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Fridrik Olafsson vs Robert James Fischer
Zuerich (1959), Zuerich SUI, rd 3, May-21
King's Indian Defense: Petrosian Variation. Normal Defense (E93)  ·  0-1

ANALYSIS [x]

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Kibitzer's Corner
Apr-30-05  ArmyBuddy: 21. Nb1 was white's fatal move. He should've played 21. Rdg1 to gain the initiative
Apr-30-05
Premium Chessgames Member
  tpstar: <ArmyBuddy> Nice to see you again!

Perhaps after 13 ... Nc5 White should have tried 14. b4 Nd7 15. Bxg5 hxg5 16. 0-0 with chances for both sides. I'm a little surprised how quickly Black won after the Queen trade.

Apr-30-05  TheSlid: Hmm - after 17 moves, all the pawns remain, and all the white pawns are on the white squares. Somehow, I don't think that this was what Petrosian had in mind.
Apr-30-05  aw1988: Lol, no indeed.
Nov-08-07  sallom89: crushed by Fischer.
Feb-08-08  PAWNTOEFOUR: faced with getting a queen in two moves and then a forced mate in 9,gm olafsson packs it in!! great game by the 'profoundest student of chess' that has ever lived.......r.i.p. bobby!
Nov-30-08
Premium Chessgames Member
  plang: 9..g5 is now considered to be the main line. 9..a6 has not been played much since Tal defeated Fischer twice in that line in the 1959 Candidates match. Tal played 11 0-0 in both games; Olafsson's 11 g4!? is much sharper as it commits him to queenside castling. Fischer was critical of 12..Ng5? recommending 12..Nc5 13 0-0-0..f5 with equality. Now, with the knight on g5 14..f5 is weak as after 15 Bxg5..hxg 16 gxf..gxf 17 Rdg1 Black's king is vulnerable. Olafsson apparently underestimated 21..f5! and 24 e4! when 25 Bxh6 would have lost to 25..e3! 26 Bxe3 (if 26 Qxe3..Bxb1 27 Kxb1..Qg6+) 26..Bxb1 27 Kxb1..Qe5.
Stahlberg pointed out that Olafsson would have had the advantage if he had played 26 Rxg7+..Kxg7 27 Bxh6+..Kh8 28 Bxf8..Qxf8 29 Bxf3. After he missed this opportunity Fischer started to take over the initiative.
May-07-10
Premium Chessgames Member
  ToTheDeath: 23.exf5? is a terrible move wrecking White's pawn structure and allowing Black's bishops to activate. After 23.Rhg1 f4 24.Bf2 White should definitely not lose, although it's not clear that he can win.

A nice rough and tumble battle.

Jul-25-10  tentsewang: A very interesting game!!, one which makes players be more aware of the game and think philosophically the idea behind reasoning.
Nov-25-10  Veryrusty: Fischer annotated this game extensively in My 60 Memorable Games, including the following:

Fischer, after 18. ... c5, 19. h4: "Black's game springs to life after 19. dc?, bc; 20. Nb1, d5!; 21. ed (or 21. Bc5, de; 22. Bxf8, Bxf8 with a juicy position), cd; 22. Rxd5, Bc6."

Nov-25-10  Veryrusty: Regarding <To the Death>'s note, Fischer, after 21. Nb1?, f5!: "Ready or not, here we come! Olafsson was sure that this break was impossible, or he wouldn't have allowed it."

22. gf, gf; 23. ef "to prevent 23. … f4 which would seal the Kingside and neutralize White's attack."

23. … Bxf5; 24. Qd2: "This is the position White played for."

Nov-25-10  Veryrusty: Fischer, after 24. … e4!: "The game turns on this shot. 24. … Rf6 or h5 cede the initiative."

25. Rdg1: "25. Bxh6 loses to e3!; 26. Bxe3 (if 26. Qxe3, Bxb1!; 27. Kxb1, Qg6+ wins a piece), Bxb1; 27. Kxb1, Qe5."

Nov-25-10  Veryrusty: Fischer, after 26. … Ra7; 27. Bxg7, Rxg7; 28. Rxg7+, Kxg7; 29. Bd3: "An admission of defeat since Black's f-pawn now becomes dangerously potent. But not 29. Bxf3 (29. Qc3+, Qe5; 31. Qxf3, Bxb1; 32. Qg4+, Bg6), Bxb1; 30. Kxb1, Rxf3; 31. Qg2+, Qg6+ (the saving resource) and Black hangs on to its extra piece. My game hinges on this defense, on the fact that the f-pawn has such divine protection."
Nov-25-10  Veryrusty: Fischer, after 37. Kd1: "a better chance is offered by 37. Nf1, Ng4!; 38. Kd2 (if 38. d6, Rf3; 39. d7, Rd3), but 38. … Rf3! squelches all counterplay.
Apr-23-12  Zugzwangovich: Does anybody out there have a clue as to why Evans titled this game "Pride Goeth" in M60MG?
Aug-29-12  TheFocus: This is game 7 in Fischer's <My 60 Memorable Games>.
Nov-06-12  zydeco: <Zugzwangowitch> I think the idea is that white had a comfortable advantage out of the opening and then got lazy and sloppy with 21.Nb1 and 26.Bh6. Olafsson needed to give more serious consideration to black's counterplay.
Nov-06-12  RandomVisitor: After 24...e4: <Rybka4.1>


click for larger view

[+1.00] d=18 25.Rhg1 exf3 26.Bxf3 Ng5 27.hxg5 h5 28.Rge1 bxc4 29.Nc3 Qb8 30.Qb2 cxb3 31.Bd2 bxa2 32.Qxa2 Qb7 33.Bxh5 Rab8 34.Be2 Qb3 35.Bc4 Qxa2 36.Bxa2 Bg4 37.Bc4 Bxd1

Nov-07-12  RandomVisitor: deeper look, after 24...e4: <Rybka4.1>

[+0.88] d=22 25.Rhg1 exf3 26.Bxh6 fxe2 27.Rxg7+ Kh8 28.Re1 Qe4 29.Nc3 Qxh4 30.Rb7 Rg8 31.Bf4 Rg6 32.Rxe2 Qf6 33.Rb6 Rg1+ 34.Re1 Rxe1+ 35.Qxe1 b4 36.Bxd6 Qg5+ 37.Kb2 Qg2+ 38.Ka1 bxc3 39.Be5+ Kg8 40.Bxc3

Nov-07-12  RandomVisitor: final look, after 24...e4: <Rybka4.1>

[+0.59] d=24 25.Rhg1 exf3 26.Bxh6 fxe2 27.Rxg7+ Kh8 28.Re1 Qe4 29.Nc3 Qxh4 30.Rg2 Rg8 31.Rgxe2 Qf6 32.Bf4 b4 33.Nb1 Raf8 34.Bh6 Rf7 35.Rh1 Rg6 36.Re8+ Rg8 37.Rxg8+ Kxg8 38.Qg2+ Kh8 39.Qb2 Be4 40.Rg1

Aug-08-13  estrick: There are 12 games between Olafsson and Fischer in the CG database. This game was their second meeting.

Olafsson won the first game between them nine months earlier, and would win the third game a month after this one was played.

After that, Fischer would go on to win seven of their remaining nine contests, with the other two games resulting in draws.

Aug-08-13  estrick: Right. Olafsson won the first and the third games, Fischer won the second game, and most of the rest.
Apr-05-14
Premium Chessgames Member
  maxi: After White's 34.bxc4, a R & N versus R & N with an equal number of Pawns endgame is reached. Fischer, playing Black, has the advantage in that he has two fairly advanced passed neighboring Pawns. The fact Fischer is playing Black makes the situation even more desperate for White. As a matter of fact White resigned in just a few more moves.

But White's defense was very weak. After 34.bxc4 Nf6 35.Nd2 f2 36.Rh1 (to leave f1 for the N) 36...e4 37.Kd1? there is basically nothing left for White to do except resign. But after 37.Nf1 Ng4 (Fischer's recommendation in 60MG) 38.Kd2 Rf6, which, Fischer writes, "squelches all counterplay". But now Black's two passed Pawns have been blockaded. If the Black Rook is taken to b2, then White's d passed Pawn can advance. If the Black King decides to travel it has to be very careful not to loose track of the protected White h Pawn. The ending may be still won but it is not a trivial one.

Jun-26-19  Patzer Natmas: Game featured in "New in Chess - Tactics Training - Bobby Fischer "

Solve for black on move 37...

Apr-29-22  Sally Simpson: Going through my newly acquired algebraic edition of My 60 and looking at my old desctiptive one.

It appears here (White to play)


click for larger view

...at one time in the 70's I thought there was a draw with 40...Nxe3 41.Ng3+ and changed my mind. Looks like after Kxf2 and Nxh1+ Kf3. I tried to get my Knight out with the Rook and the passed d-pawn started running.

Meanwhile the unmoved King on h8 would have been staring me saying 'look at this idiot.' but I have added 'No.'

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