Bird tried a Dutch Defense and got a reasonable game. He erred slightly with 10...d6 (it was premature to move the d-pawn with his Bishop at b7, and 10...Na5 was much better) and Showalter immediately took advantage of this with 11. c5. But Showalter's 13. Ng5 was useless (13. Nd2 was better) and though Bird did not take full advantage with 13...Na5 (his 13...d5 was not as good) he was able to get an approximately equal game.

Showalter tried every which way to pierce Bird's defense, but the veteran hung tough. Showalter's 22. g4 was an effort to break through on the King-side, but he got nowhere with this. (22. Nf3 was probably best). Similarly, Showalter's 23. Qb3 was an effort to avoid equalizing exchanges, but it got him nowhere (23. BxN was better). Bird should probably have tried to grab the initiative with 23...Qa3, but his 23...NxN was good enough for equality.

The Tournament Book states that 38...Kh6 was a mistake, but Bird was still fine (though the Tournament Book's 38...Kf7 may have been marginally better).

After Showalter's 39. Qg3, Bird might well have gotten a draw with 39...QxQ+ as Knight13 notes. But Bird was still very much alive with his 39...Qe7.

Showalter found the most aggressive and forcing line with 40. h4, but Bird responded with the accurate 40...Qg7, and again was fine.

After Bird's 41. Kg6, the position was as follows:

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Showalter had a tiny edge here. But instead of trying to press for a win in this Queen and Bishop ending (perhaps with 42. Be2), Showalter played the wild 42. Bxf5+. This was pretty, but it yielded no legitimate winning chances.

After 42...exB 43. Qg5+ Kf7 44. e6+ Bird made what the Tournament Book claims (wrongly) was the losing move of the game:

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According to the Tournament Book, Bird here had to play 44...Kg8 and his 44...Kf8 lost him the game because Showalter's Queen could now take the f-pawn with check. But this is all wrong. Yes, 44...Kg8 would have allowed Bird to draw. But Bird's actual move, 44...Kf8 was also fine. I can find no win for White after this, and Fritz rates the game as (0.00) after Bird's supposed blunder.

In fact, Bird played very well in this game through 44...Kg8 (his alleged blunder). Indeed, the game was quite well played through move 44. It was only after 44...Kg8 that play became ragged on both sides.

After Bird's actual 45...Kg8?, the game was lost. Bird needed to keep his king close to Showalter's threatening pawns.

But though Showalter now had a win, he bungled it. After 50. Qg5+ Kf8, Showalter erred with 51. Qf6+ (51. h5 was best), and after Bird's 51...Kg8, Showalter blundered with 52. Qf3 (52. Qf4 was the only means of keeping the win in hand). Superficially, 52. e7 looks strong, but Bird could then have played 52...Bd7+ followed by 53...Qc2+ with drawing chances.

After Showalter's 52. Qf3, the position was as follows:

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Bird now could have been back in the game with 52...Kg7. Instead, he played the awful 52...Qe7??, blocking one of the possible routes for his King.

Showalter correctly responded with 53. Qg3+, but after Bird's 53...Kf8, Showalter blundered again with 54. Qf4+ (54. Qe5 was a clear win). Suddenly, Bird had chances, and accurately played 54...Kg8 (54...Kg7?? would have lost immediately to 55. Qe5).

Showalter now played 55. Qe5, and the Tournament Book commented "Now the game is won." Actually, after Showalter's 54th move, White's win was less certain.

In any case, after 55. Qe5 Qf8, Showalter threw his win away entirely with 56. Kg2? (56. Qg5+ or 56. Kg4 would have left him winning chances).

Bird's response, 56...Bb5, was less accurate than 56...Qg7+, but Bird still had reasonable drawing prospects.

Then, for reasons I cannot explain, the players repeated the position between moves 57 and 61. Both sides had several chances to claim a draw by triple repetition. Bird, who had virtually no shot at winning, should surely have claimed a draw.

But the game continued, with Showalter finally varying with 62. Kh2. This left the position as follows:

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Showalter's move did not improve his game (he should have tried 62. Kf3), and Bird now could have saved the game with 62...Qf6. Instead, he played 62...Qa3?? and was now a dead duck after 63. Qe5+ Kg8 64. d6. After a spite check (64...Qxa2+) and Showalter's 65. Kg3, Bird resigned the now hopeless struggle.