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Bobby Fischer vs Vasily Smyslov
Herceg Novi blitz (1970) (blitz), Herceg Novi YUG, rd 3, Apr-08
Bird Opening: Buenos Aires Variation (A02)  ·  1-0

ANALYSIS [x]

FEN COPIED

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Given 34 times; par: 136 [what's this?]

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Kibitzer's Corner
< Earlier Kibitzing  · PAGE 1 OF 2 ·  Later Kibitzing>
Apr-21-04  shr0pshire: Ah here are the big guns! I didn't know that Fischer played the Bird. Turns out he played it against a former World Champion. It is unfortunate that this is only a blitz game. I would like to see Fischer play the bird in a regular game.
Nov-09-04  Chesschufty: I believe Fischer played the Bird a fair bit in his time. He also knew how to play against it. I saw a game against Larsen which Bobby won easily.
Nov-09-04  iron maiden: <Chesschufty>, welcome to chessgames. Actually this is the only instance I've ever been able to find of Fischer playing the Bird, though he undoubtedly knew how to fight it.
Feb-17-05  delterp: Tactical game.
At first I thought "Why not 14) Qxc5?". The pawn seems free . . . It isn't. 14)...Nd3! forking queen and bishop. Any move to save the bishop ends with 15) Nxb2. If 15) ...QxN, then 16) Ne8 wins the exchange via the queen rook skewer on the a1-h8 diagonal from black's king's bishop.
Mar-07-06  who: Why not 56...Kf4 57.Kh3 Kf3 58.Kh2 Kxg4
Oct-10-06  Kingsider: pawn to kingB4.its not a weakness if they cant get to it.
Oct-10-06  Kingsider: I didnt write"kill msg"!!!!!
Oct-10-06  Tomlinsky: Bizarre! 8|
Nov-23-06  midknightblue: well my endgame skills need work. I cant figure out a) how the pawn keeps successfully marching further down the board b) why Smyslov needs to resign already
Nov-23-06  midknightblue: Fischer vs Mecking, 1970

interestingly, chesschufty is at least partially right. the above game transposes into a Bird's position, although the move f4 is not played until move 11!

Nov-24-06  MrPatzer: I'd always heard that the Russians were utterly unprepared when Fischer departed from his customary 1. e4 in the 1972 WC match, but it seems that this game is proof Fischer was willing to experiment. That and this game, too:

Fischer vs Polugaevsky, 1970

Nov-24-06  setebos: The Russians were utterly unprepared for Fischer period. He read all of the material the Russians published. He was one step ahead of them. He was beating guys like Keres since he was just a kid.
Jan-17-07  M.D. Wilson: midknightblue: b) why Smyslov needs to resign already

He lost on time.

Jan-22-07  midknightblue: Thx MD Wilson.
Jul-26-07  taroak: Fischer once played 1.c4 against Oscar Panno. It was a shame that Panno did not show up too play, though. Fischer often played 1. b3 and the position would sometimes look similar to the Bird later.
Jul-26-07  zev22407: The young Fischer played 1)Nf3 2)g3 and B-g2 and so on, later he used this set up against the French and the Sicilian.
Sep-08-08  JG27Pyth: Just found this game in my DB researching the Bird opening...

FYI -- Fischer destroyed the field at this tournament. Scoring I think 19 points out of a possible 22! 17 wins, 4 draws one loss (to Korchnoi.) Tal came in second with 8 pts!

The field included Smyslov, Petrosian, V. Hort, Korchnoi, Tal, Bronstein, Reshevsky

But, courtesy of Toga 2 (I take no credit) Fischer made a moderate error in the middle game here, and Smyslov failed to spot it.

22.Rxa5? Smyslov answers Nb6? much better was: Ne3! It's not particularly deep and both players certainly would have spotted it were this not Blitz... Toga 2 gives it a solid -1.00 evaluation.

But, following along with Toga 2, it was rather terrifying to see how accurate these guys are at Blitz... they play first choice moves for long stretches.

Is it me or is Fischer's endgame technique here really beautiful. This is a difficult ending but Fischer was making progress! Educational.

Dec-05-08
Premium Chessgames Member
  Honza Cervenka: I cannot say that with certainty but I think that black should be able to hold this ending. White can trade his c for Black's h Pawn but his Rook is then badly positioned and I see no big chance to make any progress from there.
Mar-09-09  Absentee: <JG27Pyth>

<FYI -- Fischer destroyed the field at this tournament. Scoring I think 19 points out of a possible 22! 17 wins, 4 draws one loss (to Korchnoi.) Tal came in second with 8 pts!>

Tal finished with 14.5 pts. A smashing victory for Fischer nonetheless.

Jun-09-09  notyetagm: http://www.truechess.com/web/oversi...

22 ?


click for larger view

22 ♖a1x♙a5?


click for larger view

TRUECHESS: <22.Rxa5? [White is better after 22.Nd6!]>

22 ... ♘d5-b6?


click for larger view

TRUECHESS.COM: <22...Nb6? [Black is on top after 22...Ne3! ]>

(VAR)
22 ... ♘d5-e3! <discovered pin: d1>


click for larger view

<G27Pyth: ... 22.Rxa5? Smyslov answers Nb6? much better was: Ne3! It's not particularly deep and both players certainly would have spotted it were this not Blitz... Toga 2 gives it a solid -1.00 evaluation.>

Fischer's blunder 22 ♖a1xa5? allowed the wicked <DISCOVERED PIN> 22 ... ♘d5-e3!, as the Black d8-rook <PINS> the White d2-pawn to the newly <UNDEFENDED> White d1-rook.

Nov-23-09  WhiteRook48: 64...Kd6 65 Ke3 is too powerful
Mar-06-10  randomsac: What is wrong with 56...Kf4 (threatening rh1#). It seems to me this wins black the g pawn. Is white's passed pawn really that dangerous?
Feb-01-11  nowo: <randomsac>

I believe the reason why is: 56...Kf4 57. Kh3, Rh1 58. Kg2, Rh4 (to win the g pawn) 59. Rg7!. White would gladly exchange the g pawn and its rook for the black rook because the c pawn is now unstoppable. Furthermore, it's too late for the black rook to return to defend against the c pawn since it's now trapped. What do you think?

Feb-01-11
Premium Chessgames Member
  Sastre: 56...Kf4 was Black's best move. For instance, <57.Kh3 Rg1 58.Rf7 Rg3+ 59.Kh2 Rc3 60.Rxf6+ Kxg4 61.Rxh6 Rxc5 =>.
Feb-02-11  nowo: What about this person's analysis:

Mar-07-06 who: Why not 56...Kf4 57.Kh3 Kf3 58.Kh2 Kxg4

That seems to work well, too?

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