A Game of Thrones

Robert James Fischer – Samuel Herman Reshevsky
10th U.S. Chess Championship; New York, December 20, 1957
Sicilian Defence B41

Notes by Jan van Reek

The 14-years-old Bobby Fischer was regarded as an outsider, because he had shared the first place in the Open U.S. with Bisguier. A great test occurred in round three. 1. e4 c5 2. Nf3 e6 3. d4 cxd4 4. Nxd4 a6 5. c4 Nf6 6. Nc3 Bb4 7. Bd3 Qb6?! Usual is 7. ... Nc6. 8. Be3! Bxc3+ 9. bxc3 Qa5 10. 0-0! d6. Not 10. ... Qxc3? 11. e5!. 11. c5! Qc7?! Correct is 11. ... dxc5 12. Nb3 Qc7 13. Bxc5 Nbd7 14. Ba3 b5. 12. cxd6 Qxd6 13. f4 Qe7 14. c4?! 14. Qf3! e5 15. fxe5 Ng4 16. Bf4 favours White. 14. ... e5! 15. Nb3 Nbd7 16. fxe5!? Nxe5 17. Bc5 Qd8?! Better is 17. ... Qc7. 18. Bd4!? Qc7 19. Qd2 Be6

20. Qf4?! 20. Be2! Nfd7 21. Qg5 0-0 22. Nc5! keeps the initiative. 20. ... Nfd7 21. Be2 f6 22. Bh5+ g6 23. Be2 0-0 24. Rac1 Rac8 25. c5 Nc6 26. Qe3 Nde5 27. Bb2 Rcd8 28. h3 Rd7 29. Kh1 Qd8 30. Rfd1 Rff7 31. a3 Rxd1+ 32. Rxd1 Rd7 33. Rxd7 Qxd7 34. Nd4 Nxd4 35. Qxd4 Qxd4 36. Bxd4 Kf7 37. Kg1 Bc4 38. Bxe5 Bxe2 39. Bd6. The rest is simple. 39. ... Bd3 40. e5 f5 41. Kf2 g5 42. g3 Be4 43. Ke3 Bd5 44. Bc7 Ke7 45. h4 f4+ 46. gxf4 gxh4 47. f5 h3 48. Bd6+ Kf7 49. Kf2 Be4 50. Kg3!? Bxf5 51. Bc7 Bd7 52. Ba5 Ke6 53. Bb4 Kxe5 54. Kh2 h5 55. Kg3 Kd5 56. Kh2 h4 57. Kg1 ½ : ½. Bobby survives against Sammy, because he can stop the Black Pawns on both flanks.

Robert James Fischer vs. Samuel Herman Reshevsky
Photo: endgame.nl