The annotations to this game, by Boris Spassky, appear in the Soviet Yearbook Shakhmatnyi

Ezhegodnik 1960 (Fizkultura i Sport, Moscow 1962).

The translation from the original Russian is by Douglas Griffin.

Fischer – Ólafsson
th
7 round, Mar del Plata, 05.04.1960

1.e4 c5 2.Nf3 d6 3.Bb5+

Clearly, Fischer did not choose this continuation by chance, since the opponents knew one
another over-well for them to repeat opening schemes that were familiar to both players.

3...Bd7 4.Bxd7+ Qxd7 5.0–0 Nc6 6.Qe2

The opening variation played by Fischer does not promise great prospects. Normally in this
position White plays immediately 6.c3, and if 6...Nf6, then 7.Re1. The American grandmaster
chooses a different plan, which however, is also not dangerous for Black.

6...g6 7.c3 Bg7 8.Rd1 e5

With this move Black prevents the advance d2–d4 and prepares the development of the g8–
knight at e7. It is interesting to note that after the game Soviet grandmasters (that is, Bronstein
and I) proposed for Black 8...f5. Fischer responded disapprovingly to this move, but nonetheless
during analyis he did not manage to obtain an advantage. It continued thus: 9.exf5 Qxf5 10.d4
cxd4 11.cxd4 Nf6 12.Nc3 Nd5. Black has good play.

9.Na3 Nge7
XIIIIIIIIY
8r+-+k+-tr0
7zpp+qsnpvlp0
6-+nzp-+p+0
5+-zp-zp-+-0
4-+-+P+-+0
3sN-zP-+N+-0
2PzP-zPQzPPzP0
1tR-vLR+-mK-0
xabcdefghy

10.d4!?
A move characteristic of the creativity of the American grandmaster. During the game Fischer
was full of the most optimistic hopes, sacrificing a pawn.

10...cxd4 11.cxd4 exd4

In this way Ólafsson renounces holding on to the pawn, counting, principally, on carrying
out an advance in the centre with ...d6–d5. However, deserving attention is 11...Nxd4 12.Nxd4
exd4. How does White continue now? If, for example, 13.Nb5, then 13...Nc6 14.Bf4 Be5
15.Bh6 (preventing castling short) 15...0–0–0. In my opinion White's attack (after 16.Rac1 Kb8
17.b4) does not compensate for the sacrificed material. We note that in place of holding the
pawn with 14...Be5 Black can continue 14...0–0 with good play after 15.Nxd6 (or 15.Bxd6
Rfe8) 15...Ne5!.

Now however, after 11...exd4, as occurred in the game, the young American conducts the
struggle with great artistry and achieves a positional advantage.

12.Nb5 0–0 13.Nfxd4 d5 14.Nb3!

Exploiting the poor position of the black queen on the d-file.

14...a6 15.Nc3 d4 16.Na4

The weakness of the dark squares on Black's queen's flank now becomes very perceptible.

16...Rae8
The beginning of a plan associated with undermining White's central e4–pawn by means of
...f7–f5. Deserving attention, however, is the continuation 16...Qc7, not permitting the white
bishop to f4 and preparing 17...Rad8 followed by 17...Rfe8. Black's pieces would have been
placed more harmoniously than in the game, while the d4–pawn would have not been a
weakness, but a strength.

XIIIIIIIIY
8-+-+rtrk+0
7+p+qsnpvlp0
6p+n+-+p+0
5+-+-+-+-0
4N+-zpP+-+0
3+N+-+-+-0
2PzP-+QzPPzP0
1tR-vLR+-mK-0
xabcdefghy
17.Bf4!
A bold and well-calculated move. At first sight it could seem that White has fallen in with the
opponent's intentions.

17...Nd5 18.Bg3 Qe7

Ólafsson avoids 18...f5, on which there would have followed 19.Qc4, and if 19...fxe4, then
20.Nb6 winning a piece. Instead of 19...fxe4 Black can try to stir up complications with 19...b5.
But then too 20.Qxd5+ Qxd5 21.exd5 bxa4 22.Nc5 (also good is 22.dxc6) gives White the
advantage.

19.Nac5 Kh8
Black has to lose time on moving the king, since after 19...f5 there could again have followed
20.Qc4 .

20.Re1 Nb6
Black 'beats the retreat'. His plan has suffered failure.

21.Rac1 f5
Too late. White has completely mobilised his forces and now creates threats to Black's
weakened queen's flank.

22.Qd2 Qf7 23.exf5 gxf5 24.Nd3

White's advantage has become defined: he has well-placed pieces, controlling the central
squares, while in Black's camp there are many weaknesses (the pawns at f5 and d4).

24...Nd5
The return of the 'prodigal son'.

25.Bd6 Rg8 26.Na5!

Exchanging the main 'defender' of Black's position. Now the weakness of the square e5 for
Black becomes particularly perceptible.

26...Nxa5 27.Rxe8 Rxe8 28.Qxa5 h6 29.g3 Kh7 30.Nf4 Nxf4 31.Bxf4 Qe6 32.Bd2!
From the 14th move onwards Fischer has excellently exploited the slightest possibibilities of
creating tactical threats. With the move in the game he seizes the e-file and in passing sets a trap,
into which the Icelandic grandmaster falls. In fairness it should be said that Black's situation is
very difficult, the more so since at this point Ólafsson was already in serious time-trouble.

32...Rc8 33.Re1 Qf7

Of course, if Ólafsson had foreseen the possibility of White's reply, then he would have played
immediately 33...Qg6, but in this case too his position would have been lost.
XIIIIIIIIY
8-+r+-+-+0
7+p+-+qvlk0
6p+-+-+-zp0
5wQ-+-+p+-0
4-+-zp-+-+0
3+-+-+-zP-0
2PzP-vL-zP-zP0
1+-+-tR-mK-0
xabcdefghy
34.Re7!
An unpleasant surprise.

34...Qg6 35.Rxb7 f4
Creating the threat of 36...Qb1+, and if 37.Kg2, then 37...Qe4+.

36.Qd5 Re8
Somewhat better was 36...fxg3 which, however, after 37.hxg3 does not change the outcome of
the struggle. (Less clear is the move 37.Rxg7+, since after 37...Kxg7 38.Qd7+ Black creates a
threat to the square f2 by means of 38...Qf7 .)

37.Bxf4 Re1+ 38.Kg2 Qd3 39.Kh3 Qg6 40.Rd7

Sufficiently good was 40.Qxd4.

40...h5 41.Kg2 h4 42.Rd6

Here the game was adjourned. Clearly, it did not have to be resumed. Ólafsson resigned.