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Robert James Fischer vs Mikhail Tal
"French Drawings" (game of the day Oct-15-07)
Leipzig Olympiad Final 1960  ·  French Defense: Winawer. Retreat Variation Armenian Line (C18)  ·  1/2-1/2


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Kibitzer's Corner
< Earlier Kibitzing  · PAGE 2 OF 2 ·  Later Kibitzing >
Oct-15-07   Erdkunde: I guess if 19. Kxf1 Rxh2 then 20. Nxc7 Rxh7 wins a piece by virtue of the Rh1+ threat, while if the White Queen goes to g7 or f7 then the complications following 20. ...Rh1+ lead to either mate or the loss of a piece for White.
Oct-15-07   Confuse: Cyphelium. Wow thanks for that post! I haven't seen this game in a long time and even forgot about this comment. Haha interesting lines, good times.
Oct-15-07   savagerules: If all draws were exciting as this game there wouldn't be a problem. BTW for Soltis to criticize this complicated game is absurd, he can only wish to play just one game like this in his life.
Oct-15-07   drpoundsign: WOW! what a slugfest. Like a Tyson brawl. would expect more positional play from those two
Oct-15-07   D4n: You can't win them all...
Oct-15-07   Granite: Yet another short GM draw. Shameful really.
Oct-15-07
Premium Chessgames Member
  TheaN: The pun is really bad XD.
Oct-15-07
Premium Chessgames Member
  Marmot PFL: Fisher was only 16 at the time, and players that age are much more likely to play tactically than strategically.
Oct-15-07
Premium Chessgames Member
  kevin86: This game almost looks contrived-a composition,as it were. Tal was at his peak and Fischer was still a teenager at this time. So,I really don't know what to think...
Oct-15-07   ChessNe1: i like the pun...abstract drawings.
Oct-15-07
Premium Chessgames Member
  whiteshark: Did Huebner annotated this game in his usual manner ?
Oct-15-07
Premium Chessgames Member
  fm avari viraf: A thrilling encounter between the two Giants but sadly ended in a draw!
Oct-16-07   Hesam7: <<Benjamin Lau>: Many GMs believe it's a !. However, Tal himself later said that ...Qxe5!! instead wins. Later, some high level GMs studied the position and concluded that white was winning. Huebner and other after that group concluded that black was winning. Unclear.>

That is insane! Can you post any of the analysis you mention?? Here is Fischer's comments in "My 60 Memorable games". His analysis is convincing:

<15...Nxe5

Playing for a win. After 15...Qxe5 16 Bxe7 Rh8 17 Rfe1 (17 Rae1? loses to Qb8!), Qxe1+ 18 Rxe1 Rxh7 19 Bxd8 Kxd8 (weak is 19...Bxb5 20 Bf6!) 20 Bxd7 Kxd7 21 Re3! bails White out.>

Oct-17-07   Hesam7: <<Benjamin Lau>: 13....o-o-o?

Analysis showed that black has the advantage after 13...Nxe5!>

Fischer clearly disagrees with that:

<13...O-O-O

After the game Petrosian suggested 13...Nxe5 but 14 Nxe5 Qxe5 15 Bxd7+ Kxd7 16 Qd3! keeps White on top (if 16...Qe4? 17 Qxe4 dxe4 18 f3! wins a pawn).>

Oct-17-07   Hesam7: I must add that engines disagree with Fischer's last line: 13...Nxe5 14 Nxe5 Qxe5 15 Bxd7+ Kxd7 16 Qd3


click for larger view

here Fischer says that White has the advantage but Black can continue with 16...Qf5 (Fruit) 17 Qb5 Nc6 18 Qxb7 Kd6 19 g3 (forced) 19...Rab8 20 Qa6 Rh8:


click for larger view

And this hardly looks good for White.

Oct-17-07   RookFile: Well, as I recall, Tal himself disagreed with the line Fischer gave, but I don't remember his analysis.
Dec-03-07   BaranDuin: This game seems to be a popular game to replay by players who agreed to a draw before the game.
Feb-23-08
Premium Chessgames Member
  Calli: A bit of video of this game http://www.youtube.com/watch?v=U1SX...
Dec-17-08
Premium Chessgames Member
  PugnaciousPawn: Fireworks all over the place with this game!! Classic Tal/Fischer explosiveness. The positions are very complex and are extemely difficult for both sides to play.
Jan-05-09   WhiteRook48: wow. what a perpetual! amazing Tal save although I wish he'd played on
Mar-31-09   Tridel: Hey I was wondering... What would've happened if Tal played 6. cxb4 instead cxd4. Doesn't he win a pawn right there.

Sorry, that I can't foresee the outcome of that option.

Apr-09-09
Premium Chessgames Member
  LIFE Master AJ: A clash between two chess titans, its sad that both are gone now.
Jun-04-09   AnalyzeThis: Fischer was 17 years old, and he confronts the reigning world champion, taking the fight right to him in an intense tactical battle.

Say that sentence about 10 times the next time somebody says he was afraid of anybody.

Jun-04-09   shalgo: <Hey I was wondering... What would've happened if Tal played 6. cxb4 instead cxd4. Doesn't he win a pawn right there.>

6...cxb4 is considered inferior to 6...cxd4, but it is perhaps playable.

White usually plays 7.Nb5, when Black should not play 7...bxa3+?, because after 8.c3 Bc7 (White was threatening Nd6+) 9.Bxa3 White has excellent compensation for the pawn because of his control of the dark squares.

Jun-04-09   AnalyzeThis: Notice how Fischer steered this toward the wind, and played a sharp Qg4 line. I'm surprised he didn't play this way more often against the French defense as a whole.
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