HERITAGE – 18 Return of Bobby Fischer

By Nagesh J., National Arbiter nageshjs AT yahoo DOT com

After a long gap, Nagesh J. resumes the popular Heritage series. Following the sad news of Fischer’s death, it is appropriate that he writes about the Spassky-Fischer Return Match.

Twenty years after Fischer won the famous 1972 Match of the Century, Fischer played active chess again in a match with his old rival Boris Spassky. This match held in former Yugoslavia in 1992 was one of the most exciting events awaited by chess fans throughout the world. Fischer has been an inspiration to a whole generation of chess players and news that this mercurial genius will play in public again created headlines around the world. The prize money sponsored by Jezdimir Vasiljevic, proprietor of Jugoskandik, a Belgrade bank was a record 5 million USD in total and the winner of the match would be the first player to win 10 games. The schedule was to be four games per week, every game played to a finish with no possibility of adjourning. Further, the match would use the Fisher-clock wherein at the start of the game, both players have a reserve of 90 minutes and on every move, 2 additional minutes is incremented.

The most important and disturbing element was that the UN had imposed international sanctions on Yugoslavia to stop the fighting in Bosnia and Herzegovina. This match was seen as a violation of the sanctions and the international community came down heavily on Fischer. The US senate also got involved and after the match, issued an arrest warrant against him. He was on the run until 2004 when he was arrested at a Japanese airport and detained for 8 months.

Fischer won this Revenge Match of the 20th Century in a mixture of brilliance and blunders. The score was 17.5 - 12.5 to Fischer. Fischer won the 1st, 7th, 8th, 9th, 11th, 16th, 17th, 21st, 25th and 30th games. Spassky won the 4th, 5th, 12th, 20th and 26th games. Other games were drawn. I give below the most brilliant game of this match, the 11th game which is one of the most brilliant games ever played.

1.e4 c5 2.Nf3 Nc6 3.Bb5

Staying away from the well trodden paths stemming from 3.d4. Fischer often employed psychological tactics, both on and off the board. Another hallmark of Bobby Fischer's career was the apparent simplicity with which he overcame his opponents.

3...g6

The usual choice. Other moves are 3...d6 and 3...e6

4.Bxc6

4.0-0 is more often played here. With the text move one would imagine Fischer is trying to steer the game into a positional battle, giving up Bishop for Knight in order to spoil Black's pawn structure.

4...bxc6

The main line is 4...dxc6 5.d3 Bg7 6.h3 Nf6 7.Nc3

5.O-O Bg7 6.Re1 e5?

Apparently Spassky did not like 6...Nh6 7.c3 O-O 8.d4 cxd4 9.cxd4 f6 10.Nc3

7.b4!!

!! because Fischer won in fine style, but !? is a more appropriate appraisal.

7...cxb4 8.a3

A beautiful concept. White is not playing against Black's doubled pawns; he is playing for a lead in development and gain of space and is prepared to sacrifice a pawn.

8...c5

What could Fischer have had in mind after the more obvious move: 8...bxa3 9.Nxa3 (9.Bxa3 d6) 9...Ne7

9.axb4 cxb4 10.d4 exd4 11.Bb2 d6

Rather tame. 11...Qb6 or 11...a5 would be more of a challenge to meet.

12.Nxd4

12.Bxd4 Nf6 13.c3 bxc3 =+ 14.Nxc3 and White has excellent play in return for the pawn.
12.Rxa7 is a tactical resource recovering the pawn. 12...Rxa7 13.Bxd4 Nf6 14.Bxa7 =

12...Qd7 13.Nd2 Bb7 14.Nc4 Nh6

Really beautiful...
15.e5 O-O 16.exd6 +=

15...Bxb2

15...Nxf5 16.exf5+ Kf8 17.f6 Bh6 18.Nxd6 +-

16.Ncxd6+ Kf8 17.Nxh6 f6

17...Bxa1 18.Qxa1 Rg8 19.e5 Bd5 20.Qd4 +/-

18.Ndf7 Qxd1 19.Raxd1 Ke7 20.Nxh8 Rxh8

Notice how the theme of move 15 reappears! Of course White is exchange up and should win even without this pretty move.

21...gxf5 22.exf5+ Be5

The point is 22...Kf8 23.Rd8+ Kf7 24.Rd7+

23.f4

The rest is easy, Fischer of course not needing to exercise his Capablanca-like endgame skills to wind up the game.

23...Rc8 24.fxe5 Rxc2 25.e6 Bc6 26.Rc1 Rxc1 27.Rxc1 Kd6 28.Rd1+ Ke5 29.e7 a5 30.Rc1 Bd7 31.Rc5+ Kd4 32.Rxa5 b3 33.Ra7 Be8 34.Rb7 Kc3 35.Kf2 b2 36.Ke3 Bf7 37.g4 Kc2 38.Kd4 b1=Q 39.Rxb1 Kxb1 40.Kc5 Kc2 41.Kd6 1-0