The chess games of Robert James Fischer

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Robert James Fischer

Fischer

The Championship Season: Bobby Fischer in 1972.

Number of games in database: 1,100
Years covered: 1953 to 1992
Last FIDE rating: 2780
Highest rating achieved in database: 2785

Overall record: +434 -87 =247 (72.6%)*
* Overall winning percentage = (wins+draws/2) / total games in the database. 332 exhibition games, blitz/rapid, odds games, etc. are excluded from this statistic.

MOST PLAYED OPENINGS

With the White pieces:

Sicilian (200)
    B90 B32 B88 B44 B77
Ruy Lopez (128)
    C92 C69 C95 C97 C98
French Defense (81)
    C19 C18 C11 C16 C10
Ruy Lopez, Closed (79)
    C92 C95 C98 C97 C89
Caro-Kann (52)
    B11 B10 B18 B13 B14
French Winawer (48)
    C19 C18 C16 C15 C17

With the Black pieces:

Sicilian (125)
    B92 B99 B90 B97 B93
King's Indian (117)
    E80 E62 E97 E60 E67
Sicilian Najdorf (83)
    B92 B99 B90 B97 B93
Nimzo Indian (23)
    E45 E40 E46 E43 E41
Grunfeld (20)
    D86 D79 D98 D80 D95
English (18)
    A16 A15 A10 A19

Repertoire Explorer

NOTABLE GAMES: [what is this?]
   D Byrne vs Fischer, 1956 0-1
   R Byrne vs Fischer, 1963 0-1
   Fischer vs Spassky, 1972 1-0
   Fischer vs Myagmarsuren, 1967 1-0
   Fischer vs Fine, 1963 1-0
   Fischer vs Benko, 1963 1-0
   Letelier vs Fischer, 1960 0-1
   Fischer vs Petrosian, 1971 1-0
   Fischer vs Tal, 1961 1-0
   Spassky vs Fischer, 1972 0-1

WORLD CHAMPIONSHIPS: [what is this?]
   Spassky - Fischer World Championship Match (1972)

NOTABLE TOURNAMENTS: [what is this?]
   US Championship 1957/58 (1957)
   US Championship (1966)
   US Championship 1963/64 (1963)
   Stockholm Interzonal (1962)
   Havana Olympiad Final-A (1966)
   Skopje (1967)
   Vinkovci (1968)
   Netanya (1968)
   Buenos Aires (1970)
   Rovinj/Zagreb (1970)
   Palma de Mallorca Interzonal (1970)
   Fischer - Spassky (1992)
   Mar del Plata (1960)
   Zurich (1959)
   Havana (1965)

GAME COLLECTIONS: [what is this?]
   -ER Fischer by fredthebear
   1964 Fischer simul exhibition tour by gauer
   Fischer vs The Russians by wanabe2000
   Match Fischer! by dwinco
   Match Fischer! by amadeus
   Bobby Fischer: Selected Games from 1955-1992 by fernando.laroca
   Bobby Fischer: Selected Games from 1955-1992 by wanabe2000
   book: Russians versus Fischer by Baby Hawk
   Russians versus Fischer by Anatoly21
   Bjelica_125 by Gottschalk
   Robert Fischer's Best Games by Patca63
   Robert Fischer's Best Games by dikaio
   Robert Fischer's Best Games by demirchess
   Robert Fischer's Best Games by KingG

GAMES ANNOTATED BY FISCHER: [what is this?]
   Petrosian vs Pachman, 1961
   Unzicker vs Fischer, 1962
   Korchnoi vs Fischer, 1970
   Fischer vs Julio Bolbochan, 1962
   Zukertort vs Steinitz, 1886
   >> 16 GAMES ANNOTATED BY FISCHER

Search Sacrifice Explorer for Robert James Fischer
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ROBERT JAMES FISCHER
(born Mar-09-1943, died Jan-17-2008, 64 years old) United States of America (federation/nationality Iceland)

[what is this?]

Robert James ("Bobby") Fischer was a chess prodigy born on March 9, 1943 in Chicago.

At 13, he won the stunning brilliancy D Byrne vs Fischer, 1956, which Hans Kmoch christened "The Game of the Century." At 14, he won the US Championship (1957/58), making him the youngest U.S. Champion ever. At age 15, Fischer became both the youngest grandmaster (at the time) and the youngest candidate for the World Championship.

Fischer's victory qualified him for the Portoroz Interzonal (1958). He tied for 5th-6th, which sufficed to advance him to the Candidates Tournament to decide the challenger to World Champion Mikhail Botvinnik. It also made him, at 15, the youngest grandmaster ever - a record that stood until Judit Polgar broke it in 1991. At the Bled-Zagreb-Belgrade Candidates (1959), Fischer finished fifth out of eight, the top non-Soviet player.

Fischer won the US Championship all eight times he played, in each case by at least a point. In the US Championship (1963/64) he achieved the only perfect score (11-0) in the history of the tournament.

He won the Stockholm Interzonal (1962) 2½ points ahead of Efim Geller and Tigran Vartanovich Petrosian. This made him a favorite to win the Curacao Candidates (1962), but he only finished fourth, behind Petrosian, Geller, and Paul Keres.

In a famous article in Sports Illustrated magazine, The Russians Have Fixed World Chess, Fischer accused the Soviets of cheating: Petrosian, Geller, and Keres had drawn all 12 of the games among themselves at Curaçao. Because of this, he refused to play in the next Candidates cycle. He did play in the Sousse Interzonal (1967), but left it while leading, because of a scheduling dispute occasioned by Fischer's refusal to play on Saturday, his Sabbath.

He won the Palma de Mallorca Interzonal (1970) by a record 3½ points. The following year, he shocked the chess world by sweeping the Fischer - Taimanov Candidates Quarterfinal (1971) and Fischer - Larsen Candidates Semifinal (1971) by identical 6-0 scores, the only perfect scores in the history of the Candidates Matches. He also won the first game of his Candidates final against former World Champion Tigran Vartanovich Petrosian, giving him a modern record of 20 consecutive wins at the highest level of competition. He won the Fischer - Petrosian Candidates Final (1971) by 6½-2½ to advance to the World Championship match against reigning champion Boris Spassky. This also gave him a FIDE rating of 2785, making him at that time the highest-rated player in history.

In Reykjavik, he won the Fischer - Spassky World Championship Match (1972) by 12½-8½ to become the 11th World Chess Champion. In 1975, Fischer forfeited his title after FIDE refused to meet his conditions for a World Championship match with Anatoly Karpov. He then virtually disappeared from the public eye for nearly 20 years.

After ending his competitive career, he proposed a new variant of chess and a modified chess timing system. His idea of adding a time increment after each move is now standard, and his variant "Fischerandom" (or "Chess960") is gaining in popularity.(2)

Fischer resurfaced in 1992 to play a match against his old rival Spassky in Yugoslavia. Fischer won Fischer - Spassky (1992) 10-5 with 15 draws. The United States considered that Fischer, in playing this match in Yugoslavia, violated U.S. Treasury Department regulations that forbade transacting business with Yugoslavia. Fischer evaded authorities for twelve years until July 13, 2004, when he was arrested in Japan. On March 22, 2005, he was granted Icelandic citizenship and finally freed from Japan. He died of renal failure in Iceland on January 17, 2008 at the age of 64. Gravestone photo: http://www.sjakkfantomet.no/wp-cont....

Fischer's anthology, My 60 Memorable Games, was published in 1969. It has been described as a "classic of objective and painstaking analysis,"1 and is regarded as one of the great classics of chess literature.

(1) Hooper & Whyld. The Oxford Companion to Chess. 1992

(2) Wikipedia article: Bobby Fischer

(3) User: jessicafischerqueen 's YouTube documentary of Fischer http://www.youtube.com/playlist?lis...

Last updated: 2018-09-23 15:50:12

page 1 of 45; games 1-25 of 1,101

Game	Result	Moves	Year	Event/Locale	Opening
1. D Mayers vs Fischer	1-0	17	1953	Blitz game	C33 King's Gambit Accepted
2. J Altusky vs Fischer	0-1	8	1954	Offhand Game	C71 Ruy Lopez
3. Fischer vs J Altusky	1-0	12	1954	Offhand Game	E90 King's Indian
4. A W Conger vs Fischer	1-0	12	1955	corr	E70 King's Indian
5. Fischer vs S Greene	½-½	11	1955	US Amateur Ch	B77 Sicilian, Dragon, Yugoslav Attack
6. A Humphrey vs Fischer	½-½	33	1955	US Amateur Ch	E61 King's Indian
7. Fischer vs K Warner	0-1	28	1955	Lincoln ch-US jr	B58 Sicilian
8. W Whisler vs Fischer	½-½	25	1955	Lincoln ch-US jr	E80 King's Indian, Samisch Variation
9. J Thomason vs Fischer	0-1	23	1955	Lincoln ch-US jr	E90 King's Indian
10. Fischer vs D Ames	½-½	28	1955	Lincoln ch-US jr	C47 Four Knights
11. Fischer vs V Pupols	0-1	44	1955	Lincoln ch-US jr	C40 King's Knight Opening
12. Fischer vs F Saksena	1-0	22	1955	Lincoln ch-US jr	C53 Giuoco Piano
13. Fischer vs M Pavey	0-1	52	1956	Manhattan CC ch	A07 King's Indian Attack
14. J Tamargo vs Fischer	0-1	40	1956	Manhattan CC ch	B22 Sicilian, Alapin
15. A Turner vs Fischer	1-0	53	1956	New York Manhattan	E68 King's Indian, Fianchetto, Classical Variation, 8.e4
16. Fischer vs K Vine	½-½	36	1956	New York Manhattan	B32 Sicilian
17. Fischer vs S Baron	1-0	53	1956	New York Manhattan	C98 Ruy Lopez, Closed, Chigorin
18. Pat Smith vs Fischer	0-1	23	1956	Casual game	C48 Four Knights
19. Fischer vs I Spector	1-0	35	1956	Casual game	B95 Sicilian, Najdorf, 6...e6
20. J R Florido vs Fischer	0-1	26	1956	Capablanca CC - Log Cabin m	C50 Giuoco Piano
21. Fischer vs J A Casado	½-½	48	1956	Simul, 12b	B32 Sicilian
22. A Jenkins vs Fischer	0-1	18	1956	North Carolina - Log Cabin CC m	B20 Sicilian
23. Fischer vs J F Bacardi	1-0	28	1956	US Amateur ch	A04 Reti Opening
24. Fischer vs E Nash	0-1	51	1956	US Amateur ch	A05 Reti Opening
25. R Riegler vs Fischer	0-1	34	1956	US Amateur ch	B20 Sicilian


page 1 of 45; games 1-25 of 1,101

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< Earlier Kibitzing · PAGE 141 OF 141 · Later Kibitzing>
Oct-23-21		RookFile: Tal had an element of bluff to his tactical play, which guys like Keres and Korchnoi saw through when putting up large pluses against Tal. For my money, the greatest tactician of them all was Lasker.

Oct-23-21		harrylime: I'm loving Folk on ere saying Fischer couldn't play sharp chess games ! That old Chestnut ! Commie Propaganda lives !! lol lol lol Geller was lucky in a few uber sharp games with Bobby to be sure .... But Bobby had Geller's number .. Bobby's chess style was universal. He was comfortable in any position and was criticised for playing like a chess computer before chess computers...

Oct-23-21		harrylime: Fischer had a chess style which was universal. He was the internet before the internet regarding chess lol lol lol

Oct-23-21		harrylime: More often than not ... you'd be outplayed in the opemings Cum the middlegame ... hello !! This is Fischer ...lol lol But any dry endgames with equal chances ... Fischer possessed amazing technique ... and amazing will power ....

Oct-23-21		RookFile: To be sure, you didn't want to take Fischer on in the poisoned pawn Sicilian, and he won plenty of tactical games. It is true that folks figured the messy tactical game was the best chance you had.

Oct-23-21		thebully99: Fischer would have defeated Karpov under his conditions. The longer the match, the worse it is for Karpov.

Oct-23-21		0ZeR0: <RookFile> I agree with you that Lasker was a phenomenal tactician. My initial comparison between Carlsen and Lasker wasn't intended to be primarily about their (substantial) tactical abilities, but rather about their willingness to trade certain strengths and weaknesses in a position for others (dynamism) as well as their penchant for seemingly always going for the moves which cause their opponents the most difficulty. Unfortunately things seemed to have devolved into an argument over who was the best tactician which I refuse to take a side on. I will say, however, that I think it's very hard to meaningfully compare players of such different eras. It's inconceivable that Carlsen, being a player of a much later era, doesn't have the advantage of far more chess knowledge thanks to the benefit of being able to study what has come before. Anyhow, I apologize for not making my comparison of the players in question more specific.

Oct-23-21		RookFile: No worries here. I like Carlsen, he's a great champion.

Oct-24-21		shach matov: <Larsen was known for his "complex messy tactical" style> The point was not whether or not Larsen was a tactical player. Many other players were as well with whom BF had a plus score. The point is that Geller actually tried INTENTIONALLY to unbalance the positions against Fischer and when he did it worked amazingly well. Moreover, I am basing this statement on the opinions of Fischer's contemporaries and the modern top players like Kramnik. Geller said: "It was clear to me that the vulnerable point of the American grandmaster was in double-edged, hanging, irrational positions, where he often failed to find a win, even in a won position. This led me to my decision to challenge him in a very sharp game, and what's more, in his favorite opening." So should we believe these giants of chess? I do. Others may form their own opinions and that's fine as well. I just prefer to trust the opinions of those who actually payed BF and know first hand what he was like at the board.

Oct-24-21		nok: <...their penchant for seemingly always going for the moves which cause their opponents the most difficulty.> I guess the moves which cause the least difficulty don't work as well.

Oct-24-21		0ZeR0: <nok> I get that you're trying to be edgy and sarcastic because that's obviously your usual modus operandi. But you're reducing what I said to a binary when it's not. There's a reason why Carlsen out of all current players causes others the most difficulty. He is among the most willing to steer a position into complex or unbalanced territory. And he often continues pushing tenaciously for a win when others would call it a day. This is part of the reason why he's the best player in the world and the others are not.

Oct-24-21		harrylime: Fischer is the Ali of chess He came He saw He Conquered He left

Oct-24-21		harrylime: <<nok: <...their penchant for seemingly always going for the moves which cause their opponents the most difficulty.> I guess the moves which cause the least difficulty don't work as well.>> lol lol

Oct-24-21		thebully99: Carlsen is Lasker if he was born with the speed and intuition of Capablanca. Or Capablanca if he was born with Lasker's fighting spirit. Or Karpov if he had Fischer's physical stamina.

Oct-24-21		harrylime: What folk on here are forgetting ... and it's not surprising since most posters on here were not even born when Fischer was the best chess player on earth ... Is that Fischer is much much more than chess .... Fischer was a revolution . A one man revolution. Fischer was che guevara and Lenin and Tolstoy and Ali .. Fischer changed chess forever .. and brought down an empire And ... whats more ... His chess was beautiful...

Oct-24-21		Dionysius1: So sad it's past tense. So many have eclipsed Bobby Fischer since. That doesn't take away what he contributed of course. Even Carlsen will be eclipsed some day.

Oct-24-21		harrylime: <<Dionysius1: So sad it's past tense. So many have eclipsed Bobby Fischer since.>> Name them . We need a list of ALl the great chess players who have "eclipsed" him ... List Pleeeeeeeeeeeeeze

Oct-24-21		harrylime: Bobby Fischer will never be past tense ... Is this the kind of thinking on this chess site ?? Loike ? lol lol Crazy. lol lol

Oct-24-21		harrylime: Bobby is the greatest chess player. Ever.End of . Loike.

Oct-25-21		0ZeR0: <harrylime> At the very least, presumably <Dionysius1> is referring to Karpov, Kasparov, and Carlsen. All three of whom I think it's fair to have ahead of Fischer in the all-time list.

Oct-25-21		RookFile: Carlsen is what he is. It's true that he has some Capa like qualities in his endgame play, but he deserves to stand on his own. If somebody held a gun to my head I'd actually say he was an improved version of Reshevsky.

Oct-25-21		Williebob: Let us close our eyes Outside their lives go on much faster Oh, we won't give in We'll keep living in the past "Living in the Past", Jethro Tull, 1969

Oct-25-21		harrylime: <<0ZeR0: <harrylime> At the very least, presumably <Dionysius1> is referring to Karpov, Kasparov, and Carlsen. All three of whom I think it's fair to have ahead of Fischer in the all-time list.>> I know what he means ! I'm just zzzzzzzzzzzz with it all ... Folk were born into certain eras and stick like glue into those eras ... fair dooooze and cool ... Bobby is deffo suffering from the phenomenon RECENCY BIAS and also most of the players he played and fans who he awed ARE ALL DEAD now ... so they don't get a VOICE... So I get bored with all this SCHIIT. If Carlsen wins in November against this clown Nepo , which he will , NOBODY outside the chess bubble will know ... Just let that sink in ... Fischer had the universe and beyond ... he WAS THAT BIG outside the small chess world ...

Oct-25-21		0ZeR0: <RookFile> <If somebody held a gun to my head I'd actually say he was an improved version of Reshevsky.> That's a very interesting comparison and I believe you're the first individual I've seen make it. I have great respect for Reshevsky as well and can definitely see some similarities in terms of fighting spirit and toughness. I'm genuinely curious, tell me more.

Oct-25-21		harrylime: Fischer was just a better player than karpov ... and that's not even exploring how much greater beyond chess he was too... as for kasparov ... well it's different eras now coz kasparov collided with the computer age and the naescant net age ... this is closer .. but Fischer would have beaten gazza too ...and if you mention kasparov outside our small chess bubble you'll just hit blank looks. His success went almost unreported outside the chess world. carlsen again ... this is it... how well known is carlsen outsisde Norway and outside chess ?? No foooker I know has heard of him lol lol lol .. Fischer is the greatest with all that word implies.

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