Robert James Fischer vs Pal Benko (1961)

Robert James Fischer vs Pal Benko
New York ch-US 1961 · Sicilian Defense: Accelerated Dragon. Maroczy Bind Gurgenidze Variation (B36) · 1/2-1/2

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explore this opening	find similar games	18 more Fischer/Benko games
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Apr-06-04		iron maiden: This is Bobby Fischer's quickest draw in the database. It's surprising that Fischer would ever draw so quickly, but this game was played when he was only sixteen and had not fully acquired the "fight-to-the-death reputation he is famous for.

Oct-06-05		vintage geisha: seems that Benko has the upper attacking hand. Particularly on the c4 pawn and the a1-h8 diagonal. So I wonder why benko drew. Does anyone disagree?

Jul-28-07		Helios727: Apparently Bobby didn't always aim for the Yugoslav Attack against the Dragon.

Jan-14-09		dumbgai: A rare short draw from Fischer.

Jan-15-09		Peter Nemenyi: The brevity of this game is indeed unusual, but Fischer didn't always object to draws when he had a tournament safely won, as was the case here. At Vinkovci 1968 he strolled home with three draws in his last four games. And after all, MSMG contains the frank comment, "The text is drawish, but I had already clinched first prize", on Bobby's tenth move in his game with Bertok at Stockholm 1962. BTW, Soltis claims in his book of Fischer's games that had Kholmov taken a fifteen-move draw by repetition against RJF at Skopje 1967, it "would have been the shortest game Fischer ever played". If the score of this game is correct, Soltis must be wrong.

Nov-10-10		perfidious: This score is correct; it's Soltis who erred. <Helios727> This form of the Dragon with 4....g6 avoids lines such as the Yugoslav Attack, but allows the Maroczy Bind with 5.c4, which is why it was out of favour for some years, though the Bind is no longer feared.

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