after 12 exf6?! gxf6 which gives him control over the centre and opens the g-file for his rooks.
Instead, 12 Ba3 0-0 13 Re1 Rf7 14 exf6 (or 14 Bd6 Qa5 15 exf6 gxf6 16 Qd2 Nf5 17 Bf4 Rg7 18 h3 Nce7 19 Kh1 Ng6 20 Bh2 when g4 is coming and White looks better) 14 ... gxf6 15 Bf1 Re8 was R.Fischer-E.Mednis, New York 1962. White stands better after 16 g3, but Fischer ended up losing this game, proving that the Winawer was his boogieman opening.
12 ... Ng6?!
This is no improvement over 12 ... 0-0 13 Ba3 Rf7, transposing to the Fischer-Mednis game.
13 Ba3!
Please, I insist. After you. Fischer has no plans to back down and capture on f6. He offers his e-pawn to open central lines. 13 exf6?! gxf6 cedes control of the centre to Black, and allows him an open g-file to attack White’s king.
13 ... fxe5 14 dxe5 Ncxe5
Larsen was never one to turn down a dare. If he refuses this pawn, White gets a risk-free initiative without even sacrificing a pawn.
15 Nxe5 Nxe5 16 Qd4!
Powerful multipurpose centralization. White’s queen aims in both directions, turning her gaze upon e5 and g7, and also a7, which discourages queenside castling.
16 ... Ng6 17 Bh5
A move which epitomises Fischer’s resolution to attack, no matter what the cost. He also stands clearly better after 17 Qxg7 0-0-0 18 a5, although in this version, Black generates some play from the newly-opened g-file.
17 ... Kf7?!
Correct was to enter emergency mode with 17 ... 0-0-0! 18 a5! (18 Qxa7 b6 19 Qa8+ Qb8 forces queens off the board, after which Black stands only a bit worse) 18 ... a6 19 Bc5 Rde8 20 Bb6 Qc6 21 Qxg7 e5. Black still stands worse, but is better off than what he got in the game.
Desperation is a state where we are certain to do something either inspirational, or reckless. 17 ... Kf7?! qualifies as the latter. Larsen was a player whose moves often appeared as nonsense, which inevitably turned out to be plausible nonsense when later we finally understood his original intent. In this instance his eccentricity pushes matters too far, since his king comes under a dangerous crossfire.
Exercise (planning): Come up with an attacking plan for White.
Answer: Undermine with f4 and f5.
18 f4! Rhe8?!
The wrong rook. Black should try 18 ... Rae8 (18 ... Bc6?? 19 f5 exf5 20 Re7+ wins the queen) 19 f5 exf5 20 Qxd5+ Kf6 21 Bd6 Qd8 22 Rf1 Kg5! 23 Bd1 h5!. This is why his h8-rook should stay put, although even here I see Black’s survival as an unlikely possibility.
19 f5! exf5 20 Qxd5+ Kf6
20 ... Be6?? is crushed by 21 Rxe6! Rxe6 22 Qxf5+ Rf6 23 Qd5+ Re6 24 Rf1+ and the e6-rook falls.
21 Bf3?
Now the board’s reality begins to vary from Fischer’s expectations. Larsen’s plan in a sense, worked perfectly, in that he lured Fischer into an irrational position – the only kind of position where Fischer didn’t excel.
Here Fischer rejected the correct line 21 Bd6! Qc8 (after 21 ... Qc6 22 Qd4+ Black’s king can’t escape with 22 ... Kf7?? 23 Bf3 Qc8 24 Rxe8 Qxe8 25 Bd5+ Be6 26 Re1, which wins) 22 Bf3! (only now) 22 ... Bc6 23 Qd4+ Kf7 24 Qxc4+ Re6 25 Bd5 Bxd5 26 Qxd5 Kf6 27 g4!, which strips away the remaining cover from Black’s king.
21 ... Ne5!
The evaluation drops to even and Larsen is right back in the game.
22 Qd4
Exercise (combination alert): It looks like it’s time for Larsen to resign.
After all, White threatens Bd6. How did Larsen solve his pin issue?
Answer: Just walk away and refuse to co-operate.
22 ... Kg6! 23 Rxe5! Qxe5!
23 ... Rxe5?? 24 Bd6 wins.
24 Qxd7 Rad8!
A dull, secret resentment now morphs into open animosity. Almost by magic, Larsen took possession of the initiative.
25 Qxb7 Qe3+
“I see that you are more pretty than handsome. From this moment on, you will be my plaything,” says the queen to White’s king. The players, through some mysterious means of psychic osmosis, switch roles, acquiring the elements of the other’s position. Now it’s Fischer’s turn to go on the defensive.
26 Kf1
The king presses his eye to the peephole from his hiding place, only to see that which he feared most.
No choice. 26 Kh1?? would be a major boneheaded blunder, which walks into a back-rank mate after 26 ... Qe1+ 27 Rxe1 Rxe1.
26 ... Rd2
All black guns are trained on f2, which is about to receive its entire consignment of ammunition.
Question: Isn’t it time for White to resign?
Just look at the white king’s dishevelled appearance.
Answer: Admittedly, black’s queen and rook seem to possess all three factors in the transgression of a crime: Motive, opportunity and means. Yet, shockingly, the correct assessment of this position may be dead even – but only if you discover Fischer’s miracle defence.
Exercise (combination alert): How did Fischer slip out of Black’s mating net?
Answer: X-ray defence/queen sacrifice.
27 Qc6+! Re6
It feels like it gets worse and worse for White. Not only is his queen under attack, but his king, threatened with mate on the move, appears as if he is in for a big fall, as he goes from unchallenged supreme universal ruler to his new job as a clown who makes balloon animals at children’s parties.
28 Bc5!!
The bishop leans in close, violating the black queen’s personal space, as her eyes bulge in mid-gloat. Apparently, White’s king is better guarded than we first imagined. Boy, talk about cutting it close! The f2 gap is filled, the way an eight-year-old’s tongue jams itself in the void of a fallen tooth. This represents a coalition of necessity, more than convenience.
I still remember how Fischer’s amazing defence blew my mind when I played the game over for the first time at age 10. Do you remember the blind, yet super-aware Buddhist monk, Master Po, from the 1970’s show Kung Fu? (If you don’t then immediately binge-watch all the seasons on Netflix, as your homework assignment!) Master Po compensated the loss of one of his senses, by hyper-alertness in the others. Fischer, although sighted, possessed this same hyper-alertness to the slightest geometric alteration, which time and time again rescued him in seemingly impossible situations, like this one.
Instead, 28 Qc5?? fails to get the job done: 28 ... Rf2+ 29 Kg1 Rxf3+ 30 Qxe3 Rfxe3 and Black wins.
28 ... Rf2+!
The only move, as if 28 ... Qe2+?? 29 Bxe2 Rxc6 30 Bxa7 and the a-pawn wins easily for White after 30 ... Rxc2 31 Bd4.
29 Kg1
Oddly enough, Black has no deathblow discovered check here.
29 ... Rxg2+!
Not:
a) 29 ... Rxf3+?? 30 Bxe3 Rxc6 31 gxf3 which leaves Black down a clean piece.
b) 29 ... Rxc6?? 30 Bxe3 once again will leave White up a piece.
30 Kxg2 Qd2+ 31 Kh1 Rxc6 32 Bxc6 Qxc3 33 Rg1+ Kf6 34 Bxa7
Exercise (critical decision): White got two bishops and a rook for the queen.
This coupled with the passed a-pawn appears to be decisive, yet this isn’t
the case. Black has a choice of 34 ... Qxc2, intending to push the c-pawn
as fast as possible or 34 ... g5, intending to generate threats against
White’s king. One move draws, while the other loses. Choose wisely.
34 ... g5?
Larsen is tragically swayed by the wrong plan. Black’s kingside pawns don’t come remotely close to bothering White’s well protected king. Prince Niccolo Machiavelli, one of history’s most devious philosophers, claimed that all else being equal, political struggles tipped one way or another through “fortuna” – pure luck! In this case, Larsen, probably low on the clock and mentally exhausted by now, and having played one of the most amazing turnarounds of his entire career, missed his opportunity to save the game with:
Answer: 34 ... Qxc2!! 35 a5 Qa2 36 Bb6 Ke6! (f6 is an unfavourable square for Black’s king, as we later see in the game’s continuation) 37 Bb7 Qb3! 38 Ra1 c3 39 a6! Qxb6 40 Bd5+! Kxd5 41 a7 Qc6 42 a8Q Qxa8 43 Rxa8 when White wins a rook, but not the game. Black draws after 43 ... Kd4 44 Rc8 Kd3 45 Kg2 c2 46 Kf3 Kd2 47 Rd8+ Ke1 48 Rc8 Kd2 49 Rd8+ with perpetual check.
35 Bb6 Qxc2 36 a5
White’s a-pawn is too fast – thanks mainly to the black king’s unfortunate position on f6.
36 ... Qb2 37 Bd8+!
This zwischenzug allows his a-pawn to advance. This game feels like a looped succession of paradoxes, without end or beginning.
37 ... Ke6 38 a6 Qa3
Maybe Black should try 38 ... Qf2 39 Bxg5 c3 40 Ra1 c2 41 a7 c1R+ 42 Rxc1 Qxa7. However, this end position is a technical win for White.
39 Bb7 Qc5
Black puts up a better fight with 39 ... Qb4, but in the end still loses after 40 Bxg5 Qb5 41 Re1+ Kf7 42 Bd2 Kf8 43 Bc3 Qc5 44 Ra1 Qa7 45 Bb4+ Kg7 46 Bc5! Qxc5 47 a7 and White promotes.
Exercise (planning): Black threatens to tie White down with ... c2.
How did Fischer deal with this and force his a-pawn down the board?
Answer: Interference/zwischenzug/pawn promotion.
40 Rb1!
Threat: Bb6 and a7.
40 ... c3 41 Bb6! 1-0
41 ... c2 is met with the zwischenzug 42 Re1+ followed by Bxc5, but if 41 ... Qe5 42 a7 and the a-pawn promotes.
Game 38
B.Spassky-R.Fischer
World Championship (Game 3), Reykjavik 1972
Modern Benoni
GM John Emms called this game the “Benoni which caused shockwaves in the chess world.”
1 d4 Nf6 2 c4 e6 3 Nf3 c5
The Benoni is more tempting for Black when White plays an early Nf3.
Question: Why?
Answer: In the early Nf3 versions Black evades many of the really crazy lines involving f4.
4 d5
4 Nc3 cxd4 5 Nxd4 is a popular Anti-Benoni, with some theory involved.
4 ... exd5 5 cxd5 d6 6 Nc3 g6 7 Nd2
This move order denies Black an opportunity to swap with 7 e4 a6! (the immediate 7 ... Bg4?! is met with 8 Qa4+! Bd7 9 Qb3 when Black’s pieces are out of synch with a normal Benoni) 8 a4 Bg4 and the swap of the light-squared bishop for the knight benefits Black, who is cramped.
7 ... Nbd7 8 e4 Bg7 9 Be2 0-0 10 0-0 Re8 11 Qc2
Today, 11 a4 is White’s main line: 11 ... Ne5 12 Re1 (12 f4? is premature and met with 12 ... Neg4 when White is in big trouble) 12 ... g5 (Black locks down on f4 ideas) 13 Nf1 h6 14 Ng3 a6 15 Rb1 Ng6 16 Be3 Qa5 17 h3 and White looks a shade better, due to his control over the kingside light squares, A.Korobov-P.Simacek, Czech League 2014.
11 ... Nh5!?
As all computers and robots from 1950’s Sci-fi movies loved to declare: “Error! This does not compute.” The opening stage of the game tends to be the professional chess player’s most precious commodity. So then why did Fischer casually toss aside a century of precedence?
This move – which (falsely) exhibits an air of improvisation – sits on the threshold of both epiphany and strategic error, where Fischer launches a completely altered train of thought from the norm. The lure is based upon the presumption that it will jar the opponent psychologically.
Question: What the hell!?
Answer: The entire chess world shares your sentiments about this move, one of the most shocking in world championship match history. Fischer’s move passes the level of unlikely and is better described as ‘unimaginable’. Yet, here it is, played with the world championship on the line.
Question: Is Fischer’s idea sound?
Answer: I don’t believe it stands up against modern day computer analysis, and would label it ‘?!’ if played today. But for single-game ambush value, it worked against the obviously shell-shocked Spassky. Normally, when we deliberately play a strategically suspect move, we first discriminate between likely and unlikely candidate moves. When all the ‘likelies’ fail, only then after winnowing, by default, do we seek out the ‘unlikelies’.
In the position before Fischer’s last move, however, Black had loads of perfectly playable ‘likelies’, so his move is probably based solely on a psychological gamble – which in this instance worked. I guarantee you, Spassky would have played a completely different game if Fischer was crazy enough to repeat his objectively dubious novelty later in the match.
Instead, 11 ... Ne5 scores well for Black.
12 Bxh5
“And why not?” asks John Emms. Let’s break the position into its constituent elements:
1. White inflicts grievous damage to Black’s structure, which now is a collection of isolanis and potential targets.
2. In return, Black gets the bishop-pair and potential to attack along the newly opened g-file with a future ... Kh8 and ... Rg8, which on the objective level, isn’t enough to compensate for number one on the list.
12 ... gxh5
13 Nc4
When we are confronted with a new idea in the opening, multiple emotions compete for dominance. In this case caution wins, when Spassky would have been better served with rage. I think this move allows Black to equalize.
White should try and punish Fischer with something like this: 13 h3! h4 (after 13 ... Ne5 14 f4 Ng6 15 f5! White shuts out Black’s c8-bishop, which more than compensates for Black’s dark-square control; then 15 ... Ne5 16 Nf3 Nxf3+ 17 Rxf3 leaves Black in serious trouble, both strategically and with his king as well) 14 a4 Kh8 15 f4 f5?! (natural and also bad; Black was in trouble in any case, but this move speeds up his decline) 16 Nf3! Idea: Ng5. 16 ... fxe4 17 Ng5 Bd4+ 18 Kh1 Qf6 19 f5! e3 20 Nce4 Rxe4 (or 20 ... Qg7 21 Nxd6 and Black is busted) 21 Nxe4 Qh6 22 Ra3 Nb6 23 Rxe3! Bxe3 24 Qc3+ Qg7 (24 ... Bd4 25 Bxh6 Bxc3 26 bxc3 Bd7 27 f6 is also hopeless for Black) 25 f6 Qf8 26 Qxe3 Nxd5 27 Qd3 Nb4 28 Qxd6 Qxd6 29 Nxd6 Bd7 30 Bh6 1-0. There is no defence to the coming f7, V.Burmakin-S.Kravtsov, Tula 2001.
13 ... Ne5 14 Ne3
Spassky seizes control over f5. 14 Nxe5 Bxe5 15 Be3 Qh4 16 g3 Qf6 actually looks better for Black, who can tease White on the kingside light squares. Also, his h5-pawn can become a future attacking weapon with ... h4 at some point.
14 ... Qh4!
Now ... Ng4 is in the air.
15 Bd2?!
Spassky still hasn’t recovered psychologically from Fischer’s ... Nh5!? idea and proceeds cautiously, to the point of passivity. He should seize control over the g4-square with Robert Byrne’s suggestion 15 f3! a6 16 a4 Bd7, later tested in Bic-S.Radu, correspondence 1980. Now White should continue with 17 Ne2! intending Ng3 and to plant either knight on f5. After 17 ... Ng6 18 Nc4 Qe7 19 Bd2 h4 20 Nb6 Rad8 21 Rae1 White still holds a strategic edge.
15 ... Ng4!
Fischer forces his opponent to fix his once doubled h-pawns.
16 Nxg4 hxg4 17 Bf4 Qf6 18 g3?
After this move Spassky’s sluggish position continues to lie inert.
Question: What is wrong with this stabilizing move?
Answer: Besides being overly passive, the following:
1. White creates a hole on f3 and therefore also e5, since now f4 is unavailable for White.
2. White’s last move artificially isolated his e4-pawn, which is now chronically weak.
The game remains in approximate balance after 18 Qd2.
18 ... Bd7
Intending ... b5.
19 a4 b6! 20 Rfe1 a6
Preparing ... b5 and ... b4, undermining White’s e4-pawn.
21 Re2 b5
Black already stands better.
22 Rae1 Qg6!
Target: e4.
23 b3 Re7!
Fischer proceeds with Capa-simplicity. The next step is to double rooks, adding even more heat to e4.
24 Qd3
Spassky tries to tie Black down to his queenside pawns.
24 ... Rb8!
Superb strategic judgement. Fischer can win a pawn here, then correctly concluded he may not be able to convert after 24 ... Rae8 25 axb5 Bxc3! 26 Qxc3 Bxb5 27 Re3 Rxe4 28 Qc2 f5 (28 ... Rxe3 29 Qxg6+ hxg6 30 Rxe3 Rd8 31 Bg5 leaves White with excellent chances to hold the ending) 29 Qc3 Rxe3 30 Rxe3 Rxe3 31 Qxe3 Qf6 32 h3! gxh3 33 Kh2 Kf7 34 Qe1 and the opposite-coloured bishops imbalance greatly complicates Black’s chances to win.
25 axb5 axb5
26 b4!?
Black threatened ... b4. Spassky’s move allows Fischer a protected passed c-pawn. I don’t think White will hold the game if he goes passive with 26 Nb1 Ra8 27 Nd2 Ree8 28 Qc2 Bd4 29 Qd3 Ra3 with mounting pressure.
26 ... c4!
White regains the pawn with approximate equality after 26 ... cxb4? 27 Na2!.
27 Qd2 Rbe8!
The rook accomplished its mission on the b-file. Now it’s time to hammer away at e4.
28 Re3
28 Bg5?? hangs a piece to the deflection 28 ... Bxc3.
28 ... h5!
I hate that feeling when you reach your supposed goal, and then suffer a vaguely unsatisfied pang, which indicates something missing. In this case the presence of opposite-coloured bishops greatly complicates Fischer’s task. He is in no rush to cash out too early with 28 ... Bxc3? 29 Qxc3 Rxe4 30 Rxe4 Rxe4 31 Rxe4 Qxe4 32 Bh6 Qg6 33 Qe3 intending Qg5, with a pure opposite-coloured bishops ending where White may hold the draw.
29 R3e2
White’s counterplayless position spins its wheels, frustrated from want of traction. Spassky is reduced to rocking back and forth with his rook, awaiting Fischer’s response. 29 e5 dxe5 30 R3e2 Qd3 is hopeless for White.
29 ... Kh7
A move like this is to just demonstrate the opponent’s helplessness.
30 Re3 Kg8
Avoiding 30 ... Bxc3? 31 Qxc3 Rxe4 32 Rxe4 Rxe4 33 Rxe4 Qxe4 34 Qf6 Qxd5 35 Qxd6 Qxd6 36 Bxd6 Kg6 37 Kf1 Kf5 38 Ke2 Ke4 39 Be7 when White should hold the draw.
31 R3e2 Bxc3!
The time has arrived. Black has no other method of improving his position.
32 Qxc3 Rxe4 33 Rxe4 Rxe4 34 Rxe4 Qxe4 35 Bh6 Qg6
Black has won a pawn, yet the presence of opposite-coloured bishops obviously complicates his conversion task. Fischer now plays on the principle: Opposite-coloured bishops favour the attacking side. In order to apply this principle, Fischer must retain queens on the board.
36 Bc1
Spassky wants to play Bb2 next move. 36 Qe3? intending Qg5, is met with 36 ... Kh7 37 Bf4 Qb1+ 38 Qc1 Qxb4 winning a second pawn.
36 ... Qb1
Fischer disallows White’s plan.
37 Kf1
This allows Black a decisive attack, based on the bishops of opposite colours. Also hopeless is 37 Qe1 f6 38 Bd2 Qh7 39 Bc3 Kf7. The trouble is d5 eventually falls, although even there, I played out some scenarios where White held the draw two pawns down when queens came off the board.
37 ... Bf5 38 Ke2 Qe4+
The overbearing Nurse Ratched-like queen continues to boss the living daylights out of everyone within her orbit.
39 Qe3
Exercise (critical decision): How would you continue as Black?
Answer: 39 ... Qc2+!
“Well-bred people sometimes experience difficulty communicating irritation,” says the queen, as she approaches her brother with dagger in hand.
Instead, 39 ... Qxd5?? 40 Qg5+ is a trap, where White draws after 40 ... Kh7 (40 ... Kf8?? actually loses to 41 Qd8+ Kg7 42 Bb2+ Kg6 43 Qf6+ Kh7 44 Qg7 mate) 41 Qh6+ Kg8 42 Qg5+ with perpetual check.
40 Qd2
Alternatively, 40 Ke1 c3 41 Qe8+ Kg7 42 Qe3 Be4 43 Qg5+ Bg6 44 Qe3 f6 45 Qe7+ Bf7 46 Bh6+ Kg6 47 Qf8 Qe4+ 48 Kd1 Qb1+ 49 Ke2 c2 50 Qg7+ Kf5 51 Qh7+ Bg6 52 Qd7+ Ke4 53 Qe7+ Kd4 54 Qxf6+ Kxd5 55 Qg5+ Kc6 (now the checks come to an end) 56 Qc1 Qxb4 and Black wins, since there is no way White can blockade three connected passers.
40 ... Qb3
It’s crucial for Black to retain queens: 40 ... Qxd2+?? (Black’s initiative which first arrived in a gush, now trails off into an embarrassed silence) 41 Bxd2 Be4 42 Bf4 is dead drawn. In fact, I think the position is a draw even if White doesn’t win the d6-pawn.
41 Qd4?
41 Ke1 puts up greater resistance, but is still lost in the long run.
41 ... Bd3+! 0-1
“How wonderful when God’s will and my own coincide,” thinks the bishop. White’s king is hopelessly short on natural resources to bolster his defence. Playing on is futile:
a) 42 Ke1 Qxb4+ 43 Kd1 Qb3+ 44 Ke1 b4 45 Qf6 Qc2 46 Qg5+ Bg6 47 Qd2 c3! 48 Qxc2 Bxc2 and there is no defence to the b-pawn’s push.
b) 42 Kd2 Qc2+ (the queen tenderly runs her finger down her brother’s face, just before ordering his execution) 43 Ke1 Qe2 mate.