This game is annotated in Shakhmaty v SSSR (№. 6, 1974).

It appears as an extract from the

preparation of book published in Estonia, entitled '4 x 25', in which the authors Keres and Nei
present 25 of the best games of R. Fischer, B. Spassky, V. Korchnoi and B. Larsen.

The translation from the original Russian is by Douglas Griffin.

Fischer – Matanović
Vinkovci (8), 16.09.1968

1.e4 e5
Fischer is one of the greatest experts in the Spanish Game, but all the same this opening is
employed against him rather often.

2.Nf3 Nc6 3.Bb5 a6 4.Ba4 Nf6 5.0–0 Be7 6.Re1

It is interesting that the continuation 6.Qe2, which was popular in its time, has almost
disappeared from the tournament practice of our days. Even in chess, fashion can play a
perceptible role.

6...b5 7.Bb3 d6 8.c3 0–0 9.h3 Nd7 10.d4 Bf6

10...Nb6 is considered best.

11.a4 Na5
It is difficult for Black to defend the b5–pawn. After 11...Bb7 12.axb5 axb5 13.Rxa8 Qxa8
14.d5 Na5 15.Bc2, or 11...Rb8 12.axb5 axb5 13.d5 Ne7 14.Na3 White's position is somewhat
better. But the move in the game also fails to free Black from all concerns.

12.Bc2 Nb6
Bad is 12...b4 on account of 13.d5! ( 13...bxc3 14.b4! ). (Translator’s note: This had occurred in
the game Alatortsev-Bannik, DSO 'Nauka'-ch, Druskienniki 1947.)

13.b4
The usual continuation here is 13.axb5 axb5, and Fischer considers White's position after 14.d5
to be the more favourable*. With the move in the game White intends to exploit the insufficiently
stable position of the knight at c4.

(Translator’s note: Fischer annotated the present game in Chess Informant, vol. 6/380.)

13...Nac4
In the case of 13...Nc6 14.axb5 axb5 15.Rxa8 Nxa8 16.d5 Na7 17.Be3 White has a slight
advantage (Geller-Matanović, Skopje 1968). Matanović wants to improve Black's defence.

(Translator’s note: the tournament in Skopje had taken place in July, two months previously.)
14.a5 Nd7
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15.Bb3
After 15.d5 c6! 16.dxc6 Nb8 Black regains the pawn with a good position. Black also has fewer
problems in the case of 15.Na3 Nxa3 16.Bxa3, since he rids himself of the knight at c4. Now,
however, the whole time he has to reckon with the capture of the knight at c4 followed by Na3.

15...exd4
Evidently best, since 15...Bb7 16.d5 is clearly in White's favour.

16.cxd4 c5
Black should immediately attack the centre, as otherwise after 16...Bb7 17.Nbd2 White would
have stood clearly better. With the move in the game Black hopes for 17.bxc5 Nxc5!, which would
have given him good chances. But Fischer decides on a temporary pawn sacrifice, in order to retain
a strong pawn centre.

17.Bf4! cxb4
The threat of 18.Bxc4 bxc4 19.Bxd6 is unpleasant for Black. In the case of 17...cxd4 18.Bxc4
bxc4 19.Bxd6 White achieves a material advantage. Now Black intends on 18.Bxc4 bxc4 19.Bxd6
to reply 19...Be7, but Fischer does not hurry to regain the material and brings the final reserves into
battle.

18.Nbd2 d5!
It is clear that after 18...Nxd2 19.Qxd2 White wins back the sacrificed pawn with the better
game. In the case of 18...Nxa5 Fischer intended to sacrifice the exchange: 19.Rxa5! Qxa5 20.Bxd6
with a strong attack. In the following play Matanović defends very resourcefully, and he manages
in significant part to neutralise the opponent's strong pressure.

19.exd5 Nxa5 20.Bd6

 Beginning with this move there is an interesting combination which ultimately gives White the
advantage, but not without the help of the opponent. Deserving attention is the exchange sacrifice
20.Rxa5! Qxa5 21.Ne4, which after the game was suggested by R. Fischer himself, and which
confronts Black with difficult problems.

Practice supports the conclusion that such sacrifices almost always guarantee success, although in
analysis after the game a satisfactory defence is sometimes found.

20...Nxb3 21.Qxb3 Re8 22.Bc7!

Such blows often bring success, even when objectively they promise nothing. After 22.Ne5 and
22.Ne4 Black would have obtained a satisfactory position after 22...Bb7.

22...Rxe1+ 23.Rxe1 Qxc7?

Matanović had evidently become disoriented and thought that matters were altogether bad for
him. In fact, after the cold-blooded 23...Qf8! Black's situation is not so bad, as the following
variation, indicated by Fischer himself, demonstrates: 24.Ne4 (also on 24.Ne5 there could follow
24...a5) 24...a5! 25.Nd6 (deserving attention is the quiet 25.Qd3) 25...a4! 26.Qxb4 Be7 (better is
26...a3) 27.Ne5 Nxe5 28.dxe5 Bd7, and in Fischer's opinion the chances of the sides are
approximately level.

(Translator’s note: 20 years after the present game, this recommendation was seen in the game
Chandler–Pr. Nikolić (Linares, 1988). There play continued 23...Qf8 24.Ne4 a5 and now
Chandler employed Keres' suggestion, 25.Qd3!. Play continued 25...a4 (25...Bb7 26.Qxb5;
25...Ba6 26.Bxa5) 26.Bd6 Qd8 27.Bxb4 Ba6 28.Nd6 Qc7 29.Qf5 g6 30.Qf4 Rf8 31.Ne5, etc.,
with an attack. The game is annotated by Chandler in Chess Informant (vol. 45/404).

24.Re8+ Nf8 25.Qxb4 Be7 26.Rxe7 Qd8

Of course, not 26...Qc1+ 27.Re1 and then 28.Re8, while if 26...Bd7, then 27.Ne5, and it is
difficult for Black to defend the square f7 (27...Qc1+ 28.Nf1). The endgame after 26...a5 27.Rxc7
axb4 28.Ne5 is of course favourable to White.

27.Ne5 Ng6
27...Qxd5 will not do in view of 28.Re8. With the move in the game Black defends the
f7–square (27...Ng6 28.Rxf7? Nxe5), but White's pieces retain great activity.

28.Nc6 Qf8 29.Qc5! a5

Black cannot play 29...Nxe7 30.Nxe7+ Kh8 on account of 31.Ng6+, while 29...Bf5 is bad in
view of 30.d6. Black's only hope is the passed pawns on the queen's flank.

30.Rc7! Qe8
After the exchange of queens the passed pawns would have been more dangerous for Black. In
the case of 30...a4 White can continue 31.Nb1 (or, as per the recommendation of Fischer, 31.d6 a3
32.Nb3 a2 33.Na1 Qe8 34.Ne7+ Nxe7 35.Rxe7 Qd8 36.Qc6 Be6 37.d7!).
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31.d6?
Up to this point Fischer had conducted the struggle excellently, but now, aiming at an immediate
win, he significantly complicates the realisation of the advantage. It was possible to liquidate
Black's counter-play on the queen's flank with the simple 31.Nxa5; also convincing, but more
complicated, is 31.Qxb5. The variation 31...Qe1+ 32.Kh2 (32.Nf1 Ba6!) 32...Qxd2 33.Ne7+ Kf8
34.Qc5! need not have been feared by White.

Also very strong was 31.Ne7+ Nxe7 32.Rxe7 Qd8 33.d6 with unpleasant pressure.

31...Bd7!
Matanović had noticed the threat of 32.Ne7+ Nxe7 33.Rxe7 followed by 34.Qc6.Now it is not
easy for White to increase the pressure, while Black's pawns on the queen's flank demand constant
attention.

32.Ne7+ Kh8 33.d5 a4 34.Nb1

The direct attack has been repulsed, and White has to think of how to apply the brakes to the
enemy pawns.

34...Nf8!
Matanović has defended very tenaciously. He reinforces the bishop at d7 and brings the queen
into play via the h5 square.

35.Na3 f6
The best defence. After 35...Qb8 Fischer recommends 36.Qb4 Qb6 37.Nc6 Re8 38.Kf1, but
also possible is 36.Nc6 Bxc6 37.Qxc6! (37.dxc6 Ne6!) 37...b4 38.Rb7, and Black loses material.

36.Rb7 Qh5 37.Nxb5

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37...a3?
In time trouble, Matanović fails to immediately orient himself in the new situation and he loses
without a fight. Essential, naturally, was 37...Bxb5!. On this Fischer had intended to continue
38.Qxb5 a3? 39.Rb8, but 38...a3? is not the best. Black can play much more strongly: 38...Qd1+
39.Kh2 (39.Qf1 Qxf1+ 40.Kxf1 a3 41.Rb1 Nd7 gives Black every chance of a draw) 39...Qd4!.
With this move Black not only attacks the pawn at f2, but also threatens perpetual check after
40...Qf4+, etc. Thus, for example, in the case of 40.d7 Qf4+ 41.Kg1 Qc1+ 42.Qf1 Qxf1+ 43.Kxf1
Nxd7 it is already White who must think of equalising.

All the same after 37...Bxb5! White retains some winning chances, continuing 38.Rxb5!. If
38...Qd1+ 39.Kh2 Qd2! (39...a3? 40.Ra5 Rxa5 41.Qc8! etc.), there follows 40.Rb7! a3 41.d7.
Evidently also winning is 41.Ra7 Rxa7 42.Qxa7 a2 43.d7 or 42...Qb4 43.d7! Qxe7 (Translator’s
note: correct is 43...Nxd7! and Black draws: 44.Qxd7 Qf4+, etc.) 44.Qa8.

The best defence for Black is 37...Bxb5 38.Rxb5 a3!. Now possible is 39.Ra5 Rxa5 40.Qxa5
Qd1+ 41.Kh2 Qc1 with the threat of 42...Qf4+. A full analysis of this position would lead us too
far off track, but we present the following illustrative variation: 42.Qa4! g6 (the black queen must
control a3 and f4; also bad is 42...h5 43.d7 Nxd7 44.Qa8+! or 43...Qc7+ 44.g3 Qxd7 45.Qxa3 with
an advantage sufficient for victory) 43.h4! (nothing is given by 43.d7 Nxd7 44.Qa8+ Kg7 etc.)
43...Qc5 44.d7! Qd6+ (or 44...Qxe7 45.Qa8, and wins) 45.g3 Nxd7 (45...Qxd7 46.Qxa3, or
45...Kg7 46.Qxa3 Qxa3 47.d8Q gives White a winning endgame) 46.Qa8+, and now 46...Qb8
(46...Nb8 47.Nc6; 46...Kg7 47.Qg8+ Kh6 48.Qf7!) 47.Qxa3 leaves White with good winning
chances.

The variations presented naturally do not exhaust all the possibilities of this interesting position.
But they graphically demonstrate the challenges that White would have had to meet after 37...Bxb5.

38.Nxa3 Qd1+ 39.Kh2 Qd2 40.Qe3!

The simplest, though 40.Rb3 was also sufficient for victory.; If now 40...Qxe3 41.fxe3 Rxa3,
then 42.Rb8.

40...Qa5 41.Nc4 Qa6 42.Qb3 Ba4 43.Qb4 Nd7 44.Nb2!

Black resigned.