Bobby Fischer vs Alan Benson (1964)

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Bobby Fischer vs Alan Benson
Simul, 50b (1964) (exhibition), San Francisco, CA USA, Apr-13
Caro-Kann Defense: Two Knights Attack. Mindeno Variation Exchange Line (B11) · 1-0

ANALYSIS [x]

FEN COPIED

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Aug-29-08		vonKrolock: <7.♘xe4> A note saying that this move is "dubious"... obviously a dubious comment... <14...0-0-0> a very bold decision, the adversary being RJF

Mar-03-09		sneaky pete: <7.Nxe4?! ...> The text is considered to be a dubious pawn sacrifice. Theory judges 7.Qe3.. to be slightly better for White: Miles vs J Flesch, 1976 <7... Nxe4> The way to refute White's risky plan is: 7... Qxd4 8.Bd3 Nbd7! 9.Be3 Qd5 10.Rd1 e6 11.0-0 Be7 12.Nxf6+ Nxf6 13.Qg3 Bd6! 14.Qh4 Qe5 15.g3 Bc5 with a clear advantage, Dubinin vs Ilivitsky, USSR 1957. [Not in this database, but R Ortega vs Flohr, 1967 is.] That said, it should be pointed out that taking such a pawn from Fischer is a dangerous undertaking and the text is quite solid and playable. John Donaldson in <A Legend On the Road>. Note how I carefully avoided writing that 15... Bf4 was maladroit and resulted in the maltreatment of the black king.

Mar-03-09		Pyke: <Sneaky Pete: Note how I carefully avoided writing that 15... Bf4 was maladroit and resulted in the maltreatment of the black king.> Hehe, good one!

Mar-03-09		malthrope: <sneaky pete: [...] <7... Nxe4> The way to refute White's risky plan is: 7... Qxd4 [....] That said, it should be pointed out that taking such a pawn from Fischer is a dangerous undertaking and the text is quite solid and playable. John Donaldson in <A Legend On the Road>.> IM John Donaldson is a dear old friend of mine. :) The 'Chess Legend' we simply knew as Bobby... __________________________________________ http://img.photobucket.com/albums/v... http://img.photobucket.com/albums/v... "A Legend On the Road" (Bobby Fischer's 1964 Simul Tour) First Edition (1994) by IM John Donaldson http://img.photobucket.com/albums/v... http://img.photobucket.com/albums/v... "A Legend On the Road" (Bobby Fischer's 1964 Simultaneous Exhibition Tour) 2nd Edition - Revised & Enlarged (2005) by IM John Donaldson (with John's personal inscription to me). ___________________________________________ <Note how I carefully avoided writing that 15... Bf4 was maladroit and resulted in the maltreatment of the black king> Hehehe... I'm sure it took all of your diplomatic skills as well as subdued restraint! ;) <vonKrolock: [...] <14...0-0-0> a very bold decision, the adversary being RJF> No kidding! ~lol~ After Jess wakes up <jessicafischerqueen>, I'll then post the original scoresheet made that night on April 13th, 1964 at the Mechanics' Institute Chess Club when I played Bobby... :^) My Best, - Mal aka: Alan Benson Berkeley, CA PS: This is the only game that is featured here on the <CG.com> website that was actually played by me. I plan to ask <CG.com> to correct the name of 'A Benson' to 'Alan Benson' after I create my own player's page here. You can read further details about that here: malthrope chessforum You'll find even more info about Bobby in my Profile in the category,<'Tribute to the 11th WCC GM Robert J. Fischer'>, as well as additional anecdotes sprinkled throughout my chessforum. :D PPS: I see you <Pyke> :) How's Botvinnik doing? ;)

Mar-03-09		technical draw: Good try, Alan! I think you were trying that old "simplify and draw" trick. I would have preferred 11..Be7 to 11..Nd5 but it's one thing to look over the game here and it's another thing to have Fischer in front of you!

Mar-03-09		malthrope: <technical draw: Good try, Alan! [...] I would have preferred 11..Be7 to 11..Nd5 but it's one thing to look over the game here and it's another thing to have Fischer in front of you!> So true <TD> - picture that last and you'll see a thousand words! ~lol~ Besides, I was just an A-player back then (USCF 1848), all of 16 years of age and still had a ways to go before I got my Masters rating! (in 1971) :^) My Best, - Mal

Mar-03-09		mig55: What should be white 's 23 move?

Mar-04-09		malthrope: <mig55: What should be white's 23 move?> Hey <mig55> - that's an interesting question you pose! Deserves an answer. :) I was just writing in my chessforum to my friend <WoodyWoodPusher> about this game I played against Bobby. As, finally got the OGS (Original Game Score) scanned and uploaded! Here's the gist of my story to Woody (with light edits) starting off with the original scoresheet. :) ______________________________________ <Oh, and I finally made the scan of my simul game with Bobby - here it is and you get to see it first! :D http://img.photobucket.com/albums/v... Don't worry about my <2084> USCF rating... I probably just did that to scare Bobby! :P ~ROFL~ I'm pretty sure I was still an 'A-player' back in April 1964, but I rose very fast up the USCF rating charts when I was young from 'C-player to A-player' in less than two years. Then hung with an Expert rating for around 6 years then finally Master! :D As you can also see I was heavy into German algebraic notation at the time! ~lol~ BTW: I was a much neater writer as I grew older... :) If you look closely you'll see a faint pen line scratched over <22... Qc5> which was my intended move. Also note that I changed my mind on the 13th and 17th moves. Well he was coming around the corner fast - had to choose which one! :P However, looking at the game now I see Bobby is just killing me with further plunder and mayhem... Looks like 23. Rd3 is decisive. Threatening total destruction with the follow-up 24. Rad1 (targeting the crucial square 'd7' as well as a side threat of 24. Rb3 just to taunt me). So, I'm totally crushed and resigning was quite in order. Then I became a spectator and kibitzer for all the other simul games still in progress! :^) We did good that night! Of course, Bobby was just fabulous!! However, we won 4 games against him and held him to 8 draws, losing the remainder of the 38 games (of 50 total). :D> ______________________________________ Then after posting all this checked my friend IM John Donaldson's books, "The Legend on the Road" (1st & 2nd Editions info already give here in a previous post), to see if he had anything further to say. Which he did and he also gives 23. Rd3 as the killer! ;) Going back in time (note I was only 16 years old back then), I don't recall my specific thoughts of analysis but it was clear to me that I was totally busted. :O Anyway, that's the 'short story' version hope you enjoyed it. At least it answered your specific question! :^) - Mal

Mar-05-09		WhiteRook48: poor Benson

Mar-17-09		4tmac: Very interesting, Mal. I've been looking at Fischer's run at the championship, 20 game streak, etc., & it looks like they gave up on the Caro-Kann. I guess when Bobby had his "lull" during the interzonal & mangled that Rossolimo against Matulovic click for larger view f4! saved him this time but his next White against Larsen was a loss with a Sozin. Anyway, I'm not saying it's all about the openings; but I'll bet if there was a match in '75 we would have seen 1.e4 c6 once or twice.

Apr-13-09		4tmac: A frosty cold Colt 45 for Mr. Al from "4t" Mac.

Jan-01-10		zanshin: <mig55: What should be white 's 23 move?> I see no other move to try and save the Rook from the pin. But, it doesn't look good to me and Rybka agrees ... click for larger view [+4.62] d=15 22...Qc5 (0:04.23) 11870kN

Dec-03-14		TheFocus: From a simul in San Francisco, California on April 13, 1964. Fischer scored +38=8-4.

Jul-21-15		4tmac: Position from Sep 30, 1973 blindfold simul of malthrope click for larger view Mal breaks through with 31. ♘c5! Impressive move to find when playing 10 games blindfolded.

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