12 e5? almost loses the game.

Here is what he says of it.

[Event "New York ch-US Rd: 8"]
[Site "New York ch-US Rd: 8"]
[Date "1957.??.??"]
[Round "8"]
[White "George Mortimer Kramer"]
[Black "Robert James Fischer"]
[Result "0-1"]
[WhiteElo "0"]
[BlackElo "0"]
[EventDate "?"]
[ECO "A05"]
[PlyCount "64"]

1. Nf3 Nf6 2. g3 g6 3. Bg2 Bg7 4. d3 d6 5. O-O O-O 6. e4 c5

Another way of playing is 6 ...e5 and 7. Nbd7.

7. c3

click for larger view

This move sets Black a target on c3 after ... b5 and ... b5. Better is the usual Nbd2.

7 ...Nc6 8.
Ne1

Making way for the advance or the f pawn. White hopes to work up an attack on the King's flank.

8 ...Rb8

The thematic move which backs up the advance of the b pawn.

9. f4 Ne8

Opening up the King's Bishop diagonal and shifting the Knight toward the King side.

10. Be3

More in accordance with White's last moves would be 10 f5 or 10 g4.

10 ... Bd7

If immediately 10 ... b5 11 d4wouold give White the center, and Black cannot play 11 ... cxd4 12 cxd4 Qb6? 13. Nc2! But if now 11 d4? cxd4 12 cxd4 Qb6 is strong.

11. Nd2 b5 12. e5

Opening up the game to Black's advantage, as his pieces are all well posted for attack. But White must do something about the threatened 12 ... b4. Sounder is 12. Nef3.

12 ... dxe5 13. Bxc5 exf4 14. Rxf4 Nc7

Threatening 15 ..Ne6. Black gains a tempo.

15. Rf1 b4!

White is now thrown on the defensive.

16. Qc2 bxc3 17. bxc3 Nb5

Black's Queen-side attack is gainging momentum.

18. d4 Rc8

This quiet move cannot be met. Black has two threats: 19 ... Ncxd4 and 19 ... Nxc3.

The plausible 19 Nd3 fails against Ncxd4 20. cxd4 Nxd4 21 Qd1 bb5 and everything is hanging.

Or 19 Ne4 Ncxd4 20 cxd4 Bxd4+ 21 Kh1 Bxa1 and wins.

Or 19. Rc1 Ncxd4 20 cxd4 Bxd4+ 21 Bxd4 Nxd4 (much stonger than 21 ..Rxc2) 22 Qd3 Rxc8 23 Qxd4 Bb5! 24 Qb2 Qb6+ 25 Kh1 Bxf1 26 Qxc1 Bxg2+ 27 Nxg2 Rd8 with an easy win.

[The 15 year old Fischer doesn't say it but, but I will: 18 .. Rc8 is one of those moves of miracle - it deserves !! So 18 ..Rc8 !!]

19 Qb2

click for larger view

This defends only Ncxd4.

19. Qb2 Nxc3 20. Qxc3
Nxd4 21. Qb4 ...

If instead 21 Qxd4 Bxd4+ 22 Bxd4 Bb5.

Ne2+ 22. Kh1 ...

If 22 Kf2 Rxc5 23 Kxe2 Rb5 wins.

22 ...Rxc5

If 22 ... Bxa1 23 Bxe2 regains the exchange although Black would also win in this variation.

23. Qxc5 Bxa1 24. Nef3 Bg7 25. Re1 Nc3 26.Qxa7

On either 26 Qxe7 or 26 Rxe7 Black would play Nxa2.

Be6 27. a3 Qd6 28. Qa5 Bd5

Black's position is hopeless, as besides being a Pawn down, his pieces have no mobility.

29. Nb1

Loses a piece.

Ra8 30. Qb4 Qxb4 31. axb4 Bxf3 32.
Nxc3

If 32 Bxf3 Ra1.

32 ... Bxg2+
33 Resigns

I had one without dust jacket but I sod it to the now President of the NZ Chess Association in 2001 or so when I came back into chess - many years sparring partner of mine - for NZ$50.00

But the one I have was bought by my father - we were interested in Fischer but when we got it I think Tal and Botvinnik and Petrosian were the "heroes" mainly - although this old Commo bloke Ian Mitchell who was a keen chess player and admin (did a lot of good work for junior chess in the 60s) - was keen as was my father on Fischer...actually (in part) Fischer was a (contributing reason) I gave up chess as teenager!

But I liked that first book as the diagrams are quite unique...and the games also of course...he played Closed Sicilians and reversed KI attacks etc