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Efim Geller vs Robert James Fischer
Curacao Candidates (1962)  ·  Sicilian Defense: Najdorf. Opocensky Variation Traditional Line (B92)  ·  1-0
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Given 16 times; par: 58 [what's this?]

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Kibitzer's Corner
Dec-26-03
Premium Chessgames Member
  Dick Brain: I just hate getting killed by passed pawns. My mind always goes into a fog when they are involved.
May-02-04  Tigran Petrosian: 41.d6 was sealed.
May-09-06
Premium Chessgames Member
  Dr. Funkenstein: Wow, how about that Rc1-a4-b4-b6 manuever. Who would think you have that kind of time against Fischer, great call by Geller to realize he had black in a passive position.
Feb-09-07  Bashful Bob: How on earth is white going to win?
Feb-09-07
Premium Chessgames Member
  kellmano: As written above, after 41.d6 white wins
Feb-09-07
Premium Chessgames Member
  Gypsy: 41.d6 Ke8 42.d7 Bxd7 43.cxd7 Kxd7 44.<Bd1> Kc6 45.Kg3 Kb5 46.Kf4 a4 47.<Bxa4> Kxa4 48.Ke4... wins easily enough; e.g., 48...Kb3 49.Kxd4 Kb2 50.Ke5 Kd2 51.Kf6 Ke2 52.Kxf7 Kxf2 53.Kg7 Kg3 54.Kxh7 Kxh3 55.g5 Kg4 56.Kxg6... 1-0.

But some caution is in order: First, 44.<Bd5?> a4 ... is no good. Second, 47.<Ke4>..., counting on winning a tempo after 47...Kb4 48.Bxa4..., is also bad on the account of 47...a4 48.Bb3 Kb4 49.B~ Kc3...

Feb-09-07  Bashful Bob: I will never understand this game.
Jul-18-07  ALEXIN: Useful game for Najdorf players like me !
Jul-19-07
Premium Chessgames Member
  RookFile: Beautiful game by Geller.
Jul-29-07
Premium Chessgames Member
  Chessmensch: Watson discusses this game in considerable detail in Vol I of his books Mastering the Chess Openings, page 209.
Dec-07-08  xrt999: In the other Geller-Fischer game from Curacao 1962, round 16, Geller also occupied the Queenside and eventually played b4 as well with 29.b4.

Geller vs Fischer, 1962

Here, a mere 5 rounds later the same two players sit down and we have a repeat queenside attack with b4, with 17.b4. I think 18...Bd6 is Fischer's incorrect reply to the push at b4 by Geller, although at this point black seems to have serious problems no matter what the move: after the variation 6.Be2, the white pawns on c and d can barely be attacked with the white bishop still on e2, and furthermore, the white bishop can not be underminded.

Dec-21-08
Premium Chessgames Member
  notyetagm: <Chessmensch: Watson discusses this game in considerable detail in Vol I of his books Mastering the Chess Openings, page 209.>

Geller vs Fischer, 1962

Dec-21-08
Premium Chessgames Member
  notyetagm: 40 ... Kg8-f8 1-0


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Geller's <CONNECTED> passers beat Fischer's <ISOLATED> passers. Simple as that.

Dec-21-08
Premium Chessgames Member
  Eyal: <xrt999: In the other Geller-Fischer game from Curacao 1962, round 16, Geller also occupied the Queenside and eventually played b4 as well with 29.b4.

Geller vs Fischer, 1962

Here, a mere 5 rounds later the same two players sit down and we have a repeat queenside attack>

Actually, this was played 14 rounds earlier, in the 2nd round of the candidates tournament. But they did repeat here the line already played in their Interzonal game (Geller vs Fischer, 1962), where Fischer also got into a very bad position but managed to escape with a draw. This was a second consecutive loss for Fischer, following his loss to Benko in the 1st round; after winning the Interzonal a few months earlier with no losses and by a margin of 2.5 points, these two games must have come as a cold shower in Fischer's face.

Dec-21-08
Premium Chessgames Member
  notyetagm: <Eyal: ... This was a second consecutive loss for Fischer, following his loss to Benko in the 1st round; after winning the Interzonal a few months earlier with no losses and by a margin of 2.5 points, these two games must have come as a cold shower in Fischer's face.>

Wow, I did not know that Fischer started Curacao 0-2, with losses to Benko and Geller.

A cold shower indeed. In the Arctic. In the winter time. Outdoors.

Dec-22-08
Premium Chessgames Member
  AnalyzeThis: I think he was 'only' a top 10 player then, at the age of 19. He did finish with a plus score in the tournament.
Jan-02-09  WhiteRook48: Fischer loses!? Wow.
Aug-18-10
Premium Chessgames Member
  sevenseaman: Bravo Geller!
Jan-07-11
Premium Chessgames Member
  jmboutiere: Bashful Bob: I will never understand this game.
Answer : We, normal people, never completely understand a game between first 10 - 20 chess players
Jan-07-11
Premium Chessgames Member
  jmboutiere: After 11 moves chances are equal. White has more space on the queen side and a weak pawn at b7
Jan-07-11
Premium Chessgames Member
  jmboutiere: 18...Cb4 better than 18...Bd6
29...Qe7 better than 29...Bd7
+0.90 Rybka 3
31...Ra3 better than 31...Qb7
34...Qc2 better than 34.Bf5
final pozition Rybka 3 + 2.06
May-18-12  Birthday Boy: I don't understand 17.b4. What are the consequence if Black takes the pawn(cxb4) maybe 18.Bb6 followed by Qb3 ?
May-18-12  King Death: < Birthday Boy: I don't understand 17.b4. What are the consequence if Black takes the pawn(cxb4) maybe 18.Bb6 followed by Qb3 ? >

After 17...cb 18.Bb6 and 19.c5 would have given Geller a monster pawn roller. White can pick up the pawn at b4 after that, it's more important to grab space in the center and constrict Black's pieces.

May-18-12  Birthday Boy: Thank you so much!! <King Death>!

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