(If at one time Mr. Larsen would have been sent to "chess prison" as a youth,maybe he wouyld have been scared straight and no longer be bent.)

"They were more cautious than I. In the last round they did not even dare to take up the dice with white and they calmly lay low in their half point lead domain. Although Fischer, who showed up in the last round as a spectator, referred to them critically for this reason, it is not to say that he is right. If a man leads thoughtout a tournament he does not gamble in the last round with the results of his work up to that point of stake.

In the end I can say my lot was fortunate in that in the last round I was brought together with the greatest hazard player, Larsen. The Danish GM had already lost his patience in the course of the tournament, and, furthermore, a cold bothered him. This needs to be known to understand the game for if we had played after the event, white's victory would seem quite easy."

Another factor to be considered is that Petrosian's last-round opponent Suttles needed a draw to become a GM. Who really wants to be the spoilsport that keeps him from getting it?

<Although Fischer, who showed up in the last round as a spectator, referred to them critically for this reason, it is not to say that he is right. If a man leads thoughtout a tournament he does not gamble in the last round with the results of his work up to that point of stake.>

Goodness knows Fischer has made that mistake before. In this game:

Gheorghiu vs Fischer, 1966

Fischer in an inferior (Mednis called it lost already) position, refused a draw around Move 10 that would have given him the Gold Medal, kept playing, got steamrollered, and had to settle for the silver.

The way Mednis reports it, Fischer refused the draw saying "No. There is much play left." Mednis' comment: Something like "Yes, but it's all on White's side."

After breaking down this contest, the last chance I saw for black to stay level was on move 20, by playing …Bf5 instead of …h6.

click for larger view

If white continues as in the text with 21 Ne6, then 21… Qe7. If 22 Nxf8 then 22…Qxe3+ 23 Kh1 Rxf8.

click for larger view

35...Kg6 36 Be4+ and not 36 Ne5+ Kg5 37 Nxd3??? Rf1#>

35.Qe7+,Kg6
36.Qe8+,Kf5 (Anything else, check mate)
37.Qh5+,Kf4
38.Qe5+,Kg4
39.H3#

Portisch and Gligoric both had fantastic scores against the Benoni.

<docbenway: Apr-11-08
Premium Chessgames Member WannaBe: It have always struck/strikes me 'funny'. a game may get a comment, and not another one for a 'looooooong' time... So, the next comment, should come around 2013... =) You are right that after the comments of 2008 it did take till 2013 exactly for the next comment. Smashing game!>