GAME 29 White: R. Fischer Black: C. Mufioz (Ecuador) Played at Leipzig (East Germany) Olympiad, October 18, 1960, Preliminaries, Round 2 Fischer has been the most successful Dragon slayer of all time. He’s lost exactly one game, this one, but what a game! The unheralded Equadorian simply outplays the great Bobby in middle game complications. Psychologically speaking, Fischer's loss is caused by an overestimation of his position and an underestima- tion of his opponent. Yet, except for the dubious 9 ... P-QR3, Fischer himself couldn’t have improved on Black’s play. Sicilian Defense (Dragon-Yugoslav) 1 PKS P-QB4 2 N-KB3 P-Q3 3 P-Q4 PxP 4 NxP 'N-KB3. 5 N-QB3 —P-KN3 Defining the variation as the Dragon, a strategically logical and sound continuation. The fianchetto KB will bear down rather directly on the center and from a longer-range viewpoint also against White’s QN and Queenside. In addition Black is ready for quick Kingside castling. 6 B-K3 7 P-B3 B-N2 The modern approach, called the Yugoslav, leads to castling on opposite sides and sharp tactical play. In the 1930s when the Dragon came to the fore, the continuation invariably was 7B-K2 and 8 O-O leading to a positional type of game. Over the last 15 years the Yugoslav Attack has pretty much displaced the “old” Kingside castling. Town 0-0 8 QQ N-B3 9 B-QB4 The straightforward 9 O-O-O allows potentially great complications after 9... P-Q4l? Thus since 1958 or so the theoretical and popular move has been 9 B-QB4, The pluses are clear enough: .. . P-Qé is prevented and the Bishop puts pressure on Black’s KB2 square. However, there are also minuses: the Bishop won’t be able to remain on QB4, and retreat to QN3 will take additional time, Thus the whole maneuver is rather time-wasting and contributes little to the Kingside attack. 9... P-QR3?! At the time of this game the varia- tion was still in its infancy and the correct method for Black was not yet established. However, the text move was thought to be too slow even then. The late 1960s and the 1970s Game Twenty-Nine 115have shown that quick mobilization of the Queenside is in order with 9... B-Q2 and then either 10 R-B1 and 11... N-K4 or 10... Q-R4 and 11... KR-B1. 10 B-N3 QR4 11 0-0-0 B-Q2 12 KN1 wee The greatest danger to an accurate analysis of a game is a superficial assumption that the loser had a lost game from the very beginning. This is illustrated much too well by the treatment that this understand- ably famous game has received. Invariably the text move has been labeled “too slow” and has been blamed, at least by inference, for White's loss. Yet in the modern treatment starting with 9... B-Q2 for White, on move 12 K-N1 is given an excellent rating. So how on earth can the same move here, in effect with an extra tempo for White, be suddenly inferior? In fact, the move is quite good and playable. However, White does have an even sharper continuation: 12 P-KR4! If then 12... KR-B1; 13 P-N4, N-K4; 14 B-R6, N-B5; 15 BxN, RxB; 16 BxB, KxB; 17 P-R5, with a very strong attack for White. Rm... QR-B1 More logical is 12 ... KR-B1 so that: a) The King has a flight square on KB1, b) Black can respond to 116 How to Beat Bobby Fischer White's B-KR6 with 8-R1, and ¢) The QR may have something to do on the QR or QN files. 13° P-N4 Now we know that the attack can be started more efficiently via 13 P-KR4, as White often is able to play the Pawn sacrifice P-KR5. wee N-K4 14 ~B-R6?! eos This is a serious inaccuracy. Correct was 14 P-KR4, and if now 14 ... N-B5; 15 BxN, RxB; 16 N-N3!, as 16 ... Q-K4 can be met with the positionally strong 17 B-Q4!. Ww... N-BS 15 BxN RB 16 N-N3 Q-KA!! Because of some wild tactical stuff, the Queen is safe here. It is clear that 17 B-B4, Q-K3 leads to nothing since 18 N-Q4? is refuted by 18 ...NxKP! After 17 P-B4 Black has the choice between the “quiet” 17 ... BxB; 18 PxQ, BxQ; 19 NxB, RxN with good compensation for the exchange or the crazy 17 ... Q-K3; 18 P-BS, Q-K4; 19 B-B4, QxN!!; 20 PxN, NxKP; 21 Q-K3, KR-B1, with a position impossible to evaluate: Black has a very strong attack, yet White has an extra Queen. 17 ~P-KR4 A logical, “safe” continuation of the attack. 7... KR-B1 18 =B-B4? Rather pointless. Fischer apparently valuable time here. The simple 18 BxB, KxB; 19 P-R5 was also the best. If Black then plays 19 ... P-KN4 White has 20 P-R6+, K-N1; 21 N-Q4, with a tough position and chances for both sides. 1%... Qk 19 ~P-RS Again 19 N-Q4? is refuted by 19 ee NxKP! ~ ... P-QN4! 20 ~PxP BPxP 21 ~B-R6 B-R1! 22 ~P-K5?? THE LOSING MOMENT This coffeehouse move is the defini- tive loss factor. No good for Black were 22 ... PxP?; 23 P-N5, winning a piece and 22 ... QxKP?; 23 KR-K1! with a winning attack. Bobby didn’t bother to consider Black’s rather obvious reply. Either 22 R-QB1 or 22 R-R2 was correct. Black already stands somewhat better, but the game is still full of fight. But now ... 22 err P-N5! If now 23 N-K2, then 23 ... QxKP is quite playable and strong. Yet this was better for White than the suicidal text move. 23 ~PxN?! 24 Q-R2 PxN Quer! White has nothing on the Kingside while his Queenside will be in shreds. Black’s game plays by itself— quite a rare situation against Bobby! Game Twenty-Nine 11725 26 B-NS Q-B2 Q-K2 vee There is absolutely nothing to sug- gest for White anywhere; his position is beyond hope and salvation. % PxP 27° QxP QQ 28 BxQ RxBP 29 RxQP BRS 30 B-NS R-B7! 118 How to Beat Bobby Fischer 31 «B-K3 If 31 RxQRP, B-QB3! is the strongest. 31... RxP. 32 B-Q4 BxN 33 PxB BxB 34 RxB RxP 35 R-Q2 35 R-Q7 doesn’t even have a threat as 36 RxP (either Rook) loses to 6... R-BB+. 35. RI-N1 36 R-Q7 —-RQRE. WHITE RESIGNS Not much to say about the final position!