chessgames.com

Robert James Fischer vs Reuben Fine
"Fischer Plays Fine" (game of the day May-01-10)
Blitz, New York (USA) 1963  ·  Philidor Defense: Hanham. Steiner Variation (C41)  ·  1-0
To move:
Last move:

explore this opening
find similar games 4 more Fischer/Fine games
PGN: download | view Help: general | java-troubleshooting

TIP: Games that have been used in game collections will have a section at the bottom which shows collections which include it. For more information, see "What are Game Collections?" on our Help Page.

PGN Viewer:  What is this?
For help with this chess viewer, please see the Pgn4web Quickstart Guide.

Kibitzer's Corner
< Earlier Kibitzing  · PAGE 4 OF 4 ·  Later Kibitzing>
Jul-17-07
Premium Chessgames Member
  MostlyAverageJoe: <Zorilla> Please STOP posting your INCORRECT assertion about Rxd5.

It is a LOSING move for white.

Jul-17-07  krusheto: I saw the Bxf7+ sac right away but after that Rxf7 I wasn't sure how to go about it. So this was my solution: 10.Be6 ex6 11.Nxe6 Qb8 12.Nxf8 ... and there's a few variations from black which could save him. Darn, I always go for the long and complicated moves when there's the simple Bxf7 and the game is pretty much over... Maybe that's why I'm not that good in chess :)
Jul-17-07  zb2cr: I can't take credit for this, as I have seen it before, and remembered the basics. Oh well.
Jul-17-07  binshkeerfortt: Could somebady please explain me correctly all this puzzle, I'm not quite shure of how is it going, please if anybody tells me, I'll thank him a Lot.
Jul-17-07  Crowaholic: I found 10. Bxf7+ Rxf7 11. Qc4 quickly, but I also saw that 11. ..Nd5 12. Nxf7 soon causes complications. If the first two puzzles are any indication for the rest of the week, then even the grim reaper himself will be unable to solve the Sunday puzzle.
Jul-17-07
Premium Chessgames Member
  RandomVisitor: Perhaps Bobby could have played a better 9th move: Position after 8...Qc7

1: Robert James Fischer - Reuben Fine, Blitz, New York (USA) 1963


click for larger view

Analysis by Rybka 2.3.2a mp:

(18-ply)
1. ± (1.02): <9.Bxf7+> Kxf7 10.Qc4+ Ke8 11.Ng5 Rf8 12.Ne6 Qb6 13.Nxg7+ Kd8 14.Ne6+ Ke8 15.Be3 Qa5

2. ± (0.78): 9.Ng5 Nc5 10.Bxf7+ Kf8 11.Bb3 b5 12.Nf3 Rb8 13.Nc3 a5 14.a3 Nxb3 15.cxb3 Be6

Jul-17-07
Premium Chessgames Member
  MostlyAverageJoe: <RandomVisitor: Perhaps Bobby could have played a better 9th move>

It requires analysis of someting like 6 moves deep to be seen as better.

In a blitz.

I think Bobby did OK.

Jul-17-07
Premium Chessgames Member
  RandomVisitor: One year later in the game Fischer-Sandrin Fischer vs A Sandrin, 1964

Black varied with 9...Rf8 and White missed 10.Bxf7+! and instead played 10.a4, but went on to win anyway.

Jul-17-07
Premium Chessgames Member
  Some call me Tim: To those who are amazed at Fine's patzerhood in this game: according to Fine (in his book on the 1972 Fischer-Spassky match) they played many games that day and Fine won most, calling Fischer at that point (World Champion qualifier twice by the age of 20!) not strong opposition. He said his family still remembered Fischer bitterly calling Fine "lucky" when Fine won. Fine also was not pleased when Fischer included one of these games in his most memorable games collection. In a series of blitz games tides turn and moves are overlooked. But these are still great games for entertainment and educational value. Fine still had some abilities as of '63 but he could produce a pancake like this, too, when short on time. Fischer never published his losses in this encounter so we will never know what mistakes HE made!
Jul-25-07  rhyla: OK...enough is enough...10. Bxf7+ Rxf7 11. Qc4 Nd5 12.exd5!..that's a great move keeping the f7 rook en prise...after 12..Nb6 white can play 13.d6 or simply 13.Qb3 or Qc3 with advantage
Oct-30-07  Udit Narayan: Nice trick!!!
Apr-15-09
Premium Chessgames Member
  Eyal: <Some call me Tim: To those who are amazed at Fine's patzerhood in this game: according to Fine (in his book on the 1972 Fischer-Spassky match) they played many games that day and Fine won most, calling Fischer at that point (World Champion qualifier twice by the age of 20!) not strong opposition. He said his family still remembered Fischer bitterly calling Fine "lucky" when Fine won.>

I've just looked at Fine's book, and found that you're confusing two different occasions when the two played. The one in which Fine claimed he won most games and didn't find Fischer "strong opposition" took place in 1956 or shortly thereafter:

<His single-minded devotion to chess led to a constant increase in his playing strength. In 1956, when he was only thirteen years old, he won the junior championship of the United States. Since the junior championship included all players under twenty-one, this already marked him out as a player of great promise.

Apparently, though, this success dismayed his mother, who shortly thereafter came to consult me about what could be done to dissuade her son from devoting all his time to chess. At that time I sent him copies of my books, and had a few talks with him, almost entirely limited to chess.

In retrospect, it becomes one of the ironic twists of history that of the two leading American chess masters of the twentieth century one almost became the psychoanalyst of the other. But Bobby was not receptive to the idea of any kind of help. He came to see me about half-a-dozen times. Each time we played chess for an hour or two. In order to maintain a relationship with him I had to win, which I did. Evidently at that point he was not yet up to his later strength. I do not recall the games, but I do remember that he was not yet strong opposition. My family remembers how furious he was after each encounter, muttering that I was "lucky.">

And here's what he says about the circumstances in which the present game was played:

<My contacts with Bobby were rare and superficial. Once we met by accident in a chess club, and played some offhand games. To my surprise they were recorded by someone present, and Bobby even reprinted one [Fischer vs Fine, 1963 ] in his book My Sixty Memorable Games. To record offhand games is unheard-of in modern times; the last one who did so, significantly, was Morphy [...] To the best of my memory the over-all score was slightly in his favor.> (http://bobbyfischer.net/history3.html)

Apr-15-09  Jim Bartle: Good research there.
Apr-15-09
Premium Chessgames Member
  chancho: Here's the one off hand game Fine won from Fischer in 1963.

Fine vs Fischer, 1963

May-01-10
Premium Chessgames Member
  Richard Taylor: Trap for young players! Reuben Fine was pretty much retired (and or tired!) when these casual games were played.

That game above that Fischer put in his book is pretty weak...it is in Fischer's book but it is out of place!...I could have won that with my eyes shut and having drunk a case or three of stubbies...

Fine - before he retired was = first at AVRO in 1937 (38?) and declared himself World Champion (maybe a bit tongue and cheek) though on the "count back" Keres was First...then Fine retired...

Pity he didn't cure Fischer and stop him becoming a psychotic. He might have avoided becoming an anti-Semite, and made a good accountant or something and actually enjoyed his life.

Be interesting to know more about Fischer's father and mother. His real father (I think he was Hungarian Jew) was on the Manhatten project. His mother, also Jewish, was a socialist and a political (left wing activist) The Fischer of his name was also a physicist in Germany. he as clearly deeply psychologically tormented an twisted almost to the point of madness.

But unlike the truly great players such as Lasker he wasn't highly educated. A tragic and pathetic case...

May-01-10
Premium Chessgames Member
  Richard Taylor: <That game above that Fischer put in his book is pretty weak...it is in Fischer's book but it is out of place!...I could have won that with my eyes shut and having drunk a case or three of stubbies...>

Hmm...not that game, the one Fischer won with Evans.

I wonder what Jeslicca Fishe Queen will think of all this?

May-01-10
Premium Chessgames Member
  scormus: I see this was a blitz game, in New York. I seem to remember reading at that Fischer used to play these blitz sessions they had in some chess cafe (before they had internet cafes). And he would give himself 30 s on his clock for all his moves. I wonder if this was one of those .....
May-01-10
Premium Chessgames Member
  lost in space: Nice!

I am often missing these shots in Blitz games, sometimes also in OTP games.

May-01-10
Premium Chessgames Member
  Chessmensch: True this was blitz. However, I played this through with Deep Fritz 12 up to depth = 20 and more--and found that with proper play black got an overwhelming advantage (-7.84 at move 25)
May-01-10  AnalyzeThis: What are you talking about?
May-01-10  Minty: <rhyla: OK...enough is enough...10. Bxf7+ Rxf7 11. Qc4 Nd5 12.exd5!..that's a great move keeping the f7 rook en prise...after 12..Nb6 white can play 13.d6 or simply 13.Qb3 or Qc3 with advantage>

I don't think 12. exd5 is any good. 12... Bxg5 13. Bxg5 Nb6, and white doesn't really have anything.

Seems to me white can just play 12. Nxf7 and win the exchange.

May-02-10
Premium Chessgames Member
  RandomVisitor: After 7.Qe2, 7...h6 might be best:


click for larger view

Rybka 3:

[+0.27] d=20 8.a4 Ngf6 9.b3

May-02-10
Premium Chessgames Member
  lost in space: From my perspective Black's chance was to play 8...b5 (maybe even better is 7...b5)


click for larger view

It controlls c4, the most important sqaure for white's combination....and it is perfectly fitting to Black's position.

It seems that the sequence 7.Qe2 8. Rd1 should be replaced by 7. a4 (latest 8. a4).

May-03-10
Premium Chessgames Member
  kevin86: "That's another fine mess you've got me in.."
Apr-30-13
Premium Chessgames Member
  PawnSac: < Crowaholic: I found 10. Bxf7+ Rxf7 11. Qc4 quickly, but I also saw that 11. ..Nd5 12. Nxf7 soon causes complications.>

Not really crow, after Nxf7 the complications are over.

Both of these players are top level GM's. This is not complicated at all! To them the things i will point out are obvious! So after 10.Bxf7+ Fine's response was just "Oh.. Yea thats right.. Duh!" and just resign.

Take a good look at the position.


click for larger view

Think of it on the simplest of terms. Now, what is black to do?

Does he move the Nd5?
Does he capture on f7?
Or neither?

Well, he can't do nothing!

If he moves the Nd5, lets say to b6 attacking the queen.. 13.Nh6 double check and mate next move. So he can't move the knight.

If 12 ..Kxf7 then 13.exd5 and
if 13. ..Nb6 14.d6+ Nxc4 15.dxc7 and white is up a pawn and the exchange, and its only move 15!

Fine probably figured "forget it. I'm not going to start a game with Bobby down 3 points!"

Jump to page #    (enter # from 1 to 4)
< Earlier Kibitzing  · PAGE 4 OF 4 ·  Later Kibitzing>

Now on DVD
NOTE: You need to pick a username and password to post a reply. Getting your account takes less than a minute, totally anonymous, and 100% free--plus, it entitles you to features otherwise unavailable. Pick your username now and join the chessgames community!
If you already have an account, you should login now.
Please observe our posting guidelines:
  1. No obscene, racist, sexist, or profane language.
  2. No spamming, advertising, or duplicating posts.
  3. No personal attacks against other users.
  4. Nothing in violation of United States law.
Blow the Whistle See something which violates our rules? Blow the whistle and inform an administrator.


NOTE: Keep all discussion on the topic of this page. This forum is for this specific game and nothing else. If you want to discuss chess in general, or this site, you might try the Kibitzer's Café.
Messages posted by Chessgames members do not necessarily represent the views of Chessgames.com, its employees, or sponsors.
Spot an error? Please submit a correction slip and help us eliminate database mistakes!
This game is type: BLITZ (Disagree? Please submit a correction slip.)

Featured in the Following Game Collections [what is this?]
3.d4 Nd7 4.Bc4 c6 5.O-O Be7 6.dxe5 dxe5 7.Qe2 Ngf6 8.Rd1
from Defensa Philidor, ese campo de minas by rigoletto
usual exchange of R+P for B+N-becomes "Unusual"
from quick knockouts by traps by kevin86
10.? (July 17, 2007)
from Tuesday Puzzles, 2004-2010 by Phony Benoni
Evans Gambiet
from AnthonyPalm's favorite games by AnthonyPalm
Robert Fischer's Favorite-Players
by saveyougod
Against the Philidor
by Inius Mella
Electric General
by Gottschalk
Other openings
by savya2u
K-kvk-ww-eo
from Game collection: 2 by vica
Another Fine game! by Fischer.
from Practical Miniatures by ianD
fis fine 8mov
from gmlisowitz's favorite games by gmlisowitz
An easy win by Fischer
from Easy games throghout history by ahmadov
sezaiunal's favorite games
by sezaiunal
10 blancas
from puzzles 2 by ALEXIN
Game collection: 1
by p2c
Brutal Attacking Chess
by Timothy Glenn Forney
had2x's favorite games
by had2x
10.? (Tuesday, July 17)
from Puzzle of the Day 2007 by Phony Benoni
Game collection: 7
by gr2ca
ninja007's favorite games
by ninja007
plus 7 more collections (not shown)


home | about | login | logout | F.A.Q. | your profile | preferences | Premium Membership | Kibitzer's Café | Biographer's Bistro | new kibitzing | chessforums | Tournament Index | Player Directory | World Chess Championships | Opening Explorer | Guess the Move | Game Collections | ChessBookie Game | Chessgames Challenge | Little ChessPartner | privacy notice | contact us
Copyright 2001-2013, Chessgames Services LLC
Web design & database development by 20/20 Technologies