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Robert James Fischer vs Robert Wade
Vinkovci (1968), Vinkovci YUG, rd 1, Sep-07
King's Gambit: Declined. Petrov's Defense (C30)  ·  1-0

8
7
6
5
4
3
2
a
1
b
c
d
e
f
g
h
White to move.
ANALYSIS [x]
1-0

rnbqkbnr/pppppppp/8/8/8/8/PPPPPPPP/RNBQKBNR w KQkq - 0 1
FEN COPIED

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Given 19 times; par: 76 [what's this?]

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Kibitzer's Corner
Dec-17-03  InspiredByMorphy: I like the way Fischer played this game. Calm and collectively. Black played strangely 2.Nf6 instead of exf first.
Mar-07-05  THE pawn: I like the Other player's style too, it was some sort of comprehension between both players...like moves 32 to 35
Nov-28-10  mastermind7994: I see this game as exploiting the greater player's strength with simple and non-risky moves. Although King's Gambit is a risky opening black didn't go into risky variations with accepting the pawn for example. Fischer simply outplayed him.
Nov-28-10  solskytz: (to THE pawn)

not exactly comprehension...

in Wade's place I would go 17...Ne7 rather than ...f5.

Why?

Bobby was thinking about the endgame very early on. After the Q exchange, his only advantage is the advanced position of his central pawns.

But how to exploit it without any pieces out?

Well - if he can exchange his e pawn for the opponent's d pawn (no matter that he helps his adversary's development in so doing), he creates an asymmetrical pawn formation: 4:3 in his favor on the Q-side, 2:3 against him on the K-side.

In itself, this could still be pretty balanced. A 4:3 majority is kind of clumsy to exploit. It takes quite time to mobilize, and the enemy also has his chances on the other wing (and he does try, oh yes does he try...) BUT - if he can weaken and paralyze black's Q-side minority (such as after 18. Bxc6 bc), then he has a long-term, stable, clearly crushing advantage.

Then he can sit and wait. Let Black exhaust himself on the K-side. We can even accept some concessions (such as the interesting B-manoeuvre - g3, h2, g1). We can suffer this, even with opposite colour B's).

Sooner or later black has no means to further his position on the K-side. this could be quite frustrating in playing against Fischer: his wasn't a very preventive or prophylactic style. In many games he would create a long-term advantage and then let you attack for 10-15 moves. You think that you control the flow of the game, but he already saw that nothing will come out of your efforts, and when you have nothing left to do, then he kills you, not softly.

As the black initiative (in the face of sure Q-side loss, by reason of the pawn formation) wears off, White starts to advance in the Q-side. c4 can't be prevented. If the B has to move from d5, f3 will hang and the white R will have access to the Q-side, where pawns can no longer defend one another (a key point in every variation, and the reason I wouldn't let Fischer play 18.Bxc6).

Question: What can black do?

Answer: play into white's hands, simplify, allow an exchange of opposite colour B's (a drawing factor) and a couple of pawns, so that the situation is made even clearer: Black has nothing to show for his efforts on the K-side; strangely enough, it is exactly there that White's winning advantage is now manifest.

Jul-01-11  Damianx: Thanks 4 the effort solskytz well done
Dec-14-11  ScottWeatherill: 20. h4 stands out for me.... decimates the king side black pawn structure and allows consecutive white queen pawn threats dictate the endgame. Ruthless.
Dec-14-11  ScottWeatherill: and g3 is the cherry on top
Dec-14-11
Premium Chessgames Member
  harrylime: < solskytz >

Only just briefly glanced at the position where you recommend 17..Ne7 instead of Wade's 17..f5.. But it seems to lose the exchange after 18. Be5. Black moves his rook on h8 then 19. Bf6 ect..Excellent post by you and let me have another look ! lol

Dec-14-11
Premium Chessgames Member
  harrylime: Yeah just seen 18.. f6 in reply to Be5. exploiting the white king's position. So yeah I prefer Ne7 and you're right.
Dec-14-11
Premium Chessgames Member
  harrylime: Yeah agree. 29. g3 is cute.

These type of endgames are notoriously difficult but Fischer at this time in his career made them look ridiculously easy ...

Oct-16-12  newzild: I'd be curious to know how Fischer would have responded to 28...Bxa2, as after 29. Ra5 Bf7 30. Rxa7 Bxh5 Black has regained his pawn.
Apr-15-14  sicilianhugefun: Extremely logical, solid and sound Chess. Can't think of any human being who can surpass or even equal Fischer in this kind of playing style. It's almost perfect...
Apr-02-18  edubueno: 28...Ad5 es un error.
28... A x a2! iguala la partida.
Sep-15-19
Premium Chessgames Member
  keypusher: The computer thinks 26.Be5 was better than 26.Re5, but it still would have been hard to win.

<edubueno: 28...Ad5 es un error. 28... A x a2! iguala la partida.>

SF10 agrees, after two hours/68 ply (+0.09). Its main line runs 28... Bxa2 29. g3 Rg4 30. gxf4 Bd5 31. b4 Rxf4+ 32. Ke2 Rh4 33. Be3 Bf7 34. Bxh6 Bxh5+ 35. Kd2 Rh2+, etc.

29....fxg3+ also would have given Black good chances to hold. After 30....f3 it seems to have been hopeless.

It was a good game by both. Wade made Fischer work hard for the point.

Sep-16-19  RookFile: I think the position after 11. Nd2 is really interesting.


click for larger view

That b2,c3,d4 pawn wedge really cramps black's style. I find myself wishing that the classically placed c6 knight was on some other square. Black could breath easier if he got ...c5 and cxd4 in.

Sure, the computer comes up with stuff for black to hold, but for the human, it is not easy.

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